This morning, I only managed to get 22 minutes in on the treadmill, and not at the speed I wanted. My legs just didn't want to cooperate. Still, it's a start.

I'm going to try to go at least one more time this week. If I can inch my speed up and inch up the incline, I should stabilize and get my endurance up to be able to do a 5k.

My eating has changed, a little. Yesterday, I had salad with chicken for lunch and just a salad for dinner, with coffee for breakfast. The day before, I had a chicken breast and a salad for lunch, and leftover egg noodles in peanut sauce for dinner.

Today, I splurged and had one of those horrible McD's sausage breakfast burritos for $1. There wasnt much sausage... mostly egg and peppers. Not sure what I'll have for lunch, but I've got pot roast for dinner. I'm trying to decide how to reuse the beef for the next few days. Right now, I'm thinking about eating it as-is tonight, stir fry tomorrow (the rice in the cupboard caught my eye), and then maybe throw the rest into something burrito-like.

I threw together a nice meal last night using up a half a gigantic bag of dumpling noodles (no yolks), about a pound of chicken, a pound of peas, a cup of chopped onion and 4 oz sliced baby portabellos.

I roasted the chicken first, and then cut it into bite sized pieces. While it was roasting, I boiled the noodles and steamed the veggies, sauteed the mushrooms and onions, and assembled the peanut sauce.

Starting with 2 tbsp of tamari, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, and about 1/3 cup of peanut butter (store brand), the sauce came together fairly easily. However, I didn't have the sweet chili garlic sauce the recipe called for, so I added some garlic powder. I added about 2 tbsp of coconut milk, and only about a teaspoon of "hot" curry powder, which wasn't enough to notice.

I browned the chicken pieces in the pan where I had sauteed the mushrooms and onions, and once it was done, drained the noodles, and folded all ingredients together in a large bowl.

The taste of the peanut sauce was good, but it lacked salt, and punch, and was quite oily. My recommendation would be to use "natural" peanut butter, and possibly leave out the sesame oil. You could get a more sesame taste with some toasted seeds. I would also add another tsp of curry powder. I'd hold off on the salt, though, just because you don't really need it. Maybe add some peanuts to the browning chicken, along with a teeny bit of the sauce.

In the recipe I used, the chicken simply had no flavor, and only added protein and texture to the mix. It would've been better to have perhaps roasted it with garlic or a nice pepper/garlic rub.

It made enough for two people for dinner, with enough for a third. Yes, I realize that's a lot of food, but I also eat >3x the amount of food recommended on a daily basis.

30 minutes on the treadmill, heart rate maxed at 160ish.
i was going for time more than speed or endurance building.

my shoulders are hurting from carrying/moving 62 eighteen-gallon bins and 7 long boxes of comics yesterday, as well as cutting a lock off the storage unit.

christ, i'm gonna be tired tonight.

1 medium chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped green chilis
2 heaping tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken broth
28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1 pound diced cooked chicken
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
8 oz shredded monterey jack cheese
tortilla strips

Directions:

Sauté garlic, green pepper and onions in butter. Add broth, green chilis, tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Bring to low boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Add chicken and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in half and half, sour cream and cheese (more or less of each, depending on taste). Ensure 165ºF serving temperature.

After serving soup, pile tortilla strips on top.

My new year's resolution was to go to the gym once per month, at least. As of this weekend, I have met my goal so far. And, as should've been expected, my legs hurt today. I mean, Hurt. Ouch. Walking sucks.

But, I went to the gym on Saturday and did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I never, even when I went a few times a week, did 30 minutes on a treadmill, all at my maximum speed, and at an incline, which I'm not known for. Here's how it went.

I felt good at 15 minutes, and wanted to push myself.

5 more minutes. Ok, now it's 20. Can I go 5 more? Oh shit, I forgot to turn on the treadmill fans.

5 more minutes. 25. Ok, I'm a little tired. Can I go 5 more?

5 more minutes. 30. Yeah, I could go 5 more, but I'm gonna hurt. I should probably stop.

10 minutes in the sauna? Sure, why not.

I felt so good, I was practically floating when I came home. It was great. Yesterday, I was moving a little slow, but I figured that was normal.

Today, though? Yeah. Ouch.

I've also started trying to eat smaller portions again. I had about 1/4 lb of leftover roast pork last night, with mashed potatoes (2 servs, which is way less than I usually eat) and a sort of "light" kapusta that Nala made. Tonight, it's likely going to be chicken burritos, since I have some cooked chicken to use up.

Tomorrow, I'll have to eat something quick -- maybe crab nachos.

Wednesday, I'll have roast pork again. Probably with mashed potatoes and mixed veg.

Thursday, leftovers from the pork and maybe spanish rice.

Friday, maybe Texas Straw Hat. Yes, you heard me.

Saturday, chili with leftover straw hat beef.

Sunday, I'll roast up some more chicken and have some leftover chili.

I've also tried to start a new tradition today: breakfast. Instead of snacking all morning, I'm trying to have a bowl of cereal. Granted, it's not Kashi, but it's not the worst. So, a cup of coffee with cream, a bowl of cereal, and an Emergen-C.

Back to controlling portions and spreading out meals as to not get hungry. I can do this.

Goal? Lose 10lbs or more by April, by trying to eat sensible portions more often.

ok... seriously, these werent quite right the first time, but i'll give them another taste after having a day to blend.

1.5 lb dry beans, soaked for 8 hours (should've gone a full 24)
0.5 lb ham steaks, cubed.
garlic powder (our garlic disappeared in the move?)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
black pepper
salt

Seriously, this is how simple soup beans and ham should be. However, due to constraints on time and money, I did not follow the traditional ham-hock recipe. And, I didn't give the beans a full day to soak, and you could tell.

I did boil the soup for a little over an hour, as instructed. However, some of the beans were still tough, and there were complaints that the flavors hadn't blended. But, if you mixed in some extra ground black pepper and some cornbread, it was rather nice.

MW and Nala and I finished off half a pot, followed by pumpkin pie, and served with fine pumpkin ale, under the magnolias in our back yard. A fine, fun evening was had by all.

today, for a cookout in our old neighborhood, i spent the morning in the kitchen.

i started by baking the pound cake, (from scratch of course), using up the last of the eggs, as the base for the parfait. pound cake is so simple -- a pound of butter, a pound of flour (4 cups, sifted), a pound of sugar (2 cups), and a pound(?) of eggs (10).