Day 41: Ow!

I hate the holidays. It was last Thanksgiving that I started gaining the weight that is now piled on my gut. So here we are again. I'm not only trying to get that weight off, but additional as well.

Well, I went to a weight training class yesterday, on a Friday evening. And you know what? I can barely get my arms up. My abs are so sore and my butt hurts. But that's good.

I talked to the instructor, Lindsay, also and she told me about her spinning class. I'm going to go on Monday and see if I can hit up kickboxing afterward. haha.

But pain is weakness leaving your body. And I hope weakness means fat.

Happy Halloween!

Day 38: Left Means Left

I made it back to the gym. However, I managed to hurt my left ankle/knee. I couldn't make it through the last bit of class, but I've taken pills and put my knee on ice. For the last two Wednesday's that I've gone to Dee's kickboxing class, I've walked out with the most intense charlie horse. Holy crap. I could barely walk out of the class. And now with my ankle throbbing, I thought it best.

But the class did begin with Dee playing Thriller and then a girl walked in with one of my best friend's hair. This is the best friend who always went to that class with me.

But also, there was this girl I kept laughing at. When he would shout, "Left foot bounce" she would turn right. And then, he would shout, "Right foot bounce." Then she would turn left.

Anyway, it's the little things.

Also, I realized I should not only recommend a recipe, but I should provide it. haha.

Greek Lasagna as credited to Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

Tomato Sauce:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
5 cups undrained canned whole tomatoes (14.5 ounce cans)
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 large eggplant (1 .5 lbs) [I substituted ground turkey]
olive oil for brushing
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups of cottage cheese
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
3 cups grated feta cheese
1/2 pound uncooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles) [I used Spinach noodles]

In a saucepan, warm the olive oil briefly on medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have begun to release juices. Stir in the garlic and marjoram and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, cover, and bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to medium-low--just enough to maintain a simmer. Add the olives, salt, and pepper. For best flavor, add the dill just before assembling the lasagna.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

While the sauce gently simmers, lay the eggplant on the baking sheet, brush them with olive oil, and back uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. [I cooked the ground turkey on the stove top instead of this.]

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the eggs, cottage cheese, ground fennel, and 1 cup of the feta and set aside.

Lightly oil a 7.5 x 10 x 3 inch casserole dish. Evenly spread 2 cups of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles and cover with 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Next layer all of the eggplant rounds [or ground turkey], 1 cup of feta cheese, a second layer of noodles, and another cup of the tomato sauce. Finish with all of the egg and cottage cheese mixture, a third layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce, and the remaining cup of feta.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bak for 45 to 50 minutes [recommend 50]. Remove from the oven, uncover the lasagna, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

[Per 15 ounce serving: 462 calories]

Day 36: HA!

Yeah, okay. I haven't been to the gym since Wednesday. Galen came in last weekend, so I didn't work out.

I haven't written anything. This is a blog of failure. I can't make my deadlines. No way.

But, it's Monday and I promised a recommendation. Because honestly, why else would anyone be reading this piece of shit blog. I'm a failure. This is crap. I can't lose this weight. I don't know how. This is ridiculous.

But my recommendation for this week is the Moosewood Cookbook. I made this really amazing Greek Lasagna for dinner with my aunt and uncle. It was amazing. I completely recommend it if you have a couple of hours to make a kick ass lasagna. It's not easy, but damn, I was proud of myself.

That's my recommendation. Let's see if I can scrape myself off the floor and get my fat ass to a gym. Probably not because I can't seem to get the motivation to lose this extra weight.

Day 29: Miracle

I could not sleep last night. It was the definition of ridiculous. I was too tired to read, but not too tired to watch Friends. I was too tired to bake, but not to tired to read the internet. And I planned on getting to the gym this morning, but watching the clock tick past 10p, 11p, and then midnight, I knew it was impossible.

So, I must say it was a damn miracle I dragged myself to the gym for the 645p kickboxing class with David. And you know what? I almost left half way through. But I knew I would hate myself if I did. My knee was hurting, I was out of breath. Ridiculous. But I stayed and kicked ass. I made it. And I plan on doing it again tomorrow. And getting to the gym in the morning. That's right, the morning.

Good things have come on the writing front, as well. As soon as I post this blog I am opening my document and going to write. The right people know I'm writing this and, as I said, the pressure is on.

I will start doing a weekly recommendation to help me explore more things whether it be music, cooking, books. This week my recommendation is in the music category.


Bomba Estereo is a Columbian band that mixes live instruments and computerized loops. It's fun music that is good for dancing and writing. I found them via NPR.

Next Monday, I will have another recommendation.

This blog just became something more.

Day 25: Absent

Hi everyone who reads my blog. Probably no one. But anyway, I've been absent this week and plan on being absent for the rest of it. This week I don't care. But you know what? I lost a pound. Why?

Why is it when I do nothing and eat whatever I want (in proper portions) I lose a pound? I'm getting so excited about cooking that it would be difficult to stay on track, but portions are key. I was good on my portions yesterday.

But you know what? I wrote my entire outline for my book. I know how it will end. I'm writing starting this weekend.

Day 20: Early Saturday

I made it! I made it to the gym on a Saturday at 8a! Yay for boyfriend who works out, too and pushed me to the gym. We did our own home workout, but then went and burned some serious calories.

On my other goal front, I've now told my boss about it, so the fire is under my butt. I've got to get it written and have her rape it to be published. Outline will be finished today! Today. today. Maybe. haha. Inspiration! Come and get me!

Day 19: Jock Straps Were Made for a Reason

Somehow I managed to drag myself to the gym this morning. I don't know how. I got to the gym when it was hot, muggy, 80 degrees. I left when it was pouring, freezing and 65 degrees.

Welcome October! You're a little late.

Although, I was not ready for the freezing weather. But I made it to the gym. Tomorrow, kickboxing. Sunday, machine. We'll be on par.

Day 18: Fork in a U-Turn

The road to the gym is tricky. It's a giant u-turn. I could turn into the shopping center and order Chewy's take out. Or I could go around the corner to the gym.

This week I have started going back to the classes. I went to Strike! today. That class is always awesome, but since I hadn't been in a good while, I was training for training with the machines. Today was great. I haven't gone in the morning since Monday. It's getting harder and harder to get up at 430a to get to the gym. I will try it tomorrow since my wonderful boyfriend is coming into town. I would be too tired to go after work.

I'm trying to only take one day a week to take a break. Tuesday was my day off. Friday cannot be day two. Since Galen has gotten on this gym jag (finally!) he'll be going to the gym this weekend as well. So, Saturday will be good to get to kickboxing at 10a with a ga-jillion other people.

But nonetheless, I'm still on track.

Day 16: Fail

Yesterday, I rocked. I went first thing in the morning to the gym and rocked out for an hour. And then, you know what? I went to kickboxing for the first time in weeks.


David (voted in the top 10 most fit in Austin) totally kicked my ass. But I didn't go today. I woke up, got dressed and even got half way down the first flight of stairs of my apartment when I realized not only did my knee hurt like a bitch. But my right ankle is so sore. I was also so tired, I knew I would fall off the machine when I got there.

So, I came back in and slept for another hour.

And instead of going this evening, I've decided to help a friend. That was more important than burning calories.

But tomorrow, I will be there crack of dawn to work out like a fiend. I will not be able to go tomorrow evening.

Crisis Averted

The iPod lives to fight another day. Juiced it up for 4 minutes in the car, and it finally is up and updating/charging in the computer.

This Pod ain't corrupt!

Day 14: Damn you, Ty Pennington

Hey Ladies,

If you're reading--that is. (hi megan!) I managed to get to the gym this weekend even though I was spending time with my family and friends. Amazing, I know. Did my hour on Saturday morning and got to the gym this evening just in time to catch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Damn that show. I was nearly crying on the machine. I went over my hour just so I could see the family's reaction to Ashley Tisdale performing at their new home.

Tugs at the heart strings.

But I burned about 800 calories doing that and did okay on the diet.

Now, I have a new idea for a screenplay. I will not divulge that information here because I know industry professionals are reading this waiting for my dumb sentence structure to wow them into submission. But also because I'd rather not give you the context in which this line of dialogue will go. "It's like I'm fucking a cloud."

Yes, I thought that one up on the way home.

In other news, I have not touched my novel except for that blip last week, and my iPod is dead again. I tried plugging it into my computer to charge, but it is so dead it won't let me. And now the screen did something very scary. So, let's hope tomorrow it will continue to work.

Day 12: Fail and Half Fail

Yesterday was a fail. I even slept in an extra fifteen minutes I was so tired. I also did not get a chance to go to the gym after work because I thought it was more important to hang out with my best friend before she goes on a month long tour to Europe. Who wouldn't be jealous to go to Europe to play music and get paid for it. Anyway, I didn't go. But I did go this morning. However, the half fail came from only staying half an hour. I needed to come back and get ready for the day because once again I slept in.

I'm too tired. But the problem will be easily solved by going to bed a little earlier making me an old woman.

On the writing front, I'm moving, but very, very slowly. I hope the goal is still tangible.
Anyway, I have to get my day together.

While I may have only worked out for thirty minutes, I burned well over 4000 calories this week. That's more than a pound. I wish it would show up on the scale more, but it's something.

Happy Friday! And happy October!