Friday night, Nadia and I went out to Red Lobster for her birthday dinner. We started out with a shrimp bruschetta as an appetizer. It didn’t come out until after our food did, but I still ate a lot of it. I also had some cheddar biscuits and a house salad with Thousand Island dressing on the side.

For dinner, I had the Seaside Shrimp Trio, which consisted of Shrimp Linguini and Alfredo, Garlic Shrimp, and Fried Shrimp. I also got a baked potato with sour cream and butter.  Nadia ordered the Broiled Seafood Platter, which came with Stuffed Flounder. She gave me most of her founder.

I didn’t feel stuffed after eating, but I certainly ate a lot. I wanted a couple more cheddar biscuits, but I resisted. It was very hard, considering they keep bringing them if you ask. I also didn’t eat the shrimp linguini. I saved it for lunch on Saturday. I also  had a small piece of Nadia’s leftover birthday cake when we got back.

I read an article, earlier in the day, about how people who treating eating out as a special occasion tend to eat more when they’re out because it is a special occasion. I think that might have been what I did on Friday. I didn’t eat as much as I used to, but I think I ate more than I should have.

Saturday morning, I didn’t eat breakfast because we were planning on going to the Washington Auto Show. I figured I would get something there. When we left to go to the auto show, it was flurrying. But, it was so cold that it instantly stuck.

About halfway there, we had seen so many accidents that we decided to skip the show. Instead, we had an errand to run, so we did that and then returned home.

For lunch, I had leftover linguini and a leftover cheddar biscuit. It was good, but heavy. For dinner, we had leftover pizza. We had to go to the comedy show, so we wanted to eat before we left instead of eating out.

After dinner, we braved the snow to see the comedy show that we had nonrefundable tickets for. Then, we stopped at TGI Fridays for a late snack. I was originally going to have dessert, but then I got hungry and had boneless buffalo chicken wings. I also had a mudslide. Both were good, but I probably should have skipped them.

Still, I didn’t feel like I ate too much, and didn’t feel that guilty about it.

On Sunday, we woke up late, so I skipped breakfast again. I had nacho bake for lunch, which consists of mac and cheese, salsa, tortilla chips, and ground turkey. It was leftover, so we had to get rid of it.

After we went grocery shopping, I wanted a piece of Nadia’s birthday cake. I was really craving it. But, instead, I had an orange. It was no birthday cake, but it sufficed.

For dinner, I had some leftover lemon pepper chicken, honey-lime chicken, and some buffalo chicken. I also had brussel sprouts and spinach. It was a good meal.

Again, I had a craving for cake. I didn’t have it, but I really wanted it. In the end, I just brushed my teeth and went to bed.

Monday, it was back on track. I stuck to the plan for breakfast, lunch and my afternoon snack. For dinner, I had tuna salad over greens, and some Better Cheddar crackers. I followed it with a small piece of Nadia’s BDay cake.

I also did my normal workout. I was tired, and just felt lazy. But, while at work, I kept telling myself that there was no way I wasn’t going to workout. So, I came home and did it. 

So far, I’ve lost 20 lbs in the first month of 2010. Go me.

I feel good. But, I think I have to prevent this weekend’s eating from becomming habit.

So far so good today, with my eating plan. A couple of days ago, we ran out of yogurt and bananas. So, I’ve been trying to improvise for breakfast without making unhealthy choices. The other day, I had banana bread. Yesterday, I had an orange. Today, I couldn’t find anything to bring with me.

So, I made a trip to the cafeteria. It’s easy to get derailed if you go someplace that has unhealthy food on display. When I walked in, there was a huge cheese danish… seriously huge… like the size of a dinner plate for $0.79. it was placed right next to the fresh fruit.

It took every ounce of will power — assuming will power is measured in ounces — to get the fruit; but I did.  The damage was $3.95, which makes me realize why people make unhealthy food choices. They’re much cheaper when you’re in a rush. Anyway, I had my fruit and a bottle of water for breakfast.

Before lunch, I ran home to get something. While I was there, I was very tempted to have a piece of Nadia’s leftover birthday cake. I looked at it. Then, I stopped myself and walked away. The whole time I was home, I was justifying in my head a reason to have some cake: “I could have a really small piece… I could walk more around the office…”

Then, I figured I would have a piece tonight, and since we’re also going out to dinner, having a piece of cake would be too much. So, I skipped it.

When I got back to the office, I stopped by the cafeteria, and got a buffalo chicken wrap. They’re good, and relatively healthy. I think the unhealthiest thing they have on them is bleu cheese crumbles and ranch dressing. I asked to hold the ranch dressing, to make it a little healthier.

As I was walking back to my cubicle, I contemplated taking the elevator. (I have only taken the elevator four times since working here.) But, I figured that if I took the elevator now, then I might also decide not to work out today, and that would be bad. It’s easier for me to stay consistent.

So… so far, so good today…

I spent another day on track. I know, I know… it’s boring to keep hearing that, but it is good. I think I’ve found my groove, sort of. I take the same breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack everyday to ensure that I stick to the plan.

If I didn’t do that, I would surely make my way to the cafeteria, and eat a danish or biscuits for breakfast, followed by a buffalo chicken wrap for lunch. Then, I’d hit the vending machine for my afternoon snack. And, that, my loyal readers, would be disaster.

So, I stick to the routine… to avoid the temptation. I think that one of the things that leads a lot of people, myself included, to overeat is a lack of preparation. Is it easier to pack a lunch or go to McDonalds?

But, if I pack a lunch, I’m less likely to go out, and therefore, can resist the temptation to eat at a fast food joint easier. (I don’t go to McDonalds, for the record. It’s disgusting.)

So, I stick to my routine. I didn’t have yogurt or a banana, so instead, I had an orange for breakfast. Lunch was the usual sandwich and 100-calorie pack, and Cherry Coke Zero. I was busy and didn’t eat my second orange as an afternoon snack. Then, someone had some smelly onions in the office, and I wasn’t hungry for the rest of the afternoon.

Dinner was Dominos pizza. Not healthy, but I didn’t eat four slices, like I used to. I had two slices, and four breadsticks. (They’re small.) I used to eat three-four slices, four – six breadsticks, and half an order of Chicken Kickers. So, this is an improvement, even if it is a small one.

I did, however, have two small pieces of birthday cake. Again, not healthy, but I could have eaten the entire cake. I felt good after eating it, not stuffed, like I used to.

I think it’s good that I eat things like pizza and cake, not because its healthy, but because it teaches me more self control, which is the area where I lacked the most that affected my weight the most, if that makes sense. Judging by the fact that I’ve lost 13 lbs, I think it’s working.

I stayed home from work because I was battling a bad head cold. Because I was home, and not feeling well, I started the day thinking that I would just relax, take it easy, and eat what I wanted — sort of a “sick day” from the Year of Discipline. I was very close to lapsing, mainly because I just didn’t feel well enough to fight temptation.

I started the day with banana bread for breakfast. I wasn’t very hungry, mostly because of sickness, so a little banana bread filled me up. For lunch, I had two hot dogs and a snack-sized bag of baked ruffles. Hot dogs are not healthy, but we buy fat free hot dogs so they’re not as bad.

It wasn’t the healthiest of lunches, but it was much better than some of the other things I was tempted to eat because I was home. All told, lunch was less than 500 calories.

Nadia’s mom came over tonight, so I did a lot of cleaning. I thought being on my feet and moving around a lot would make me feel worse, but it actually made me feel better. I could breath, and I didn’t have a pounding headache.

I had to run to the store, too. Being out in the cold air really seemed to open up my sinuses. While my nose was really runny, it was good because everything in it was draining. (I know… gross.)

Due to time constraints, and the amount of cleaning I did, I was going to skip my workout. It was big muscle groups and speed interval training day, the toughest of my workout routines. “Missing today wouldn’t be a big deal,” I thought. Then, I realized I was just making excuses to be lazy, so I did my workout.

While I was working out, I felt better than ever. I don’t know if it was the fact that my mind wasn’t on my head cold, or if the exercise just made me feel better.

 After I worked out, I started cooking dinner. I made Honey-Lime Chicken Breast. It was very, very good. I was surprised at how well it turned out. We also had brussel sprouts and asparagas with it. I’ve got to say, I’ve really grown to like the taste of brussel sprouts. I’ve always liked asparagas, but before Nadia, I never really ate brussel sprouts. Now, I love them. Go figure.

The only semi-lapse — well I will call it a lapse — was the chocolate cake we had for Nadia’s birthday. I had one good-sized piece and a small piece. I could have had a third or fourth, but that would have been disaster. I didn’t fill up on chocolate cake, but I probably should have stopped after one piece. But, it was so good.

I might go for a walk Thursday to make up for the cake. That would be a good idea, I think.

I stuck to the food plan this afternoon and evening. I skipped the orange, as I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t feel like eating.

When I got home, I cleaned up because Nadia’s mom is coming to visit Wednesday. I cleaned off the dining room table, vacuumed the living room, family room, dining room, stairways, and hallway. 

I also did a few loads of laundry and replaced an electrical outlet in one of the bedrooms. I was on the go from the time I got home. But, doing all that took a lot out of me. By the time I was finished, I had a pounding headache, and my nose was stuffed.

Nadia asked me to start dinner, so I did. We had a Nacho Bake, which consists of macaroni and cheese, salsa, tortilla chips, and ground turkey. This is one of my favorite dishes, so I used to overeat it. We would never have leftovers after making it. But, in the Year of Discipline, I’ve been curtailing my excessive eating, so I had one and a half serving.

It wasn’t a very healthy choice, but it also wasn’t too bad. I didn’t eat as much of it as I used to, so that’s always a good thing.

So, overall today was another day on track. But, I hope my healthier lifestyle helps me ward off this head cold that i feel coming on.

Today has been good, food-wise. This morning I had banana bread because I was out of bananas and yogurt. Lunch was the usual sandwich and a 100-calorie pack. I left the office for a little bit to get some air, and was tempted to get fast food, but I resisted. I swung by the house, too, and almost ate something there, but elected not to — I needed to stick to the plan. So, I did.

I had to get air at lunch because I’ve been feeling pretty blech today. It could be because i’m coming down with a head cold… I don’t know. I’ve been feeling very, very lazy and unnmotivated. I haven’t been able to focus on anything, and haven’t been productive.

Fortunately I have nothing to do that is extremely pressing or that requires my close attention. It’s a good thing, too, because I feel so… cloudy.

About four months ago, I started working on replacing my bathroom exhaust fan because the old one died. I hit a few snags, mainly because I was trying to cut corners to save time. Well, because of those snags — and laziness and procrastination — I managed to let the project sit in limbo for nearly five months.

Yesterday, however, I decided that I needed to focus and finish it. I mean, it is the Year of Discipline, after all. So, I brainstormed a few ideas to get over the obstacles that were preventing me from finishing it.

And, I’m happy to report that last night, I finally finished it.

It’s been a few days since I’ve updated, but things have still been going according to plan. I’ve stuck to my eating plan, for the most part, and have stuck to my exercise regiment. Everything has been going well.

Friday, I stuck to all aspects of my eating plan. I had my usual banana and yogurt for breakfast. I followed that with a cheese sandwich, pretzels, and a Cherry Coke Zero for lunch. My afternoon snack consisted of an orange because we ran out of apples.

On Saturday, it was tough to stick to my eating plan. For breakfast, I had a bowl of cereal. Then, Nadia made banana bread. So, I had two pieces. That wasn’t on the plan. I was at the mall with Nadia, my sister, and my daughter when we decided to have lunch. So, instead of having something unhealthy, I let Nadia pick the meal and decided to share it with her. That way I’d consume half of the meal I normally would. We had fries and a turkey cheesesteak. It wasn’t the healthiest, but I didn’t eat very much so I felt good.

For dinner, we had chinese food. I had some shrimp lomein and crab rangoon. I ate more of the lomein than I should have, but stopped before getting full or before eating it became an activity.

Sunday, I had cereal for breakfast. For lunch, I had a cheese sandwich and pretzels. For dinner, I had leftover fried rice, pizza, and tacos. Not a healthy combination by any stretch, but I wasn’t eating very much of it so it wasn’t too bad.

Monday, I also stuck to the plan with my usual breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon, I resisted the temptation to eat my second 100-calorie pack. Instead, I had a bottle of water. Dinner was delicious lemon pepper chicken. It was the first time I made it, but it was good. I also had asparagas and brussel sprouts. It was a very good, healthy meal.

I also worked out both Friday and Monday. I’m starting to get in better shape. Nadia commented on how solid my arms felt. I haven’t noticed it, but I’ll take her word for it. So far, I’ve lost 9 lbs, and I feel good.

Today, I stayed the course, sticking to my eating routine. Nothing new to report, simply ate everything I intended to, and nothing I didn’t.

For dinner, I had fat-free hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. I used to have the tendancy to overindulge on mac and cheese. Together, Nadia and I would finish an entire box. I, obviously, would eat most of it. Now, in the Y of D, I don’t.

I did end up getting more, but only a small spoonful, so we still ended up with leftovers, which is good. That means I didn’t eat too much.

So, another day staying on track — at least with food.

Sleep is a different story. I’ve been trying to get my sleep habits under control to no avail. I still go to bed between 1 and 1:30 a.m. Before, it wasn’t such a problem because I would get up at 7:20 a.m. with no problem.

Now, however, I’m hitting the snooze more and waking up closer to 8 a.m. I don’t know why, really, but its getting harder and harder to wake up on time these days. I’ve got to get better control of this.

Today was another good food day during the Year of Discipline. Again, I’m just plugging away, sticking to the plan, keeping myself out of food trouble. I feel like I’m getting in a groove.

Started the day with a banana, yogurt, and a bottle of water. For lunch, I had a cheese sandwich and pretzels. Then, I had an apple and an orange and another bottle of water as an afternoon snack.

Dinner was leftover tacos. I didn’t quite overindulge, but I probably had more than I should have. I used to eat three to four tacos, loaded with meat and cheese. Now, I have smaller tacos, and I stop at two. Today, however, I had two small tacos and a small taco salad that I made of the stuff I would have put in a taco. It was an extra teaspoonful of meat, but it was mostly lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole.

Despite that, I still consider myself on track. There were leftover cookies from last night sitting on the counter. I resisted them all day. It was easier than I thought, which means that the Y of D must be working.

I also worked out today — I did big muscle groups and speed-interval training. I’ve been pretty consistent with it for a little over two weeks now. I’ve lost close to seven pounds.

It’s good to see results. It helps me keep going.