All I can say is just. . . WOW.   When I asked if you could help me pay it forward to he children’s ward at the hospital Tony stayed at for the first 8 days of 2014, my original goal was to be able to donate 20 DVDs.  It seemed every day for a string of days, I’d have package after package from Amazon.com and directly from readers.  It was like Christmas in January!

I am the type of person who always tries to spin something negative into a positive thing.  My glass is always half full.  Yes, I have my moments when I think I can’t handle another thing, and then all I do is ask if you’ll help me and you all will make some sick kids VERY happy when the are recovering in the hospital to see movies that are new releases!  Not only did I receive dozens from Amazon.com, I was able to buy lots of DVDs from people who sent me money, checks and paypal.

rancheros 020

Yep, I received 87 DVDs!!   I still can’t believe it.  So thank you from the bottom of my heart who sent DVDs to me.  I did have several that I couldn’t identify who they came from, so if you don’t see your name listed below, please email me so I can give you props!

I feel like I am missing a piece of paper I wrote names down on . . . but THANK YOU to everyone who participated!  I plan on contacted the hospital this week to drop them off.  I did think this was funny though – from two different parts of the country – one in Pennsylvania and one in Texas, and from two different companies, I got DVDs mailed like this!  So thank you for thinking I am awesome!

rancheros-037_thumb

rancheros-038_thumb

So this week I am calling a “do over.”  Last week my blood sugar and/or work got in the way of me getting to the gym.  I need to fix that by getting to the gym Monday through Thursday, and if my blood sugar is stable at lunch, to also get in my swim at lunch – it does my body good to swim after doing weight training.  So I am starting over the 12 Week Program, but I am switching it up.  Looking forward to Kris Gethin’s workouts, um, let’s just say that they are a bit much!  While I do like the idea of doing cardio before and after the strength, the workouts were just too intense – I looked ahead to week 10 and it looked as if I’d be spending close to 60 minutes on the strength portion alone!

So I am doing this new 12 week training program.   While the reps and sets are shorter, I plan on using heavier weights.  My other goal this week:

  1. No wine Monday – Thursday
  2. 100 ounces of water every day
  3. Strength Train 4 days at the minimum
  4. 210 minutes minimum cardio

I also have to switch my schedule around a bit – spending an extra 30 minutes at night packing my food/blogging for the next day, etc., so that when I wake up, I just need to spend 15 minutes getting out of the house to the gym.  My hope is to get to the gym by 7 – leaving me with 90 minutes to workout, shower and drive the minute to my office.

I am still not used to staying up so late.  Friday night I didn’t get home until 12:30 and Saturday I didn’t get home from the restaurant until 11:30 – which isn’t bad, but I am usually not sleepy right away, and I ended up staying up until after 1:00 watching Girls on the DVR.  I still have so many shows to catch up on – never watched American Idol, or Biggest Loser.  Which means we slept in both days, which I don’t necessarily mind, but it feels like the weekend goes by in the blink of an eye.

Tony had been planning my Sunday breakfast for over a week.  He saw in passing on one of the myriad of cooking shows I watch huevos rancheros and thought “I haven’t made those for my Biz before!”  He bought a small chorizo sausage, in the casing, removed the casing and sautéed that up with some canned potatoes.  Made two fried eggs on top and some marble rye toast with jalapeno jelly.  This was both breakfast AND lunch and you bet I ate the whole thing.  Although I thought Tony was going to choke while cooking the spicy chorizo!

rancheros 014

I wrote on my Healthy for 2014 that if I tracked my calories for 7 days straight, I would reward myself with a manicure.  Well, my weekend eats weren’t the greatest, but I tracked it all.

Saturday:

  • slice of toast with 1 pat of butter for breakfast
  • Tony and I quickly changed our mind of having Chinese food and instead went to the Texan.  Split 1/2 a smoked sausage sandwich, 1/2 a bbq beef sandwich and small sides of baked beans and cole slaw
  • a cup of creamy tortilla soup at work
  • after work – 8 Triscuits with port wine cheese
  • Total:  1311 calories, 167 carbs, 41 fat and 43 protein

Sunday:

  • that amazeball breakfast up above for breakfast/lunch
  • afternoon snack of 8 nachos
  • dinner was classic roast beef with mashed potatoes and carrots
  • Total:  1170 calories, 125 carbs, 47 fat and 65 protein

So last week I weighed in at 159.8.  This morning?

rancheros 003

So I basically maintained.  Given my lack of exercise last week, I’ll take it!

We are back to bitter cold the next couple days.   Right now at 6:20 in the morning, it’s –3, but with the wind chill feels like –22.  Tonight’s low?  -22!  Ugh.  Off to warm up the car though and head to the gym.  Stay warm my friends!  Make it a great day!  And um, I promise to do something with those toes next week!