The Battle of the Bulge - week 6

My current weight: 174
My current BMI: 25 (overweight - but JUST BARELY!!)
Pounds lost so far: (11)
Days of Cardio this week: 3
Days of Yoga this week: 0
Days of Strength training this week: 2

I did ok this week :) I lost 3 lbs from last week's weight but I think they were both a bit artificially inflated! I was down to 172 or so mid-week, but the weekend tends to be the time when I allow myself to cheat a bit and it always seems to be the day before weigh in! :) Ahh, well, a loss is a loss! I'm still counting my time in the operating room as strength training - I think my biceps are actually getting bigger! With the sun still being out some days when I get home and the weather getting nicer (it was 70 today!), we have been out and about more with Kermit doing some great walks and hikes! I realized this week that the only time I can completely relax and shut down is when I'm in the forest - that's why camping is so rejuvenating for me. Collier and I are always amazed when we go camping how it seems like time slows and the weekend lasts FOREVER! There is really something to be said about not being so "connected" and leaving all the modern electronics at home! We need to schedule a few camping trips in this summer, or at least many many wonderful hikes!

Weight Loss Tip of the Week:
This week I've been thinking about convenience foods. I'm on a rotation where we start anywhere from 5:30-6:30 in the morning and usually finish anywhere from 5 and on in the evening. It doesn't leave much "me" time or home time, much less time to be concerned about what I'm eating! I have become a heavy user of frozen convenience meals - throwing them in my lunch bag prevents me from going down to the cafeteria and buying a pizza or a grilled cheese which would really ruin my healthy eating plan entirely! So, in that sense, they are wonderful!

There are a few things to watch out for in convenience foods, though - this includes non-frozen packaged dinner mix items - things you need to just add water/margarine to. The first major concern is that these meals tend to be quite high in sodium. This is fine for some people, but for someone with hypertension (high blood pressure) it could be deadly. These meals also tend to be more expensive than a meal you could make yourself - that is I exclusively reserve them for times when I actually NEED the convenience! If I have time to come home for lunch or I have the day off, I always make my food.

Overall, I do love convenience foods. I enjoy many of the Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones entrees. But always look at the labels and find out what you're really getting into!