Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Get Serious Now!

OK - My weight was up about a pound and a half today. I knew this was coming... My plateau, which was great while it lasted, couldn't last forever. Also - I have been eating badly off and on for several weeks now. What I mean by eating badly is not eating at all... or nothing substanial. Or eating nothing but crab dip and birthday cake all day. I am worst when Katie doesn't have to eat breakfast in the mornings... which is any day that schools are closed - or late - or if I have to leave earlier than she does. Or whatever. If I don't eat breakfast I am less inclinde to eat anything all day. That completely goes against the deal I made with my body to feed it when it is hungry. I have been very headachy lately too - and I am not sure if that is because of bad eating, or because of other stuff (the weather, stress, etc.)

OTOH - I have been paying close attention to what I do eat when I do eat. Portions I mean. I always thought that when I would eat foods I would eat beyond what was a healthy portion. I really don't. I mean, like pistachio nuts. I love them. I eat them regularly as an evening snack. It is impossible to measure out 1/4 cup of nuts if you get the kind with shells, so I always assumed that I was eating more than a normal serving. Just recently Katie and I got the pre-shelled kind. So I DID measure out a 1/4 cup each time I would eat them. In EACH case, 1/4 cup was as much, or more, than I desired. So I concluded that I WAS actually eating the correct portions in the past. Nuts really are the only snack food that we keep on hand. I have had Christmas cookies in the house - but I still have a fair number of them left. I just recently finished off my ginger date chews. I really enjoyed them - but again, I didn't gorge on them.

So - to get serious - I need a plan. Since I had a weight jump today, I need to reverse that possible trend. How do I lose weight? At two hundred and hummfffss pounds, eating less than the 1700-ish calories probably isn't the best plan. I really think I SHOULD start tracking my food again. I need to increase my exercise. This I know. It doesn't matter how many times I say it - and I believe it - I just don't see it happening. There are pockets of time that I COULD fill with exercise - but they are limited and I have so many things I could fill them with. 90 minutes of yoga a week (even yoga that makes me sweat) isn't enough. It isn't even enough to add on two 60 minute sessions of water ballet. Patty and I have scheduled trips to the gym - but so far we have only made it once. This is my fault. I have had a tight work schedule the past two weeks. I hope we can make a more concerted effort to make it there after this week. So - add an additional 2 or 3 30 minute sessions of treadmill work - or elliptical - or whatever to the tally. I bet even THAT won't do it.

Oh - BTW - even though my weight hasn't increased to speak of (not counting this week) my clothes seem to be getting tighter, or less comfortable.

UGH!!!

Monday, January 26, 2009

I gots a new plan

Hello all,

Great to see everyone to help Sarah usher in *old age*. haha I posted photos on facebook, which you all have probably seen.

So on Friday I started back with my eating and exercise routine. So far, so good. I'm following a 6-week routine I've followed before. I can pretty much do all my workouts at home although I'm going to try to mix them up a bit. I wouldn't mind adding a treadmill workout in there for a change of pace.

My goal this time is to get into the second 6-week plan -- there are three. You should see some of the exercises in the third plan. Whoa. But we'll see. I usually move along pretty quickly strengthwise in this program and it gives my metabolism the necessary kick in the butt it needs (literally) to drop the pounds I've socked on over the holidays and really, since turning 40. Bleck.

I'm also trying to change my morning routine. I'm not a fan of mornings. Even though I felt well-rested heading into Monday that didn't mean I wasn't going to enjoy a few precious extra minutes under the covers.

But my new plan is to get up and do 30-minutes on the bike w/trainer, a interval routine. Then do weights or whatever else after work. I'm also going to add back in at least one walk per day after a meal. Some days it's pretty much impossible but I'm going to push myself when I get home if I have to.

It shouldn't take long to incorporate the changes.

So overall I'm feeling positive and generally organized. That's a huge thing for me to have all my ducks in a row so I can maximize my day and get in the exercise I need.

It was actually kinda sad to see how out of shape I've gotten. Pretty much everything I did -- weights, core (killer) and yes, even stretching, hurt. So I've got plenty of improvements to make and it shouldn't be too hard to see some of those changes quickly. There's much work to be done.

Have a good week everyone.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Lack of protein

Katie and I went to Noodles last night for dinner. Really unhealthy, I know. I was just worn out from the weekend and was craving... something - but nothing that we had in the house. Katie said she definitely wanted pasta. I would have been OK with a gyros. I had mac and cheese (comfort food) with beef (protein). I realized at that point that I had not had any protein all weekend. I don't remember what I ate Friday night, because I was working on Sarah's cake. I think I had pistachio nuts, but that is about it. Saturday I had a spoonful of crab dip, but that was more fat than protien. I don't think I had anything for dinner on Saturday. Sunday then, I had coffee (which I also had on Saturday) and then the junk food I served at the party (muffins, scones, mimosas, etc.), but again no protein. So by last night I was really needing meat!

I didn't make it to the gym either day this weekend. Saturday I was working on getting ready for the party and Sunday I was getting ready for the other party. It was a busy weekend.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Diet means nothing without exercise

So I've remained pretty strict on my diet since the start of the New Year but I realize (and I already knew it) that it doesn't matter an iota without exercise. I've kept my al-ki-hol consumption to a minimum and I've brought my lunch to work every day. I haven't succumbed to added snacks and I don't get home and chow dinner. I've kept mostly to salads and plain ol' boring chicken.

I was sick the first week of the year (actually took a sick day) and I've been working late every day this week. Excuses, yes. I will admit that. But all told I just haven't been able to get into an exercise groove.

And I feel as if I'm paying for it on several fronts. Exericising really helps relieve stress and makes me sleep even better than normal. Plus, I just feel so much better -- joints, muscles etc. -- when I get in a workout.

Now I figure I've got to get through the stress of the inauguration -- I'm required to go into DC, sit in my office and watch on TV with some sort of anticipation that Obama will say something about the subject matter I cover. Right.

I also have friends coming into town ... for the entire weekend and the inauguration.

But I've promised myself no more excuses and I hope to begin that change tonight.

I have some pants I bought while I was bit thinner that are kinda tight. I can wear them but it's just depressing. I just feel fat and out of shape and that's depressing, too.

It would be one thing if I weren't watching what I eat but I am. I figure at the best I'm maintaining.

Anyway, I'm just really frustrated and feel like I've only gone backward.

So here's to new days ahead that are brighter and lighter!

Out of the office on Tuesday

I was supposed to be anyway. I had a training session in Rockville MD, but after I had already driven to Rockville, we found out that they were having problems with their server that day and so we couldn't do the training. However (and this was really annoying!) they didn't just send us home immediately so we could get SOMETHING done for the day, they kept us there for 2 hours more trying to get the system up and running. It was a huge waste of time.

We stopped for lunch in Columbia. We went to The Cheesecake Factory. I had never been there before and people for YEARS have been telling me how good it was. I was craving eggs - so I ordered an omlette. It was SO GROSS. It was like my plate had sat under a heat lamp for a long time. The omlette was incredibly greasy and had a crust on it. The toast was burned black on one side (but someone had flipped it over so you couldn't see it was burnt right away) and there was no butter on it. The homefries were way to brown and dried up. I ate about 1/3 of the omlette, but it was making me sick. When our server came to bring us the check, he asked us if we wanted boxes. I said no, and in fact the food was so bad I couldn't eat it. The manager came and apologized and took it off our check - and then gave me a free piece of cheesecake (I got the lemon raspberry one).

Anyway - so all of that means that I weighed myself, but didn't post my weight. I was the same as before - still. Exactly the same as last week, in fact.

I went to yoga on Wednesday - but was REALLY out of whack. I am not sure why. I ate breakfast which I don't usually do.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Stuck

I'm stuck not exercising and not eating well.  And our gym membership expired yesterday so we have to decide how best to renew -- pay for a month at the higher rate, or pay for the full year and put it on hold while we're gone, leaving that money tied up for the six months we're gone?  Or just pay-as-we-go, which I don't know if they even would let a local do.

My weight yesterday was 148.5 and today it was 147, so it's still hovering in the upper 140s, where it has been since the new year began.  Ugh.

Monday, January 12, 2009

My progress

Or, more accurately, my stagnation. I know it's not "official" until tomorrow, but I was the same weight this morning as I was last Tuesday. This in spite of lots of exercise (seven sessions, a total of four hours and 56 minutes, with 2,396 calories burned. Broken down, that was 1:52 of light exercise (walking the dog, pilates), 1:36 of hard exercise (running), and 1:16 of moderate exercise (elliptical, stationary bike. The stationary bike was supposed to be hard exercise but I just couldn't get my heart rate up high enough on that machine). My heart rate monitor is lots of fun for someone with mild OCD!). But clearly I'm still eating too much--a lot of the Christmas goodies are still around (mostly the chocolate variety) and I need to find the willpower to stay away from them.

What I really want to know is, why didn't I exercise for four minutes on Sunday so I could hit an even five hours of exercise?

Surprise! I'm back!

It's been a long time since I posted. For a long time my weight was pretty much stable at 151. I would like it to be ten pounds lower than that, but I'm a real wimp when it comes to resisting goodies. And we still have goodies around the house. To make matters even worse, Dad cannot resist a bargain, as you all know, so he comes home with refrigerated goodies of all kinds, cookie mixes and various other sweets. You know how he is about clipping coupons, too---it's a game with him. And I am always glad to help him eat up the stuff. His sweet tooth has increased a lot in his advancing years!

Anyway, this morning I was 155 pounds, and I have an appointment for my annual physical on Thursday!

Friday, January 09, 2009

Crowded Gym

I went to the local Brick Bodies today at 9:30am to check it out (FINALLY!). It was PACKED. How is it that there are SO many people who are not working at 9:30 in the morning? There were four classes going on in different rooms! It was impressive. The gym itself was pretty nice too. It isn't as nice as the Reisterstown one - but still nice. Lots of equipment. Patty Amos joined today - so she and I are going to work our schedules so we can go at lunch or something. She is more interested in classes. I am more interested in the individual work. They have two nice rowers and something called and arc trainer - both are for all over body work outs. I figure if I can get in two more work out sessions a week (three if I am SUPER motivated) that will bring me to a good level of working out...

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

More yikes

I remembered that yesterday was weigh-in day, but didn't have a chance to post. I was 145.8 yesterday--a pound and a half up from before Christmas, and many more pounds more than I was not long ago! It's showing, too--my clothes are getting too tight and I'm looking generally more flabby.

But I'm back to exercise, at least. I got out four times over the winter break, and am back to my gym routine as of this week. My nifty new heartrate monitor is fun to play with and that novelty will keep me exercising at least for a few weeks. I like that it stores the data for your exercise sessions so you can see how often you exercised in any week, what your average heartrate was, how many calories you burned, etc. Biking over the break was nice. I only went about 15 miles the one time I went out, but burned more than 800 calories. It was one of the windy days and I was working against a headwind for more than half of the ride, so it was more work than it really should have been.

Last night I dreamt that it was the day of the triathlon but that the swimming portion had been replaced with a photography competition. I like that idea! But in my dream I was worried because I knew that generally portraits won the competition and I'm not so good with portraits.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Yikes

I forgot that today was weigh-in day when I weighed in so I didn't remember to be alarmed until just now.  I was 146.5, up five pounds from the days before Christmas and three pounds in the last week!  It has been candy, cookies, alcohol, and high-fat meals for the past two weeks, and I've only exercised twice.  Once was only a two mile walk/jog, too (but a real one, not WAtP).  How scary my weight would be if I hadn't gotten it down before Christmas (and if I hadn't been sick for several of the days in the last two weeks)!

Mom and Dad are headed home tomorrow and taking some of the cookies with them, and with them goes my last excuse not to have a routine going.  I'll miss them (and the junk food) but I'll be glad to feel normal again!

A whole lot of nothing

Well - my weight was down just about 1/2 a pound this week... I did no exercise since a week ago Sunday. I ate fewer cookies this week. Katie and I moved most of the wall shelves out of the sewing room on Saturday and reattached them in the basement. She tore up the stinky closet carpet. I am hoping to paint Kilz on it tonight or tomorrow.

My next session of yoga is starting tomorrow.