The Beginning - Week 1

Monday: First workout later today.

So my eating whatever I wanted over the weekend went fine. It was fun Thursday and Friday (not having to worry about, 'should I be eating this? I feel guilty for eating this' and all of that) and even a little bit Saturday - but by Sunday, surprisingly, I got a little bit bored with it! Like to the point where I was like, huh, I can't even think of what it is that I want to be 'bad' and eat right now (while I can). I was ready to get going on the program! The sooner I start, the sooner I get results, right?!

Looks like the first 30 days is the 'fat shredder' phase. After doing my calculations for myself I'm in the level II group, so this means I will eat the following each day:

7 protein portions (yikes, that seems like a lot of protein!)
4 veggies
1 fruit
1 carb
3 dairy
1 fat
2 condiments
3 snacks

and, of course, my 8 glasses of water.

Went shopping yesterday (Sunday) and got my food staples . .. .. I'm doing the portion plan of the Fat Shredder first 30 days because I just don't have the time to compile big shopping lists and follow recipes every day! Portion approach seems soooooo much easier to me. Plus, the majority of food I will be eating will be at work during the day - so I would have to make everything up ahead of time if I was doing the meal/recipe approach.... no thanks!

I've even already come up with a little recipe that I love and found out that it's one of the most filling things I've ever eaten! Smoked tuna quesedilla. ... whole wheat tortilla, smoked tuna (in the packages you tear open), some low-fat shredded mozarella, and seasonings I like (red pepper flakes, garlic powder). Use non-stick spray on the outside of the tortilla, put in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle some moz, then lay out the tuna, season, sprinkle more moz, then the top tortilla. Heat til ingredients are melted/warmed together, turn once to brown/crisp the opposite side. Cut into 4's. I save mine overnight and bring for my lunch, then just toast them up in a toaster oven where I work. YUM! There's one carb and one protein for the day - plus I added a portion of veggies and glass of water for lunch and this had me so full I didn't want to eat for hours and hours - I had to choke my 3pm snack down, wasn't hungry at all.

Okay while I have a chance, I'm going to expound to you upon the awesomeness of Ezekhial bread. I discovered it a while ago when I was trying to do 'raw' eating for a while (really, it's not as gross as it sounds, unless you're thinking of all meat, which is NOT all you eat people! or is it?! Well, it's not all I eat anyway). Ez bread (as I call it, easier to shorten it) is basically sprouted grains and legumes instead of cooked/baked flour and all the nasty ingredients that aren't so good for you that are found in your regular store-bought 'whole wheat bread' or (gasp) white bread, etc. So the result of sprouted grains and legumes is that this bread is much higher in protein and fiber (tho it is still considered a carb) - sooooo much better for you! And organic, too, all-natural ingredients. Basically you buy it in the frozen foods section, and I've only found it at Whole Foods so far (or other type of health-food store). You keep it frozen, and just thaw however much you want at a time. You can toast it from frozen too. It's a good, dense bread that actually tastes like heavy-grain bread you may have had before. Not as chunky as rye (ugh, not a fan of rye). They also have english muffins and flatbread, in addition to several flavors of the bread (including cinnamon raisin - which is AWESOME with goat cheese, I might add - as goat cheese is higher in calcium, lower in fat and calories than cream cheese or cow's milk cheese).

I can only do one carb a day on the first 30 days/fat shredder though - so quesadilla, sandwich, or oatmeal are my choices/preferences for carbs so far.

So I can tell I'm definitely going to rely on string cheeze! Though dairy and protein are two different things on here (unlike South Beach, in which cheese consitutes a protein). Really? It doesn't get much easier and more portable than string cheese! Also low fat cottage cheese, though sometimes I have to force myself to eat it b/c it's so bland. Wait - put a bit of V8 low sodium into it, or even a couple drops of hot sauce - that spices it up a bit. :) I also made these little 'quiche cups'. Take a 12-muffin or cupcake pan, spray non-stick spray in each cup. I used the southwest blend egg beaters (for a little more flavor, but if I've used the regular EB's, I just add a drop of hot sauce in each cup). You can also chop up whatever kind of veggies you like - onions, peppers, tomatoes (drained, or they are too watery), spinach - whatever you like. Fill each cup about 1/2 full, then top with about a Tbs of low fat shredded moz cheese, or low-fat cheddar if you like. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 375. They'll pop right out of the pan after cooled a bit. I put two in a snack size ziploc - b/c one protein portion on the P90x plan is 6 egg whites (seems like a lot) so two of these quiche cups is about right. You can eat them cold like finger food, or you can cut them up and warm them up in the microwave too.

I will continue this post later, after the first workout.....

HOLY SMACK! As in, my body feels like it has had the smackdown put upon it! Since I'm doing the lean program, my day 1 workout was Core Synergistics. Seriously - someone bring me a bed, I am so tired I'd like to just crash on it right this minute. First I have to shower the 25 layers of sweat off of me tho... . am thinking that hot water in the shower is going to feel goooooooood on this tired body!

We'll see how sore I am tomorrow. This is gonna be fun. But . ... . Rome wasn't built in a day, and this body isn't going to improve in a day. ... so c'est la vie!! Okay so I'm in no shape to seize any more days til I've had some sleep. More.. .. . . .later. .. .. . zzzzz.