Operation Gym Coup: Final Review

The whole month of June I had been gearing myself up for the last week and shuffling plans around in my head to find time to hit the gym on Friday, the last day of the month. After all, how can I finish the mission strong if I don't even go to the gym on the last day? The problem was, my man is coming home on Friday! It had only been a month since I'd seen him, but it had been two months since he'd been home and I could not wait! So I had been playing out the day in my head...should I go before work which I hate doing or should I go after work and be stressed out because I gotta get ready to pick him up at 8 pm from the airport.

After all of that stressing, I got pretty excited when I found out what you probably already know. Did you say, "huh?" when you read that Friday is the last day of the month? Well, you should have. I was checking out the calendar during that week guess what I learned. Thursday was the last day of the month! Not Friday. I totally knew that Stud was coming home Friday, July 1st, but for almost the whole month I kept thinking that Friday was still part of June and therefore, part of my mission month. I think this happened because I associated my husband being gone with Operation Gym Coup since the mission took place the (almost) entire length of time between my visiting him in San Diego and his coming home. Makes sense, right? Either way, I will have completed the mission on Thursday and wouldn't have to worry about squeezing in a gym visit on Friday after all! Halelujah! That was a good surprise.

Officially, I have to say that I really shouldn't get so excited about not having to go to the gym just because the month is over and, technically, my mission only lasted one month. I mean, that makes it look like I didn't learn anything, doesn't it?

Officially, I should want to go to the gym on Friday anyway...and most days after that as well.

I got so excited about not being required to go to the gym on Friday that it really reminded me that my attitude about working out isn't where I want it to be. Granted, most of the reason that I didn't want to go on Friday is because, frankly, I didn't care about anything that happened on that day except seeing my husband.  However, there was still a big part of me that wanted the mission to be over so I didn't have to go to the gym and that's the part of me that I'm trying to transform. Like any lifestyle change, one of the hardest parts is establishing new habits. I figured that if I made myself go to the gym enough to make it a habit, after that I would actually want to go to the gym. Either I was too preoccupied during the month of June for this to take a effect, or it just took a little longer than expected.

At this point, I know I am a month late in writing this review, I feel like I am much closer to that ideal "workout attitude" than I was at the end of my mission. So I guess it's a good thing it took me so long to write this because back at the end of June, I would have still been just hoping for it. Yeah, that's why I didn't update you right away. Ha.

So if you've been following along on this mission, you're probably wondering if I succeeded. Did I get my name on the list of Top Ten Biggest Users?

Take a look: 

Are you hearing that pathetic game show music when the contestant loses? Yeah. I was hearing that too when I saw it. What made it MUCH worse was that it was my bright idea to run by Anytime and check with Stud on his last day home. I was already either crying or thinking about crying most of the day since Stud would be leaving that day and then I had to go and check the stupid list. Man, I was disappointed. And frustrated. And angry. I had missed the list by two gym visits. Stud tried to give me a pep talk on the short ride home, but I knew I could have done it...I just didn't. My husband is super good at helping me keep a healthy attitude about fitness. He's challenging but understanding. He told that I had had a lot going on and that I couldn't get down about it because that would probably keep me from going to the gym the next month. Luckily (sort of), saying good-bye to him later that afternoon put the whole mission-failure woes right out of my mind.

When I came back to focus on it, I decided that it was already too late into the month of July to try to start over the very next month and log enough gym visits. Stud was here from the 1st through the 10th and though we did workout together twice, it was not the focus. On top of that, I was in San Diego the weekend after that (to read about that awesome last weekend check out this post). So I decided that I wasn't going to push the issue during the month of July. I did, however, get right back on the horse and have been to the gym several times in the last couple of weeks and it has felt great.

It is still my goal to make it on the list one of these months. It just may be August too so stay tuned!

Oh, and by the way, when you saw "Andrew B." on the list did you have to look twice? That's the second miserable time that that name has crushed my spirits. Waaaaay back in 4th grade we were getting ready to end the school year and my teacher was giving away prizes of things that we had used during the year but weren't needed for the next year. When each item was to be given away he would draw a name and then write it on the board with all of us watching. I don't remember what the item was but I clearly remember my teacher writing "A-N-D-R-E.....W." UGH. Stupid Andrew. What a letdown. That last letter was suppposed to be an "A"! You know, you see five out of the six letters of your name it and it never occurs to you that the 6th letter won't be what you're expecting. At least, those are my feelings. Sorry to anyone of you named Andrew reading this. It's not that I don't like you, it's just that your name has caused a decent amount of disappointment in my life. But perhaps so has mine for you so I guess we're even. 

Operation Gym Coup: Week Three Review

Wow! It's already the end of week three! Do you know what that means? It means Stud comes home in ONE WEEK! I can't wait. Until then, I still have some major work to do.

This mission has been going well but I haven't always been super enthusiastic about getting myself to the gym. In fact last Thursday I was practically in tears on the phone with my hubby. It was probably like 9:30 pm and I still hadn't gone to the gym and I hadn't gone the last two nights either. I couldn't afford that kind of slacking if I were still going to meet my goal. On top of that, I was going out of town that weekend and for sure wouldn't get to the gym Saturday and if I were going to go Friday, it needed to be in the morning before work. So there I was, on the couch, not wanting to leave the house knowing that not only would it be a late night, but also an early morning if I were going to get to the gym before work.

But Stud definitely encouraged me. He reminded me that a goal is a priority. Since when can you achieve your goals without having to sacrifice anything? Wasn't I going up north to relax all weekend? Couldn't I just push through the next twelve hours? How important is my goal anyway?

Needless to say, I got up, put on my gym clothes and made it to the gym by 10 something AND was right back there at 6:20 am the next morning. It sure felt good to follow through and I'm pretty appreciative of my hubby's motivational speeches.

Lately I've been thinking about what I like too much that prevents me from making my goals the priorities they should be. Here's a list of things that I've come up with so far:
1. Sleeeeeeeeeeep!
2. Relaxation/down time
3. Talking to Stud on the phone (that one seems fair!)
4. Crafting
5. Movies

All of these things often seem way more enticing than hitting the gym. However, I've been trying really hard to not see the gym as a drag, but as a commitment to the lifestyle that I want to have. It's like that song from the Sound of Music: "Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could." I can't expect to get fit without putting the work in. By the way, I think there's something to learn from that song, Big Bang theorists...helllooooo!


I was also really encouraged this week by getting a chance to meet and talk to one of the new owners of the Eden Prairie Anytime Fitness. She and her husband just bought it a couple of weeks ago and they happened to be there later at night one night this week. I was happy to see someone in the office because I had noticed that on AnytimeHealth.com, where I can track how many visits to the gym I have made, it only logs one visit per day. When I realized this I was pretty bummed because I needed to swipe my card twice a couple of days to get credit for doing the MS 150 (especially since I was gone those days and couldn't get to the gym if I wanted to) and I was also banking on getting some more double days in on the weekends to make up for some of my slacker days during the week. By the time I realized it was only counting once a day, I was already to the point where I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up even if I went every day until the end of the month. However, I talked to Amanda, the new owner, at the gym and she was able to look me up on their computer and confirm that all of my visits are indeed being counted, just not on my personal page at AnytimeHealth.com. 

Not only that but she looked at some other numbers and told me that I was currently in second place!

Yep. There was only one person who had logged more visits that I had (three more, to be exact). Wow! That was such a boost! This victory is mine for the taking! And it IS that dramatic. Ha. 

So with the pep talk from my husband, the knowledge that all of my visits are being logged and the little tidbit that I'm scarcely behind the top biggest user,  I had no problem getting to the gym almost every night this week. 

This last week is the final push and I plan to go twice both days this weekend since I have most of the weekend free. I'm even getting better at doing some weight-lifting and not just cardio while I'm at the gym. It is really important to add weight training to your routine. A lot of the time I feel like lifting weights is just robbing from my cardio time but the more muscle you have, the more calories your burn at rest so it's really not a bad trade-off. Plus, feeling sore the next couple of days really makes me feel like I did something and it's tangible evidence of your muscles (and your body) transforming little by little. 

This is what I got to see on my way to the gym one night last week: 

Couldn't ask for a better backdrop!

Here's to finishing out this last week strong!

Operation Good News

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:14-17

As a Christian, it's not just a nice idea to read the Bible. It's of utmost importance...and it's not optional. Matthew 4:4 reveals what we can already intuit, that physical nourishment isn't enough to satisfy a child of God: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." In John 4:13,14 Jesus himself told the woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." We must be convinced that we are not just flesh and bones whose only needs are physical. We need and crave spiritual food just as C. S. Lewis wrote, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

Moreover, it's our responsibility to know the truth that is found in God's word (2 Timothy 2:15 compels us to be someone who is "rightly dividing the word of truth") and we are indeed commanded  in Joshua 1:8 to "meditate on it day and night." With verses as plain as that, there's no getting around the fact that Christians need to be in the Word. 

Lack of direction can be one of my biggest obstacles to staying in the Word. I can't tell you how many times I have sat down to read my Bible and couldn't think of where to start. Should I start a new book? Read some psalms or proverbs? Do a topical study? I've even opened my Bible to a random page and started reading from there. Part of the incredible beauty of the Bible is that you can be fed even through such haphazard methods. What you have read 20 times can reveal new truth the 21st time and what you randomly read one night can be more perfect than anything you could have methodically been searching for. Hebrews 4:12 explains why every bit of the Bible is so powerful: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."


Unfortunately there are a variety of things that keep me from reading the Bible as much as I know I want and need to. And what's a great way to turn this situation around? Make it a mission! If this is your first look at one of my missions, you can check out my whole philosophy behind missions here. For those of you already up to speed, you know what's next: OSMEAC.

O Here's where I am: I've got more Bibles around the house than days of the week but they are read far too sparingly. 


S Here's what's happening: I'm not getting the spiritual food I need. Just like a relationship with another person, your relationship with God needs to be cultivated. I wouldn't expect to grow closer to my husband if I never talked to him, would I? And how foolish would I be if I never read the emails and letters and texts that he sent me? All relationships require time and effort. As a Christian, I have so much to gain from reading the Bible and yet it often seems like a struggle to make it daily habit. 


M Here's what I'm going to do: My mission is to read the entire New Testament, the Good News of what Jesus has done for us, by the end of the summer (that is September 1st). There are 27 books in the New Testament...."each one a special part. So I learned this song and it didn't take long till I knew them all by heart!" Sorry. Those songs you learn as a little kid really stick with you! So, like I was saying, 27 books make up the New Testament and, in my Bible, that's almost exactly 500 pages. 


E Here's how I'm going to do it: There are approximately 10 weeks left of summer so that breaks down to about 50 pages a week, which is less than 10 pages a day...how attainable is that?! Honestly, this mission almost seems too easy. But I'm gonna stick with this time line so that I really get the most out of this mission and don't just rush through these truth-packed pages. I typically like to read my Bible before bed but I'm going to be flexible about when and where I read. 


A Here's what will help: As usual, being intentional is key to most of life's pursuits. Reading my Bible is something I think about every day, but it's not something I'm intentional about every day. This mission will not only help me organize a plan and provide direction, it will remind me that I have to consciously pursue the things that are important to me. It will help motivate me to read because I'll know exactly what I'm going to be reading when I open my Bible instead of picking a passage on the fly. 

I'm also excited to make this my first mission with a call to action! Something that I think would be an awesome support for this goal is to partner with other readers. If you are interested in joining me on this mission, please let me know! I would love to share what we learn and the new things that stand out to us as we go. I'm looking for at least five partners with this mission (and would be extremely excited to double that), to read the entire New Testament by September 1st and to share what is revealed to you in the process. I encourage you to leave a comment stating your intent to join in on this journey that will surely be rewarding. Who knows who will be encouraged and motivated by your commitment (you know it will at least be me)! 


Finally and foremost, the thing that I believe will help the most is simply getting started. Hunger for God's truth and promises is both satiated and augmented by the reading of scripture. There's no doubt in my mind that I'm really going to enjoy and be challenged by this mission!


C Here's the accountability: As always, this blog offers much of the accountability that I am relying on to accomplish this mission. I will be posting updates, though probably not weekly as I have done with other missions simply because this is a longer term mission. I will also be communicating my goal to some of my mentors in the faith to make sure that I am progressing at a nice, even pace instead of trying to read 450 pages the last two weeks of August. 

Operation Gym Coup: Week One & Two Review

June has been flying by and I'm already two weeks into my goal of becoming one of my gym's Biggest Users. I meant to get an update out after the first week, but preparing for the MS 150 last weekend got in the way so I'm combining weeks one and two. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about this goal just because I've had so little motivation lately; I wasn't sure I could get myself to the gym almost every. HOWEVER, it's been going great! It actually feels soooo good to be going regularly again. I'm surprised at how much I missed it without even knowing.

It's so interesting how your perspective of "the gym" is shaped. When you think of the gym, you probably have a completely different picture in mind than I do. For example, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go to the gym every morning before work. Would I see the same people? Would I be frustrated by how busy it is or enjoy the community feel? Would the morning light coming through the windows make me somehow feel differently or change my motivation? Would the knowledge that after I'm done working out, I have to go to work alter how long I want to work out since it always seems like I want to do something as soon as I don't have time? So many things subtly impact our attitude about working out and the environments in which we exercise.

I like working out at night. Always have. There are all kinds of reasons to not work out at night but I just prefer it. It feels so good at the end of the day to just go and get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing. It helps me let go of everything from during the day. So when I think of the gym, I picture a quiet place where there are only a few people who are finishing out their day by powering through a workout. The sky is dark and you can see your reflection in the window. The equipment is all neat and clean and the storage cubbies are mostly empty. It's such a relaxing place to get into your own thoughts and drives. It's just you pushing you.

Plus, the entertainment is way better at night. One of the things that has come to be a motivator for me is being able to watch specific shows at the gym. I love Anytime Fitness because a lot of their gyms are equipped with machines that have their own personal TVs with headphone jacks. We don't have TV or cable at home (just movies and Netflix streaming) so sometimes the biggest reason I drag myself to the gym is to see What Not to Wear or the new episode of Law and Order. It's like a treat. It also helps me endure a longer workout because sometimes I really want to see the end of whatever I'm watching. There are a lot of benefits to working out without distractions and focusing on your body, but listening to music or watching something can be really effective too. I don't usually plan ahead to go just for a specific show unless it's something I really like, but here's an example of what a week's schedule might include if I did:

Monday - Pawn Stars @ 9:00 PM on the History Channel

Tuedsay - Wing it!

Wednesday - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit @ 9:00 PM on NBC

Thursday- The Daily Show with John Stewart & the Colbert Report @ 10:00 PM on Comedy Central

Friday - Say Yes to the Dress @ 9:00 PM on TLC or Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC

...not the best TV has to offer but almost anything is better than nothing. Ok. That's not true. A couple nights ago I would turn to a channel, wait for the commercial to be over to see what was actually on, discover it was something stupid, turn to the next channel, wait for more commercials and so on...the second half of my workout I watched more commercials than I did any actual show. No wonder I don't miss TV. And I still haven't gotten into watching sports while I workout. I see all kinds of people watching sports at the gym and I just don't get it. This is mostly because I HATE watching sports on TV to begin with, but what I haven't figured out is whether they watch sports because that is their program of choice and they would watch it even if they were not at the gym, or if they watch it because watching other people being physically active is motivating them to work harder on the treadmill. Can someone enlighten me on this? Nothing's worse to me than when I gotta "share" a TV with some guy who has it on basketball. Enough about TV, eh? 

Down to business. How do you think I did the first week? Take a guess. From June 1st to June 8th how many times did I go to the gym? 

Here are some pictures of my cats to give you time to make your guess. 

 

Analie misses Brandon almost as much as I do.

They look for his truck to drive up (or at the birds). 

Ana watches TV to pass the time.

Derby dreams of Stud petting her.

Ok. Do you have you guess?

If you guessed THREE...

you were so wrong. And thanks for the lack of confidence. Sheesh.

If you guess SEVEN...

you were also wrong, but I appreciate your support!!

I went SIX times. Yay!

Here's a screen shot from my profile on Anytime Health so you know it's true. 

I was feeling pretty good after the first week. My plans for the second week got a little interrupted by the MS 150, but, hey, I rode 150 miles in two days! So I think I'm still on track. If you want to see how I got involved with the MS 150, check out this page. I didn't work out the Thursday or Friday before the weekend of the ride. I intended to Thursday but there was so much to get done and the day just got away from me and Friday I knew ahead of time was going to be a non-gym day. I'm eager to post about my experience with the MS 150 this year but for the purpose of this review I'll just say that it was a fabulous 75 miles on Saturday and a PAINFUL 75 miles on Sunday.

I actually made it back into the gym right away on Monday. I was pretty sore and a little stiff still so I went early enough in the evening to walk the 15-20 minutes to the gym instead of driving and spent my time there just stretching and doing some upper body weights. I also swiped my card an extra time to count one of the days that I rode last weekend and I'll swipe an extra time again to count the second day. I am totally giving myself "gym" credit for those two days. Total time on the bike was 5 hours on the first day and 6 hours on the second day...just a tad more than I usually spend in the gym on a normal day. Ha!

This week has gotten off to a slow start. Since Monday I haven't been to the gym. Two days off in a row doesn't seem to bad but I get kick it up a notch to achieve my goal. It's not really that I don't want to go to the gym...although I think the long weekend zapped some of my energy. It's scrapbooking. Yep. Scrapbooking is thwarting my goal. I decided that I want to make a scrapbook for biking and the MS 150 so I got a bunch of supplies and once I get going I just don't want to stop. It's hard when I'm all settled in in the evening working on a project to get changed and go out to the gym. But tonight I gottta go. I'm gonna be out of town again this weekend so I really can't afford to take any more days off just because I don't feel like it. Wish me luck because I'm starting to feel a little discouraged. I'm still confident that I will achieve my goal but I'm just dragging a little. Stud and I haven't had a decent conversation in what feels like forever and I'm so ready for him to be home.

Here's a glimpse at probably the most relaxing part of last weekend: all of the tents set up as the sun went down on the first day...

Operation Gym Coup

This mission really takes me back to Stud's first deployment. After a ten-day leave (during which he proposed), he left in March of 2009 for Iraq. My last semester of college kept me occupied for the next two months, but after that I struggled through a five month job search. That summer I was pretty depressed. I was living at home again, had no job, was terribly lonesome for my Marine and was steadily letting my physical health slip away. I knew something had to change. After all, I had all of this free time so why wasn't I spending any of it exercising? My motivation was nowhere to be found. That was changed by what I what I truly believe was another instance of "faithful interaction," my term for the way God intervenes in our lives.

I was at Caribou one day and as I walked out I noticed a little box for Anytime Fitness where you could enter your name to win free access. I was getting desperate for some kind of break so I thought maybe, just maybe, winning this would give me the boost I needed to get motivated. Guess what. I did win! I got a phone call asking me to come in and draw a chip from this big fishbowl full of plastic poker chips. Different chips meant different prizes and I pulled out the best prize they had: a free three-month membership! Man, I was thrilled and, just as I had hoped, this boosted me right out of my slump. I started going to the gym all the time and even started working with a trainer who was perfect for me.

After the three free months were up, I had really gotten attached to the idea that I could have access to a full gym at any time of day. I've always been a nighttime exerciser so I didn't want to give that up. Most gyms close at 9 or 10 and that's when I'm just getting ready to go! So I've been a member of Anytime ever since. However, lately you wouldn't know it but for the direct withdrawals from my checking account. For months we've been paying for a membership that we never use. I've never wanted to cancel because it is so convenient but it's such a waste if I don't use it. Well, in preparation for the deployment and in general disgust of the state of our physical fitness, my husband and I have been working on making physical fitness a priority again.

In the sad amount of gym visits that I have mustered over the past few months, one thing has always stuck out to me: the posted list of Biggest Users. We have access to the gym through key cards so every time you enter, it logs your visit and on the bulletin board is a list of the ten people who have visited the gym the most that month. I read in awe and daunter the names and corresponding number of visits to the gym and secretly I want to see my name on that list for all the things that it would symbolize. Until now I didn't think I had the drive to attain it.

Time limits have always been a powerful motivator for me so with just one month until Stud comes home for his final leave before he deploys, I knew this was the perfect time to make my mark on the list of Biggest Users and jump start my fitness goals.

Here's where you'll see my name next month: 

And here's the OSMEAC for this mission. If you're not sure what OSMEAC is, check out this post. Basically, it's a strategic method of communicating/executing a mission used by the USMC.

O Here's where I am: Overweight! Ahhh! It's true. I've been doing the slide (and not the electric slide). I've been getting lazy about working out and about eating healthy foods. I'm horrible with transitions. It seems like no matter what good habits I have established, a transition (like moving or getting married) comes along and I start slipping. And the good habits don't just magically reappear once the transition has run it's course. I find myself weeks or months later embracing bad habits.

S Here's what's happening: I am getting super frustrated with life. I can hardly run anymore, I get winded during simple activities, a lot of my clothes are too small and I refuse to buy bigger clothes severely limiting my wardrobe, I'm wasting money on a gym membership that I don't even use and I'm generally just disappointed with the backsliding that I have allowed to occur. I also could be saving even more money because if I go to the gym 12 times a month, my insurance will contribute $20 towards my gym fees. All of those things are bad enough but when I consider how my choices affect my hubby I feel even worse. Stud and I have always shared a desire to help each other be physically fit and achieve our goals together. When we met, we were both practicing Martial Arts (I still remember the thrill I got from him helping me with my moves when we were first dating). He got his black belt the first summer of our relationship and even though I'm still a green belt (I swear I'm staying here because it's my favorite color), karate was a great catalyst for us to explore fitness in general. When he was gone for training or his first deployment we would hold each other accountable and challenge each other to be the best we could be for ourselves and for each other. We both need help staying motivated so when one or both of us doesn't feel like making an effort, it affects the other one too.

M Here's what I'm going to do: My mission is to go to the gym enough times this month to be listed as one of Anytime's Biggest Users at the Eden Prairie location. I've had this goal in the back on my mind for awhile but now is the perfect time. My first full day back from visiting my husband was June 1st and he comes home for his ten-day leave July 1st so I have exactly one month and that is also how the Biggest Users are calculated (from one calendar month). The amount of gym visits it takes to be listed varies from about 21 to over 30 so I figure I need to log at least 24 or 25 to guarantee my slot.

E Here's how I'm going to do it: Willpower don't fail me now! It's a pretty simple mission. All I need to do is get in my car, drive the 1/2 mile to Anytime and *click* I'm in. Of course, I could walk or bike to the gym but since I like to go at night I might not...a sex offender just moved in along the route to the gym (Mom, don't worry...I'm a green belt). If I do a workout outside, my gym administrator said it's ok to swipe my key card to log the exercise since the important thing is that I am exercising. I haven't quite gone so far as to schedule my workouts but I'm sure I will be doing some right after work and some late at night. I highly doubt I will get up early enough to do them before work but we shall see. I tend to be more successful if I give myself some flexibility. I also am going to get private consultations from my very own Leatherneck (AKA Manly Marine). Stud has promised to help me with this mission by giving me some good weight training routines. He's got the strongest arms around not to mention a bunch of other studly qualities that make him qualified in my book to give out weight training advice. You didn't think I called him Stud for no reason, did you?

A Here's what will help: Just thinking about the progress I will have made by the time Stud comes home is pretty motivating. In fact, the drive that I get to get things done while he is gone is one of the good things about deployments and training. It's insane how powerful it can be. It also helps to know that my hubby will be working on the same thing. Out in CA, they have to PT (workout) twice a day. Moreover, getting weight training routines directly from him will help me feel connected to him through working out. Another big help with this mission is just sharing it will you. Now that I put it out there, I can't just forget about it because I'm not the only one who will know! I will also be able to keep track with Anytime's handy website Anytime Health. There you can create workout routines, log your daily food, create goals, keep track of your gym visits and get all kinds of information as well as connect with other users.

C Here's the accountability: For this mission my accountability will come in a few forms. Ultimately, the list of Biggest Users next month will reflect my efforts, but, before then, I am held accountable through the Anytime Health website which will keep track of my gym visits. I am also held accountable through this blog (with weekly updates) and through conversations with my hubby and the weight training routines I'll be getting from him.

Here's a picture of my new best friend: 

Check out their website here.

Watch out Eden Prairie's Biggest Users: one of you is about to get booted!!

Operation Cupboard Raid: Final Review

I know this is way late but here is my final update for Operation Cupboard Raid. If you're not sure what it's all about, you can check out this post. In a nutshell, I committed to eating only the food that I had at home - without grocery shopping - for three weeks (from the time Stud left to begin his pre-deployment training until the time I got to go out and visit him in CA).

I would like to have the final food log chart for you as I did for the first two weeks but, honestly, the last week got a little muddled. I was so excited to go visit my Marine that I didn't do the greatest job with my project. First of all, I ate out twice, which is one time more than what I allowed myself during the rest of the project and secondly, I wasn't very faithful about keeping my food log. I tried to come back to it today to fill in the holes but it's been over a week and that's just not happening. Other than eating out twice, though, I successfully completed the mission and am very happy with the results.

Take a look at all the ways in which this operation benefited me.
1. I saved sooooo much money. Seriously. I probably saved at least $200 in three weeks alone!
2. I was much more conscious of what I ate, helping me make healthier food choices and eat only when I'm hungry.
3. I was able to cut back on the food I have on hand and not be so wasteful.
4. The operation got my creative juices flowing and I had fun experimenting with different recipes using my limited resources.
5. Working on this goal helped the time go by faster to see my hubby.

I actually still have quite a bit of food to go through so I'm going to try to continue to limit myself so I can keep saving money and get rid of some of the food that I've had forever. This week hasn't been the greatest but I attribute that to coming home at midnight on Tuesday to no food. Well, no food prepared. These past few days I have been getting food out for a lot of my meals but I'm going to go grocery shopping this weekend for a few things to get back into some good habits on Monday.

I bet you want to see what my fridge and cupboards look like compared to how they were when I started, don'tcha?  Here are the before and after pics.

Cupboards

See that MRE? It's that brown bag resting on top. It's a Meal Ready to Eat and it's what Stud had to eat throughout boot camp and for various training exercises. He really wanted me to eat one (we have several at home) at some point during this operation but I, uh, never got around to it. They have a heating mechanism that is activated with water but he's had to eat most of them cold. I guess some of the newer ones aren't so bad but they still don't appeal to me. The guys have been known to open them up just for the desserts (M&Ms or brownies or other goodies) and throw the rest. Some day I will give it a shot...some desperate day.

It may not look like there is a big difference, but part of that is due to restructuring. And obviously I didn't empty out a lot of the spices or cooking oils/sauces.

Freezer

 Fridge Door

And finally, the biggest transformation: The Fridge!

Look at that! Part of that stuff just went bad (or was bad at the beginning of the project) but most of it was consumed! There's one lonely egg left in that carton and I'm not quite sure if that zucchini is still good but it stilled looked fine at the time and the little yellow dish is a butter dish (I certainly didn't feel compelled to finish that off in any record time). 

You may not see a huge contrast but, trust me, I definitely was struggling at the end to come up with actual meals. Here's one meal, though, from the last week that was not a struggle:

Almond and Corn Flake crusted Salmon (recipe from the Corn Flakes box), Edamame and a Pina Colada. Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone should have drink umbrellas on hand.

So with my bags packed and my fridge cleaned out, I went to bed on Thursday night quite satisfied with Operation Cupboard Raid, but even more excited to go be with my love for five days! And, having given quite a bit of thought as to how I would celebrate, I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to return to my old, bad habits of eating out all the time and the day to day mindless consumption that I had gotten used to. To intentionally celebrate by eating out seemed to fly in the face of everything I had accomplished and learned throughout this process. Well, the "best laid plans of mice and men often go awry," right? Let me explain how my ambition and resolve were (happily) thwarted. 

I still cling to the two-hour-early-for-a-flight rule even though with today's advances it really only takes like ten minutes from arriving at the airport to getting to your gate, so my dad was going to pick me up at 6:30 to get to the airport by 7:00 for my 9:00 am flight. Not wanting to leave anything to chance I set two alarms, one for 5:30 and one for 6:00 and, sure enough, the 5:30 alarm was incorporated right into my dream and it didn't wake me up (that's what you get for setting a different sound for your alarm that what you're used to). Luckily I did wake up to my 6:00 alarm and had almost everything ready aside from taking a shower and getting dressed. Everything went just fine that morning except for the fact that I didn't have time for breakfast, and, let's face it, I didn't really have anything desirable for breakfast either. 

As I said, about ten minutes after saying goodbye to my dad, I was just walking up to my gate and what did my eyes behold? *Cue angelic music*

Oh, Starbucks, how I had missed you. It was divine intervention. My gate was literally just to the right of this picture. So there my high ideals were quickly discarded and I approached the counter with almost physical relief. Ok, ok, so it sounds dramatic but I really do love Starbucks and it had been a long three week absence. Stud and I "transitioned" from Caribou to Starbucks after our honeymoon in New York City where the Starbucks cafes are everywhere. Plus, they have the most amazing chai tea. 

Hallelujah!

So with that first lovely sip, the file for Operation Cupboard Raid was closed with a big "Mission Accomplished" stamp across the front.

Give this a try for a week...you'll be surprised at what you can pull together with some creativity and maybe a little help here and there from Google ("baking without butter," "coconut & cherries & chicken," "corn & black beans & salsa"). And don't forget to read the labels on boxes and cans for new and interesting recipes.

Thanks for reading and a special thanks to those of you who put up with my "meals" and snacks over these three weeks if you were ever over at my house. 

I'm already a couple of days into my next mission so watch for a new post coming soon!

Operation Cupboard Raid: Week Two Review

I made it through another week! In fact, I only have four days left of Operation Cupboard Raid! If you have no idea what I am talking about, see this post where I explain why and how I am only eating food that I have on hand in my cupboards or fridge for three weeks (until I get to go visit Stud in beautiful California). If you're curious as to how I did during the first week, see this post.

I am SO excited to be leaving for San Diego this Friday! Most of my excitement is obviously wrapped up in seeing my hubby and spending time with him in CA, but it couldn't come at a better time because I am RUNNING OUT OF FOOD. At the beginning of this operation, I had three different kinds of milk on hand: 1% regular milk, soy milk (that Stud likes) and almond milk. There wasn't very much of the soy milk so I used that up in the beginning, but I've stretched the almond and regular milk pretty much as far as I'm willing to go. The regular milk expired a week ago and I was willing to go a couple days after the date but I am usually really squeamish about expiration dates so, unfortunately, I couldn't finish the milk before I gave up on it. And technically the almond milk has about a two month shelf life in the fridge but I was reading the details last night and saw that once it's opened, it "stays fresh" for only 7-10 days. I'm not really sure what "stays fresh" means but I am well past the 7-10 days (think double) so I gave up on that too. This has left me in a bit of a dilemma because I was kind of counting on instant mashed potatoes to be a go-to side dish for the rest of the week (which requires milk). I know I gave myself some leeway to purchase perishable food items if absolutely necessary but I haven't stepped foot in a grocery store in over two weeks and I really want to just finish out the next four days. And that's just one example of the little dilemmas I'm running into at this point in the operation.

However, I have managed to eat pretty well all week minus a couple awkward meals (see lunch for Thursday and Friday on the chart below). To be honest, those horrible excuses for meals are a result of my lack of planning. What happens when you're getting ready for work in the morning and didn't do anything to prepare a meal for lunch? You have a lame meal. I am seriously out of pretty much all "quick" foods. I definitely learned my lesson, though. This morning I had to grill chicken before work, which seemed like an odd getting-ready-for-work activity but I am looking forward to lunch!

I have a few more yummy meals planned for this week which I will include with the next review so I'm really not worried. In fact, it really works out perfectly because I won't have any food to spoil while I am gone for five days. I'm also anxious to share my thoughts about this project and how I plan to celebrate when it's completed but I'm going to wait and share that with my final review. HA! Better check back.

Without further ado, here's my meal log for last week:

*food that was provided by outside source

And here's a look at some of the food I made this week:

My one meal eating out this week was sushi! Honestly, there is hardly a better choice if you only get to eat out once a week. My friend and I went to a place we had never tried called Koyi Sushi Too. See their website here.

 

We went a little crazy and split the Problem Solver roll and, boy, did it do its job! I also got the Spider Roll and we split some Edamame and Jazz puffs (cream cheese wontons).

It was delicious!

Highlights from Week Two: 

1. This week I had some incredible fellowship and we all know how food and fellowship go together. 

-Wednesday I got sushi with a friend and it was her turn to buy Inta Juice (now Berry Blendz smoothies)

-Thursday another friend came over for a spontaneous craft night and brought frozen pizza and rapsberry iced tea

-Friday morning is our "Caribou Day" at work and a few co-workers and I take turns buying Caribou

-Friday my brother came over after work and tolerated my meal of turkey tacos (with nothing to go in the tacos but the meat and salsa) and mashed potatoes...he was, however, 100% for the ice cream with chocolate syrup that came after

-Saturday I went to my cousin's baby shower at my aunt's house and we had yummy punch, cake and snacks

-Saturday night I went out to bike with my MS 150 teammates/captains and got stormed out so they provided pizza and cookies and an, uh, adult beverage during a few games of Clue!

-Sunday my church had a fellowship luncheon after the service (my mentor and I took too long talking so we missed pretty much everything but the hot dogs/hamburgers and the BIG dessert table!)

By the way, if you have been longing for a church where the Word of God is preached with extreme love and compassion but without hesitation or apology, please come visit Twin City Fellowship.  More about this welcoming, Christ-centered congregation in another post...

2. I tried a "unconventional" cake...didn't work out. 

3. I made biscotti (see recipe here)!

4. Stud was able to teach me over the phone how to make cappuccino just in time to have with my last two biscotti. It is sooo much easier than I thought it would be: You put water in the reservoir and push a button to warm it up. Then you pack the little thingy with ground coffee and attach it to the machine (I don't know the proper terms from here on out). When the water light turns green, you push a button to start the brew. When that light turns red, you push the button to stop it. Whoa! Cappuccino! Well, to make it drinkable there are a few other steps. You gotta heat up some milk, froth it and add it to the coffee. Then you have to add a lot of sugar. Then to make it pretty and even tastier, sprinkle some nutmeg or cinnamon on top. 

I love that little "A" cup but it didn't realize that it wouldn't leave a lot of space for milk and I need A LOT of milk in my cappuccino. The other pretty cup is almost like a soup cup...and the same lovely friend gave me both! Also, the milk in the frother is almond milk and it seems to not froth up as much as regular milk.

 And here is my morning company...as close to the table as she is allowed to get.

In closing, I have to share a difficult moment...passing this up at Michael's!

That's practically why I go to Michael's. Well, and the fact that I can't go more than two days without crafting.

Butter-free Butterscotch Almond Biscotti

Who says you need butter to bake? Since I'm about halfway through my current mission (see details here), I'm bound to start running out of a few basics...like butter. Trust me, I carefully evaluated my options when using up my last stick the other day and I'm glad I did. Check out what I made here. Yuuuuum.

So from here on out it's butter-free baking for me. And what a great opportunity to learn about baking a little more health-consciously, huh? Oh, the benefits of this project. They just keep stacking up!

I was researching some alternatives to butter online when I stumbled across a recipe that was linked to an article about baking with (and without) butter. Here's the link. Did you get to it, see the title and think I attached the wrong link? Nah, I copied all the basics; just had to make it my own, partly because I'm just like that (see About Me), but mostly because, do you think I have "candied ginger" lying around? Psh. I wish I were that fancy. 


In case you didn't go to the link and that whole last sentence doesn't mean anything to you (come on!), here's the recipe:

2 ½ cups flour
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup ground almonds
1 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
½ t .nutmeg
3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 t . lemon juice
1/3 cups candied ginger, chopped into tiny pieces
1/3 cups dairy-free chocolate chips

For better or worse, I almost never exactly follow a recipe so below are my alterations. A lot of the changes are just cutting the ingredients in half. There's no way I could eat 32 biscotti and still like them no matter how good they turned out...and, let's face it, I never know how it's going to turn out when I try something for the first time (and change the heck out of the recipe) so I don't like there to be a full recipe's worth of evidence wasted ingredients lying around if it flops.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup Stevia (white sugar alternative)
1/8 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup crushed almonds - I didn't halve this because I wanted it to be a more dominant flavor and I also didn't use ground almonds but slivered almonds slightly crushed
1/2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt (whatever that means...I have no idea if I halved it properly)
1/4 t. nutmeg - I actually did a little bit more than this keeping it closer to the original amount because I like nutmeg
3 large eggs (this was tricky - I researched egg equivalents and decided on two whole eggs to cut this recipe in half since it called for both whole eggs and egg yolks but the dough didn't have enough moisture after trying to mix it together so I added one more whole egg)
1/2 t. lemon juice
1/2 cup butterscotch chips


Procedure:
Note: These are baked twice giving them the firm texture that biscotti are known for.  
Mix everything but the eggs, lemon juice and butterscotch chips together in a medium bowl
In a separate, small bowl whisk the eggs and lemon juice
Combine the eggs with the dry ingredients, then add the butterscotch chips and mix until it becomes a sticky dough
On a well-floured surface form into a log with rounded edges (if making the whole batch instead of halving it, form into two logs)
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

It's not a very big loaf as you can see. This made about 10 biscotti.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, until golden brown
Remove from pan and let cool for 15 minutes
Reset your oven to 300 now to give it time to adjust while the biscotti cool

 Here is is, golden brown. 

And here's a close up. Look at how the butterscotch chips are all gooey! 

Line your baking sheet again with parchment paper
Cut the log diagonally into slices that are about 1/2" -1" wide

I didn't read that part of the instructions so I just cut them straight.

Lay the slices on their side on the baking sheet

Bake about 20-25 minutes, flipping them over half way through
They should be slightly colored by not browned and will get too hard if over-baked

According to the recipe, they will keep about 2 weeks if kept in an airtight container.

I'm not a huge butterscotch fan but those chips really are yummy in this biscotti. I like the way they turned out...they are not as hard and crunchy as the ones I've had at coffee shops though (you don't even need to dunk it in coffee to loosen it up). I'm not sure if I didn't cook them long enough or if is partly due to this recipe being listed as a "dairy-free" recipe; perhaps it would be better different if it were a "regular" recipe. Either way, I really like the flavor and am happy that I was able to use up some of my butterscotch chips. Did you notice how I actually doubled the amount of butterscotch chips instead of halving it from the amount of chocolate chips in the original recipe? Probably that's why it's good, but I don't care. Also, a lot of the biscotti I've seen are longer, narrower pieces like the picture below. I'm not sure if I should have shaped the loaf to be wider and thinner or what.

From here. 

Oh, man. I could have melted the butterscotch chips and done that drizzle on top. I think I might just do that on my remaining pieces! Check back for an update!

I didn't know anything about making biscotti, nor had I ever really been interested, but this was pretty easy and it's a pretty versatile recipe...just swap out the "flavoring" ingredients and add in your own and you have a whole new biscotti. I'll probably try this again.

Now I just gotta get Stud to try to explain to me over the phone how to make cappuccino so I can enjoy this with coffee. He is the master of homemade cappuccino, complete with frothed milk and a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg or whatever. Lately he hasn't been able to call until I'm already in bed and unwilling to get up and go look at the machine that makes the coffee drinks to see what he's talking about as he explains. Maybe I'll learn tonight...

Operation Cupboard Raid: Week One Review

It's practically a miracle! Guess how much money I spent on food last week Monday through Friday. ZERO DOLLARS! Maybe you don't realize how big of a deal this is, so let me explain.

I started adding up the cost of how often I pull out my check card throughout the week for various food-related purchases and I've seen the staggering list of transactions online for restaurants and the like. It was depressing how much money was being spent on something that doesn't even last. I had gotten into the mindset that it was more convenient to stop at Starbucks before work for a nonfat Chai and a croissant (costing $5.04) than it was to sit at the table with a bowl of cereal. And I always felt that I just didn't have time to make a lunch in the morning so I would get lunch at the cafeteria at work or go to Subway (costing between $5-7). One at a time these purchases wouldn't seem to break the bank, but once you look at how much per day, per week, per month you are spending on "convenient food," you might want to re-evaluate your choices. Let's do the math.

Typical weekday: Starbucks @ $5 + Subway @ $6 = $11

Five days a week = $55, 4 weeks a month $220, 12 months a year $2640...what?! Yeah.

That's not even including whatever is going on in the evening or on the weekend. That's just ROUTINE spending on food. Now I know that we do have to spend money on food. But I also know that I can buy food at the grocery store, make it at home, put it in little Tupperware containers and bring it to work all for a lot less than $11 a day. And I also don't need to purchase something edible every time I go to a movie or am in the mall or am out with friends or whatever. It's pretty ridiculous. Food has become entertainment in and of itself when its main purpose is nourishment and energy.

So, as you know if you read one of my previous posts, I decided to dig in my heels and break some bad habits by committing to eat only what it is my cupboards, without grocery shopping, for 3 weeks (until I go visit Stud in California) and after completing Week One I am pretty excited about the results.

It's been a great week! I've been able to stick to my committment and I am loving this project. If you recall, I did give myself an allowance of $10/week for perishable foods like milk and produce or for eating out when it's absolutely necessary. I didn't use any of the money for extra groceries but I was out of the house for about 7 hours with a friend on Saturday so it was necessary to eat out (as ambitious as I am about this project, I was half-tempted to make a lunch but I didn't want my friend to be in an awkward spot or have to eat whatever I could make for us for lunch). I did spend a little more than $10 but it was just on one meal and I made a health choice. In fact, I have to tell you about this restaurant because it is sooooooo good.

It's called Lakes Tavern and Grill in Woodbury.
Check out their website.

I went there several months ago with some of my college buddies and it was delicious so when my girlfriend and I were in Woodbury I was eager to try it again.

I order the Ponzu Glazed Salmon Salad and it was DELICIOUS.

Seriously. I almost never try "weird salads," you know, the ones that have fruit and "wonton crisps" and stuff like that, but this salad wasn't weird at all...just totally awesome. The mango almost scared me off because I think mangos taste like carrots and therefore I don't get too excited about them. No one seems to agree with me on this point but when we were first dating, Stud got a mango and cut it up for me and all I could think about was how it tasted like a carrot. Bummer! However, the mango in this salad tasted like candy. I even asked if they marinate it in something and the sweet server actually went and asked for me...turns out it was just mango in mango syrup (A.K.A sugar). Yum!

So, anyway, I'm not even bummed that the meal was a little over the $10 because it was delicious and I've been so good all week. Right? Say "right."

Ok, back to the Week One Review. I didn't starve! In fact, the more I explore the cupboards, the more I'm kind of afraid I will still have stuff leftover after the three weeks is up.

I've been keeping a food diary just to prove that I am eating and that I'm eating all kinds of good stuff. By the way, keeping a food diary is a great way to be more conscious of what you eat and can really help keep you motivated if you are trying to either cut back or eat healthier foods.

Here's a look at the past seven days:

Or maybe you'd like a more visual representation:

Now that doesn't look like I'm suffering too much, does it? 

And here are some highlights from the week:

1. I discovered I actually do have time in the morning to make a lunch for the day.
2. I even had "movie night" food for my dad and me on Saturday (chips and salsa and sundaes don't really make a good dinner though).
3. I was able to make a brand new kind of oatmeal cookie that I will definitely make again -- see this post for the recipe.
4. Dinner on Sunday was provided for me by a very nice lady from church that I hope to spend a lot more time with and it was delicious!
5. I stuck to my guns out bowling with friends and didn't spend any money on food because I had dinner at home first.
6. I learned how to make homemade iced tea with any kind of tea bag and having fun things to drink on hand makes it easier to pass up the smoothie shops and coffee houses.
7. Being more conscious of what I eat has no doubt contributed to some weight loss this week!

So far this operation is a success! I'm looking forward to the next two weeks.