Friday!

My posting my workout schedule ahead of time is really keeping me on track. I have done everything I posted to date, with one more day before having Sunday off. And it feels really good! Today's Fab Ab Feb was 80 sit-ups, 22 push-ups, and a 60-second plank. If you had told me at the beginning of the month that I'd be able to accomplish this, I would have thought you were seriously mistaken.

During my indoor bike rides, I watch Sex and the City episodes on my iPad - usually only one but yesterday I bumped it up to two episodes. If I want to go on any epic rides this summer, I had better at least be able to do it indoors. And when I run on the treadmill, I watch Designing Women because that's the only thing on TV at that time that looks remotely interesting. I watched it all the time when it was on in the 90's and had forgotten what a great show it was. The writing is smart, the characters are wonderful, and Julia's rants are some of the best writing ever. You remember Charlene, Mary Jo, Julia, and Suzanne, don't you?

source

If you look past the perms and the shoulder pads, the writing is as topical as ever. And speaking of perms and shoulder pads:

I remember when that picture was taken and thinking that Jeanie and I looked so pretty!

Okay, so on to food. Yesterday's lunch was a two-egg omelet with half an avocado, a handful of spinach, and some black bean and roasted corn salsa. I made a great afternoon chocolate banana smoothie. I used chocolate milk - NOTE: all chocolate milk is not created equal. There is the whole fat chocolate milk, the 2% chocolate milk, the skim chocolate milk, and the lite skim chocolate milk. Guess what we drink?

It has the same calorie count as regular skim milk, due to sucralose as the sweetener. Regular skim chocolate milk uses sugar. The things I learn by reading labels.

But anyway, back to the smoothie. I used a cup of the chocolate milk, half a frozen (chopped) banana, half a scoop of protein powder, and some ice cubes. This is the protein powder I am currently using.

Doesn't this smoothie look just like a chocolate milkshake? Tastes like one too. I think the ice cubes give it a thicker texture, along with whipping it in the blender for about a minute.

Dwight had a dinner meeting last night, and as it was cold and rainy and snowy all day, I was in the mood for soup. But not for cooking. Luckily, I had frozen some of the chickpea, butternut squash, and red lentil stew from the other week that hit the spot.

I woke up hungry and wanting waffles - but not the healthy kind. I was all prepared to toast some Eggos, smear them with peanut butter, and douse them with maple syrup until I stepped on the scale (after peeing and stripping naked, of course) and had lost weight. (Down a total of 9.6 - go me!) What a great motivator! So I went and had - what else - a peanut butter bagel thin, fresh berries, a glass of milk, and some coffee.

We're going to Katie's, a great little Greek restaurant, before the hockey game (UNO vs Minnesota - go Mavs!) tonight, and I already know what I'm having: a gyro and a Greek salad. I think it's the only thing I've ever had there in the 20 years we've been frequenting the place. When I plugged the calories into My Fitness Pal and saw that the meal is darn near 700 (well, 693) calories, I knew lunch needed to be light.

I had found these little treasures at Trader Joe's the other week and thought I'd give them a try. Delicious! And a little spicy. And check out the quantity! I had the lentil chips with half a cup of cottage cheese and some carrots, and am I ever full!

So it's hockey tonight and tomorrow night, and then to Des Moines and brunch with the girls and Tim on Sunday. I've already checked the menu on-line and it may be a "free" meal. I guess nothing is free, but I will be pedaling and running my ass off next week to work those calories off. It's nice to know that I can.

Toodles! And have a great weekend!