Ten in 10 – Week 5 Update

Can you believe we are five weeks into 2010 already? It’s amazing how fast the time goes by.

I’m feeling a bit more upbeat for this week’s Ten in 10 update. I’m still not seeing the results that I would like as quickly as I would like, but when I am really honest with myself, I am feeling healthier, even if the number on the scale isn’t plummeting!

Week 5 Re-cap…

I had another good week of workouts (and will get an extra workout later today shoveling the 1 1/2+ feet of snow that are on the ground), but that hasn’t really been a big issue for me so far in the challenge. Instead, what has me encouraged this week is that I did manage to get some of my snacking under control.  If you remember my goals from last week, I was working on developing a meal plan, preparing healthy snacks, cutting down on portion sizes, and trying to avoid having too many sweets/desserts on hand.

I did pretty well with my meal plan this week.  A busy work schedule forced me to re-think a few of the meals I had planned, but I didn’t let it derail me.  One night we decided to go to Chipotle for dinner, but I asked if they would prepare only one taco (instead of three, which is too much for me)… They were happy to oblige (I love Chpotle), so I only had a single taco and did not derail my efforts! So, that was a win in both the healthy dinner and portion size columns!

I didn’t do much baking this week… I have been busy preparing for my trip to New York City on Monday and had a lot going on.  I did make some Crispy Nutella Treats, but I have managed to enjoy them in moderation.

As far as healthy snacks, I did pretty well on that goal, too.  I have been enjoying my Spicy Garbanzo Dip and lots of Greek yogurt with Cranberry Relish. Yum!

Next Week’s Goals…

As most of you know, I will be leaving for NYC on Monday for three busy days, including a cocktail party at the Spotted Pig, a taping of the Regis and Kelly show, the Electrolux cake decorating event to benefit OCRF with Kelly Ripa and Buddy Valastro (yes, the Cake Boss), and lots of get-togethers with some of my favorite food bloggers!  So, needless to say, I’ll be eating on the run and won’t be doing too much cooking.

I will be trying to prepare some healthy snacks today and tomorrow, prior to my trip.  I also plan to get in a good workout on Monday morning prior to traveling… It’ll feel good and it will help me sit still on the train, which is always a challenge for me.  I plan to return to my daily routine on Thursday, as much as I possibly can!

Here are my goals/tips for staying on track (as much as possible) while I’m in NYC:

• SMALL Portions – I’ll be hanging out with food bloggers, which means we’ll probably be eating some fantastic (but maybe not so healthy) food… I don’t plan to deny myself and miss out on the great food. Instead, I plan on just having a bite or two of everything and keeping my portion sizes small!
• Water – I find that I tend to drink more coffee than water when I am traveling.  So, to encourage myself to drink more water, I’ll be stashing a water bottle in my bag so that I have water to drink at all times.
• Healthy Snacks – While I may not be able to control what I’m eating the whole time, I do plan on packing a few healthy snacks in my bag so that I’m not tempted to buy candy and other junk food. I do have the luxury of traveling by train, so I can bring my own snacks.  If you are flying, I recommend stocking up on some healthy snacks at the airport *before* you get hungry… Almonds, pretzels, and baked chips are all great options.  Many airports will also have stands/restaurants where you can buy fresh fruit.

You can bet I’ll be writing about my NYC trip lots during the next week! Be sure to stop back next week for updates and details.  Now, I’m off to enjoy my snowy weekend!