Sparrows Experiment

ah yes I did, thanks Sim. I met with 2 friends (I NEVER get to do that!) and got a lot of chores I've put off for a while, done :D It was also nice to show up to my son's school to get him at noon fully clothed. lol. I mean street clothes and looking nice, not nasty sweaty exercise clothes. Nobody recognized me, not even my son! LOL
 
*notes "Cleans up real good" in sparrow's diary*
 
Day off ended up very nice yesterday. I didn't really back off on my eating, I actually felt hungrier than when I work out. Still not sure how that works. It was all pretty clean until bedtime when I had that crap no sugar added stuff which is fairly low cal, low carb and low fat. My husband has it for his sweet tooth....and ice cream in any form is a weakness for me. I still woke up feeling clean and hungry though so damage wasn't great.
I have been munchie today and haven't trusted myself to actually prepare food (cause I'll munch on something i'm not supposed to) so I've avoided it by doing a few shakes. I don't think thats harmful every once in a while to go a little heavier on convenience
b-2 scoops whey in water, 1/4c kashi go lean cereal
gym
l-2 scoops whey in water 2T Flax, 1/4c kashi go lean cereal
s-protein bar (I know I know)
d-2c salad with 1/4c noodles, 1/4c sauce, 1T olive oil and balsamic dressing, 1/4c berry cobbler, small piece garlic bread
I will eat normal food at some point today, I promise :) tonight we are going to some friends house for dinner, which I already know is spaghetti, french bread, salad, dessert :( thats gonna suck but I just plan on going really heavy with the salad (I'm bringing it and an olive oil based dressing), maybe a tiny bit of pasta and more sauce than noodles. Thats why my protein has already been high today (100 g so far), I know I'm not getting much of it for dinner
Edit: it was fine. I ate exactly what I planned and its left me feeling starving. No protein is the pits, how do people do that?? I'm gonna finish my evening with some cottage cheese I think.
Here was my workout:
30 min treadlevel 6.1 (this was a heavenly pace compared to what I used to have to do) with the last 10 min being HIIT.
45 min swim (2600 yds) strokes all mixed, pulling, kicking and skulling.
 
Last edited:
With a good chianti or other Italian red that sounds like a great meal :) This weekend's experiment for me is something similar - Shrimp Fra Diavolo :)
 
Last day of soccer today! whoo hoo!
Its going to be a very busy day but I do plan on going to the gym later this evening to do some cross train/weight stuff. I'll update later
b-8 egg whites, 1/8 piece cantaloupe

edit: well I'm not going to post my food cause it wasn't very "good", it was healthy, but not as clean as I like to eat. Plus its boring to post that all the time. I'm going to the gym and I'll do an hour on the elliptical and a circuit full body weight session. I'll take the day again tomorrow and then Monday I'm back to being focused on some new goals.
 
Last edited:
I did spinning today but I was bummed cause the awesome spin teachers sub wasn't all that great. She had us just riding for long lengths of time without any imagination or challenge. It was really boring and I'm discouraged since the other instructor is out for like 8 weeks! There is a spin class at 5:30AM by another good instructor so if I'm really fanatic about it, I could go I guess. Its just really fun.
So anyway here was the workout:
weights:
seated row 70lb 3x15
assisted pull ups (assisted 50 lb) 3x12
dips 3x10
incline bench press 60lb 3x15
shoulder press 50lb 3x12
rear delt 40 lb 2x12
pec press 45lb 2x12
decline pushups 3x8
dips from bench 2x10
15 min warm up on elliptical level 10
60 min spin
b-2 whole eggs before gym
l-Thanksgiving "feast" at my daughters school: 5oz turkey, 1c raw veggies, 2 deviled egg (without much of the filling part), small bite of white roll
s-atkins caramel protein bar (only thing in my car)
d (will be) 1-2c steamed broccoli, 4oz lean steak, 1-2c green salad

Its been an OK day
 
Last edited:
Sorry to hear that - that's why we treat our spinning instructor really really well lol, so she won't decide to close up shop. (It works out because she says we're her favorite class).

And on a spicier note - I made Shrimp Fra Diavolo last night - it was excellent. You'd mentioned wanting different recipes so I hope this fits the bill. Tangy and spicy yum! (was delicious atop Barilla Plus pasta with an italian salad + tomato on the side).
 
Yum! Talk about easy!
I'll have to try it Stingo, although I'm the only one in my family who likes shrimp! Tragic, I know :( more for me :D

b-2scoops whey in water
l-large chicken breast, 1-2c broccoli w seseme seeds, 1/4c rice
s-1T natty butter, lc sprouted tortilla, 1/2c cottage cheese
d-vegie omelet, string cheese, side of tomatoes/olive oil

Weighed today for the heck of it: 132.4 :D finally its headed back down a little

gym:
30 min tread: 5 min warm up, 25 min intervals 3min 6.5/3 min 8.0 or higher alternated for remaining time
ham curl 60lb 3x12
ham press 50lb 2x10
pec deck (i just love this exercise, even tho I did similar yesterday)
stability ball ab. jackknifes holding pike for 3 sec 3x15
some other ab work with ball
1 pull up ;)
1500 yd swim (500free, 400IM, 300 pull w/skulling, 200 kick fr/br/fly, 100 skulling)
I felt really strong today. Everything felt empowering and fun and I can tell I'm getting even stronger but I don't seem to be getting bigger, like what usually happens when my muscles get stronger. I tend to bulk up very fast and I hate that..I just have to watch overdoing it. I talked to a few "triathlon club" gals in the pool and I think I'll join them each Tues/Thurs for their workouts. They alternate between spinning, running out to a nearby park and swimming. It'll be a good mix up to my routine. One of them is the "other" spin instructor and she said a new spin class is starting m/w @8:15..so I can do that! I already know she's good. it'll be good motivation to maybe do a tri or two in the spring/summertime. I've done 2 in my life and they were pretty fun.
 
Last edited:
Spinning today. I did level 4 which is the highest our club has. Its intense! whewee. The instructor I met yesterday taught the class and it was head and shoulders above any I've done so far. I was wiped out. I did a few weights afterwards and was stopped by some dude who said "Hey do you do triathlons?" I said "nope" and he goes "D@mn you are in amazing shape. You look like you do!" So who cares if it was some sort of pick up line :rolleyes: I work hard, I'll take it! lol

We left for my parents house today so eating was a little off but not by too much
b-1/4c dry "life" cereal on the way to the gym 30
s-atkins bar 300
l-mimis cafe blackened chicken salad with bite of blueberry muffin 400, later, hadful of almonds
d-round table pizza salad bar w 2 whole eggs, bite of parm twist. 300
probably pretty low on cals but I was stuffed most of the day cause I worked so hard this morning. thats just how it works for my body. The harder the workout, the less I'm hungry. Tomorrow I'll go for an AM run and I actually plan to stick pretty close to my regular diet for Thanksgiving dinner so we'll see how that goes ;)
 
Last edited:
So how was everyone's turkey day? Did we all eat way more than we wanted to? gobble gobble. Yeah, me too. I actually did really well for the actual dinner part of it. I just loaded my plate with turkey (no gravy) broccoli salad (this is a favorite but I made it with light mayo, splenda and fat free cheese), and 3 bean salad but it was the snacks and desserts that just stay OUT all day that killed me off. I should have just picked up a good book and got into that for a few hours. I never did run. I just got reallllly lazy.
Anyway, I was still munching on leftovers (pie and ice cream) late into the evening (11pm!) but oddly and happily I didn't gain anything :D I did a happy dance this morning.
I went to do spinning from the triathlon instructor today, but my 3 yr old peed her pants 45 min into it and I was kinda ticked. I had a good thing going and some righteous weights to hit afterwards. oh well. I've spent the day doing decorations for Christmas. I LOVVVEEEE Christmas. So far it looks great, just can't wait for the tree.
I always make a butt-load of fudge (ok thats gross) for a ton of people for Christmas and I don't plan on ditching that tradition but I'm going to have to be very strong! I have a 30 day challenge going on right now with myself and it started today. 30 days of not biting my nails (yes this I do) and 30 days of super squeaky clean eating. It will be the ultimate test since within 30 days I'll have a billion opportunities to blow it with the holiday festivities! If I can make it I'm going to buy this sexy Victoria's Secret black dress I'm eyeing right now and get a manicure in time for Christmas. Wow I really write too much about myself in this "diary"
Anyway, that was a tangent, I brought up the fudge subject because I start making it today. I make 5 different kinds. Its super fun but I'm not sure if its fun cause I get to taste it as I make it, or if making it is actually the fun part. I'll let you know. lol :D
I hope everyone had a great time with friends and/or family!
(kind of a detox day):
b-2 whole eggs
l-1 can tuna, 1 chopped tomato, 2 chopped stalks celery, chopped red onion, 2 T ff sr cream (this just blends it together well)
s-1/2c cottage cheese, 1T natty butter
d-5oz chopped grilled chicken, 4-5c romaine lettuce, 1 roma tomato, 1T olive oil and balsamic dressing.
Low cal, low carb, low taste day. lol. I might do one more day of this before returning back to "normal"
 
Last edited:
**BOWS** I grovel at ur feet. OMG....u kick major @$$!!!!! And here I think I kick butt...not even close! LOL Oh well. Anyway, u keep keepin on! Not sure what ur goal is, but I'm sure u'll make it.
 
**BOWS** I grovel at ur feet. OMG....u kick major @$$!!!!! And here I think I kick butt...not even close! LOL Oh well. Anyway, u keep keepin on! Not sure what ur goal is, but I'm sure u'll make it.

LOL what the heck are you TALKING about Wendy??!! YOU have done and are doing awesome! I was recently reading your diary in the early days. Have you ever taken time to just go re-read it? You've made TREMENDOUS progress and are doing great! Don't let a couple of water pounds throw you off and get you discouraged!;)

I'm having a good week is all! I take them day by day and my days are working out at the moment! But its not always that way! We all have our good, our bad and our ugly.

I haven't pinned a goal down. Right now I'm just doing this little challenge with myself cause I'm SICK of short nails and its just a gross habit. I also know I could totally go off the deep end with eating during the holidays. If I swing more drastically the other way towards super strict eating, I may have a shot. I'm making it a sort of game to get me through, AND get the dress I want :D Sneaky ain't I :p .

I think I'm going to train for a traiathlon or two this spring, but thats not the goal. That in itself will not motivate me to get to the gym each day soo I'll search a little more to pinpoint what I'm striving for. Thank you for your encouragement but give yourself some kudos kid! You're doing an amazing job!
 
Today is a fair our downtown holds for store fronts and vendors to come open their doors for a Christmas preview. Then later the Christmas parade. Seems weird to have all this stuff when we're still in November! I wanted to go to the gym this morning but my husband had to leave early to be part of the fair so I'll go later, I hope.

This is the plan:
B-1 scoop whey, 2T Flax seeds blended (water)
L-4c romaine lettuce, 6oz chicken, 2 T balsamic, 1 bite whole wheat bread, 1t pb (I started to "graze" with my kids' food! yipes!)
S(postworkout if I go)- 1 scoop whey, 1c milk, 1/4c raw bran (toasted)
D-8 egg whites, 1 string cheese, bell pep strips, onion (all in omelet) tomato slices and cottage cheese
S-herbal tea
 
Last edited:
Sparrow: thanks for the encouragement!

Yeah, I have to agree, it's weird to be seeing Christmas things already, but you know. There is a radio station in my area that has been playing Christmas music for WEEKS!!! Can u believe it??? UGh!
 
Ha! Yeah some of our stores around here had Christmas stuff out with the Halloween stuff. It stressed me out!
 
It's just WRONG! lol
 
Back
Top