back to menu plannning

I've been really bad about planning meals. Especially healthy meals. This past weekend really opened my eyes when we were eating quickly and I defrosted the wrong thing. sigh. too much eating out at this house.

So tonight, I went to Pinterest. Where all my good food ideas come from usually. On my menu this week:

Tuesday: Easy and Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas. no clue if my kids will like them, but they'll be SOL if they don't. we won't eat this many, so will cook in two separate pans. one for us, one for my friend having chemo this week

Wednesday: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. kids loooove tilapia. so this should be a hit. going to make with The Best Broccoli of Your Life

Thursday: Weight Watchers Honey Mustard Chicken. not doing because it is weight watchers, just sounds good. will make with cous cous or quinoa. need to find a good carrot recipe...

Friday: pizza and a movie night. making an Angry Bird themed pizza. kids have been begging me to do this.

Saturday: pasta alfredo. box and jar. I know, I know...but I need to use up what is in the house. will make a salad.

will also be making some other easy to freeze meals for my friend. she mentioned buying frozen meals at the store and I just can't let that happen. I'm more than happy to cook for her.

New Year and update

Update first: went to the doctor on December 13th. still no change. waiting for insurance stuff to be figured out so I can get an MRI. no more PT, doing exercises at home instead. still in pain most days, not as severe as it was...but it is still there.

New Year Goals:

1. Lose 30 by 30. My 30th birthday is August 9th. I'd like to lose 30 lbs by that time. I still wouldn't be at my goal, but well toward it. That means to lose a little less than a pound a week. I can do this.
2. Be more consistent about logging my food. I really fell off the wagon when my knee started hurting. 
3. Run again. Pain free, preferably.
4. Volunteer at 6 races this year. I'd like to say 12, but that might be pushing it. 
5. Find a job I love.
6. Do more cross training, especially since I still cannot run.
7. Send birthday cards to my nieces and nephews.

that's it for now, may update when I think of more. 

down for the count

well, at least for the next almost 4 weeks.

finally sucked it up and went to the doctor this past Thursday. after a LOT of badgering and harassing by friends. I am glad I went. kind of .

I saw a new doctor as well as her resident. I "knew" them from my old job at the hospital, but didn't know them personally. I was very happy with the care I received.

Anyway, they gave me a preliminary diagnosis of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, which is also known as Runner's Knee. fun, eh? what this means...

• no running until my recheck, but at least 6 weeks minimum. 
• no high heels (not that I wear them that often, but need to this week...of course)
• PT consult on Dec 3rd (chose to go to the PT attached to the hospital I used to work at, so at least I know who is treating me, always nice to see friends)
• ice/naproxen regularly. even if I'm not in pain, which the times that I have no pain are far less than the times I am in pain. 
• recheck with the Dr. on Dec 13th. 
• if I am still in pain, no changes...then I'll be scheduled for an MRI

so that's that.  this will suck. I was hoping to do the Thanksgiving 5k, since my parents will be visiting. but maybe I'll go cheer instead.

as for how I feel, physically. it hurts like hell. starting on Sunday/Monday I've been in almost constant pain.  Thursday and Friday were pure misery. I'd have my pain at a 5-6/10 on the pain scale. I took ibuprofen, that didn't work I took naproxen, that didn't work. Though thankfully, starting to help a little.

I cannot walk around a lot. I can't drive long distances. I dug out my crutches as a "just in case" thing. had to use them a little today, if that gives any indication as to how much it hurts.

it shall be a long 4-6 weeks...

Running Goals

my goals for the next year...

5k- 29:59
10k- 1:10:00
Half- 2:30:00
Full- no ambitions for one at this time, if (big IF!) I do one in the next year, goal will be to finish

more late night ramblings

I didn't want to run again after Iron Horse. There. I said it. I had no desire. I told my best friend that I was considering giving it up. It wasn't fun for me anymore. She told me to wait a little and see how I felt in a week or two.

I ended up making myself go out for a run. In the end, it was a rather humorous run. For some unknown reason I wore regular mesh shorts to run in. I never wear those for running, at least not unless I have bike shorts or something else under. I also happened to be wearing one of the oldest pairs of underwear I own. I started running, my underwear slipped down. I continue running, it keeps slipping down. Rinse and repeat until I got to the most secluded part of my run. Which really isn't secluded, just not much traffic. I stood behind a telephone pole and got them off. Stuffed in my bra and went on my way.

It wasn't t the best run I've ever had. It wasn't the worst either. It was just blah. It did not leave me desiring to run again.  But I made myself go back out the next day. That was better...and the day after that a little better.

I'm trying to get back to loving running. I don't know what happened. Maybe I was doing it for someone else. Because I thought, perhaps, that I was only friends with some people because we were all runners. Since I wasn't able to run with them like I was before, I didn't see them. Even now, I still feel that way a little bit. Running brought us all together and if I'm not there, it feels like the friendship isn't there. The closeness that I felt.

I'm trying to get some consistency in my pace. I'm starting out with low mileage again. The furthest I've gone in the last 3 weeks is 2.46 (this morning). I've been running the same route at home. Varying run/walk intervals to find out what works best. I want to be able to run a similar pace at 2ish miles that I can keep at least up to 7ish miles. I figure I'll keep running the same distance for awhile until I can get there. I have no races I've paid for, so no real plan.

I would like to do another half marathon. Someday. But, I want to be able to know I can finish in the time I want. I don't want to do it until I can be consistent in my pacing and training. Right now, that option isn't there for me.

I've realized in the last few days that I've missed being a homebody. When my ex was in the country, I had to leave the house at least two nights a week minimum. If the kids had an activity, I'd be out more than that. Now that I'm mostly housebound, except for whatever activities the kids have (which aren't many), I find I'm enjoying my time alone at night. I've been watching some of my old favorite movies. I've been doing homework.

So that's it for now. Still unemployed. Still running. Learning to enjoy every moment with my kids. I've taken them for granted sometimes. I don't know if I'll be ready to share them when their dad returns back to the States in May/June.

help, please?

I need a reason to run. I do enjoy it, but I like the idea of training for something. A goal to shoot for. I have no money to pay for races. Without a goal, it is hard for me to get out the door just to run.

I'd like to focus more on losing weight. I have at least 40 lbs I'd still like to lose. The way I'm eating post-race I'll be gaining back everything I've lost this year.

I know I want to work more on my core. Do more cross training, but again...just sitting at home, doesn't motivate me. If I had a class to go to, that would help. But add in the money issues again.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Beat me across the head with a 2x4?

katie still cooks

My kitchen got quite the workout this past week.

Thursday: made chocolate chip cookie bars. just used the recipe on the back of the Nestle chocolate chip bag and put in a bar pan. baked at 350 for about 35 minutes. kids loved it. it was a spur of the moment treat for them.

Friday: made this Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana Delight cake for the LexRunLadies birthday celebration. I'm not a huge cake person. I think there were too many layers, I'd probably do just one chocolate and one banana if I ever made it again. the frosting was too DIE for. so delicious and I'm not a huge peanut butter person.

I also made this queso. Which didn't turn out as hoped, it was extremely soupy. Thinking back, I screwed it up. I was in such a hurry that I wasn't paying attention to how much milk I put in. I put in one cup too much. Now I know. I will definitely make this again. It was ahhhhmazing. Tasted just like the restaurant version and well, I have a queso problem.

Saturday: there was a potluck on Sunday at church, I was asked to make stuff, so figured I needed to get it done and ready so I wouldn't have to worry about it at all on Sunday. I made a Kentucky Hot Brown Bake, because in Kentucky you can never go wrong with anything that says Hot Brown. It was awesome. Everyone loved it at the potluck and the rector asked for the recipe, said she was going to post in in this week's Parish Tidings as the first recipe in the recipe section she wanted to start. Sweet! I also made Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies. They didn't taste much like red velvet, but delicious nonetheless.