Week 12, Day 4

It's been a busy day interviewing, writing, planning, etc. And all that has made it a fairly productive one. I made a new logo for A New Suit, too. Please take a moment and let me know what you think of it!

Now it's time to settle in, watch a movie, and do some exercising. It feels so much better to exercise while a movie is on rather than just sit and stare at the screen, waiting for the story to unfold. It does, however, make me antsy at the theater when I can't get up and stair climb or do weight work on my arms! Oh well. DVDs at home are great for so many reasons...

The Season 8 Biggest Loser contestants traveled to LA today to prepare for the finale. I can't believe it's almost over! It's so easy to really care about these people when I've struggled right along with them week after week. And soon it will be time to say goodbye. Sad. But at the same time, I'm really eager to see how they all turned out! It's so encouraging to see them thin and healthy -- makes me feel like I can make it all the way, too.

Food today....a couple of sandwiches and some raspberry iced tea. I'll maybe have some yogurt later on before bed. I'm still bloated from the soup yesterday, so it was easy to not eat a whole lot today.

Exercising ... not a lot yet. Some at the store when I went out to get a new scarf and gloves. And then whatever I get in while the movie is on. Not a particularly great day for fitness, but part of that is because I slept late today. Tomorrow I have to get Adam to work by 9 o'clock, so I'll be up early and will have more time to get in a bike ride and maybe some better walking at the store. I'm also going to start trying to put in more stair climbing here at home. No sense having a 2-story apartment if I'm not going to take advantage of the great workout stairs can provide. I figure between the stairs, the recumbent bike, and the hand weights, I've got the materials for a pretty good workout right here at home. That's important since I don't have the money for a gym membership. Really, not matter what someone's income level is, there's no excuse for not getting a workout in. There's no law that says ANY of it has to be done at a gym!

Today's Tip:
The Internet is a wonderful thing and a great tool for those of us who want to eat better. I had gotten an email from Sonic yesterday telling about their new holiday milkshake -- peppermint and Andes mints in a concoction they call a Holiday Mint Blast. I gotta tell you, these things are just about the best, yummiest treats on the face of the earth. Tempting in ways that words can't describe!

But rather than give in, telling myself, "Well, a small one wouldn't be so bad," I went to the Sonic website and checked out their nutrition information. A SMALL one of these minty wonders has 700 calories in it! My lord. That's just wrong on so many levels. That many calories, yet very little of it has any nutrition and nearly none of it can be really classified as food. (In Sonic's defense, they do have healthy choices -- their grilled chicken salad is yummy and only had 248 calories, and they have a nutrition calculator that you can use to figure out how many calories and the nutritional information info of a meal before you go.)

Most name-brand restaurants have their nutrition information online now. Start checking them out -- you'll be surprised, and it will be a great encouragement to stay home and eat real food that will actually do your body some good. As for the tempting "treats", one look at the caloric content, and your desires will be much more likely to remain under control!