Overweight To Wait Is Over

I first learned of the wonders of Pump thanks to a very popular weight loss tumblr, Losing Weight in the City.

Today, knowing I had already eaten my packed lunch (if I never say packed lunch again, it’ll be too soon, agreed?), Pump seemed like a better option than any because frankly, going hungry or waiting until dinner was not an option.

I’ll admit that the food was tasty. The price, however, was not. Paying $11 for something that would be very, very easy to replicate at home seems a bit silly to me. Plus, it’s pretty steep for a frequent lunch.

However, for a treat every now and again, it’s a nice option to have. I’m glad I finally checked it out.

My lunchtime workout.

There was a moment this morning when I decided there would be no gym for me today during my lunch. Not because I was too busy with work or because I felt like my muscles needed a rest, but because I just didn’t want to. Plain and simple. I wanted to eat and sit and not do much else.

But then my boyfriend asked over Gchat what time I wanted to meet up at the gym and that was enough to get me out of my funk and remember that not going to the gym is not an option. 

Sometimes, accountability counts for a hell of a lot in the process of losing weight and getting healthy. It’s partly why I’m keeping this tumblr and doing embrassing things like posting “before” pictures of myself. It’s not easy and sometimes it’s downright uncomfortable, but it forces me to face reality and create a new one.

So this is the packed lunch I haven’t been able to stop talking about. The packed lunch that I had meant to eat yesterday and the one I finally ate today, at my office desk, for breakfast.

I absolutely couldn’t resist.

It wasn’t anything special, but it was very tasty and filling. A bed of wild arugula, a small portion of quinoa seasoned with salt and pepper, and a piece of fish leftover from dinner two nights ago.

Not the most standard breakfast fare, but when the stomach is hungry, it’s just happy to have something. If that something can be healthy and filling, more power to me, amirite?

Today’s thinspiration.

Partly because I adore Angelina.

Partly because I really had to make those pictures of me NOT the first thing one saw on this tumblr.

Last night did not go so well for me.

Perhaps there was some pent up frustration leftover from yesterday’s “Will I or Won’t I Eat The Packed Lunch” battle because once I got home? I binged. I may as well have eaten the packed lunch because by God that would have been much healthier.

I started with a petit bowl of Go Lean Kashi with rice milk and some sliced banana. I knew I was hungry and I knew dinner probably wouldn’t be ready for another hour or two - plus, I hadn’t eaten breakfast yesterday - so I figured this was perfectly acceptable.

I continued cooking the Brussels sprouts, (healthy) mashed potatoes, and chicken breasts for dinner.

And also ate five chocolate chip cookies.

What the fuck?

Then I drank two cans of regular soda. And I ate a handful (or three) of tortilla chips with salsa.

In hindsight - and in the glaring light of morning - I know I could feel ashamed, but more than anything, I just feel confused. This is probably a lesson in making sure I’m eating enough so I don’t feel this need to binge or overeat, but I think something else might be going on right now.

Namely, *checks calendar*, yup, the curse of the week before my period.

It’s no cliche for me. The week before my period is horrendous when it comes to my appetite. Sometimes I’ll get bitchy, sometimes I’ll get moody, sometimes I’ll get emotional but, without fail, I will always develop the appetite of a … Olympic swimmer who incinerates calories by simply breathing because he is a machine sent from the future.

Through the next several days, I just have to try my best to make the right choices and, if I need to eat a little extra at every meal to feel satiated, to at least overeat the healthy things.

I’ll let you in on a secret.

I cannot stop thinking about the lunch I packed for myself today.

The lunch that is still sitting inside my adorable Russ & Daughters lunchbox (it came with the caviar and creme de fraiche I presented my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day last year and has now become my go to lunchbox).

The lunch that I side-stepped for the earlier mentioned Chipotle salad.

The lunch that I told myself I’d put in the office fridge and save for tomorrow.

The lunch that I don’t even need (I am, in fact, not hungry at all).

This is clearly a battle of self control, and I am determined to win it.

But I’m also praying the clock tells me it’s 6 o clock as soon as possible so I can get away from this personal hell I’ve created.

There are many foods I crave on an almost near constant basis, but nothing may top this list quite like Chipotle. I have been known to eat Chipotle burritos and burrito bowls for days in a row at a time. How about we all agree they must be infusing crack into their food and that this has nothing to do with my absolute lack of control over my insatiable appetite.

I was able to make it to the gym again today during my lunch period. 40 minutes on the treadmill, 3.88 miles, four 800m “sprints” (9:00 mile pace? 8:30 mile pace? Former four year cross country star within me cries) with 400m cool down jogs in between. Damn was it hard. I think my legs are beat from running four out of the last six days after not seriously exercising for practically four months.

What does this have to do with Chipotle?

My boyfriend came to meet me after my workout, and I couldn’t resist when he suggested having lunch together before returning to the office even if I had packed my lunch again today. Of course, Midtown is quite the black hole when it comes to lunch options. And Chipotle, only being a block away, became our destination.

I resisted the call of the burrito and burrito bowl, good girl that I kind of am, and opted for the salad. No sour cream, no rice, and only a tiny portion of cheese. It was still delicious. But now to avoid sodium for the rest of the day …

Monday Night Dinner: Parchment baked fish with a soy-ginger marinade and stir fried baby bok choy over quinoa.

Last night’s dinner could not have been quicker and easier. The chopping and mincing and julienning probably took the longest time of all, but it was heaven. There is something so fragrant and magical about the combination of ginger, garlic and scallions. (That, and I was raving mad hungry and the scents lulled me into a momentary sense of calm.)

I couldn’t resist taking a picture of the baby bok choy before they were stir fried due to their sheer adorableness. The picture I took of the final meal is actually my boyfriend’s plate. My portions were smaller, but I was too much of a hungry, hungry piggy to remember to document the food on my plate before devouring all of it.

What can I say. Story of my life.

heylaney:

apsies:

Modern Family Charades Oscar Promo

This was the funniest part of the Oscars.

Yes.

I reprimended several of my friends at the Oscar party I attended when questions of “Does anyone here watch this show?” floated around the room after this ad aired last night. (Some situations, I’m sorry, require tough love.) I made them all promise me they would begin watching episodes immediately.

How is it possible that anyone would willingly NOT watch this show.

I present the chana masala leftovers over a bed of baby spinach that I just finished eating at my office desk.

Very exciting, I’m aware. But wait, there’s more. I added some sunflower seeds I found in the office kitchen for crunch.

It was altogether very tasty. Of course, many things would be after managing to squeeze in a FOUR MILE RUN over ones lunch break.

Awesome, right?