Day 2..

Last night I had two of the new 'Premium' Oscar Meyer hot dogs -- they tout no nitrates or nitrites which basically means they have no preservatives.  All I gotta say is YUM.  I've always liked hot dogs, but these are like, AWESOME.  Pretty good on cals and fat and even low on carbs.  Not something you want to eat ALL THE TIME, but good for something different.  I had those with some buttered brussel sprouts with coarse pepper.  I don't know what has happened to me, but since I had my oldest, I can't get enough pepper!  My husband says it's how he knew we were pregnant -- I put a ton of pepper on my salad when I normally never ate it!  LOL  And since then, well, I like it on almost everything!  Back to my point -- no salad again.  And this AM, I've had two cups of coffee with no issues.  *sigh*  The signs aren't looking good for my 'easy' salads.  So, tonight is going to be some sort of chicken.  I had wanted to have some baked pork chops with my leftover veggies from the last two nights plus a few tomatoes thrown in for extra flavor/color.  I hate wasting food!  And really, it's fun throwing a bunch of stuff in a pan and seeing what happens!  However, I am out of pork chops or just can't find them in the deep freezer.  I really need to get the dry board list updated for the freezer so I know what I have!

Last night, I stayed up a bit later than I had intended.  I was SO tired!  But after starting to read on how they 'clean' pre-washed salad, I've decided I will buy my own salad greens and clean them myself.  Turns out, they wash tons (literally) of salad greens in regular ol' chlorinated water.  Big vats of it.  And many times, the water is dirty and contains contaminants after washing so many tons of greens.  Then after, they sometimes use 'fruit wax' to make the greens 'look' good.  For real?  NO THANKS.  I'll buy fresh whole greens either in store or at the Farmer's Market.  I sure hope I can make it to the Farmer's Market tomorrow morning!  Love the fresh stuff and the prices!  :D  I'd rather take 15mins. or so to clean the greens, cut and bag them myself, than to eat 'dirt'.  YUCK.  And who knows what's in that dirt -- I have a feeling THAT is what is making me sick!!!  So, going to have one more night of no salads and then have a salad that I prepared and see what happens.  If I don't get sick, we'll know it's the process of cleaning the greens.  If I do, then it very well may be an allergy to salad.  But if I am allergic to salad, that is majorly messed up.  MAJORLY.  I guess if that turns out that I am allergic to them.  I will have to go through the process of finding some sort of leaf that I am NOT allergic to.  Please let it be the wash!  I am still contemplating food allergy testing.  I mean, what could it hurt?

Also wanted to mention that my husband said that after eating the salad for dinner last night, he had to poop... a LOT.  I'm sorry to give TMI, but I thought it was worth mentioning that he had the same reaction.  Twice.  He decided not to take it tonight.  I told him that I was going to wash it tonight and re-bag it in our bag.  He also said that it wasn't painful and crampy like mine -- but each person's system is completely different.  So, it may just be aggravating to him for a bit, but it makes me downright miserable.  He agreed with buying the whole thing and just taking the time to wash it up.  I am also going to buy a new colander, a new salad spinner (I have the OLD one!), and a salad knife.  I've always heard that it's better to use either a ceramic knife or a plastic.  I guess I should do some research on that, too!

Still didn't weigh this AM.  Shocked?  LOL  I am!  I wanted to again this AM.  Mostly because I got some sleep and I am feeling perky!  HA!  I am also feeling pretty good -- as in not all bloaty and gross and exhausted.  I am already making plans for this weekend and trying to decide if I want to do a high day soon or not.  I KNOW I am going to be exposed to yummy goodness Sunday AM -- you see, today is the hubb's b-day and I am surprising him when he comes off of night shift Sunday morning with his very own German chocolate birthday cake!  I plan on having it ready for him as soon as he walks through the door.  Candles and all!  I had wanted to get him a gift, but not sure what to get him.  I sorta got everything I could think of for Christmas, so now I am at a loss.  I had thought about getting a sitter for Monday and sneaking him up to the Outlets to go shopping.  He needs some new clothes, so I was thinking he might like to go somewhere that had lots of options for him.  See, he's into clothes and looking good as much as a girl!  Don't get me wrong, the hubbs can get dirty when he's working, but otherwise he wants to look nice.  I think I mentioned before how into clothes and looking nice he is!  LOL

OH.  I had a funny thing happen yesterday.  Not funny ha ha, but funny weird.  I was thinking back to when I had felt the best and looked the best and that was the summer before I got married.  And all I did was occasional walking and 'toning' exercises.  Turns out I stumbled across some Pilates videos when I was looking for a video of how to do 'scissors'.  Another poster on here is doing them and seems to be getting good results so I was curious as to what they were.  I have a pooch from having two babies, so anything that will help is GOOD!  Anyways... All that time, when I had GREAT results, I was doing Pilates!  :O  So, I have decided to make it a point to do that more.  I am hoping now that we've gotten some work done, the storms have passed, and other issues are clear that I can get back to walking and my Pilates.  FUN FUN!!!  I really do look forward to it!  I mean, I really did look good then and I was probably in the 150's wearing a size 10... maybe an 8.  I HAVE been getting exercise, but not the concentrated kind I like to try to figure in.  And a week without planned exercise just sucks.  LOL  Especially for my mileage!  Not that I am getting anything major.

That's the other thing.  I have decided that my goal weight is going to be 153.  I know I know... I said I wouldn't pick one until I hit the first goal of 183.  But I feel I need a longer term goal that I can shoot for and look forward to in the long haul.  And I just think a low of 153 is where it's at.  I figure that gives me a good 7lb. range up and then if I go lower by say 8lbs., that's fine, too.  So, I am going to update my ticker.  Just really hoping to see a good number come Sunday!  Although, some part of me wonders if I should go lower.  Mostly because from some of the blogs/forums I read many of the posters are in the 150's and talk about being fat all the time.  I know the 150's isn't fat for ME simply because of my height and build.  But still, kinda chaps my ass a bit, if ya know what I mean!  But I keep trying to tell myself to get over it and shut up!  Each person has a goal weight that works for THEM and for THEM they honestly DO feel fat.  But sometimes, my stupid brain has to say that about a hundred times to get the point that each person has to figure out not only what lifestyle works for them, but what size works and is maintainable.  I've never long term (even at my thinnest) been less than 150.  My smallest was 136 and I really, Really, REALLY had to work hours on end to get there.  And you know what?  I want to enjoy life and not live to be thin.  20lbs. over what a Dr. might consider my ideal is fine for me.  And who knows?  If I go lower, I go lower.  But I am NOT going to stress.  Just not worth it to me.  Not to mention, I don't want that to be what my kids see.  I want to be healthy and happy and not always stressing over weight.

OK, well, I guess I've covered the gambit today!  I need to get up from here and attempt to get something done even though I said that I was going to take it easy.  I can't really do laundry or clean the garage with younger up.  Nor can I do the Rec room and guest room downstairs.  So, I guess I should do as much up here as I can.  I sorta don't want to, but I sorta need to.  Wish I felt more motivated!  I think the exhaustion still isn't gone even though I got more sleep.  LOL  Maybe I can do a few things and then do the rest tomorrow.  I want to have enough energy to do a workout tonight.  Maybe I will feel better once I get up and get moving.  Although, I really should balance my checkbook and finish my budget before anything else.  Guess I'll do that then get up and get going!  Have a great day, chickies!