Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed: A limetwist's life after losing it all

[limetwist]

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING! RED ALERT!

You are about to enter a zone of incredible nerdiness, gratuitous food descriptions, and ramblings/utterances whose topics range from the quotidian to the just plain absurd.

You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll stare in awe and/or horror.

You have been warned.

I’ve been talking about writing a blog for a while, even procuring a domain name, but I just can’t manage to bother with learning how in the heck to wrangle WordPress to my exact liking. For now, an interim solution will do. Consider this my Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed blogspace until further notice. My public awaits, and who am I do withhold my most private, innermost thoughts?

Well, then. Let’s get to the meat (there’s a joke there somewhere, I just know it) of it all.

A little backstory always helps:



Like many of you, I started as an obese, clueless twenty-something who spent the entirety of her post-pubescence indulging in the smorgasbord of processed food and sweets swirling about these United States of America. I carried with me a vague awareness of my poor physical state—standing at 5’8” and flirting with 220 lbs solidified my status as an obesity statistic for sure—but all-in-all tended to favor the “ignorance is bliss” approach. I didn’t want to face my demons, but who really wants to do that when you just finished polishing off that half-pound bag of Swedish Fish (but the label says “Fat Free!”)?

A couple years down the road, I managed to figure it out somehow. The proverbial switch flipped, and thus my journey began.

With the help of low-carb eating and exercise, I’ve done my part; I’ve shed the weight, killed the pounds, conquered the tub. I hit my goal weight of 135 pounds in May of 2012, after an arduous journey that found its humble beginnings almost three years prior.



So, this is the point where I slam my binder shut, throw down the pencil, and scream “DONE”!

Right?

WRONG!

Pick that pencil back up, girl.

So, I’m at my goal weight. I’m “skinny” by anybody’s standards.

I should be happy, right?

Nope, I’m gonna be greedy.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m pleased as punch to be skinny, yes, but “skinny” and “healthy” are not necessarily synonymous. I’m skinny fat. I’m weak. I still get winded on moderate hikes. I can barely hold my own bodyweight on a set of monkey bars at the playground.

I’m going to keep going.

I want to be strong. Fit. Unstoppable.

Almost a month ago I received an Olympic barbell set for my birthday, and thus my amateur weightlifting career has begun.

This blog will cover any and all topics related to life, health, and low carb. You may find recipes, food pictures, weightlifting reports, crazy rants, cat pictures, and everything inbetween.

I have some goals that I hope to achieve through the following year. I want to get stronger, building muscle and losing any remaining fat. I want to tighten some of the loose skin I’m carrying around from 80+ pounds of weight loss. I want to hike for miles without a hitch or a stitch. I want to work more and more to improve my cooking. I want to be a better me. Weight is a only a number at this point; while I consider it important to pay attention to and I plan to maintain, I ultimately am looking at body composition now.

This bright-eyed and bushy-tailed gal has got big dreams for 2013, and I fully intend on kicking its butt.

So, you’re still along for the ride, eh?

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

[Kateee]

Good to see you back

Count me in for the ride, I'd like to kick some butt too

[Gabby1]

Oh goody- so glad to see you back, Limetwist/Cris!

Someone was just mourning the fact that there were not that many maintainers posting on LCF and thus no one for the rest of us to learn from- to sit at your virtual knee and and hear about how you got there...

Great to hear, too, that you recognize skinny and healthy are not synonymous. I look forward to following your next journey!

Leslie (aka lramirez2000- changed my username)

[AsmallerME]

I'm excited to follow your journal. Your transformation is super motivating!!

[ChristineCQ]

Following, too! Our start stats are similar, and so so are our names! I used to go by "Cris" in college! (seems like a lifetime ago)

[h82bl8]

I'm hitching a ride. My starting weight is where yours was but I'm 5' 2". You are an inspiration!!

[Naples11]

[Low Carb Librarian]

I'm in...
I see you do Atkins and fasting... What was your plan of attack?

[limetwist]

Hi everyone! And I'm glad you told me about the name change, Leslie! I've been gone forever, it feels like! Thanks to ALL for the kind words.

Truth be told, I got a little derailed around Halloween/my birthday, which are the 31st of October and the 10th of November, respectively. You can see where this one is going. Giant bowl of candy, and way fewer trick-or-treaters than expected=candyfest 2012. And then there was another candyfest on my birthday weekend, because it was still there and then the classic line: "But it's my birthday!" I had candy, birthday cake, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, daiquiris, and ice cream. :| I was flirting with 140 for a few weeks. Now I'm back on the horse, and things are back under control. Sure, it was a fun few days, but I honestly feel much better when I stay on plan. I felt bloaty, gross, and seeing that higher number was just...depressing. Eugh!

Miraculously, I managed to have a completely low carb Thanksgiving. That helped! Now I'm back down to my comfort zone, and am focusing on strength training. I actually planned on really buckling down on body comp in January, but I'm getting an early start.

Originally Posted by Low Carb Librarian

I'm in...
I see you do Atkins and fasting... What was your plan of attack?

I guess I never really "truly" followed Atkins. I should really update that to low carb (will do after I answer this post!) I didn't read the books or follow any plans, but I heavily drew inspiration from that model of eating. I guess the main part is that I kept my carbs under 20 grams as often as possible, aiming for 10% or less of my total calories coming from carbohydrates.

I alternated between a protein heavy and a fat heavy diet. Both worked pretty well for my weight loss. At first, I ate higher protein and lost just fine, and the final stretch I switched over to high fat and also lost just fine.

I fast, so that means I spend 16 hours not eating, and then have an 8 hour eating window in which I consume all of my calories for the day. Typically this means only two meals for me. I'm not a snacker. Cutting out snacking has helped me tremendously.

What I generally do now is eat a small lunch at work, somewhere between 300-400 calories, as long as it's after 12 PM (beginning of my eating window). My dinners then end up being giant feasts of deliciousness in which I fill in my remaining calories for the day. Works well for me. I'm the type of person that likes to eat big. :P I've been doing it for almost a year now, and I don't miss breakfast at all. It helped me lose my last 20 pounds and I find it an effective and mentally stimulating practice. I truly appreciate the flavors of foods and understand what actual hunger feels like.

Some days, if I know I'm going out to eat, I will fast the entire day and just eat one grand ole' giant meal for my caloric intake for the day. It's very flexible!

Please feel free to ask any more questions; I'm happy to share my knowledge in any way that I can!

[GailyGail]

Limetwist/Cris, I am so glad I found your journal and I would like to follow you if that is okay. First of all, you look FABULOUS and congratulations on your weight loss! I think we can learn so much from you! And good for you for embarking on your strength training and fitness journey -- you will be very successful for sure.

I love how you don't eat much all day and then you enjoy your dinner because I do the exact same thing. I am never hungry for breakfast, usually skip lunch (if I have to go out for work, I always get something really low carb) and then I try to make a super delicious low carb dinner that we really enjoy at night. I am always criticized for doing this so seeing someone like you -- a successful loser/maintainer who looks amazing -- follow this approach makes my feel so much better. So THANK YOU! I look forward to seeing your recipes and cat pictures too!

[svenskamae]

Woohoo! I'm so glad that you have started this thread, Limetwist. Love your recent picture, love your writing and sense of humor, love your positive example, and want LOTS more. Please keep posting here--often.

BTW, I think it was your example that started me doing JUDDD--and I love it! Thank you!

[shelby'snana]

Good to see you are back Limetwist ! Nice pics

[limetwist]

Originally Posted by GailyGail

Limetwist/Cris, I am so glad I found your journal and I would like to follow you if that is okay. First of all, you look FABULOUS and congratulations on your weight loss! I think we can learn so much from you! And good for you for embarking on your strength training and fitness journey -- you will be very successful for sure.

I love how you don't eat much all day and then you enjoy your dinner because I do the exact same thing. I am never hungry for breakfast, usually skip lunch (if I have to go out for work, I always get something really low carb) and then I try to make a super delicious low carb dinner that we really enjoy at night. I am always criticized for doing this so seeing someone like you -- a successful loser/maintainer who looks amazing -- follow this approach makes my feel so much better. So THANK YOU! I look forward to seeing your recipes and cat pictures too!

I am so pleased to learn that there are others interested in following my journey (yes, even after it's all "over," the journey for healthfulness continues)! Please feel free to stalk. I'm really enjoying strength training thus far. It's a great fit for me.

It's the best ever, really. I absolutely adore cooking, so I place heavy priority on a main dish at night. I generally cook every night, but there are times when I make something large like a turkey, ham, pork butt, etc. and heat up leftovers for a few days. As a general rule, I like to eat hot, freshly-prepared meals when I'm at home and can enjoy them at their "peak," so to speak. I tend to take cold stuff to work.

You can be very successful with this model, definitely. I have had no issues with it after doing so for nearly a year. I feel brighter, more alert, and don't have to snack/graze all day. It tends to weird most people out when I tell them I don't snack, though. Thank you SO much for the kind, lovely words. I'm incredibly flattered and consider myself so lucky to be here.

Thanks to everyone else, too. I WILL KEEP ON POSTING! WITH PICS TOO!

[jade8187]

Limetwist, you are awesome! Have seen you around and have enjoyed your posts. Your writing style is a gift, a gift to all of us as well as we go down this road, so thank you for sharing.

You are absolutely beautiful, and skinny to boot. What dedication and determination this has taken, and then to step it up to the bottom line...skinny, but weak. Strength training is so important to all of us, we will be SKINNY and STRONG!

I hope you don't mind, I'm coming along for the ride!!!

Deb

[jade8187]

Originally Posted by GailyGail

Limetwist/Cris, I am so glad I found your journal and I would like to follow you if that is okay. First of all, you look FABULOUS and congratulations on your weight loss! I think we can learn so much from you! And good for you for embarking on your strength training and fitness journey -- you will be very successful for sure.

I love how you don't eat much all day and then you enjoy your dinner because I do the exact same thing. I am never hungry for breakfast, usually skip lunch (if I have to go out for work, I always get something really low carb) and then I try to make a super delicious low carb dinner that we really enjoy at night. I am always criticized for doing this so seeing someone like you -- a successful loser/maintainer who looks amazing -- follow this approach makes my feel so much better. So THANK YOU! I look forward to seeing your recipes and cat pictures too!

Hi GailyGail! Wanted to let you know, another Virgo here!

Deb

[limetwist]

Originally Posted by jade8187

Limetwist, you are awesome! Have seen you around and have enjoyed your posts. Your writing style is a gift, a gift to all of us as well as we go down this road, so thank you for sharing.

You are absolutely beautiful, and skinny to boot. What dedication and determination this has taken, and then to step it up to the bottom line...skinny, but weak. Strength training is so important to all of us, we will be SKINNY and STRONG!

I hope you don't mind, I'm coming along for the ride!!!

Deb

My goodness, I appreciate it all so very much. Rest assured that it is truly a joy for me to write my experiences; I am very verbally expressive, and this is one of those rare things I feel strongly enough about to share! I love helping others, and I live to entertain, so writing a little blog number just comes naturally to me. I can't wait to get stronger! I'll post about my lifts tomorrow.

But for now, TODAY!



Work. Every morning, this is how I start my day. Cup of coffee (locally roasted!) in my high-larious dog mug. One Mini Moo. 3 drops EZ-Sweetz. Perfection! And yes, you can see a bit of my desk back there.

I'm the lame one who eats lunch at her desk every. Single. Day. I like it that way.

After work, I had a nice trip to Costco for essentials and all that boring stuff. No fun food aside from a giant 2 lb bag of spinach. So cheap. So good. AhhH!

I did find myself a cooking goody while I was there...



It looks amazing! I can't wait to try it out. Apparently you have to condition it with olive oil before you use it. And it was only 19.99!

Here's my dinner of my favorite food ever, PORK BUTT! Well, maybe it's prime rib or something fancier. It's my favorite food that I can regularly afford and make taste good.



Giant bowl of spinach up in hurr. It was 40 calories for that HUUUUGE bowl the size of my head. Healthy eating is great for people who love to eat a ton like me. Ended up with 4g net carbs today. Also made some homemade cole slaw!

All in all, a good day! Hopefully I did okay for my first blog post. AH!

[hitsalot]

Good lawd...you are beautiful.. Congrats on your weight loss and good luck with your new goals!

[Luca]

SOOO happy to see you again...will always follow you.

[GailyGail]

Limetwist, your dinner looks really good! The homemade cole slaw looks terrific and if you have time, it would be great if you could post the recipe. Now, I really want to try to make pork butt as well. Your dog mug made me laugh out loud -- for some reason, the dog reminds me of Scooby Doo.

Deb, Yay -- another Virgo in the house! Limetwist, I think you are a Scorpio if you are a Halloween baby. That would make sense because Scorpios are a force to be reckoned with -- in a totally good way of course!

[Naples11]

Originally Posted by limetwist

Hopefully I did okay for my first blog post. AH!

YOU DID. Love the personal details and the sharing of your own journey with pictures, etc. This is exactly the sort of maintainer's blog that a newby should hone in on ... please keep it up, Cris!

[limetwist]

HI LUCA! Happy to be here! The blog is a great way to keep myself accountable, I've found. I'm looking forward to see what sort of madness it brings forth.

Originally Posted by hitsalot

Good lawd...you are beautiful.. Congrats on your weight loss and good luck with your new goals!

That just made my morning. Thank you so much, really. Comments like this are just like gold to me; this community is so full of kindness, love, and encouragement.

Originally Posted by GailyGail

Limetwist, your dinner looks really good! The homemade cole slaw looks terrific and if you have time, it would be great if you could post the recipe. Now, I really want to try to make pork butt as well. Your dog mug made me laugh out loud -- for some reason, the dog reminds me of Scooby Doo.

Deb, Yay -- another Virgo in the house! Limetwist, I think you are a Scorpio if you are a Halloween baby. That would make sense because Scorpios are a force to be reckoned with -- in a totally good way of course!

It's ugly as sin, but it was awfully tasty. I kind of make it a little differently every time, but I'll share with you what I did on that one:

2 part sour cream (2 tbsp), 1 part mayo (1 tbsp), splash of red wine vinegar, black pepper, dried spices/herbs of choice (I use Costco's No-Salt Seasoning). Sometimes I add Vietnamese fish sauce for flavor, other times no. Sometimes I will also add a pinch of erythritol for sweetness. Not too bad, really. You just need a creamy component, an acid component, and spices.

I am indeed a Scorpio. From what I hear, they are pretty fierce. Rawr.

Oh, and I love my mug. It's so delightfully corny.

Originally Posted by Naples11

YOU DID. Love the personal details and the sharing of your own journey with pictures, etc. This is exactly the sort of maintainer's blog that a newby should hone in on ... please keep it up, Cris!

Good, glad to know it delivers. I'll keep up that format. In all honesty, I haven't read many other journals in here. I definitely plan on checking them out! I want to see others' personal journeys, and see how they document their day-to-day experiences.

I intend to keep up the "photo journal" format. I think it keeps things interesting. Glad you like it.

--

So, woke up at 135.4 again this morning; seems like I'm sticking to that number pretty steadfastly. I'm fine with this, but I ultimately feel best a couple more pounds down with the way my clothes fit and whatnot. Still, I understand the number will be a bit different as I start to build muscles with strength training.

More on that later! I definitely will post the results of my workout (and my stats) tonight after I hit the (home) gym.

[kimbo6365]

Hi Limetwist,

I just wanted to say that I appreciate your journal! I'm a fairly long-time lurker on this board, and I'm so impressed by your story! This sounds crazy since I don't know you, but I feel like we are similar--I think we're around the same age, I'm also from the South (north GA area), and I also have an affinity for bright, rainbow colors and making silly thumbs-up poses for pictures. Plus, you know, the low-carb/weight-loss struggle thing.

I'm still smack-dab in the middle of my weight loss journey, and I can only hope to one day have as awesome an "after" photo as yours! I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but your after picture looks like the enviably, naturally thin sister of your before picture. So kudos to you!

Lastly, if you still wanna get your own Wordpress site up and running, I could help you out with some of the technical details--I'm a web designer/developer. Just send me a message!

--Kim

[shelby'snana]

Limetwist , I went off plan for about a week around Thanksgiving and went right back to LC and the weight came off really easily ....... which of course made me think I could do it again ( and for longer......actually wanted to go through Christmas day eating everything in site ) and of course, now weight is up,, way way up ! And my chronic back problems have kicked back in...ugh.

I LOVE LC foods and will just jump back on as of today. Muffins put into freezer, fudge in freezer, cake is going into trash.......

Will enjoy your posts and pics ~~ You are always so upbeat !

[limetwist]

Originally Posted by kimbo6365

Hi Limetwist,

I just wanted to say that I appreciate your journal! I'm a fairly long-time lurker on this board, and I'm so impressed by your story! This sounds crazy since I don't know you, but I feel like we are similar--I think we're around the same age, I'm also from the South (north GA area), and I also have an affinity for bright, rainbow colors and making silly thumbs-up poses for pictures. Plus, you know, the low-carb/weight-loss struggle thing.

I'm still smack-dab in the middle of my weight loss journey, and I can only hope to one day have as awesome an "after" photo as yours! I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but your after picture looks like the enviably, naturally thin sister of your before picture. So kudos to you!

Lastly, if you still wanna get your own Wordpress site up and running, I could help you out with some of the technical details--I'm a web designer/developer. Just send me a message!

--Kim

Hey, fellow Southerner! I'm from Kentucky originally, so Nashville is still very close to home. I love the South, but UGHHH! Why do we have to have Chess pie and biscuits n' gravy?

I still have that hat, actually. I should pose in it for comparison's sake.

I hear people say that a lot (not to me) but this is the first time I've been told the new me looks like the old me's sister. That makes me feel awesome.

And I may just hit you up for Word Press help sometime...I do graphic design, but not web design. :P Bah.

Originally Posted by shelby'snana

Limetwist , I went off plan for about a week around Thanksgiving and went right back to LC and the weight came off really easily ....... which of course made me think I could do it again ( and for longer......actually wanted to go through Christmas day eating everything in site ) and of course, now weight is up,, way way up ! And my chronic back problems have kicked back in...ugh.

I LOVE LC foods and will just jump back on as of today. Muffins put into freezer, fudge in freezer, cake is going into trash.......

Will enjoy your posts and pics ~~ You are always so upbeat !

Glad I'm not alone. I LOVE LC FOOD TOO! But I also happen to love the occasional cupcake, too. But thankfully, I am one of those people who can make a conscious decision to go on a crazy carb bender. :P I'm fully aware of my choices, and can easily revert back to eating low carb. I'm grateful that I enjoy all of the fatty cuts of meat, eggs, and other goodies that some have trouble consuming a majority of the time.

Good luck getting back on that horse. I feel for ya. It's easy to tumble off sometimes.

--

Now, onto my day. Just your average Friday of another long work week.



Gotta stay hydrated. Thankfully my work provides us with all of the free coffee and nice Japanese green tea we can muster. I've been trying to drink at least 1 (2 if I can) of those water bottles a day, too.

Also took a Free Lunch Friday pic, the saddest lunch ever! Hahaha.



It was free, so I can't complain. I came armed with hardboiled eggs; I knew when I saw the menu of fried chicken, grits, three bean salad, and cole slaw, I was done for sure. I got a few ounces of chicken out of that breading-tastic breast, though.

And now that the work day is over, IT'S A LONG WEEKEND FOR ME, BABY! I took Monday and Tuesday off because I had vacation to burn. Woot woot.

Oh, and you know how I was saying that spinach was the only thing I got at Costco?



I might have lied. ...now I have some work to do, don't I? Thankfully my fiance and I are egg fans.

Also, I lifted weights tonight. I use fitocracy to record everything. Here's what I got for tonight.

Barbell Squat:
- 45 lb x 5 reps
- 55 lb x 5 reps
- 70 lb x 5 reps
- 80 lb x 5 reps
- 90 lb x 5 reps
Barbell Bench Press:
- 45 lb x 5 reps
- 55 lb x 5 reps
- 60 lb x 5 reps
- 65 lb x 5 reps
- 70 lb x 5 reps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl:
- 5 lb x 5 reps
- 5 lb x 5 reps
- 5 lb x 5 reps
- 5 lb x 10 reps
- 15 lb x 5 reps
Jump Rope:
- 0:01:00
Dip Station Bent Leg Raise:
- 10 reps
- 10 reps
- 10 reps

Personal record on my barbell squat! It was tough, but I did it. Squatting more weight than the total I've lost feels pretty good.

Wow, I make huge posts on here. You all wanted my writing, now you're getting it. Regretting it yet?

[GailyGail]

Limetwist, your workout is impressive -- good for you! And I am also impressed that you did not cave into the carby lunch and stood your ground, along with your delectable hard boiled eggs. Hope you enjoy your weekend and your two days off!

[KCSoccer]

Limetwist,

Love your coffee mug and your sense of humor!

The first time I read a post by you on these boards, I did a double take when I saw your avatar picture. Put shorter blonde hair on your picture and it’s a spitting image of the picture I have on my phone of my daughter – same happy, goofy smile and everything! She is 25 y.o. and lives in Nashville, too.

I commiserate with you, too, on being skinny, but not fit. If you’re looking for organized fitness classes, my daughter raves about the YMCA and takes kick-boxing and zumba classes. I’m sure there’s more than one Y in Nashville, so if you’re interested, I’ll ask which one she attends.

I look forward to following your journal, and who knows, maybe we’ll bump into each other someday when I’m visiting my daughter in Nashville!

[hitsalot]

Originally Posted by limetwist

And now that the work day is over, IT'S A LONG WEEKEND FOR ME, BABY! I took Monday and Tuesday off because I had vacation to burn. Woot woot.

I also took monday and tuesday off b/c i have vacation to burn! INTERNET TWINS.
Also, 7&1/2 dozen eggs = greatest omelette ever.

-jeff

[limetwist]

Originally Posted by GailyGail

Limetwist, your workout is impressive -- good for you! And I am also impressed that you did not cave into the carby lunch and stood your ground, along with your delectable hard boiled eggs. Hope you enjoy your weekend and your two days off!

Thanks, Gaily. I've come to find weight lifting to be REALLY, REALLY fun. There's something incredibly satisfying about struggling to get that last set in and the relief and accomplishment you feel when you succeed. Plus, being able to lift heavier things will be an all-around asset for me. I bought a 42 lb bag of kitty litter at Costco the other day and found it so much easier to heave it around, despite only starting the program a month ago.

For anyone interested, I am using an Olympic barbell and weight set and following the 5x5 "Stripped" program:

Sean10mm's Fitness Blog: "Stripped" 5x5

As for the "self-control with free food" thing, my workplace has created an emotionless, iron-willed soldier out of me. Along with Free Lunch Friday comes (no joke) at least ten different types of desserts: cakes, cookies, pies, cheesecake, ice cream bars, fudge, etc. I've been working there since September of last year, so I've completely trained out the urge/desire to grab something. And then two days a week we have breakfast ("breakfast" is more like it): mostly packaged, processed crap like "Sugar Donuts" (that's what the package says), danishes, muffins, that whole thing. I'm an expert at ignoring all of it and just having my coffee and tea, and then making a LC-friendly meal on Fridays. Someone once told me that they had gained 20 lbs since working there. Yeesh. I've lost 33 myself since I started.

Originally Posted by KCSoccer

Limetwist,

Love your coffee mug and your sense of humor!

The first time I read a post by you on these boards, I did a double take when I saw your avatar picture. Put shorter blonde hair on your picture and it’s a spitting image of the picture I have on my phone of my daughter – same happy, goofy smile and everything! She is 25 y.o. and lives in Nashville, too.

I commiserate with you, too, on being skinny, but not fit. If you’re looking for organized fitness classes, my daughter raves about the YMCA and takes kick-boxing and zumba classes. I’m sure there’s more than one Y in Nashville, so if you’re interested, I’ll ask which one she attends.

I look forward to following your journal, and who knows, maybe we’ll bump into each other someday when I’m visiting my daughter in Nashville!

Thank you, KCSoccer! And that's incredible about your daughter. It's really interested to see people compare me to others, because I find that I rarely encounter that. I won't go so far as to say I'm a unique-looking person, but some people you meet in this big ole' world just really look like a lot of people, if that makes sense. I'm curious now.

We have some incredible YMCAs sprinkled throughout Nashville; each one is its own work of art, if you ask me. I'm tempted, but the one nearest me is still a bit out of the way and gets insanely busy. It's awesome, though. Giant pool outside with slides and stuff. I have my own weight bench at home, so for now, I'm going to see how my home setup treats me.

I'll keep an eye out for ya.

Originally Posted by hitsalot

I also took monday and tuesday off b/c i have vacation to burn! INTERNET TWINS.
Also, 7&1/2 dozen eggs = greatest omelette ever.

-jeff

AWW YEAH INTERNET TWINS! Let's enjoy it. I know I will. I think the biggest omelette I've made is 6 eggs..or was it 7? Regardless, it was like an inch and a half thick by the time I folded it over...hahaha. I'm sick in the head!


--

So, I woke up this morning to a pleasant 134.6, a weight I haven't seen in a while! While my goal was 135, (just an arbitrary measure of "success," so to speak) I have noted that I feel and look my best around 132/133 pounds, so it's very nice to see things coming back down. I'm not sure what effect that weight lifting has had on my overall weight, though. I'm definitely noticing some muscle definition in my arms. It's an awesome feeling! Maybe I can get the man to take some BUFF PICS later, aww yeah.

Of course, despite my bedtime of 1-2 AM, here I am, up bright and early at 8 AM. I decided to make use of my time and started some laundry and got an early start on lunch prep:



We bought six turkeys around Thanksgiving and stowed them away in the meat freezer. For .69 a pound, we would have been fools not to. Now it's time to break one out. I'm gonna butterfly this baby. I've never butterflied a turkey before, but surely it can't be that different, right?

Grab your kitchen shears and your big girl pants; you're gonna need 'em.

Lay the turkey breast-side down on a surface of choice. See the tail? The spine obviously connects to it, so it's a good measure of where to cut. Cut up the side of the tail, following the spine all the way up to where the neck would be. Generally, I make quick work of this with a chicken, but this is a 12 pound turkey we're talking about here. My kitchen shears did a pretty good job of making it through the bigger bird until one part, where it got kinda stuck. However, in a Herculean-like display of strength, I managed to hack out the backbone with much grunting and slinging of turkey juice on my shirt.



Ta-Daaaa!

In an equally Herculean feat of strength, I snapped the breast bone so the turkey would lay flat in the roaster, as pictured below:



JEEZ. There's my workout for the day! I put the neck, backbone, gizzard, heart, and other little skin bits in the bottom of the pan to soak up all of the goodness as it roasts.

Oh, and in case you were wondering: I made up a simple spice rub consisting of salt, pepper, and my seasoning du jour: Kirkland Signature Organic No-Salt Seasoning. <3 Love. It was like 8 bucks for this giant container that I have barely made a dent in. It's dried onion, dried pepper, carrots, garlic, tomato granules etc. Tasty.



Check out that fancy mise en place. Blowing you away, aren't I?

I also sprinkled a little crushed rosemary on top afterwards, just because it felt right.

Man, this turkey came with what was described as a "gravy starter" in a plastic bag. I accidentally cut it open, thinking it contained all of the delicious giblets, and got this nasty gravy crap all over the sink and on part of my turkey. Of course, the ingredients were completely awful--carby, crappy, fake, that whole thing. :| I washed it off and flushed the horrid brown liquid down the sink. Why is that we need these special "starters" and kits and stuff included with something as simple as a roast bird? Can we not do anything from scratch anymore? Stop babying us, America! Thanksgiving isn't that scary, sheesh. Why people are terrified of cooking is beyond me.

Poultry rant over.

Away she goes into the fridge to dry out for now.

Crisp-Skinned Butterflied Roast Turkey with Gravy | Serious Eats : Recipes

Gonna do this recipe/method. Hoping for some nice, crispy skin. I'll be back later, hopefully with some photos for y'all. Is it okay if I do multiple posts per day? I kinda like that method!

[jade8187]

Impressive Workout!!!

Really, does anyone cook anymore? What's so difficult about? I came from a large family, and we cooked and ate well, couldn't of afforded any other way. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, and all the deliciousness that comes with it The only thing is it can be time consuming when I just don't want to think about food, but still am sticking to plan, YKWIM?

Enjoy your time off, will be following you along your journey, I want to thank you for taking the time to share with all of us, so inspiring!

Deb

Oh, by the way, What time is dinner? Love me some turkey!

[ChristineCQ]

The 5x5 program looks very interesting! I do disagree with him on one point, though: I get a pretty good workout using the barbell that's supported by a rack (I don't know what it's called). We don't have a barbell at my gym (I work at a small college), but we do have this rack, and the stiff-legged deadlift and regular deadlift can be killer if you do it correctly.

Isn't lifting heavy great?? I notice the difference with the groceries!