Fiber Fool

Sorry for the radio silence! About the time our basement flooded I started a day job. And still had two weeks to go to wrap up a couple existing contracts. To say life has been crazy is an understatement. I am starting to feel as though I’m getting into a new groove. An exhausting groove. But it is becoming habit and thus easier. Though I’m still not used to interacting with people in person for so many hours a day and it tires me out. Well, that combined with getting to the gym somewhere between 5 and 5:30 am to get my workout in before work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Basically since I finished my contract knitting I haven’t picked needles back up. Even though it is fine with my current employer to knit when there is down time. I think I’ll break the hiatus today as I have inspiration for using some very old yarn from the stash (that actually used be in Amanda’s stash) for a summer top. It should be mindless enough that I can put it down and pick it back up at any time. I have to do some planning and math yet today, but hopefully I won’t go to Stitch ‘n Bitch tonight and just eat and drink :-O

Speaking of eating and previously of my early morning workouts, I’ve hit a new milestone on the healthier living front! The smallest size pants/jeans of my adult life - I now have a pair of pants and will soon have a skirt in that size! I’m somewhat amazed as my weight has stalled out since late February a few pounds shy of having lost 75 pounds (though technically, I switched scales last summer and there was a 2.5 pound difference that I had to loose extra of so I’m calling it 75 pounds if anyone asks).

Here are a few things that have caught my eye recently…

• Amanda sent me this link on making your own “beauty balm” which I hadn’t even heard of before, but I think I’ll be trying it soon as I think it could shave a good bit of time off my gym routine mornings which I could use to get in a little extra stretching or cardio or to grab a tall non-fat latte on the way to work ;-)
• I’m totally lusting after this fun bicycle tee, even though I’ve not yet gotten the courage to brave the cool mornings or to break in my butt to ride to work, even though it is on a major bike trail.
• I’m going to use this yoga skirt tutorial to help me turn some of my 3X tees into skirts for the summer. I loved biking in yoga skirts last summer and I will eventually start biking to work - at least on Tuesday and Thursdays when I don’t lift weights at the gym. And one of these weekends I’m going to have the time/energy to follow through on that intention :-)
• This trick of washing berries in a dilute white vinegar solution really does help them last longer! It is totally worth it. I wash them in our salad spinner so I can easily just pull out the mesh portion and let them dry off. I don’t actually spin them. But it allows me to use a bit less water/vinegar.
• Mom gave me Power Foods from the editors of Whole Living magazine for Christmas. I’m finally diving in and made a few things from it yesterday for lunches this week. There are a ton more recipes in it I want to try and I love that the nutritional info is already calculated for me! In a few more weeks I’ll probably do a review.
• This cookie dough dip looks fabulous, but I’m dubious that chick peas can really pass for cookie dough. I think I’m going to have to try it though!
• This has become my new way to eat oatmeal in our unseasonably warm weather. I’ve added 1/2 serving of protein powder and my favorite mix-in is 1/2 T cocoa powder and 1/2 cup frozen raspberries which are still quite cold, but no lonegr frozen once I get to work after the gym. It sticks with me well and gives me 10 g of fiber and with a small non-fat latte 30 g of protein to start the day! I want to try pumpkin here soon too.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! Oh, and if any of you have a favorite method of roasting a whole chicken I’m taking recommendations. I’ll be roasting one on Wednesday I think (my best guess of when it will have thawed in the fridge). I don’t want anything with a drastically ethnic bent as I’m the only one in the house who will eat it, so some will become soup and some probably seasoned mexican style for salads or enchiladas and some just eaten with some veggies etc. I’m just in need of easier, quick protein sources that might mesh with whatever DH wants to cook for himself for dinner. And for quick to pack lunches too. I thought I’d give a whole chicken a try and see. I’m totally sick and tired of chicken breasts on the Foreman grill.

I’m not going to set any expectations for this space for now. I’ll pop in when I have time/inspiration/energy. Tomorrow’s 10 on Tuesday is intriguing so I’m hoping I’ll be here for that tomorrow, but no promises. I hope you are having a great day!