Another hot day on tap today! Since it was about 90 degrees today, I decided to bike this morning to get in some exercise before it got too hot. I had a protein drink and hit the trails. My legs felt somewhat tired. I think the heat just saps out so much energy. Not to mention that I felt like puffer fish this morning from it 😀
Some beautiful morning views on the trail.
It was already about 60 degrees at 7am, and just a nice morning to ride. I did 16 miles today. On rides this this, I just go out and back with no breaks other than stopping for traffic and a drink. Came back ready to eat!
I made some pumpkin custard cream of wheat. Normally I sweeten this with a little brown sugar when cooking, but with the no-sugar rule for the next couple days, I decided to sweeten with some prune puree.
This was just some prunes I soaked in hot water and blended up until smooth. Kind of tastes like raisins, although prunes always feel kind of elderly to me 
Marisa did this with dates, and I might give that a try as well.
Busy work day today and lunch time came quick. I made a chicken curry salad. I am so in love with 4-5 ingredient meals.
This was:
- 2.5 ounces of cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 g) of reduced fat mayo
- 1/2 of an apple, chopped
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp of sliced almonds.
Mix all together and top on greens! It’s delicious. You know this would be BBQ normally, but no refined sugar again! Of course, you can all see that I won’t be doing this forever. Not gonna give up the BBQ sauce 😀
After lunch, it was back to the dentist for me for the filling repair and the new filling.
Me in the chair and kinda nervous. (Fran – this is for you).
I laughed when I saw how nervous I looked! I am a total wuss with pain.
Again, I love my dentist! He asked me if it was alright if he gave me some novacaine. So polite 😀 No pain at all for the drilling. Sometimes it is the fear of pain that is worse than the pain itself, you know?
After the feeling came back in my mouth, it was latte time! Snack with the latte:
I am pleased that these have lasted since Friday LOL!
I got a chance to do the stuffed pepper for dinner.
It’s basically just ground beef, brown rice, and tomato sauce stuffed into the pepper. I grated a little cheese on it and baked.
I really liked the filling, but I didn’t care for the pepper that much, so I only ate about 1/3 of it. I really liked the filling on the brussel sprouts, though!
Still good on the no refined sugar front. Looking back, I don’t have a lot of sugary stuff regularly other than fluff, honey, chocolate, frozen yogurt, and nut butter. I had to make some unsweetened peanut butter today, because I miss that! I don’t know if it is cheating to make something like a fruit puree or not. But, my challenge and my rules, right? I found myself wanting frozen yogurt today because of the heat, but that will have to wait!
I admire those of you giving up the caffeine. Like Miz – I could never do that! I did for several days before my mammogram last fall and was not a happy camper. Guess this shows where my true heart-of-hearts addiction really is.
Speaking of addictions – it’s bagel day tomorrow! Note I said reduced bread this week, not no bread 😉
Question: Are you affected by heat or do you love it?
Good for you – giving up the sugar. I don’t eat much of it either and cringe when recipe calls for it. My mind starts thinking of replacements as soon as I see it listed.
As for the heat, I HATE it! I love the summer but a nice 75 degrees works for me. A nice 40 degrees when I run. I’m pretty lucky since I don’t perspire a lot but that also makes me forget that I STILL need to drink water.
.-= Joanne´s last blog ..What a trip =-.
I love summer, but the heat is absolutely crazy! It completely wears me out when I am out running… I just find that I am so sluggish, and I sweat so badly, I am getting wicked headaches. going to add some sports drinks to try and even it out… 🙂
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Dumplings are terrific =-.
I used to LOVE the heat when I was younger and now, for some reason, I go out in 80+ temps for more then 30 minutes and come in feeling as though I’ve been swimming in 100 degree heat all day. Completely wiped.
80 with a nice breeze would be perfect.
I am in the Bay Area and it’s overcast and drizzly and was only 60 today. Very unseasonable weather :-/ Although I can’t take the extreme heat, I am ready for shorts weather!
Your doing great on the no sugar!!
Personally i love the heat, the hubs not so much.
.-= suzanne´s last blog ..Today’s plan… =-.
Thanks for the curry salad recipe. It looks like a keeper. Especially nice for summer. I hear you about hot days. I live in Virginia and we get hot and humid here. We bike together after DH gets home from work, right before sunset and that works in the summer. For my running though, I have to go early or I’ll wimp out. I’m getting up at 6 tomorrow and I hate to get up early. You DID look worried at the dentist. If only they could find a way to take the noise of the drill away . . . .
.-= Tish´s last blog ..25 Minutes–News Flash =-.
Good for you on the no sugar, Lori. Haha, I noticed you did not eliminate bagels in your plan. We don’t want to get carried away! I ate enough sugar in the breakroom yesterday for you and me and Shelley and Jill and…..
I had dates and walnuts on top of my custard oats this morning. Yummy. But I think I actually prefer raisins.
I don’t like green peppers at all. But I have found that I really do like red peppers. Maybe it would work in that. I also think you have to cook peppers for a while for them to taste good.
.-= debby´s last blog ..Everything Takes Time =-.
I’m not giving up the caffeine either! 🙂
I love warmer weather, but we’re already in the 80s by 8 a.m. and it’s well after dark before we dip below that again. I’ll be used to it in a month or so, but it’s tough right now.
.-= cammy@TippyToeDiet´s last blog ..Hanging Up My Robe =-.
I love the heat, which is weird to say…but the last few years it hasn’t gotten really hot here so I’ve missed it terribly! 🙂
Your stuffed pepper sounds YUMMY. I have to find a recipe for one, because that sounds good for tomorrow! 🙂
.-= Destination:Athlete´s last blog ..mental Monday =-.
your nervous face is so dang cute.
.-= janetha´s last blog ..just not sure. =-.
Glad to see I’m not the only one who doesn’t really like green peppers – that always makes me steer away from stuffed peppers, but I guess I could just eat the filling like you did (what a duh moment for me!).
Now that I’m carrying less weight, I don’t mind the heat like I used to – plus, I’m so much colder that I like to warm up outside. That said, running in hot humid mornings is getting hard!
.-= Shelley B´s last blog ..A Little Bragging… =-.
Hehe…awww, the picture of you in the chair made me giggle. Fillings suck!
That is definitely my kind of salad…I love fruit in my green salads! 🙂
.-= Lara (Thinspired)´s last blog ..You Get What You Pay For =-.
I get through the heat by reminding myself of what I deal with in winter 🙂
we are addicts arent we? 🙂
the first step is recognizing and that second step? IM NOT TAKING (wink)
.-= Miz´s last blog ..Raising a child (or spousepartnerfriend) who likes to exercise. =-.
If you’re craving yogurt, put a banana in the freezer and then put it in your food processor. Makes the creamiest, most delicious dessert ever!
.-= Alissa´s last blog ..A Walk in my Flower Garden =-.
I have bananas in the freezer just to do that!
There are people who love the heat? 🙂 Not me! Spring and Fall are my times of year.
Love the scenery on your rides.. beautiful! I like that you make your own rules BUT you are still doing better than me!!!! Heck, I would not give up coffee either! 🙂 Well, if it was life threatening or something!
Enjoy that bagel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS: And here in southern CA, we are getting cooler than normal temps! Still nice though….
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..What’s Your Motivation? More Happy Bdays! =-.
my mom used to make stuffed peppers when i was little. She always made some little meatballs with the filling and served me that cause i never liked the pepper. Thanks for the memory!
I have got to start cooking more. This is ridiculous! Eating out almost everyday is unexcusable. But let it be said you can lose and maintain weightloss on a diet of restaruant food. Good choices are out there! Great job Lori on the bike ride and your sugar ban!
good for you on the sugar thing! and so jeolous of your heat right now-it has been so cool here-too cool. love your stuffed peppers-yum!
.-= kalli@fitandfortysomething´s last blog ..Continue the Feelings =-.
I am effected by the heat. It slows me down and wears me out. But I love it. It makes me feel strong and a little crazy to run in the heat.
What didn’t you like about the pepper? The taste or the texture?
The pepper was both the taste and texture. I don’t mind bell peppers chopped up in stuff, but the whole pepper was overwhelming.
Definitely affected! On hot days I’m so tired by the end of the day because of the heat. Besides that I can’t run when it’s too hot, my body just doesn’t handle that which means I have to get out very early or late at night and as I don’t like running late at night it’s an early start.
I function best at a max of 77 degrees so the day you’ve had would have been too hot for me 🙂
.-= Fran´s last blog ..A day in my life: Monday May 24, 2010 =-.
I’m not so good in the heat. In the summer I try to jog and stuff when the sun is starting to set. I should get up early but I’m worse with mornings than I am with heat!
I love stuffed peppers without the pepper! 🙂
.-= Ang´s last blog ..Fiesta chicken! =-.
I’m not a fan of stuffed green peppers, either! I love the filling, but green peppers taste weird when they’re baked.
I agree with Alissa on the frozen banana!!! I just had it for my afternoon treat! It’s awesome! You won’t miss the sugary fro-yo at all!
.-= Marisa (Loser for Life)´s last blog ..It’s Back! =-.
I am not a big fan of the heat as I find it hard to breathe when it is too humid.
I also burn very easily so I have to have a hat available all the time.
.-= Kimberley´s last blog ..The Pool is Open! =-.
I hate the heat and the dentist. I’m already counting the days until I can take my snowmobile out again 😉
.-= MB´s last blog ..Summer Challenge 2010 =-.
You are doing so well on the no-sugar challenge!!! I am Failing with a capital F 😛 Perhaps a week-long challenge is more doable than a month long one. I will have to try it out and try harder 🙂
.-= Susan´s last blog ..The Non-Backyard BBQ =-.
I only do well in the heat when I’m inside with A/C or at the pool. LOL
Still can’t decide if I prefer a dry heat of 120 or a humid heat of 90 though…I’ve lived in both (living in humid right now).
.-= Leah´s last blog ..Subway Giveaway =-.