That Was Then This Is Now

Last Week:

You should worry about me when I don't post for more than 3 or 4 days. It usually means I'm up to trouble! (unless I'm in Hawaii that is -- then I'm just enjoying myself and don't want to be bothered with technology!!! LOL). Last week wasn't my most bright and shiny week post WLS. Between my fight with SEI and Easter happening (the 1st holiday on real food), I have not made the wisest of food choices. First of all I didn't drink a single protein shake until yesterday. I ordered Unjury to try since I didn't really like any of my protein I had here, but it didn't show up until Monday afternoon. SEI's new replacement shipment showed up yesterday. A friend also gave me a sample of the Kirkland brand Protein powder yesterday too (Thanks Denise!). I will review them at the end of the post. Until then, here are some highlights (and low lights) of the past week:

PRO's:	CON's:
Tried Zumba -- and loved it! Made healthy menu options for Easter Didn't gain any weight SF Chocolates = no Easter candy	Didn't workout everyday Made a few bad food choices Didn't lose any weight SF Chocolates = Regular                                        bathroom trips Didn't blog

Starting with the PRO's list:

Zumba was really fun! I couldn't believe how quickly the hour was up. I am concerned about my knee though. My sister told me it's how she blew her knee, so it may not be right for me. I'm still debating returning.

Easter dinner was great. I made Sweet Chili Sauce glazed Prawns served with Pineapple, and a triple batch of Eggface's delicious Strawberry Cannoli. Both were a huge hit at Easter dinner at my in-laws. Everyone was trying to figure out what the filling in the strawberries was. And EVERYONE was surprised to learn they were sugar-free (minus the natural sugar in the berries). Thanks to Eggface for making me look like a pro at a family function. These may become a regular for me. As for the prawns, I simply cooked them in a wok sprayed with Crisco Easy Release Spray until nice and pink. Then placed them in a colander to drain. In the wok, I then poured 1/2 cup Sweet Chili Sauce (found in the Asian foods isle) and let simmer to thicken. When the sauce was thick and sticky, I added the prawns back in to coat. That's it -- quick, easy, and delicious.

I was happy to have some Sugar Free Chocolate to keep me from wanting to sneak a piece of the real thing. I bought two bags of the stuff. I probably would have been better off with one. My original thought was that 1 would be for the cannoli recipe, and the other would be for me. The recipe called for four bars grated. I was making a triple batch so that would be 12 -- there were 10 in a bag, so I figured ten would be enough....four would have still been MORE than enough (as only 1/2 of them were dipped in grated chocolate. The other half were dipped in crushed pecans). It's OK, I'm still learning.

The thing about sugar-free chocolates, is that they're sweetened with sugar alcohols. If you're not careful, you could wind up spending quite a lot of time in the bathroom with a bad case of diarrhea. I did limit myself enough to not have that happen, but I did end up being a lot more "regular" than usual. I know, TMI! But it's really more of a warning than an exposé.

Now for the CON's List:

I already told you about the Sugar-Free chocolates. I already told you I didn't drink protein. I didn't eat enough protein either. I did indulge in a few carbs, but am now back to detoxing from the damn stuff. Carbs are my drug of choice, so it takes a while to get the cravings to go away after you give in, but I'll get back to that place again.

Well, that's all the energy I want to devote to that. The thing is stumbling and falling are not signs of failure post WLS. Not working on getting back up, dusting yourself off, and moving forward to make healthy choices again is. So look out world, 'cause here I come making healthy choices once again.

Now, as I promised. The protein powder review:

UNJURY --  Tried Strawberry Sorbet (their replacement for the old strawberry). The cool thing is that they sent a list of mixing suggestions with their trial packets. They suggested mixing it with lemonade for a "refreshing" flavor. So I added a packet of Crystal Light into the blender along with the protein powder and water. It tasted good. Kind of made me think of Summer. The down side is that I could smell the protein, but thanks to the included mixer bottle with a lid, I drank it without any problems. All in all, I'd give this protein a score of 7 on a scale of 1-10. Mostly because I don't mind drinking out of a blender bottle if the stuff tastes good. Also, the texture was much lighter than the creamy type protein and that's nice for a change once in a while.

Kirkland -- (The Costco brand. I tried the vanilla flavor). OK, let me just start by saying "I am shocked!" I would rate this stuff as good or better than SEI. Plus it's easier to get here, because our GNC is a corporate owned store and therefore doesn't sell SEI (it's only available at franchise GNC's) so I have to buy from the website. And as we found out last week, the Satisfaction Guarantee doesn't necessarily mean they guarantee you'll be satisfied. Although I did raise enough of a stink to make them replace my entire order. This stuff is so crazy good, I don't even know where to start. Let me break it down in the order I realized the greatness of this powder:

• COST -- It cost less than SEI. I have not gone in to see what the size of the bag is (yeah, a bag? That's a little weird, but I have tubs to store them in, so....whatever?), but I was told there are 80 servings in a bag. SEI's 2 lb tubs have 30 servings, so I'm guessing it's a 5 lb bag? The bag sells for $30 (SEI's 5lb tub sells for $80). Cheaper and just a delicious? Bye-Bye SEI!
• SMELL -- This is where I started to take notice. (Yes, I knew about the cost factor first, but a cheap price isn't the most important factor if you don't like the stuff.) My friend gave me a scoop in a Ziploc sandwich baggie. I drove home with it on my passenger seat. I couldn't figure out why my car smelled like cotton candy? When I got home I threw the bag on my kitchen counter, and continued working on my spring cleaning projects. I noticed that every time I went into the kitchen, I again smelled cotton candy. Could it be possible that the wonderful smell I was smelling was the protein (stop. rewind. did I just say wonderful smell and protein in the same sentence?). I picked up the bag and sniffed. Yep. This stiff smells just like cotton candy!
• TASTE -- As many of you know, being able to drink protein out of a regular glass without a lid, is a big deal for me. I need a protein that not only tastes good, but also doesn't stink. I will use a blender bottle if necessary, but not for a long term solution. So I am giving this protein a perfect score of 10 out of 10 and a bonus of 5 stars! This stuff is delicious tasting and smelling. I tried it plain first and it was amazing, then I added chocolate chip cookie dough SF Torani, and made one of my favorite recipes, either way was nothing short of perfect!!!

Basically, my suggestion to you is that if you have a Costco near by, run, do not walk, and buy this protein! It's delicious, smells good, and is inexpensive -- The trifecta of protein! I haven't even opened my SEI yet and am thinking about returning it for a refund.

I hope you all had a good Easter (if you celebrate) and are making healthy choices today. I know I did, and I am.

Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Protein

I have decided that until my new shipment of protein arrives, I will just do the "hike, chicken, chicken, chicken, hike, chicken, chicken, chicken . . . " Thing. What the heck does that mean you ask? Because it sounds like some strange dance move. hike, chicken, chicken, chicken -- do the hustle! LOL. Nope, it's not a new dance craze. It just means that for a while my posts may become a bit redundant! Hike up the tread mill, eat chicken breasts 3 times a day, then start all over again the next day -- second verse same as the first. The thing is, as far as drinking a protein shake goes right now -- I did TRY to drink the damn stuff yesterday (and again this morning) but after a couple drinks . . . Blach! I dumped them out. Life is just too short to drink BAD protein! I have a very picky pallet, and only the best will do for me! So, if I have to eat 3 chicken breasts a day . . . so be it.

April 17. 2011

OK, so I didn't really eat chicken three times today. One of my meals was an egg. What came first -- the chicken or the egg? The egg of course . . . with a side of ham and a pancake (that I gave to Kana). It was VFW Sunday breakfast weekend. So we took the family. I ordered a child's plate (because last time the portions were too big for me and I ended up getting stuck. Today, they were just right (after I got the pancake off my plate anyway!) I had:

1 Egg Over Easy
3 oz Ham (approximate)

Lunch and dinner were both the same thing:

1 1/2 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Peanut Sauce

And somewhere before the dinner portion of the day I did a spit take with the vanilla cake batter shake I attempted to drink. YUCK!!!!

Didn't really workout today -- was more of a spending family time Sunday than a hitting the gym Sunday (even though I know I needed some make-up time).

So here were my stats:
Calories Consumed: 660
Calories Burned: BMR Only
Protein: 110g
H2O: 2.5L

No Squirrel Needed

I forgot again yesterday. It's so weird! I swore I would never be one of those girls who
"forgot" -- I mean how does a person forget to eat? I use to think that was such a dumb statement. "Oops! I forgot to eat." Really? I could never figure it out. I've always (and I mean ALWAYS) had this built in device called hunger to remind me.  I still have have it -- it just doesn't work like it use to. It use to be a workaholic, and now it's just a part time employee -- due to my downsizing! (you know, recession and all! LOL)

The concept makes a little more sense to me now. I mean I get it. I still find it incredibly stupid . . . but I do now understand how it can happen, if you're not paying attention. No squirrel needed yesterday, but if there were a squirrel -- I probably should have eaten it (for the protein). Just Kidding, but I ended up way too low on my protein intake. Well, maybe I should just explain to you what I did (or rather didn't?):

April 16, 2011

First off, I need to start drinking my protein again. Guess Vanilla Cake Batter it will be for a while? I did not do that today. That was my first mistake, especially when my breakfast only contained 9g of protein (with meals containing that little protein, I'd have to eat 8 times in a day to even reach my 70g/day mark -- then I'd never get my water in because I'd constantly be waiting my 45 minutes after eating). So, here was my breakfast:

1 large Scrambled
1 Tbsp Crumbled Bacon

After Breakfast, I wrote up my blog post, then hit the gym. I'm still struggling to achieve the level I was at with exercise before I got sick, but I did do a bit better than yesterday. Today I burned 650 calories plus did some arm and leg exercises. (plus it's Saturday, so I'll be swimming later on -- but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.)

After the gym, I came home to Britton asking me to take him to the skate park in Eureka. I was going that way soon anyway, so I agreed, I jumped in the shower and got ready to go. I figured I would take the opportunity to stop by Kohl's on the way to swimming since I was now leaving over an hour earlier than I had planned (saw the cutest dress in Kohl's last week that would be perfect for my upcoming trip to Hawaii)

Somewhere between shopping and heading to the pool, it dawned on me that I had forgotten to eat lunch. I asked Kana if he had eaten. He said he had a sandwich when I was working out. I decided that as long as the kid was OK, I would wait. My mother always told me you can't swim for 30 minutes after eating anyway. (but then again, my mother was ridiculous, so . . .)

We hit the pool and had some quality mom & son time. I'm so glad his confidence is so much better that he actually likes the deep side now. I feel like I get more exercise in over there than in the shallow water, Plus, I don't get hit in the face with any balls being thrown over there.

After swimming (at 4:00 in the afternoon) we went to a new Frozen Yogurt Bar in Arcata, "Ultimate Yogurt" (it's very similar to Yogurtland in Hawaii). You serve your own and add your own toppings (if you want them) and pay by the ounce. They had nutrition facts for all their flavors on hand -- so I knew exactly what the #'s were for my stats. I had:

4 oz Original Tart Yogurt
3 Blackberries
1 small cube of Mango
3 Strawberry Slices

So it was 4:30 by the time we left the yogurt shop in Arcata and after 5 by the time we got home. Technically I should be done eating for the day by now, but I had only consumed 200 calories and 12g of protein for the day, so I had to eat something for dinner -- regardless of how late it was. Now, If I were being smart, I would have made a protein shake . . . but I didn't. I did however, make an amazing dinner. I made Chicken Breast (yep, the frozen Tyson Grilled Breast -- they're quick and easy and already proportioned) with Peanut sauce, Coleslaw, and (for the family) Rice. Unfortunately, I bit my tongue really hard just shortly into my meal, and decided to stop eating. I did get down:

1/4 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
1/2 Tbsp Peanut Sauce
2 bites of Coleslaw

OUCH! Damn. I hate when that happens. I didn't eat anymore, because with the sore tongue, I was afraid I would not chew enough before swallowing my food and cause a second problem -- stoma blockage. So I quit while I was ahead.

Here are my recipes for both my Slaw and sauce:

Coleslaw --

1 small head Cabbage
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 packet Splenda
Ted & Barney Seasoning to taste

Shred cabbage. In small bowl add oil, vinegar, and splenda together. Pour mixture over cabbage. Season to taste with Ted & Barney's.

Peanut Sauce --

2/3 Cup Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
2/3 cup Soy Sauce
Liberal Amounts of Chinese Hot Mustard Powder (to taste -- I use LOTS 'cause I like it Hot!)
Crushed Red Chilies (to taste)

This was a double recipe because I wanted left overs. I've been eating a lot of chicken breast lately and wanted something to flavor it up with a protein based sauce. (34 calories per Tbsp with 1.31g of protein)

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumed: 270
Calories Burned: 650++
Protein: >20g
H2O: 3L (keep a case of water bottles in my trunk to assure I never forget to drink)

One Mile Stone Reached, But More To Come

I'd like to start today's post by saying WELCOME to all the new readers. Yesterday LapSF suggested to their patients to check out the blog, and my page views went up 4 times more than usual! Hope you guys stick around and continue to read my blog. Please leave me a comment once in a while -- it really helps me to hear from you.

I also have some exciting news I forgot to tell you all yesterday. I have past my half way mark!




Yep! I've lost 67 Lbs and now have 63 Lbs to go. I'm not really keeping my eye on the long term goal right now. Instead, I'm focusing on the century mark. Just 33 Lbs to go to hit the 100 Lbs lost point. I find that smaller goals keep me more motivated. Anyway, let's talk about yesterday:

April 15, 2011

Tax Day . . . OK . . . not tax day. I'm still not sure why the weekend reprieve, but that's cool -- means I did not wait until the last minute this year! The good news is I'm getting a refund! Which is good, because I have a couple new wardrobes in decreasing sizes to buy!

So, I am happy to tell you that my day started by hitting the gym! It felt good to be back at it. I did take it easier than I did before I got sick -- well not easier, just shorter. I did a 30 minute fast uphill hike/jog with a 5 minute cool down (instead of my usual 45 & 5). Then I did some exercises on the ball that Kayla taught me when she was here. I burned 600 calories on the treadmill and ? calories doing the exercises.

The morning started out with the gym, then getting the kids off to school then to the accountants office to sign the taxes. I wonder if they would call that GST or GKA on Jersey Shore? LOL!

After going in to the accountants to sign my taxes, it was back home for some breakfast. Today I had the same thing I had yesterday (the precooked frozen Tyson grilled chicken breast are so easy and convenient plus there are 28g of protein for just 110 calories)

1 Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

For lunch I had some of my homemade Split Pea Soup. I just made a new batch a few days ago. I like to keep it in the house. For those of you who are new, I wanted to repeat my tip: If you freeze the soup in ice cube trays, once frozen, you can put the frozen soup cubes into a zip-loc freezer bag and you have quick easy portions you can pop into the microwave anytime. I had:

1 cup Split Pea Soup

Dinner was Taco Salad (another great staple to have in the house is the taco part of the mixture to which you can add the salad part when ready to eat) Here is my recipe:

1 Lb Ground Turkey Breast
1 can Santa Fe Style Beans
1/4 Small Onion (diced)
2 cloves Garlic (diced)

Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado
Light Cheese
Salsa
0% Greek Yogurt

Spray your pan with cooking spray and saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add Ground Turkey and cook thoroughly. Drain any excess fluid. Add canned beans and continue to heat until beans are warm. Add salad ingredients as desired. I always put tortilla chips on the table for the rest of my family to add to theirs if they desire, but the salad doesn't really need them.

Well, that's about it for my day. Here are my daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 578
Calories Burned: 600+
Protein: 66g
H2O: 2.5L

Nope. Being Sick Didn't Kill Me -- But Having To Drink Bad Protein Might

OK I'm sure some of you have been wondering what the heck happened to me. I told you I was taking sick leave, then just disappeared for 9 days. The truth is I was well a few days ago, but took a few extra days just to be nice to myself and rest.

There has been  something happening that I wanted to give you a heads up about though. I normally buy and recommend SEI Pharmaceuticals Brand Protein (Ultimate or MAX). That's because after much gagging and choking down bad protein, I had found a protein that was actually delicious. Then, I ran out of the yummy delicious protein and placed another order.

This time . . . NOT so yummy! I thought maybe it was just that flavor and opened the second tub (I had ordered three 5lb tubs one chocolate, one strawberry, one vanilla) -- The second tub (vanilla) was even worse. I thought, "no problem, they say Satisfaction guarantee right on the tub. I'll just return them."

I called SEI Customer service at: (800) 808-8800 and was told that "per the policy on the back of my invoice," I was only allowed to return the one remaining unopened tub. Per the policy on the back of the invoice??? Who the heck reads the back of the invoice? But I turned it over and sure enough there it was in the fine print -- will not accept open containers and no refund or exchange will be given. What the??!! What about the not fine print where every container states "Satisfaction Guarantee"

I asked the representative what the company was guaranteeing I would be satisfied with if not for the quality or taste? Were they guaranteeing that I would be happy with the way the container looked before I opened it? She told me that that was not her department and that she would have a supervisor return my call. Guess what? They didn't call.

For those of you who know me, I obviously wasn't going to let it end there. I next went to their facebook page and "liked" them (so I could gain access to post on their wall -- cause I wasn't liking their customer service at all by this point) Here was my wall post and their response:

Khrystine Bugbee Can you please tell me what the phrase "Satisfaction Guaranteed" on the MAX Protein label means? Because if you actually open it and are unsatisfied -- you're screwed as you can only return unopened products. So is the satisfaction guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the way it looks before you open it? or what exactly are do you guarantee I'll be satisfied with???

SEI PHARMACEUTICALS  Why can you only return unopened products? You bought it at GNC correct? If you are not satisfied with the taste you should be able to return it where purchased for an exchange or store credit if not your money back.

Khrystine Bugbee  No, I bought it from your website and was told by customer service that I could only return 1 of 3 tubs because I tried the other 2 -- but they said they couldn't tell me why, so I thought I would ask you 

Once again . . . no response. But I wasn't going to go quietly into the night! So the next day, I found this post on their wall:

Very disappointed in the change made to the chocolate Ultimate Protein (I assume the Max is the same). Bring back the good recipe!!!!!

Very interesting! They changed their Flavor Formula and did not think to alert their repeat customers? Not only that, but they then refused to allow a return of the product after it was opened under the assumption that it was the same as it has always been. So I took the opportunity to again try to elicit a response, and I commented on the post by saying:

Khrystine Bugbee  They must have changed something about the MAX too -- the 1st bad tasting/smelling protein I have gotten from SEI. Have you called to try to return it? I was told if you opened it -- it's yours we will only refund you or exchange the product on unopened jars. I have asked here (and via phone to their customer service reps) what Satisfaction Guarantee means if we can not return it when not satisfied -- But so far no one seems to have an answer for me!!??

They again told me that I could return it by calling customer service, but they did something to further reveal the mystery of the bad protein. They actually admitted in their response that they think they got a bad batch of protein (and quickly deleted their comment -- but not before facebook emailed it to me) so Now I knew that not only did they change their flavor formula, but they also were aware of the bad protein and still tried to refuse to accept them as a return . . . hmmm . . . the plot thickens! Here is the original version of their comment:

SEI PHARMACEUTICALS wrote: "Hi Mike and Khrystine. We believe it was a bad batch of protein. You are definitely able to return your product and exchange it for a new one. Please call us at 800-808-8800 and the rep from your state will take care of it for you!"

The new comment was exactly the same minus the part about knowing the protein was bad. So again I called customer service. They tried to pull the same "per the policy on the back of the invoice" crap with me and I told them that I knew that both they were aware of the bad batch of protein and that they had changed their flavoring formula and that per their rep on facebook I could absolutely return ANYTHING I was unsatisfied with.

Enter the customer service supervisor. (yeah, now their willing to talk!) I told her about the facebook exchange (including the deleted and rewritten comment about the bad protein) -- she wanted to know the name of the rep. Really? It's your company! You go find out who your social media representative is! I offered to forward her the emails from facebook as proof, but in the end she said she didn't need them and that she would make a one time exception to the rule to allow for the exchange.

A one time exception? Hello! SATISFACTION GUARANTEE!!?? The Guarantee was also not her department so I still have no idea what their guarantee is actually guaranteeing? The thing is, I'm a post-op WLS patient. Protein drinks will be a part of my life forever (well, I'm 42 -- so I'm hoping at least another 40 years or so!) Their protein, no matter how good one batch may or may not be, should be able to be returned anytime if it's a gamble everytime I order that it will be consistent. And their telling me that this is my one shot at returning a product I'm not satisfied with? Well then . . . hmmm . . . Let's do a little math here. It costs right around $250 each time I order and I have to order at least twice a year. That's $500 per year for at least 40 years. That means in my lifetime I will spend at least $20,000 on protein with them . . . or not them. Customer service is important, and unless they change their "back of the invoice policy" and start thinking long term, I will be shopping for another recommendation for you all. 

They are picking up my bad protein Monday and shipping out the new stuff out on Tuesday or Wednesday (after the new batch is finished). I will keep you updated.

So that is my rant. Sorry it was so long -- but I really feel you all needed to know this information, so I didn't hold back. Now on to my yesterday:

April 14, 2011

As you probably can guess, I'm on protein shake strike right now. I have been instead substituting my usual shake with either a chicken breast or 0% Greek Yogurt until my new batch of protein arrives. I do have other brands, like the Health Wise Hot Chocolate and Celebrate Vitamins Brand Complete Nutrition Protein Drink in Vanilla Cake Batter flavor. They are both good -- The health wise isn't loaded with protein though (15g -- but there are only 80 calories, so if I drink a double serving I'll get 30g for only 160 calories. I think I'll start doing that until my new shipment arrives) and the Vanilla Cake Batter complete nutrition is really good and as a bonus a double serving gives you 100% of your calcium and vitamins each day. However, it really is like drinking vanilla cake batter (even the same consistency) and there is only so much cake batter you can drink before you're just over it!

So for breakfast I chose:

1 frozen Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Golden Miso Sauce

I know, unusual choice for breakfast, but I am just trying to make the best out of my current situation for now.

Lunch was "Lobster Salad." It was good and only slightly on the naughty side *wink*

5 ozs Imitation Lobster
2 Celery Stalks (diced)
1 Tbsp Mayo (yep the real stuff)
1 Tbsp Fage 0% Greek Yogurt
Ted & Barney Seasoning to taste 

I always fell a little guilty when I use Mayonnaise, but in this salad the yogurt by itself doesn't cut it for me. (plus I figured I had a few extra calories saved from breakfast to use to make up for it).

My husband and I were invited to a dinner for Goulds Pump Dealers, so I got to eat dinner out. The choices were Chicken Parmesan, Cheese Lasagna, or Tri-Tip. I of course chose Tri-Tip as the other options were too carb packed with the breading or the pasta. I asked my server for a togo box before my food got there (which she happily obliged). I did eat about four bites of my green salad (avoiding the parts with dressing) and when my meal arrived, I boxed up the salad and most of my entree (then put the remaining entree onto my salad plate to psych my head out and make it believe I had a whole plate of food. I never eat off the big plates anymore -- they're just too over whelming! I ended up eating:

1/8 cup Green Salad
2 oz Tri-Tip
5 sauteed Mushrooms
2 spears Asparagus

Dinner was quite wonderful and as an added bonus, I am feeding the rest of it to my husband as round 2 tonight! (He normally doesn't eat leftovers, but for this, he'll make an exception!)

The bad news is, I didn't workout. (Don't worry tomorrows post will not say the same) That said, here are my daily stats:
Calories Consumed: 580
Calories Burned: BMR Only
Protein: 72g
H2O: 3L

I'm Taking Sick Leave

So you know how, at the beginning of yesterday's post I told you that I got up, turned off my alarm, and went back to bed instead of going to the gym? Well, now I know why I was so tired . . . I'm sick. I think I have just run myself down. Well, maybe I should start at the beginning:

April 5, 2011

After a night of getting up every hour and a half for one reason or another, the alarm went off at 5:15 as usual. I promptly jumped up, turned it off, turned around and went immediately back to bed. I never do that! I thought maybe I was just too tired and made a deal with myself to do a home workout later in the day.

When I woke up to get Britton up and ready for school, I was still feeling a bit slow, but I was able to force myself to do what was necessary.

After I got Britton off to school, Kana fed, medicated, and situated on the couch with a movie going, I decided to make myself breakfast. I was really excited to have strawberry protein powder again. Time for a Lava Flow Shake! I thought I had tagged the shake, but could not find it, so I will post the ingredients again and tag it here:

2 scoops Strawberry Protein Powder
3 oz Torani Sugar-Free Coconut Syrup
1/2 oz Torani Sugar-Free Strawberry Syrup
1/2 oz H2O
12 Ice Cubes

I chatted with a friend on facebook while I drank it. I thought I was just procrastinating getting the stuff done I needed to do (which I am very good at doing), but after I was done drinking my shake, I just felt like I had no energy (not usual after finishing a whole protein shake). I actually laid down on the love seat and took a late morning nap.

When I woke up from that I noticed my eyes were runny and the fluid was a bit sticky. I thought, "please, don't let me get Kana's pink eye!" I knew I was always careful to was my hands before and after I medicated him, but he did sleep in my bed the night before, so maybe . . . ?

Shortly, I noticed my throat hurt. Then came the fever. GREAT! I did manage to get billing done (thanks to Britton's help after he got home from school), but that was the end of my trying to fight it off. I decided my body was shouting at me to rest, so I gave in and spent the rest of the day sleeping.

I decided not to stress to much on anything other than staying hydrated. I had plenty of hot tea and broth, water and even a sugar free Popsicle, but there really isn't much to tell about what I ate. Oh yeah and as for exercise, I just couldn't.

I don't know how long this is going to last, but posting updates that tell you what flavor tea or broth I drank, what movies I watched on TV and how sick I feel -- won't be any fun for either of us, so I am taking a few sick days and will return the day after I feel better enough to get back to my regular routine.

Thanks everyone, hopefully it will only be a day or two!

Too Tired To Try To Be Humorous Today

Some days, I sit and stare at this blank page for what seems like hours and can't think of a thing to say. Other days it just types itself. Today isn't one of those "types itself" kind of days. It could be just because I'm tired. Last night I didn't sleep very well. Between Dan coming home late and waking me up when he got in bed; to Kana having Pink eye and needing me to "unglue" his eye lids so he could see when he got up to go to the bathroom; to waking up to again unglue his eyes to put medicine in them; to the Alarm going off @ 5:15 to go to the gym, and me thinking "yeah right! not this morning" and going back to sleep! (I just couldn't do it). But this post, as you know, isn't about the sleep I did or didn't get last night, it's about what I did or didn't eat yesterday and whether or not I exercised. So here it is:

April 4, 2011

The gym was good this morning. It's always hard on Mondays, after taking Sunday off, but I pushed myself (even when my muscles were begging me to stop) and burned 890 calories.  I certainly have a love/hate relationship with running/hiking up hill really fast. I hate it during, but after, I'm so thankful for the calories burned.

I still didn't know what my plan was for the day. I still didn't have any protein powder. Thankfully, it came UPS later in the day.

I had to volunteer in Kana's class this morning (even though I normally don't go in when Kana is sick, but I knew there was a substitute and she really needed me there, so I had Dan stay home with Kana until I got back). So I decided to eat something small before I left -- I usually take a shake with me. I had:

2 slices Deli Turkey Ham

When I got home from volunteering, I wasn't really hungry, so I figured the turkey ham must have been enough for breakfast. The thing is I wasn't really hungry come lunch time either (guess it was just gonna be one of those days). I had:

1/4 cup Sunflower Kernels

Seemed like a good idea at the time, but they are kind of a chore to chew. By the time I was done with it all, my jaws kind of hurt! LOL.

My protein powder showed up while I was cooking dinner. What to do? What to do? I really wanted the meatballs I was making, but knew I wouldn't have enough protein if I didn't chose the shake. I decided to compromise. I would drink my shake right away, then eat 1 or 2 meatballs later. I had an "Apple Pie Ala Mode" Shake. The funny thing is when all I had for an option was vanilla protein powder, all I wanted was strawberry, but now I have strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla to chose form and I still chose vanilla! LOL -- go figure?!

A few hours later I did have:

2 Meatballs in Sweet BBQ Sauce

I made the sauce with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend to cut down on the carbs and calories. It did taste a lot different, but was sweeter than normal, so I will try to adjust the recipe more next time and use less sweetener. I'll post the recipe once it is "right"

Daily Stats:
Calories Consumed: 665
Calories Burned: 890
Protein: 74
H2O: 3L (I wasn't super hungry, but I was VERY thirsty all day!)