Okay, I lost 3.5 pounds this week even though I had two surplus days (one of +450 and the other of +46 calories). Perhaps that is what spurred me to my -1700 and -1257 days, which eventually led to my 3.5 pound loss. Who knows? I do know that I felt like I had to do something to make up for those surplus days. I also may have overestimated my calorie intake those days because I didn’t have the exact calories for everything I ate and preferred to over rather and underestimate.

Have lots and lots to write this week, so feeling stress. Even had stress dreams so I am up at 5:30 a.m. today (when I usually get up around 8 or 9 a.m. because I stay up late to work). Time to tackle some of what is stressing me so I can get over the stress. I know stress is my enemy. My likeliest time to overeat is what I have multiple papers due that I waited too long to start. I just want to stuff chocolate in my face along with copious amounts of chips & dip or another other fatty type of food. AARRGGHHH!!!!

The little red train engine says “I think I can. I think I can.” So, I am going to huff and puff my way through the stress without overeating. Hold on for more reports, though this week they may be sparse.

Okay, I haven’t posted in a couple of days, but here I go again. Had a surplus (more calories in and out) for a couple of days. Clearly changes in routine can still reach up and slap me in the face. I went immediately back on track on Sunday and have been have good deficits since then. Tomorrow morning is my weigh-in morning, so I will do a LONG post with all the days I haven’t posted–except the surplus posts–don’t want the virtual slaps from Adam.

Re Adam’s comment on too much protein at dinner. I know my main meal should be at lunch and I am actually in a situation where I can make that switch, but I just haven’t been able to do it yet. I am working on it!! I am drinking copious amounts of water–more than my 64 ounces a day–so that is a positive. I have got to eliminate the crystal light in those drinks though and go for plain water or water with just lemon/lime slices in it. I bought the lemon/lime at the grocery yesterday. Step one. Step two is actually using them. That happens beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct. 27).

BTW, for those of you with a Wii. The biggest calorie burn I have is when I do Dancing with the Stars, but I move (leg kicks/walk in place) while the scores are being totaled so I don’t have downtime. The calorie burn is anywhere from 6.9 to 8.2 calories/minute.

Why is it that when school heats up, exercise is the first thing to go? I found the time to cook a healthy meal today (will include the bodybugg food log later), but didn’t find the time to go to the gym and still didn’t get everything done. AARRGGHH!!!! I did a little Wii Dancing with the Stars, but not enough to burn sufficient calories. Have a deficit because I ate less, but I really have to ramp up the calorie burn if I want to lose weight faster. I know, I know, I know–2 pounds a week is safe weight loss, but who cares if it is safe. Safe doesn’t get you into the suit you want to wear at the conference on Nov. 2nd.

Okay, still too much fat and still not enough time to talk, but i am making the time to log everything and wear the bodybugg. That avocado sure did taste good though and it is healthy fat from what I have read.

No time to really blog, but for the dietitian, here is my bodybugg report. I have lost 5.8 pounds now, which is great–Biggest Loser it ain’t, but I don’t have time to exercise 4 hours a day. BTW, I hate PCs for photo work.

I really shouldn’t admit this, but my stomach growled for the first time in ages yesterday. I thought–OMG, I am really hungry. This is what it feels like. Embarrassing, but true. I may try to go for the “growl” IF I don’t overeat once I get that hungry.

Thanks to my Wii Dancing with the Stars and a husband who will pretend dance with me even though he has no rhythm, I met my deficit today. YEAH! Anyway, below is the info from the bodybugg. I know, I know–my fat intake was much too high–damn those oyster crackers I love soooo much. Not to mention the walnuts for breakfast and the honey balsamic chicken.

Using Wii Dancing with the Stars I burn between 5.3 and 6.8 calories a minute, but I am trying to burn calories, so bounce around a lot in time to the music. Don’t burn as many calories playing RockBand or Guitar Hero–right around the 2.3 to 2.6/calories per minute for them, but it beats sitting on the couch. Plus, I am working on mastering the “hard” level now. Blast that bloody orange key.

Okay, hated yesterday. Dreary, cold, yucky day. However, finally about 10 p.m. a bright spot appeared and perhaps I’ve had an epiphany. About 10 p.m. my husband agreed to play Wii RockBand with me. He doesn’t like it much, but I love it and it gets me off the couch. He is trying to help by agreeing to play even though he is really bad at it. It wasn’t much fun trying to beat him on Kenny Roger’s The Gambler, so we decided to try out some of the games on Wii Sports Resort. Loved the canoe race–need a bigger living room so we don’t kill each other as we try to paddle toward the goal though. Never could find the planes to win the dog fight–we just made ourselves sick flying in circles and upside down. So, what is the epiphany? Exercise, when it is fun, puts me in a really good mood. I like the Wii, so why not do it more?

My goal for the next week. When I need comfort from too much stress, I will reach for the Wii remote and NOT food. Let’s see how that works.

I updated my ticker on the about me page to track my weight loss. Big goals (every ten pounds) I will blog about. Every week, on Tuesdays I will update the tracker on the about me page.

Okay, I did better in terms of food today, but less exercise. Now if I could just do both together it would be sooo much easier. Working at it and we will see what happens. It is much easier to stay on track on Knoxville. No trail mix belonging to D calling my name from the refrigerator. I managed to resist trail mix today.

For those of you who have never heard of Wordle, it is the coolest little java applet. For a blog, for instance, you paste in the blog address and Wordle picks up words from the blog. The most frequent words are bigger, less frequent smaller (so they say). You can change font, direction, and colors. Lots of fun to play with. I could actually see it as a bizarre sort of vocabulary development tool (since you can edit words out).

Anyway, here is my wordle for the HealthyHopes blog.

Well, not really, but you sure can overeat. I am happy to report though that I still had a 101 calorie deficient only because I was running like a mad woman all over Nashville looking for a suitable birthday present. And, you know, when I think back, I am likely over calories because I forgot to input that glass of red wine and the “tasting” sips of martinis of various sorts (chocolate, lemon drop and mandarin blossom). For those interested, lemon drop is my favorite martini.

My calorie/activity record from the bodybugg is below. I am usually really good about staying within the fat guidelines, but carrot cake with cream cheese icing will throw you over every time. FYI, for those who comment, I did not have two late night snacks–that was a cropping problem on my part.