Week 8: I am not a bouncy castle!

Week 8:  July 27, 2011

Weight:              173.0
Week Loss:           1.6

Cumulative Loss:  18.6

While I didn't post it in last week's blog, Team Mintz hit a milestone: 30 pounds between the two of us.  This week we're at around 33.

That said, I know I still have a long road in front of me.

I know this because this past weekend, my daughter confused my abdomen with a bouncy castle.

Ouch.

I was resting on my back on the floor, and Jade clambered atop me, then proceeded to jump with her full weight and slammed her little rump into my midsection.  I made a noise that by odd coincidence is precisely the sound made by a vomiting llama.


Dear Jade.  I love you.  I respect your toddler-ness. I know my belly's squishy, and I know you love to jump.  However:
I AM NOT A BOUNCY CASTLE.

The blame falls partly on my well-padded midsection, and partly on the poor parenting decision Seth & I made two weeks ago when we introduced our toddler to the joys of bouncy castles.  Oops.

In any case, it's a reminder of how far I've got to go.


The good news is that I'm fitting into some of my size 14's, and Seth's down to the tightest notch on his belt.


Huzzah!

Week 7

Week 7:  July 20, 2011

Weight:              174.6
Week Loss:           2.2

Cumulative Loss:  17.0

This past weekend was a big challenge for Seth & me as far as staying on track with the diet was concerned.  On Thursday, I went to NYC to a book signing for the day (see previous post regarding George RR Martin - read his books) where I waited for about 8 hours in order to have a good seat for the signing.  Seth was at home watching the girls, so his diet routine was uninterrupted.  Rather than be tempted by whatever happened to be in the Barnes & Noble cafe, I packed several sandwiches and fiber snack bars, so that I had enough food to make it through the day.

Gold star for me!

On Friday we traveled to Maryland for a wedding reception for cousins Jessi and Joey.  It was wonderful, but road trips are often accompanied by quick stops for fast food, and weddings are notorious excuses to over-eat.

Our lunch-stops on the way down and back were at Wendy's, where we each had a baked potato and a small chili.  There was much muttering about spicy chicken sandwiches and fries and chicken nuggets, but what we ate was baked potatoes and chili.  So gold stars for both of us.

We managed to be good at the various meals by eating relatively tiny portions of the foods served.  We didn't have a lot of choices regarding what to eat since the menus were all pre-determined but the small portions allowed us to stay on track.  I do wish I could have had about a pound more of the lasagna from the wedding party, though.  Yum. 

In any case, we posted a loss this week, so we did well.  I had anticipated we'd gain weight this week, so I'm glad to be proven wrong.

And Maryland cousins - it was great to see you all!!

Week 6

Week 6:  July 13, 2011

Weight:              176.8
Week Loss:           1.3

Cumulative Loss:  14.8

This will be a short one.   This week I have something much more important to do than blog.

And you have more important things to read, for that matter.

George RR Martin's A Dance With Dragons was released yesterday.  If that fact is not wildly exciting to you, one of two things is going on:
1.) You have not read the first four books in the series (see below), or
2.) You are brain-dead, and there's nothing I can do for you.

If point number 1 applies to you: Do not walk, but RUN (even better - DRIVE) to your nearest book store and pick up all of the books in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire", and begin reading the first novel "A Game of Thrones".

Go now.  I'll wait.

Never mind waiting.  I've waited almost 6 years for this book.  I'll be here reading.

Week 5

Week 5:    July 6, 2011

Weight:              178.1
Week Loss:           2.5

Cumulative Loss:  13.5

Combined, Team Mintz has now lost about 25 lbs.  That's a little more than Jade weighs right now, and a touch less than one of our dogs.   Go team go!

This past week we were confronted with a challenge.  It was our friend Don's birthday and a restaurant was more-or-less randomly chosen for the celebratory dinner.  The sign outside the restaurant reads "BBQ and Comfort Food".

Uh-Oh.

This place did not have baked potatoes as a side dish.  Fried potato dishes: 5.  Baked: 0.

I KNOW, right?

EVERYTHING was fried.  Appetizer? Fried Pickles.  Dessert? Fried Oreos.  I kid you not.  There must have been about 100 deep fryers in the kitchen.

So yes, we felt we were in trouble.  We ended up splitting a meal: a 10 oz steak, with 2 sides of corn on the cob, and endless salad bar for the both of us.  So we were good.  Now what we WANTED to order was a rack of ribs for him and a chicken pot pie for me, maybe with some of those sweet corn fritters for an appetizer... mmm....

Rats.  Now I'm hungry.  *Er.  Hungry-ER.

But I'm proud of both of us for resisting temptation and staying good.  We have a loss to show for it this week, so I feel well rewarded.

We even got to eat some ice cream on the Fourth.  Granted, it was a junior-sized cup of low-fat soft serve from Carvel, but it was still ice cream.  And it was awesome.