Inspiration strikes

I actually managed to find some motivation to get on the treadmill last night. I even took the stairs at work! Now if I can just keep it going! I got home from the day job, took a nap, worked a short shift on the second job, then sat on the computer for a while. I knew I should get on the treadmill, but I couldn't quite get there. NO motivation whatsoever. Bleh. But then, as I sat there contemplating a snack, I decided that I'd never see 279 if I didn't get off my butt. So off my butt I got, and did an hour on the treadmill. Was I hot and uncomfortable? You betcha. Did my ankles/calves hurt after a while? Hell yeah. Was it worth it? Well, just how badly do I want to reach 279? I'm at 280.5 right now.... not far to go! I just need to break this plateau I've been perched on.

I went a little food crazy yesterday, craving just about every bloody thing I shouldn't be eating, but I managed to put the brakes on it and curbed my emotional eating into something more productive. That's the first time I've accomplished that, and I'm feeling a bit chuffed about it. SO! While it's not South Beach today, it's still pretty good. Rice Chex and a spicy v8 for breakfast. Orange jello for snack. I've got red lentil and vegetable soup with twelve grain bread for lunch, and then a strawberry yogurt for afternoon snack. I figure if I get really hungry, I can break down and have a granola bar. I'll have to do a better job with dinner than I did last night (which found me snacking on wheat thins at 10pm). I have a vegetable lasagna that I can pop in the oven.

Food-wise, I'm always uninspired in the summertime, because it's too bloody hot to cook! Well, I was at the store on Tuesday and actually found some inspiration. Zipperback shrimp were on sale, so I bought a few bags. Then I found some lovely avocados, and my brain started churning.... I picked up some canned button mushrooms (I can't find any small enough in the fresh produce) and I think I'm going to make myself a quinoa salad with shrimp, avocado and mushrooms! I was going to do pasta salad, but quinoa's a bit healthier and higher in fiber than white pasta (which I still have a ton of - my mom gave me a huge Costco package a few years ago, and I haven't even made a dent!).  That, and I can cook quinoa in the rice cooker, so no heating up the stove. I'll experiment a bit tonight and let you know what I come up with.

In the meantime, I've been picking up any shifts I can at the second job, which is messing with my sleep schedule (and my ability to fall asleep at all), so I'm a bit wonky and surviving on caffeine and as much water as I can get myself to swallow. Gotta pay for my next trip to Chicago somehow :)

Incidentally, if anyone in Ottawa (or anywhere along the 401) would like to attend Stitches Midwest (August 25-28) in Chicago... I can provide transportation and free accommodations. I would only ask $100 towards gas, any excess to be returned :) So if any of my knitting friends are interested, let me know! Poke me on facebook or call me on my cell!