Last night was a hard one. I was craving CHOCOLATE. And lots of it.
Yesterday started off well enough. I had healthy, on-plan snacks and meals, drank lots of water, had a nice, lunchtime walk, and had a great, surprise weigh-in. (That weigh-in thing is a long story, but the scale showed that I'm already losing weight.) After lunch, though, things took a downward turn. Someone brought in candy, Twizzlers, no less, one of my favorites. Then I started to feel a bit icky. You know that dull scratch in the back of your throat coupled with a stuffy nose that immediately creates that sense of dread? That's how I felt. And I said as much to MM via text. My plan was to go home and crash on the couch.
MM had been sick the weekend before and his started out the same way, so I was pretty sure I was going to be out for a day or two. Because of that, I decided to walk another 30 minutes when I got home, just in case I wasn't able to Friday-Sunday. That was a hooray moment, as I really didn't feel that bad, but not that great, either. I was glad to log 60 minutes of walking for the day, though.
Dinner was yummy, if a little bit too buttery, but it was salmon and I had lots of veggies with it, so I felt okay about it. Then 8:00 p.m. came around, and the chocolate-monster reared his ugly head. I made chocolate-chip pumpkin cookies for MM last weekend, bought some gourmet chili-caramels while shopping, and had a friend buy me three organic chocolate bars when she went out for lunch one day last week. So, all those delicious goodies are bagged up in the bottom drawer of the fridge just waiting for me to crack. I can't see them when I'm in the fridge but my goodness do I know they're there.
My first thought was to sneak a chocolate square while MM was in the shower, then I thought the little chocolate chips would be easier. Finally, before I could act on my deceitful thoughts, MM got out of the shower. Thank goodness. I was still craving chocolate, though, so I thought I might be able to get away with a mug of hot chocolate. No, that wouldn't do either. For me, eating chocolate leads to eating more chocolate. It's hard to have just one.
So, how did I remedy the situation? I ate a bowl of grapes to banish the stomach gurgles and went to bed early. Not the most ideal solution, but it worked!! In the end, though, I won the battle against my cravings. I didn't give in, even when I really wanted to. So, last night will be counted as a victory in my book, even though I struggled. I didn't cave and that's what's important in the long run. (Thank goodness for MM's timing, though!)
One day, down the road, I may be one of those people who can indulge in a square of dark chocolate every other day. Right now, though, with my resolve being so fresh and new, I must stay away from it until my body and my will power are ready!
This weekend I am going to start crocheting a ruffled scarf and matching beanie to keep my hands busy when the cravings hit. That will be my plan from now on: keep projects at the ready that will prevent me from eating. Not acceptable: throwing away all that delectable chocolate! That would just be too painful!!!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
2.5 Days Down; 327.5 Days To Go!!
After 2.5 days on this current track, I'm feeling great. I know that it always seems I fall off the wagon after the first week, but I'm really, really going to fight that this time.
I threw that 9-month time period in there and now I don't know if I regret it or not. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that I have a final goal date in mind. Of course, nobody made me calculate that I was 9 months away and I certainly didn't have to break it down into days, either!
I went to our Wednesday lunch-time support meeting and it was very nice. I had a leftover half of a chicken breast on a romaine salad and we ate outside in the rose garden, which was very pleasant. The weather is just right for that now.
Zumba Monday night was lots of fun and made me really sore, so I know I worked some good muscles there. I also walked twice for 30 minutes yesterday and did a 35-minute walking dvd that amounted to two miles this morning. Tonight, if MM doesn't get back from inspections in time to leave for Bible Study, I'll be back at Zumba at 6:30. I'm looking forward to both, so I won't really be disappointed regardless of what happens.
So, things are good on the eating "front" and the workout "front", so it seems I'm doing this right for now. I know that the weekly meetings with the ladies at work and the weekly meetings with the church group will be key in keeping me accountable and on track. I know that expecting to actually lose 2 lbs. a week may be a pipe dream, but I will do my best to fight for the goals I want to reach. Some days will be a struggle, but some days, like the past 2.5, will breeze by and I'll be so thankful that I made the right choices for my body!
I threw that 9-month time period in there and now I don't know if I regret it or not. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that I have a final goal date in mind. Of course, nobody made me calculate that I was 9 months away and I certainly didn't have to break it down into days, either!
I went to our Wednesday lunch-time support meeting and it was very nice. I had a leftover half of a chicken breast on a romaine salad and we ate outside in the rose garden, which was very pleasant. The weather is just right for that now.
Zumba Monday night was lots of fun and made me really sore, so I know I worked some good muscles there. I also walked twice for 30 minutes yesterday and did a 35-minute walking dvd that amounted to two miles this morning. Tonight, if MM doesn't get back from inspections in time to leave for Bible Study, I'll be back at Zumba at 6:30. I'm looking forward to both, so I won't really be disappointed regardless of what happens.
So, things are good on the eating "front" and the workout "front", so it seems I'm doing this right for now. I know that the weekly meetings with the ladies at work and the weekly meetings with the church group will be key in keeping me accountable and on track. I know that expecting to actually lose 2 lbs. a week may be a pipe dream, but I will do my best to fight for the goals I want to reach. Some days will be a struggle, but some days, like the past 2.5, will breeze by and I'll be so thankful that I made the right choices for my body!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
9 Months From Now...
...I will not have a baby (probably), but that is how long it could take for me to reach my goal weight. And that's considering a healthy, two-pound-a-week weight loss journey. What is nine months? Nothing! I've calculated that, starting yesterday, I could be at my FINAL goal weight in nine months which is the week before my cousin's wedding AND the week before my birthday. Isn't that awesome?!
The most success I've had thus far in my weight loss journey was following a basic list of Unacceptable/Acceptable Foods and Rules for Eating that MM developed for me. Quite frankly, it's common sense; eat non-processed, healthy foods most of the time and do so in small portions. Give yourself a little "treat" every now and then and KEEP GOING if you get off track. That's it. That's how you eat to lose weight. When I think about how easy it is in theory, I feel like an idiot for not accomplishing it yet, but I know that it's not just as easy as that unless I let it be. I know that I've let my emotions and lack of discipline and motivation get in the way.
I have made some promising strides in the past two days. I've committed to surrounding myself with positive people who will support my efforts as much as I support theirs. I've also committed to going to two support groups expressly geared towards weight loss and healthy living. I have committed to see this through, meeting new goals each month, but only taking it one day at a time. Here are my October goals:
-Go to Zumba every Monday I'm in town.
-Work out at least 30 minutes 5 days a week in addition to Zumba.
-No sodas of any kind!!
-Eat according to MM's food plan/rules.
-Log all consumption and exercise in a written or online journal.
-Attend Wednesday lunch meetings every week I'm in town.
-Attend all Sunday support group meetings every week I'm in town.
To some, this may seem like a lot. To others, it may seem like too little. For me, it is just right. It will be easy to monitor and will be easy to jump back into if I get off track a little bit. I'm not going to give myself a reward for accomplishing any of it, though. I figure my reward will be the weight/inches I've lost on November 1 when I see my goals checked off every day for the rest of the month. I really can't see the results because I know they will be amazing as long as I stick to my goals. I will do my best not to move on to new goals until this month is done and I will not look ahead to tomorrow. I will think about today and focus on the choices I make this moment.
The word "fail" is no longer in my vocabulary and one bump in the road is just that, a bump that I'll fly over and move on from. I will do my best to come back here and update things, even if it's just to ramble like I'm doing today, because I know that it helps me be somewhat accountable.
The most success I've had thus far in my weight loss journey was following a basic list of Unacceptable/Acceptable Foods and Rules for Eating that MM developed for me. Quite frankly, it's common sense; eat non-processed, healthy foods most of the time and do so in small portions. Give yourself a little "treat" every now and then and KEEP GOING if you get off track. That's it. That's how you eat to lose weight. When I think about how easy it is in theory, I feel like an idiot for not accomplishing it yet, but I know that it's not just as easy as that unless I let it be. I know that I've let my emotions and lack of discipline and motivation get in the way.
I have made some promising strides in the past two days. I've committed to surrounding myself with positive people who will support my efforts as much as I support theirs. I've also committed to going to two support groups expressly geared towards weight loss and healthy living. I have committed to see this through, meeting new goals each month, but only taking it one day at a time. Here are my October goals:
-Go to Zumba every Monday I'm in town.
-Work out at least 30 minutes 5 days a week in addition to Zumba.
-No sodas of any kind!!
-Eat according to MM's food plan/rules.
-Log all consumption and exercise in a written or online journal.
-Attend Wednesday lunch meetings every week I'm in town.
-Attend all Sunday support group meetings every week I'm in town.
To some, this may seem like a lot. To others, it may seem like too little. For me, it is just right. It will be easy to monitor and will be easy to jump back into if I get off track a little bit. I'm not going to give myself a reward for accomplishing any of it, though. I figure my reward will be the weight/inches I've lost on November 1 when I see my goals checked off every day for the rest of the month. I really can't see the results because I know they will be amazing as long as I stick to my goals. I will do my best not to move on to new goals until this month is done and I will not look ahead to tomorrow. I will think about today and focus on the choices I make this moment.
The word "fail" is no longer in my vocabulary and one bump in the road is just that, a bump that I'll fly over and move on from. I will do my best to come back here and update things, even if it's just to ramble like I'm doing today, because I know that it helps me be somewhat accountable.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Journal: Day 1
Here's my food log for yesterday:
8:00: 1/2 cup coffee, 8 oz H2O
8:45: 1 cup Fiber One Cereal, 3/4 cup 1% milk, 2 slices turkey bacon
11:00: Yoplait Light Apple Turnover
12:20: Mini-bun, 1T light mayo, 2 slices pastrami, 1 slice pepper jack cheese, small romaine salad w/ 1T Italian dressing, 6 oz H2O
1:15: 1 string cheese, 12 oz cherry coke
3:00: 12 oz pepsi
4:45: Banana, 8 oz H2O
5:00: 60 oz H2O (during workout)
6:30: Mini-bun, 2 slices pepper loaf, 1 slice PJ cheese, 1T sliced onion, 1t EVOO, small romaine salad w/ 1T Italian dressing, small bag of sun chips, 8 oz H2O
9:00: 1 large apple, 2T peanut butter
My workout today was: 5 min. walking warm-up, 40:35 Grinder pyramid 5->25->5, 9:25 cool down.
It was a decent enough day. I didn't record calories, but I've started doing that for this morning. I clearly see where my mistakes were: I shouldn't be drinking any sodas and I need much more fruit/veggies in my day.
I did push it pretty hard for my workout last night, but that resulted in a flair-up of my plantar fasciitis. That is a huge wake up call for me because I haven't had a problem with it since January of 2009. That means that this weight I've put back on is really starting to affect me again. Instead of making me want to slow myself down during workouts, having the heel problem makes me want to push it harder to get the weight off quicker.
I'm leaving for Austin on Saturday for a class for work. I'll have plenty of down time as my roommate is a pretty heavy sleeper and goes to bed very early. My plan is to use that down time to go through two of my bulk cooking cookbooks to find some calorie-controlled meals that I can make ahead and freeze. I think I'll plan on using the weekend after my trip to do a major cook-ahead day to keep the freezer stocked.
Well, that's the post for yesterday. Today's a new day and I'm going to do it as well as I can.
8:00: 1/2 cup coffee, 8 oz H2O
8:45: 1 cup Fiber One Cereal, 3/4 cup 1% milk, 2 slices turkey bacon
11:00: Yoplait Light Apple Turnover
12:20: Mini-bun, 1T light mayo, 2 slices pastrami, 1 slice pepper jack cheese, small romaine salad w/ 1T Italian dressing, 6 oz H2O
1:15: 1 string cheese, 12 oz cherry coke
3:00: 12 oz pepsi
4:45: Banana, 8 oz H2O
5:00: 60 oz H2O (during workout)
6:30: Mini-bun, 2 slices pepper loaf, 1 slice PJ cheese, 1T sliced onion, 1t EVOO, small romaine salad w/ 1T Italian dressing, small bag of sun chips, 8 oz H2O
9:00: 1 large apple, 2T peanut butter
My workout today was: 5 min. walking warm-up, 40:35 Grinder pyramid 5->25->5, 9:25 cool down.
It was a decent enough day. I didn't record calories, but I've started doing that for this morning. I clearly see where my mistakes were: I shouldn't be drinking any sodas and I need much more fruit/veggies in my day.
I did push it pretty hard for my workout last night, but that resulted in a flair-up of my plantar fasciitis. That is a huge wake up call for me because I haven't had a problem with it since January of 2009. That means that this weight I've put back on is really starting to affect me again. Instead of making me want to slow myself down during workouts, having the heel problem makes me want to push it harder to get the weight off quicker.
I'm leaving for Austin on Saturday for a class for work. I'll have plenty of down time as my roommate is a pretty heavy sleeper and goes to bed very early. My plan is to use that down time to go through two of my bulk cooking cookbooks to find some calorie-controlled meals that I can make ahead and freeze. I think I'll plan on using the weekend after my trip to do a major cook-ahead day to keep the freezer stocked.
Well, that's the post for yesterday. Today's a new day and I'm going to do it as well as I can.
Monday, August 16, 2010
What to do, what to do
To say that I'm struggling right now would be an understatement. MM has been sick for 1 1/2 weeks, I'm GAINING weight, and the whole world just seems so "blah" to me right now.
I'm wondering what my next move should be. I have a lot of ideas, but I'm just not sure how well I'll follow through on them. One thing I want to do is get another pedometer. I've found this one and I really like that it has software that comes with it. My goal is to one day achieve 10,000 steps a day, not including my workouts, but I think it'll be best to wait and find out what I'm actually accomplishing now.
Nutrisystem is a program that I'm considering doing, but I'm thinking that there has to be an easier, cheaper way! The bottom line is that I need to reduce calories and learn how to control my portions. Some research has led me to the idea of using Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine meals for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, I would still record my calories and keep them under a set limit, but I would cook for MM and I so that I could still enjoy a "home-cooked" meal.
I still want to do this. I still want to get rid of the excess weight that I'm carrying around, but I'm not doing a very good job right now. This morning's weigh-in at the office revealed a 2-lb. gain. How crappy is that? And to top it off, I leave on Saturday for a business trip to Austin. It is a big concern for me and I'm still working out how I'm going to control myself while I'm gone, but I'm sure I'll figure out something!
I'm wondering what my next move should be. I have a lot of ideas, but I'm just not sure how well I'll follow through on them. One thing I want to do is get another pedometer. I've found this one and I really like that it has software that comes with it. My goal is to one day achieve 10,000 steps a day, not including my workouts, but I think it'll be best to wait and find out what I'm actually accomplishing now.
Nutrisystem is a program that I'm considering doing, but I'm thinking that there has to be an easier, cheaper way! The bottom line is that I need to reduce calories and learn how to control my portions. Some research has led me to the idea of using Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine meals for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, I would still record my calories and keep them under a set limit, but I would cook for MM and I so that I could still enjoy a "home-cooked" meal.
I still want to do this. I still want to get rid of the excess weight that I'm carrying around, but I'm not doing a very good job right now. This morning's weigh-in at the office revealed a 2-lb. gain. How crappy is that? And to top it off, I leave on Saturday for a business trip to Austin. It is a big concern for me and I'm still working out how I'm going to control myself while I'm gone, but I'm sure I'll figure out something!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Checking In
Checking in. Again. Sigh.
Things aren't going great, but they aren't going too bad, either. I guess the honest answer is that, for right now, I'm maintaining.
We started a "Biggest Loser" style weight loss competition at our office and there are 7 of us competing, so I'm doing my best to use that as a source of motivation. After this week's weigh-in, I'm second-to-last, but I'm not going to let that get to me. It was our first week of competition and some of the people had staggering week 1 numbers. I'm convinced that slow and steady will win this race, so I'm still going to fight for it.
I set two big goals for the 9-week duration of the competition.
1. Lose 18 lbs., or 2 lbs. a week on average.
2. Don't have to pay the "weight gain" penalty in any week.
I know that goal #2 will be easy, but goal #1 is going to take my all my willpower and discipline to take care of. I'm not off on the best foot, having only lost 0.4 lbs. last week, but I know that I can make up the difference with one big week. I'm hoping this week will be it!
Aside from the competition, I've decided to start setting other goals for myself. Each goal will cover 7 days and I will reward myself if I make my goal. Then, I will set a new goal for the following 7 days, but will only reward myself if I maintain the first week's goal as well as accomplish the new one. Typing it out makes it seem complicated, but it's really not. My hope is that this will lead me to build, develop and retain the skills I feel are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. My first 7-day goal is to keep a VERY detailed consumption log. I think my biggest weight loss gaff right now is my unconscious eating. I'm sure that recording every item that goes into my mouth will help me to see unhealthy patterns and get to work on fixing them. My reward for reaching this first goal is a pretty, new food journal from Ivey's.
Well, that's the update for now. July didn't go quite the way I wanted it to, but that's my own fault. I will see to it that August goes better.
Things aren't going great, but they aren't going too bad, either. I guess the honest answer is that, for right now, I'm maintaining.
We started a "Biggest Loser" style weight loss competition at our office and there are 7 of us competing, so I'm doing my best to use that as a source of motivation. After this week's weigh-in, I'm second-to-last, but I'm not going to let that get to me. It was our first week of competition and some of the people had staggering week 1 numbers. I'm convinced that slow and steady will win this race, so I'm still going to fight for it.
I set two big goals for the 9-week duration of the competition.
1. Lose 18 lbs., or 2 lbs. a week on average.
2. Don't have to pay the "weight gain" penalty in any week.
I know that goal #2 will be easy, but goal #1 is going to take my all my willpower and discipline to take care of. I'm not off on the best foot, having only lost 0.4 lbs. last week, but I know that I can make up the difference with one big week. I'm hoping this week will be it!
Aside from the competition, I've decided to start setting other goals for myself. Each goal will cover 7 days and I will reward myself if I make my goal. Then, I will set a new goal for the following 7 days, but will only reward myself if I maintain the first week's goal as well as accomplish the new one. Typing it out makes it seem complicated, but it's really not. My hope is that this will lead me to build, develop and retain the skills I feel are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. My first 7-day goal is to keep a VERY detailed consumption log. I think my biggest weight loss gaff right now is my unconscious eating. I'm sure that recording every item that goes into my mouth will help me to see unhealthy patterns and get to work on fixing them. My reward for reaching this first goal is a pretty, new food journal from Ivey's.
Well, that's the update for now. July didn't go quite the way I wanted it to, but that's my own fault. I will see to it that August goes better.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
I'm Off in La-La Land
There are no excuses to what I've done to myself. None whatsoever.
I'm in a bit of a tailspin and I'm hoping and praying that I can get it under control soon. I think that the worst thing about it is that everyone around me thinks that everything is hunky-dory. The problem is that it's not. I'm dipping into a bit of a funk that I'm worried will have turned into a deep-set depression by the end of the month.
You see, it's all about babies. I have baby fever. Conceiving and carrying children is my #1 motivation for losing weight right now. But, I see that another friend is pregnant, or hear about a teenager who pops up pregnant and it just reminds me that I'm not. It used to be okay, but now it's even getting hard to feel happy for my friends, especially those who already have one or more. I know that's an ugly way for me to feel, but it's hard to shake.
I'm droopy and, unfortunately, food tends to be my comfort and strength. I cook to relieve stress and soothe myself and I eat what tastes good for immediate pleasure. I know that this is super detrimental and counter-productive, but I just don't care in the moment.
My prayer is that over the next few days I will be able to sit down and re-evaluate every aspect of my life. I need to rely on God, not food, for my comfort. I need to take a walk or a jog, not cook, when I need stress-relief. It is so hard, but I want to do it. I honestly just don't know if I can. I hope I can. I really, really do.
I'm in a bit of a tailspin and I'm hoping and praying that I can get it under control soon. I think that the worst thing about it is that everyone around me thinks that everything is hunky-dory. The problem is that it's not. I'm dipping into a bit of a funk that I'm worried will have turned into a deep-set depression by the end of the month.
You see, it's all about babies. I have baby fever. Conceiving and carrying children is my #1 motivation for losing weight right now. But, I see that another friend is pregnant, or hear about a teenager who pops up pregnant and it just reminds me that I'm not. It used to be okay, but now it's even getting hard to feel happy for my friends, especially those who already have one or more. I know that's an ugly way for me to feel, but it's hard to shake.
I'm droopy and, unfortunately, food tends to be my comfort and strength. I cook to relieve stress and soothe myself and I eat what tastes good for immediate pleasure. I know that this is super detrimental and counter-productive, but I just don't care in the moment.
My prayer is that over the next few days I will be able to sit down and re-evaluate every aspect of my life. I need to rely on God, not food, for my comfort. I need to take a walk or a jog, not cook, when I need stress-relief. It is so hard, but I want to do it. I honestly just don't know if I can. I hope I can. I really, really do.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Day 1 - I'm a bit behind :)
I am officially on Day 5 of the BDS. Going by the calendar, I should be on Day 8, but I spent some extra time on some skills to get better at them. I had intended to post my days working through the books as they occurred, but that didn't happen. I'm having a bit of a hard time with some of the steps, so I'm hoping that repeating them here will help me move onward and upward.
My task for Day 1 was to "Record the Advantages of Losing Weight". That entailed making a list of reasons I want to lose the weight I need to. I'm already seeing areas of my list that I want to fine-tune, but here it is as it stands now:
1. I’ll be in better health.
2. I’ll make my loved ones proud.
3. I’ll live longer.
4. I’ll enjoy TTC.
5. Healthfully carry babies.
6. I’ll like myself more.
7. I’ll feel more in control.
8. I’ll have more confidence.
9. I’ll increase my self-esteem.
10. I’ll feel more outgoing.
11. I’ll do more things I love. (BEACH!!)
12. Less back problems.
13. Less general aches.
14. Less fear about things.
15. I’ll look better.
16. I’ll be more attractive to MM.
17. I’ll be able to wear a smaller size.
18. I’ll enjoy clothes shopping.
19. I won’t feel so self-conscious.
20. I’ll feel better physically.
21. I’ll have more energy.
22. I’ll be more physically fit.
23. I’LL FEEL AS IF I’VE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING BIG!!
As you see, some of them are superficial and some of them are important and related to my health. There are some things that I am going to add to the list, some that I'm going to take off and a few that I'm just going to combine into one item.
I read the list each morning before I get out of bed and again at 2:30 every day. I keep the list framed around the house and I also have it on a 3x5 card that I keep in my purse. The ones in my purse are there so I can pull them out and read them any time I am facing a craving or feel like eating when I'm not really hungry. At this point, I'm following the instructions more to the letter than applying them in theory. That's a problem I hope to eradicate this very instant. From here on out, I commit to READ my cards, not just peruse them, but to really digest the information I've given myself.
My task for Day 1 was to "Record the Advantages of Losing Weight". That entailed making a list of reasons I want to lose the weight I need to. I'm already seeing areas of my list that I want to fine-tune, but here it is as it stands now:
1. I’ll be in better health.
2. I’ll make my loved ones proud.
3. I’ll live longer.
4. I’ll enjoy TTC.
5. Healthfully carry babies.
6. I’ll like myself more.
7. I’ll feel more in control.
8. I’ll have more confidence.
9. I’ll increase my self-esteem.
10. I’ll feel more outgoing.
11. I’ll do more things I love. (BEACH!!)
12. Less back problems.
13. Less general aches.
14. Less fear about things.
15. I’ll look better.
16. I’ll be more attractive to MM.
17. I’ll be able to wear a smaller size.
18. I’ll enjoy clothes shopping.
19. I won’t feel so self-conscious.
20. I’ll feel better physically.
21. I’ll have more energy.
22. I’ll be more physically fit.
23. I’LL FEEL AS IF I’VE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING BIG!!
As you see, some of them are superficial and some of them are important and related to my health. There are some things that I am going to add to the list, some that I'm going to take off and a few that I'm just going to combine into one item.
I read the list each morning before I get out of bed and again at 2:30 every day. I keep the list framed around the house and I also have it on a 3x5 card that I keep in my purse. The ones in my purse are there so I can pull them out and read them any time I am facing a craving or feel like eating when I'm not really hungry. At this point, I'm following the instructions more to the letter than applying them in theory. That's a problem I hope to eradicate this very instant. From here on out, I commit to READ my cards, not just peruse them, but to really digest the information I've given myself.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
They're here, they're here!!
My books were delivered yesterday and I was so excited that I wanted to start reading them right then and there. Unfortunately, I was still at work, so I had to flip through them and put them aside so I could do my job. Then, when we got home I wanted to read them again, but MM and I had already made plans for a Surf & Turf BBQ dinner and some fellowship. It wasn't until I headed to bed around 11:00 p.m. that I finally began to crack the first one open.
I basically read through the introductory chapters of BDS that got me to the first day of the 6-weeks. I'm planning on doing the same with the workbook tonight because tomorrow is my official first day. Just reading the first four chapters of BDS has taught me a lot. Here's some of the things I've learned.
1. BDS is based on Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive meaning "thinking", so the process is "thinking therapy". The emphasis is changing the dieter's thinking about, around, related to food.
2. This is going to repeat itself later, but being hungry won't kill me. For example, I was out working in the garden at 12 today. If I had been inside watching TV, I would have eaten lunch, just because it was lunch time. But, since I was occupied, when I did feel hunger sensations, I told myself, "You don't need to eat, you ate a late breakfast and can eat a healthy, filling lunch as soon as you're done with this task." Doing that resulted in my not eating "lunch" until 2 pm, but I didn't starve or pass out. With such a late lunch, I'll probably end up eating dinner, but no mid-afternoon snack, so I've already cut my calories down for the day. Isn't that great?!
3. This is going to take a big commitment and a lot of time. It's something I've said before, but "dieting" will be my new hobby. Well that's okay with me for a few reasons. A) It's not for forever. If I'm consistent and stick to what I'm doing, I'll be out of the losing weight phase in as little as 8 months. I'll average it out and say it'll take a year. Is that so bad for a MUCH LONGER lifetime of healthy living? Heck no! B) As time passes and the pounds come off, all of these steps will become second nature to me. I will cease to see it as a "diet" and it will simply become my lifestyle. After that, I'll be able to find something else to occupy my time and the options will be endless! C) I'm willing to do whatever it takes and this seems like the most painless, cost efficient option. Now, I'm not knocking these things, but here's what I'm NOT paying for: gym memberships - I have a HUGE back yard and a fit hubby who designs great workouts for me, plus a safe town where outdoor activities are encouraged, a personal trainer - see previous, weight loss counseling, diet pills, home meal delivery programs, online weight loss communities, pay-as-you-go systems such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and etc. See, if the BDS helps me get to the final result I'm hoping for, I will have done so without all those things, some of which are valid tools and some of which are gimmicks that people get sucked into. If, on the other hand, this doesn't work for me, I'm still going to be willing to do whatever it takes, but I'll just move on to the next least "painful" thing.
Well, that's what I've discovered so far and all that on just the first day of owning the books. Isn't that encouraging? It is for me! I can't wait to make these changes to my thinking and get on with losing! Yay!!
I basically read through the introductory chapters of BDS that got me to the first day of the 6-weeks. I'm planning on doing the same with the workbook tonight because tomorrow is my official first day. Just reading the first four chapters of BDS has taught me a lot. Here's some of the things I've learned.
1. BDS is based on Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive meaning "thinking", so the process is "thinking therapy". The emphasis is changing the dieter's thinking about, around, related to food.
2. This is going to repeat itself later, but being hungry won't kill me. For example, I was out working in the garden at 12 today. If I had been inside watching TV, I would have eaten lunch, just because it was lunch time. But, since I was occupied, when I did feel hunger sensations, I told myself, "You don't need to eat, you ate a late breakfast and can eat a healthy, filling lunch as soon as you're done with this task." Doing that resulted in my not eating "lunch" until 2 pm, but I didn't starve or pass out. With such a late lunch, I'll probably end up eating dinner, but no mid-afternoon snack, so I've already cut my calories down for the day. Isn't that great?!
3. This is going to take a big commitment and a lot of time. It's something I've said before, but "dieting" will be my new hobby. Well that's okay with me for a few reasons. A) It's not for forever. If I'm consistent and stick to what I'm doing, I'll be out of the losing weight phase in as little as 8 months. I'll average it out and say it'll take a year. Is that so bad for a MUCH LONGER lifetime of healthy living? Heck no! B) As time passes and the pounds come off, all of these steps will become second nature to me. I will cease to see it as a "diet" and it will simply become my lifestyle. After that, I'll be able to find something else to occupy my time and the options will be endless! C) I'm willing to do whatever it takes and this seems like the most painless, cost efficient option. Now, I'm not knocking these things, but here's what I'm NOT paying for: gym memberships - I have a HUGE back yard and a fit hubby who designs great workouts for me, plus a safe town where outdoor activities are encouraged, a personal trainer - see previous, weight loss counseling, diet pills, home meal delivery programs, online weight loss communities, pay-as-you-go systems such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and etc. See, if the BDS helps me get to the final result I'm hoping for, I will have done so without all those things, some of which are valid tools and some of which are gimmicks that people get sucked into. If, on the other hand, this doesn't work for me, I'm still going to be willing to do whatever it takes, but I'll just move on to the next least "painful" thing.
Well, that's what I've discovered so far and all that on just the first day of owning the books. Isn't that encouraging? It is for me! I can't wait to make these changes to my thinking and get on with losing! Yay!!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Starting Stats
The only one I have today is that my weight this morning was 198 lbs. That stinks, but it's better than it was before we left for our trip to Corpus Christi. I weighed 199 then. So, that makes my OFFICIAL starting weight 198.
I haven't received my new BDS books, but I'm expecting them tomorrow. I'm not sure what the whole format is, so I don't know a whole lot about the goal setting. I do know where I'd like to be weight-wise, but since I'm not sure I should have a certain number in my head as part of the BDS, I'm not going to post it here. I'm also going to refrain from any kind of goal deadlines for right now. In the past, setting a certain date to lose x amount of lbs. by has almost always ended up in disappointment. Then I feel sorry for myself and wonder what the heck I'm doing wrong as I eat a conciliatory ice cream cone. That ain't gonna work.
I am planning on doing goal "rewards" for right now, but that may change as a result of my reading BDS. My first goal is to lose 10 lbs., getting myself down to 188, as quickly as is healthy. To reward myself for reaching that goal, I'm going to order The Amory Wars, Vol. 1 and I can't friggin' wait. (And yes, I am a HUMONGOUS nerd.) Last time I started a good weight loss plan, I lost 12 lbs. in a month, so I very well could just be 30 days away from ordering this. That's awesome. I'm not going to count on it or anything, but it's an exciting prospect. 12 lbs. a month isn't really healthy weight loss for the long-term, but it's probably okay for the first month. I just want to see if I can push myself to accomplish that again.
I've looked into the BDS a little more. I can't go into specifics since I'm just getting all of this from a bit of internet research, but I think I have a general idea of what's coming. What I've read so far from people that use the solution is really motivating and looks like it will have a positive effect on my efforts. Well, I need to get back to work before I run out of time, so I'm off!
My books come in tomorrow and I'll spend the weekend acquainting myself with them and work on getting some healthy food in the house. Off I go!
I haven't received my new BDS books, but I'm expecting them tomorrow. I'm not sure what the whole format is, so I don't know a whole lot about the goal setting. I do know where I'd like to be weight-wise, but since I'm not sure I should have a certain number in my head as part of the BDS, I'm not going to post it here. I'm also going to refrain from any kind of goal deadlines for right now. In the past, setting a certain date to lose x amount of lbs. by has almost always ended up in disappointment. Then I feel sorry for myself and wonder what the heck I'm doing wrong as I eat a conciliatory ice cream cone. That ain't gonna work.
I am planning on doing goal "rewards" for right now, but that may change as a result of my reading BDS. My first goal is to lose 10 lbs., getting myself down to 188, as quickly as is healthy. To reward myself for reaching that goal, I'm going to order The Amory Wars, Vol. 1 and I can't friggin' wait. (And yes, I am a HUMONGOUS nerd.) Last time I started a good weight loss plan, I lost 12 lbs. in a month, so I very well could just be 30 days away from ordering this. That's awesome. I'm not going to count on it or anything, but it's an exciting prospect. 12 lbs. a month isn't really healthy weight loss for the long-term, but it's probably okay for the first month. I just want to see if I can push myself to accomplish that again.
I've looked into the BDS a little more. I can't go into specifics since I'm just getting all of this from a bit of internet research, but I think I have a general idea of what's coming. What I've read so far from people that use the solution is really motivating and looks like it will have a positive effect on my efforts. Well, I need to get back to work before I run out of time, so I'm off!
My books come in tomorrow and I'll spend the weekend acquainting myself with them and work on getting some healthy food in the house. Off I go!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Living Life
The truth of the matter is that there is nothing so motivating as tragedy. MM's ex-step-sister passed away on May 28. She was only 22 years old. Her death has been hard on us, but we are comforted in knowing that she's moved on to happier places.
Her death has also been a swift kick-in-the-pants for me as far as life goes. Life is SO fragile and can be taken away in a moment, so why shouldn't we live each moment to the fullest? It's about time that I start. The only problem is that my life will never be lived to the fullest as long as I'm overweight. As soon as I was able to process the fact that Crystal was gone, I had to face ME. I was not happy with what I saw and felt and, to be quite honest, I knew in an instant that I did not want to end my life looking and feeling the way I do.
Figuring out what step to take next was rather difficult. I want something that I can do, but I don't want to give up some of the things I love (like cooking). I considered Nutrisystem for a few days by reasoning that I would still have to cook for MM. But, if I'm not able to eat the food I make, it's not as rewarding. So Nutrisystem was scrapped. Then, I really thought about what part of weight loss was really holding me back. Was it exercise? No, not really. I love to work out. Was it knowing what to eat? No, not that, either. I know what to eat and when to eat it. What could it be, then? The only thing I could come up with was that there was some psychological block I have. After coming to that realization, I started searching for a solution.
My first thought was a support group of some sort. I found a Weight Watchers group, but it's an hour away on Tuesday nights, so I would have to leave work early AND be driving home late in the evening. Not good. I then thought about an online support group, but no-dice. It's too easy to get out of it. You just don't go online that day. Finally, I found what I'm praying will be an answer.
I purchased three books by Dr. Judith Beck, The Beck Diet Solution, Weight Loss Workbook, and The Beck Diet for Life. From the research I've done, the "Beck Solution" is a 6-week program that centers on cognitive therapy methods. The main point is to show the reader why they haven't lost weight and correct those sabotaging behaviors.
With MM's blessing, I've ordered the books with 2-day shipping, so they should be here by Friday. I'm planning on spending much of my weekend getting the crap food out of the house and putting the healthy food in. This is going to include preparing quite a few items to freeze so that I won't be without a meal. I'll also get back on track with my menu planning.
One of the first aspects of the book is finding a weight-loss coach. I've found a great one, my BFF from way-back-when. She's an amazing friend and has lost 20+ since March and I know that she is going to be a great motivator for me. Another first part is to find two diet plans to work on. The Beck Diet Solution isn't a diet, so you have to find what will work for you on your own. I've decided to start back up on MM's prescribed eating plan for me which led to my 20 lb. weight loss last year. For my back-up, I'll rely on the good ole SBDiet.
I'm hopeful that this is going to be the final stretch for me. I want to do this for me, my husband, my future children (Lord-willing) and, now, Miss Crystal. I want to get out of this crap body that is holding me back and recreate what God intended it to be.
I'll start posting the stats and such tomorrow. I'll be doing an official starting weight on Monday and set some goals, set up a food journal and etc. after I've gotten a few days of the book under my over-sized belt.
Her death has also been a swift kick-in-the-pants for me as far as life goes. Life is SO fragile and can be taken away in a moment, so why shouldn't we live each moment to the fullest? It's about time that I start. The only problem is that my life will never be lived to the fullest as long as I'm overweight. As soon as I was able to process the fact that Crystal was gone, I had to face ME. I was not happy with what I saw and felt and, to be quite honest, I knew in an instant that I did not want to end my life looking and feeling the way I do.
Figuring out what step to take next was rather difficult. I want something that I can do, but I don't want to give up some of the things I love (like cooking). I considered Nutrisystem for a few days by reasoning that I would still have to cook for MM. But, if I'm not able to eat the food I make, it's not as rewarding. So Nutrisystem was scrapped. Then, I really thought about what part of weight loss was really holding me back. Was it exercise? No, not really. I love to work out. Was it knowing what to eat? No, not that, either. I know what to eat and when to eat it. What could it be, then? The only thing I could come up with was that there was some psychological block I have. After coming to that realization, I started searching for a solution.
My first thought was a support group of some sort. I found a Weight Watchers group, but it's an hour away on Tuesday nights, so I would have to leave work early AND be driving home late in the evening. Not good. I then thought about an online support group, but no-dice. It's too easy to get out of it. You just don't go online that day. Finally, I found what I'm praying will be an answer.
I purchased three books by Dr. Judith Beck, The Beck Diet Solution, Weight Loss Workbook, and The Beck Diet for Life. From the research I've done, the "Beck Solution" is a 6-week program that centers on cognitive therapy methods. The main point is to show the reader why they haven't lost weight and correct those sabotaging behaviors.
With MM's blessing, I've ordered the books with 2-day shipping, so they should be here by Friday. I'm planning on spending much of my weekend getting the crap food out of the house and putting the healthy food in. This is going to include preparing quite a few items to freeze so that I won't be without a meal. I'll also get back on track with my menu planning.
One of the first aspects of the book is finding a weight-loss coach. I've found a great one, my BFF from way-back-when. She's an amazing friend and has lost 20+ since March and I know that she is going to be a great motivator for me. Another first part is to find two diet plans to work on. The Beck Diet Solution isn't a diet, so you have to find what will work for you on your own. I've decided to start back up on MM's prescribed eating plan for me which led to my 20 lb. weight loss last year. For my back-up, I'll rely on the good ole SBDiet.
I'm hopeful that this is going to be the final stretch for me. I want to do this for me, my husband, my future children (Lord-willing) and, now, Miss Crystal. I want to get out of this crap body that is holding me back and recreate what God intended it to be.
I'll start posting the stats and such tomorrow. I'll be doing an official starting weight on Monday and set some goals, set up a food journal and etc. after I've gotten a few days of the book under my over-sized belt.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thinking things over
I've had a pretty decent past few days. Sure, I've eaten a few too many snacks and my soda-drinking hasn't stopped, but my core meals are still great and I've been working out! I've been thinking about what I'm going through and wish that I had a place to turn, somewhere to go for support. I think it would be really great if there were a weight watchers group here, but I know that this small town would never support it. The accountability of a weekly weigh-in would be great, but mostly I want the companionship and support of women like me. I'm thinking what it would take to get a group like that started here. I know quite a few women that I see daily that are in the same boat; wanting to lose a lot of weight, but going at it alone. I have to admit that I'm not QUITE going at it alone. MM is a tremendous support to me, but sometimes he just doesn't know how to help or what I'm going through. I'm scared because I think it's a great idea, but I just don't know how to get it started or if I'd even be the right person to take charge of something like that.
I know that I can find plenty of support groups online, but I'm a bit tired of all of that. I want someone that I can sit in front of, face-to-face, and talk to. I want to be able to give someone a pat on the back for a job well-done and a hug for when times get tough. I'm just feeling this out and thinking it through right now. I'm not going to make any moves. For now, I will just pray. Please, dear reader, will you pray with me?
I know that I can find plenty of support groups online, but I'm a bit tired of all of that. I want someone that I can sit in front of, face-to-face, and talk to. I want to be able to give someone a pat on the back for a job well-done and a hug for when times get tough. I'm just feeling this out and thinking it through right now. I'm not going to make any moves. For now, I will just pray. Please, dear reader, will you pray with me?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
This is hard
We just got back from our mini-vacation in Ruidoso, NM. I didn't eat horrendously, but I ate badly enough that I've reverted back to some old bad habits. Sodas being one of them. Another is my sweet tooth. I had been doing a great job controlling it with fruits, yogurt and SF jello, but now I'm craving (and eating) chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. I also haven't been keeping the meat at bay as much as I am wanting to. I have kept my workouts up, but the two kind of counteract each other.
Yesterday's workout was tough. Another intense, short workout with push-ups, vertical jumps, forward jumps, deep squats and then skipping. SKIPPING?! Yes, skipping. It's embarrassing how much the skipping wore me out. The thing that ticked me off the most was that it took soooooo long to get around the lap skipping. Your whole body's engaged and moving, but you're going so slow, in reality. I really just wanted to break out into a sprint to get the lap over with a couple of times, but that wouldn't really be that great for my endurance and my "trainer" (MM) probably would have made me skip the lap over anyways.
I remember a particular moment quite clearly. I was in the middle of my 5th forward jump on round four of the rotation and thought to myself, "I would be kicking ass if I was eating right." And you know what, I'm right. Why can't I just do that, then? It is always the eating that gets to me. I've had burritos for both meals today and some Reese's PB Cups for snacks, not to mention the two sodas I've had. Yuck. It's so gross when I think about what I'm putting into my body. I'm thinking that I need to get back to food-journaling again, or maybe even posting my daily meals here. Maybe then I'll think twice about what I'm eating. I hope so. I've got to get out of this bad-food-funk!
Yesterday's workout was tough. Another intense, short workout with push-ups, vertical jumps, forward jumps, deep squats and then skipping. SKIPPING?! Yes, skipping. It's embarrassing how much the skipping wore me out. The thing that ticked me off the most was that it took soooooo long to get around the lap skipping. Your whole body's engaged and moving, but you're going so slow, in reality. I really just wanted to break out into a sprint to get the lap over with a couple of times, but that wouldn't really be that great for my endurance and my "trainer" (MM) probably would have made me skip the lap over anyways.
I remember a particular moment quite clearly. I was in the middle of my 5th forward jump on round four of the rotation and thought to myself, "I would be kicking ass if I was eating right." And you know what, I'm right. Why can't I just do that, then? It is always the eating that gets to me. I've had burritos for both meals today and some Reese's PB Cups for snacks, not to mention the two sodas I've had. Yuck. It's so gross when I think about what I'm putting into my body. I'm thinking that I need to get back to food-journaling again, or maybe even posting my daily meals here. Maybe then I'll think twice about what I'm eating. I hope so. I've got to get out of this bad-food-funk!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wow...
That's all I can say. Wow. I feel great. I've had so much energy since really getting things together and changing my eating habits on Thursday of this week. I've already noticed a significant reduction in bloating and with my period nearing, that's BIG. MM even noticed a difference from last Sunday to this Sunday. Could it be? Is this the final push? I don't want to get too hopped up, but I think so.
I really thought the transition would be difficult. It hasn't been at all. I don't miss meat and I'm not really craving any of my old vices right now. I know it's early, but days 3 - 4 are normally my toughest and I'm not really facing any of those old challenges right now. Could I eat a piece of chocolate? Sure, but I'm not craving it at all. Considering the time of the month for me, I'm astounded to be able to honestly feel that way. It's amazing!
I have to keep my head on straight, though, and keep going. This is going to be a long, hard road, but I'm feeling good that I may have finally found the vehicle to get me to the end of it. What a blessing!
I really thought the transition would be difficult. It hasn't been at all. I don't miss meat and I'm not really craving any of my old vices right now. I know it's early, but days 3 - 4 are normally my toughest and I'm not really facing any of those old challenges right now. Could I eat a piece of chocolate? Sure, but I'm not craving it at all. Considering the time of the month for me, I'm astounded to be able to honestly feel that way. It's amazing!
I have to keep my head on straight, though, and keep going. This is going to be a long, hard road, but I'm feeling good that I may have finally found the vehicle to get me to the end of it. What a blessing!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Getting there
Wow, April is almost half over. I'm really not sure what the outcome of this month is going to be. I've made a lot of changes, but things have still been challenging. For example, I've worked out every night this week except for tonight, my planned rest day. My eating last Friday through this Wednesday was horrible, though. It started with Chinese food and then snowballed into a DQ chocolate dipped cone, quite a bit of food, including dessert at our Sunday School class' Easter Picnic, Whoppers, sodas, donuts and some cookies. Finally, a FB post that revealed our office didn't have a great week for weigh-in and the ensuing responses (mostly a "pass the buck" game between myself and my office-mates), I decided to just shape it up already. And I have. Two CLEAN days. What do I mean by clean?
Diet: I've transitioned into a pescetarian lifestyle. My reasons for doing this are solely based on my health right now. I'm going to have a clean, veggie and seafood-filled couple of days to start. Our mini-vacation starts next week, so I'm just going to play it by ear while we're there. It's not a place known for its seafood or vegetarian fare. After that, it's clean eating until the end of May, when we're in So. Texas for family-visiting. We'll be spending time on the coast, so I'll be devouring the seafood there, but I will probably bend for some REALLY GOOD meat. For example, MM and I are planning on visiting our college town and we'll probably stop at the little BBQ joint there. It's the best not-home-grilled BBQ either of us has ever had, so I will definitely yield for some brisket. I will not, however, break my pescetarian ways for a Whataburger. It's just not worth it!
So far the lifestyle change in regards to my eating habits has been easy. I love veggies and legumes, so most of my meals have come easily. I've already developed two new recipes to replace some of our "meat" favorites. The great thing about that is that I'm able to cook MM's food as usual and mine is a twist on the original that can be prepped and cooked right along side of his. That's going to be my main goal; not create extra work for us through this lifestyle. The slightly harder part is the seafood, but I've been stocking up on some good quality frozen fare that will do.
Exercise: Early in 2009, MM started "training" me. What I mean by that is that he gave me an "approved" and "not allowed" food list and set up my workout regime. We both feel the eating changes are going to be for the best, but my workout routines were definitely lacking. We're back to that system with MM "training" me 3 - 4 days a week and I pick a lower-intensity workout on the alternating days. It has worked really well and I know I'm getting a great workout.
We have a HUGE back yard, so one of the workouts he gives me is a game of "tag". That's right, we play tag. My goal is to not be "it" when the timer goes off, usually at 20 - 25 minutes. If I'm not "it", I get to walk a few laps and then cool down. If I'm "it", I get the pleasure of sprinting a few laps or doing a push-ups until I'm at failure. Have you played "tag" as an adult? It's a great cardio activity and it's total-body. Short bursts of sprinting, turning on a dime; it's all wonderfully taxing on my body. THAT'S a great workout, if you ask me.
At this point, I'm definitely not on schedule, but I'm not giving up. I'm just going to keep at it until I get myself down to my goal. I know it's doable. Today at work I had to ignore the temptation of breakfast burritos, cookies, a mini-candy bar that was a gift from a coworker, sodas and a huge hunk of delicious-looking meat that MM grilled for himself (I had grilled eggplant, yellow squash, tomatoes and red bell peppers). I got through that without feeling like I was missing out, so I can get through hundreds of days more, if that's what it takes. I'm going to get there...one way or another.
My weigh-in this week was 194.8. My goal is to be 182.8 by the end of June. I'm sure I can make it if I keep this up. My goal reward is going to be Volume One of The Amory Wars, a comic trade book I'm dying to get!
Diet: I've transitioned into a pescetarian lifestyle. My reasons for doing this are solely based on my health right now. I'm going to have a clean, veggie and seafood-filled couple of days to start. Our mini-vacation starts next week, so I'm just going to play it by ear while we're there. It's not a place known for its seafood or vegetarian fare. After that, it's clean eating until the end of May, when we're in So. Texas for family-visiting. We'll be spending time on the coast, so I'll be devouring the seafood there, but I will probably bend for some REALLY GOOD meat. For example, MM and I are planning on visiting our college town and we'll probably stop at the little BBQ joint there. It's the best not-home-grilled BBQ either of us has ever had, so I will definitely yield for some brisket. I will not, however, break my pescetarian ways for a Whataburger. It's just not worth it!
So far the lifestyle change in regards to my eating habits has been easy. I love veggies and legumes, so most of my meals have come easily. I've already developed two new recipes to replace some of our "meat" favorites. The great thing about that is that I'm able to cook MM's food as usual and mine is a twist on the original that can be prepped and cooked right along side of his. That's going to be my main goal; not create extra work for us through this lifestyle. The slightly harder part is the seafood, but I've been stocking up on some good quality frozen fare that will do.
Exercise: Early in 2009, MM started "training" me. What I mean by that is that he gave me an "approved" and "not allowed" food list and set up my workout regime. We both feel the eating changes are going to be for the best, but my workout routines were definitely lacking. We're back to that system with MM "training" me 3 - 4 days a week and I pick a lower-intensity workout on the alternating days. It has worked really well and I know I'm getting a great workout.
We have a HUGE back yard, so one of the workouts he gives me is a game of "tag". That's right, we play tag. My goal is to not be "it" when the timer goes off, usually at 20 - 25 minutes. If I'm not "it", I get to walk a few laps and then cool down. If I'm "it", I get the pleasure of sprinting a few laps or doing a push-ups until I'm at failure. Have you played "tag" as an adult? It's a great cardio activity and it's total-body. Short bursts of sprinting, turning on a dime; it's all wonderfully taxing on my body. THAT'S a great workout, if you ask me.
At this point, I'm definitely not on schedule, but I'm not giving up. I'm just going to keep at it until I get myself down to my goal. I know it's doable. Today at work I had to ignore the temptation of breakfast burritos, cookies, a mini-candy bar that was a gift from a coworker, sodas and a huge hunk of delicious-looking meat that MM grilled for himself (I had grilled eggplant, yellow squash, tomatoes and red bell peppers). I got through that without feeling like I was missing out, so I can get through hundreds of days more, if that's what it takes. I'm going to get there...one way or another.
My weigh-in this week was 194.8. My goal is to be 182.8 by the end of June. I'm sure I can make it if I keep this up. My goal reward is going to be Volume One of The Amory Wars, a comic trade book I'm dying to get!
Monday, March 29, 2010
5 Simple Rules
Wow. It has been far too long since I've even visited this blog. It's probably due to my shame at not being good. I've been doing fairly consistent workouts, but my eating hasn't been great.
On the TV show Ruby last night, her therapist challenged her to change five things that she could change to help her get out of her weight loss rut. One of the members of SBD on 3FC posted a challenge that we all do the same. I thought it was a great idea and totally do-able, so I made my own list of five things and here they are:
1. Stop drinking sodas of any kind.
2. Eat every bite in public. It's never the food that I eat in front of peers/coworkers/hubby that get me in trouble, it's the food I sneak. I will stop eating in private.
3. Do some kind of non-necessary physical activity for at least 15 minutes a day.
4. Get up hourly (at least) to check on my employees. It will get me moving more and make me a better boss; a win-win.
5. Bite my tongue when MM is being helpful/supportive even when I don't want to hear it. He truly only wants what is best for me.
This will be hard for me, but I KNOW that I can do this. It's just 5 simple rules to live by for a while. Once they're habits, I'm sure I can add to them and continue making positive changes to affect my life!
On the TV show Ruby last night, her therapist challenged her to change five things that she could change to help her get out of her weight loss rut. One of the members of SBD on 3FC posted a challenge that we all do the same. I thought it was a great idea and totally do-able, so I made my own list of five things and here they are:
1. Stop drinking sodas of any kind.
2. Eat every bite in public. It's never the food that I eat in front of peers/coworkers/hubby that get me in trouble, it's the food I sneak. I will stop eating in private.
3. Do some kind of non-necessary physical activity for at least 15 minutes a day.
4. Get up hourly (at least) to check on my employees. It will get me moving more and make me a better boss; a win-win.
5. Bite my tongue when MM is being helpful/supportive even when I don't want to hear it. He truly only wants what is best for me.
This will be hard for me, but I KNOW that I can do this. It's just 5 simple rules to live by for a while. Once they're habits, I'm sure I can add to them and continue making positive changes to affect my life!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Starting Over
I opened my journal tonight and was very dismayed by all the blank pages. The past two months have been pretty bad and I'm pretty sure that I'm almost back up to my January 2009 weight. That's a really hard pill to swallow, but I did it to myself. No time for a pity party, though. I'm moving on.
We start our "Biggest Loser" competition at work on Monday and L, D and I also start Phase 1 of South Beach on Monday. I can't believe I'm feeling this way, but I'm SO ready for it. I just can't wait for the clean, energetic feeling that comes on the fifth or sixth day of P1. I know it's going to be hard, but I want to be done with this. I want to be at my goal weight and I still think it's possible to do that by the end of the year, even after losing two full months. I'm just going to take it one day at a time and I will start each day in prayer because I know even one successful day is impossible without Him.
We start our "Biggest Loser" competition at work on Monday and L, D and I also start Phase 1 of South Beach on Monday. I can't believe I'm feeling this way, but I'm SO ready for it. I just can't wait for the clean, energetic feeling that comes on the fifth or sixth day of P1. I know it's going to be hard, but I want to be done with this. I want to be at my goal weight and I still think it's possible to do that by the end of the year, even after losing two full months. I'm just going to take it one day at a time and I will start each day in prayer because I know even one successful day is impossible without Him.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Construction delayed
My efforts to remodel my temple have been greatly hindered by my own lack of self-discipline. I'm finally coming to terms with myself, though and am preparing for a renewed effort. Step one is getting out there and spreading the word, admitting my failure and proclaiming that construction will resume soon, with some new methods. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Well, that didn't take long
I didn't just fall off the wagon this time. I straight up flung myself off the back, giggling all the way. What do I have to show for it? I'm ending the month of January with a total loss of just 3 lbs. At this rate, it will take me 19 more months to make my goal. That's not going to work for me. Everything just seemed to snowball on me. I had one bad day and shook it off. Then another and another. Until, finally, I'm spending my days od'd on sugar and the like and can't seem to get out of my self-induced every bad food under the sun coma. I've got to get back on track, but I'm struggling with taking the first step.
I'd like to set up a goal of 9 lbs of loss for Feb., but I'm worried that I'll be setting myself up for failure. Let's say I only lose 6 lbs rather than 9, is that really a failure? I've got to get rid of this all or nothing mentality. I'm floundering under my own lack of willpower. I've got a lot of thinking to do and I just need to get out of this cycle, starting right now. I've got to make the changes happen!
I'd like to set up a goal of 9 lbs of loss for Feb., but I'm worried that I'll be setting myself up for failure. Let's say I only lose 6 lbs rather than 9, is that really a failure? I've got to get rid of this all or nothing mentality. I'm floundering under my own lack of willpower. I've got a lot of thinking to do and I just need to get out of this cycle, starting right now. I've got to make the changes happen!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Just Looking To Fit In - Defined Goals
I am currently a member of SparkPeople (SP) and am on a team called, "Just Looking to Fit In" (JLTFI). A lot of the teams on SP are related to specific eating plans, workouts, geographic locations, interests and etc. I always had a hard time finding a place to fit, because I'm not doing anything that specific and when you jump in on any of the other teams, you just don't feel like you belong. Well, JLTFI fulfilled my need for a team to get into and it's been great. We are getting ready to start a two-week challenge and were given the opportunity to post a blog for bonus points. I think the blog pretty much sums up the who, what, when, where and why I'm doing all of this, so I thought I'd just post it verbatim here.
I'm just going to get right to it and answer the questions as presented.
What are you realistic goals regarding your weight, fitness and/or nutrition?
Long term: My goals for weight loss are to lose 60 lbs in all, to get my down to 129. I hope to be a consistent exerciser and my long-term goal is to eventually have the confidence to do more than just a walking workout in public. Currently, all my workouts are done in my living room and back yard and I would LOVE to take up cycling again and maybe even running. Nutrition-wise, my goals are to eat nutritious, self-prepared meals consisting of minimal to no processed foods without going over calories. I would also like to get to the point where I know I'm getting most of my nutrients from what I'm eating rather than from vitamins and/or supplements.
For this challenge: I hope to hit my January goal weight of 183. For fitness, I am hoping to further solidify my current habit of working out six days a week and increase my intensity on some of my measurable workouts. Nutrition-wise, I am just shooting for two weeks of on-plan eating. I do not want to have a single over-calorie day in my food journal.
What behaviors or actions do you need to take in order to achieve these goals?
Long term: To lose the weight I want to, I need to be consistent at logging my food consumption in my food journal, not miss workouts for inexcusable reasons, not get off of my eating plan for any reason and I need to be kind to myself so that a slip-up does not lead to a day, week or month of binging. To increase my chances of increasing my fitness, I need to do workouts that I enjoy and not force myself to do the ones I hate just for the sake of doing them. I need to rate my workouts based on enjoyment level and only do those at the top and search for similar workouts to them to add to the mix. To better my nutrition, I need to really LEARN about the food I'm eating to make sure I'm actually putting healthy things into my body and also to ensure that I'm getting as many nutrients per calorie consumed as possible.
For this challenge: I need to monitor calories consumed and expended daily so that I know I'm on track to make my goal of 183 during this challenge. I need to make sure my workouts are scheduled and carried out to the greatest intensity I can muster. Finally, I will do research this week on all the new foods I am planning on bringing into the house so that I can make sure they're the best for my body.
How can your goals be measured so you can see the progress along the way?
The main source of measurement will be through my food and fitness journal. I will log every calorie consumed and every workout done so that I can have a very good understanding of what my body reacts well to. I will also use my weight (I weigh-in weekly) and the way my clothing fits as a measurement of my progress.
How would you feel when these goals are achieved?
I imagine I will feel much more confident in the way I look and extremely confident in my ability to tackle a huge task. I will always struggle with food and my weight, but I will come through this knowing that if I can do it once, I can do it again. I will be very proud of myself, but I pray daily that this will not lead me to being a vain person. That would make all of my effort not worth it.
What is the realistic time line/schedule needed to achieve these goals?
My goal is to weigh 129 when I go to the doctor for my annual visit because that will be one year to the day that she told me that 60 lbs. of weight loss would put me in great shape and right in line with what the right weight for my body would be.
Who can you be accountable to and share your progress with these goals?
I am accountable first and foremost to God. I have given this up to Him because I know that I can't do it without Him Secondly, I'm accountable to my husband. He is my fitness "coach" and a great motivator and, although he doesn't always understand, he is always there to listen to me and help me get through the rough patches. Finally, I will be accountable to my teammates and all the people who read this and my personal blog.
I will come back to this post from time to time for a reality check and to make sure that I'm on track. I am still planning a good, detailed post about some of my resources and I already have a health-related book to review, so there should be some new, informational posts coming soon! I just need to get back on track because this lazy weekend has been a bit of a bust in the logging department. I plan on being back tomorrow to catch up!
I'm just going to get right to it and answer the questions as presented.
What are you realistic goals regarding your weight, fitness and/or nutrition?
Long term: My goals for weight loss are to lose 60 lbs in all, to get my down to 129. I hope to be a consistent exerciser and my long-term goal is to eventually have the confidence to do more than just a walking workout in public. Currently, all my workouts are done in my living room and back yard and I would LOVE to take up cycling again and maybe even running. Nutrition-wise, my goals are to eat nutritious, self-prepared meals consisting of minimal to no processed foods without going over calories. I would also like to get to the point where I know I'm getting most of my nutrients from what I'm eating rather than from vitamins and/or supplements.
For this challenge: I hope to hit my January goal weight of 183. For fitness, I am hoping to further solidify my current habit of working out six days a week and increase my intensity on some of my measurable workouts. Nutrition-wise, I am just shooting for two weeks of on-plan eating. I do not want to have a single over-calorie day in my food journal.
What behaviors or actions do you need to take in order to achieve these goals?
Long term: To lose the weight I want to, I need to be consistent at logging my food consumption in my food journal, not miss workouts for inexcusable reasons, not get off of my eating plan for any reason and I need to be kind to myself so that a slip-up does not lead to a day, week or month of binging. To increase my chances of increasing my fitness, I need to do workouts that I enjoy and not force myself to do the ones I hate just for the sake of doing them. I need to rate my workouts based on enjoyment level and only do those at the top and search for similar workouts to them to add to the mix. To better my nutrition, I need to really LEARN about the food I'm eating to make sure I'm actually putting healthy things into my body and also to ensure that I'm getting as many nutrients per calorie consumed as possible.
For this challenge: I need to monitor calories consumed and expended daily so that I know I'm on track to make my goal of 183 during this challenge. I need to make sure my workouts are scheduled and carried out to the greatest intensity I can muster. Finally, I will do research this week on all the new foods I am planning on bringing into the house so that I can make sure they're the best for my body.
How can your goals be measured so you can see the progress along the way?
The main source of measurement will be through my food and fitness journal. I will log every calorie consumed and every workout done so that I can have a very good understanding of what my body reacts well to. I will also use my weight (I weigh-in weekly) and the way my clothing fits as a measurement of my progress.
How would you feel when these goals are achieved?
I imagine I will feel much more confident in the way I look and extremely confident in my ability to tackle a huge task. I will always struggle with food and my weight, but I will come through this knowing that if I can do it once, I can do it again. I will be very proud of myself, but I pray daily that this will not lead me to being a vain person. That would make all of my effort not worth it.
What is the realistic time line/schedule needed to achieve these goals?
My goal is to weigh 129 when I go to the doctor for my annual visit because that will be one year to the day that she told me that 60 lbs. of weight loss would put me in great shape and right in line with what the right weight for my body would be.
Who can you be accountable to and share your progress with these goals?
I am accountable first and foremost to God. I have given this up to Him because I know that I can't do it without Him Secondly, I'm accountable to my husband. He is my fitness "coach" and a great motivator and, although he doesn't always understand, he is always there to listen to me and help me get through the rough patches. Finally, I will be accountable to my teammates and all the people who read this and my personal blog.
I will come back to this post from time to time for a reality check and to make sure that I'm on track. I am still planning a good, detailed post about some of my resources and I already have a health-related book to review, so there should be some new, informational posts coming soon! I just need to get back on track because this lazy weekend has been a bit of a bust in the logging department. I plan on being back tomorrow to catch up!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
"Step away from the chocolate!"
Chocolate is going to be the end of me. I keep telling myself, "I can stop at a serving", but I can't. I never can. I was within my calorie range today and had a decent deficit, but it wasn't done by eating things I want to put into my body every day.
Day 5 (Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1792
Cals used (workouts only): 498
Net Cals: 1294
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 643
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: no, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Step away from the chocolate!"
I burned my calories by doing the Weight Watchers Get Moving Mix Cardio Dance DVD for 20 minutes this morning and The Firm Ride the Wave and Speed Slimming Sculpt Express DVDs for a total of 33 minutes this evening.
My name is Kimberly, and I am a chocoholic. This afternoon at lunch, I ran home, packed a healthy meal and zoomed out the door so I could go to Alco (our Wal-Mart type store), for a few necessities. I conscientiously pulled up to the store thinking that I would be leaving with some sort of treat. That should have been a big, blaring warning sign for me. I left with a Twix and a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I ate the Twix right after lunch and about half of the PB Cups about 3 hours later. I was fortunate, though. All of that sweetness made me feel miserable. My stomach hurt, I felt bloated and I even contemplated not working out tonight. The horror! I compensated a bit by eating a low-calorie, but satisfying dinner and pushing through my workout. It wasn't so hard, but I don't want to do that again tomorrow, or any other day for that matter.
I'm also facing a bit of concern from MM. He feels I may be working out too much. I definitely understand his concern, but I'm listening to my body and taking it easy on days I feel it's necessary. I'm such a sedentary person that I think it's okay if, on my day "off", I take a 30-minute walk. Time will tell, but I did promise MM that I will be careful. He's also a bit concerned that I may cut too many calories, but I am eating until I'm satisfied. My gauge is a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being painfully hungry and 10 being painfully full. I'd love to eat until I'm at 5 every time I eat, but it's closer to 6 and maybe even 7. I'm definitely not feeling hungry all day, so I'm sure I'm getting enough cals in. Again, time will tell and I will make adjustments if necessary.
I am proud of myself for getting through 5 full days with a positive attitude and definite results, even if the results aren't physical!
Day 5 (Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1792
Cals used (workouts only): 498
Net Cals: 1294
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 643
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: no, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Step away from the chocolate!"
I burned my calories by doing the Weight Watchers Get Moving Mix Cardio Dance DVD for 20 minutes this morning and The Firm Ride the Wave and Speed Slimming Sculpt Express DVDs for a total of 33 minutes this evening.
My name is Kimberly, and I am a chocoholic. This afternoon at lunch, I ran home, packed a healthy meal and zoomed out the door so I could go to Alco (our Wal-Mart type store), for a few necessities. I conscientiously pulled up to the store thinking that I would be leaving with some sort of treat. That should have been a big, blaring warning sign for me. I left with a Twix and a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I ate the Twix right after lunch and about half of the PB Cups about 3 hours later. I was fortunate, though. All of that sweetness made me feel miserable. My stomach hurt, I felt bloated and I even contemplated not working out tonight. The horror! I compensated a bit by eating a low-calorie, but satisfying dinner and pushing through my workout. It wasn't so hard, but I don't want to do that again tomorrow, or any other day for that matter.
I'm also facing a bit of concern from MM. He feels I may be working out too much. I definitely understand his concern, but I'm listening to my body and taking it easy on days I feel it's necessary. I'm such a sedentary person that I think it's okay if, on my day "off", I take a 30-minute walk. Time will tell, but I did promise MM that I will be careful. He's also a bit concerned that I may cut too many calories, but I am eating until I'm satisfied. My gauge is a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being painfully hungry and 10 being painfully full. I'd love to eat until I'm at 5 every time I eat, but it's closer to 6 and maybe even 7. I'm definitely not feeling hungry all day, so I'm sure I'm getting enough cals in. Again, time will tell and I will make adjustments if necessary.
I am proud of myself for getting through 5 full days with a positive attitude and definite results, even if the results aren't physical!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I'm feeling good
Today didn't end up being the day I wanted it to be calorie intake/output wise, but I have such a positive outlook right now that I'm able to see past it. Here's today's breakdown:
Day 4 (Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010)
Cals eaten: 2096
Cals used (workouts only): 189
Net Cals: 1907
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 30
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: no, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Today was another productive day & I love all the energy I have!"
I burned my calories by doing a Bellydance Boogie DVD (tons of fun!) this evening.
Now I know that any sane person would tell me that I'm not going to lose weight with only a deficit of 30 calories and I heartily agree. The lesson I learned from all of this is that I cannot track my food at night after I've eaten it all. I HAVE to track it as I eat, or as soon thereafter as practical, to know where I stand. I'm moving on and focusing on doing things right tomorrow.
I'm feeling SO great, though. My energy level has been sky-high just since making changes to my workout regimen and eating habits on Sunday. The house is neater, the laundry is actually put away and I have given myself the gift of additional free time every evening so far. I've been getting up earlier than I thought I ever would and I just feel so clean, even with the slip-ups I've had. I haven't weighed myself, but if I did this morning and the scale hadn't changed, I know I would still have a smile on my face because I can feel my body changing. Praise the Lord for that!!!
Day 4 (Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010)
Cals eaten: 2096
Cals used (workouts only): 189
Net Cals: 1907
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 30
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: no, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Today was another productive day & I love all the energy I have!"
I burned my calories by doing a Bellydance Boogie DVD (tons of fun!) this evening.
Now I know that any sane person would tell me that I'm not going to lose weight with only a deficit of 30 calories and I heartily agree. The lesson I learned from all of this is that I cannot track my food at night after I've eaten it all. I HAVE to track it as I eat, or as soon thereafter as practical, to know where I stand. I'm moving on and focusing on doing things right tomorrow.
I'm feeling SO great, though. My energy level has been sky-high just since making changes to my workout regimen and eating habits on Sunday. The house is neater, the laundry is actually put away and I have given myself the gift of additional free time every evening so far. I've been getting up earlier than I thought I ever would and I just feel so clean, even with the slip-ups I've had. I haven't weighed myself, but if I did this morning and the scale hadn't changed, I know I would still have a smile on my face because I can feel my body changing. Praise the Lord for that!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Well, at least it's a deficit!
Today started out just GRAND. I got up, did a 30-minute workout, fixed a healthy, healthy breakfast and then did my quiet time. I also actually made it to work on time in spit of all of that. Then, the munchies hit. I think it had to do with the fact that I had eaten breakfast so much earlier than usual and didn't have a healthy snack at the ready. What do I do? I go get a bag of Reese's Pieces and a Diet Coke. Only problem was that it was a jumbo bag that contained a whopping 800 calories. I didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting, though. I ate some, then put the rest in the break room to "share" with my coworkers. Then, I came back in from lunch, saw that some pieces remained and ate the rest. Sigh. Here's the day's totals:
Day 3 (Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010)
Cals eaten: 2256
Cals used (workouts only): 544
Net Cals: 1712
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 225
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Blah. That's all I have to say about that."
I burned my calories by doing two workouts; one 30 minute bellydance dvd at 6:00 a.m. and a 50-minute evening workout that consisted of a warm-up, The P.B.*, 30 minutes of jogging and a cool-down/stretch session.
*The P.B. is 5 sets of 10 of the following: push-ups (on my knees for now), squats, cable rows and lunges on each leg.
I KNOW that a deficit is still a deficit and I'm happy that I still came out on top. What I'm bummed about is letting those little peanut butter candies get the best of me today. I saw my motivational letter in my drawer and actively averted my eyes every time I reached in for another piece of candy. My goals for tomorrow are to stay on track, don't allow myself to buy anything off-plan and to take it easy for the day. I'm all hopped up on workouts and it would be easy to continue that trend tomorrow. My body does need a rest, so I'm just going to do 30-minutes of low-impact cardio after work and possibly do a 30-minute walk during lunch.
Well, that is all for day 3. I already feel better having typed this out and knowing that I have a plan in place to keep from making the same mistake tomorrow.
Day 3 (Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010)
Cals eaten: 2256
Cals used (workouts only): 544
Net Cals: 1712
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 225
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 7, energy level: 7. "Blah. That's all I have to say about that."
I burned my calories by doing two workouts; one 30 minute bellydance dvd at 6:00 a.m. and a 50-minute evening workout that consisted of a warm-up, The P.B.*, 30 minutes of jogging and a cool-down/stretch session.
*The P.B. is 5 sets of 10 of the following: push-ups (on my knees for now), squats, cable rows and lunges on each leg.
I KNOW that a deficit is still a deficit and I'm happy that I still came out on top. What I'm bummed about is letting those little peanut butter candies get the best of me today. I saw my motivational letter in my drawer and actively averted my eyes every time I reached in for another piece of candy. My goals for tomorrow are to stay on track, don't allow myself to buy anything off-plan and to take it easy for the day. I'm all hopped up on workouts and it would be easy to continue that trend tomorrow. My body does need a rest, so I'm just going to do 30-minutes of low-impact cardio after work and possibly do a 30-minute walk during lunch.
Well, that is all for day 3. I already feel better having typed this out and knowing that I have a plan in place to keep from making the same mistake tomorrow.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Getting Into the Swing of Things
Well, Day 1 and 2 are over and I'm happy to say that I have done well. I have had a few hiccups thus far, but nothing too horrendous! I'll get right into the dirty details...
Day 1 (Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1677
Cals used (workouts only): 600
Net Cals: 1077
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 860
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 6 (out of 8), energy level: 5 (out of 8). "Today was a good first day. Tracking is a bit rough, but I'm sure it'll get easier."
I burned my calories by doing two workouts; one 30 minute 2 mph walk during lunch and a 50 minute evening workout that consisted of a warm-up, 5 grinders* and a cool-down/stretch.
*One grinder = 40 jumping jacks, 1 back yard lap (1/25 of a mile) at highest intensity possible, 40 mountain climbers, another lap, 40 jump ropes, another lap, 4 squat thrusts, and a high-intensity half-lap with the remainder of the lap being recovery.
Day 2 (Monday, Jan. 18, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1745
Cals used (workouts only): 653
Net Cals: 1092
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 845
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 6, energy level: 6. "I've felt hungry all day...not a good feeling!"
I burned my calories by doing 3 workouts; one 30 minute lunchtime walk at 2 mph, one low-intensity bellydance dvd for 30 minutes and one high-intensity bellydance dvd for 30 minutes.
I will get into more detail about how I'm hoping to achieve my goals in later posts, but my basic plan is to maintain a certain net calorie deficit per week eating healthy, unprocessed foods. To begin, I calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You can find a great BMR calculator here. Clicking on the links will reveal a wealth of useful information. I then considered how much weight I wanted to lose. Slow, healthy weight loss is a sure priority, so my goal is to lose 1.5 - 2 lbs. a week. Since a 3500 calorie deficit will equal 1 lb. of weight loss, I am shooting for a calorie deficit of 5250 - 7000 per week. Easy enough? I wish. That is the logical side of weight loss, the emotional side is what gets to me.
Sunday was a pretty great day. I was really proud of myself for getting two workouts in as well as for having a better energy level than I have in the past few weeks. I was very productive around the house, so I know that there are an untold number of calories that were burned during my semi-aggressive cleaning. I felt satisfied with what I was eating and made a conscientious effort to really enjoy my food. I was even able to budget in two glasses of white wine to enjoy with the Mountain Man, or MM (my husband), out by the fire last night.
Monday was, well, acceptable. I woke up feeling dehydrated and headachey, the classic hangover. Apparently, two glasses of wine is above my limit, so I will limit it to one glass per week from now on. I made sure to down an ample amount of water and some tylenol and pressed on with my day. I believe the hungry feeling was a result of my not eating at the correct intervals. I was busy getting the house cleaned and wanted to get just one more thing done before I ate my next snack or meal. I did get all three of my planned workouts in, but I didn't have the energy throughout the workouts that I typically do. Another problem I encountered was that I ate dinner too fast to make it to bible study on time. I will need to plan my Mondays more carefully to avoid that. Finally, I ate every meal today while doing something else, whether that was watching tv, piddling around on the internet or doing honest to goodness work. That will be another food problem that I will be working on.
I am optimistic that tomorrow will be a better day. It will be a test since I'm at work...I tend to eat more poorly there than at home. I am glad that I had two days to "prepare" and, armed with my tools for weight loss, I'm sure I'll have a successful day!
Day 1 (Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1677
Cals used (workouts only): 600
Net Cals: 1077
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 860
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 6 (out of 8), energy level: 5 (out of 8). "Today was a good first day. Tracking is a bit rough, but I'm sure it'll get easier."
I burned my calories by doing two workouts; one 30 minute 2 mph walk during lunch and a 50 minute evening workout that consisted of a warm-up, 5 grinders* and a cool-down/stretch.
*One grinder = 40 jumping jacks, 1 back yard lap (1/25 of a mile) at highest intensity possible, 40 mountain climbers, another lap, 40 jump ropes, another lap, 4 squat thrusts, and a high-intensity half-lap with the remainder of the lap being recovery.
Day 2 (Monday, Jan. 18, 2010)
Cals eaten: 1745
Cals used (workouts only): 653
Net Cals: 1092
BMR * 1.2 = 1937
Net Cal Deficit: 845
My diet & fitness journal notes for the day: Today's goal met: yes, mood: 6, energy level: 6. "I've felt hungry all day...not a good feeling!"
I burned my calories by doing 3 workouts; one 30 minute lunchtime walk at 2 mph, one low-intensity bellydance dvd for 30 minutes and one high-intensity bellydance dvd for 30 minutes.
I will get into more detail about how I'm hoping to achieve my goals in later posts, but my basic plan is to maintain a certain net calorie deficit per week eating healthy, unprocessed foods. To begin, I calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You can find a great BMR calculator here. Clicking on the links will reveal a wealth of useful information. I then considered how much weight I wanted to lose. Slow, healthy weight loss is a sure priority, so my goal is to lose 1.5 - 2 lbs. a week. Since a 3500 calorie deficit will equal 1 lb. of weight loss, I am shooting for a calorie deficit of 5250 - 7000 per week. Easy enough? I wish. That is the logical side of weight loss, the emotional side is what gets to me.
Sunday was a pretty great day. I was really proud of myself for getting two workouts in as well as for having a better energy level than I have in the past few weeks. I was very productive around the house, so I know that there are an untold number of calories that were burned during my semi-aggressive cleaning. I felt satisfied with what I was eating and made a conscientious effort to really enjoy my food. I was even able to budget in two glasses of white wine to enjoy with the Mountain Man, or MM (my husband), out by the fire last night.
Monday was, well, acceptable. I woke up feeling dehydrated and headachey, the classic hangover. Apparently, two glasses of wine is above my limit, so I will limit it to one glass per week from now on. I made sure to down an ample amount of water and some tylenol and pressed on with my day. I believe the hungry feeling was a result of my not eating at the correct intervals. I was busy getting the house cleaned and wanted to get just one more thing done before I ate my next snack or meal. I did get all three of my planned workouts in, but I didn't have the energy throughout the workouts that I typically do. Another problem I encountered was that I ate dinner too fast to make it to bible study on time. I will need to plan my Mondays more carefully to avoid that. Finally, I ate every meal today while doing something else, whether that was watching tv, piddling around on the internet or doing honest to goodness work. That will be another food problem that I will be working on.
I am optimistic that tomorrow will be a better day. It will be a test since I'm at work...I tend to eat more poorly there than at home. I am glad that I had two days to "prepare" and, armed with my tools for weight loss, I'm sure I'll have a successful day!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Temple
Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine a magnificent stone structure rising up in front of you. On either side of strong, olive wood doors are two elaborately carved columns. Upon entering this building, you are blinded by the glory of gold overlay on every surface. Intricately carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers decorate all the walls, which are also overlaid with gold. As you continue walking to the back of this temple, you enter the inner sanctuary. There you are greeted by two carved cherubim of olive wood, 15 feet tall. Everything in the inner sanctuary, its walls, floor, ceiling and the alter, are overlaid with gold. Upon the alter, sits a box of acacia wood. The inside and outside are completely overlaid with gold. There are two poles on either side of the box that are resting inside rings, all golden. The cover for the box is pure gold in its entirety with two golden cherubim at each end. You marvel at its beauty and you know you are in the presence of something wonderful.
What I have described for you is the temple that the Lord instructed Solomon to construct for the Ark of the Covenant in 1 Kings 6 and the Ark of the Covenant itself as described in Exodus 25. It was a magnificent temple, carefully constructed as directed. Its interior sanctuary was the most holy place.
Now imagine another structure. You walk up to this decaying building and see moss covering the stone and weeds are growing up through the cracks. The foundation is cracked and crumbling. Carvings are missing from the once resplendent columns. The olive doors are gray with age and have slipped from their hinges. Upon entering, you are assaulted by a dank mustiness and your eyes must adjust to the darkness. Once you find your bearings, you see that the gold overlay on every surface is tarnished and cobwebs hang down in droves. You see rodents skulking about the shadows. You continue on through the building and come to a back room. It is dirty and decaying, with two large statues of cherubim standing that are in a sad state of disrepair. Suddenly, you see a glorious box of gold. The gold is shining, as if new. You can clearly see the carved cherubim at each end of the lid. It is immaculate, as if someone just placed it there.
Have you figured it out yet? The buildings described are one in the same. The first; new and clean, and the second; neglected, abandoned and dirty. The only thing that remains beautiful and constant is the Ark of the Covenant, unchanged in spite of the turmoil around it.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul tells the Corinthians that their "body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you...So you must honor God with your body." My temple, after years of neglect and mistreatment, is a spitting image of the second one I described. My goal is to return my temple to the glorious state that God's presence deserves. Lack of personal attention, excess weight and lack of care are the cobwebs, rodents and dirt of my temple. My foundation is cracked and I'm crying out for repairs.
My goal for my temple is to lose 60 lbs. by changing my lifestyle and to become an overall healthy person. I will not have unrealistic expectations of getting the walls shining after just a short time. I will peel back each layer of dirt before I attempt to tackle the next. If you've ever read about the cleaning and restoration of ancient works of art, including buildings, you know that the task is carried out carefully and with painstaking precision. The most mild of cleaners is used, so none of the handiwork is damaged in the effort. Replicas of missing components are made by skilled artisans using the methods that would have been practiced originally. I will be patient with myself and take one step at a time. I will not attempt to pressure wash the temple in a day. I will stumble and fall along the way and I will never be able to give Him the temple He deserves, but I will get as close as I can.
This blog will chronicle the physical journey I take as I clear out the temple and restore it to the image God meant for me to have. My reliance is totally on God as I am unable to accomplish this without His help. I will cry out to Him each morning and night, and probably before every meal and workout I do. If you are offended by my reliance on God, I do understand that you may not share my beliefs, but difference in beliefs not open for discussion. I'm sorry, but you can always look away and stop reading. I will not be discussing theology, either, as I'm not as educated in the Word as I should be (I am working on that) and would never be so arrogant as to pretend to know the answers. I'm more than happy to take advice, encouragement and criticism and engage in discussion regarding becoming a healthy person, though!
(For anyone wondering, I am cleaning out my inner sanctuary as well, but that is a personal spiritual journey that I will not blog about, unless it directly relates to my weight loss and fitness goals.)
What I have described for you is the temple that the Lord instructed Solomon to construct for the Ark of the Covenant in 1 Kings 6 and the Ark of the Covenant itself as described in Exodus 25. It was a magnificent temple, carefully constructed as directed. Its interior sanctuary was the most holy place.
Now imagine another structure. You walk up to this decaying building and see moss covering the stone and weeds are growing up through the cracks. The foundation is cracked and crumbling. Carvings are missing from the once resplendent columns. The olive doors are gray with age and have slipped from their hinges. Upon entering, you are assaulted by a dank mustiness and your eyes must adjust to the darkness. Once you find your bearings, you see that the gold overlay on every surface is tarnished and cobwebs hang down in droves. You see rodents skulking about the shadows. You continue on through the building and come to a back room. It is dirty and decaying, with two large statues of cherubim standing that are in a sad state of disrepair. Suddenly, you see a glorious box of gold. The gold is shining, as if new. You can clearly see the carved cherubim at each end of the lid. It is immaculate, as if someone just placed it there.
Have you figured it out yet? The buildings described are one in the same. The first; new and clean, and the second; neglected, abandoned and dirty. The only thing that remains beautiful and constant is the Ark of the Covenant, unchanged in spite of the turmoil around it.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul tells the Corinthians that their "body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you...So you must honor God with your body." My temple, after years of neglect and mistreatment, is a spitting image of the second one I described. My goal is to return my temple to the glorious state that God's presence deserves. Lack of personal attention, excess weight and lack of care are the cobwebs, rodents and dirt of my temple. My foundation is cracked and I'm crying out for repairs.
My goal for my temple is to lose 60 lbs. by changing my lifestyle and to become an overall healthy person. I will not have unrealistic expectations of getting the walls shining after just a short time. I will peel back each layer of dirt before I attempt to tackle the next. If you've ever read about the cleaning and restoration of ancient works of art, including buildings, you know that the task is carried out carefully and with painstaking precision. The most mild of cleaners is used, so none of the handiwork is damaged in the effort. Replicas of missing components are made by skilled artisans using the methods that would have been practiced originally. I will be patient with myself and take one step at a time. I will not attempt to pressure wash the temple in a day. I will stumble and fall along the way and I will never be able to give Him the temple He deserves, but I will get as close as I can.
This blog will chronicle the physical journey I take as I clear out the temple and restore it to the image God meant for me to have. My reliance is totally on God as I am unable to accomplish this without His help. I will cry out to Him each morning and night, and probably before every meal and workout I do. If you are offended by my reliance on God, I do understand that you may not share my beliefs, but difference in beliefs not open for discussion. I'm sorry, but you can always look away and stop reading. I will not be discussing theology, either, as I'm not as educated in the Word as I should be (I am working on that) and would never be so arrogant as to pretend to know the answers. I'm more than happy to take advice, encouragement and criticism and engage in discussion regarding becoming a healthy person, though!
(For anyone wondering, I am cleaning out my inner sanctuary as well, but that is a personal spiritual journey that I will not blog about, unless it directly relates to my weight loss and fitness goals.)
Friday, January 15, 2010
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