For the past 6 days, I have not posted about anything...
School and life became busy, and to be honest, blogging about my experiences became lower on my priority list. One of the reasons I did this blog was to share with others my experience, but also to share with the future me. I wanted to remember how I felt at each point during the 24-day journey. I will never forget how I have felt these last 6 days!
On Saturday 2/26 (Day 19), Matt and I went to the housewarming party of my former boss. Although it wasn't supposed to be "dinner," there were some snacks and picky things. I did cave a teeny bit, and had some rye bread with a rye dip. I don't know what was in it, but it was DELICIOUS. I also had half of a small chocolate chip cookie (Matt gladly took the other half), and had half of a ginger molasses cookie as well (she makes KILLER ones.... ugh). It was worth it...
Sunday 2/27, I was the Penalty Box official for the Rochester Lancers game. It was First Responder Appreciation Day, a super emotional ceremony before the game honoring the West Webster Fire Department, their fallen brothers, and their wounded brothers. Incredible, and hits so close to home.
Monday 2/28, MY BIRTHDAY! I had been waiting for the day for a while, because I had been planning dinner for ages. I knew that the whole day was going to be a cheat day ...
This was my lunch - I admit, I had TWO pieces of this Ding Dong cake! My amazing boss has gotten me a Ding Dong cake for every birthday I have celebrated since working there. I was SO fortunate to share with some great people!
Luckily, I came home to a surprise from my mother...
An Edible Arrangement! This was a nice small arrangement (lord knows Matt isn't helping me eat it) with strawerries, grapes, pinapple flowers, and also the "cupcakes" are pieces of pineapple covered in chocolate. YUM! Thanks so much to my mom for thinking of a cute healthy idea for me.
HOWEVER, the fruit came in AFTER dinner....
Matt had class until late, so he and I decided to celebrate next weekend. On Monday night, my best friend and I went out to Carrabbas. Carrabbas (sorry Italians if you don't like it) is probably my FAVORITE restaurant... ever. It's SO delicious.
We got there around 6:30... luckily with 30 minutes left of happy hour! I knew I wanted to drink wine. They were offering Quartinos (1 1/2 glasses) of wine for the price of a glass. Basically, buy one get one 50% off. WORKED FOR ME! :)
They currently have a special on Mondays. It's a 3-course meal for $12-18. You get the choice of an appetizer (flatbread, small calamari, small fried mozzarella, and a few other choices) OR small dessert, soup or salad, and the entree. Some of the entrees offered that are $12 are more basic, vegetarian, simple meals. The $15 are the more "normal" meals, like the meat + pasta dishes, etc. The $18 meals are filet mignon and veal parmesan, etc.
Best friend and I both got a flatbread appetizer...
This was hers - caramelized onion & bacon. Mine was spinach & goat cheese. Both were YUM!
I got a salad, with their house creamy parmesan dressing.
My entree was what I usually get, Chicken Bryan. It is wood-fired chicken with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes with a lemon wine butter sauce. I get it with pasta on the side, in the same sauce. DELICIOUS!
Also, between the two of us, we consumed three loaves of bread. (Not Wonder Bread sized loaves... but the little loaves they give you at Italian restaurants.) This is probably my favorite part of the whole experience going to Carrabbas. You can see in the top of the picture above, there is a plate with a bunch of "crud" (YUMMY delicious spices), with some gorgeous olive oil for dipping. I could literally go, eat that, and leave. It is SO good.
After the meal, we went to Cold Stone. I of course got a Birthday Cake Remix! :) YUM, but blah... so fat. I think I re-adjusted my belt 4 times throughout the night!
My birthday was certainly a CHEATING kind of day! I just ensured that it followed with a final 3 days of eating well.
I have been drinking Chai Teas. I shouldn't really... but I have been having soy milk. So expensive. Very delicious. Probably not a good idea.
I have been feeling really great. My energy levels this week are a little lower than last, but that's just because I have been sleeping MUCH less, and doing MUCH more during waking hours.
I will be doing measurements and weight again TOMORROW!!!!!!!! This will show me my progress, other than what I can feel. I am excited.
How am I celebrating the END of my 24-Day Challenge? By making a delicious, clean-eating soup! I haven't had the opportunity to whip out my Slow Cooker yet this winter, but it's going to be used twice in a few days this weekend!!!
I used a hot Italian poultry sausage, matchstick carrotts, snipped green beans, garlic, pasta sprinkle, crushed red pepper flakes, garbanzo beans, spinach, and chicken broth.
Matt would say "that looks MUCH too healthy. Too much green!"
I saw these at a pot-luck event a month or so ago... Our slow cooker is always a pain in the ass to clean. It never comes out clean in the dishwasher, and then the dry cycle bakes the crap in even more .... I bought some Slow Cooker Liners at Wegmans.
You just put it in the bottom of the crock pot, put everything into the bag, serve from there, and when you're done, you just pull the liner out and it leaves you with a cleannnn slow cooker! I think this is a great idea. Matt is also VERY pleased - much less scrubbing for him!!!
Slow Cooker is on LOW over night, and will be ready to be scooped into a thermos for lunch tomorrow! :)
CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR WEIGHT, MEASUREMENTS, AND BODY FAT %!
Happy Day 25!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment