OK - I came back from Spain DESPARATE for fruits and vegetables! Of course, all we had in our house was crackers and cheese. I went to the store yesterday (where I bought mostly junk food for our party tomorrow) but then Katie and I met up at the produce market that we have both been told about many times over the years. It was awesome!!! We bought a ton of fruit - plums, cherries, apples, oranges, bananas, lemons, limes, more plums, and an onion - all for $16.52. YAY!
I also started today to pack a MUCH larger lunch than I normally bring. In addition to my oatmeal and milk and leftovers for lunch, I brought a yogurt, cottage cheese, two plums and an orange, tomatoes and carrots. However, then at the last minute we decided to go out to Cafe Spice for Indian food. So I had rice, naan and curry instead. It was a buffet, so I am not entirely sure what all I ate... I had already eaten my oatmeal, milk, cottage cheese and one plum. I am eating the second plum now. I need to run my calories in TDP, but I think this is what I need to focus on - eating more, and healtier, foods.
As to moving more... Yesterday I didn't go to yoga. I had the last bits of restoring my life to do - not to mention a thousand pounds of laundry. Katie and I did go to clogging. It was fun class last night, but for some reason I couldn't get it together. I wonder if that was because we started right in on a new dance instead of running though our old ones first. By the end I was doing better, but I couldn't do the clog over vine to the right. I could do left just fine - but not right. It was a fun class and dance.
Saturday Sarah, Claire and I plan to go on a hike. I am mildly worried that I won't be able to keep up... Oh well, I can probably find my way home eventually.
I just walked to the post office. I used to go regularly, but now I almost never need to...
Yesterday I sat at my spinning wheel for the first time in almost two weeks. I was shocked at how much my leg muscles were hurting!!!! It helped once I oiled the moving parts - but I think my spinning muscles have gotten soft. I will have to build them up quickly if I want to finish my century!!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Commuting
I rode my bike to work today for the first time in ages. I really can't remember when I last did this. I suppose I must have at some point last year, but I know it has been at least a year and maybe more.
I remember the ride being shorter. For some reason I had it in my head that it was a 12 - 12.5 mile ride, but it's closer to 14 (13.93 to be precise). I'm thinking I might just add an extra 8 miles on to the commute home to make my total mileage for the day what I plan to ride Saturday for my long ride. That way I could just do a short ride on Saturday. Would that be cheating? To split my "long" ride for the week into two parts? Is it less cheating when I do the ride carrying two kind of heavy bags? I didn't realize how much those added to the overall weight until I strapped them on today for the first time in forever. I'm particularly peeved that I brought my u-lock, which probably weighs 18 pounds (or feels like it!) and then wasn't able to use it because they replaced the good bike rack at work with a crappy one that the u-lock doesn't fit around. I can leave that here, though, and not drag it home with me.
I remember the ride being shorter. For some reason I had it in my head that it was a 12 - 12.5 mile ride, but it's closer to 14 (13.93 to be precise). I'm thinking I might just add an extra 8 miles on to the commute home to make my total mileage for the day what I plan to ride Saturday for my long ride. That way I could just do a short ride on Saturday. Would that be cheating? To split my "long" ride for the week into two parts? Is it less cheating when I do the ride carrying two kind of heavy bags? I didn't realize how much those added to the overall weight until I strapped them on today for the first time in forever. I'm particularly peeved that I brought my u-lock, which probably weighs 18 pounds (or feels like it!) and then wasn't able to use it because they replaced the good bike rack at work with a crappy one that the u-lock doesn't fit around. I can leave that here, though, and not drag it home with me.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Up again
Not surprisingly, my weight went up to 143.5 today -- not a dramatic increase, but an increase nonetheless. Since the beginning of July, I've had numerous 10,000-step days, so the trip didn't really increase my movement, and I did eat more than usual (at least for a calorie-counting month). Then I got back to Alabama and moved not at all and ate just as much as usual for a day and a half. And then I spent 12 hours in the car and ate so-so -- I had Wendy's apple pecan chicken salad (I LOVE this salad) for lunch, which includes a lot of good ingredients, but even half-sized, it's probably fairly caloric; then I had Subway for dinner, and did not hold the cheese; and in between I helped the kids go through quantities of trail mix and cookies. Yesterday alone could account for most of a pound of weight gain. And I didn't drink nearly enough water during the trip, which only adds to the troubles.
I'm having a very hard time leaving vacation behind. I'm not resisting the snacking today, even though I know the more days I have like this the more work I have to do to make up for it, and the harder it is just to stop the habit. And exercise (especially given the heat, after lovely 70-degree Spain) is anathema.
no more excuses
That's the title of April's Healthbeat blog today and it's fitting. I injured my back a couple of weeks ago and have been using that as an excuse not to exercise. And every weekend there is SOMETHING going on. (a birthday party, a wedding, a baby shower....) Plus every Sunday my mother-in-law makes an insanely delicious dinner. Last week was shrimp scampi. how often do I get good seafood out here? I couldn't say no to it. and then this weekend is Michael's birthday so we are having a cookout (well the west-coasters call them BBQ's which is weird to me still). His mother is making a mango lemon chiffon cake. I should say no- especially since I don't even care that much about mango/lemon combos. But its his birthday! another excuse. baby steps though. I think I'll start by taking a walk after work with Colin.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
True to form
I was down 6 pounds today from my last weigh in. Maybe what I should do is always be on vacation and never live real life...
OK - My theories were that I lose on vacation because I move more, I eat more regularly and I eat more calories. I was thinking that this time around I may NOT lose. We did move more than I am used to, but only two or three days were excessive. Most days we were right around 8000 steps (right Emily?). We did NOT eat regularly. We had coffee and pastries for breakfast most days, lunch only sometimes and dinners at wildly varied times. I did eat more calories than normal - because Tarte de Santiago and kaffe con leche is way more calories than two poached eggs and a piece of skinny toast. For example. We were also eating dinners for lunch and dinners for dinner. Most days I cleaned my plates too! AND - we didn't say no to dessert several times. So - lots more calories, almost NONE of them vegetable based. We did find a lovely fruit shop that we liked, we went there twice, which means that I had I think five servings - maybe four - of fruit for the WEEK! Our eating times for dinner were right up there with what I normally do. We went to bed most nights slightly later than I normally would. We drank more than I normally do also. I don't think I got more than seven hours of sleep each night. Once day I slept late (Tuesday, our lazy day) but I still think my total hours were only about 8.5 hours.
From this I conclude that I need to try moving A LOT more - like maybe three times what I do now. But I think I need to pair that with an increase to my calories. I want to try - AGAIN - to structure my meals more. I want to start eating salads again for lunch - and I want them to be interesting salads. BUT I have to start making them myself. $7-$12 for lunch daily is way more than I can afford!! I also need to pack healthy and appealing snacks. Today on my way out the door I tossed a bag of baby carrots in my lunch. I have been sitting here snacking on them. I told April it was my annual eating of carrots. I had a container of yogurt for morning snack - a sushi roll for breakfast and oatmeal for lunch (yes, in that order). I am feeling hungry now - so I will have to scrounge something up because I have a few more hours of work to go...
OK - My theories were that I lose on vacation because I move more, I eat more regularly and I eat more calories. I was thinking that this time around I may NOT lose. We did move more than I am used to, but only two or three days were excessive. Most days we were right around 8000 steps (right Emily?). We did NOT eat regularly. We had coffee and pastries for breakfast most days, lunch only sometimes and dinners at wildly varied times. I did eat more calories than normal - because Tarte de Santiago and kaffe con leche is way more calories than two poached eggs and a piece of skinny toast. For example. We were also eating dinners for lunch and dinners for dinner. Most days I cleaned my plates too! AND - we didn't say no to dessert several times. So - lots more calories, almost NONE of them vegetable based. We did find a lovely fruit shop that we liked, we went there twice, which means that I had I think five servings - maybe four - of fruit for the WEEK! Our eating times for dinner were right up there with what I normally do. We went to bed most nights slightly later than I normally would. We drank more than I normally do also. I don't think I got more than seven hours of sleep each night. Once day I slept late (Tuesday, our lazy day) but I still think my total hours were only about 8.5 hours.
From this I conclude that I need to try moving A LOT more - like maybe three times what I do now. But I think I need to pair that with an increase to my calories. I want to try - AGAIN - to structure my meals more. I want to start eating salads again for lunch - and I want them to be interesting salads. BUT I have to start making them myself. $7-$12 for lunch daily is way more than I can afford!! I also need to pack healthy and appealing snacks. Today on my way out the door I tossed a bag of baby carrots in my lunch. I have been sitting here snacking on them. I told April it was my annual eating of carrots. I had a container of yogurt for morning snack - a sushi roll for breakfast and oatmeal for lunch (yes, in that order). I am feeling hungry now - so I will have to scrounge something up because I have a few more hours of work to go...
Final weight
Yesterday (last day of Game On) I was 139.8--exactly 8 pounds down from when I started four weeks before. Of course my starting weight was high (lots of bacon and ham the day before) and today's weight (after one day off where I went a little nuts with food) is back up, so the actual starting weight was probably more like 146 and today's weight is 141, so still a respectable five pounds lost in four weeks. And more important, it really did kick start my fitness--I needed that motivation to get moving again. When I started, finishing a 15 mile bike ride was real work; this weekend I did a 32 mile ride averaging 13.6 m.p.h. While I probably won't stick with the eating plan entirely (too restrictive IMO, and too much protein I think), for the most part it's how I eat anyway, so I won't make that many changes. I plan to continue with the fitness plan--6 days a week (although if I do only 5 I won't beat myself up), with at least two days of 15+ miles on the bike during the week and increasingly longer rides on the weekends. Once the weather cools off a bit I'm going to try a week of commuting to work only by bike. In the past I don't think I've done more than twice a week.
I've got 12 weeks until the Wild Goose Chase, and I'm halfway to the mileage I'll need to do. As long as I keep increasing my mileage each week at the rate I've been doing (adding about four miles to the long ride each weekend) I should have no problem doing that. Heck, I could probably do it now. At 32 miles I was still feeling pretty good; if I had stopped for a break and some food I could have kept going for a while. I'll probably top off my training mileage at 50 miles, just because of the time it takes out of weekends (and once September hits, getting time on weekends will be more difficult). That should happen around Labor Day, at which point I just need to maintain my fitness level to be ready for the ride.
I've got 12 weeks until the Wild Goose Chase, and I'm halfway to the mileage I'll need to do. As long as I keep increasing my mileage each week at the rate I've been doing (adding about four miles to the long ride each weekend) I should have no problem doing that. Heck, I could probably do it now. At 32 miles I was still feeling pretty good; if I had stopped for a break and some food I could have kept going for a while. I'll probably top off my training mileage at 50 miles, just because of the time it takes out of weekends (and once September hits, getting time on weekends will be more difficult). That should happen around Labor Day, at which point I just need to maintain my fitness level to be ready for the ride.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
It's not Tuesday
This keeps happening to me--I mean to post on Tuesday and then I forget or I put it off until the evening and then figure I can just wait until the next day.
So here it is Wednesday, it's a billion degrees outside, I haven't been anywhere interesting this summer (or even anyplace boring!) and I'm just feeling burned out. I've been sticking to the Game On plan but my weight seems to be stuck (fortunately it's stuck at 141, a good 5 to 7 pounds below where it was when I started!). I impressed myself with my mileage last week--82.8 human powered miles (mostly cycing, but three days of running were in there). This week I'm easing back a bit. I meant to take Sunday off but ended up going out for a 10 mile ride with Claire (during the ride she was sweating and panting and barely able to make it and had to get off her bike and push on a couple of the hills, but recovered immediately afterwards and was outside on the swingset within ten minutes, while I was going along nice and easy in the ride but afterwards passed out on the sofa for an hour!), so instead I took yesterday off and feel MUCH better for it. Today I went out for a 13 mile ride early in the morning and was able to manage the route so much more easily than I had last week. Amazing what one day of recovery will do for you. But this means that this week I won't manage another 80+ mile week. I'm only at 26.5 now, so I'd really have to crank out a few high mileage rides to hit that mark, and with the rest of this week supposed to be even more ridiculously hot than today, I just don't see that happening. If I want a weekend ride at all, I'm going to have to get up super-early--no more waiting around until 9 a.m. to start if there's really going to be a heat index of 110 degrees on Saturday. Ugh.
So even though my weight loss hasn't been impressive, I'm losing inches. Only it seems to be very targeted inches. My hips have gone down nearly 2 inches since I was measured for the bridesmaid dress, but my waist measurement hasn't changed AT ALL. What's with that? I really need to get back to pilates. Those are the only two measurements I have to go by--they didn't measure my knees that day. ;-)
So here it is Wednesday, it's a billion degrees outside, I haven't been anywhere interesting this summer (or even anyplace boring!) and I'm just feeling burned out. I've been sticking to the Game On plan but my weight seems to be stuck (fortunately it's stuck at 141, a good 5 to 7 pounds below where it was when I started!). I impressed myself with my mileage last week--82.8 human powered miles (mostly cycing, but three days of running were in there). This week I'm easing back a bit. I meant to take Sunday off but ended up going out for a 10 mile ride with Claire (during the ride she was sweating and panting and barely able to make it and had to get off her bike and push on a couple of the hills, but recovered immediately afterwards and was outside on the swingset within ten minutes, while I was going along nice and easy in the ride but afterwards passed out on the sofa for an hour!), so instead I took yesterday off and feel MUCH better for it. Today I went out for a 13 mile ride early in the morning and was able to manage the route so much more easily than I had last week. Amazing what one day of recovery will do for you. But this means that this week I won't manage another 80+ mile week. I'm only at 26.5 now, so I'd really have to crank out a few high mileage rides to hit that mark, and with the rest of this week supposed to be even more ridiculously hot than today, I just don't see that happening. If I want a weekend ride at all, I'm going to have to get up super-early--no more waiting around until 9 a.m. to start if there's really going to be a heat index of 110 degrees on Saturday. Ugh.
So even though my weight loss hasn't been impressive, I'm losing inches. Only it seems to be very targeted inches. My hips have gone down nearly 2 inches since I was measured for the bridesmaid dress, but my waist measurement hasn't changed AT ALL. What's with that? I really need to get back to pilates. Those are the only two measurements I have to go by--they didn't measure my knees that day. ;-)
I'm BACK!
WOW!!! What a whirlwind?!?! I'm just getting back to my normal life/routine and we got back from Ireland June 29th! Anyway...
It was a gorgeous trip!!! We had an amazing time and the best part was that my DH and I realized that we still really like eachother :) Really tho, I'm not kidding...with 3 kids and life sometimes we forget to even say hello to eachother. The 9 days (just the 2 of us) made us realize how well we mesh!
Getting back into the swing of things has been tough...my biggest problem is the pool! I LOVE our pool (private pool in our community)!! But I do not LOVE the snacking that happens at the pool. chips, Ice Cream, Nachos (with that horriable fake cheese...that is so good and gross all at the same time). I usually do well on Saturday but by Sunday my resolve has faded and I endulge. This wouldn't a problem except that I really need to stop losing the same 2lbs. I keep losing it and gaining it and losing it and gaining it. ENOUGH already!!! Exercise has been a constant as have Green Monsters.
This week I've been a Rockstar! Exercise every day! Eating lots of veggies! Not Snacking after 6p! GOOD STUFF!!! Now I just need to transfer this to the weekend!!!
Last night was my first night back to running with my neighbor,Terri (she was on vacay). I do more when I have a partner in crime! We timed our runs. I've signed up to run my first 5K...Race for a Cure in October...so we are training for this.
Amy reminded me that since my Ireland Trip is over I need a new goal...here it is:
I really want to be 199 by September 1st. (that is 15lbs). I have about 6 weeks to make that happen. This is a very strict plan and may not be feasible. I will re-evaluate next week (I need to break the 212 barrier first!!!!) I'm STUCK between 212 and 215. If I can have a good eating weekend, it may happen.
WELCOME GINGER!! Come on home Amy...I HATE DOING PAYROLL :) LOL
It was a gorgeous trip!!! We had an amazing time and the best part was that my DH and I realized that we still really like eachother :) Really tho, I'm not kidding...with 3 kids and life sometimes we forget to even say hello to eachother. The 9 days (just the 2 of us) made us realize how well we mesh!
Getting back into the swing of things has been tough...my biggest problem is the pool! I LOVE our pool (private pool in our community)!! But I do not LOVE the snacking that happens at the pool. chips, Ice Cream, Nachos (with that horriable fake cheese...that is so good and gross all at the same time). I usually do well on Saturday but by Sunday my resolve has faded and I endulge. This wouldn't a problem except that I really need to stop losing the same 2lbs. I keep losing it and gaining it and losing it and gaining it. ENOUGH already!!! Exercise has been a constant as have Green Monsters.
This week I've been a Rockstar! Exercise every day! Eating lots of veggies! Not Snacking after 6p! GOOD STUFF!!! Now I just need to transfer this to the weekend!!!
Last night was my first night back to running with my neighbor,Terri (she was on vacay). I do more when I have a partner in crime! We timed our runs. I've signed up to run my first 5K...Race for a Cure in October...so we are training for this.
Amy reminded me that since my Ireland Trip is over I need a new goal...here it is:
I really want to be 199 by September 1st. (that is 15lbs). I have about 6 weeks to make that happen. This is a very strict plan and may not be feasible. I will re-evaluate next week (I need to break the 212 barrier first!!!!) I'm STUCK between 212 and 215. If I can have a good eating weekend, it may happen.
WELCOME GINGER!! Come on home Amy...I HATE DOING PAYROLL :) LOL
Thursday, July 14, 2011
I ran the whole way!
Since getting back into running a few weeks ago, I've been slowly working up to actually running and not walking for long stretches before breaking into a run. I finally did it today, aided, I'm sure, by the MUCH cooler and less humid weather this morning. So, three miles down at ten minutes per mile. Now I need to start adding distance. Yuck.
I don't know what was up with my hunger yesterday, but it seems to be gone today. I had planned to take lunch today as my meal off this week since I was in an internal retreat for the morning and early afternoon, but it turned out not to be necessary. Lunch was lettuce wraps with fruit on the side--all perfectly acceptable for my diet, as long as I stayed away from the strawberry shortcake for dessert (which I did). So instead of hunger today, I'm dealing with extreme sleepiness! Again, what's the deal? I've been getting 7 hours of sleep a night for the past two and a half weeks (barring the occasional middle-of-the-night wake up call from Connor) and have been fine every other day except today. So if yesterday was hunger and today is sleepiness, I guess tomorrow I should be struck with either a total lack of motivation to work out or an inability to stay away from mindless internet browsing in the evening. Let's see what happens!
I don't know what was up with my hunger yesterday, but it seems to be gone today. I had planned to take lunch today as my meal off this week since I was in an internal retreat for the morning and early afternoon, but it turned out not to be necessary. Lunch was lettuce wraps with fruit on the side--all perfectly acceptable for my diet, as long as I stayed away from the strawberry shortcake for dessert (which I did). So instead of hunger today, I'm dealing with extreme sleepiness! Again, what's the deal? I've been getting 7 hours of sleep a night for the past two and a half weeks (barring the occasional middle-of-the-night wake up call from Connor) and have been fine every other day except today. So if yesterday was hunger and today is sleepiness, I guess tomorrow I should be struck with either a total lack of motivation to work out or an inability to stay away from mindless internet browsing in the evening. Let's see what happens!
Trying to catch up
And it just isn't going to happen at the moment...welcome to our new blogger, and April, I hope you had an awesome trip to Ireland. And Amy & Emily, did you go to Spain yet or is that coming up? Have a blast!
I am currently between sessions at a mapping conference in San Diego with 15,000 of my closest friends. I've been eating out every day, and thank goodness we found a great place for breakfast that is something other than a plate of carbs. Although I did opt for that one day--they make their own cinnamon loaf that they use in their french toast. It was heaven, and totally worth it.
After 4 years of attending this conference, I finally remembered to bring along a pedometer. I hit 18,000-20,000 steps each day, sometimes with the addition of "on purpose" exercise, sometimes not. My feet are tired, my brain is fried, and it is most awesome to be a GIS professional in this present day and age.
I haven't taken advantage of the really nice pool at my hotel because of the restrictions still in place given my vision correction surgery two Fridays ago, but there really hasn't been much time anyways. We're up around 6 am and have been getting back to the hotel around midnight...no wonder I am sooo tired!
I have no idea on my weight and won't until we get back to MD late Saturday night. I'm hoping the enthusiasm I have collected for GIS will carry through to other things when I get home. I've been suffering from severe career apathy recently and I think this conference was just the thing to get me going again. Now let's see how long I can ride this high!!!!
I am currently between sessions at a mapping conference in San Diego with 15,000 of my closest friends. I've been eating out every day, and thank goodness we found a great place for breakfast that is something other than a plate of carbs. Although I did opt for that one day--they make their own cinnamon loaf that they use in their french toast. It was heaven, and totally worth it.
After 4 years of attending this conference, I finally remembered to bring along a pedometer. I hit 18,000-20,000 steps each day, sometimes with the addition of "on purpose" exercise, sometimes not. My feet are tired, my brain is fried, and it is most awesome to be a GIS professional in this present day and age.
I haven't taken advantage of the really nice pool at my hotel because of the restrictions still in place given my vision correction surgery two Fridays ago, but there really hasn't been much time anyways. We're up around 6 am and have been getting back to the hotel around midnight...no wonder I am sooo tired!
I have no idea on my weight and won't until we get back to MD late Saturday night. I'm hoping the enthusiasm I have collected for GIS will carry through to other things when I get home. I've been suffering from severe career apathy recently and I think this conference was just the thing to get me going again. Now let's see how long I can ride this high!!!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Last day of my streak
I haven't missed a day of exercise all month -- this was day 15 of no-excuses. But I think this will be it for me! Tomorrow through Saturday we're in transit (though I may be able to sneak in a walk or a jog tomorrow or Friday) and then all my exercise will be touring. Most days this month I've actually looked forward to it; I've tried to work in enough variety that I wake up thinking not, ugh, I have to exercise, but, hmm, what should I do today? Of course, a few days it has still been, ugh, what's the minimum I can do today and have it count? But I've stuck to it.
Yesterday was an ugh day -- it was hot and I had to get the oil changed, so I counted the 0.75 mile walk to and from the car place (1.5 total) as exercise, and then Daniel and I went out for our evening walk (first in a while) for another 2 miles. Today was better; I took the kids swimming and did another full mile, this time with fewer interruptions and paying attention to the time, so I have a number to compare to on future swims. A slow number. Swimming is weird because I don't get sweaty and I don't feel the muscle fatigue very much while I'm doing it (but often I do later), so I don't entirely feel convinced that I've had a workout.
Food yesterday was near disastrous -- I think I was over 2000 calories by the time I quit. Tonight we're having clean-out-the-fridge and I think I'd better be cleaning out the grilled trout instead of the bratwurst or burgers and chips. Actually, I think we cleaned out the chips last night, so that may not be an issue. Next I will be cleaning out Spain. I'm doomed!
Why am I so hungry?
This is week three of the Game On diet, and except for the first couple of days when avoiding my usual post-work gorge session on all the junk in the house was difficult, I've been fine. Five small, healthy meals a day, spaced two to four hours apart. No problems, no hunger (except the good kind where you get hungry just before your next meal).
Today I came back from my morning ride starving. Stomach growling, feeling weak, I could barely keep myself from snacking while I made breakfast. Then I was fine through my second meal of the day around 11:00. Now it's 1:30 and I'm not due to eat for another hour and I'm starving again. What's up with this? I've been eating the same amounts as the last couple of weeks, and my workouts aren't any longer or harder than they have always been, and I can't imagine that my metabolism suddenly kicked up a couple of notches, necessitating more food. But my keyboard is looking mighty tasty right now.
Today I came back from my morning ride starving. Stomach growling, feeling weak, I could barely keep myself from snacking while I made breakfast. Then I was fine through my second meal of the day around 11:00. Now it's 1:30 and I'm not due to eat for another hour and I'm starving again. What's up with this? I've been eating the same amounts as the last couple of weeks, and my workouts aren't any longer or harder than they have always been, and I can't imagine that my metabolism suddenly kicked up a couple of notches, necessitating more food. But my keyboard is looking mighty tasty right now.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
weigh day
I weigh myself daily (starting last week) and my weight has flucuated between 5 lbs. Since I started "dieting" last week I'm down 2.6 lbs. it might be a fluke though because I have done NO dieting- I am waiting until Thursday (payday) to hit up our farmer's market and trader joes. We are going to start making Colin's food so I need to get some organic veggies. I've been eating alot more oatmeal this week though which helps because it's warm and makes me feel full. I'm vowing to NOT buy anything unhealthy when I go to the market on Thursday. NOTHING. not even bagels and I adore bagels. love them.
Also- how the hell do mother's with infants exercise? Michael and I are never home at the same time (he works evenings and I work during the day). I can take Colin to the park for a walk(which I admit can wind me) but I'd like to find time to go to the gym. I guess I could try to find a gym that has a daycare. that makes me uneasy though- am I just a paranoid first-time mom? the only people who've watched him so far are family and a couple of friends. maybe I'm just making excuses!! :)
Also- how the hell do mother's with infants exercise? Michael and I are never home at the same time (he works evenings and I work during the day). I can take Colin to the park for a walk(which I admit can wind me) but I'd like to find time to go to the gym. I guess I could try to find a gym that has a daycare. that makes me uneasy though- am I just a paranoid first-time mom? the only people who've watched him so far are family and a couple of friends. maybe I'm just making excuses!! :)
140.8
Yeah, that's right. 3.6 pounds down from last Tuesday. Yesterday (on my official Game On weigh in day) I was 141.8, so I don't know what's up with that other pound. On Saturday I was 141 even, so either weight could be accurate. But the larger point is I'm losing weight and getting into shape. Mostly around my knees, it seems. Before starting this, I was noticing that sort of hanging flab you get around your knees when your thighs are blobby, and today it looked like I was getting more definition in my leg muscles and less blob. Maybe we should switch to short skirts for Katie's wedding? And long sleeves?
I have to say I'm really liking how Game On is forcing me to adopt good habits. I was sick over the weekend--I woke up Sunday with stomach issues, and I thought it was because I overindulged on my Saturday day off (birthday party, pool party, anniversary dinner), but when the illness stuck around into Monday, I figured it probably wasn't that. In the past I would have used the illness as an excuse to not move and to eat saltine crackers and jello. But doing that would lose me a LOT of points, so I stuck with the diet (although both days I didn't attempt to eat until the afternoon, and then I went with the blandest approved foods I could manage, but still ate the five required meals) and exercise. On Sunday I went for a long and brisk walk. Yesterday I was hoping to get out for a long ride - that was my Sunday plan but I really didn't want to be away from home (and a bathroom!) for that long - but didn't have time for a long ride after work with the thunderstorm moving in, so I got out for 16 miles on my usual route (in 1:12--the first 11 miles averaged 14.6 m.p.h. and the last five miles were all uphill and knocked my average down to 13 m.p.h.). This heat and humidity is oppressive--I come back from even the most minor workout looking like I took a shower.
I have to say I'm really liking how Game On is forcing me to adopt good habits. I was sick over the weekend--I woke up Sunday with stomach issues, and I thought it was because I overindulged on my Saturday day off (birthday party, pool party, anniversary dinner), but when the illness stuck around into Monday, I figured it probably wasn't that. In the past I would have used the illness as an excuse to not move and to eat saltine crackers and jello. But doing that would lose me a LOT of points, so I stuck with the diet (although both days I didn't attempt to eat until the afternoon, and then I went with the blandest approved foods I could manage, but still ate the five required meals) and exercise. On Sunday I went for a long and brisk walk. Yesterday I was hoping to get out for a long ride - that was my Sunday plan but I really didn't want to be away from home (and a bathroom!) for that long - but didn't have time for a long ride after work with the thunderstorm moving in, so I got out for 16 miles on my usual route (in 1:12--the first 11 miles averaged 14.6 m.p.h. and the last five miles were all uphill and knocked my average down to 13 m.p.h.). This heat and humidity is oppressive--I come back from even the most minor workout looking like I took a shower.
Part two
I think it is funny that Emily says she will un-do her good work by our trip to Spain, and I am looking forward to hopefully LOSING weight on the trip. It is counter-intuitive, but I always seem to lose when I am on vacation. It doesn't matter what the nature of the vacation is, but I lose; banjo camp, bead camp, cruise, trip to Norway, etc. My conclusions - as I have said before - is that I eat more regularly, I am more active and I eat MORE calories. I am also more relaxed and I am out of my normal routine.
I need to get myself more organized with my eating. I have some REALLY good habits - but I alternate them with REALLY bad habits. So - by my math that balances out to be kind of neutral habits. Combine that with my lack of exercise and lack of sleep, it is no wonder I am a big fat blob. Yesterday I had a Green Monster - but didn't eat my breakfast (I usually have the GM around 10:30 am and my breakfast around 8:30 - or vice versa). I ate lunch - the yummy sandwich that I shouldn't have - but it was kind of early in the day - and so at 5:30 I was starving, so got cheetos out of the machine. Why wasn't I prepared with a healthy snack? I then was very proud of myself when I got home because I made brown rice with chicken and vegetables. But - I drank the left over ginger ale. I didn't eat anything else, but when I was going to bed I was desparate to crunch something. I have no idea why! So I at crackers. As I was chewing them I was thinking "This doesn't taste good. Why am I eating this?" I can't tell you. They were at least whole grain crackers. I do wonder however, if I would have been eating something much worse if it was available - like cookies. I guess not having snacks in the house pays off to a certain degree. I can honestly tell you that I would NOT have had hummus and carrots at midnight - even if I did have them to hand.
I need to get myself more organized with my eating. I have some REALLY good habits - but I alternate them with REALLY bad habits. So - by my math that balances out to be kind of neutral habits. Combine that with my lack of exercise and lack of sleep, it is no wonder I am a big fat blob. Yesterday I had a Green Monster - but didn't eat my breakfast (I usually have the GM around 10:30 am and my breakfast around 8:30 - or vice versa). I ate lunch - the yummy sandwich that I shouldn't have - but it was kind of early in the day - and so at 5:30 I was starving, so got cheetos out of the machine. Why wasn't I prepared with a healthy snack? I then was very proud of myself when I got home because I made brown rice with chicken and vegetables. But - I drank the left over ginger ale. I didn't eat anything else, but when I was going to bed I was desparate to crunch something. I have no idea why! So I at crackers. As I was chewing them I was thinking "This doesn't taste good. Why am I eating this?" I can't tell you. They were at least whole grain crackers. I do wonder however, if I would have been eating something much worse if it was available - like cookies. I guess not having snacks in the house pays off to a certain degree. I can honestly tell you that I would NOT have had hummus and carrots at midnight - even if I did have them to hand.
Making progress
I started a post yesterday and got through half a sentence before I got interrupted. It was that kind of a day! I had a busy weekend, too, so exercise was somewhat spotty. On Saturday I decided to try a kickboxing video on SparkPeople, but their "10 minute cardio" turned out to be about six minutes, with a lot of talk and far more cooldown than 6 minutes deserves. I did another one and that was all of seven minutes. So then I went out and jogged half a mile, but it was mid-day and horribly hot, not to mention boring, so I gave up on that, too. I never did get a full cardio workout in that day. And I missed my weekend ab workout because of other interruptions.
Sunday was not much better -- I went for a bike ride with Mary. It was 12 miles and completely wore her out, but the pace was so slow that I didn't get my heart rate up very much. But it was fun anyway.
Yesterday I dithered about what to do -- I'd just gone riding the day before, and nothing else appealed to me -- and after dressing to go running but realizing it was over 80 at only 10 am, I decided, to heck with it, and changed into riding clothes and went out on my bike. I did 14 miles in almost exactly an hour and definitely got a good workout! Later in the day I did do my arm work, which is always pretty satisfying.
I went to a cookout on Saturday (and did NOT overeat) and a friend of mine pointed out my arm definition. I didn't think you could se anything yet, but she didn't know I'd been working my arms, so maybe you could. Either way, it made me feel pleased. Positive feedback is always good for motivation!
Speaking of positive feedback, my weight was at 140.0 today for the second morning in a row. That's my official weigh-in, too, so I'm seeing scale results, not just arm results! And I'm feeling better overall, and I don't think I look quite as doughy. At least, I don't feel so flabby, though it could just be psychological. Not that I care!
We're off to Spain on Thursday (well, Alabama for a day, THEN Spain), so I will undo much of the good I've done over the following 10 days, no doubt, but I keep reminding myself that it would be that much WORSE if I hadn't spent the first half of the month working so hard! I'm thinking of bringing a resistance band so I can still do arms there -- they pack so easily.
All Bad...
Why I am Fat
by: Amy Angerer
I am fat.
I am fat because I eat things like crackers at midnight - not because I am hungry or because the crackers taste good but because I want to eat them at midnight.
I am fat because if there is a mostly gone bottle of ginger ale in my fridge I will drink it instead of water just so I can get rid of the bottle.
I am fat because I am too lazy to pack my lunch and so when April goes out to get lunch I say "here - get me that sandwich I like so much" (which BTW is a WHITE bread baguette with tomato, procuitto and fresh mozzerella - and lettuce and some salad dressing-y stuff) and then eat the whole thing.
I am fat because I don't go to bed until 12:30am and then wake up every two hours and then hit snooze in the morning - twice - instead of going to bed at 10:30pm.
I am fat because I don't use my C-PAP at night because it makes me feel like I am suffocating even though when I do use it I feel much better the next day.
I am fat because instead of challenging myself to do some intersting physical activity at night when I get home - I challenge myself to spin 100 ounces of wool and then don't feel guilty when I sit down and spin for an hour or so at night instead of exercising. Which - technically - is more physical than, say, playing on facebook - but still...
The end.
BTW - my weight jumped AGAIN this week. I am up to 259.
by: Amy Angerer
I am fat.
I am fat because I eat things like crackers at midnight - not because I am hungry or because the crackers taste good but because I want to eat them at midnight.
I am fat because if there is a mostly gone bottle of ginger ale in my fridge I will drink it instead of water just so I can get rid of the bottle.
I am fat because I am too lazy to pack my lunch and so when April goes out to get lunch I say "here - get me that sandwich I like so much" (which BTW is a WHITE bread baguette with tomato, procuitto and fresh mozzerella - and lettuce and some salad dressing-y stuff) and then eat the whole thing.
I am fat because I don't go to bed until 12:30am and then wake up every two hours and then hit snooze in the morning - twice - instead of going to bed at 10:30pm.
I am fat because I don't use my C-PAP at night because it makes me feel like I am suffocating even though when I do use it I feel much better the next day.
I am fat because instead of challenging myself to do some intersting physical activity at night when I get home - I challenge myself to spin 100 ounces of wool and then don't feel guilty when I sit down and spin for an hour or so at night instead of exercising. Which - technically - is more physical than, say, playing on facebook - but still...
The end.
BTW - my weight jumped AGAIN this week. I am up to 259.
Friday, July 08, 2011
My pants are too tight
and I know it's not just baby weight anymore. It's all you can eat sushi (strange concept but normal to Reno-ites), it's starbucks cake pops (yes- they are delicious), it's In and Out Burger (another west coast favorite), its the freaking copious amounts of junk I've given myself permission to eat since June 2010 (when I found out there was a little monkey in my uterus). It's definitely time to do something about it. 1) I am too broke to afford a whole new wardrobe (my feet even seem chubby) and 2) I don't want Colin to develop the poor eating habits I've picked up. Salads are my friend!!!
on a side note- I really miss crab dip. Just sayin....
on a side note- I really miss crab dip. Just sayin....
New Exercise Plan
I have been following the blog of Jennifer Pharr Davis - a woman who is trying to break the record of walking the AT the fastest. Her own current record is 57 days. The world record is 49 days. She wants to beat the 49 days. But she just seems like a neat person anyway.
SO - I have decided that I want to add trail walking to my exercise routine. I do my yoga - and added clogging this spring - so now I want to add the trail stuff on Saturday or Sunday mornings. I figure that MAY be an exercise I enjoy. If so that will be three things I have tricked my body into enjoying. 8-)
Food has been so-so at best recently. I didn't monster AT ALL on my five days off. I am back to them today and yesterday. I haven't been loving them as much recently and I am not sure why. Maybe it is the plain yogurt I am now using. I think after I finish off my current container I am just going to switch back to the individual flavored yogurt. Without the monsters I am bad about fruit and vegetables.
I saw (but haven't yet read) an article called "Find your friendly foods and lose." I need to find my friendly foods. I think oatmeal is one of my friendly foods. I like oatmeal.
SO - I have decided that I want to add trail walking to my exercise routine. I do my yoga - and added clogging this spring - so now I want to add the trail stuff on Saturday or Sunday mornings. I figure that MAY be an exercise I enjoy. If so that will be three things I have tricked my body into enjoying. 8-)
Food has been so-so at best recently. I didn't monster AT ALL on my five days off. I am back to them today and yesterday. I haven't been loving them as much recently and I am not sure why. Maybe it is the plain yogurt I am now using. I think after I finish off my current container I am just going to switch back to the individual flavored yogurt. Without the monsters I am bad about fruit and vegetables.
I saw (but haven't yet read) an article called "Find your friendly foods and lose." I need to find my friendly foods. I think oatmeal is one of my friendly foods. I like oatmeal.
Another new person
I have invited Ginger into our group. Ginger just had a baby (as you know). Ginger, just to warn you - my mother reads this blog... LOL!!
Welcome aboard!!
Welcome aboard!!
Yay! Cycling AND swimming!
Yesterday Mary was all the way caught up (not finished, but on track) on her summer goals for finishing schoolwork (she decided this past year that all English and Social Studies were optional, but the principal disagreed, so she's having to make it up), so we went to the swimming pool as a reward. Cecilia can finally swim well enough to be left merely in the care of her siblings and the lifeguard, which means I can swim for exercise instead of hanging out in the shallow end. I swam a mile, mostly in freestyle, and I won't even tell you how slowly. I could have (probably should have) pushed myself harder, but except when I was trying not to be in the way of the person behind me, I swam at a steady, fairly easy pace. I think I am in better shape than the last time I swam laps, because I didn't spend the first 10 lengths thinking I wanted to die, and the whole 72 went pretty quickly (not by the clock, though!). And my back didn't hurt (are the planks already doing some good?) and today neither legs nor arms are significantly sore. I only noticed a bit of hamstring tightness this morning, nothing painful.
Despite the lack of weight progress, I'm feeling fitness progress (and I love seeing my mapmyride/mapmyrun calendar full of so many colors and no empty days this month), and yesterday I had no trouble controlling my eating. Today I finally saw a slight scale drop, too. :-)
Then this morning I saw that we had a nasty thunderstorm watch for after noon, which meant if I wanted to exercise outside it had better be sooner rather than later. So, Daniel or no Daniel, I hopped on my bike and rode the 7 miles in town that I did the other day. There was more traffic, but I got stopped at fewer lights (though I ran one -- it's one that only triggers if there is a car, and the oncoming traffic had cleared out, so I went ahead and turned left) and didn't have to stop at Daniel's office along the way, so according to my computer I was done in under 30 minutes. My phone said it was just over 30, but that includes the time to get the dang thing in and out of my emergency kit (note to self: with next phone, get a bike mount) and doesn't stop at traffic lights and stop signs, so that accounts for the disparity. Somewhere in the middle would be the actual riding time. And even the computer said I averaged 14.5 mph. Yay!
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Hanging in there
The novelty has worn off on this game (even though my team was in first place after the first week!) but it hasn't yet fallen into the "this is just what I do" feeling yet, so I've spent this week craving the foods I gave up far more than I did last week, and I lost points on Monday night for sleep (by the time everyone left and I put away the leftovers, threw away the trash, and gathered up the recycling it was well past midnight. To get 7 hours of sleep I would have had to get up 15 minutes before I had to leave for work). Some things HAVE begun to feel like habit, though--giving up mindless internet surfing at night has been easier than expected (and made easier by Brian working from home in the evenings this week so I don't have access to the computer), and waking up and immediately going out to run or ride my bike has become the norm (although I like those days when I plan a lunchtime workout so I can sleep in a bit. At lunchtime I don't enjoy it, though - running is a lot easier in the early morning when it isn't 95 degrees out.). And the three liters of water has been remarkably easy to stick with; most days I'm drinking 125 to 140 ounces. Sleep and food are the hardest--I now go to bed before anyone else in the house, which is hard on Brian (who is then stuck working until midnight and also dealing with Connor) and I feel bad for Claire (who I'm only reading to at bedtime now a couple days a week instead of every day; we've decided that starting today I'll read to her after work in case we can't do it later). And it's boring. That's the only time of the day when I have a few minutes of free time without work, errands, cooking, or housework (not that there isn't housework--I just stop doing it around 9:30 or 10:00) so I'm used to reading or watching a movie at that point. We've had The Kings Speech in our house from Netflix for over a week with no chance to watch it. My days are pretty much get up, work out, shower, get dressed, eat, pack lunch, work, come home, cook dinner, run errands (about half the time), walk the dog, clean up, go to bed. The food part is just thankless--lots more work to prepare and pack the food while endlessly avoiding temptation. But I haven't ONCE lost points for my food--I haven't eaten anything non-sanctioned or snacked between meals except on my day off and my meal off. But I have fantasies of Lucky Charms and can barely wait until my next day off to indulge them!
Tough day
I'm not sure why yesterday was such a struggle for me. I felt like eating ALL DAY yesterday (and I'm not PMS) and I didn't want to exercise. I was tired, for one thing; we were up too late the night before (wasn't "Get enough sleep" the first of my bullet points?) because Daniel was leaving on a trip yesterday, so I fell asleep mid-afternoon while I was reading, when I should have been getting out to exercise. Eventually I unenthusiastically put my gym clothes on and decided I'd bike to the gym -- I did NOT want to go anywhere, and I had a stiff neck from cycling the day before so that might not have been such a hot plan anyway -- and then Cecilia said she wanted to go to the kids' room, so we drove. Just having her along made me more excited about going out. And I did get 45 minutes on the elliptical, and I did an arm workout at home.
I also think part of the reason I was wanting to eat so much was that my food choices weren't the best. At dinner I picked a leftover bratwurst instead of leftover cod, and that was 100 calories I couldn't get through more food (though I was hoping the fat would make me feel fuller). I ate a half ounce of Doritos instead of a slice of bread afterwards (I was wanting the salt -- but it left me hungry). I ate a tiny piece of cheesecake instead of a popsicle (that should have made me feel full, but it didn't) for dessert. At bedtime I was famished, so I ate a 70-calorie square of dark chocolate (that's good for me, right?) and went to bed with my stomach growling. I only exceeded my calories by 150 for the day (and still within a reasonable range) but I didn't feel good all day, food-wise, except when I ate a serving of watermelon (good way to feel full with few calories!). But the kids ate the ENTIRE watermelon yesterday, so I'll have to find something else to nosh on today!
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Hard to tell if I've made weight progress
Last Wednesday was my official weigh-in, but I was retaining water, and then I dropped three pounds by Thursday to 143.5, after a day of dieting and exercise, so I didn't really get a good baseline. But then I went 144, 144, 143, 143 -- and today back to 144, dagnabbit -- if I was measuring from the 143.5, that means no weight loss. But I have exercised daily and eaten well over every day except yesterday (naturally), when I had too many calories to drink and too many chips late at night -- I was over 2000 for the day, and since I didn't measure everything there's a good chance I forgot something.
I did wake up and go straight out for a run yesterday morning, just a normal 5k. It was quite sluggish; I'm so out of shape on running. I even tried to do the walk/jog ratio I did last year in the hopes that would get me through the overall run faster, but in the end I think it was slower than the run in Alabama. What it did have over the other run was that I did not get at all sore, even though it was at least as hilly and just as long. So my exercise is clearly doing some good.
I did wake up and go straight out for a run yesterday morning, just a normal 5k. It was quite sluggish; I'm so out of shape on running. I even tried to do the walk/jog ratio I did last year in the hopes that would get me through the overall run faster, but in the end I think it was slower than the run in Alabama. What it did have over the other run was that I did not get at all sore, even though it was at least as hilly and just as long. So my exercise is clearly doing some good.
Today I went out for a ride again, because I realized that with Daniel going out of town tomorrow I don't have another good day to go until he's back (I don't like the idea of getting stranded 10 miles, or even 3, from home with no one to rescue me and the kids with no sitter). If I want to get two rides in it had to be today and this coming Sunday. Unless I count riding one of the uprights at the gym as a ride, which I don't want to, because it turns something fun into work. And doesn't count toward earning my bike -- I don't want to consider it really deserved until I've ridden a mile for every dollar it cost. Anyway, I just went 7 miles; I tried an abbreviated version of my 16-mile ride, but, unfortunately, it was just the in-town part, which meant I had all the disadvantages with none of the advantages of the ride the other day. So I'm still looking for a good short ride.
3.4 or 1.6
That's how much weight I lost last week. The first number is going by my Monday weight, which I think included a lot of water retention, but it's my official starting weight for Game On. The second is my Tuesday weight and probably more realistic. Either way, I'm happy with the results (144.4 today), and particularly happy because my weight today was the same as yesterday, which means I managed to maintain my weight over a day of indulgence. I think what worked was, um, not indulging. I'm allowed to take one meal off each week, so yesterday I let myself have dinner off, so for the rest of the day I stuck with my exercise, water, and small meal plan, then had a normal (but not TOO indulgent) 4th of July dinner. The hard part was coming home from the fireworks and NOT eating the leftover potato salad, chips, brownies, and beer. I can't have a bite of any of that stuff until Saturday (my next day off), by which time it'll of course be long gone! Connor is probably home polishing off the brownies as I write this.
Hi!!
I've been keeping up with the blog, but haven't been posting. There has just been too much other stuff going on.
I had LASIK surgery this past Friday, and I am typing to you today in perfect 20/20 vision...the first time since I think I was maybe 8? Something like that. It is very weird and very cool.
We've been sticking to a decent eating plan these past few weeks, and both Peter and I are seeing weight loss, which is great, but I know it could be better as I am still struggling to fit exercise consistently into my daily schedule. I have a plan though. I just have to survive these next few days as we get ourselves ready for a trip to San Diego. Come Friday, my plan can start!
Peter and I bought bikes a few weeks ago, and we used them like crazy at first, but then we had a week of rain, then we went away, etc, etc and they are sitting. I really enjoyed riding though, so at least we have them and I am going to work them into our day when we get home from San Diego. Plus I have them parked in the dining room, so they are never out of sight.
My friend Rachael is almost done her 3rd tour in Kuwait, and she sent me a long list of exercises she does to keep herself in shape. I like them because they require no gear at all besides sneakers. The list is going with me to San Diego next week and we'll see how I do.
I had LASIK surgery this past Friday, and I am typing to you today in perfect 20/20 vision...the first time since I think I was maybe 8? Something like that. It is very weird and very cool.
We've been sticking to a decent eating plan these past few weeks, and both Peter and I are seeing weight loss, which is great, but I know it could be better as I am still struggling to fit exercise consistently into my daily schedule. I have a plan though. I just have to survive these next few days as we get ourselves ready for a trip to San Diego. Come Friday, my plan can start!
Peter and I bought bikes a few weeks ago, and we used them like crazy at first, but then we had a week of rain, then we went away, etc, etc and they are sitting. I really enjoyed riding though, so at least we have them and I am going to work them into our day when we get home from San Diego. Plus I have them parked in the dining room, so they are never out of sight.
My friend Rachael is almost done her 3rd tour in Kuwait, and she sent me a long list of exercises she does to keep herself in shape. I like them because they require no gear at all besides sneakers. The list is going with me to San Diego next week and we'll see how I do.
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Me, too, yay! Cycling!
Yesterday my exercise consisted of me walking and jogging alongside Cecilia while she rode 3 miles, occasionally giving her boosts up hills. Plus we did plenty of walking at the Farmer's Market and the grocery store, so I had NO problem topping my 10,000 steps for the day. Today was more fun for me -- I abandoned the kids at home (Daniel was at work) and rode 16.7 miles on my bike. I stayed away from Ellett Valley entirely -- a great ride until you have to get back into town, when it's a million miles uphill with no break. (Really just two, but the grade gets up to 8% unless you make it a very long ride and traverse some very unpaved roads.) There's a lovely loop to the north of town that goes about six or eight miles, and getting there and back and adding on a few other spurs I really had quite a nice ride. I did not try to push the pace, and I averaged just under 14 mph. (That's by my bike computer -- in actuality I stopped once for several minutes on campus to borrow a water bottle from Daniel, since I'd forgotten to get mine at home, and I paused two other times to take a drink. The computer doesn't count time that you're not moving.)
I'm still keeping food in check. Today it wasn't hard because we had a lot of fruit in the house, and when I came back from riding that's what I was craving anyway. And water. Lots of water. When I got back from riding it was 87 degrees. I was dripping with sweat for half an hour after I got back.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do for other rides. 16 miles was a lovely weekend ride (wish it had fewer traffic lights on the route, though -- well, none, because there were only about four -- and less traffic on the in-town parts) but it won't get me very conditioned if 60-something miles is my goal. There are some 50-mile routes, so that's something to work towards; I might even be able to tune one of those down to 30, now that I look at it. But a 20-mile route is a bit elusive, and I don't really have a 7-10 mile route that doesn't leave me fearing for my tires.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Yay! Cycling!
I went out this morning and finally tackled the Patapsco Heritage Trail--it's the bike route they've mapped out from Ellicott City to the BWI trail, going through Patapsco State Park and then Elkridge. BWI, of course, has a nice bike trail going around it (nearly entirely devoid of random people walking dogs on retractable leashes) that is just about exactly ten miles, so it's great for training. Today I only did the route there and back, taking a slightly different route home than out. My total mileage was 21, so if I start adding on the BWI trail, it'll be a great training route for the metric century. I can even add on the spur down to Annapolis if I get bored (that's about 30 miles round trip, so one loop around BWI, the path down to Annapolis and back, and the trip there and home is just about a perfect metric century).
I was a bit worried about the route through Elkridge--that's an ugly part of the world in general, all built up with huge car parks, tattoo parlors, motorcycle repair shops, chain hotels, railroads, and all of the interstates converging on the area. But the bike route is really nice--all of the traffic stays on the ugly big roads, and this bike route takes a couple of roads that are tree lined and beautiful, at least until you're in the immediate vicinity of the airport. It was a really pleasant ride, in spite of barely making it up the two hills on the route (that's the other good thing about this--it's generally flat!).
I was a bit worried about the route through Elkridge--that's an ugly part of the world in general, all built up with huge car parks, tattoo parlors, motorcycle repair shops, chain hotels, railroads, and all of the interstates converging on the area. But the bike route is really nice--all of the traffic stays on the ugly big roads, and this bike route takes a couple of roads that are tree lined and beautiful, at least until you're in the immediate vicinity of the airport. It was a really pleasant ride, in spite of barely making it up the two hills on the route (that's the other good thing about this--it's generally flat!).
Yesterday was difficult to quantify
Last night I went to happy hour and then to a Greek place for supper, so I really don't know how many calories in tater tots or chicken kabob platter I ate. I barely ate the rest of the day, though, knowing I'd be out in the evening, so my best guess is that I ate maybe 1000 calories in beer, fried food, and Greek food, and didn't go more than 200-300 calories over on the day. It's not exactly a healthy way to eat, though.
Exercise was equally complicated. I did a walk/jog to get to downtown (about 1 1/4 miles), which left me sweaty but wasn't exactly aggressive exercise. I also spent a lot of time chasing Cecilia on her bike, and running alongside her. And I hooked a borrowed tandem up to my old bike to try it out and rode maybe a half mile with Alexander in tow -- it was pretty alarming for both of us, especially at the beginning. I'm glad I didn't test it on Cecilia first, who was at the time very nervous about riding a bicycle of any kind, and this would have scared her off them permanently. The trailer almost certainly outweighed my old bike, yet it had no steering or braking control; Alexander learned pretty quickly that he couldn't do much balancing of his own, because we'd end up fighting each other and wobbling all over the place. I think it might work better on Daniel's heavier bike, but it's still a pretty scary experience. So I broke a sweat over that, but not because it was physically strenuous. All in all, I got in a fair amount of cardio, but it wasn't really sustained, and it's hard to measure.
I did finally do some abs and arms. For abs I did crunches, oblique crunches, swimming (Pilates-style), side bends with weights, and modified planks -- 12 of everything (to each side on the sideways things) in each of three sets, except only three planks (one per set), and on the third plank I finally succeeded in holding it the full minute. For arms I did boring weight stuff (though I've always liked weight workouts for arms) -- bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, shoulder presses, and front raises. Again, a dozen of each in each set, for three sets. Today there is some soreness but nothing I won't recover from in another day. I spent about 40 minutes all told, but I wasn't trying to be efficient; I was having to look a lot of things up, and I got sidetracked a lot by things the kids were up to.
While looking around at fitness sites yesterday I came across Body for Wife -- I couldn't decide if this guy is a stupid, conceited jerk or actually quite bright and just very frank. Probably a little of both. Certainly fitness-obsessed, but that's his career. I don't know what it is about fitness gurus that make me immediately think they're all brawn and no brain. He has the academic credentials, but his photo is just kind of gross. Anyway, he was very blunt about what it takes for someone to REALLY get into shape and stay there -- he exercises about an hour and a half a day, cardio and weight training included, with some days more than others. I think my final assessment is that he is a bit conceited and possibly a bit of a jerk but that it's calculated and he doesn't have to be; he's not stupid, and he's pretty entertaining to read.
Friday, July 01, 2011
Four good days
Knowing that your points add up every day and that you could lose points for cheating is quite motivational! I've managed to stick to the plan all week, and have caught myself almost eating something without thinking a couple of times but stopped myself before the treat made it to my mouth. Today has been the toughest day so far--I had Connor down at Hopkins for an early morning appointment that ended up taking way longer than usual and I almost missed a meal (I'm supposed to eat my meals no more than four hours apart), and while there I also wasn't drinking water so I'm behind on that for the day, and catching up isn't fun. I also haven't exercised yet today. I've been doing that in the morning or at lunch, and of course couldn't do it in the morning today and won't have a lunch break because I got here late, so I'll have to figure something out tonight. Biking in the dark on a Friday night at the start of a holiday weekend doesn't strike me as a good idea, though.
I've been tracking my food on the Daily Plate as well, and each day I've come out more or less around 1300 calories, without actually counting the calories; that is, I don't take into account what the calorie count of the food is that I'm eating--I just eat according to plan and it all works out over the day. Exercise each day is burning an additional 300 - 400 calories, too, so I'm doing well.
We'll see next week what my official weight loss is, but for now I'm down to 143.4. That'll slow down in the next week as my body adjusts, and this weekend I'll take a day off and halt the progression, but if I can manage 1.5 to 2 pounds of weight loss a week for the duration of this game, I'll be happy. Well, not happy exactly (it would take more than weight loss for that!), but content.
I've been tracking my food on the Daily Plate as well, and each day I've come out more or less around 1300 calories, without actually counting the calories; that is, I don't take into account what the calorie count of the food is that I'm eating--I just eat according to plan and it all works out over the day. Exercise each day is burning an additional 300 - 400 calories, too, so I'm doing well.
We'll see next week what my official weight loss is, but for now I'm down to 143.4. That'll slow down in the next week as my body adjusts, and this weekend I'll take a day off and halt the progression, but if I can manage 1.5 to 2 pounds of weight loss a week for the duration of this game, I'll be happy. Well, not happy exactly (it would take more than weight loss for that!), but content.
Weight spike AGAIN!
I was discouraged this Tuesday because I had another weight spike - 6 pounds this time. It was the first day of my period, and it was a bad one - so that may have had an impact. OTOH - I had an acupuncture appointment last night and as we were going to the treatment room Shea told me that it looked like I was losing weight. Then this morning at the gas station there was a guy (cute, and young but TOTALLY not my type) flirting with me. He gave me his business card as he was leaving. VERY good for a fat old lady's ego.
AND - since I had been complimented twice in the last 24 hours, I have decided that my pants feel bigger today. They aren't really - but it is all good.
And - now for something completely different....
I think the other bridesmaids on this board (and the bride) need to change their attitudes. They - instead of trying to lose 10 pounds - should all committ to GAINING 20 pounds each. As it is I am easily going to be twice as big as anyone else in the wedding party - including the groom. So, to prevent me from looking completely like a GIANT TROLL!! they should defer to my sentitivites and GAIN some fricking weight!!!!
Regarding the comments about yoga - the goal of yoga is to do the poses correctly, not be super bendy. If I can do yoga, and fairly well I might add, then anyone else here can. There is not a single thing difficult about a sun salutation!!! I do them in my kitchen waiting for the coffee maker to heat up. The REAL KEY to doing yoga is to pay attention to what YOUR body is doing, rather than the body of someone else. It is more important that your hips are lined up correctly than your hand being flat on the floor. Understand the goal of the poses before doing them. If you don't KNOW the goal of the pose, ask someone who does. A lot of people do a lot of damage by doing sloppy yoga!!
AND - since I had been complimented twice in the last 24 hours, I have decided that my pants feel bigger today. They aren't really - but it is all good.
And - now for something completely different....
I think the other bridesmaids on this board (and the bride) need to change their attitudes. They - instead of trying to lose 10 pounds - should all committ to GAINING 20 pounds each. As it is I am easily going to be twice as big as anyone else in the wedding party - including the groom. So, to prevent me from looking completely like a GIANT TROLL!! they should defer to my sentitivites and GAIN some fricking weight!!!!
Regarding the comments about yoga - the goal of yoga is to do the poses correctly, not be super bendy. If I can do yoga, and fairly well I might add, then anyone else here can. There is not a single thing difficult about a sun salutation!!! I do them in my kitchen waiting for the coffee maker to heat up. The REAL KEY to doing yoga is to pay attention to what YOUR body is doing, rather than the body of someone else. It is more important that your hips are lined up correctly than your hand being flat on the floor. Understand the goal of the poses before doing them. If you don't KNOW the goal of the pose, ask someone who does. A lot of people do a lot of damage by doing sloppy yoga!!
Day two behind me
New rule of dieting: stay away from Rita's altogether. I took the kids and two friends to see a play yesterday and then I took them to Rita's, which was a block away, so I could be a cool mom. I got a regular Italian Ice (smallest size adults can get) figuring it would be the least harmful thing on the menu (not counting the Light Ice, which has artificial sweeteners, which are terrible for you, and still a surprising number of calories). Well, it WAS the least caloric thing on the menu -- yet still a quarter of my day's calories. One serving, 12 ounces, packs a whopping 77 grams of sugar. Yep, I drank an entire cup and a half of sugar water. The equivalent of two sodas in calories. With hyperactive red dye, to boot. Never again. Honestly, their "custard" would have been better -- only 20 calories more and considerably more filling, and probably at least marginally more nutritious. And no radioactive dye.
At Ben & Jerry's you can get a single scoop of their regular sorbet, it uses all natural ingredients, and it has not even a third of the calories. But it was a mile away and I didn't want to load everybody in and out of the car to get there, when Rita's was right there. I thought the Italian ice would be like a sorbet. I was wrong. Live and learn.
Despite that, I managed to keep my calories to my goal range, but I got mighty hungry before dinner. I procrastinated on exercise a good chunk of the day -- the whole afternoon was filled up with the play and visiting a friend who is currently her mother's full-time caregiver and starting to go a little bit nuts being stuck at home -- so after dinner when Daniel and I went out for our walk I convinced him we should go a little further, and he said if we were going further we should follow a real route and not just the flat school sidewalk, so we ended up walking our usual 5k route, which has hills and everything. (And stairs. The bridge is still out for another month.) It wasn't as vigorous as running or the elliptical or a bike ride, but it was still enough to qualify as exercise.
I still haven't started my abs and arms workouts, but I'm going to do it today. I think I can stick to a M/W/F schedule for muscle training. And if I start today I can recover for three days before the next, instead of the usual two -- based on my running experience this week, I may need that!
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