A Joyous Friday Fess-Up

Hi everyone,

Somehow looking back on this week makes it feel longer than a week, even though not much actually happened.  I did start my second 3-week summer class and go to orientation for my 2-week gig that starts next week (hanging out with incoming Japanese students).  Maybe new beginnings are what make a week feel long.

Anyway, here is my Friday Fess-Up.  (Remember, this is all Tory's idea....)

Let's start with the Lows: This week has been characterized by me feeling hungry.  I have pinned down a few reasons for this...

1. Sometimes I underestimate how much food I can have during the day while trying to save calories for dinner, if that makes sense.  
2. I have also gone out shopping a couple times this week, and I notice that when I'm out running errands, I often stay out too long without eating and I run myself down.  
3. Of course, I sometimes choose less healthy foods that have more calories instead of filling my stomach with what is actually good for me.  

This hunger (or craving) reached its peak on Tuesday when I went a little crazy with the cupcakes (see Recipe of the Week below), but I got a better hold of my eating after that.

Highs: My weigh-in this morning.  I am down another 2 pounds for a total of 4 pounds lost!  And I know I am still gaining muscle while losing weight, because I have been doing yoga and I went for a run on Wednesday, and I have felt soreness from both.

I was really proud of getting out and running this week.  I haven't done much running at all since the half marathon, and I was afraid to see how much my endurance had dwindled.  To get motivated, I wore my workout clothes to my summer class so that I would go to the Rec afterwards, which worked!  I warmed up, ran a mile (without stopping!) on the track, and then cooled down.  11:30 exactly.  Oh yeah.  Now that I know I can still run a mile straight, I want to work on getting faster.

This weigh-in also reminds me that it's alright to have a bad day once in a while, just as long as you don't let that bad day run over into the next.

Recipe of the Week: Soda Cupcakes with Whipped Pudding Frosting.

There are a ton of soda cupcake recipes on the internet, but here are the basics.  Add one can of soda to one packet of cake mix.  Stir.  Bake.  I first discovered this recipe when Tory invited me over to bake cupcakes for her graduation party.  We used diet soda to make the cake even more Weight Watchers friendly.  

Aren't they so cute?  Yes, those are Princess Leia cakes.

This week I used yellow cake mix and cream soda.  The soda wasn't diet, but even so, each cupcake was only 115 calories with my awesome whipped pudding frosting.

Oh, you also want my frosting recipe?  This is a jewel I found in my Grandma Howe's recipe box.  Whip 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 packet instant pudding mix, and 1 packet instant whipped cream mix (like Dream Whip) until set, about 3-8 minutes.  This will make more than enough for a batch of cupcakes, so be careful!

Well, that's all for now.  I'm off to clean and pack in preparation for our... drum roll... anniversary trip!  Two years!  Woo hoo!  We're going tubing on the Niobrara, and I am really looking forward to it.

Bis nachher,
Amy