steaming...

The MINI dealership just called me and told me that I have a cracked oil pan, and that it will cost $1100 to fix. HOLY SHIT. That also means that I did the damage (although I don't recall what I might have hit to crack the damn thing) so therefore its not covered under warranty.

I. Am. Not. Happy.

Thankfully, I went to Spinning last night, which incidentally, kicked my ass, so I'm too sore to punch anything right now. I might go and do it later today anyway.

In other non-car or stress related news, I think I'm retiring the Robustagut blog. Its too much work to put my postings in two places, and Fernando isn't updating it anyways. Besides, I found this Notes function on the Weight Watchers site that allows me to keep my food journal. Duh, its always been there, I just never thought to use it. This is quite timely, considering I'm starting on the Body Intelligence program to compliment my weight loss efforts.

woe is my mini!

On Saturday, as I was coming back from getting my [fabulous new] haircut from Yossi in Berkeley, my car overheated on the Bay Bridge. Ugh! Took them an hour to come and tow me. Now I am carless.

This is the 2nd time I've been towed in 2 weeks - although last week, it was because of a stupid towaway zone sign, not mechanical problems.

Grrr.

so robust

Robustvin, robust food, Robusteam. It was a robust night!

Carolyn, Clydo (who I haven't seen in FOREVER) and Fernando joined me, Eric and Philippe for dinner on Wednesday.

New terms to add to the Robustinary:

• Robese
• Robustorexic
• Roblemic
  

We also inducted our newest member: Robofil (pronounced Robo-Feel) - Philippe!


Carolyn & Clyde make their robust salad


The creamy pesto chicken with artichokes. Enough food?


Our beautiful dinner table


Clydo and I and our jug o'wine


Fernando enjoys a glass


Eating Fernando's head. Er.


Look at what we're eating!


The cake from Tartine. Like eating a piece of sin - and we're not talking "take his name in vain" sin


"Another glass, Madam?"


Carolyn and her beautiful cake


... with sour raspberries


Robustvin


Making faces


Describing the Beeramid


Caro and Clydo


Don't ask. Trust me, its better blurry.


A beautiful view


Thing-O


Group pic, group hug

After we finished dinner, we retired to the living room and decided to do what everyone does... look up our personalities in the Enneagram! The results:

• Serena "Leave me along when I'm working" Yang - Type 1
• Fernando "Hug Me" Padilla - Type 9
• Clyde "I like to be seen with you" Lachica - Type 2
• Carolyn "Give me companionship and freedom" Doak - Type 7

Can't wait to see them again. Love them!

the joy of taiwanese food

OK, this took me 3 weeks to post... But here's pics from our trip to Joy Restaurant in Foster City - only the best Taiwanese place in the Bay Area!


Me, Karen and Agnes at the beginning of the night


Wine, wine, wine!


Ohhhh... fat. Ohhh... pork.


Steamed ribs with yams


Garlic king crabs


Steamed pork legs


Soup


Digging into the great crabs


Eel


Karen and Agnes, after some wine


Me and Agnes


Nian-Gao... so good that we brought some home for the Chinese New Year dinner party


We love wine


Ohhhh, way too full

week 2: i've fallen, but i *can* get up

What a week.

I more than blew my diet this week - the Robusteam dinner on Wed alone was 35 points! - and at that point, I was ready to just stop logging things for the week. But I ate normally, continued to exercise in small increments, and took the advice of every weight loss article out there and counted my small victories.

By Sunday, not only was I back up, but raring to go for the coming week...

*~*~*~*
Weight Loss Diary, Week 2
Weight: 130.5 lbs
Body Fat: ~27.5%
Fitness Level: Pretty darn good. I'm no longer afraid of working out - in fact, I look forward to it!


Yeah, don't look at the face. I'm making a horridly unattractive expression.

Exercise Log:

• Sun, 1/15: Elliptical, 40 minutes
• Tues, 1/17: Elliptical, 7 mins; Weights on BOSU, 20 mins
• Thurs, 1/18: Elliptical, 25 mins; Pilates Reformer, 20 mins
• Sat, 1/20: Yoga, 70 mins
• Total APs: 6.5
• Total APs to date (not inluding today): 14.5/65

*~*~*~*

I've also started the Body Intelligence program by Dr. Edward Abramson, mostly because it makes so much sense. I'm in my first week/day of it. This week is tracking Emotional Eating. More on that next week.

Accomplishments:

• Went to the gym on Tues, even though I only had 40 minutes to rush to my therapy appointment. There was a large part of me that said not to bother, but I got in a quickie work out - and it felt great!
• I've hit my February goal of working out 3x/week - in fact, last week I worked out 4 times. If I do it for the next 2 weeks, I can cross it off my goal list
  
• Woke up early on Saturday and went to yoga. Even though I didn't like it (I thought it was going to be Bikram style), I stuck through the whole class and did as much of the poses as I could
• I'm looking forward to working out again

Happy happy joy joy!