My weekly check in, and I thought I'd catch up on a couple of QOTD's.
QOTD Wednesday, July 23, 2014: It's Woo Hoo Wednesday! Give yourself a big "woo hoo" for helping yourself to be healthy and share something that you did this week to help you with your goals.
A great question, because it prompts you to think about the good things you've done for yourself. It's funny how you don't even need to try to tell yourself the bad things you have done, those thoughts will just appear all on their own
at least they do for me!
So at the time this question was posted I found that I was on the way of kicking a couple of unhelpful habits. I used to start every morning with a bit of chocolate. Not a huge amount, but I always kind of justified it as something to start the day (too settle my stomach, uh huh) as I was at least a few hours away from having breakfast after the long commute into, and start time at, work. I've stopped that
and now don't even really notice the change.
At the time I had also stopped eating into the night. After dinner, there would regularly be a routine of dessert, snack, second dessert, second snack...
But I managed to stop just at dinner. I've slipped a couple of times since - the eating is more to do with stress, and is mostly just a way to wind down at the end of the day. I know I love the zone out effect mindless eating can give, and it's going to be a harder habit to give up, but I'm positive that I'll be able to reduce the frequency significantly!
QOTD Thursday, July 24, 2014: It's Tech Thursday. Share any technology that helps you with your healthy lifestyle. It could be an app, a kitchen gadget or even your high tech sneakers.
I bought a vacuum sealer a week or so ago, and I LOVE IT! hahaha, I live on my own, so storing food is very important to both not waste food or money. I've vacuum sealed salsa, pasta sauce, grated cheese (not sure if that is going to defrost as grated cheese, or one big mishapen blob lol), marinated chicken, marinated pork, diced beef. I've always been a person with a million small packages of food in the freezer, but now I know they'll last a lot longer!
QOTD Friday, July 25, 2014: What is your strategy for eating on vacation?
I guess I've been lucky, as my last couple of holidays have been so active, even though I let my eating run wild I usually come back lighter. That's probably a reflection of just how inactive I am in my day job
Two years ago I had my first trip to America, so it was all omg mac and cheese or fries with everything, meals that were about twice the size I was used to, cherry coke! I don't think I weighed myself before or after, but I know my clothes were looser.
Last year I went to Japan. Just prior to that, I was still struggling with the lap band, it was much too tight. I had it loosened just before I went away, so I went from weeks of eating almost nothing, to suddenly being able to eat almost anything I liked. I did try and make sure I included healthy foods in my diet, which was reasonably easy in Japan. They seem to be very diet and weight conscious, so you can find healthy options relatively easy. I remember buying apple slices and bebe (baby) cheese from the combini stores for breakfast, and some of the softest and freshest pre made sandwiches I've ever eaten for dinner a couple of nights I was too tired to do anything else.
The common thing with both of them was the walking, walking, walking! That energy expenditure obviously adds up...! Still, I think I've matured a bit in the last couple of years, and even if I give myself a bit of room to play, I try and keep reasonably healthy if only to keep the energy levels up and not get sick while away.
***
So I know I've mentioned here earlier that I don't really like the idea of monitoring everything I'm eating. Well, yesterday I downloaded MFP. And...I think I really like it...!
I realised that I was pretty much flying blind - I had no idea how much I was eating, in terms of calories, or even how much I should be eating. Just eat less, right? I think following my mum around the supermarket during my teenage years studying food labels really put me off the idea, but the app makes it so easy.
It was all going well yesterday, and I got to the end of dinner and still had a lot of calories leftover. So I was tossing up between stopping there, or having dessert. I had some pudding leftover from having relatives over for dinner the night before. I didn't really feel like I needed it, but if I didn't eat it, it was getting to the point of needing to be thrown out. So I hit the complete button at just at the end of dinner, and it came up with I could lose 7 kilos over 5 weeks if I kept eating at this level. Awesome! So then I thought I'd check just how much damage the pudding would do. It's a gourmet pre made thing, so it had been loaded on the app, but looks like an individual has loaded it. It was listed at 138kj for 100g. Hey, that's not too bad! So I ate it. And then while I was eating, I thought that can't be possible...138kj for a dried fruit filled chocolate pudding?? I had another one stored in the cupboard and checked the label - 100g is 1381kj!! Argh! Whoever loaded these numbers missed a digit, and so I actually ate 10 times the amount!
So I hit the complete button again, and suddenly I could lose 3 kilos over 5 weeks grrrr...oh well, today is another day!
tl:dr I'm becoming a convert to MFP, but geez you've gotta watch any less popular foods are actually listed correctly!
So encouraging to see all those colours!
have a great weekend everyone
Otherwise I might just be on in morning long enough to give my weigh in. I forgot this morning. 
I know my breakfast will hold me until lunch if I have a good serving of protein. 
I know that you will be strong and still have a good time as part of your plan for vacation. 
And for hostessing this month, too. 
Went where we were supposed to be then went to in laws's new place in the retirement center and had Subway. Popped in and quickly saw a couple other relatives then headed for home about 4 PM. I was starving so we stopped at a town (Sisters) and got pizza slices. Not the healthiest, but I just got a cheese one. Got home around 8 PM and the family totally vegged! 
So started with FB and now here. 
feeling, I can't imagine how she is feeling!!!
Sounds like the party was a success! 
What a great summer your DD has had! 
