Yep, I calculated this number after seeing the inspiring workouts by others over these last couple of days. My activities were confined to prepping for a meal, so I had to at least see what cooking burns in terms of calories. At mycaloriecounter.com, they estimate 159 per hour for a 140 lb person. Preparing a meal is an activity rich enterprise.
Over two 14 hour days, then, I burned 4,452 calories preparing my Thanksgiving meal–to include the necessary accoutrements of cleaning as I went along. (I had originally calculated this using 12 hour days, but my days were longer than that as I thought about it). Lots of walking from the garage (attached) refrigerator and the kitchen, to the neighbors to get ice from their ice machine, to the garden, to the compost bin, to the trash, to the deck to check on the grill (which cooked the ham) and about 1000 laps around the kitchen.
A 15lb turkey, with about 5 lbs of ice and 8 lbs of water in a cooler makes for some reasonable muscle work. Chopping, peeling, grating, sautéing, stooping, reaching, unloading the dishwasher and loading it about 10 times, handwashing dishes etc….I did do some leg lifts and back stretches when I was outside on one of my compost bin jaunts. That helped loosen things up for the next barrage of tasks, and I can feel them this morning.
Our meal was delicious, though there were a couple of times during the day where I thought the cooking gods were conspiring against me. But my guests were arriving at 5:30-6:00 p.m., and I had a glass of wine in my hand at 5:30 p.m. and did not feel flustered.
It was the smoothest T-G, I’ve ever had. After cooking all of these years, I let go of one simple notion that made all the difference. What notion was that? The notion that guests had to view the whole ham or whole bird prior to my cutting on it. Dispensing with that habit meant that I could cook the ham early and carve it–rewarm before serving, and I could be carving the bird just before guests were arriving. What a difference!
Today, I’m off my feet. By the end of last evening, my feet, legs and back were reminding me that they were unused to such demanding days of conscripted service.
P. S. I’m hoping that the 4452 is actually less than I consumed! (I think that it is)
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November 28th, 2008
leisa
If someone were to ask me what is my favorite thing to do with other people, my simple answer would be “to feed them.” For me, planning and preparing a special meal is a solitary and creative ritual. My goal is not to be lavish, but rather to be inventive. I want to prepare a meal that will both surprise and delight–not only my guests, but me. Inviting someone to your home for a meal is an act reflecting both generosity and goodwill. A shared meal provides strength and renewal not only for our bodies but for our spirits as well.
There is a sacredness to the shared meal. The preparation of the meal is a transformative process that relies on the bounty of the land, the toil of many who work to grow, harvest, deliver and package our food, and the sacrifice of an animal on whose flesh we dine. And the cook is the ultimate alchemist who transforms sometimes disparate elements into a concert of aromas, textures, colors and tastes. And to sit at the table and share in this experience requires us to set aside our differences. It is no accident that ‘breaking bread’ together is the ultimate in our setting aside our differences. A shared meal repairs our relationships and cements the bonds that hold us together.
I had the opportunity to go to Spain on a private group wine tour. If that sounds a bit elitist, it was my first trip to Europe, and we do not take regular vacations. It was a splurge (it was just me), and it was the first time in my life that I was away from work (highly stressful job) and family for two weeks. My mid-life flight from life! On a whim, I took a college level wine course offered through the culinary program and the community college. As it turned out, my professor (a microbiologist and a professor emeritus at the medical college) arranged wine tours every other year. It is always booked up in advance. I had a particularly bad day at work, and I jokingly asked, “Dr. F, are you sure your wine tour is filled up?” Surprisingly, he answered, “As it happens, I just had a cancellation today, but you must let me know tomorrow.” I came home at 10:00 p.m. and asked my husband if he minded if I went to Sicily/Spain without him for two weeks. I had my money in Dr. F’s hands the next day!
It was a lifetime experience for me. I was going on a trip with 29 other people who I did not know (except for Dr. F). We visited several wineries and the format was the same: tour of the winery accompanied by a meal featuring local food paired with the wineries offerings. While the wines and the foods were different from winery to winery there was a very distinctive similarity: the extraordinary graciousness and pride in which each wine maker owner shared his/her wines with us and the bounty of food that accompanied it.
While each meal was memorable in this regard, one stood out particularly because we were watching the food get prepared. Our meal was at the home of the wine maker, and his cook made the food and served us (with some help). She was a woman in her late fifties. She was both energetic and purposeful in her ministrations to each dish that she prepared. As she brought them to the table, she radiated joy in the simple pleasure of sharing the gift of food with us. We gave her a standing ovation at the conclusion of our meal.
I write this post on the morning of my own two day cooking odyssey to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for my family. We’ve a modest group. There are four of us plus two sets of grandparents. I’ve also invited a bachelor neighbor–a long time friend who is frequently a guest at our table. Just nine of us–I know several who have as many at 30 people. As I was in BJ’s last evening securing the victuals, I paused in front of some elegant plastic plates. I went passed them. I returned to them and caressed them in my hands thinking longingly of how easy they would be to toss in the trash afterward. I put them in my cart. Two aisles later, I turned around and put them back. My meal will grace my china.
My best to you and yours as you celebrate this special day of giving thanks.
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November 26th, 2008
leisa
Workout:
- Type: Run
- Date: 11/25/2008
- Time: 07:30:00
- Total Time: 00:30:00.00
- Average Heart rate: 147
- Max Heart rate: 167
- Distance: 1.75 miles
- Average Pace: 17:08.57/mile
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November 25th, 2008
leisa
I planned my Thanksgiving menu prior to reading Sheba’s excellent strategies for avoiding extra pounds. I’ve been cooking T-G dinner for more 20 years, my strategy for not have TWO T-G dinners (my parents and Mark’s parents). However,I cannot say that I spend any time considering the health benefits of the meal. I know that there are delicious and healthy alternatives; I’ve just not cared to seek them out.
As we eat pretty healthfully throughout the year, I’m fairly nonchalant regarding T-G. My other special dinner is New Year’s Eve. We rarely eat fast food. We do not eat fat and sodium-laden frozen food. I mostly grill or bake, and I rarely fry. But that is not to say that there is no room for doing better. There always is.
I might as well share the menu:
Brined Turkey
Ham
Tart Cranberry sauce
Sausage cornbread dressing
Potato and Turnip Gratin
Spicy Pecan Pear Muffins
Brussels Sprouts Hash with Carmelized Shallots
Scalloped Oysters
Pumpkin Marscapone pie
Maple Pecan Chocolate Tart
For now, I’m going to stick with keeping my activity level high in comparison to my pre-program lethargy, and I’m going to do more portion control rather than recipe control. I always loved Julia Child’s approach to food–she’d rather have one spoonful of something really rich and decadent than a whole plate of something less satisfying.
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November 24th, 2008
leisa
Outdoors. Walking. Walking lunges. Step ups. Step ups with leg extensions. Tree push offs. Firewood lifts from all sorts of ways to work arms and torso and back. Monitor chest band was not on, so no good measure on effort. But it felt hard like a moderate workout.
Workout:
- Type: General Cardio
- Date: 11/24/2008
- Time: 18:59:07
- Total Time: 00:20:00.00
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November 24th, 2008
leisa
A very pleasant walk with my daughter on a historical property.
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 11/22/2008
- Total Time: 00:45:00.00
- Distance: 2 miles
- Average Pace: 22:28.31/mile
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November 22nd, 2008
leisa
I’m very pleasantly sore from my crosstrain run yesterday. I’ve done that three days in a row–and though my duration was in the 18-25 minute range each time, I found it to be a vigorous workout (due to rolling land!). I like that I’m doing double duty: cardio and strength.
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November 20th, 2008
leisa
Trail run with cross training breaks (step ups, tricep dips, firewood lifts, ).
Workout:
- Type: Run
- Date: 11/19/2008
- Time: 19:44:41
- Total Time: 00:23:00.00
- Average Heart rate: 143
- Max Heart rate: 160
- Distance: 1.2 miles
- Average Pace: 19:10.16/mile
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November 19th, 2008
leisa
Ran home trail laps. It was snowing in a random sort of way. The leaves are fairly trecherous as they are deep and occult any dips that could send an ankle astray. Even though my ankle injury/foot break earlier this year is now 6.5 months ago, I still harbor some trepidation that I will reinjure it.
I know that this fear is largely driven by two things. Thing 1: the injury was very painful and inconvenient. Thing 2: For a little while afterwards, both my good and bad ankles rolled without the slight warning that they would. Now that I’m in Week 14 of my training, I know that my connective tissue in my ankles is much stronger now
There was sufficient hills to make this a good workout. My three girls and Lacy (from next door) joined in.
Workout:
- Type: Run
- Date: 11/18/2008
- Time: 18:56:35
- Total Time: 00:23:50.00
- Average Heart rate: 149
- Max Heart rate: 164
- Distance: 1.2 miles
- Average Pace: 19:52.05/mile
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November 18th, 2008
leisa
We live among the oak trees. While the red oaks will tenaciously hold onto their leaves, the white oaks, beech, and poplar trees have relinquished their hold. I elected to surprise my husband by donning the backpack leaf blower and removing the carpet of leaves.
Like most things it is harder than it looks. It did not take long before my right arm was aching from the contstant waving against a steady tension. But I persevered and after 2.5 hours of blowing and about .5 hours of raking, I was tired. No real cardio involved, but lots of whole body mechanics.
We burned the leaves under a clear sky and a couple of our neighbors dropped by. Ginger and Lacy came by with Tim, and all 5 dogs were romping around. I worried that they would go through the great arc of leaves that were on fire and then smoldering as they tussled and ran about. Luckily my fears were not realized. My other neighbor suggested that they were smarter than I gave them credit for being. I’m a Mom–so I never underestimate the consequences of inattention!
I was so tired that I did not eat dinner. I went to bed early and slept soundly. I so rarely sleep that well. Though I was awakened around 12:30 by a dog that needed to go out. (I had gone to bed prior to taking everyone on the post dinner constitutions.) When one goes, they all must go. Even the two cats slipped quickly out the door.
The dogs did their business. The cats….I was reminded as I was wandering around in the cold calling for my cats (they are still young, 8 mos old) of the expression ‘herding cats’. I finally retrieved them both, but it was a good 25 minutes between when I secured one and then the other.
I was so tired still, that I had little trouble falling back to sleep. I awake this morning with comfortably sore arms, shoulders and back. Even my legs can feel the effects of the constant walking with extra weight.
Workout:
- Type: Other
- Date: 11/17/2008
- Time: 16:00:00
- Total Time: 3:00:00.00
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November 17th, 2008
leisa
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