Tuesday, April 29, 2008

137.5

I have been eating total junk most days and have not exercised at ALL in the past week, except for riding my bike to campus once and to Kroger once.  The campus ride was with the kids so it was slow and not athletic, and the Kroger trip was too short to count for anything.  I have exercise plans again beginning later this week, after Amy leaves.  But my 137.5 weight is a fair measure of how I've been doing -- I've ranged from 135.5 to 138 over the past week.

One week later....

I haven't been posting because really nothing is going on, unless you'd like to hear about my battles with twelve foot long ropes of poison ivy from my yard (short version: I had to bathe in Tecnu). Exercise has been good and consistent, diet has been relatively good and consistent, and my weight this morning was 140.2. It was as low as 139.8 on Friday or Saturday, but since I still didn't believe last week's 140.6, I found the 139.8 even more difficult to believe. But since I do seem to be staying in this range, I guess it must be actual weight lost and not just dehydration or something.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Back at 136.0 again

Last week my weight dropped a half pound a day, steadily, all the way down to 134.5 one morning!  Very strange.  Then it hopped straight back up in one (or maybe two) jump(s) to 138 yesterday, but I was retaining water -- I couldn't get my rings on and the night before my shoes were too tight across the arch.  Last night I was 140 at bedtime!!  Then overnight I shed all the retained water (no good reason for it, anyway -- I'm at mid-cycle) and I was 136 today, right where I was last week.

I think my hormones are out of whack.  I'm retaining water and yesterday I was screaming at the kids all day.  Today I'm exhausted despite a reasonable (though not fabulous) night's sleep.  Maybe from all the screaming.

I have no exercise on my schedule this week.  I had one time scheduled yesterday but I had to cancel because of chaos at home and because I was going out in the evening for a much needed coffee break with a friend.  I couldn't get one for today, tomorrow is our usual Wednesday schedule plus a homeschool parents' meeting (I guess we have a PTA?), and Thursday we run into Mary's baseball practice and my choir practice.  Friday Amy is here and even if she weren't I'd have another thing to go to.  So the week is shot.  I desperately need to find some other exercise time this week!

Weighing in

So I'm making a liar of myself--I was 140.6 this morning. So that means I lost almost two pounds in, oh, one day. Right. Like that really happened. I was feeling kind of queasy all day yesterday, though, so I didn't eat as much as I normally do during the day (although dinner was pizza with an ice cream sandwich for dessert--no skimping on calories there!). But really, I have no idea why I would have dropped two pounds overnight.

In other news, did you see that forty-plus years of the feminist movement have finally led to some results? Women are edging in on men in their ability to die young! Yes, indeed--life expectancy for women in 1000 counties in the US, about 12% of the population of women (mostly in low income and rural areas), has declined by five years since the early 1980's. And the likely culprits are, of course, smoking and obesity. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/21/AR2008042102406.html?hpid=topnews

Monday, April 21, 2008

Tuesday, April 21

I was 154 this morning. Then today I made muffins to go along with our yucky leftovers tonight, and instant pudding for dessert, so I sure as heck won't lose any today. I haven't been walking. Dad has been doing yard work to keep in shape--actually not to keep in shape but because the yard is a mess--and I have been sewing doll clothes for a swap. I promise to take a walk tomorrow unless it is pouring down rain. I have an 11:00 OLLI class and a 1:00 OLLI movie, so there won't be a lot of extra time.

Vicki sure talks a lot of good sense, doesn't she?

All 142.4 all the time

I think I've discovered the secret to maintaining your weight over the long haul. The trick is to pretend that you're on a diet and tell yourself every day that you're trying to lose weight but not actually do the things you really need to do to lose weight, but then pretend to be confused about why you're not losing weight because, after all, you've been exercising and eating well!

That's what I've been doing. I've been pretty good, overall, with exercise--three days at the gym (and even gradually increasing my running speed--I'm up to about half of the run at 6 m.p.h.), but, well, not so good with the stuff at home. Only one day of pilates last week, none the week before, several walks with Davey, generally high level of activity on weekends (I singlehandedly took both kids on a hike at the state park on Saturday. What was I thinking? Connor wanted me to carry him on the steep uphill bits, and he thought that all that river water looked like a great place for skinny dipping), but really not the six days of hard exercise I need to actually lose weight. The best that can be said is I'm staying in shape.

Food is the same way--I do really well all day, and I've even managed to avoid the after work binge that I'm prone to do, but then I cook comfort food or convenience food for dinner, don't watch my portion size very well, and then follow up with cookies and milk at bedtime. Fine if you're not trying to lose weight, but I know perfectly well that this isn't going to work for me.

The result is that every single day but one for the past week I've weighed in at 142.4. The other day I was 144.6, but that morning I also couldn't get my rings on my finger so it was clearly a case of water retention. Two hours later my rings went on fine and I'm sure if I had reweighed myself I would have been 142.4.

Friday, April 18, 2008

hooray!

I have to see my internist every three months for a cholesterol and blood pressure check, and today was the day. I had lost seven pounds! Maybe that's not a huge loss, but my numbers were great--total cholesterol and all the parts thereof. I'm sure pleased. Right before the appointment we had gone to an OLLI luncheon and I had had shrimp with pasta and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting--I didn't deserve the good numbers!

Soda pop dreams

So I gave up soda this year. Diet Coke was my thing. Morning, noon and night I could drink it like water. I was a lifelong soda drinker. Now, I only drink water (besides wine and beer of course).

What's funny is that I've had several dreams lately in which I drink soda and the get really upset with myself for giving in to my former habit. Then I wake up and all is good in the world and soda has not invaded my psyche in real life. Honestly, I don't miss it and don't even consider buying it at the store or ordering it at a restaurant.

On another note, I don't know if any of you watch The Biggest Loser. It was usually the one night a week I am definitely home so I watch it instead of American Idol. They finale was Tuesday and I was impressed that nearly all the contestants lost massive amounts of weight.
I also was happy to see a woman win and how much weight she lost. Sure some of her workouts were insane and she all she had was time when she was "at the ranch." But she really changed her outlook on life during the process. I thought it was funny that the guys on the show who lost the most weight became blubbering cry babies as they lost pounds. It always fascinating to see those guys go from 400 pounds to 175 in a matter of few months.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The week in review - sort of

I can't remember if I weighed myself on Tuesday or not. I am sure I did. I don't remember what it said. I couldn't have been good if I blocked it out. Or - maybe it was just the same old same old and so I just don't remember. Today I was 233.8. That did make an impression on me because I don't think I have seen THAT particular number lately. It is generally 231, 232 or 234 something. So I will go with 233.8 as my official weight this week. Which I think puts me on the up side. Right?

Serves me right I suppose. I haven't been to the gym in a week. I HAVE, however, developed this habit of going to bed at 10 or 10:30. I think I have been needing the sleep. I don't know why - but I can't seem to keep my eyes open past that these days.


I met with Rebecca again yesterday. She didn't know about my thyroid nodule. I don't know how I missed telling her about it. She said that was significant, especially since the score on my thyroid "test" came back as the worst. She told me to increase my kelp since that supports my thyroid. The meeting I had with her yesterday was particularly good. I was feeling more positive about myself than I had for the last one. I think this is because I was well rested and that it is FINALLY spring! She has given me an assignment to do - but since it seems to draw attendtion to me (Pay attention to MEeeeee!) it makes me uncomfortable - and so I am not ready to do it yet. I will post that tomorrow. Speaking of uncomfortable - she also told me she wanting me to consider starting Bikram Yoga. She was the second person who told me recently that this particular form of yoga changed their life and they thought I would respond well to it. If you don't know it is also called Hot Yoga. It is a 90 minute session that is conducted in a 95-100 degree room. The advantage of it is that the heat give your muscles flexibility that you woudln't normally have. The sweat is cleansing too. Ironically one of the (very few) Bikram yoga studios in Maryland is right at the Yorktowne shopping center. So - I think this may be a sign that I have to at least try it. I am going to start doing yoga in my living room for the next week or so and then sign up for the introductory week after that. It is a challenge - but it is easier than rowing across the ocean in a rowboat.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

142.4

Yeah, well, that's a change for me too, but not in the right direction! And I wish I could say I had a good workout yesterday. It was a short workout--I only did the elliptical and nothing else, and that's my cop-out machine for days when I'm tired. I've been fighting a cold since late last week and every day I feel like I've been run over by a truck.

I had a really active weekend, though (hmmm, maybe that accounts for the tiredness more than the cold)--lots of yardwork both days, ice skating with Claire on Saturday, and an hour and a half at baseball with both kids on Sunday. The baseball is a hoot--it's adapted baseball for kids with special needs and the way it works is everyone plays all the time. So when your team is in the field, all 15 (or whatever) of you are in the field, each with a parent to help out. When you're at back, all 15 of you get a turn, and all 15 hit the ball, eventually, and all 15 get to run the bases and make it home. An inning takes a LONG time. Fortunately we only played one inning on Sunday, and by next week the teams will be broken down into two or three smaller teams.

136.0

At least that's a change!  I don't feel as though that half-pound drop has been earned -- during the week my weight hopped up to a surprising 138 but it jumped back down again yesterday.  I must have been carrying a lot of water that one day.  I have been exercising somewhat regularly and my step count has been between 8000 and 12,000 every day, so I suppose I am active enough to keep my weight reasonable.

I had a great workout yesterday.  It was just a normal workout, but I used the elliptical on the setting that makes me slow down and speed up and reverse and so on.  The resistance stays the same, so you're focused on control.  It's a high calorie workout but not as sweaty as my usual one.  So then when I got to the crunches I wasn't as burned out as usual.  I didn't get tired even after the standard 100, so I did some side crunches as well.  Then I went onto the push-ups and felt really strong on them!  I did a dozen before Amy called, and after her call I did 25 straight -- I've NEVER done 25 full-length push-ups without stopping before.  It was awesome.  I wish I could feel like that every day!  I did another dozen before bed last night just to see if it still felt so good.  (It didn't.  I guess I have to be warmed up for it to work.)

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Cool Web site

I found this coolio blog and thought I'd pass it along. It looks like she has a book to recommend as well for those of you aiming to stay gluten free. I can't say that's a goal of mine but I don't eat much of anything anymore with gluten. 

glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com

On another note I've got to get my rear back in gear and exercise more consistently. I feel like I get a ton of exercise when I work in the Capitol building (usually Tuesday - Thursday) because I'm constantly running around and up and down stairs etc. But still, it's not *real* exercise even though I feel like I've run a marathon. I need to wear a step-counter to see how many steps I actually take. 

Friday, April 11, 2008

GACK!!!

Did anyone else see this article? Most of the foods look REALLY GROSS to me anyway! How can any one person eat all of that in one sitting anyway. Katie and I went to Outback the other day. I ordered the 7oz center cut filet (I hate Outback - the Bonefish filet is WAY better and cheaper and that is a fish store!!) but anyway - I could only finish about half of the filet. I packed it up along with half of my other foods and had it for lunch the next day.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

I'm sorry, Vicki!

When reading Emily's comment about Sarah's remarks, I somehow overlooked yours. (I am notorious for missing something that is staring me in the face.) Your remarks were very funny, too! I sent the blog entry and the two comments to Dick to read.

whoops, I'm late!

I forgot to post yesterday! I think I was 155. Today I was 154.5. We have not been out walking, and I have been eating far too much of the wrong kind of food, but I'll try to get back in the groove. Today we did walk, but not the whole 2 3/4 miles--probably just two miles. I got bored and had stuff I wanted to do at home.

Sarah, I liked your comments about Davey, and I loved Emily's comment on it.

At least *someone* has the diet and exercise thing down!

Brian took Davey to the vet for his annual checkup and I was ridiculously pleased to hear that the vet remarked on what good physical shape Davey was in. Lots and lots of long walks. Three miles is a long distance when your legs are only 12 inches long.

But then it occurred to me that when I was the equivalent age to Davey (roughly somewhere between learning to drive and being able to vote) I also was in great shape and didn't really have to think about it or work at it. So does this mean that in a couple of years, Davey's metabolism will come to a screeching halt, he'll start to put on weight and not want to go for walks, and even when we take him for the long walks we're doing now, they won't have the same effect? Will he graze mindlessly in the evenings on whatever food he can find? Will he need his own blog?

After a week away from the gym, I was back today and don't seem to have lost any of my strength or stamina in the meantime. I hope I don't have another week like last week anytime soon!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Up weight

I was 234.2 today. That is up 2 pounds from last week. I was slightly higher yesterday morning. I hadn't exercized in a week either - but I went last night. This is terrible. It was mostly based on the fact that I am listening to a HORRIBLE book. It is an Orson Scott Card - who I normally like - but it is SO a boy's book. It is a sci fi/fantasy - more fantasy than sci fi, and more the type that Charles or Brian would like rather than me. It has no story line. I can't get excited about any of the characters, and there are lots of really gross descriptions of things like people pooping or getting peed on or keeping their dead wives and daughters in pickle jars and using magic to animate them. Ugh. It is horrible. Katie tells me that I don't HAVE to finish listening to it, but I have already invested something like six hours in it - and only have about 2 or so to go. I have to finish it now. Anyway - the idea of having to exercise AND listen to this has been too much. So last night Katie suggested I listen to This American Life instead of my book. That is what I did. I didn't do a long workout - but at least I did SOMETHING.

I love This American Life. I kept catching myself laughing out loud on the treadmill at various parts of this episode. It was the one from March 23rd called Nice Work if You Can Get It. It was about dream jobs that were really just jobs in the long run. The first bit was about an astronaut (one of 95 in the country). The next one (which was making me laugh on the treadmill) was a monolouge with the "actor" who plays the PC on the Apple commercials. Then there was a guy who went around and "sold" lump sum payments to lottery winners. That story was mostly about how miserable most lottery winners are. They get themselves into dramatic finacial trouble because the anuities most of them get are generally the equivalent to an average middle class income, but they live their lives the way they think that a "millionaire" would live. Or - they are chronic gamblers anyway - or many of them just aren't very smart (no offense to lottery winners - but most people who PLAY the lottery aren't the brightest crayons in the box) and develop paranoid tendencies. There was a VERY funny story done by the woman who reminds me of the girl version of David Sederis - kind of a funny, dry sort of voice. She did a story about the expedition led by Fremont and Kit Carson to map the Oregon trail. It was mostly about the map maker they took with him. He kept a diary of his journey for his wife - and I don't know if he was a Woody Allen style comedian, or if he was truely miserable, but his writings were HYSTERICAL. The day that Fremont climed to the top of the highest point in the Rockies and planted the Americal Flag (in the whole iconic American way - but he was the first to do it) the map maker (I can't think of his name - Proist or something like that...) did a description of how he slipped on ice and slid down the mountain about 200 feet until the loose rock stopped him. He ripped his pants and got two bruises. The day they discovered Lake Tahoe he talked about what a great day it was because the finally had gotten some salt for their food. It was VERY funny.

Hello Out There!

So I've been MIA again. Work is insane. I won't even go into it. I did get a promotion and a $3/hour raise, but my life is incredibly unbalanced and I am not sure how I feel about that.

I went to the gym Saturday and again last night. Saturday I did a 5K running and walking, and some weights, and last night I had planned to do the same until my 5K was cut considerably short by the woman on the treadmill next to me farting. Yep, no kidding. She was like a Howitzer. It was unbelievable. I am not sure what was up with her, but I was on a treadmill near one of the wall mounted fans and it just got to a point it was too much to handle. So I cut it short and just wrapped up on weights.

I joined a kick ball team at work. Yep, no kidding again. And kickball as in elementary school-roll the ball-kick it-and run kick ball. Should be interesting. Peter talked me into it.

You'll die when you hear my weight--I am 176.6 yesterday and today, and that is 2 lbs DOWN from last week.

141.4

Yup, me too the same. But secretly I'm thrilled because I haven't really paid attention much to what I've been eating and I haven't exercised in a week, so simply not gaining weight feels like a victory to me!

And for some reason I had a hell of a time logging in to the blog today. It kept telling me my email wasn't known, and I KNEW that was wrong since I haven't used a different email in years. I finally had to do the "login help" thing (sorry, you all probably got emails too) and then, finally, it recognized my email address and let me log in.

136.5

Same again.  My body seems to like this weight!

I'm back to slightly more regular exercise and the Easter candy is all but gone -- it's low enough that I'm only having a bit each day instead of gorging from dawn to dusk.  So I shouldn't see any more gain and maybe I can start rebuilding muscle.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Shoes

When I was in high school my favorite pair of shoes was my Roman Sandals. I can't believe they are back!!! I may have to get a pair.

I am still totally addicted to the story of Sam Williams. According to the story on the Ellen show, he had never rowed on the ocean before. Man!! What is my attraction to these near death hobbies??? I was all into the virtual climbing of Mount Everest last year. Now I love the idea of rowing across the ocean in a row boat. Sam said that he did a lot of training at the gym. So this morning I started thinking that if you started rowing on the machine in the gym with one minute - and add another minute every day by the end of the year you would be able to row just over 6 hours in a "sitting." I wonder if that is like picking up the calf everyday - eventually you cap out - or it becomes a cow. Of course - I cap out at 2 minutes. I USED to be able to row on the machine in the gym 15 minutes - and boy were my shoulders and abs great then. But - somehow in the last 10 years I lost the ability. Maybe I will try one minute tomorrow. Maybe I will try to do it slower... I could probably build up stamina again if I wasn't trying to rush to finish the 2 minutes. The 2 minutes is just as long no matter how fast I go. I wonder why I can't figure that out at the gym. Going faster doesn't get me to the end of the treadmill any sooner... Sam said that ocean rowing is less intense than the gym. I would think you would have more motivation too... Just exactly how DO you train to do an ocean row? I mean - it isn't like there are little oceans around to practice on.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Weigh-in delay

Sorry! I weighed on Tuesday, I just didn't report it. I was back up to 232.0 Oh well. Easy come, easy go. I was down again to 231.8 yesterday and today I didn't weigh myself. I was excited (very briefly) when I saw that 230 weight. I haven't seen loss in so long that I can't remember what it feels like!!!

I went to give blood on Tueday. I planned to do the double red rather than whole blood. I couldn't do it the last time I went because my iron count was too low. So this time I cut out caffeine after Saturday, I increased my orange juice and more that doubled my fluids, but my iron was still too low - in fact! I was too low even to give whole blood. I have never been rejected before. I rescheduled my appointment for April 22nd - so hopefully I will be acceptable by then. Katie and I were wondering if by going mostly gluten free I have negatively impacted my iron levels too. So many grain based foods are enriched - which includes iron. Spinach and seafoods (two of my staples) are on the high irons list. I will have to increase my prune intake for my next appointment. Also - I wonder if drinking so much water that day might have diluted my blood. I will try to drink more orange juice rather than water to increase my fluids next time.

I am hungry. This is good. I can TELL I am hungry because I have a horrible headache that started right around 1:30 when I hadn't eaten lunch yet. Saddly, I didn't BRING lunch today. I told Katie that I was going to get something from Chipotle today (I have been craving red meat ever since Sarah told me to have a filet mignon when my iron count was low) but I haven't taken a break yet - and now it is too late. So, I am hungry. Sigh.

Exercise has been pretty basic this week. I am resetting my week to start on Monday like a normal person - I can't keep track going back to Saturday... I went Monday night and JUST did the treadmill. Tuesday we did the Bounce for Autism - which got my heart rate up and challenged my muscles in a few cases (YOU try hauling 230+ pounds over an inflatable rock wall THREE times!!) but I think all told I was only at it for 30-45 minutes. I didn't go last night. I HAVE to go tonight so I can at least show that I made an effort to get to the gym more than twice this week.

I had ANOTHER really rough dentist appointment yesterday and so far after each one of these I come home and crash for several hours and then creep around the house like an invalid. I think it is the novicane. I don't respond well to the epinephrine in it. It makes my heart race and I have a hard time breathing when he gives it to me - and I am groggy and disoriented afterwards. My reactions seem to be getting worse lately too. I am not sure why. Regarless - I took a THREE HOUR nap yesterday afternoon - and of course, couldn't sleep last night then. I was so mad at myself. I like naps - but I hate the way I feel afterwards - weak, groggy, icky, dizzy. Sigh. No more naps for me!

Stamp camp is this weekend. I have one project pretty much planned. I have another one in my head. I need to think of two more, prep them and then clean the house. Hopefully we can get the house part done tonight - and then we will mostly only have to do the projects tomorrow.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

141.6

I completely forgot to post yesterday! That weight is up a bit from the week before--I was grateful it wasn't higher. I've been keeping up with my daily exercise, but have been ignoring my diet almost entirely. At least now the Easter candy is gone, so I won't be able to indulge in the mindless eating that I tend to do when sweets are around. And before leaving the house today I gave strict instructions to Brian and the kids that the leftover birthday cake had to be gone before I get home this evening. I don't think they'll have too much difficulty following that.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

136.5

Yikes again!  I have eaten so poorly and exercised so little this past week.  I've been trying to watch what I eat today and was doing well up until about 3:30 -- I always break down around mid-afternoon to early evening.  I know perfectly well I should eat healthy food at that point in the day -- clearly I need a meal then -- but what I really crave at that time of day is sugar and salt!  Sigh.