Guys, my brain is spinning! 
Check out the next 2 weeks of my life:
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: Conference call for new project, blog dinner & coffee tasting
- Thursday, Oct. 15: Spa day with my sister, bridal party dinner & night out
- Friday, Oct. 16: Bridal party beauty day, rehearsal dinner
- Saturday, Oct. 17: My sister’s wedding!!!
- Sunday, Oct. 18: My mom’s birthday, apple picking
- Monday, Oct. 19: POM Harvest Tour
- Tuesday, Oct. 20: POM Harvest Tour
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: POM Harvest Tour
- Thursday, Oct. 22: Runway Gala
- Friday, Oct. 23: Last day at Harvard, David Gray concert
- Saturday, Oct. 24: Bluegrass & Brews Festival
- Sunday, Oct. 25: Relax
- Monday, Oct. 26: First day at NuVal!
- Tuesday, Oct. 27: Nada
- Wednesday, Oct. 28: Day trip to NYC
All of it’s fun stuff, but I’m really packing it in, huh? I hope I survive!
Lunch
Yummy lunch today! 
I had a ham, Dijon mustard, and cucumber sandwich on a bulky onion roll, which are a childhood favorite of mine. As a kid, it was always a special treat when we had make-your-own sandwiches for dinner in my house. My mom would always buy these onion rolls just for the occasion. I still love them today!
Lunch also included an Odwalla Chocolate Chip Trail Mix bar, which was made with chocolate chips, rolled oats, peanuts, raisins, coconut, and sunflower seeds.
It was a good one! Sweet and satisfying!
Sandwich + bar + apple = great lunch! 
I’m actually getting hungry again, so an afternoon snack is most likely in my future. Perhaps a cookie? 
New Examiner Post
Remember when I used to write for the Examiner as the Boston Healthy Living Examiner? Well, I still do. I just haven’t written anything in weeks! I’m such a slacker!
I finally got my act together and posted a new piece: How to microwave vegetables.
Foodbuzz Awards
Don’t forget to vote in the Foodbuzz Blog Awards. Carrots ‘N’ Cake was nominated in 3 categories!
MixMyGranola Giveaway
Be sure to enter! You have until tonight to submit a comment: MixMyGranola Giveaway.
Too Happy to Lose Weight?
Overheard on the FGW forum…
We’re all here because at some point or another, we weren’t happy with our weight. I just came across a new study that says being too optimistic can actually hurt your weight loss efforts.
What do you think? Is your unhappiness with your weight the thing that keeps you going? If you’ve already lost some weight, was your glass half full mentality the thing that kept you going?
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omg…our sisters are getting married on the same day!!!
We had the same lunch! Except my sandwich was tuna and my bar was a cherry pie larabar. My apple was local honeycrisp. A very good combination!
wow tina! that is one busy but FUN schedule you got there!
jenna
That is an extremely busy 2 weeks! Sounds fun, tho.
wow, what a busy and FUN schedule! I think the POM tour will be so much fun.
I haven’t seen that odwalla bar, but it sounds awesome!
Wow, you are going to be busy!
I write for the Examiner too and have been slacking
Looks like you have a busy couple of weeks coming up!
It’s all for good reason though! Good problems to have
p.s. your apple looks amazing
You DO have a busy schedule – but a fun one! You’re really not taking any time off in between gigs, huh?
That sandwich looks yummy! Those rolls are soft and delicious, I’m with you on that.
When I got out of college, I was about 15 pounds heavier and without really focusing on it I lost the weight. Now I want to lose 5 pounds and I really think the weight isn’t coming off because I’m too focused on it. Weird!
Apparently time off does not equal rest. At least it all looks fun! Happy Tuesday!
I think that definitely makes sense about the weight loss. Whenever I weigh myself and I’ve lost a solid amount of weight, I end up splurging more than I should for at least that day. I definitely get the “I look great. I can totally eat these 4 cookies!” mentality. It may or may not be why I’ve been struggling to lose the same few pounds for months!!
I love onion rolls! That looks sooo good!
And wow, you are busy. Oct 25 is going to feel SOOOOO good
I think unhappiness hurts my weight loss. When I feel bad I treat myself bad. Being happy and positive helps my exercise efforts and choose better foods. Be Happy, Be Healthy – I think that’s the Cheerios slogan
Visiting nyc eh?? How about a lunch or dinner with your readers?
At least, being that busy you won’t get bored…he he!
What an exciting life you live!
Hang on for the ride…hugs!
I’m going to the David Gray concert too! I cannot wait!!!!
Tina,
Will you do a reader meet-up in NYC? I hope so!
That onion roll looks yummy
Wow, you will be busyyy. But everything looks fun and interesting so I’m sure it’ll go by quickly and I’m sure you’ll have fun!
Wow girl, your days are packed. I am sure it will all be tons of fun!
I love onion bread!…so doughy and perfect. As for your schedule, you are one busy woman!! I do see that you have an NYC trip in your future. Could there perhaps be a NYC blogger meet up?!?! I would love to meet one of my favorite bloggers!
How funny about the sandwich. My mom was a single mom too, and we had a similar “special treat” meal – but ours were ham and cream cheese sammies on onion rolls. Like you, it’s totally nostalgic for me!
holy jam-packed schedule! good luck w/ everything & have a blaaast at the wedding.
your sandwich looks good! one of my favorite dinners growing up was breakfast for dinner. so yummy to eat pancakes & french toast at night.
I think the taste of a sandwich is totally determined by what kinds of bread you use.
Rolls, hard crunchy bread = good sandwich
Soft, smushy bread = bad sandwich
You’re a busy lady! Have fun with all of it, though!
Wow! You have a lot on your plate. At least it’s fun stuff.
http://chickfood.wordpress.com
YAY! you had an odwalla bar!! so many great flavors
Mmm onion rolls…makes me crave an onion bagel now! And who doesn’t LOVE Odwalla, I really want to try that flavor now- it looks delish
I think there’s a difference between being dissatisfied with your HEALTH than with your weight. I went through a period in high school where I was obsessed with my weight, and it really took a huge toll on me physically and emotionally. Over time I realized that weight obsessions are unhealthy, and I learned to focus more on how I feel about myself. My biggest motivator for eating well and exercising is health…losing weight almost never solves unhappiness!
Sounds like a crazy – but fun – schedule!!
The connection between happiness and stalled weight loss makes sense to me. I just read a book review on Doublexx about a book that slams positivity and self-help gurus with ruining America. The jist was that our society is trying to brainwash us into being happy with things “as is” – i.e., into complacency instead of into demanding better or more fair treatment. Smile and act happy rather than inspecting and addressing the cause of negative emotions. There were some interesting articles recently in Newsweek that basically applied the same idea to the fat acceptance movement. Plus as a previous poster mentioned, who HASN’T slurged and taken a step backwards when they’re happy??
Wow! Those are a full two weeks you have going on, but looks like lots of fun!
For me happiness with my weight and body make me a healthier and fitter person. If I’m feeling bad about myself I’m more likely to emotionally eat and reach for foods that are fatty and comforting. This leads to weight gain and general lethargy. When I’m happy with myself I like to workout and eat well, so it works in a positive way for me.
wow you are busy! but i always love to be busy rather than bored!
OMG, OMG, OMG!!! David Gray!!! You must include video links from the concert!!
UMM how did you get tickets to the runway gala?
If you need a date, I will definitely go!
@Kerry: I actually needed a date! I just found one though!
Wow, you are a busy woman! Good luck with all of that
I definitely think you have to find a happy medium when it comes to optimism and weight loss. You have to be realistic. You don’t want to be negative because that doesn’t help anything but you also can be TOO optimistic and place too much pressure on yourself that you end up disappointed.
You need to really be aware of what you are doing and stay positive but not try to be perfect
looks like a lotta craziness – but you’re only going to NYC for a DAY?!
Hi Tina,
I know how much you LOVE cupcakes! I came across this cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart and thought of you. This is a recipe for peanut butter cupcakes with peanut butter and jelly frosting! Give it a twist by substituting the pb with almond butter (Barney Butter)…YUM! Enjoy!
http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/peanut-butter-cupcakes-recipe
My head is also spinning. I have a final exam for my course in two weeks, I’m finishing my current job in the next 3 weeks and starting my promotion Nov 2nd, tonnes of things to tie up. Between school and work, I have stress acne
It was a lot easier to lose weight when I wasn’t happy with it… the first 80 pounds were easy. I’ve been a bit more comfortable with my body recently, which has lead to allowing myself to try and enjoy new healthy foods… so my weight has been more likely to go up than down. It’s making the last 20 pounds impossible to lose…
I don’t think unhappiness keeps me going. I think looking forward to something and trying to be healthy is what motivates me. I know sometimes unhappiness can be a good push, but optimism is what I feel is needed to maintain.
That onion roll looks SO good!! I need to hunt down that Odwalla bar – it looks fantastic!
Wow, you’re a busy woman! I know that for me dieting was what always made me unhappy. Now, not dieting makes me feel like I am in control of my life. I make smarter choices because I am accountable only to myself. I exercise and I stay active though too. No chicken fried steak here. I love your blog.
TOTALLY, feel you on the schedule girl! Though mine is no where near as packed as yours I know how overwhelming it can be……I am currently working an a post that covers how I am “finding a healthy balance” in my life between everything that is on my schedule! It is crazy!
=) Laura @ Finding A Healthy Balance…….after a 100+ POUND weight loss!!!
You are one busy lady, lady! You’ll power through it – maybe exhausted by the end, but you can do it! Can’t wait to hear all about the POM tour
Staying busy is a great thing Tina!
Kind of unrelated, but I’m probably at my unhappiness, when I don’t have something to do! Relish in your busy life hun- you deserve all the happiness, busyness and success you’ve got going on.
I feel ya on the spinning brain front. I shudder when I look at my Google calendar. There is no room for air. I really am packing it in too. You’ll do great though!
I find that my happiness kind of does corrolate to my WL. If I’m too happy I don’t work at it and if I’m too sad I don’t either. I have to be in this kind of middle ground to make any headway.
Hopefully the trip to Cali will include some fun and relaxation.
I am 5″4′ and 140 lbs. And that is a normal weight and height. So… I am learning to love the weight that I am at. Slowly but surely I am. We are all not going to look like the girls in the magazines. But we can be happy with ourselves and love who we are.
Tasting looking lunch little lady! I love being busy, so that next few weeks would I would totally love. Remember to take some quality “Tina” time
I relate to the happy/weight loss correlation. When I was younger and more insecure with myself and my appearance, I was muchhh more focused on losing or maintaining a certain weight. Now that I can still feel pretty without being a size 2 or 4, I am much more lax with my diet and exercise. Not that that’s a bad thing…it’s great. But, lately the pendulum has swung a little too fiercely in the opposite direction and I’ve gotten a bit tooo relaxed eating and exercise habits.
It’s hard for me to remain balanced in the middle somewhere so that’s one of the reasons I love your blog – your style of eating and exercise are similar to what I strive to settle at.
I think happiness and weight are connected in some ways. It definitely took me becoming unhappy with how I looked to kick my own butt into gear. And once I became happier with my weight my progress slowed a lot because I realized it wasn’t about health anymore (I was most certainly more healthy) but about vanity (which isn’t even close to being as important).
busy busy girl! i actually love having schedules that look like that, but instead mine is filled with school assignments
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