Hello, goodbye

Last week was a bit crazy. I had some early morning appointments so weighing in before breakfast went completely out the window, and then, I just decided to wait until this week.

Good news, though. Looks like I'm holding steady at 163.

That's definitely a better place to be than where I started off eight months ago. Slower than I would have liked (-0.5 lbs per month is not exactly shocking), but still, it's definitely an improvement.

Now, though, as we approach the end of the year, I've started to think about how long I should keep up with the blogging.

The simple truth is, I don't spontaneously have enough stuff to share to fill up a week. And, I don't have time to dedicate so that I can think up or create content. I tried that when I first started this blog. I figured, maybe I can do a healthy menu with recipes on one day, and I can do something about fashion or shopping on another, etc., etc. But, I lacked the time and--especially--the motivation to keep it up.

So, if you've been reading this blog, you know by now that the last couple of months I've just checked in once a week. Hardly ground-breaking or exciting blogging, I'd say.

The French diet is a long game. It's about moderation, consistency, and, above else, self-respect. There are no quick fixes, and therefore, no quick "tips" or "tricks" that I can blog about.

Given that, I have decided to take a break from blogging. If I am feeling inspired, I may pick it back up after the holidays.

If you've stuck around for any of this, I thank you. And I hope that you will conduct a French Experiment of your own, and that it will be a smashing success.

Adieu!

Careful, now

So, as I wrote a few days ago, my weight is at the lowest it's been in...what?...a few years now? Yes, I think that's right. I think it's been a few years, at least, since I was at 163.

You'd think that that would have been enough to send me running to a week of steamed veggies and fish or lean chicken, right?

Wrong.

Last night, I had Patxi's deep dish pizza and a Caesar salad.

Monsieur and I typically order a mushroom and onion pizza, and usually I have 1 slice and plenty of salad.

For whatever reason, last night I was pretty hungry, so I ate two slices and plenty of salad.

It has been a really long time since I had deep dish pizza. I find that it is much more enjoyable if you have it infrequently. Last night, it was super enjoyable!

Now, according to the French diet, this should not be a problem. There are no "bad" foods (excluding, of course, fake/highly processed foods) only poor portion control. In this specific case, since my lunch was fairly small, having two slices of pizza wasn't in itself such a terrible thing. After all, I felt okay after eating and not overly stuffed and regretful.

But, I do have to be careful. Why? Because it has happened in the past that when I've made some progress with my weight (i.e. it's gone down!) I've had a somewhat unconscious tendency to sabotage myself. I don't really know why, but I have noticed it after it's happened. I want to make sure I don't let that happen again.

So tonight, I will go back to a lighter dinner option.

Perhaps I will even have some fish.

Monday Check-In

Well, it's another Monday morning and that means, it's time to check in again.

Without further ado...

Monday's weigh-in: 163.0. (-0.5 versus last week and -4.0 to date)

I have to admit, I was just hoping that the number on the scale hadn't gone up too much. Seeing that the number actually went down was an unexpected treat!

If I look back on the week, the one thing that sticks out in my mind is that my dinners were generally quite a bit smaller than they used to be. I've been serving myself small portions, knowing that I can always get some more if I'm really hungry. But what I've found is that, in general, I have felt sufficiently satisfied.

The thing is...typically, about an hour or so after dinner, Monsieur and I have a cup of coffee or some herbal tea and a small sweet treat. This might be a cookie, or a mini cup of ice cream, or a piece of chocolate. So this past week, the combination of a small dinner (think appetizer serving size) plus the after-dinner treat has been perfect. It's not like I've been going to bed hungry.

On the other hand, I have also responded to my body's requests. So, while most nights dinner was on the smaller side, on one night, I really felt hungry, so I ate a pretty large dinner. Not to the point where I felt overstuffed, but I was hungry, so I ate. And on that night, I had an after-dinner tea, but no treat. I wasn't craving one, so I figured why have it "just because"?

This is the only thing I can think of that may have contributed to the last two weeks' results. Otherwise, things were much as they were before: mostly healthy, home cooked dinners; lunches were a mix of at home and out; breakfasts were nothing out of the ordinary; and exercise was less than I'd like.

Let's see how this week goes. Maybe this will prove to be my best way to be French.

In Memoriam: Oscar de la Renta

Last night a friend of mine sent me a text message, alerting me to the fact that Oscar de la Renta had passed away. He was 82 years old and had been battling cancer for some time. I have always loved Oscar de la Renta's design aesthetic, and I was so sorry to hear that he had passed away.

By all accounts, it seems he was as gracious and elegant in his personal, real life, as he was in his designs.

As recently as 2012, at an event in New York City, Mr. De la Renta spoke about his cancer. He told the crowd, "The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die. We always think we are going to live forever. The dying aspect we will never accept. The one thing about having this kind of warning is how you appreciate every single day of life."

It was always one of my dreams to attend one of his fashion shows in New York, but since I am not a regular customer, nor a celebrity, nor a fashion insider, that dream never materialized. BUT, I have been extremely fortunate to find a couple of Mr. De la Renta's designs over the years on consignment, or on eBay.

I always loved his use of color and his delicate, beautiful fabrics, especially his lace and eyelet pieces. One day I hope to find an eyelet or lace blouse, or a fabulous, colorful dress, to add to my collection.

Another thing I loved about his designs was that he made clothes to fit women who are a size 0 and those who are a size 16 or 18! It seems his goal was to make women feel beautiful, regardless of their dress size.

So today, the fashion world is poorer for the loss of this creative man, who it seems, more than anything, was a true gentleman. May you rest in peace, Mr. De la Renta, and may God comfort your family and friends as they go on without you.

“Never, ever confuse what happens on a runway with fashion,” Mr. de la Renta once said. “A runway is spectacle. It’s only fashion when a woman puts it on. Being well dressed hasn’t much to do with having good clothes. It’s a question of good balance and good common sense.” ~ New York Times

The French (Baking) Diet?

Hello again!

Let's jump straight ahead and get the weigh-in done.

Monday's weigh-in: 163.5. (-1.0 versus last week and -3.5 to date)

Alleluia!!!!!! Yipee!!!!! Hurrah!!!!! [Insert cartwheels of joy here] 🎉

What happened??!!

I wish I knew! This past weekend, I did some more baking. This time, it was chocolate croissants.  

Maybe it's the French pastry diet?  Hehe

No, it's not. Last week I behaved reasonably well. I tried to eat reasonable portions, and I tried to eat mostly home-cooked meals. But the truth is, I also did eat out sometimes. And, last night, I had a tiny dinner because I had an upset stomach. I don't think it was from the croissants, since I only sampled 1/2 of one (to make sure it was good). So, the truth is, I'm not sure why I saw such a big loss this week.

But, I'm not complaining! In fact, if anything, it has motivated me to be extra careful this week. And, I'm going to be better about jotting down what I'm eating, if I'm exercising (and how much), and how my tummy reacts to it all. Hopefully that way I will have a better idea of why my weight fluctuates.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy this new weight (probably my lowest in over a year) and hope that the downward trend continues!

Getting back into the swing of things

As I mentioned last time, I spent the previous week baking delicious treats and I was reasonably pleased to see that I hadn't completely gone overboard.

This past week, the trend towards more French behavior continued (moderately) as I focused on more home-cooking and got a bit more exercise in. But, on the downside, the approach of Halloween has meant that there has been more free candy crossing my path, and it's hard to resist candy miniatures. 

Monday's weigh-in: 164.5. (-0.5 versus last week and -2.5 to date)

Phew! Am I relieved!

For this week, my focus is going to be on menu planning, healthy meals, and moderate exercise. Today's been a scorcher, so I'm not really in the mood to go out for a walk or a bike ride, but temps should drop later in the week, so hopefully a few brisk walks will work their way into my schedule.

p.s. My new goal is to lose between 0.5 - 1 lbs each week. I'm hoping to be a bit lighter by the time I travel back east to see my husband's family at Thanksgiving. And, my Maman's family may be coming to visit for Christmas, and I really don't want them to see me as I am right now!  So, I have two things to motivate me.

Back again, baking again

This past weekend I took another baking class: Viennoiserie at Home. Viennoiserie refers to "laminated" dough, like the one used for croissants and Danish pastries. So, we made croissants, pain su chocolat, assorted fruit Danishes, and brioche. 

Of course, this meant we had to taste what we made. :)

We each went home with lots of goodies. I kept some but gave a bunch away. 

Despite this, I'm sure these delicious treats didn't leave my waistline unscathed. 

Tuesday's weigh-in: 165. (-0.5 versus last week and -2.0 to date)

I guess I'll call this a success, since I managed to go back down a bit despite the enjoyment of numerous buttery baked goods. 

Now, the treats are gone. Time to get serious!

And, we're back!

Well, I'm back.

If you're following this blog at all, you already know that last week Monsieur and I went on vacation. We decided to drive to Santa Barbara, and boy, was it relaxing. Guidebooks call that area of California the "American Riviera". When I first read that I thought to myself, "Yeah, right. Nice try." But I think there may be something to it. Strolling along the tree-lined, extra-wide sidewalks you feel like you could be in some delightful European beach town. It really was wonderful and I would definitely go back.

I think I was pretty good about portion control. Monsieur and I typically would split lunches and share appetizers. And, I actually did take part of my dinner back to our hotel one evening because I already felt more than satisfied. But I do think I ate more at dinner time than usual.

I also discovered a wonderful ice cream shop that is based in Santa Barbara: McConnell's. 

They have as assortment of delicious flavors, but my favorite (by far) was Black Coffee Chip. It's a blend of espresso and drip coffees plus some very finely shredded Guittard chocolate. Heaven! So, I was a bit relaxed about my treat intake.

On the plus side, we took some long walks and swam almost every day, so I hope that helped to balance things out a little bit.

Still, given all that, I wouldn't be surprised if the scale wasn't as complimentary as it was before I left. 

Monday morning weigh-in: 165.5. (+1.5 since last week and -1.5 to-date)

Gulp.

So, I was hoping that the result would have been a bit better. But, I managed to get things moving in the right direction before, so I should be able to do it again, right? Right.

So, here we go!

Early check-in

Next week, Monsieur and I are going on a mini-vacation. Actually, it will be our first non-family, non-wedding-related trip in over a year. My last real vacation was three years ago now, and it was just before papa got sick. So, I am really looking forward to it. We are going on a road trip and several days of poolside lounging are planned.

Since I won't be around next week and I'm not planning on bringing my laptop (or my scale!) I thought I would check to see how things were going, weight-wise.

Friday morning weigh-in: 164. (No change since Monday and -3.0 to-date)

Of course, this is not quite the same as if I had weighed myself on Monday, but I am actually quite happy to see that things are holding steady.

This week has been a monster. Maman got sick this week, too, and our caregiver got the stomach flu, so for the past 3 days I have been 'on duty' full-time. As a result, my meals have been a bit erratic. Especially yesterday. But, the caregiver will be back today so that will (hopefully) give me a chance to regroup and get ready for my vacation.

See you in a week!

Getting ready for Fall

Many years ago, I absconded with a steamer trunk that my dad actually used on a transatlantic voyage. It's not quite Louis Vuitton or Goyard, but it's definitely the genuine article.

Ever since, I've used it to store my 'off-season' wardrobe. Twice a year (spring and fall) I open the trunk and pull out clothes for the upcoming season. While I'm at it, I usually also review each piece I'm pulling out to make sure (1) it still fits, (2) it's still appropriate for my lifestyle/age, and (3) I still love it. If something no longer meets all three criteria, I usually set it aside and either donate it or sell it.

Well, today was the day for my trunk opening. Out came wool skirts and pants, some bulkier sweaters, and a few "holiday" dresses. In went my breeziest tops, my eyelet dresses, and anything in too light or pastel a color.

Next, I tried on my fall/winter clothes.

The good news was that most pieces still fit me. (Criterion #1, check!)

And, most pieces are still appropriate for my lifestyle and age. (Criterion #2, check!) 

So then, the last question is, "Do I love them?" Ah, here we get to the real problem.

Unlike Spring clothes, which easily put a big smile on my face, Fall clothes tend to bore me. In theory, Fall fashion is the best. The magazines are full of beautiful jackets, rich knits, and delightful accessories (hats, scarves, gloves!) and I love it all. But the reality is that in my day-to-day life--at least, my Fall/Winter life--my uniform consists primarily of jeans, long-sleeve t-shirts, and wool cardigans. I just don't wear skirts or wool slacks, unless there's some special occasion that calls for a dressier look. And as for button-downs, I hate ironing. Le sigh...

As a result, I feel a huge desire to edit and simplify my wardrobe even further. Then, once that is done, I will be able to clearly see where gaps exists and what I need to shop for to fill those.

For now, I must trudge through the hard part and look forward to the fun to come. :)

Checking In Again

It's Monday morning again, and that means it's time to check in.

First, in terms of sticking to the principles of the French Diet, I think I did fairly well. We did eat out more than I might have liked, but I think I was a lot better about portion control. I also ate more vegetables (specifically, tomato salads) as the first part of my dinner, and found that that helped me to scale back on the starch/protein portions of the meal.

Another thing that I think helped was that I was much more aware of my treat intake. I started to realize that little things do add up, so I tried to rein myself if a bit more. And, when I knew there would be dessert one evening as part of a celebratory dinner, I was careful to not overstuff myself during the earlier courses.

At first glance, I thought I hadn't really exercised much this past week. That's because I didn't go cycling or anything too strenuous (I only danced once). But then I realized that I did go for 20-30 minute walks at least 3 times during the week. And although this were at a more leisurely pace than my usual 40 minute walk, perhaps just the fact that I walked more frequently helped? At least, that's what I'm thinking after seeing the results on the scale. Which leads me to the part we've all been waiting for. 

How did I do?

Weekly weigh-in: 164.0 (-0.5 versus last week and -3.0 to-date) 

YIPEEEEE!!!!!

I was so happy to see the result on the scale this morning, because I really didn't expect that. This week, I'm going to try to continue to be more aware of treats and amounts I'm eating, and I am going to see if I can exercise more frequently, even if it's for less time or less strenuously, to see how that might affect things.

164 is the lowest I've been in who knows how long. If I can get below that, I will really feel a sense of accomplishment.

Marchons!

Monday, Monday

How does the old The Mamas and The Papas song, Monday Monday, go?

Monday, Monday
So good to me...
Monday, Monday
It was all I hoped it would be... 

Well, that sounds about right. At least, today it does.

Why? Well, let's just jump straight to the bottom line.

Weekly weigh-in: 164.5 (-0.5 versus last week and -2.5 to-date) 

To be honest, I'm not sure how that happened. I think I ate a bit less because this weekend I had to go help out mes parents more than usual/expected and so I felt like I ran around more and didn't have time to sit around and eat. There was definitely less snacking. Also, I ate more salad than usual because we reaped the benefits of our summer planting and I had tons of cherry tomatoes that had to be eaten or they would spoil. So, salad made up a larger percentage of my actual dinner meal. But, I also did some baking and we enjoyed the fruits of my labor. (Specifically, we enjoyed a strawberry & raspberry tart made with chocolate pastry cream filling and chocolate Pâte Sucrée.)

I've gotten a bit lax about recording what I've been eating in the past several weeks. I think perhaps I need to go back to that. That way I might be able to figure out what I did that worked (or that didn't).

In any case, I'm definitely happy to see things move in the correct (downward) direction. I need to remember this feeling the next time I think about buying some worthless candy bar or other junk dessert.

Genes or Jeans?

Yesterday I had an "a-ha!" moment.

My papa has had some health issues in the past couple of years, and as a result of those plus a few falls, he hasn't been able to walk properly, unassisted, for over a year now. He's had physical therapy, but usually a big part of that is doing your homework. They say that the best way to retrain your brain to walk is by walking.

Unfortunately, papa takes to this advice in fits and spurts. One day, he'll be gung-ho and do a bunch of exercise. The next day, he won't do anything. And then, he grumbles that he "isn't making any progress".

Invariably, this results in frustration all around. I start thinking, "Well, how can you expect to progress if you don't change what isn't working?" and then, "If you don't really want to get better, just admit it and stop complaining about it."  Not very nice. Luckily, most of the time, I use my inner monologue for these thoughts. Most of the time...

Anyway, so that's when I had my "a-ha!" moment. I realized that it isn't really fair to criticize papa when I am exactly the same way.  I keep saying that I don't like how I look, that I don't like feeling frumpy and overweight, that I want to change, but then, how much have I changed, really?

I know what I need to do. Eat sensibly. Eat less (at least for a while to make up for years of over-eating). Exercise more. The entire French diet is based on simple logic and good sense, plus a healthy dose of self-respect and self-esteem.

So, why don't I do it? Will my genes get in the way of fitting into my other jeans forever??

I'd like to believe that I am not a victim to genetics, and that I actually can effect some change in my life. I'd like to believe that I can be disciplined.

Perhaps what I need to do is stop focusing so much on changing my papa and instead focus on changing myself. Then, after I have demonstrated through my own life that it's possible, will I be able to urge him on. Otherwise, I'm just being a hypocrite (albeit a well-meaning one).

Check-in time

Well, here we are again on a Tuesday and this time, it's the first Tuesday after a long holiday weekend. I hope everyone was able to relax and enjoy some time away from the usual routine.

Looking back over the past week, here are some highlights/thoughts:

• Last week, for some reason, felt incredibly busy and hectic. As a result, I did a lot less cooking and a lot more take-out. Not exactly the best when you are trying to eat carefully.
• Long weekends tend to go hand in hand with breakfasts that are eaten out. And breakfasts that are eaten out tend to be synonymous with pancakes/waffles/french toast for me. Again, not exactly a very French breakfast.
• Long weekends also frequently seem to include more treats than usual. This weekend, that meant sharing some patisserie and a milkshake with Monsieur.
• On the plus side, more free days with Monsieur often add up to more exercise, since he is often the one to encourage me to do something active. This weekend included some bike riding and swimming, in addition to my XBX exercises.

Weekly weigh-in: 165.0 (No Change versus last week and -2.0 to-date) 

Final Grade:  C

Bottom line:  I'm actually a bit relieved that my weight stayed flat, especially after some of the treats we ate. I now have a good idea of what inputs/outputs will lead to a status quo/flat weight, so what I have to do is be more aware and attentive if I want to lose any weight this week. Fingers crossed...

Happy Labor Day

I can't believe it is already Friday. This week was a blur. Several appointments and other to do's made the time fly by.  What's even worse is that I didn't realize, until today, that it's Labor Day weekend already!!

Sadly, I have no major plans. No weekend getaways or fabulous parties or anything of the sort. On the plus side, that means I have time to do whatever...

Maybe I'll take some time to get ready for the upcoming Fall season by going through my closet.

Or perhaps, I will go to a movie.

Maybe I will bake something.

Who knows?

Whatever you're doing, I hope you have a happy and safe holiday!

September Issue

After the disaster that was the Kimye cover of April Vogue, I decided to cancel my subscription. The issues in the months that followed did nothing to make me think I'd made a mistake. 

Then, I saw it. 2014's September issue. 

Finally! A cover that didn't feature an actress, singer, or (shudder) reality TV star. 

I think I read somewhere that it's been ten years since the September issue featured models. 

I'm hoping that this cover signals a return to the Golden Age of Vogue. I don't expect them to banish celebrities entirely, but a little variety would be most welcome. 

Checking in again

The past couple of days have been a bit hectic, so I haven't been able to sit down until now to prep this check in. But finally, I have a moment, so time to face the music. 

What happened since last week:

• I started doing my XBX exercises in the morning after Monsieur decided to start his 5BX exercises. I'm not sure yet if I prefer doing them first thing in the morning, or with some other aerobic exercise later in the afternoon.
• No major change in food patterns, except that I still need to avoid getting sweets to have around the house because I don't yet have the French willpower to say "non". 
• Monsieur and I have decided to go on vacation sometime in September. I feel that I need to step things up so that the vacation photos will not be so disappointing. :(

Weekly weigh-in: 165.0 (-0.5 versus last week and -2.0 to-date) 

Final Grade:   C+

Bottom line:  Things are a bit better, but, as I mentioned last week, the total amount of change since I started this is just too little.

5BX

When I told Monsieur that I had discovered Helen Mirren's XBX exercise plan, he surprised me by saying that he had heard of the male version, the 5BX plan, from his grandfather. Apparently, Grandpa was in the Royal Canadian Reserve and that's where he learned and did the 5BX. Like the women's XBX plan, the 5BX is a combination of calisthenics and aerobic exercise and the difficulty level increases gradually. Also like XBX, they stress the importance of consistency and continuity.

That's my problem, being consistent. it's like I need Nike here to remind me every single day to Just Do It!.  See, this week, I have already not just done it. We had some minor house emergencies (fridge almost died, mold was found in new shower, that sort of thing) and I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. By the time I finally have a chance to catch my breath, it's dark out and the last thing I want to do is exercise. Even just 12 minutes of exercise. Ugh...

Well, today is a new day, you might say. You'd be right, of course. But last night, for reasons that totally escape me, I had insomnia and I couldn't sleep until about 4 a.m. Grrrrr! So, I'm feeling pretty dead. Still, it is only 12 minutes, so perhaps I can do it, after all. Especially since I now have competition from Monsieur. ;)

Checking in

This past week, there were some things I did well, and some that I didn't.

Let's quickly recap:

• Exercise picked up quite a bit. I dusted off my Wii dance games and probably danced 4 days last week.  3 times I danced for 30-45 minutes, and once for only about 20 minutes. This is something I hope to continue.
• I decided to do my XBX exercises as a warm-up before starting my Wii dancing. That was good, but since I have to do those every day, it will only work if I dance or do some other exercise that reminds me to do the XBX exercises every day!
• Most dinners were home-cooked and reasonably healthy. Some lunches were eaten out again. This continues to be an issue.
• I made a lemon cake last week, and I also bought some peanut butter cups to have as the rare treat. Unfortunately, consumption of both was anything but "rare". Lesson: best to avoid having these things around until I think more like a real French person. Sigh...

Weekly weigh-in: 165.5 (+0.0 versus last week and -1.5 to-date) No change.

Final Grade:   D-

Bottom line:  Relieved that things haven't gotten worse, but really, after all this time, the miniscule to-date change is embarassing. :(

TGIF

6 p.m. on Friday evening.  Thank God this week is finally over! For some reason I've felt somewhat out of sorts for the past couple of days. Perhaps it's a combination of the recent news (Robin Williams passing away, violence in Iraq, racial tensions in Missouri, etc., etc.,) and feeling overdue for a real vacation.

Luckily, my new Wii dance games arrived today. I ended up ordering both Just Dance 2014 and ABBA You Can Dance and I'm dying to try them out. I will, as soon as I finish this quick post.

Expect a review next week. ;)

I'm hoping that a little aerobic fun, followed by a simple home-cooked meal (roasted chicken, rice, and roasted asparagus--very French, non?) will lift my mood. If that doesn't work, I may have to do something drastic like book a weekend getaway or go for a mani/pedi or buy some shoes! :)

Anyway, I've noticed that I've been snacking a lot today. Seems to happen more when I'm feeling a bit low. Deep down I know that I won't actually feel better, but there's an autonomous part of me that reaches for a bit of chocolate. At least I also ate some fruit, so it wasn't all bad.

Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend.

Just Dance

Yesterday, I decided to pull out an old favorite: the Wii and my Just Dance 4 game.

It's been a few months since I last danced around with my Wii and I could tell I was quite out of shape, but it was so much fun!  I probably spent about 35 minutes with that game before switching to the Michael Jackson The Experience game.

I love, love, love Michael Jackson's music and my favorite thing to do is finish up with Thriller.

After about 45 minutes of total aerobic fun I was dripping sweat and my heart was pumping pretty hard. It was definitely a workout. But the best part is it just felt like fun.

Now I'm thinking about adding to my collection of Wii dance-style games.

Perhaps ABBA You Can Dance or else Just Dance 2014, which has Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams on Get Lucky?  I don't think I can go wrong with either!

Checking In

I have to admit, this past week, I have not done a good job of being aware of what I've been eating. This makes doing a check-in difficult as all my answers to the usual questions (Did I control my portions? Did I snack?) would be vague at best.

So this week, I'm jumping straight to the bottom line.

Weekly weigh-in: 165.5 (+0.5 versus last week and -1.5 to-date)

Final Grade: D  

So, here's what I do know: 

• Lunches were (again) mostly eaten out.
• I discovered Five Guys and the fact that I can eat their fries (I'm allergic to canola and corn oils, which are frequently used in fryers) is probably dangerous.
• We had friends in town, friends staying with us, and friends having birthdays all in one week. Therefore, I had more dinners out, more treats, and less portion control overall.
• I decided I didn't want to forget everything I learned in my pastry class, so I made individual fruit tarts from scratch for our friends' birthday celebration. Pastry includes a lot of butter. 
• I got back on my bike (finally!) but only once, and for a relatively short ride. All other exercise was virtually non-existent.
• I'm in serious trouble if I can't even find 12 minutes a day to exercise (that's the amount of time needed to do the XBX exercises I wrote about last week).
• Pasta is delicious but makes me feel very bloated and unhappy the next day. :(

Anyway, I have to get back on the wagon and start planning my meals and being more aware of what I'm eating, how much I'm eating, and whether or not I'm moving enough. Otherwise, I should just abandon this experiment now and save us all the heartache.

Visiting Dignitaries

This week we've had a number of friends visiting. Yesterday, Monsieur's parents' friends came to spend the day (and night) before catching their flight out this morning. And, overlapping, some old friends from the Great White North are in town all this week. As a result, there have been quite a few social gatherings and meals eaten out. And, to top it off, on Friday we are having some other friends over for dinner, to celebrate their birthdays. Phew!

It feels a bit more difficult to stay the (French) course when you're out eating with friends, at least for me.  Sometimes, I get so distracted by conversation and menu options and that sort of thing, that I find it hard to hear my inner French guide reminding me about portion control or finding a treat balance. It's easy to slip into a non-French vacation mode and go back to thinking, "Oh, well, this is a special occasion so of course I will order dessert, even though I am not hungry at all because I already had appetizers and a good meal."

I'm not sure how to undo years of bad habits and retrain myself to think like a French person.

I guess that is one good thing about keeping this blog. It's an opportunity to recollect and think about what I'm doing so that I'm a more conscious eater and don't behave like a robot.

R.E.P.O.R.T. card

I may just have to make Tuesday my weigh-in days because I seem to have a hard time remembering to do so on Mondays.  Anyway, here goes:

• Real, natural foods: So-so. I've eaten out several times over the past week (usually for lunch).
• Enjoy the dining experience: Pass.
• Portion control: Pass. 
• Only at mealtimes--no snacking: So-So. There may have been some snacks...
• Run around--incorporate exercise naturally: Fail. For some reason, since I came back from Chicago, the last thing I've wanted to do has been to exercise. I mean, not even go for a walk! But I did start my XBX program. Unfortunately, I haven't been consistent. :(
• Treat yourself: No grade.

Weekly weigh-in: 165 (No change versus last week and -2.0 to-date)

Final Grade: C  Actually, I am a little disappointed because after seeing the scale go up to 165 last week, I was trying to be more careful about what and how much I ate, and mid-week I saw that I'd gone back down to 164.5. I know fluctuating 1/2 a pound is practically negligible, but I was still disappointed that I was back to where I was last week when I stepped on the scale this morning. :(

Bottom line: I think I need to get back into doing some aerobic exercise every day if I want to see the number on the scale go down. 

Le sigh...

Fit for a Queen

Last week I came across an interesting article on Dame Helen Mirren's fitness plan. It caught my attention because I recalled seeing this photo:

That was taken with she was 62 years old. 62!!! She just recently turned 69, and I don't think that she's changed all that much:

Honestly, I would love to look like that now! 

Anyway, apparently Dame Mirren is not a fan of the gym or of working out. (Sounds like someone else I know...) So instead, when she wants to shape up, she does a 12 minute workout designed for the Royal Canadian Air Force back in the 1950s. The workout, called "XBX" or "Ten Basic Exercises" has its own Wikipedia article and a link to a copy of the actual, original workout booklet. 

The exercises themselves seem relatively simple and straightforward. Based on your age, a chart tells you how many repetitions of each exercise you should complete within the allotted time. Once you master one level, you move on to the next one. No special equipment is required and the exercises can be done pretty much anywhere.

After reading about it, I decided to download the booklet and print it out. My plan is to start it this weekend. I can pretty much figure out how to get some aerobic exercise in on my own, but having this guide and some structure is just what I need, I think, to do something for tone and flexibility. 

I'll let you know what I think after I do it for a few days.

Rising Early

I'm not sure why, but Monsieur has been getting up extra early since we returned from Chicago. I never really thought of him as the type to get jet lag--he's never gotten it before. But for the past two days he's been up at 6:30 a.m. (Yikes!)

Today, I suggested that he go to work early and come home early, and he took my advice. He left at 7:30 and by 7:45 I was out the door, too. First I went to Starbucks for some coffee. Then, I went to Trader Joe's and to the supermarket to do my grocery shopping. Two major errands were checked off before 9 a.m.

Back home, I put away what I bought, did some laundry, tidied up the house, and performed some pool maintenance.  10 a.m. Then, my maman came over and I helped her run a few errands since she's having some work done on her house. We had some lunch, did a couple more errands, and by 2 p.m. I was back home.

By that time, I must admit I was feeling a bit pooped because I'd been going nonstop since rather early. Unlike monsieur, my natural wake up time was not 6:30 a.m.

Now it's 4:30 p.m. and all I want to do is take a nap!

Luckily, I already planned dinner and it's one of my easiest and favorite menus.  Roasted chicken wings, rice, and a salad. Once I've prepped the chicken and gotten the rice going in my rice cooker, all I have to do is make the salad, and that's usually pretty quick.

I could get used to this early schedule, but I'm not sure monsieur will like it. The (theoretical) advantage of going to work early was supposed to be getting home early, and there's still no sign of him, so...

But in either way, at least I felt super productive today!

R.E.P.O.R.T. card

I'm back from a really fun trip to Chicago and I'm slowly trying to get back into my routine. First thing on the to-do list was my morning weigh in.

• Real, natural foods: Pass. We ate out but the food was always very good. Fresh and well prepared. 
• Enjoy the dining experience: Pass. For the most part we were able to sit down and enjoy our meals.
• Portion control: Pass. Even though there were many meals eaten out, often they were shared or else I took home leftovers.
• Only at mealtimes--no snacking: So-So. My eating schedule was definitely off, especially in Chicago, so sometimes there were small meals at odd times.
• Run around--incorporate exercise naturally: Pass +.  Being in a new city with lots to explore = lots of walking for me, and even though I had been to Chicago before, that didn't lessen my exercise at all. TONS of walking around.
• Treat yourself: So-So. I definitely ate many more 'treats' than I would normally. But, I think that I partially made up for it thanks to the extra walking.

Weekly weigh-in: 165 (+0.5 versus last week and -2.0 to-date)

Final Grade: B+  Actually, I was very happy (and relieved) to see how things went, considering all the goodies I indulged in over the weekend. And, I'm actually wondering if I might have had a consistent weight reading had it not been for last night's spaghetti dinner. I hadn't made spaghetti in a while and last night's was delicious so I know that I ate much more than I needed to. :(  And, I have often noticed that my weight fluctuates up after a pasta dinner.  So, I'm hoping that things will come back down again soon.