Semi-Weekly Weigh-in: Suckitude

Mr. Get Fit often calls me "Boss Lady" because, well, I'm bossy, I guess. This morning, I bossed us both on the scale. I knew the numbers wouldn't be pleasing to see, but that's exactly why we needed to check. We haven't done an "official" weigh-in for a whole month. If the weight starts creeping back up and you don't check, it can get out of control while you tell yourself you're not doing "that bad." Then you find yourself back where you started -- or worse.

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 271 pounds
Pounds lost this month: (6) pounds
Total pounds lost: 30 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 189.5 pounds
Pounds lost this month: (8) pounds
Total pounds lost: 48.5 pounds

As our loyal readers will recall, I am on pregnancy "hiatus" from weight loss, but I am trying to minimize my weight gain as much as I can. At 23 weeks pregnant, I have gained a total of 12 lbs (8 in the last month!). I really need to be more careful about what I'm eating (fewer cookies, more carrots) and amp up the walking as the weather gets nicer. Otherwise, I could put on way more weight than I need to and have that much farther to go to reach my goal of 150 post-baby.

Meanwhile, I'm very worried about Mr. He seems to have given up on his weight loss and is letting old habits take over again. He knows what he needs to do, but he seems to lack the motivation to do it. I hope he will turn things around soon, because he needs to be a fit dad for his daughter and his son-to-be.

When Working Out Is Child's Play

Lately, my daughter is about the only thing that gets me to exercise on a daily basis. My own personal motivation ain't cuttin' it. But something about an almost 3-year-old and her adorable, energetic insistence ("Come ON, Mommy, dontcha wanna jump rope with me?") get my pregnant butt moving like nothing else.

(Pictured here: Cassie running around the swingset with Mommy jogging close behind. A common sight in our backyard.)



I was wondering exactly how many calories I'm burning doing some of our usual playtime activities. So I looked it up on a calculator.

In 10 minutes of doing each of the following activities with Cassie, here's how many calories I burned:

• Dancing (the Hokey-Pokey, Ring Around the Rosie, etc.) = 85 calories


• Jumping Around (usually because something is very exciting or there's a jumprope involved) = 64 calories


• Jogging (in the "Run, Mommy, Run!" game or "Tag, You're It!" and I'm always It) = 100 calories


• Housework (which is also playtime for Cassie, when she "helps") = 41 calories

OK, so not too shabby. I may not be hitting the gym as frequently as I used to (as in, not at all). But I'm still getting some exercise each day as I spend quality time with my cutie pie. All she needs is a whistle and a clipboard!

Noodles & Co. Restaurant Review

After seeing Noodles & Co. on Health magazine's top 10 healthiest fast food restaurants list last week -- and hearing my mom rave about it so much -- I decided to try it out last weekend. I had a Sunday lunch date with my good friend and fellow weight-loss seeker Amy. Our first pick, a decidedly less healthy local pizza joint, wasn't open for lunch (d'oh!) So to Noodles we went.

Their basic menu plan is to combine tasty noodles (Asian, Mediterranean or American) with your favorite meat, sauce and other toppings. You can go for their pre-determined menu items, or have them customize your noodly meal. A good number of the menu items range in calories from 150 (small Chinese Chop Salad) to 480 (regular Thai Curry Soup). I opted for a regular Pad Thai (700 calories -- would've been 350 if I went for the small instead). Mmmm, it was mighty tasty. Amy had a Trio, which gave her a small side salad and small noodle entree. She seemed quite pleased with her selection as well.

I admit, I also indulged in a cookie (I did share some with Amy!), but I didn't really need it. My regular Pad Thai was plenty of food to fill me up for lunch. I love how you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table when it's ready -- no tips expected. Very leisurely (and affordable) way to enjoy a healthy, quick lunch with a friend.

Gaining Momentum

You can probably tell by this post's headline that Mr. and Mrs. have not had a good losing streak lately.

I am now up to 184.5 (checked yesterday), but can't say I'm too surprised. At my ultrasound the other day, Baby was more like 21 weeks along than the 18 weeks I had initially thought. That means I've gained 8 lbs so far during this pregnancy, and I'm at the halfway point. If I stick to my doctor's recommendation, I only can gain another 7 lbs. Let's get real. I'll probably gain a bit more than that. Most of the weight comes on in the second half, right? But if I can stay under 200 by the end, I'll be OK with that.

Mr. has had some troubles. He gained over the past few weeks, and has been getting back into the workout swing to make some headway. I hope he hangs in there and doesn't let my pregnancy lethargy at home bring him down. We've come too far to get fat again!

Healthiest Fast Food Joints

When Mr. and I first started our fit journey more than a year ago, we shunned fast-food restaurants like they were the devil. We really forced ourselves to focus on home-cooked and home-prepared meals and snacks, because we needed that discipline.

Things have slid a bit since then. Nutritional mores have been ... relaxed. Sometimes, when our lives get really busy and there's nothing "good" in the fridge or pantry, we hit the drive-through. (Sorry, but I refuse to spell it "thru" no matter what the signs say. They're wrong.)

We may not always make the healthiest selections on the drive-through menu, but with some tips from this recent Health Magazine list, we could improve our choices. The magazine ranked the top 10 healthiest fast food restaurants in America, with Panera Bread topping the list (yay!) Even McDonald's scored a spot -- thank God, since it's our daughter's fave. The article also points out what's healthiest on each menu, and what to stay away from.

So if you need the convenience of fast food for one reason or another, check this Health Magazine list before you head out.