DAY 16 - Got Kale??

As you know, Sunday is my grocery shopping day. I make my extensive list and head to Whole Foods to stalk up on all the fruit, veggies, and protein they have to offer. This past Sunday, I was trolling around the produce department in search of kale. I literally could not find it anywhere!! So I had to ask the produce guy (hate having to do that...). To my dismay he told me that they were actually out of kale!! Literally, they sold out! What the....?

Is everyone in the city of Boston on TAM boot camp? Or are the people in Cambridge just also obsessed with the leafy green? I could NOT get over this. The lovely produce man explained that the kale shortage was due to people "stocking up" on groceries over the weekend because of the impending cold and snow. Seriously? I have a hard time believing that!!

So, main squeeze to the rescue... yet again!! There is a farmers market/store right by his office so I asked him to pick up 3 bunches of kale (kale filled week we have this time around....). Now, the "bunches" at Whole Foods are pretty modest in size... appropriately so. I could NOT believe my eyes when I opened the fridge and saw an entire kale farm taking up like a quarter of the space in my refrigerator!! Got kale anyone??

This shelf normally stores a case of 1 liter water bottles... Just sayin'. I now have enough kale to last me for the rest of BC. LOL If only it lasted that long....

So here we are, day 16 with a fridge full of kale and a belly full of kefir*. Yup, first day on the kefir! I didn't mind it... at all!! I opted for the blueberry varietal. Tasted to me a lot like Dannon yogurt. I am not really a big fan of Dannon mostly because I think its watery and not particularly satisfying. But compared to what I expected the kefir to taste like... It was dreamy! LOL I could get used to this.

*Kefir is a cultured probiotic "beverage" (I ate it with a spoon) similar in taste and texture to drinkable yogurt, and made from milk fermented with kefir cultures. Originating over 2000 years ago in the Caucasus Mountains-where many people live well over 100 years-kefir has been collecting a long list of health benefits. These include potential benefits such as: enhancing the immune system, stimulating digestion, easing lactose intolerance, lowering cholesterol and controlling the growth of harmful yeast overgrowth. Probiotics, which literally mean "beneficial to life," are live cultures that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Kefir is gluten and lactose free.  Elie Metchnikoff, a Nobel prize winner, was the first to extensively study kefir and its links to longevity, documenting how kefir is an extremely effective natural ingredient that combats intestinal infections.

Not too shabby!! Note - unlike most other yogurts, there were no visible blueberry pieces in the yogurt. Bummer.

Moving on... I was -0.5 lbs this morning!! When I woke up, I was pleased by the appearance of my stomach which is something I never thought I would EVER say (to myself or in a public forum).... However, right after my workout, I checked it out again and I didn't really have the same pleasant feelings towards its appearance.  Hopefully, it will learn - over time - to stay looking lean all day long... Not just right when I get out of bed :-/ LOL

The muscle work today was mentally challenging. I just felt tired. But I powered through 35 reps legs/abs and 40 reps arms. Followed by 30 mins cardio... Lame, I know... but I really didn't have enough time for the 4th set. Ughhh. But in all seriousness, I think that 2 hours is really all I can commit to on weekday mornings which should be enough for muscle work + 40 mins cardio. I want to up my reps to 40 but am nervous I won't have enough time... Maybe I will try tomorrow and hope for the best. I feel a strong day coming on!! What I did really ROCK today were the push up arabesque attitude series and MAN could I feel it in my back (scapula area) after... felt GREAT!!

Lunch was a baked sweet potato. Yum-o!! Pre-TAM I didn't eat many sweet potatoes, as this was really on the "carb" list for me. But I actually really liked the plain sweet potato - no butter, no salt, no cinnamon, no nada - just sweet potato au natural. Mighty fine lunch if I say so myself!! I baked it last night, cut into cubes and re-heated in the microwave... It still didn't dry out!! Amazing, really.

Choco chestnut pudding for snack today... Yay! However I had to make a modification. I opened up my jar of chestnuts to find that they were moldy.... Whaaaaat?! Grosssss, I couldn't believe it! How is that even possible? Apparently they should have gone in the fridge... who knew?? So anyways... I basically used dates in place of chestnuts and dried cranberries instead of dates... The book said you could use dried blueberries... but cranberries is what I had. Sorry Tracy, please forgive me!  Still delicious and nutritious! (Being a stickler for the rules, I really hated having to "modify" this recipe. Just wanted to state that for the record. I will be sure to never make that mistake again.)

Wrapping some things up and then I'm off to an event this evening (in the snow!!) followed by a night full of prepping tomorrow's meals and (hopefully) going to bed e-a-r-l-y!!

Oh, and here's a pic of my tofu/romaine salad from yesterday... Jealous??

Lastly, thanks to you all for reading and for all the comments - they mean so much to me and really help keep the motivation going!! ...In TAM we trust ;)

Have a great night peeps!!

Xo
Kerri

PS - I apologize if I came off haughty yesterday by noting what my doctor told me about "ideal" weights. Obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone because all body types are different! I really hope that no one took offense by that. Also this should NOT be used as a gold standard because A. I am not an expert and B. it was not TA-approved hahaha. Lastly, I know that personally I have a longggg way to go - regardless of anyone's ideals or what the scale says!