The Next Hundred Pounds

NEW YORK NOMS

Airlines have gotten so incredibly stingy about baggage allowances. It makes me really glad that I'm enrolled in a good frequent flier program for a good airline (I favor Continental), because with all the traveling I do, I can easily make the lowest level or sometimes the mid-level Elite status and then I get a lot of little perks that make flying more pleasant. Free baggage is one of these.

But you're still limited to what you can carry on, and so here's a nifty little trick you may or may not know about: a lunch sack doesn't count as baggage, just as a coat doesn't count. I have a small recycled plastic shopping bag from Whole Foods, and it holds quite a lot. When I'm on the road, I can pack leftovers from home, stuff that would rot in the fridge before I get back, or healthy stuff that will keep outside the fridge for a while. This trip, I brought a big leftover hunk of banana bread and a bunch of single-serving sized packets of peanut butter, which I've been enjoying for breakfast. I brought the brand new package of organic raspberries which I foolishly bought, not thinking about leaving the day after. Some Siggi's Skyr -- Icelandic style yogurt which is one of my new passions (however, I don't think you'd get it through security, even sealed ... I ate it before). A few clementines, which are in season and which I highly recommend as a portable, delicious, good-smelling, healthy snack. I always eat a hearty breakfast on performance days, but the rest of the time I eat pretty light, so these items have stood me in good stead. I'll restock my little lunch bag for the trip home. My giant salads are the envy of all the other passengers who get a few brown-edged pieces of iceberg lettuce and a minature cheezeburgers in a plastic bag.

Last night, a friend took me for dinner to the Candle Cafe, a vegan restaurant on the Upper East Side. Highly recommended. I felt a little guilty walking in with my leather gloves and coat, but no one gave me the stink eye. Anyway, I highly recommend Candle Cafe. We both had the Cajun seitan sandwich on foccaccia bread, and it was amazing. I also found the only vegan cheese that does not make me gag: it's made with tapioca, and not only looks, tastes, and smells like cheese, but melts like cheese. I'll be on the lookout for it. 

Of course, I then blew the healthiness of that meal by stopping off at Jacques Torres for a cup of designer hot chocolate that was so rich I had to share it with friends. But on an icy night like that one, nothing could be better! Today, however, it's veggie soup all the way. It's okay to allow yourself to be seduced by decadent big-city chocolate once in a great while, on a cold night, as long as you return to the hometown values of wholesome veggies the very next day. ;)

Besides, 'tis the season of indulgence, and it's just too easy to let yourself go. I want to let myself go. I want to let myself go into a pair of size 10 jeans and a tight sweater than doesn't give up the back rolls. Take that, Jacques Torres. I'm onto you now, buddy!

One last note: at my audition yesterday, I ran into a cute young conductor who I worked with in Des Moines a few seasons ago, pre-weight loss. He came up and gave me a big hug, told me I looked great, and then confessed, "The only reason I know it's you is that I saw your name on the list. I never would have recognized you!"

Makes a girl feel all sassy.

BEST IN SHOW

What fun! Head on over to That's Fit and check out Melissa Joulwan's "Weight Loss Success Stories: Best of 2009". Yours truly is featured there as one of the "Most Inspiring" (you'll have to click through the photos; I'm about the 5th one in). There's also a link to Bethany Sanders' longer blurb about me and this blog, written last year.

Reading what was written about me almost a full year ago, I realize something very important. While I haven't yet lost that extra thirty pounds and while I still agonize and work towards it daily, I've actually maintained my weight loss for over a year. Sure, there's been a little up and down on the scale, but I am in the same size clothing I was a year ago. And that's a huge accomplishment. Besides, I'm definitely ahead in the fitness department. A year ago I could not have run for half a mile, let alone 5K --- which I now do regularly.

So, I'm happy about both of those things. My eating is much looser than it was two years ago, or even one year ago, but my weight is about the same. Running has opened up a whole new world of exercise to me. I enjoy it even when I don't enjoy it --- even when it seems, as it has lately, that I am hauling a booty and thighs made of cast iron, even when five minutes into the run I realize this one is going to be a chore and I'm going to do the whole thing shuffling like a granny (while the real grannies pass me on the trail, as they do). These days I can hardly drag myself to the gym, but I am always disappointed if schedule or the weather nix a run.

Often I worry about how my weight management has changed. Other times, I think it's an evolutionary thing. I had an extremely narrow and fierce focus for two solid years, and maybe it 's just not possible to hold on longer than that if you want to be able to focus on other things in your life just as fiercely. I'm not making excuses; at least I hope I'm not. I'm trying to figure out what comes next, how to keep fitness and health a priority every single day. The desire to eat too much of the wrong things is a wolf that never stops prowling outside my door. Every single day, I have to make decisions to keep that wretched beast out. Sometimes he gets a paw or his whole snout in, but for the most part, it's just a lot of annoying howling.

And I am still, still not giving up on that last thirty pounds. This time next year, I've got an important gig, and I would like nothing better than to sashay through the door in a pair of designer jeans two sizes smaller than what is currently clothing my cast iron behind. I don't do New Year's resolutions, but a long time ago, my dear friend Anna Cox Havron introduced me to the concept of New Year's themes. Around this time of year I generally begin to ponder what that theme should be. 2010, I'm thinking, may end up being the Year of Finishing What You Started.

THE SOFT FOOD DIET

For the past several days, I've been on a brand new diet: nothing but soft foods. This is due to the surprise bonus root canal I had last week when I went in to have some gum scaling done, as if that weren't plenty of fun all by its lonesome. I'd put my tongue in cheek but it might hurt.

It was quite an experience: they had to give me so much anesthetic that my heart started racing and I shook all over. Apparently this happens to some people; they had to back off and come at it again when the reaction calmed down. In the meantime, my face swelled up so much I looked like I did before losing weight, and that was pretty weird. I managed one not-so-great shot with my phone. Sorry for the blurriness, but I was shaking like Katherine Hepburn:

Look at my jowls! It's like a chipmunk with a mouth stuffed full of nuts!

Kidding aside, I was very grateful to my dentist for fitting in the root canal; 'tis a busy season and the last thing I need is a painful tooth when I'm trying to sing. The sensitivity is already a lot better, and it should be normal in another couple of days. In the meantime, it's been really chilly here, great for soup.We had our first freeze a couple of days ago, accompanied by a light snowfall, and I rushed out in it to clear the garden of the last remaining veggies.

I know it's not much, but we get excited about ANY snow here in Texas!

I had quite a haul, too: a bagful of chard, about 10 peppers of various varieties, an eggplant, 15 green tomatoes, and a little cucumber that was hiding under the tomato plants. Not bad for December!

Snow on the eggplant. It's kind of a shame about the freeze, because otherwise I'd still be getting veggies!

I made myself some fantastic turkey soup using up all my Thanksgiving leftovers and the last of my garden produce. Here's my recipe:

2 16 ounce boxes of Imagine No-Chicken Broth
1/2 bunch of celery
1 onion
2 carrots
2 cloves garlic
4-5 springs of thyme
1 bunch chard
2 peppers (bell, or whatever you have on hand)
8 ounces white meat turkey, cooked and shredded

Chop and sautee the onions, celery, and carrots in a little oil in a large pot until soft and beginning to brown. Salt to taste. Add garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped peppers, thyme, and chard torn into bite-sized pieces. Add 16 ounces of broth and shredded turkey. Allow to come to a boil, then turn down heat to medium and let simmer until veggies are soft and liquid has reduced by half. Add remaining broth and let simmer until heated through and you're ready to eat. Remove thyme sprigs before eating.

 This delicious soup is great with cornbread; this batch has been feeding me for several days now! When it's gone, I plan to make vegetarian chili.

Despite my struggles with dental pain, I've managed to hit the gym for some time on the elliptical and get several runs in. Experimentally, I took the Dachshunds for a short run. Now friends, you have not run until you have run with Dachshunds ... wearing sweaters. We got laughed at a lot, but we didn't care. To my surprise, they did really well, even Sammy (aka Fat Boy) and they kept me going at a pretty steady, good pace. A couple of days later, we went for a longer run, and again, they did a great job of keeping up. We did 5K, and they didn't slow down until the very end. Now, I don't plan on taking them every time, because it's a bit harder on me. I have to pay attention to them and I can't use my IPod, which (I discovered) is what really keeps me moving. My endurance sucks, and the last several runs have just been a chore (the chore of hauling a butt made out of lead-encased asphalt), but I keep telling myself that the important thing is to just keep going. I now much prefer it to the gym. On my last run, on Sunday, I saw wild ducks, deer, and one great big ol' mighty grandaddy possum. You don't see that in the gym!

I've got to keep on with the Moving of the Butts, because the cold weather makes me want to bake. I have a well-documented history of desiring to bake in cold weather, and it's exacerbated by the fact that 'tis the season. I would love nothing more than to immerse myself in a furious flurry of Christmas cookie-baking. But I dare not, because I would also eat a lot of dough and have some cookies too. I have done a little baking: the aforementioned cornbread, some pumpkin bread for my colleagues at school, and I did bake some fairly healthy cookies (low fat, whole wheat flour, agave syrup ...).  I'm happy to say that I did not pig out on either; in fact, they're still around several days later. 

This isn't the kind of baking that satisfies my craving, but the tradeoff is that I get to keep being slimmer. So all in all, it works out fine. And if I really feel the need, I can bake when the family gets here, and there are hordes of hungry children (not to mention brothers and cousins) who will happily devour the excess.

Speaking of the kids (my numerous nieces and nephews), several of them are becoming interested in cooking, and two of the oldest are really interested in nutrition. So I'm looking forward to having them participate in the fancy cooking Eric and I will do. Last year, my oldest nephew and his girlfriend wanted to learn to make a Buche de Noel, which I have made every year since we got married. It was a lot of fun to make one with them, and then all the little kids helped decorate. So now, I think a new tradition has been born and we will wait to bake one 'til the kids are in town.

Speaking of holiday traditions, last year our whole family went and had a couple of excellent group workouts with my trainer, Doris. (I miss her so much)! I hope we can do it again. And I hope to start another tradition with my two oldest nephews: running together. If I can get their butts out of bed early enough, and if they're willing to run with an old lady. ;)

ARMCHAIR PSYCHOLOGY

In response to my last post, Melissa J wrote, "I used to to be so high in anxiety about the Holidays....thinking about the food, the possibility of gorging myself that it nearly became a foregone conclusion. I've gotten so much better, and I can honestly say that this year I ate until I was satisfied, but didn't feel I had to gorge myself (like usual!). This is my second year in a row now of doing this! The best part is, as you mentioned, I've enjoyed the whole Holiday so much more. And I am more 'present' for my family...I'm not lost in my own thoughts over regret at intense overeating".

The holidays (or any gatherings) are a source of a great deal of tension for many people, but for chronic overeaters and people with other food issues, they hold unique challenges. I can't say the thought of holiday eating ever made me anxious, except the last couple of years when I was working so hard to get the weight off. But I did always eat too much; I did obsess about food; and I did feel awful both physically and mentally after stuffing myself at holiday meals.

As a teenager I loved to bake, and I loved to cook fancy dishes, and any excuse would do. (A cherished memory: one year I served a French menu straight out of The Joy of Cooking. My family dutifully tried the vichyssoise and then one by one, took their bowls to the microwave to ---somewhat apologetically --- heat it up.  Philistines. You see what I had to work with?) Anyway, this worked out well, since I also loved to eat. For many years, food was a primary focus of my family holidays, and we all pretty much stuffed ourselves, not just at the big holiday meal, but before and after. There were always chips, dips, fruitcake, popcorn, Chex party mix, candy, cookies, and pies around.  When we discussed parties we'd been to, the first thing we talked about was the food. When holiday plans came up, food was the central issue. And I can remember that, from a very young age, if we dined at a restaurant (a rare treat) and I didn't like the food, my disappointment was epic. It literally ruined the day for me.

I could probably sit here and list specific meals from my childhood that were upsetting. As I sit here and remember them, I am getting upset. That's how strong a hold food had over me. I have no idea where it came from, since my childhood was extremely happy and my family well-adjusted. The only thing I can think of is that children who are very intelligent are often frustrated because while they are smart enough to understand much of what is going on around them (and sometimes are smarter than some of the adults in their lives), they do not have the emotional capacity to make adult decisions. Eating is one of the few things they can control, and even then, they may be forced to eat things they don't like or denied things they do. Maybe my disproportionate reaction to disappointing meals had to do with losing some much-desired control. Ironic, no?

Whatever psychological twists and turns or hard-wiring are responsible for my relationship with food, I know they are with me to stay. They can be managed but not erased, and understanding that is enormously freeing. I think what moves me the most about Melissa J's statement above is the sense of relief, because I understand full well what it feels like to punish yourself relentless for your feelings about food; and for that punishment to be a regular guest at your holiday table. It does not have to be and it shouldn't be.

Beating ourselves up for being strongly attracted to food is counter-productive. It is not a moral failing. It is not an indicator of weakness of mind or character or will. It's just how some of us are wired. Add to that strong environmental influences : culture, society, family, peer pressure --- the list is endless --- and it is no wonder that people get mired down in years of confusion, frustration, grief, and shame over what and how much they put in their mouths. But the point is, you can change what and how much you eat, and you can change how you feel about that. You can lessen some of the intensity of your attraction and replace it with other things. It does not happen overnight, it is not easy, it is not free. It will cost you some soul-searching and some hard work. You'll mess up a LOT (which, by the way, is not only perfectly fine but EXPECTED). It is of absolutely no consequence how many times you mess up as long as you just keep trying.

And as many of us are learning, the rewards of sticking with it and discovering real change in ourselves are truly great. Sadly, until you are able to experience the changes for yourself, any stories you hear about them are just platitudes (that's certainly always how they seemed to me). But have some faith. There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and it's a truly worthy goal.

ENJOYING A FULL PLATE WITHOUT BEING TOO FULL

Yesterday, while enjoying the delicious food we'd had such a marvelous time preparing with our friends, I happened to notice something. It's not exactly revolutionary news and it's something I'd heard of before, but for some reason I happened to look down at my plate and was struck by the realization all over again.

We were using family heirloom china. Take a look:

Notice anything? I got out my tape measure and checked it out. The china plate is about 8 inches in diameter. The surface intended for food; i.e. the flat part in the middle, not including the rim, is about 6.5 inches across. Our normal dinner plate is 9 inches, with an "eating surface" of 8, and that's actually a bit smaller than most standard dinner plates these days. The ones in restaurants are a whopping 11 inches. And most of us fill our plates to the edges, especially on holidays. I also noticed that the serving dishes from the china set are much smaller, and these are 12 piece settings, meant to serve a large family. Now, you can refill serving dishes, but when I think about the subtleties of how food is presented to us both commercially and at home, according to what we think looks abundant and therefore inviting ... well, it's no wonder that we have outsized ideas about proportions these days!

A few years ago, shortly after we bought our first house and right before our first Christmas in it, my husband was laid off. We were terrified, but determined not to panic. We were also both working on an opera at the time (he moonlights as an assistant stage manager), and that typically means late nights and a lot of socializing over food. We didn't want to miss out on hanging out with our friends, so we decided that instead of each getting our own plate of food, we'd split one. And we were astonished at how satisfied we were with approximately half of what we'd been eating before! We did just fine. (This was long before we'd started on our healthy eating efforts).

It's easy for the bigger portions to creep back onto your plate, though. It's really easy to take "just one more bite". But those "just one mores" add up pretty quickly to just one more pound and before you know it, just one more dress size. So stand your ground. Experiment with using a smaller plate filled with food, if you need the look of abundance to be satisfied. Resist "just one more bite", or if you have to have that extra bite, plan on an extra five minutes tacked on to your cardio routine! 

And as we enter into the Season of Pie (and piehole-stuffing), maybe it'd be a good idea to tack on that extra five minutes a day of cardio , anyway. Maybe it's be a good idea to have soup and salad for dinner two or three times a week. Mark Bittman has some very good, reasonable, do-able guidelines for healthy eating --- check them out. Also, if your big holiday meal is usually at dinner time, think about making it a  late lunch/very early dinner instead, so there is still some daylight and opportunity to get out and go for a walk, play tag football, or do some yardwork before you head inside to warm up with coffee and dessert.

We all eat extra calories over the holidays, but we really can enjoy ourselves without going overboard. I really don't enjoy the "food coma" sensation or the guilt that comes with it. I think that's one of the things that made this Thanksgiving so very enjoyable --- the fact that I ate what I wanted, and really as much as I wanted ... and for once, it wasn't too much. Today I feel great and energetic rather than sluggish and too full. I can't wait to get out and go on my run (in fact, I'm already dressed for it)!

And I'm plotting on how to convince Eric that we need to eat off those smaller china plates every day. ;)

THANKFUL FOR THE PIE!

We had just about the best Thanksgiving ever. It consisted largely of cooking and carousing with friends and family. And there was pie. Lots of pie. (Specifically, there was ginger cake with tofutti cream cheese icing and candied pistachios; caramel pumpkin pie; and coconut milk mincemeat ice cream).

I am sated (but not stuffed!), relaxed, happy, and glad it's over. I'm ready to get down to bidness.

First, let me just say that this was the first holiday since I started my weight loss journey that I did not fuss and plan and worry over every last bite I was going to eat. I ate what I wanted and I did not eat too much. That's a minor miracle right there, and you'll forgive me if I have to marvel over it. Now, I could not eat like this every day and hope to fit into my jeans, but it was nice not to have to worry. And we did get in a good walk, though I would have liked a good run.

Starting tomorrow, I am going back on a 7-day-a-week workout plan. Until the semester is over, I'll stick with running 3 days a week and for the time being, do the gym on other days; but once classes are over I plan to run 4 days a week and try to find a Pilates class or some other thing that I will do and stick with. I am kind of done with the gym for now; I'd rather be out doing something, but I need something that will give me good, calorie-burning cardio. I also really miss strength training, but it's just not something I'll do on my own, for some reason. I need to find a program.

I love how I feel when I work out, and since I also like to eat so much, it's clear that the answer is to BURN MORE CALORIES!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

T MINUS ONE AND COUNTING!

Eric and I have been up since the crack of dawn cooking. Not because we have so very much to do, but because we keep old people hours. Don't ask me why. Over the past year or so we've just started waking up really early, and when that happens you might as well get up and get on with your life.

It's been a busy November so we didn't do our usual routine of poring over recipes and planning and plotting and making shopping lists and intricate battle plans. We didn't start the cooking a week in advance, like we usually do. Come to think of it, this time last year I was doing a concert with Andrea Bocelli, and we drove home afterwards and did all the cooking on Thanksgiving Day. This year we've had a little more time, but we opted for less complicated recipes, and I'm not sorry. We are also adapting them somewhat for less sugar and fat, and reigning in the carb load. Our menu:

Olives, smoked trout, and 1-2 nice cheeses with crackers

Elden's Pumpkin Soup

Brined turkey (we worship at the shrine of Alton Brown, and this recipe always turns out great)
Mom's Cornbread Dressing (one with turkey gizzards, one vegetarian)
Cranberry Walnut Biscuits
Cranberry Sauce with Port Wine and Cinnamon
Roast fingerling potatoes with Rosemary
Balsamic Braised Cippoline Onions with Pomegranate
Brussels Sprouts and Pearl Onions in Horseradish Cream
Caramel Pumpkin Pie with Mincemeat Ice Cream
Ginger Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Pistachios

Doesn't sound all that healthy, does it? But we use minimal salt and oil, and substitute lower-fat versions for butter and cream. We made the mincemeat ice cream using unsweetened coconut milk (50 calories a cup as opposed to 400 in a cup of heavy whipping cream); and used New Balance Buttery Spread instead of butter. We made the cream cheese frosting with Tofutti, which adds protein and is less sweet. Anything that calls for cream, we either use almond milk or Tofutti. You don't miss it, honest. There's still a lot more sugar than we would normally eat, but as long as we stick with reasonable portions, we'll be fine.

And we went for a nice, brisk walk last night. Today, I ran (it was a tough run --- slow and hard) and met Eric, who started out the other way on trail; then we walked back together.  If I get up at the crack 'o'dawn tomorrow, I'll try to get a little run in before the rest of the household is up and I have to supply them with my vegan pumpkin pancakes (which have been requested). We'll get the turkey in the oven, and, as is tradition, head out for a nice walk.

I hope you all have a happy, healthy, safe, and amazing Thanksgiving! And now I have to go bake a pie ...

Revelations and Ponderings

Well, for the past week I've been about to bust, but I can finally reveal the outcome of my recent audition trips to New York. Sometimes you find these things out quickly; other times it takes months. Once I even got cast from an audition I'd done a year prior. But this time, I did the audition on Friday and we were in negotiations by Monday.

First, the results of my October auditions: I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be back at Des Moines Metro Opera this summer, singing the roles of Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro and Mrs. McLean in Susannah. Both are old ladies; Marcellina can be rather tackily glamourous (think The Real Desperate Housewives of 1784 Seville)  or a hag, depending on the vision of the director; but she is a funny old lady. Mrs. McLean is a narrow-minded mountain woman and a mean old lady, but she has the most memorable line in the whole show. You'll just have to come see it to find out what that is. ;)

But one thrilling return is not enough. I will also be going back to my "alma mater", where I did my apprenticeship (and subsequently also appeared in Susannah), Chicago Lyric Opera. I'll be going as a cover (understudy) in two wonderful roles: Ulrica, the fortune teller, in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera; and Katisha, the rapacious would-be daughter-in-law of The Mikado. Both are great roles, and while I may not get to sing them on the mainstage, it's likely I'll get to at least rehearse them. And I'll get to spend time in one of my favorite towns.

So all this is great, but this is a blog about my struggles with health and fitness. And it's true that one of the first things I thought about after the initial joy of landing these contracts was, "Where am I gonna work out"? I should be able to run in Indianola (where DMMO is actually based, on the campus of Simpson College). They give you access to the university gym, too. When I was there before, I was quite large (see this pic) and while I did a great deal of walking over town, never once did I darken the door of the gym. 

And as for Chicago ... well, I will be there when it's quite cold and icy, so I fear there will only be running on the Dreadmill. However, on my next trip to NY, I plan to visit Jackrabbit Fitness, where my friend Robin works, and check out cold weather running gear. 

Now, Chicago is a year away, but already I have a dream. What if I could be at the weight I really want to be by then? I've lost a lot, and I'm not unhappy with where I am now --- in fact, I'm really happy that I'm pretty much maintaining, and that I am so much more fit than I used to be ... but I still don't feel finished. So I'm going to be giving this some serious thought.

I said all along that when my body was done losing, I'd know it and I'd stop. Somewhere along the way I came up with a number. The number itself isn't all that important, but I just still would like to get to the point where I don't feel "in danger" of ever going back to the plus sizes. I want a buffer zone! But if I am going to go back to serious weight loss efforts, I need to make sure I can do it right, without feeling like I am dieting or depriving myself or that this is some temporary effort. I am going to have to really bump up the exercise, for one thing, and that means NO EXCUSES. I've been ridiculously busy this fall, but if I have to get up at 5 a.m. to get the workout in, that is what I will have to do. I did it for a long time and I can do it again, if needs be.

So, with Thanksgiving nearly upon us (that's another post), I have a lot of pondering to do. A year seems like a long time but you know ... time do fly. Why waste a moment?

There hasn't been a great deal of fitness this week,

NY RECAP

New York was awesome. Here is photographic evidence:

Even though I got off to a late start, with a plane delay that caused me to miss my voice lesson, the overall trip was hugely successful. I had a great coaching on Thursday night. On Friday, the entire morning was dedicated to getting ready for my audition, which was not until 2:40. Generally speaking, I like auditions to be earlier in the day, because conserving your energy and waiting around is the hard part. Also, because of timing, it meant I couldn't work out. But I rocked the audition. Then I went on to another incredible coaching session.

On Saturday, I had a voice lesson and then I met a lovely lady, Susan Eichhorn-Young, who blogs over at Once More With Feeling. Susan is a musical theater AND classical voice teacher --- many people make the claim, but few can live up to it as she does --- and since I will be doing a few Broadway pieces on an upcoming concert, I wanted to work with her on authentic style. It was SO much fun. Good singing is good singing, but there are some basic stylistic differences between classical and Broadway. It was a hoot working with her. Afterwards, we cabbed it through the pouring rain up to Cafe B, where it was time for delicious moules frites and great conversation. I was very proud of myself for skipping the delicious European-style bread and butter, and dessert, and for not stuffing myself to the gills on moules, which were so good it was hard not to keep eating them. 

Sunday was a big day --- I already mentioned the wonderful run and the blissful yoga workshop. Both really left me wanting more! And Monday, I had a terrific walk in Central  Park before my audition.

 

I really, really wanted to run, but it's not a good idea on a performance day (at least not for me). Instead, I walked very fast. That was good, too. It burned off some nervous energy along with the calories, and juiced me up for the audition. Which, BTW, went very well. I hope to have news to report on that very soon. :)

From an exercise/diet standpoint, I continued to make improvements. I didn't get to work out as much as I would have liked, but what I did was really fun and made me long for more. I was much better at being mindful of my eating and making deliberate choices. That is going to continue to evolve, and it takes a lot of work to keep heading back to the track. Today, for example, even though I ate healthfully, I didn't write a food plan. And I should have, even if it was just the first thing I did when I got up in the morning. So now, with my healthy lunch and snack packed for tomorrow, I am off to do that very thing.  But I'll leave you with some pretty pics of premature Christmas decorations, from the mall at Columbus Circle. You may remember the view from a couple of weeks ago. Here's how it's changed!

 

FITNESS SUNDAY!

What a terrific day Sunday was. It started off with a run around the Bridle Path in Central Park, led by Robin Flynn of Running Scales. (You'll be hearing more about her in this space soon ). Philly Jen of Livestrong fame joined us, even though she'd done 11 miles the day before (!!!) and Robin's friend Susanna. We thudded along, chatting and dodging horse byproducts, and it was a LOT of fun. I don't get to run with other people on a regular basis and I really enjoyed it. It helps you pace and challenge yourself, it keeps you entertained, and in my case, you forget to suffer.

All the experienced runners (that would be everybody except me) had fancy Garmin gadgets to tell them our distances and other good stuff. We started at Tavern on the Green, looped around the reservoir, and ended up back where we started. Robin said we did almost 4 miles, and I was thrilled that at the end I only felt exhilarated, not tired! Jen also dropped a little bomb: apparently my big first ever 5K was not actually a 5K ... they mis-measured the route and it fell a little short! I don't know how this could have happened, since they have 5Ks in downtown Austin all the time. But you know, I'm not disappointed. I trained for a 5K, I run 5K three times a week, and in this case, it was the thought that counted. So there.

After the run, Jen and I headed downtown for a three-hour yoga workshop with another internet singing acquaintance, Natalie. Now, I'll admit, I was a little concerned about lasting through three hours of yoga, and especially with an audition tomorrow. Natalie had assured me that not only would I survive, but I would be refreshed, and turns out she was right! Natalie had us ass over teakettle in no time. Who knew I could do a forearm handstand or a headstand? I'm not saying I was good at it, but I did get up there. Can't do a handstand yet. But it was cool to try. And after the last hour of restorative yoga, Jen and I walked out feeling totally blissed out. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

As for my eating, I'm doing better. I've had some slips but at least I am moving back in the right direction. Saturday at breakfast, I lied to myself about what I was eating; made excuses, and as a result had more than I should have. But I did great the rest of the day, including passing on the really good bread and butter at dinner and stopping eating when I was full, though it was tough. Sunday, I went all day on a protein bar and a couple of smoothies (those Starbuck Viranno smoothies are quite healthy, less than 300 calories, and very satisfying!) until dinner time, when I had a healthy dinner. this morning, since I didn't know what exactly would be at the hotel buffet, I read my cards, went down and checked it out, then wrote a food plan before eating.  I'm doing a better job of reminding myself to strengthen my resistance muscle rather than my giving in muscle!

Finally, for Mamie, here's a post that will introduce you to some of the original concepts of my weight loss plan, including the response cards.

It's a beautiful day here in New York. My hotel is only steps from Central Park, so I plan to go have a nice stroll before coming back to prep for my audition and then begin the long haul home. Audition season started late for me this year (like everything else, it's all up in the air thanks to the economy), but it's been going great guns and I've already had some happy results. Can't talk about those until the ink's dry on the contract, though. In the meantime, I had a very good audition on Friday and am hoping for another one today. Send me good vibes at 2:00 p.m. EST, y'all!