Big Plans. Big.

Whew!  Another week down.

I got through the second week at my new job and am feeling really great about it.  I think I'll be able to contribute something valuable while working towards an important cause with nice people.  What more do you want?  So, check!

But it has been such a busy week.  On Wednesday, I was able to meet up with my old friend Dr. Henrotta for a meet & greet with her new baby--a 6-week-old little one. So. Stinkin. Cute.  It is always a bit of an emotional smack-down to see someone that you grew up with become a parent.   Dr. Henrotta was such an important part of me growing up and doing that whole coming-of-age thing:  she came with me through the depth of teen angst and out the other side, never losing her sharp wit and laser-like insight.  I'm so glad I got to be a college roomie, give an embarrassing speech at her wedding, attend her baby shower and now see her being such a wonderful, caring, funny mom with her wee one.  I would say I'm speechless, but clearly that doesn't happen to me.

Thursday was my monthly book club.  The book was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which is about the history and the personal stories behind the (apparently famous, just not to me) HeLa cells.  The cells were the first to be grown in culture and helped launch the whole bio-industrial complex in addition to being the base for a huge number of medical discoveries--including the discovery that HPV causes cervical cancer.  The story gets really interesting because Henrietta Lacks was a low-income African-American woman who died of terminal cervical cancer in the 1940s.  The story of her life and the struggle of her family and her children is utterly heartbreaking, and calls into question all kinds of issues around race, class, biomedical research and progress.

Now, I haven't quiiiiiiite finished it yet but I do plan to.  Really.

Next month is Water for Elephants so I'm hoping I can get through that one in time.

My little "5 lbs in 3 weeks" plan is going spectacularly badly.  I've gained weight this week!  Since The Hub and I finished our workout program, I've gained 3 pounds.  Not acceptable--not when we spent so much money to get fit!  But without the structure, I'm having a hard time sticking to a workout regimen and diet plan. So here's what Ima do.

(Backstory:  I am completely obsessed with Leandro Carvalho and the Brazil Butt Lift workout.  OMG it is soooo good.  They are complete ass-kickers but they are so fun the time passes really fast.  Plus he's got this fabulous, thick Brazilian accent and constantly says, "this is for your boom-boom!" and "don't settle for less!"  It is Awesome.  LOVE.)

I am going to follow the Brazil Butt Lift Six Day Slimdown plan--it comes with the DVD packet--starting on Sunday.  It will be very hard, but I can do it!  And I will use this blog for accountability, to post my plan vs. my actuality every day.

So my goal for this weekend is just to get the shopping done so that I'll be prepared.  My shopping list is almost completely filled with veggies and lean protein (Oh, The Hubs is going to love this...).

Here's the plan for Day 1 (Sunday)

Breakfast:
One poached egg with 5 steamed asparagus spears, 1/2 grapefruit and 1/2 whole wheat English muffin

Snack
3/4 cup cubed pineapple and 1 string cheese

Lunch
Tuna salad (4 oz tuna--and oh yes, I have a kitchen scale and will be measuring that bad boy) with 1 tsp mayonnaise on mixed greens with cucumber and tomato

Snack
10 unsalted almonds (this just kills me.  I mean, really?  10?)

Dinner
Lemon chicken (4 oz skinless chicken breast marinated in lemon juice and olive oil) with 1 c. sugar snap peas, steamed

It actually all sounds pretty darn good to me, and I am looking forward to getting my boom boom in shape for summer.


Tomorrow I am running 7 miles in the morning with Running Buddy Phillis just to get into the swing of things.  Wish me luck, and I'll report back on Sunday!