Focus challenge to myself.

It’s a newly minted, fresh and shiny week! I got some good sleep last night, which was nice. I had a quick protein drink and headed out to workout.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Squat 1 set of 10 at 45# (warmup)

1 set of 10 at 55#

1 set of 10 at 65#

1 set of 8 at 75#

1 set of 8 at 85#

1 set of 7 at 95#

 Lower body
Seated Lat Row 3 sets of 10 at 55# Back
Captain’s Chair 3 sets of 10 Core
Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Push Ups 3 sets of 10 Chest
YTWL 3 sets of 4 each letter with 8# DBs (16# total) Shoulders
Lower Back Extension 3 sets of 10 at 100# Low Back
Bench Dips 3 sets of 10 Triceps

No cardio in the morning as I had to get home, shower, and walk to see the dentist for a checkup. I was their first appointment of the day.   I didn’t even get breakfast except a cup of coffee. $150 dollars later, no cavities, and they gave me gifts!

So what do I do after getting teeth cleaned and polished?? Eat blueberries and drink cafe au lait, of course!

I was pretty hungry. The dentist is only a 5 minute walk from home, so pretty convenient. I do like this dentist even though he is a little expensive (I think).

So, I have initiated a strong and specific challenge to myself this week. With the scale bumping up from Thanksgiving and with a trip coming up to my in-laws in a couple weeks (which is usually a bit of an eating nightmare), I am going to try to laser focus myself. I am going into a weight loss mode by trying to stick to 1500 calories per day. I will help myself out by eating more vegetables (particularly at lunch) and having fruit for snacks instead of chocolate. Not that I won’t have some dark chocolate, but less of it. 😀 I will also work on breaking the nibbling that has snuck back in while cooking dinner. Hello Altoids!

We will see how it goes.  😀  I will be putting up a calorie tally at the bottom of the posts, just so you can see a breakdown of my day as I normally don’t do that and I get a lot of questions about it.

Lunch time!  I tried something a little different.  I spread a tomato/basil laughing cow in the pita with tuna and spring mix.  It was pretty good.

Filling up on cucumber and clementines.  Funny how I don’t like my cucumbers sliced in sticks like this – so I really don’t know why I did it.  It tastes better to me sliced in rounds.  I am weird that way.

Surprisingly steady drone of work with job 1 from the get-go, which is really unusual for a Monday.  I’ll take it though!  After I finished up that work, I made lattes today:

While I was steaming the milk, I was  thinking about how I wish I was one of those people that just loved veggies.  It would make life so much easier that way and easier to fill myself up.  I like more than I used to by training my taste buds, but it is really, really slow going.  Hence the reason you mostly see broccoli and brussels on my blog.  Like in dinner!

I made a pseudo hash with broccoli, turkey, and a chopped up Morningstar sausage patty – all sauteed in coconut oil.

It was tasty, but needed some kind of moisture.  Not sure what, though.

I’ll be working tonight and watching football.  This will be my snack later, which I have portioned out ahead of time:

Yum!  Today was also my no-added sugar day.  That always makes the dates taste extra sweet 😀

Calories: Preworkout: 110, Breakfast: 411, Lunch:  295, Afternoon latte:  110, Dinner:  317, Snack: 217.  Total for the day:  1507.

20 thoughts on “Focus challenge to myself.”

    1. Lori Post author

      1500 is really hard for me as well. I actually used to do less a few years ago, but I was not exercising the way I do now.

      If I can stick to 1500, I can lose. I have a lot of trouble with that, and that is why I have just maintained the last couple years and haven’t gotten off the last 10 LOL!

  2. cammy@tippytoediet

    I think I know the liquid your lunch was missing: hot sauce! 🙂

    I’m not a huge fan of cooked veggies, but I love most veggies raw, so I’m lucky there. And I also am not a fan (AT ALL!) of celery sticks! I thought it was just me being weird, but if there are two of us, there are surely more. Slices all the way!
    .-= cammy@tippytoediet´s last blog ..You Are Cordially Invited =-.

  4. Shelley B

    Good plan, and also good that it’s for a short time – you can do anything for a couple of weeks, right? I like veggies, I just get lazy about cooking in general sometimes. Need to get back to them because you are right, they do fill you up! 🙂

    Oh, and cut that way, your cucumber looks too “seedy” – I like rounds better, too.
    .-= Shelley B´s last blog ..Athletes Honey Milk Review and Giveaway! =-.

  5. Leah

    Sounds like a good plan! I also wish I liked veggies more. My mom loves them, I have more of a taste for them now than ever before, but still love chocolate more. 😛
    .-= Leah´s last blog ..Visit With Mom =-.

  6. Andra

    I always feel like I could eat more veggies, that’s why I love my juicer. I’m making garlicky collard greens on Wednesday night, which I’m really looking forward to.
    .-= Andra´s last blog ..Motivation Monday =-.

  7. debby

    You sure are hitting the squats pretty hard–OUCH!

    I have thought about keeping a stricter calorie count for a bit–for the discipline and to see what I am doing.

    I like veggies a LOT, and I like a lot of different kinds. Even so, when I eat too many of them I find myself unsatisfied.
    .-= debby´s last blog ..We Are Far Too Easily Pleased =-.

  8. Pubsgal

    I’ve always been lucky to love veggies. That was never the problem…eating everything else was. 😉 You do such a good job incorporating them, I would have had no idea that you didn’t like them very much!

    Question for you: what do you do for warming up when you don’t do cardio before your weights?

    And I was at *gasp* weight this morning; that + your post + Debby’s post convinced me to track food and calories for awhile, too, at least until the “training” starts to stick again. Not delighted with the idea, but trying to be positive about it.
    .-= Pubsgal´s last blog ..Happy Thanksgiving Holiday Hoedown Update for Week 1! =-.

  9. Fran

    For a week you will do fine on 1500 calories, you can do it! I do like veggies but don’t want to much of it at every meal. At my work we can buy salads for lunch, you can choose of 3 different ones every day and I made it a habit to buy one so that I eat enough fruit and veggies on weekdays. Weekends can use some improvement.

    $150 for a dentist? Holy guacamole! That’s not what we pay here for a checkup. In fact two checkups a year are covered by my dentist insurance and I don’t have to pay for it. For other treatments I have to pay a part myself and the rest is covered by insurance.

  10. Amy

    I should follow your example – I should buckle down between now and when we leave for Texas in three weeks. it’s hard to get the momentum back after being out of my routine for ten days, though!
    .-= Amy´s last blog ..I did it! =-.

  11. MizFit

    O
    K
    A
    Y
    I know this isnt the point but you lost me at 150 at the dentist.
    why is keeping healthy so freakin pricey?

    **goes off on a rant**

    🙂
    .-= MizFit´s last blog ..You going =-.

  12. Carlee

    I also cannot handle 1500. I stay too hungry but I also still have a lot to lose.
    I almost always eat my cucumbers sliced in rounds. On the few occasions that I slice in spears I *must* sprinkle them with salt even though I don’t when they are in rounds 🙂
    .-= Carlee´s last blog ..2nd Thanksgiving and Faux Apple Pie =-.

  13. Roxie

    I’m a rounds person, too. Spears seem too pickle-like, and I’m not fond of pickles.

    I had no idea you were not a fan of the veggie. I’ve grown into it over the last decade or so, so I do know your struggle. Good luck with the new regiment.
    .-= Roxie´s last blog ..The Unexpected Guest =-.

  15. Jody - Fit at 53

    Ah, the dentist! My UCLA stuff is not fun….. dentists can be so friggin expensive & no decent insurance out there for dentists ever! WHY? I was wondered that…..

    I love all the pistachio commercials out now using all the “stars”.. some I could do without but a lot are funny…..

    I think you are smart to try to buckle down a bit Lori if the scale is creeping up especially this time of year when there are so many parties & such… why wait till January when you can do it now & just modify as need be & enjoy as need be.. 🙂
    .-= Jody – Fit at 53´s last blog ..Plan for It! Success! =-.

  17. Joanne

    I feel so guilty when I’ve had my teeth cleaned at the dentists then I stop for coffee.

    I’d rather up my exercise than reduce my eating. I love my food too much. Good luck with your efforts. You’ll do it. It’s a great idea to get a grip on the scale before it gets out of hand. That’s so easy to do this time of year with all the temptations.
    .-= Joanne´s last blog ..Chocolate with Francois Coconut Rochers =-.

  18. Helen

    Go Lori go! I am absolutely certain that you will meet your focus point successfully.

    Funny, I love veggies but struggle with fruit, especially winter fruit. I’ve had 3 tangerines sitting on my desk since last week and I FINALLY ate one this morning.
    .-= Helen´s last blog ..Mixed Nuts =-.

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