What's on your Menu Today (Photo Friday) RNYers?

Hey guys!

Bit late posting this morning because I spent time on the phone with BCBS first thing to try and unmuddy everything! Good news is that my provider DID send everything over yesterday so it's FINALLY in review, phew....and I know that my lap-band removal is definitely covered, it's just the revision portion that's requiring all the extra information and review. I'm glad to have gotten that out of the way so I can move on to enjoying my day. I'm not sure how long it will be in review, I'm guessing I'll hear back next week sometime before surgery day. Today we are going to the children's museum with my son's class....he is SO excited. He woke up super early and has been bouncing off the walls ever since.

QOTD: I actually started out with a fitbit when they first came out, and went from the first wrist model to a charge, to an alta...but now I have an Apple Watch Series 2 and I love it. I use the activity tracker on it daily...it's set to remind me to move, I have a goal of at least 500 calories a day of movement, and it also tracks my standing and exercise. The activity portion is the biggest reason I wanted one, and I can see my info on my wrist without having to pull my phone out of my pocket. I can even queue up music without ever taking the phone out. Handy thing!

MENU:

I'm on the liver shrinking portion - my program doesn't do all liquids until the day before surgery so it's not THAT bad...but I'm off coffee for the duration.

B: Protein Shake, Decaf Tea, Stevia

S: Greek Yogurt

L: Chicken, some sort of veggie

S: 1/2 cup oatmeal w/fairlife Milk

D: Eggs w/diced veggies

V: No more vitamins until after surgery per instructions

E: Walking

7 days to go!

PHOTO FRIDAY - sorry I can't resize them because I'm on mobile....first one is my son and I from a couple days ago, hamming it up in the car. Second one is from about 20 years ago....the first time I rode The Shockwave coaster at Six Flags Great America. I was pretty sure I was going to die....it was such a priceless picture I had to save it.

Have a great day guys!

Good morning everyone!

We started watching Stranger Things last night and it looks like we've found a show that we can both agree on so thank you to those who suggested it the other day. This weekend I don't think we have too much planned beyond laundry and I'll be going out to watch the football game on Sunday...or at least be at a house with friends where the game will be playing.

QOTD Obsessed. 100% obsessed with my Fitbit. I got the Fit*****arge 2 just before Christmas and while I expected it would help motivate me I had no idea it would be like this. I'm realizing that I could be in an entirely different head space without it. Looking for a job and trying to figure out the next direction my life will be taking is a huge struggle for me. I was with the same company for so long I haven't known anything else in my adult life and starting over is all kinds of intimidating. The great thing about the Fitbit is that it has given me an outlet for my stress, it's something else to focus on. Without it I imagine I'd be struggling pretty hard to not end up face first in the fridge. Right now since I have the time and the stress induced motivation I've been logging a lot of steps and daily activity. My daily step goal is 10000 but I've been averaging over 15000 and a couple days a week I've been getting over 20000. I've also been trying to get over 2 hours of active minutes (heart rate over 90) everyday and I've been getting there pretty consistently. Love, love, love my Fitbit. 

B- coffee w/ Sf hazelnut

L- jalapeno chicken sausage

D- chicken breast and guacamole

S- protein shake, salted caramel cottage cheese

Totals 568 cal, 72g protein, 18g carbs

Since it's football weekend my pic is me (white hat) with friends at a Hamilton Tiger-Cats game last year... the CFL to your NFL.

Have a great Friday and an even better weekend!!

Morning gang! Happy Friday!!! I am looking forward to this weekend. Not traveling anywhere and planning on staying home as much as possible.  I NEED to groom my little puppy.  She is a mess.  We have been out of town for 2 weekends in a row and she is really not happy with my lack of attention.  I plan to spend lots of time with her on my lap. Sunday is usually D&D but I found out the game is cancelled for this week.  This means there is the potential that I could wear nothing but PJs ALL WEEKEND. Score! We shall see. The fridge is still broken but last I heard the guy is supposed to come fix it today.  If that happens, all will be right in our little home again. This ice/cooler/pioneer living is for the birds.

QOTD: I have no wearable fitness anything. I can't remember to wear deodorant sometimes, make up is waaayyyy too much effort...remembering a Fitbit is highly unlikely. 

Menu: B: Plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 Rice Crispy cereal; L: Left over sirloin and A1; D: Nope...no clue...hoping for a fridge so I can actually cook/plan; S: Maybe the apple I keep saying I am going to eat?

Accountability: Oh my.  I was soooo close to a clean day!  Then I went to throw out something in our garbage which lives in our pantry and there springing forth like a haunting ghost was a box of Triskets!  Where did it come from?? Why??? It was just a handful of left over from who knows when.  Instantly I grabbed it. Ate every scrap. Looked at my Guy and said, "I just can't ever have these in the house.  I have a problem."  He smiled and said, "OK, new rule...no more Triskets in the house.  We can do this!"  It was great that he was there for me. Also...he did not dare try to take one of MY Triskets. Otherwise I was on plan and did well. The poo fairy is slowly but surly returning so that is improving. Weighed 123.2 this morning which is a little up but still good. Here's to NO NIGHT SNACKS for the whole weekend. 

PHOTO FRIDAY:

This is my oldest son and I having lunch break together on Monday this week. He had just explained to me his current theory about the state of our country. He says, "America is the Republic and we just finished Episode 3." Star Wars geeks among you will understand...this does not bode well for us. Bright side is that in several more movies worth of badness eventually the Rebellion will prevail...right?

Have a great weekend everyone.

~E

Yesterday turned in a PJ day for me...they rule! I only left the house at 11PM to put the garbage out...

I did the ice cooler/pioneer thing about a year and half ago...in the heat of summer and I had house guests... not so sweet. It ended up not being fixable which turned out to be a good thing because my new one works way better than my old one ever did... And it is one of those french door ones, which I love...

Great that you have so much Triscuit support... Rosemary and olive oil, just sayin' ...They are on my no-no list for in the house... and Wheat thins. I can have Wasa crackers in the house...I like them for the occasional crunch, but they aren't that good that they call my name.

When it comes to carbs, I can only have things 'that aren't that good' in the house...

"I have no wearable fitness anything. I can't remember to wear deodorant sometimes, make up is waaayyyy too much effort...remembering a Fitbit is highly unlikely."

Bahaha! Yes, this is me. 

Good morning DD2 and my crew.  I had an awesome day yesterday.  I kept my calories low yesterday.  It was mostly because I was so freaking busy during the day that I had only hit just under 600 calories by the time I got home from work.  I had my bi-weekly meeting onsite at our client's office, and it's always go go go when we are there. 

I have to say, I'm coming up on my 90 days here at my new job and I'm really, really loving it.  There was a point in time where I loved my last job, as well, but the way that they managed everything there was very difficult for me.  Here I have freedom to schedule, but I also have a very strict timeline (since I'm working exclusively on one of the big 3 Automakers account and they are very, very particular with their forecasting and what they expect from us).  I've been able to keep things moving and organized, and to exceed the expectations set for our filing forecast.  It's February 3^rd and I'm sitting and waiting on other people.  I've done everything I can to get my filing done for the month and it's only day 3.  I know there's a lot more work, but I'm organizing and motivated and I'm feeling like I'm really excelling in this position.  The leadership here is awesome, and I really like everyone that I'm working with.  I could not be happier with the decision to go back into Duty Drawback Consulting.

DD2QOTD:  I have a Samsung FitGear smar****ch.  It syncs with my phone and I used it a lot when I first got it, but honestly, I'm sad because it never linked up to MFP and that is the food tracker that I use.  I want to get a Fitbit Aria, but I just can't justify that when I have a perfectly good tracker already.  I honestly haven't worn it in like 6+ months.  I'll get back to it one day, I swear.

Tomorrow is my 18 month Surgiversary and I have a very busy day planned.  I'm doing puppy playtime with Bugsy in the morning and then tomorrow evening Dan and I are going out with our friends, who have both had WLS, for dinner and a comedy show for their 15^th wedding anniversary.  I'm excited because we're going to Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor, MI and it's got great reviews.  I was thinking of getting a steak, but the more I think about it, I might get seafood.  I've also scoured their wine list and I know exactly what I'll be ordering, lol.  Here's a link to their website.  Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, but I also have to take Bugsy to his first puppy training class.  I'm just waiting for the trainer to confirm the time with me, it should be in the afternoon.  Then hubby invited his friend over for Super Bowl Sunday, and I invited my friends over and we just happened to tell each other about it in the same text, so apparently we're having a small get together that was decided on just yesterday afternoon, lol.  So, the weekend has filled up quickly.  I'll make sure to get pics tomorrow because I have THE BEST outfit planned. 

My plan for today is incomplete.  I didn't pack a lunch because I woke up late and ran out of the house.  I didn't even pack breakfast.  I ordered a 2 egg omelet with ham, onions, peppers and cheese for breakfast.  I told them to sub in tomatoes for the hashbrowns and skipped the toast.  I am about 40% of it and got super full, so I'm doing pretty good.  I'm going to have to order out for lunch, but I don't know what to get.  There is a Chipotle around the corner, but I've never eaten there, so I will have to do some research into what they have.

I'll log everything I eat, but MFP is currently sitting empty when it should be completely filled out.  Good thing that the scale was good to me this morning, it's my motivation to stay on track.  Yesterday the scale had gone up to 166.4, and this morning it was at 163.2.  I need it to keep moving down. 

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.  I'll try to check in the weekend, but I have a feeling it's going to be kinda crazy.

Edited to add: I forgot Photo Friday!  So this first one is my before/after that I didn't get posted a few weeks ago.  I posted it on the facebook group yesterday.  

and here is a pic of Bugsy from Tuesday.  He's so freaking adorable.

How have you managed to avoid Chipotle until now?!  It's pretty delicious, I have to say...I get a burrito bowl with no rice and it honestly used to be 4 meals, now it's 2+.  I personally get no beans (just don't love beans) so I get the pepper/onion mix, and I get chicken.  Double chicken if I need more protein.  Then I add some cheese, some sour cream, and I love love love their salsas.  Their medium green salsa is smoky and delicious.  I pay extra for the guac at the end.  Overall, it's $10 for at least 2 meals.  I don't have it often, but it's a great choice when in need!  Hope you enjoy it!

At my last job I was in an industrial area by the airport, and there wasn't a Chipotle around for miles (unless you went to the airport, there may have been one on the other side of security).  I worked there for 10 years, and after surgery I was pretty great about packing lunch most every day.  My hubby doesn't love Mexican food, so we have never been.  My new job is in a very busy business centered area and there is a Chipotle.  It's close enough that I would even consider walking there in the summer.  It's about a mile from here.  

But, we decided against Chipotle today, and my co-worker decided he wanted Chinese.  So I ordered a pint of Szechuan Chicken, and I'll skip the rice.  A pint usually is about 2 meals for me as well.  

Next time I'll go for the Chipotle.  I have heard good things about it.  

I've never been to a Chipotle yet either. I've got to get there one of these days!

Bugsy is adorable

Love Chipoltle. I am like DC Girl order a bowl no rice... I get black beans, peppers and onions, the fresh tomato salsa, corn salsa, and sometimes the green salsa too...for meat I either do carnitas or barbacoa. I ask for sour cream on the side...and a little lettuce on top...So some carbs from the beans and corn....but I still usually get at least 3 meals out of it... and soooo yummy.