This morning my scale said 148.5!! Of course, right after that it said "Low" so I am not sure how correct it was, but I'll take it!
Today I had orange juice and granola for breakfast. The trouble with this Maple Praline Granola is that it has very few pecans and I keep shaking more cereal out of the box in the hopes of finding one more. Sometimes I have to put some of it back--but not always.
Midmorning I had a clementine, and for lunch I had a half of a grilled cheese sandwich and two raspberry newtons (100 calories for two) and a glass of milk. A while ago I had some almonds for snack. I am still hungry, but it is 4:40. For supper we will have leftover meatloaf, baked beans and salad and a piece of that excellent banan bread for dessert. I don't knmow what I will do for bedtime snack, or evening snack, or whatever it is.
I got a little exercise! Dad finally finished taking the lights off the tree and we lugged it outside, where I think we may have already missed the pickup. Then I went in and started sweeping up needles--I must have taken four or five dustpans full out and dumped them on the front garden. Then I swept the front sidewalk and our tiny porch, and went back inside and vacuumed up the rest of the needles. We still have furniture to put back. Dad gets exhausted with every little effort, so it has taken a long time to get the tree undecorated. I hope tomorrow we can get all the stuff up to the attic. Last year it all sat in Katie's old room all year.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
146.0
Well, remarkably, I registered an official drop for this week. I've seen lower on the scale, but not in a long time, so I'm content with the 146.0. Now I need to get back on track overall, not just with the exercise. So today I'm aiming to have one good day -- I figure I have to start small because "one good week" was apparently too much for me. So far I'm doing fine, but I'm always doing fine at lunchtime; I don't get bad until after noon. It will be a little tricky today because we have few leftovers, and Daniel will probably be gone for dinner, or at least he'll have to eat on the run, so we can't fix something new and healthy. Or maybe we can, but I'm going to have to find something new, healthy, and quick.
How to lose two pounds in one day
My official weigh-in day weight this week is 138.4--a pound and a half down from last week but over two pounds down from yesterday! Of course I always have a significant drop when my period starts, and I know I was retaining a lot of water over the weekend, so between getting rid of that water weight and all my exercise and healthy (ugh) eating yesterday I have a weight I can be happy about today! We'll see next week if it's sustainable. Although I don't think it's too far off the mark since I was down to 139 at the end of last week before I started eating Doritoes.
I already reported yesterday's eating--I did sneak in some Pez before bedtime (35 calories in an entire package!) but I also did two pilates DVD's--abs and lower body. Oddly enough, the only part of me that's achy today is my arms, I think from the leaf raking. There's something about that activity that's just exhausting.
I already reported yesterday's eating--I did sneak in some Pez before bedtime (35 calories in an entire package!) but I also did two pilates DVD's--abs and lower body. Oddly enough, the only part of me that's achy today is my arms, I think from the leaf raking. There's something about that activity that's just exhausting.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Mini-streak
I exercised both days this weekend so today I was motivated to exercise again. I talked to Daniel and made sure he wanted to meet me at the gym -- then unfortunately I later talked to him about the financial record-keeping I'd been doing all day and the mess of money we spent last month, which spurred him into yelling at Travelocity about a refund they'd never processed. By the time he got off the phone with them it was too late to take the kids to the gym (it was past dinnertime, even -- he spent the better part of an hour on the phone!!) so he came home and we ate and got the kids to bed. I was already in my gym clothes but I don't like going out on my own that late (or as late as it would have been when I got home) so I just did the 15 minute Walk. I'm a wimp. But at least I did something. I also kept my arms up as much as I can to increase my heart rate, and with the stretchie I actually broke a sweat. So for 15 minutes it wasn't a bad workout.
I was in my normal form when it came to eating -- usual breakfast, lunch of yogurt and toast, snacks of almonds and string cheese. After lunch I had some chocolate from the big Hershey kiss (about a normal kiss' worth) and two mini candy bars, and later in the afternoon I had a big, stale holiday chocolate-nut bar. For dinner I had a reasonable-size portion of tomato-basil turkey and noodles, and milk to drink, and for dessert I had an orange creamsicle. Ugh. And last night I ended up having a beer and popcorn (light) after I wrote, so I still haven't kicked myself hard enough to diet again.
I do exercise semi-regularly. I eat more whole grains and less macaroni and cheese, and I do have healthy things I can snack on, but I seem to be using them to supplement the junk rather than replace it. I don't eat greasy fast food or drink sodas when we eat out, and my portions are, on average, smaller than they were last summer. So I haven't completely regressed; I really have made progress toward healthy living. We're almost out of Christmas candy and the stale cookies aren't half as tempting as the candy. I just need to stay out of the alcohol and the family desserts!
I was in my normal form when it came to eating -- usual breakfast, lunch of yogurt and toast, snacks of almonds and string cheese. After lunch I had some chocolate from the big Hershey kiss (about a normal kiss' worth) and two mini candy bars, and later in the afternoon I had a big, stale holiday chocolate-nut bar. For dinner I had a reasonable-size portion of tomato-basil turkey and noodles, and milk to drink, and for dessert I had an orange creamsicle. Ugh. And last night I ended up having a beer and popcorn (light) after I wrote, so I still haven't kicked myself hard enough to diet again.
I do exercise semi-regularly. I eat more whole grains and less macaroni and cheese, and I do have healthy things I can snack on, but I seem to be using them to supplement the junk rather than replace it. I don't eat greasy fast food or drink sodas when we eat out, and my portions are, on average, smaller than they were last summer. So I haven't completely regressed; I really have made progress toward healthy living. We're almost out of Christmas candy and the stale cookies aren't half as tempting as the candy. I just need to stay out of the alcohol and the family desserts!
Penitential day
I said yesterday that I couldn't be much worse on Sunday than I had been on Saturday. How wrong I was! What is it with PMS-induced cravings, anyway? I alternated between salty foods (Doritoes) and sweet (anything I could get my hands on, including chocolate chips, marshmallow fluff by the spoonful, and stale Christmas cookies (thanks Amy!)). And I ended up not exercising either--by the time I got the kids to bed it was 11:30 and I was tired from eating all that bad food. Then Brian came home from his last day at Barnes and Noble and had brought cheesecake with him to celebrate. So I ate that just before bed (couldn't finish the whole piece, though). Sheesh. This morning I was up to 140.6.
So today I woke up, PMS over, immediately set about doing a 50 minute workout (10 minutes of pilates matwork, 40 minutes of aerobics) followed by 30 girly push-ups, ate two boiled eggs for breakfast, raked the yard a bit, had cottage cheese and fruit and a salad for lunch, an orange and two whole wheat crackers for snack, and baked fish with olive oil, steamed vegetables, and plain brown rice for dinner. And once the kids are in bed, I want to do another 40 minutes of exercise. I'm trying to get two days worth of exercise and healthy eating into one day!
The weird thing is, even though the stale cookies, marshmallow fluff, Doritoes, and leftover cheesecake are still around, I haven't been tempted once to eat them. No craving whatsoever--it's not even a matter of willpower. I just don't want the stuff.
I'm hoping that all of this good behavior will have a positive effect on tomorrow's weight, but I think that tomorrow I'll see the effects of Sunday's bad behavior and today won't register until Wednesday!
So today I woke up, PMS over, immediately set about doing a 50 minute workout (10 minutes of pilates matwork, 40 minutes of aerobics) followed by 30 girly push-ups, ate two boiled eggs for breakfast, raked the yard a bit, had cottage cheese and fruit and a salad for lunch, an orange and two whole wheat crackers for snack, and baked fish with olive oil, steamed vegetables, and plain brown rice for dinner. And once the kids are in bed, I want to do another 40 minutes of exercise. I'm trying to get two days worth of exercise and healthy eating into one day!
The weird thing is, even though the stale cookies, marshmallow fluff, Doritoes, and leftover cheesecake are still around, I haven't been tempted once to eat them. No craving whatsoever--it's not even a matter of willpower. I just don't want the stuff.
I'm hoping that all of this good behavior will have a positive effect on tomorrow's weight, but I think that tomorrow I'll see the effects of Sunday's bad behavior and today won't register until Wednesday!
No title for me either
I think I was really bad this weekend... however, I voluntarily got my butt out of bed and to the gym on Saturday so I felt smug all weekend - and didn't pay much attention to what I was eating.
Friday I was horrible! I think I reported already that I had Noodles and Co mac and cheese and pot stickers for lunch. Then for dinner that night I had two pieces of pesto shrimp pizza - which probably isn't as bad as it COULD be (it was green at least) but NOT good diet food. I think I ate some girl scout cookies too.
Saturday I had the rest of the pesto pizza for breakfast. I then had my cheese sandwich from Friday's lunch for lunch - and then Katie and I went to a Japanese steak house that just opened up near us in Eldersburg. We had a coupon for a free dinner so we HAD to use it. Actually as restaurant food goes this isn't so bad. We just ate too much! But it kept me from snacking the rest of the night.
Sunday was just horrible, I ate stale Christmas cookies, girl scout cookies, drank soda - the works! I don't think I had a single healthy thing until I went to Sarah's and had dinner... I took her the rest of the stale Christmas cookies.
Today, so far I have been GREAT! I have eaten most of my very healthy lunch - and nothing that was not in my bag. I haven't yet gone to the gym - I had a funeral to go to this morning and that threw my whole day off... BUT - I will be going as soon as I leave here. I won't work tonight so I will still get home about my usual time - but I will have at least gone to the gym!!
I have SO got a bug up my butt about getting an iPod and downloading books on tape to take to the gym with me. I am hoping that will keep things from getting as boring as they do. I won't be able to afford this until after the cruise... but if you want to pool your resources for my birthday - a pink one would be nice. 8-)
Friday I was horrible! I think I reported already that I had Noodles and Co mac and cheese and pot stickers for lunch. Then for dinner that night I had two pieces of pesto shrimp pizza - which probably isn't as bad as it COULD be (it was green at least) but NOT good diet food. I think I ate some girl scout cookies too.
Saturday I had the rest of the pesto pizza for breakfast. I then had my cheese sandwich from Friday's lunch for lunch - and then Katie and I went to a Japanese steak house that just opened up near us in Eldersburg. We had a coupon for a free dinner so we HAD to use it. Actually as restaurant food goes this isn't so bad. We just ate too much! But it kept me from snacking the rest of the night.
Sunday was just horrible, I ate stale Christmas cookies, girl scout cookies, drank soda - the works! I don't think I had a single healthy thing until I went to Sarah's and had dinner... I took her the rest of the stale Christmas cookies.
Today, so far I have been GREAT! I have eaten most of my very healthy lunch - and nothing that was not in my bag. I haven't yet gone to the gym - I had a funeral to go to this morning and that threw my whole day off... BUT - I will be going as soon as I leave here. I won't work tonight so I will still get home about my usual time - but I will have at least gone to the gym!!
I have SO got a bug up my butt about getting an iPod and downloading books on tape to take to the gym with me. I am hoping that will keep things from getting as boring as they do. I won't be able to afford this until after the cruise... but if you want to pool your resources for my birthday - a pink one would be nice. 8-)
Out of titles...
Sunday was an ok day food quantity wise, although I was way over on my carb allocation. I met my friend Sarah for our monthly catch-up breakfast, so I ate more poorly at breakfast that I would have otherwise. We always get french toast and bacon. I ate my 3 strips of bacon, but they were smaller than usual so I was thankful for that. Bacon is my FAVORITE food so there is no way I could have left that sit on the plate.
I had a snack of string cheese at 1 pm, then I ate lunch of a grilled cheese at 3:30. Dinner was cheerios and a whole wheat bagel at 6:30 or so. I had some fat free pudding at 9 pm for a snack. It was the cook and serve kind and it was exceptionally good for some reason.
Today I am on track, granted it's only 8:36 am so anything could happen. Saturday I bought that weight control oatmeal that has all the extra protein and fiber. I ate it today and it is weird and gummy. I was afraid to drink my water on the way to work like usual for fear it would expand the mass of oatmeal in my belly and I'd pop. I think once it is gone I'll switch back to my premium apple-raisin kind instead.
I did exercise yetserday--I had a higher level of general activity because I was cleaning, and then I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill. Afterwards I did some of the lower body pilates moves from the Dummy DVD while I watched the X Men on tv. (I love Cyclops by the way. It is funny how I can be 27 and married and still have a crush on movie stars.) hee hee
I had a snack of string cheese at 1 pm, then I ate lunch of a grilled cheese at 3:30. Dinner was cheerios and a whole wheat bagel at 6:30 or so. I had some fat free pudding at 9 pm for a snack. It was the cook and serve kind and it was exceptionally good for some reason.
Today I am on track, granted it's only 8:36 am so anything could happen. Saturday I bought that weight control oatmeal that has all the extra protein and fiber. I ate it today and it is weird and gummy. I was afraid to drink my water on the way to work like usual for fear it would expand the mass of oatmeal in my belly and I'd pop. I think once it is gone I'll switch back to my premium apple-raisin kind instead.
I did exercise yetserday--I had a higher level of general activity because I was cleaning, and then I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill. Afterwards I did some of the lower body pilates moves from the Dummy DVD while I watched the X Men on tv. (I love Cyclops by the way. It is funny how I can be 27 and married and still have a crush on movie stars.) hee hee
Sunday, January 15, 2006
An almost good day
After all these days of stuffing myself on junk food, today wasn't half bad! I don't recall hitting the candy bag all day. I did go out to Ben & Jerry's (now that the Ice Cream Crank is closed -- *sniff*) but I only had a single scoop (which is probably a gazillion calories anyway, but two scoops would have been two gazillion, so it could have been worse). And for dessert tonight I had one malted milk brownie. That was it for the junk. I had waffles and bacon for breakfast (OK, so maybe that wasn't it for the junk), one and a half waffles with I think two strips of bacon (might have been only one, but that would have been unusual restraint on my part), and milk to drink. I had a snack of some almonds, and I had some OJ to drink, and then for dinner I had taco soup (the remains of the batch) with a small portion of chips. I'm still very full from dinner, too. No lunch because breakfast was so late. I guess B&J was lunch.
Yesterday I ate badly all day, though. I don't remember every last detail. I had my usual breakfast and I had lunch of yogurt, I think. For dinner I had chicken with broccoli and rice, made with fat free mayo and half brown rice (we finished up the white box, and I replaced it with white), so that wasn't so bad. But I was into the candy bag a bunch, and I ate some gouda for a snack, which isn't a very healthy cheese. But, you know, except for the candy, I didn't do as badly as I thought I did!
Yesterday I did Pilates in the afternoon and it kicked my butt! I was already pretty grouchy because I tried to do it when all three kids were underfoot, so Mary and Xander wanted to do it, too, and Cecilia wanted to be anywhere I needed to be next, so I missed the beginning of every move because I was moving her out of the way, which made her mad. And she was tired as it was -- I was trying to convince her to make her nap later -- so she was pretty miserable. And Mary had a thousand things to say, as usual, so I kept missing the directions and having to yell at her to shut up, and back up the DVD or just fudge it (more often the latter). And then I was terrible because I have no flexibility -- I can't straighten my legs at an angle or straight up in the air, let alone do some of those other moves! Then Cecilia finally had had it, so I paused the DVD and put her to bed. When I got down 30 minutes later I started the video again and there were 11 seconds left. Seriously. What a waste.
Today I'm sore in my abs and quads and hamstrings and shoulder blades, so something good probably happened from all that. I'm not going to give up on them yet. But I'm not feeling very nice about them.
Today I missed the childcare hours at the gym (too busy getting ice cream) so I sent Daniel off on his own and pulled out the Walk DVD, which all three kids can do with me. It's the first time I've done it with the stretchie (and I made rubber band stretchies for Mary and Alexander) and I was amazed how much it added to the workout! I didn't use handweights otherwise but I still broke a good sweat. I just wished they had used the stretchie more. I did the two mile walk, and then my half-pint personal trainer said we needed to do the one mile, too, so I did that as well. 45 minutes is a pretty good workout even if the one mile is wimpy, and I was tired afterwards.
As weekends go, this is my best one in a month or more, but I have a long way to go until I really feel like I'm on top of this lifestyle again!
Yesterday I ate badly all day, though. I don't remember every last detail. I had my usual breakfast and I had lunch of yogurt, I think. For dinner I had chicken with broccoli and rice, made with fat free mayo and half brown rice (we finished up the white box, and I replaced it with white), so that wasn't so bad. But I was into the candy bag a bunch, and I ate some gouda for a snack, which isn't a very healthy cheese. But, you know, except for the candy, I didn't do as badly as I thought I did!
Yesterday I did Pilates in the afternoon and it kicked my butt! I was already pretty grouchy because I tried to do it when all three kids were underfoot, so Mary and Xander wanted to do it, too, and Cecilia wanted to be anywhere I needed to be next, so I missed the beginning of every move because I was moving her out of the way, which made her mad. And she was tired as it was -- I was trying to convince her to make her nap later -- so she was pretty miserable. And Mary had a thousand things to say, as usual, so I kept missing the directions and having to yell at her to shut up, and back up the DVD or just fudge it (more often the latter). And then I was terrible because I have no flexibility -- I can't straighten my legs at an angle or straight up in the air, let alone do some of those other moves! Then Cecilia finally had had it, so I paused the DVD and put her to bed. When I got down 30 minutes later I started the video again and there were 11 seconds left. Seriously. What a waste.
Today I'm sore in my abs and quads and hamstrings and shoulder blades, so something good probably happened from all that. I'm not going to give up on them yet. But I'm not feeling very nice about them.
Today I missed the childcare hours at the gym (too busy getting ice cream) so I sent Daniel off on his own and pulled out the Walk DVD, which all three kids can do with me. It's the first time I've done it with the stretchie (and I made rubber band stretchies for Mary and Alexander) and I was amazed how much it added to the workout! I didn't use handweights otherwise but I still broke a good sweat. I just wished they had used the stretchie more. I did the two mile walk, and then my half-pint personal trainer said we needed to do the one mile, too, so I did that as well. 45 minutes is a pretty good workout even if the one mile is wimpy, and I was tired afterwards.
As weekends go, this is my best one in a month or more, but I have a long way to go until I really feel like I'm on top of this lifestyle again!
banana bread
This morning I was pleased to see that I was down to 149.5. Not good, but an improvement. I may have blown some of it this afternoon, however, when I had a cup of hot chocolate with a piece of banana bread. I want to tell you all about the banana bread. First of all, it was very good! Second of all, it was made from Splenda, not the kind that is half sugar but all Splenda, and it used no eggs and had only 1 Tablespoon of canola oil for fat. The recipe I was about to make used a half cup of shortening, I think. I know it was a lot more. So I want to encourage all of you to get some Splenda and make the banana bread on the bag. Even Dad liked it, and he is hard to please!
Apparently it shows
Last night my friend Shannon and her husband came over--they moved to Texas back in September so I haven't seen her since I lost weight, and because she and I met when I was pregnant with Connor, she's never known me as anything but enormously pregnant or overweight. As soon as I opened the door last night, her first words were "oh my God, you've lost a ton of weight!" Hee-hee! That's a nice feeling.
Of course then I proceeded to eat like a pig all night--I had a cider and some Doritoes before going out to dinner, then a half a cup of chicken noodle soup, three quarters of a bacon cheeseburger, a dozen french fries, a couple of bites of coleslaw, and some bites of Claire's pancakes (we were at a diner) and a candy cane when we got home. Urgh. Today I was above 140 for the first time since weigh-in day, and I know that I'm retaining water (probably the result of all that salt I ate!) because I was really thirsty all night and today my rings are tight. I also didn't exercise yesterday, but that was a deliberate rest day. The rest of the day wasn't so bad--as usual on the weekend I didn't have breakfast, and lunch was soup, crackers, and an apple. No snacks, either. Today I'm sure I'll eat better than yesterday (hard not to!) and I'll get in some exercise as well.
Of course then I proceeded to eat like a pig all night--I had a cider and some Doritoes before going out to dinner, then a half a cup of chicken noodle soup, three quarters of a bacon cheeseburger, a dozen french fries, a couple of bites of coleslaw, and some bites of Claire's pancakes (we were at a diner) and a candy cane when we got home. Urgh. Today I was above 140 for the first time since weigh-in day, and I know that I'm retaining water (probably the result of all that salt I ate!) because I was really thirsty all night and today my rings are tight. I also didn't exercise yesterday, but that was a deliberate rest day. The rest of the day wasn't so bad--as usual on the weekend I didn't have breakfast, and lunch was soup, crackers, and an apple. No snacks, either. Today I'm sure I'll eat better than yesterday (hard not to!) and I'll get in some exercise as well.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Aaarrrghhh!
I am posting since I just got finished with my guilt driven 30 minutes on the treadmill...
Today has been a food mini-disaster. I started out ok, but then it fell apart. Breakfast was oatmeal, then I had a lipton tea at Home Depot (we were ordering new exterior doors), a salad from the Giant salad bar for lunch (only non-veggies in it was some feta cheese and a little bit of bacon). Then I fell off the cliff--2 mini reeses cups, a snickers soldier, a mini hershey bar, some potato chips (crumbs from the bottom of the bag, so might not be as damaging as I am thinking) and a turkey and cheese sandwich.
After the snickers soldier I came right in here and got on the treadmill. Calorie wise I probably break even or maybe even fall short. But I didn't need to eat the snickers soldier...it was because I am bored. Someone should slap my hand for that.
We went grocery shopping today and I bought a bunch of good foods. I am looking forward to packing my lunch next week.
Today has been a food mini-disaster. I started out ok, but then it fell apart. Breakfast was oatmeal, then I had a lipton tea at Home Depot (we were ordering new exterior doors), a salad from the Giant salad bar for lunch (only non-veggies in it was some feta cheese and a little bit of bacon). Then I fell off the cliff--2 mini reeses cups, a snickers soldier, a mini hershey bar, some potato chips (crumbs from the bottom of the bag, so might not be as damaging as I am thinking) and a turkey and cheese sandwich.
After the snickers soldier I came right in here and got on the treadmill. Calorie wise I probably break even or maybe even fall short. But I didn't need to eat the snickers soldier...it was because I am bored. Someone should slap my hand for that.
We went grocery shopping today and I bought a bunch of good foods. I am looking forward to packing my lunch next week.
Testing my theory...
I was down 1.4 lbs this morning. I'll weigh in again tomorrow and see what the change is. There may be something to my theory...
I have the same thoughts about the heart rate things as Sarah--wondering if I'm exercising at an appropriate level or whether I'm 2 steps from keeling over. I just got as hard as I can and still feel good. Realistically, what else can you do?
I exercised last night again, but for not as long. I have been getting these killer headaches in the afternoon this week and I can't figure out why. Last night's was particulary bad and as my heart rate went up, so did the pounding in my brain. I've been stressing at work over an upcoming deadline (Annapolis parcel updates), so that could be part of it I guess, but it pretty much just stinks. Then Joe got home and we watched movies all night. It was nice to not have Travis around. He called to come over and Joe didn't quite say no, but never opened the invite up either. That was nice.
Today we have a bunch of running around to do. And I'm going grocery shopping to get some veggies and fruit. We are all out.
I have the same thoughts about the heart rate things as Sarah--wondering if I'm exercising at an appropriate level or whether I'm 2 steps from keeling over. I just got as hard as I can and still feel good. Realistically, what else can you do?
I exercised last night again, but for not as long. I have been getting these killer headaches in the afternoon this week and I can't figure out why. Last night's was particulary bad and as my heart rate went up, so did the pounding in my brain. I've been stressing at work over an upcoming deadline (Annapolis parcel updates), so that could be part of it I guess, but it pretty much just stinks. Then Joe got home and we watched movies all night. It was nice to not have Travis around. He called to come over and Joe didn't quite say no, but never opened the invite up either. That was nice.
Today we have a bunch of running around to do. And I'm going grocery shopping to get some veggies and fruit. We are all out.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Heart rates
I forgot to put in my two cents on the heart rate discussion -- I prefer the perceived exertion method to the maximum/target heart rate routine, because like Sarah I don't feel like I'm working all that hard when I'm at my supposed target heart rate, and I routinely hit the 170s and I don't think I'm overdoing it. I can feel 180 the moment I hit it, because I get light-headed, and then I am overdoing it! So I keep an eye on what the bike says my heart rate is (when it's willing to tell me -- I have an awful time getting the machines to pick up on my pulse) and if it looks like it will get above the mid-170s I ease up a bit.
I think the maximum heart rate schedule isn't as linear as they like to make it look -- one year probably won't make a point of difference in my physiology, but maybe a couple of years that include menopause or some other major health change could make ten or twenty points' difference. (Or maybe we just have our long-lived grandmothers to thank for our stronger hearts!)
I think the maximum heart rate schedule isn't as linear as they like to make it look -- one year probably won't make a point of difference in my physiology, but maybe a couple of years that include menopause or some other major health change could make ten or twenty points' difference. (Or maybe we just have our long-lived grandmothers to thank for our stronger hearts!)
Don't worry about me!
I can account for my recent disappearances in three ways:
- I have three kids who have all had stomach viruses in the last five days, as Mom mentioned. Cecilia's only lasted two days (but she needed to be held almost the whole time) and Mary's was even shorter (but she's been milking it for all it's worth), but Alexander's still hasn't gone away completely after three days. I've spent a lot of time cleaning up vomit and poop -- at least all those trips down to the laundry equipment are good exercise!
- I've been eating really, really badly all week. With the kids eating irregularly I haven't sat down for meals as much, which means I've been grazing on whatever is at hand -- mostly leftover Christmas candy, which is fortunately almost gone now -- and when I eat like this I can't account for what I've been eating and don't want to admit to myself how poorly I've been eating, let alone to y'all.
- I discovered Samurai Sudoku and Killer Sudoku and Killer Samurai Sudoku this week. It's not that I've been doing a lot of the puzzles -- I've done one of each of the first two and am trying the third now -- but they take a long time, so instead of spending my leisure time in front of the computer I'm spending it over these stupid, waste-of-time puzzles. But these don't seem like they'll be as addictive as regular Sudoku -- I just wanted to see if I could do them. When I finish this one I'll try to resume my normal life!
Food for thought
Lots of good stuff on our blog today...
I was REALLY bad food wise today - and it was premeditated (sort of). We tend to eat out for lunch on Fridays - or at least send out. I normally resist unless it is sushi. Today the food of choice was Noodles and Company. I couldn't resist. I had a small Mac and Cheese (oh so yummy!) and a small pot stickers. If I just stuck with the Mac and Cheese it would have been bad (420 calories) but I HAD to add on the pot stickers. I don't know how many calories that was. It was all too rich though. I had a gurgly stomach all afternoon.
I went to the gym and did my aerobic work out - 20 minutes on the cross trainer and 17 minutes on the tread mill. I also did my abs again. I came back to work all stinky. I feel good though.
I am going out to the DC again tonight - for a few hours. I actually had a good time last night - and tonight I am working with Kristy. It should be fun again!
I was REALLY bad food wise today - and it was premeditated (sort of). We tend to eat out for lunch on Fridays - or at least send out. I normally resist unless it is sushi. Today the food of choice was Noodles and Company. I couldn't resist. I had a small Mac and Cheese (oh so yummy!) and a small pot stickers. If I just stuck with the Mac and Cheese it would have been bad (420 calories) but I HAD to add on the pot stickers. I don't know how many calories that was. It was all too rich though. I had a gurgly stomach all afternoon.
I went to the gym and did my aerobic work out - 20 minutes on the cross trainer and 17 minutes on the tread mill. I also did my abs again. I came back to work all stinky. I feel good though.
I am going out to the DC again tonight - for a few hours. I actually had a good time last night - and tonight I am working with Kristy. It should be fun again!
Forgot my update!
I was posting all that information below about heart rates and forgot to mention what my days have been like!
Yesterday was good--came in at 1350 calories and all healthy food (no leftover pizza! No candy!) and did the "advanced" pilates DVD--it's not particularly harder than the shorter, targeted workouts, but it's 45 or 50 minutes long and works every muscle group in the body.
Today has been so-so. My exercise was great--I just got back from the gym, where I kept up a 5 m.p.h. to 5.7 m.p.h. pace on the treadmill the whole time. It felt great! I haven't gone higher than 5 m.p.h. previously, but I think the faster speeds are better suited to my body--I didn't feel like I was working so hard at the speeds above 5 m.p.h. and my heart rate was the same as when I was going 4.8 and 5 m.p.h. on Wednesday. Go figure. Could be a fluke, but I think I'll try these faster speeds at lower inclines for a couple of weeks before adding more resistance. Maybe I'm more of a sprinter and not a distance runner! With eating I haven't been so good--cereal for breakfast, yogurt and pretzles for lunch, almonds for snack. That was all o.k. but today people brought in goodies and I've had two Whitman's chocolates (190 calories!) and a chocolate chip cookie. OTOH, I snagged a chicken and veggie wrap that was leftover from lunch, so I'm all set for dinner and it's healthy and low fat. I just need to stay away from goodies at home and I should be fine!
Yesterday was good--came in at 1350 calories and all healthy food (no leftover pizza! No candy!) and did the "advanced" pilates DVD--it's not particularly harder than the shorter, targeted workouts, but it's 45 or 50 minutes long and works every muscle group in the body.
Today has been so-so. My exercise was great--I just got back from the gym, where I kept up a 5 m.p.h. to 5.7 m.p.h. pace on the treadmill the whole time. It felt great! I haven't gone higher than 5 m.p.h. previously, but I think the faster speeds are better suited to my body--I didn't feel like I was working so hard at the speeds above 5 m.p.h. and my heart rate was the same as when I was going 4.8 and 5 m.p.h. on Wednesday. Go figure. Could be a fluke, but I think I'll try these faster speeds at lower inclines for a couple of weeks before adding more resistance. Maybe I'm more of a sprinter and not a distance runner! With eating I haven't been so good--cereal for breakfast, yogurt and pretzles for lunch, almonds for snack. That was all o.k. but today people brought in goodies and I've had two Whitman's chocolates (190 calories!) and a chocolate chip cookie. OTOH, I snagged a chicken and veggie wrap that was leftover from lunch, so I'm all set for dinner and it's healthy and low fat. I just need to stay away from goodies at home and I should be fine!
Heart rates and losing pounds
Julie, here's a link that explains how to determine what your heart rate should be based on your age, fitness level, and resting heart rate: http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/thr.htm There are also other ways of determining how hard you are working that are explained in this link; the magazines all refer to "perceived exertion" which is included. I was interested in this too--the treadmill I use says that for fat burning, my heart rate should be something like 50% to 60% of my maximum heart rate and up to 85% of my maximum for a cardio workout. It gives a general range for women in their 30s that goes up to the 160's somewhere, which I've always taken with a grain of salt since each person's resting heart rate is going to be different. So I just did the math and for "average fitness level" my target heart rate should be between 139 and 150 bpm; for "high fitness level" it should be between 155 and 166 bpm. My problem is that I regularly hit the low to mid 170s without really feeling like I'm overdoing it--does this mean I'm going to drop dead during one of my workouts or that my maximum is somewhat higher than most 37 year olds? 175 bpm would be 85% of the maximum heart rate for a "high fitness level" 25 year old, for example! So--youthful for my age or about to kick the bucket?
I'm not normally very mathematically minded (and I'm not even sure I spelled that right) but when it comes to fitness and weight loss, I like to quantify it with numbers--thus daily weigh ins, measuring my body, tracking my maximum heart rate, and counting calories. I know that to lose a pound in a week you have to use up 3500 more calories than you take in. So I figure if you *aren't* losing this amount then your calculations are wrong--either you're taking in more than you think or are burning off less than you think. There's no really good way of tracking what you burn (I assume that the "calories burned" counters on gym machines and the estimates given on mypyramid and other sites are only a starting point because they don't know what YOUR particular metabolism is, plus your metabolism is going to change based on your increasing level of fitness and decreasing caloric intake) but tracking what you take in is easy, and then you can work out what you've burned off from there based on whether or not you lost weight over time. This is only vaguely scientific on my part (I should go see if there's a way to *really* find out what your metabolic rate is) but it works for me and so far I'm liking the results. According to mypyramid, I should easily lose a pound or more a week just by cutting to 1500 calories or fewer per day, but it doesn't work that way for me--if I don't exercise, I lose at a much slower rate. Others are more fortunate and CAN just reduce what they are eating by a few hundred calories and they'll lose weight.
This is my long winded way of saying that I don't think it really matters how you keep track of your intake/outgo (is that a word?) rate--the only thing that matters is if what you're doing is working! And if what you're doing isn't working, do something else. I keep saying that losing weight isn't easy, but it's not rocket science either. Unless, like me, you do your best to make it as complicated as possible!
Where's Emily? She has to stop disappearing like this! I'm used to Mom and Katie making only rare appearances, but not Emily. It worries me.
I'm not normally very mathematically minded (and I'm not even sure I spelled that right) but when it comes to fitness and weight loss, I like to quantify it with numbers--thus daily weigh ins, measuring my body, tracking my maximum heart rate, and counting calories. I know that to lose a pound in a week you have to use up 3500 more calories than you take in. So I figure if you *aren't* losing this amount then your calculations are wrong--either you're taking in more than you think or are burning off less than you think. There's no really good way of tracking what you burn (I assume that the "calories burned" counters on gym machines and the estimates given on mypyramid and other sites are only a starting point because they don't know what YOUR particular metabolism is, plus your metabolism is going to change based on your increasing level of fitness and decreasing caloric intake) but tracking what you take in is easy, and then you can work out what you've burned off from there based on whether or not you lost weight over time. This is only vaguely scientific on my part (I should go see if there's a way to *really* find out what your metabolic rate is) but it works for me and so far I'm liking the results. According to mypyramid, I should easily lose a pound or more a week just by cutting to 1500 calories or fewer per day, but it doesn't work that way for me--if I don't exercise, I lose at a much slower rate. Others are more fortunate and CAN just reduce what they are eating by a few hundred calories and they'll lose weight.
This is my long winded way of saying that I don't think it really matters how you keep track of your intake/outgo (is that a word?) rate--the only thing that matters is if what you're doing is working! And if what you're doing isn't working, do something else. I keep saying that losing weight isn't easy, but it's not rocket science either. Unless, like me, you do your best to make it as complicated as possible!
Where's Emily? She has to stop disappearing like this! I'm used to Mom and Katie making only rare appearances, but not Emily. It worries me.
One more thing...
What is the ratio of your normal heart rate to what is healthy during cardio exercise? Now that my treadmill can tell me these things, I'm wondering what the number should be. My normal heart rate is around 56, so slightly lower than what's considered acceptable. My bp is also lower--I usually register 105/60 in the doctor's office. Yesterday I ran for a portion of my time on the treadmill and my heart rate was something like 160. I didn't know if that was good or bad or what. I know the treadmill isn't totally accurate either since the number will change depending on how hard you grip the bars, but I figure it's an accurate enough relative measurement. Maybe I'll ask for one of those finger heart rate measurer things for my birthday. Or maybe that isn't a good measure for me to use at all. I know I was sweating like a pig. Blah!
Hmmm...
I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill Wed and Thurs doing one of the speed and incline programs that said I burned 240 calories each session, and I ate reasonably well, and today I gained a pound. What's up with that?!?! Having said that, I've also noticed about a two day lag in the effects of poor eating, so maybe it'll take 2 days for the good efforts to show up as well. If I eat poorly, the weight gain shows up two days later. So tomorrow's weight will be the test of that theory.
Here's my 2 cents on WW--Weightwatchers points just give you a different measurement system for assessing the ratio of calories, fat and fiber in foods for a given quantity. It seems snappy at first, and you start thinking in points very quickly. Certain foods count for zero so they can be eaten at any time--most non-starch vegetables and non-creamy condiments--but WW does not take into account sodium or some of the other nutritional items that do matter. Like one thing on the zero points list is ketchup. Well, there is so much sugar and salt in ketchup I do not count that as being even remotely nutritional in my mind. For my weight, I was given 22 points per day as my target, with 35 additional "flex" points per 7 day week. Well, if you use those at all, you will not lose weight. Also, you can stay within the points value and still not lose because it depends on what you are eating. Having tried it, I personally think it is better to be conscientious about the overall quality and nutritional value of the food you eat as opposed to collapsing all that down into a point value. Plus to use their website it is $17 per month. I found that I was not eating a very balanced diet when I was trying to use their system--I lacked protein in a big way, and ate too many carbs even though I was meeting my points allowance. The mypyramid site is much better for assessing how balanced your day is.
Here's my 2 cents on WW--Weightwatchers points just give you a different measurement system for assessing the ratio of calories, fat and fiber in foods for a given quantity. It seems snappy at first, and you start thinking in points very quickly. Certain foods count for zero so they can be eaten at any time--most non-starch vegetables and non-creamy condiments--but WW does not take into account sodium or some of the other nutritional items that do matter. Like one thing on the zero points list is ketchup. Well, there is so much sugar and salt in ketchup I do not count that as being even remotely nutritional in my mind. For my weight, I was given 22 points per day as my target, with 35 additional "flex" points per 7 day week. Well, if you use those at all, you will not lose weight. Also, you can stay within the points value and still not lose because it depends on what you are eating. Having tried it, I personally think it is better to be conscientious about the overall quality and nutritional value of the food you eat as opposed to collapsing all that down into a point value. Plus to use their website it is $17 per month. I found that I was not eating a very balanced diet when I was trying to use their system--I lacked protein in a big way, and ate too many carbs even though I was meeting my points allowance. The mypyramid site is much better for assessing how balanced your day is.
Since Last Night
OK - I actually DID eat one other thing last night. I had some pistachio nuts. That probably took me just to my 1800 calories. They probably were not the best thing late in the evening since salt makes you retain water... Oh well.
This morning I was 207.4 again. At least I didn't go up. Sigh.
I heard this weird thing about people eating breakfast before they go to work. I know it seems like a really strange idea - but it takes all types. I decided I would give that a try. For the past several days I have been eating my oatmeal at home. I kind of like doing that. I have a tendency to start work running - and frequently don't stop to eat anything until 10 or later - which puts me behind the 8 ball when it comes to eating enough through the day. I know yesterday I did finish almost all of my food in my lunch bag - which was good because it was all healthy-ish stuff and better than coming home and eating crap.
You know - in some ways I like the Weight Watchers concept of points. If you figure the average food item is 3 points and you are allowed 24-27 points (ball park) per day you know you can eat about 8 or 9 "things." This could be one at a time all day - or three things for dinner, two for lunch and breakfast and 2 or 3 snacks. This is pretty much what I do anyway - but points are easier to track than calories... Katie and I are funny when we are packing our lunches. We inventory everything by group "OK - 2 fruits, 2 vegetables, 2 grains, 2 dairy and a snack" that is our normal lunch. It works for us (sort of...).
This morning I was 207.4 again. At least I didn't go up. Sigh.
I heard this weird thing about people eating breakfast before they go to work. I know it seems like a really strange idea - but it takes all types. I decided I would give that a try. For the past several days I have been eating my oatmeal at home. I kind of like doing that. I have a tendency to start work running - and frequently don't stop to eat anything until 10 or later - which puts me behind the 8 ball when it comes to eating enough through the day. I know yesterday I did finish almost all of my food in my lunch bag - which was good because it was all healthy-ish stuff and better than coming home and eating crap.
You know - in some ways I like the Weight Watchers concept of points. If you figure the average food item is 3 points and you are allowed 24-27 points (ball park) per day you know you can eat about 8 or 9 "things." This could be one at a time all day - or three things for dinner, two for lunch and breakfast and 2 or 3 snacks. This is pretty much what I do anyway - but points are easier to track than calories... Katie and I are funny when we are packing our lunches. We inventory everything by group "OK - 2 fruits, 2 vegetables, 2 grains, 2 dairy and a snack" that is our normal lunch. It works for us (sort of...).
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Final few
OK. I worked in the DC - and while I was there ate three cinnamon hard candies. Then I came home. I ate my dinner of chicken and green beans (276 calories actually - and VERY yummy). Then I was craving sweet - so had JUST TWO AllAbout Girl Scout Cookies (150 calories) and then a micro brewed cream soda (which, surprisingly was only 160 calories.) So my intake for the day was 1540. Add in another 100 for the candy and the cashews and I am still way under the 2100 that the websites say I should have, and the 1800 I am actually shooting for.
I did notice that today - when I was back to accounting for everything I ate - I was much better about actually EATING. I think I am going to have to keep this up until it is a good habit again. Hopefully I will start going down again.
I did notice that today - when I was back to accounting for everything I ate - I was much better about actually EATING. I think I am going to have to keep this up until it is a good habit again. Hopefully I will start going down again.
More Crumbs
I worked out - resistance training today. Since I was being RESISTANT (get it? get it?) I didn't have my caramel machiato, but I am falling asleep now. Sigh. I came back and at my cottage cheese (1/2 cup) and then my snack pack (100 calories) of Nutter Butters. I went to eat my grapes but they smelled moldy. So - I at my applesauce instead.
Before the cottage cheese and cookies I was at 759 calories. I am not sure where I am now. I will have to do the math. Dinner tonight is chicken and green beans. I think it is about 375 calories - but I will have to look it up on the Let's Dish website.
Before the cottage cheese and cookies I was at 759 calories. I am not sure where I am now. I will have to do the math. Dinner tonight is chicken and green beans. I think it is about 375 calories - but I will have to look it up on the Let's Dish website.
Weigh-in
OK, so when I finally weighed myself yesterday, my weigh-in for this week was 140.2 BUT my big triumph is that today I broke the 140 mark!! I was 139.4 today, so I celebrated by saying yes to BOTH a cupcake and a blackbottom from my students with birthdays. Sigh. There I am back above 140.
I'm with Amy. I haven't been particularly strict about reporting everything I've been eating. I've been pretty good in general, and tend to just eat my scheduled meals and snacks. But I know there are times I've had something that didn't end up going on the blog. So here's today's food--breakfast: one blackbottom cupcake, one big cup of coffee, 4oz-ish of milk. I skipped the oatmeal today because I didn't have time to heat it up, which is why I ate the blackbottom instead. If I had had breakfast I wouldn't have been so weak and said yes when she brought it to me!! Snack--cottage cheese and triscuits. Lunch--wheatberry salad and two bites of edameme salad. Too oily, so I was turned off of it. I drank my V8 with it, too. Afternoon snack: homemade chocolate cupcake with creamcheese frosting. SEE, if it had been STORE bought I would have said no without a second thought, but it was homemade and my favorite kind, so I said yes. I'm eating prunes now to make up for it!
I've been really lazy with the exercise recently, too. And now that Amy is going to the gym instead of working out at home with me, I really need to get myself motivated. I've been pretty good recently doing crunches and push-ups, but I've done no lower body work since I don't even KNOW when. So, now I'm going to go home and do boot camp. Even if it involves knocking over the Christmas tree to do it!
I'm with Amy. I haven't been particularly strict about reporting everything I've been eating. I've been pretty good in general, and tend to just eat my scheduled meals and snacks. But I know there are times I've had something that didn't end up going on the blog. So here's today's food--breakfast: one blackbottom cupcake, one big cup of coffee, 4oz-ish of milk. I skipped the oatmeal today because I didn't have time to heat it up, which is why I ate the blackbottom instead. If I had had breakfast I wouldn't have been so weak and said yes when she brought it to me!! Snack--cottage cheese and triscuits. Lunch--wheatberry salad and two bites of edameme salad. Too oily, so I was turned off of it. I drank my V8 with it, too. Afternoon snack: homemade chocolate cupcake with creamcheese frosting. SEE, if it had been STORE bought I would have said no without a second thought, but it was homemade and my favorite kind, so I said yes. I'm eating prunes now to make up for it!
I've been really lazy with the exercise recently, too. And now that Amy is going to the gym instead of working out at home with me, I really need to get myself motivated. I've been pretty good recently doing crunches and push-ups, but I've done no lower body work since I don't even KNOW when. So, now I'm going to go home and do boot camp. Even if it involves knocking over the Christmas tree to do it!
Doing better
Yesterday I planned a 1400 calorie day, and ended up having to make a mini bag of microwave popcorn at the end of the day to get up to 1400 calories. Maybe I should have stopped at 1200, or had a salad and stopped at 1300. But the popcorn was good. Today I'm at just under 700 calories so far--oatmeal and coffee, almonds, pretzles, yogurt, and an orange.
My big news today is that I went out and bought those jeans I first tried on in December. Low rise boot cut, very stylish--and a size 10. Yay me! I also had to safety pin my skirt on today because it was falling down without it. It's a size 14, but it was one of my most comfortable and best fitting skirts a few months ago! I should hit the clearance sales and stock up on winter clothes that fit, but part of me is not convinced that I'll be able to keep my weight down, and that would be depressing to buy a bunch of size 10 clothes and then outgrow them. I'll wait a year or so and just wear big stuff in the meantime.
No exercise yet today--it's a double pilates day so I'll do that tonight after the kids are in bed.
My big news today is that I went out and bought those jeans I first tried on in December. Low rise boot cut, very stylish--and a size 10. Yay me! I also had to safety pin my skirt on today because it was falling down without it. It's a size 14, but it was one of my most comfortable and best fitting skirts a few months ago! I should hit the clearance sales and stock up on winter clothes that fit, but part of me is not convinced that I'll be able to keep my weight down, and that would be depressing to buy a bunch of size 10 clothes and then outgrow them. I'll wait a year or so and just wear big stuff in the meantime.
No exercise yet today--it's a double pilates day so I'll do that tonight after the kids are in bed.
Every crumb...
OK - since my last post I have had 5 prunes, 1/2 cup wheatberry salad, 1/2 cup edemame (soy bean) salad - both salads were very oily, but I drained off as much as I could. Both are also good for protein and fiber! I also finished off my bag of toffee cashews, but there were just a few of them. Now I am drinking my V-8. I am very munchy today. I am not sure why. I will be leaving shortly for the gym (good girl!).
I have been fantasizing about the caramel machiato ever since yesterday. I may give in and get one on the way back from the gym. It will be skim as usualy if I do - but I may actually resist...
I have been fantasizing about the caramel machiato ever since yesterday. I may give in and get one on the way back from the gym. It will be skim as usualy if I do - but I may actually resist...
Still Trying
I was doing pretty well yesterday (as I reported). I planned to go into the DC last night - but the weather was so miserable and I was really tired, that I ended up just staying home. I also ended up snacking. Granted, they were mostly healthy snacks - but too much of anything is still too much. I had my prunes (as advertized). I then had a V-8, I heated up some left over sweet potatoes - but they tasted off so I threw them out and had pistachio nuts instead. Katie and I get both the salted and unsalted and mix them together so we don't eat quite as much salt. Katie came home after that and we had barbequed shrimp and country rice, and creamed spinach for dinner. I was then wanting something sweet - so I drank a micro-brewed cream soda that Laura gave me for Christmas. It was really good - but almost too sweet. Then much later I had more pistachio nuts. Also - after I posted yesterday - I remember that I also had a wedge of the candy apple (the last one thank goodness!) at lunch time. That was everything. I should add up the calories. Maybe it wasn't as much as I thought it was - it just felt like I was continuously eating.
Today, so far, I have just had my oatmeal and skim milk - and my coffee, also with skim milk. The skim milk total is 8 oz between those two things.
This is my OTHER new resolution. I am not sure how honest I have been reporting my food. I think I report everything - at least when I stray from my standard, healthy food - but I think for the next little while I will report every crumb that passes my lips. That way I can get back into the habit of watching every crumb that passes my lips.
Today, so far, I have just had my oatmeal and skim milk - and my coffee, also with skim milk. The skim milk total is 8 oz between those two things.
This is my OTHER new resolution. I am not sure how honest I have been reporting my food. I think I report everything - at least when I stray from my standard, healthy food - but I think for the next little while I will report every crumb that passes my lips. That way I can get back into the habit of watching every crumb that passes my lips.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
My treadmill came!
Joe & I put it together last night and I just got done using it. I love it. I did the first program which was a varying speed & incline one for 30 minutes. I didn't cheat at all. I spent 240 calories.
Amy, sometimes I wish I still worked in the DC. I was SO much more in shape when I was working in packing--lifting all that heavy stuff, always on the move, no time to be bored. My years in the DC were the only ones when I actually had toned arm muscles.
Today I did extremely well with food. Breakfast--yogurt smoothie and a whole wheat mini bagel with light cream cheese, dried apricots for a snack, an orange and a turkey sandwich on light oatmeal bread for lunch, and my afternoon snack was carrots and almonds. I've had nearly 3 bottles of water today along with a diet sprite and 2/3 a bottle of vitamin water. I love that stuff. I'm not entirely convinced of its nutritional value, but I do stay more focused when I drink some every day. Especially the one with the B vitamins (fruit punch, I think). I'm not sure what dinner will be. It has to be one of the let's dish meals that can go straight from the freezer to the oven...
Amy, sometimes I wish I still worked in the DC. I was SO much more in shape when I was working in packing--lifting all that heavy stuff, always on the move, no time to be bored. My years in the DC were the only ones when I actually had toned arm muscles.
Today I did extremely well with food. Breakfast--yogurt smoothie and a whole wheat mini bagel with light cream cheese, dried apricots for a snack, an orange and a turkey sandwich on light oatmeal bread for lunch, and my afternoon snack was carrots and almonds. I've had nearly 3 bottles of water today along with a diet sprite and 2/3 a bottle of vitamin water. I love that stuff. I'm not entirely convinced of its nutritional value, but I do stay more focused when I drink some every day. Especially the one with the B vitamins (fruit punch, I think). I'm not sure what dinner will be. It has to be one of the let's dish meals that can go straight from the freezer to the oven...
I'm trying...
Don't worry Sarah. I am not giving up. Since I have had extensive experience with the inability to actually LOSE weight - I really didn't think this time around would be much different. So, I decided to make it different in respect to what my goals are. Yes, I want to lose weight, but what I really want to do is change my lifestyle to something healthier and more balanced in regard to my food intake. I know we have all said it - but in my case, I really mean it. I think I have succeeded in this so far. I DO eat vegetables and fruits a lot more than I used to. I am much more cautious of white flours and high fat and sugar foods. I don't "treat" myself nearly as much as I used to - and when I do, I have a serving size - not the whole box or whatever. This is also a bad time of year to be losing weight. Our bodies are inclined to hibernate - and so the store more calories and are lazier on the whole. Spring is coming and we will all be more active.
I was fat again today (208.2). I am going to eat prunes for my afternoon snack shortly. That will be my gesture towards bulimia. 8-) Not really - I really like prunes. Dried Plums I mean.
Today I have so far had oatmeal with skim milk. A Venti iced skim caramel macchiato. Yum. A leftover crab cake with no filler. And that is it I believe. I spent the morning at work and running errands - and didn't actually get home to eat lunch until 2 (hence the Starbuck's coffee...). One of my errands was a trip to the gym. Two days in a row now. Today I did my cardio workout. 20 minutes on the cross trainer and 15 on the treadmill. I also did my abs. I like doing ab work. I am weird that way. Since I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere I actually threw in an extra set of abs (not the obliques - I hate them).
Last night I worked in the DC for just under three hours. My job was mostly to walk around pushing a huge wheely tote/trash bin and collect and breakdown boxes. I don't know if that was a good workout or not - but it kept me on my feet and moving when I would otherwise be sitting at home reading. I also had the added bonus of making extra money while I was at it. 8-)
I was fat again today (208.2). I am going to eat prunes for my afternoon snack shortly. That will be my gesture towards bulimia. 8-) Not really - I really like prunes. Dried Plums I mean.
Today I have so far had oatmeal with skim milk. A Venti iced skim caramel macchiato. Yum. A leftover crab cake with no filler. And that is it I believe. I spent the morning at work and running errands - and didn't actually get home to eat lunch until 2 (hence the Starbuck's coffee...). One of my errands was a trip to the gym. Two days in a row now. Today I did my cardio workout. 20 minutes on the cross trainer and 15 on the treadmill. I also did my abs. I like doing ab work. I am weird that way. Since I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere I actually threw in an extra set of abs (not the obliques - I hate them).
Last night I worked in the DC for just under three hours. My job was mostly to walk around pushing a huge wheely tote/trash bin and collect and breakdown boxes. I don't know if that was a good workout or not - but it kept me on my feet and moving when I would otherwise be sitting at home reading. I also had the added bonus of making extra money while I was at it. 8-)
Sleepy
I'm so sleepy and I can't figure out why! I've been this way since yesterday mid-morning. Not just usual sleepy, but nodding off at work sleepy. I've been eating decently, exercising decently, getting as much sleep as I ever do (which isn't enough, but I don't normally have problems like this) so I don't know why I can't keep my eyes open!
Anyway, yesterday and today both I brought leftover pizza for lunch. The calorie count was almost the same as my usual lunch--what went over I made up for by skipping the afternoon snack.
Yesterday after Connor was finally asleep I did two pilates DVDs--legs and arms; today I got to the gym at lunch but didn't work out as hard as the past couple of times. I kept the speed and incline level lower than usual, and I ended up burning off 270 claories instead of the 300 to 350 that's normal.
Anyway, yesterday and today both I brought leftover pizza for lunch. The calorie count was almost the same as my usual lunch--what went over I made up for by skipping the afternoon snack.
Yesterday after Connor was finally asleep I did two pilates DVDs--legs and arms; today I got to the gym at lunch but didn't work out as hard as the past couple of times. I kept the speed and incline level lower than usual, and I ended up burning off 270 claories instead of the 300 to 350 that's normal.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Howdy, Strangers!
Ok, Ok, I know I'm really really bad. I haven't posted since (I checked) December 21st!! And I have no excuse, since I was on break from the 21st through the 2nd. I have managed to get online and at least *read* the blog, but I haven't actually posted. So that actually gives me three weigh-ins to catch up on. Not that anything particularly interesting has happened in these three weigh ins.
Two weeks ago I weighed in at 141.6. Which I was really impressed with, since that was actually DOWN a pound and a half, with Christmas in the middle!! Then last week I was down again to 141.2 (tiny bit down, and that was the first down-turn I had had all week). This week I am going to have to do weigh-in tomorrow. For some unknown reason my alarm didn't go off this morning, and I was lucky that I looked at the clock when I woke up, because it said 7:40!! Considering I have to be on duty at school at 7:45, this was a bad thing. So I missed my morning duty today. I also missed weigh-in. And brushing my hair, I believe. Fortunately I had already decided last night what I was going to wear. So I PROMISE I will post tomorrow for this week's weigh-in. Yesterday I was down again to 141.0. Whoopee. Maybe more by tomorrow?
Two weeks ago I weighed in at 141.6. Which I was really impressed with, since that was actually DOWN a pound and a half, with Christmas in the middle!! Then last week I was down again to 141.2 (tiny bit down, and that was the first down-turn I had had all week). This week I am going to have to do weigh-in tomorrow. For some unknown reason my alarm didn't go off this morning, and I was lucky that I looked at the clock when I woke up, because it said 7:40!! Considering I have to be on duty at school at 7:45, this was a bad thing. So I missed my morning duty today. I also missed weigh-in. And brushing my hair, I believe. Fortunately I had already decided last night what I was going to wear. So I PROMISE I will post tomorrow for this week's weigh-in. Yesterday I was down again to 141.0. Whoopee. Maybe more by tomorrow?
I'm here...
I was just really bad about the junk food over the weekend, and then Cecilia was sick yesterday so I spent most of the day holding her, because she wasn't happy any other way. She's much better today, though she still had a very mild fever when she woke up.
Anyway, I was 147.0 this morning. I'm not convinced it's a real loss from last week's 148, as I've fluctuated back and forth this week, but I'll take it. I'm hoping I can work hard this week and get below the 146.5 (?) that was my lowest official weight to date.
I didn't exercise over the weekend. Yesterday Daniel and I planned to go to the gym in shifts so Cecilia could stay home, but she chose to sleep while he was gone and wake up just when he got home. But in the meantime I spent over an hour working in the yard, not as strenuous as raking but still steady activity, so I'm counting that as yesterday's exercise. Today I need to get my rear in gear and do something energetic, but I haven't made up my mind what yet. I don't suppose ironing really counts? It's on my feet, but it really doesn't get my heart rate in the target zone!
Food for yesterday: the usual breakfast (but we're out of OJ until I can get to the store), lunch of tuna and toast, dinner of taco soup with chips and a sprinkling of grated cheese ("Mexican" cheese -- I think it's mostly jack and cheddar). I ate a clementine, a couple of almonds, and some string cheese for healthy snacks. And I had two stale Christmas cookies after lunch (but they're good, even stale). Then dinnertime arrived and dinner wasn't ready yet, so I ate a bunch of havarti leftover from Christmas appetizers. After dinner I had an orange creamsicle and some mini peppermint patties, and I probably had a bunch more junk yesterday that I'm forgetting about! I can't seem to get rid of the junk or leave it alone. Sigh...
Anyway, I was 147.0 this morning. I'm not convinced it's a real loss from last week's 148, as I've fluctuated back and forth this week, but I'll take it. I'm hoping I can work hard this week and get below the 146.5 (?) that was my lowest official weight to date.
I didn't exercise over the weekend. Yesterday Daniel and I planned to go to the gym in shifts so Cecilia could stay home, but she chose to sleep while he was gone and wake up just when he got home. But in the meantime I spent over an hour working in the yard, not as strenuous as raking but still steady activity, so I'm counting that as yesterday's exercise. Today I need to get my rear in gear and do something energetic, but I haven't made up my mind what yet. I don't suppose ironing really counts? It's on my feet, but it really doesn't get my heart rate in the target zone!
Food for yesterday: the usual breakfast (but we're out of OJ until I can get to the store), lunch of tuna and toast, dinner of taco soup with chips and a sprinkling of grated cheese ("Mexican" cheese -- I think it's mostly jack and cheddar). I ate a clementine, a couple of almonds, and some string cheese for healthy snacks. And I had two stale Christmas cookies after lunch (but they're good, even stale). Then dinnertime arrived and dinner wasn't ready yet, so I ate a bunch of havarti leftover from Christmas appetizers. After dinner I had an orange creamsicle and some mini peppermint patties, and I probably had a bunch more junk yesterday that I'm forgetting about! I can't seem to get rid of the junk or leave it alone. Sigh...
Where's Emily?
She hasn't posted since last Friday. That's not like her. Has anyone heard from her recently?
More on plateaus
I'm not normally an Oprah fan, but I found this article on her website that has a good overview of the sorts of things you can try when you've hit a plateau. It summarizes a lot of the advice I saw in other articles (strength training, vary your diet and caloric intake, be honest about what you're really eating, don't give up, etc.): http://www.oprah.com/health/omag/health_omag_200308_plateau.jhtml
150
I was 150 even this morning. I make no excuses--I will get back on the wagon when all the Christmas goodies are gone. Until then I have to do my share of eating them up. Yesterday at Sarah's I went scavenging and ate up some of thier goodies, too! Today I am going back again and I will eat some almonds before I go and see if I can restrain myself.
Finally One Down
OK - only by a pound - and only compared to last week. I was 206.4 today. I would have loved for it to be 205.4 or less - but it was good to see a down tick on my running chart.
Yesterday was really bad for me. I didn't have a sucessful gym trip... I ate toffee cashews... and then I had a slice of the mega candy apple Katie got for Christmas. Other than that I had oatmeal for breakfast, split pea soup for lunch and chicken pesto pizza and broccoli for dinner. The meals I had weren't bad it was the stuff between the meals that I could have done better with.
I have a cold/virus/sinus thing-y going on. It has been lingering for several days, but yesterday and today were particularly bad. The benefit of this, however, is my belly feels full up - so I am not as inclined to eat. BUT that I know is bad, because I am getting no nutrition and my metabolism shuts down. I really think that is the key for me. Eat frequently - and make wise food choices. And the whole exercise thing... But it really has to be both. If I eat right or if I exercise, but don't do both at the same time - my weight just plateaus.
I have my cran-water here with me today. I didn't take vitamins this morning. I thought about it, but didn't have the motivation to get them together. I did take an anti-biotic that I had left over from my last ear infection (I know, I know - NEVER self medicate with prescription medicines - It was old, so it is probably expired anyway...). I am working tomorrow for a few hours, so I will go to the gym afterwards. That should keep me at my 4 day week - if I can manange to make it today and Thursday and Friday too. I am going to start working in the DC in the evenings a few nights a week. That is good - standing up at least - work.
Yesterday was really bad for me. I didn't have a sucessful gym trip... I ate toffee cashews... and then I had a slice of the mega candy apple Katie got for Christmas. Other than that I had oatmeal for breakfast, split pea soup for lunch and chicken pesto pizza and broccoli for dinner. The meals I had weren't bad it was the stuff between the meals that I could have done better with.
I have a cold/virus/sinus thing-y going on. It has been lingering for several days, but yesterday and today were particularly bad. The benefit of this, however, is my belly feels full up - so I am not as inclined to eat. BUT that I know is bad, because I am getting no nutrition and my metabolism shuts down. I really think that is the key for me. Eat frequently - and make wise food choices. And the whole exercise thing... But it really has to be both. If I eat right or if I exercise, but don't do both at the same time - my weight just plateaus.
I have my cran-water here with me today. I didn't take vitamins this morning. I thought about it, but didn't have the motivation to get them together. I did take an anti-biotic that I had left over from my last ear infection (I know, I know - NEVER self medicate with prescription medicines - It was old, so it is probably expired anyway...). I am working tomorrow for a few hours, so I will go to the gym afterwards. That should keep me at my 4 day week - if I can manange to make it today and Thursday and Friday too. I am going to start working in the DC in the evenings a few nights a week. That is good - standing up at least - work.
Weight loss plateaus
Amy, you are absolutely not allowed to get frustrated and give up. I don't care that you've followed this "ten pounds and then stuck" many times before. You CAN lose weight--lots of people do it, so why not you? But I think you also have to face the reality that your body is really good at holding onto weight, better than most that is.
So what can you do to jump start the next 10 pound weight loss? I figure if what you're doing now doesn't seem to be working, try adding something else. When I've hit my "stuck" times during this process, I increase the level of exercise I'm doing (either by adding a session or increasing my level or speed on the treadmill) and I go back to counting calories. For me, weight loss only seems to happen when I keep my calories between 1300 and 1500 a day, and it's really easy to go over that limit. I know it doesn't make sense--they say you're supposed to cut or burn an extra 500 calories a day to lose one to two pounds a week. For me, that means that I *should* be able to eat 1800 calories on the days I run and 1600 calories on the days I don't, but if I did that, I'd never lose weight. So I'm back to counting calories and keeping them low.
So what can you do? I think you should have a "no excuses" gym policy--it doesn't matter if you're tired or busy, just schedule the trips three or four days a week and go. If doing it in the afternoon doesn't work, start taking your lunch break at 11 a.m. On weekends, you used to drag yourself out of bed to go to Catonsville for class. So now drag yourself out of bed and go to the gym instead. It couldn't be any more dull than that class, right? And it takes less time and is closer to home.
One of my ongoing problems is nighttime snacking. I think I'm going to start "packing" my nighttime snacks like I do my daytime ones--set them out early so that they are accessible, low-calorie, and healthy. I was really good about nighttime snacks back when we started this, so I know I can get back to it.
I really want you to succeed and I sense that you're close to giving up, figuring that you'll never lose the weight. But you've been thin before, and in recent memory, so you can do this again.
So what can you do to jump start the next 10 pound weight loss? I figure if what you're doing now doesn't seem to be working, try adding something else. When I've hit my "stuck" times during this process, I increase the level of exercise I'm doing (either by adding a session or increasing my level or speed on the treadmill) and I go back to counting calories. For me, weight loss only seems to happen when I keep my calories between 1300 and 1500 a day, and it's really easy to go over that limit. I know it doesn't make sense--they say you're supposed to cut or burn an extra 500 calories a day to lose one to two pounds a week. For me, that means that I *should* be able to eat 1800 calories on the days I run and 1600 calories on the days I don't, but if I did that, I'd never lose weight. So I'm back to counting calories and keeping them low.
So what can you do? I think you should have a "no excuses" gym policy--it doesn't matter if you're tired or busy, just schedule the trips three or four days a week and go. If doing it in the afternoon doesn't work, start taking your lunch break at 11 a.m. On weekends, you used to drag yourself out of bed to go to Catonsville for class. So now drag yourself out of bed and go to the gym instead. It couldn't be any more dull than that class, right? And it takes less time and is closer to home.
One of my ongoing problems is nighttime snacking. I think I'm going to start "packing" my nighttime snacks like I do my daytime ones--set them out early so that they are accessible, low-calorie, and healthy. I was really good about nighttime snacks back when we started this, so I know I can get back to it.
I really want you to succeed and I sense that you're close to giving up, figuring that you'll never lose the weight. But you've been thin before, and in recent memory, so you can do this again.
Back on track
My weight this morning was 140 even again. It flashed on 139.8 for a second, but then settled on 140. So I'm back to where I was two weeks ago and can concentrate on getting my weight down from there.
For my "one good week" challenge I stayed on course most of the time--I had said I would go running three times and do pilates three or four times. I ended up running three times and doing pilates five times, so that was all good. My food wasn't as good, but wasn't bad either (obviously, since I managed to lose 2.5 pounds)--my choices could have been healthier and I need to cut out or reduce nighttime snacking, but overall my calorie intake was on target.
Yesterday I had my usual breakfast and lunch and snacks during the day, then had a half a grilled cheese sandwich, a cup of chicken noodle soup, and steamed broccoli for dinner. My evening snacks were a rice krispie treat, a half a small package of microwave popcorn, and a candy cane. See what I mean about the nighttime snacking?
For my "one good week" challenge I stayed on course most of the time--I had said I would go running three times and do pilates three or four times. I ended up running three times and doing pilates five times, so that was all good. My food wasn't as good, but wasn't bad either (obviously, since I managed to lose 2.5 pounds)--my choices could have been healthier and I need to cut out or reduce nighttime snacking, but overall my calorie intake was on target.
Yesterday I had my usual breakfast and lunch and snacks during the day, then had a half a grilled cheese sandwich, a cup of chicken noodle soup, and steamed broccoli for dinner. My evening snacks were a rice krispie treat, a half a small package of microwave popcorn, and a candy cane. See what I mean about the nighttime snacking?
Catching Up & Weigh In
164.5, down from last week, but barely.
Sunday Joe & I took Harry for a long walk around the neighborhood. He (Harry) needs to lose a pound or two as well. Food was scrambled eggs for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and pork chops with spanish rice for dinner. I'm sure I snacked in there too, I just can't recall what it was.
Monday: breakfast was a yogurt smoothie and a banana, morning snack was an orange, lunch was a turkey sandwich, small pack of chips and dried apricots, afternoon snack was almonds and dinner was leftover pork chops with spanish rice. For exercise yesterday I did the intermediate pilates workout on that dummies dvd. I am too weak for some of those moves, but I try anyways.
I am very sad that my new treadmill hasn't arrived yet. I know it has only been a week, but I am terribly impatient. I am looking forward to the programs and signing up for ifit.com.
Sunday Joe & I took Harry for a long walk around the neighborhood. He (Harry) needs to lose a pound or two as well. Food was scrambled eggs for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and pork chops with spanish rice for dinner. I'm sure I snacked in there too, I just can't recall what it was.
Monday: breakfast was a yogurt smoothie and a banana, morning snack was an orange, lunch was a turkey sandwich, small pack of chips and dried apricots, afternoon snack was almonds and dinner was leftover pork chops with spanish rice. For exercise yesterday I did the intermediate pilates workout on that dummies dvd. I am too weak for some of those moves, but I try anyways.
I am very sad that my new treadmill hasn't arrived yet. I know it has only been a week, but I am terribly impatient. I am looking forward to the programs and signing up for ifit.com.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Defunct Trip to the Gym
My gym trips are hard... I try to go fairly late in the day so I won't sit around stinky all day - and it makes the afternoon go much faster. But the problem is that if I don't go by 2:00 I get too busy and never go. I didn't make it on Friday because the day just got away from me. Then of COURSE I didn't go all weekend (I planned to both days and never made it any farther than putting on gym clothes). Today the day was again getting away from me so I said - "FORGET IT! I am going to the gym NOW even if that means that Dan (not part of HR) has to answer the phones!" So off I went. I got as far as the door to the gym when I remembered I had no socks in my gym bag. Sigh. So - I went to Greetings and Readings instead and bought a calendar, a book and STUPID ME! a bag of butter toffee cashews. At least it was a small bag - probably only a thousand calories instead of a million. Fortunately there is no nutritional info on it so I don't know how many servings it is supposed to be or what the actual calories are.
I can't say if I did well or poorly this weekend. I didn't eat TOO terribly - but was really bad about fruits and veggies (probably one fruit and two vegetables all weekend) and I did NO exercise. Sigh. Friday was our four month mark and I can't even remember what I weighed that day (I will have to check to see if I posted...). I was 206.2 this morning. My monthly goal is supposed to be 5 pounds - and so far I am still trying to stay solidly at 10 pounds lost. This puts me exactly 2 months behind where I wanted to be.
This seems to be the way diets always go for me. I usually lose between 5 and 10 pounds and then stop. Then I gain it all back. I need to really figure out a way to shake things up.
Fat Flush was supposed to start today for me at work - and we didn't. Well, I think I will do a modified version for the next two weeks... OK - 64 oz of cran water everyday for the next two weeks, ONLY whole grains, and vitamins. Let's see if that will help me at all. Katie and I did Let's Dish on Saturday so we have a freezer full of new foods to tempt us. Luckily - their food, although not DIET food - tends to be pretty healthy. The portions are also mostly reasonable - so it makes eating well for dinner so much easier
I can't say if I did well or poorly this weekend. I didn't eat TOO terribly - but was really bad about fruits and veggies (probably one fruit and two vegetables all weekend) and I did NO exercise. Sigh. Friday was our four month mark and I can't even remember what I weighed that day (I will have to check to see if I posted...). I was 206.2 this morning. My monthly goal is supposed to be 5 pounds - and so far I am still trying to stay solidly at 10 pounds lost. This puts me exactly 2 months behind where I wanted to be.
This seems to be the way diets always go for me. I usually lose between 5 and 10 pounds and then stop. Then I gain it all back. I need to really figure out a way to shake things up.
Fat Flush was supposed to start today for me at work - and we didn't. Well, I think I will do a modified version for the next two weeks... OK - 64 oz of cran water everyday for the next two weeks, ONLY whole grains, and vitamins. Let's see if that will help me at all. Katie and I did Let's Dish on Saturday so we have a freezer full of new foods to tempt us. Luckily - their food, although not DIET food - tends to be pretty healthy. The portions are also mostly reasonable - so it makes eating well for dinner so much easier
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Skipping breakfast
It seems that on weekends I never get around to breakfast--I wake up slowly, get going slowly, sit and enjoy two cups of coffee, then get busy with other things and don't get around to eating until lunchtime. I know that's not good for my metabolism, but it sure helps my overall calories! Last night I sat down to figure out how many calories I took in, certain that it was a huge amount because I had eaten nothing but junk all day--Ramen noodles for lunch, two pieces of pizza and two mozarella sticks for dinner. But even though it was junk, it was only 1260 calories of junk. So I had some popcorn. I needed the whole grains, right?
Today was similar--soynut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, broccoli and french fries for dinner, half of a peppermint patty, and a Rice Krispie treat. I don't know the total calories, but presumably less than yesterday's pizza and ramen noodles! But only marginally more healthy.
I took yesterday off from exercise. Today as soon as I get the kids in bed I'm going to attempt the really difficult pilates workout again.
Today was similar--soynut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, broccoli and french fries for dinner, half of a peppermint patty, and a Rice Krispie treat. I don't know the total calories, but presumably less than yesterday's pizza and ramen noodles! But only marginally more healthy.
I took yesterday off from exercise. Today as soon as I get the kids in bed I'm going to attempt the really difficult pilates workout again.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Falling apart after breakfast...
I was a human garbage disposal yesterday. It was terrible.
Today I didn't have breakfast, then we ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday where I had a nice salad with light ranch dressing and a turkey burger and fries, although I am proud to report I probably only ate about 6 fries out of the mountain that came with my sandwich. And that's all I've had to eat today. I may have a bowl of cereal later, but I'm still not hungry.
Exercise--none Friday or today.
Today I didn't have breakfast, then we ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday where I had a nice salad with light ranch dressing and a turkey burger and fries, although I am proud to report I probably only ate about 6 fries out of the mountain that came with my sandwich. And that's all I've had to eat today. I may have a bowl of cereal later, but I'm still not hungry.
Exercise--none Friday or today.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Falling apart at the end of the day
This is a real problem for me, too. Today I was very good again all day; I had my usual breakfast, and lunch of yogurt and a tiny bit of macaroni and cheese. I had snacks of almonds, a banana, and a cookie (one of the lebkuchen, which aren't so awful), and I ate my last Godiva chocolate and half a roll of Butter Rum Life Savers (what's wrong with my kids that they don't like this flavor???). But around 4 or so I started sneaking into the candy -- a couple of gummy bears at first, and then two or three chocolates from my stocking. (Why do I do that, when I would really enjoy a clementine more anyway?) Then I went to the gym, and I didn't snack when I got back, but I went to my stamping night and ate two small slices of pepperoni pizza and then lost all restraint in front of the candy bowl -- I think I had about six of teeny milky ways, and one or two Mr. Goodbars. Then I came home and had chips and M&Ms and several more chocolates from my stocking; I've lost count! I know it's bad when I don't count.
I hardly had any fruit or veggies today and I had nothing healthy at all after about two o'clock. I have a rotten headache that's been plaguing me a good part of the day (except when I was at the gym) and that's probably part of the reason I'm overeating, but if I'd eat better maybe I wouldn't have such a headache.
I did exercise today; we went to the gym and did 40 minutes on the bikes again. I set it at level 7 and my heart rate was so reasonable all the way through (hooray) that I pushed it to level 8 for the last quarter, which was a mistake because my heart rate went too high almost right away. The routine we do has a series of eight peaks -- you build up to the first four (small, large, medium, large), and then the second four (large, medium, large, small) start you at the top and ease off. During the second half my heart rate peaks about two segments after the absolute top, at which point the intensity of the workout is already lessening so there's no point in dropping the level back down. I shouldn't have pushed the level up to 8, but I didn't know that in advance, and then it was too late to matter. I burned 334 calories and biked 11.98 miles (very annoying -- I wanted to make it to 12!) so I got an intense workout.
I've been aching today from the leaf raking (possibly one source of the headache). I really do need to do more upper body work!
I hardly had any fruit or veggies today and I had nothing healthy at all after about two o'clock. I have a rotten headache that's been plaguing me a good part of the day (except when I was at the gym) and that's probably part of the reason I'm overeating, but if I'd eat better maybe I wouldn't have such a headache.
I did exercise today; we went to the gym and did 40 minutes on the bikes again. I set it at level 7 and my heart rate was so reasonable all the way through (hooray) that I pushed it to level 8 for the last quarter, which was a mistake because my heart rate went too high almost right away. The routine we do has a series of eight peaks -- you build up to the first four (small, large, medium, large), and then the second four (large, medium, large, small) start you at the top and ease off. During the second half my heart rate peaks about two segments after the absolute top, at which point the intensity of the workout is already lessening so there's no point in dropping the level back down. I shouldn't have pushed the level up to 8, but I didn't know that in advance, and then it was too late to matter. I burned 334 calories and biked 11.98 miles (very annoying -- I wanted to make it to 12!) so I got an intense workout.
I've been aching today from the leaf raking (possibly one source of the headache). I really do need to do more upper body work!
I've been meaning to ask....
Does anyone else suck in their stomach when they weigh themselves? For some reason, I can't stop myself from doing this, even though I KNOW that it doesn't help in any way! And every time I tell myself I'm being stupid. Maybe it's just because I have to look past my stomach to see the weight and sucking it in just looks better.
I've got to stop the nighttime snacking!
I do so well during the day, then I get home and can't stay away from snacks! Yesterday I had oatmeal for breakfast, almonds for snack, yogurt, pretzles, and an apple for lunch, string cheese for snack (all of this is my usual stuff) then after work we didn't get home until 7:30--I had to pick Claire and another girl up from a Brownie field trip in Arbutus, drop off the other girl, pick up Connor, and take Connor to the doctor (another sinus infection). And of course at 7:30 everyone was cranky and hungry--I snitched a couple of Brian's Christmas candies while making scrambled eggs and pancakes for dinner (I know, but it was quick! We each had only one pancake, though, so it wasn't so bad.) and then after dinner I ate half of a rice crispie treat and more of Brian's candy.
Exercise yesterday was the pilates upper body workout. I'd like to focus at least once or twice a week on upper body exercises--my lower body gets a lot of toning with the running I do, but the upper body doesn't get much of anything and my upper arms are still floppy.
Julie, you're not pregnant, are you? ;-) Sleepiness and hunger--sounds like the first trimester to me!
Exercise yesterday was the pilates upper body workout. I'd like to focus at least once or twice a week on upper body exercises--my lower body gets a lot of toning with the running I do, but the upper body doesn't get much of anything and my upper arms are still floppy.
Julie, you're not pregnant, are you? ;-) Sleepiness and hunger--sounds like the first trimester to me!
Two dwarfs are after me!
Lazy and Sleepy...there should be one named Junk Food too...we may have to talk to Snow White about that...
Last night I did spend some time on the treadmill, but it was so half hearted I didn't bother going for the whole 25 minutes. I have been so exhausted lately. After my poor excuse for exercise, I laid down on the couch and napped until Joe came home. Food yesterday was sabotaged by people at work. I forgot that 3 of the city staff were hosting a luncheon as their Christmas gifts to all of us, so they brought in sandwiches and pasta, etc. I ended up eating the top of half of a croissant, a small sloppy joe (which was NOT made with lean ground beef), some doritos, a scoop of crab pasta with artichokes, and some mini oreos. Breakfast was a yogurt smoothie and a banana. My morning snack was carrots, and my afternoon snack was some almonds and a slice fo sharp cheese. Dinner was rice chex. So while the overall number wasn't to high, the balance of what foods made that up was definitely not in the right proportions.
Today...I've already eaten a yogurt smoothie, an orange (which was bitter), mini baybel cheese with crackers and some carrots. Talk about being a human vacuum. Yikes. I am PMS-ing, so I turn into a bottomless pit. Probably accounts for Sleepy & Lazy coming to visit as well. I am going to get a huge salad for lunch to address the need to eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat...
Last night I did spend some time on the treadmill, but it was so half hearted I didn't bother going for the whole 25 minutes. I have been so exhausted lately. After my poor excuse for exercise, I laid down on the couch and napped until Joe came home. Food yesterday was sabotaged by people at work. I forgot that 3 of the city staff were hosting a luncheon as their Christmas gifts to all of us, so they brought in sandwiches and pasta, etc. I ended up eating the top of half of a croissant, a small sloppy joe (which was NOT made with lean ground beef), some doritos, a scoop of crab pasta with artichokes, and some mini oreos. Breakfast was a yogurt smoothie and a banana. My morning snack was carrots, and my afternoon snack was some almonds and a slice fo sharp cheese. Dinner was rice chex. So while the overall number wasn't to high, the balance of what foods made that up was definitely not in the right proportions.
Today...I've already eaten a yogurt smoothie, an orange (which was bitter), mini baybel cheese with crackers and some carrots. Talk about being a human vacuum. Yikes. I am PMS-ing, so I turn into a bottomless pit. Probably accounts for Sleepy & Lazy coming to visit as well. I am going to get a huge salad for lunch to address the need to eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat...
What to do
Grrrrr! OK - Yesterday was not a perfect day for me. I bought Laura mini fruit tarts for her birthday. Katie and I each had one. Then we went to Bateman's where I had two ciders and picked at Charles' curley cheese fries. Thoes were my only bads for the day. And the cheese fries weren't ALL bad considering that was dinner. I at NOTHING but the healthy food I packed in my lunch all day!!! I also went to the gym where I did 15 minutes on the cross trainer (my toes were completely numb when I was done) and another 20 minutes on the treadmill. I got my heart rate up quickly and kept it up the whole time. So WHY then do I weight MORE today???
I was up to 208.8 this morning. It is very frustrating.
Today I have already eaten a bagel (birthday person at work today) with reduced fat cream cheese. I ate the whole thing. Sigh. I have a gym trip planned for later today. Today it is weights instead of aerobics. I like the weights better. It is less boring - and my muscles notice it more when I do resistance training.
Emily - you talk about all of the biking you do at the gym - do you also do resistance work? You should. Toned muscles helps to speed up your metabolism. You should meet with one of the people at the gym so they can go through the different exercises and equipment with you.
I was up to 208.8 this morning. It is very frustrating.
Today I have already eaten a bagel (birthday person at work today) with reduced fat cream cheese. I ate the whole thing. Sigh. I have a gym trip planned for later today. Today it is weights instead of aerobics. I like the weights better. It is less boring - and my muscles notice it more when I do resistance training.
Emily - you talk about all of the biking you do at the gym - do you also do resistance work? You should. Toned muscles helps to speed up your metabolism. You should meet with one of the people at the gym so they can go through the different exercises and equipment with you.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Poker night
Daniel got a small set of poker chips for Christmas, which means he turned around and spent some of his Christmas money on a larger set of poker chips so that he could invite "the guys" (his post-doc and two students) over for poker. Poker's no good without beer and pizza, I understand, so that's what I had for dinner -- two small slices of pizza (the smallest in each pizza -- I was trying to show restraint! And one of them was just green peppers, no high-fat toppings except the cheese) and a beer. Not healthy at all.
Except for dinner, I ate pretty well today. I had my usual breakfast, and for lunch I had ham (lunchmeat, and not enough, so it had very little flavor) with lettuce on whole wheat. I had snacks of almonds, string cheese, and a handful of pretzels, plus I had a Godiva chocolate after lunch (and a couple of crumbs of Hershey's). I also had two Christmas cookies, another piece of candy, and about ten chips with salsa (no cheese dip!) and I'm here typing on the blog to avoid eating more (partly to remind myself, and partly to be in a different room than the food).
I did get exercise today -- I got out in the yard and raked leaves for a solid hour. We raked once in November but many of our leaves fall in December, and about two days after they seemed to quit falling we got hit by snow and ice which only melted this past week. I was determined not to have rotting leaves sticking to every snowman we make this year, so I raked. I don't know that my heart rate got all that high, but my arms will be aching tomorrow, and I got a blister on my hand, so that has to count for something.
Tomorrow I will exercise at the gym again. I have a PMS night (that's Pizza, Music, and Stamping) to go to so I will almost certainly eat a little junk, but I'll just have to try to keep it in check. My weight was back down a bit today (to 146.5, not the lowest I've ever seen but as low as my lowest Tuesday) and I'd like it to keep going down (or at least not going up) so I'm going to have to work a little harder!
Except for dinner, I ate pretty well today. I had my usual breakfast, and for lunch I had ham (lunchmeat, and not enough, so it had very little flavor) with lettuce on whole wheat. I had snacks of almonds, string cheese, and a handful of pretzels, plus I had a Godiva chocolate after lunch (and a couple of crumbs of Hershey's). I also had two Christmas cookies, another piece of candy, and about ten chips with salsa (no cheese dip!) and I'm here typing on the blog to avoid eating more (partly to remind myself, and partly to be in a different room than the food).
I did get exercise today -- I got out in the yard and raked leaves for a solid hour. We raked once in November but many of our leaves fall in December, and about two days after they seemed to quit falling we got hit by snow and ice which only melted this past week. I was determined not to have rotting leaves sticking to every snowman we make this year, so I raked. I don't know that my heart rate got all that high, but my arms will be aching tomorrow, and I got a blister on my hand, so that has to count for something.
Tomorrow I will exercise at the gym again. I have a PMS night (that's Pizza, Music, and Stamping) to go to so I will almost certainly eat a little junk, but I'll just have to try to keep it in check. My weight was back down a bit today (to 146.5, not the lowest I've ever seen but as low as my lowest Tuesday) and I'd like it to keep going down (or at least not going up) so I'm going to have to work a little harder!
Back on the fat track
Well - you know Emily, I am not sure that it is the scale or not at Mom's, but I have found it is not AT ALL unusual for me to gain four pounds in a day. The most I ever tend to LOSE however, is three. Sigh.
Today I was 207.2. Yesterday I was 205.4. I didn't make it to the gym yesterday at all. Oh well. I plan on going today. I really like the whole gym during lunch idea. It is like a free workout. As Sarah said - or maybe it was me - even I would rather be at the gym than at work!!
I was pretty good most of the day with my eating - until the evening. We are pretty much out of Christmas candy (or it is all in Katie's room - which is fine, I won't eat it - and neither will she). My cookies are getting stale (but I keep eating them anyway - I hate to waste them). My splurge yesterday was pate on crackers (left over from New Year's). But I ate lunch late and the pate filled in the dinner slot, so it probably wasn't the worst I could do.
Today I am being better so far. Of course I am ALWAYS good while I am at work. It is when I get home that I have issues.
Emily, you think you have problems! Try quitting smoking AND dieting all at the same time. Katie and I blame the diet for our failure to quit in August. Now, all I have left is drinking. And don't think that I wasn't wondering around the house looking for alcohol yesterday. Sigh - I only had one cider. Too bad I don't like Mike's or whiskey!
Today I was 207.2. Yesterday I was 205.4. I didn't make it to the gym yesterday at all. Oh well. I plan on going today. I really like the whole gym during lunch idea. It is like a free workout. As Sarah said - or maybe it was me - even I would rather be at the gym than at work!!
I was pretty good most of the day with my eating - until the evening. We are pretty much out of Christmas candy (or it is all in Katie's room - which is fine, I won't eat it - and neither will she). My cookies are getting stale (but I keep eating them anyway - I hate to waste them). My splurge yesterday was pate on crackers (left over from New Year's). But I ate lunch late and the pate filled in the dinner slot, so it probably wasn't the worst I could do.
Today I am being better so far. Of course I am ALWAYS good while I am at work. It is when I get home that I have issues.
Emily, you think you have problems! Try quitting smoking AND dieting all at the same time. Katie and I blame the diet for our failure to quit in August. Now, all I have left is drinking. And don't think that I wasn't wondering around the house looking for alcohol yesterday. Sigh - I only had one cider. Too bad I don't like Mike's or whiskey!
I'm back to being out of titles. Just came to report on yesterday--oatmeal for breakfast, almonds for snack, yogurt, pretzels and corn for lunch (I brought an apple but it was yucky), string cheese in the afternoon, ravioli and steamed broccoli with milk for dinner, and snacked in the evening on too many of those bottle caps candies (at least they're gone now!) and half of a Tastycake. I opened it for Connor but he didn't know what to make of it. Some time later I was nearing the point of exhausted insanity (Connor had gone to bed the previous night at 12:30, woke up at 5 a.m., stayed up all morning, fell asleep at daycare, then I couldn't get him to wake up for more than a minute all evening, so he took a six hour nap, woke up at 10:30 just as I was getting ready for bed and then proceeded to stay up until 3 a.m. this morning--the Tastycake incident happened around 11:30) and started eating it while watching the sports report on the local news. I think I was being possessed by the soul of the Average American. It was frightening. Fortunately, though, Connor realized that the cupcake was in fact edible so he snagged it from me before I could finish it, and Brian came home at that point and saved me from the sports report.
Exercise was better than food--I went to the gym in the afternoon and did 10 minutes on the bicycle and 25 minutes on the treadmill (which wasn't free when I arrived). I have no idea how much distance I covered or calories I burned--I forgot to look before getting off the bicycle and several minutes into my treadmill run I accidentally hit the "stop" button, so I don't know where I was at that point. Doh! I also lost one of my favorite necklaces on the trip from the gym to my office. I'm so upset about this--it was the pretty purple Enchanting necklace. I put it on in the locker room and noticed when I got back to my office that it was gone. I retraced my steps twice and checked with both the front desk at the gym and security for the main campus but it didn't turn up. This was the third time this necklace has fallen off--the first time I caught it as it fell, the second time it fell in the hall at work and I found it easily, but both times I figured I had fastened it wrong. Now I think there must have been something wrong with the clasp because after it falling off twice I always made sure to fasten it and then tug to make sure it was well fastened. Darn it. Anyway, I also did the pilates abs DVD in the evening so I burned lots of extra calories yesterday.
Exercise was better than food--I went to the gym in the afternoon and did 10 minutes on the bicycle and 25 minutes on the treadmill (which wasn't free when I arrived). I have no idea how much distance I covered or calories I burned--I forgot to look before getting off the bicycle and several minutes into my treadmill run I accidentally hit the "stop" button, so I don't know where I was at that point. Doh! I also lost one of my favorite necklaces on the trip from the gym to my office. I'm so upset about this--it was the pretty purple Enchanting necklace. I put it on in the locker room and noticed when I got back to my office that it was gone. I retraced my steps twice and checked with both the front desk at the gym and security for the main campus but it didn't turn up. This was the third time this necklace has fallen off--the first time I caught it as it fell, the second time it fell in the hall at work and I found it easily, but both times I figured I had fastened it wrong. Now I think there must have been something wrong with the clasp because after it falling off twice I always made sure to fasten it and then tug to make sure it was well fastened. Darn it. Anyway, I also did the pilates abs DVD in the evening so I burned lots of extra calories yesterday.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
I'm an intelligent person -- why can I only think of food?
Today I was bound and determined to be good, but I spent half the day wondering what I could snack on. Very frustrating to be so distracted by food. The truth is I haven't made any effort at avoiding junk in two months, so it's like starting all over.
That said, I was fairly successful at dieting. I had my usual breakfast, lunch of yogurt and a very small portion of macaroni and cheese, and dinner of a mid-size portion of lasagna (trying to clear out the leftovers from the freezer). I had snacks of almonds, string cheese, pretzels, and a clementine, and I had milk to drink with dinner. After lunch I ate one Godiva chocolate and had a few nibbles of a giant Hershey's kiss (the kids each gave me one and have been dying for me to get into them, so today I ate a tiny bit and gave huge portions to each of them -- only 1.5 kisses left). After dinner I had another Godiva and a date pinwheel (not bad considering how many zillions of cookies Dad sent with us!). And that was it for the day, I think.
I went to the gym with Daniel and we did 40 minutes on the bikes -- I was at level 6 which turned out to be very comfortable, not too much of a shock after two weeks off. I bumped it up a bit for the last 10 minutes and I burned over 300 calories, according to the machine. Whew. Day One of the re-diet plan is on track!
That said, I was fairly successful at dieting. I had my usual breakfast, lunch of yogurt and a very small portion of macaroni and cheese, and dinner of a mid-size portion of lasagna (trying to clear out the leftovers from the freezer). I had snacks of almonds, string cheese, pretzels, and a clementine, and I had milk to drink with dinner. After lunch I ate one Godiva chocolate and had a few nibbles of a giant Hershey's kiss (the kids each gave me one and have been dying for me to get into them, so today I ate a tiny bit and gave huge portions to each of them -- only 1.5 kisses left). After dinner I had another Godiva and a date pinwheel (not bad considering how many zillions of cookies Dad sent with us!). And that was it for the day, I think.
I went to the gym with Daniel and we did 40 minutes on the bikes -- I was at level 6 which turned out to be very comfortable, not too much of a shock after two weeks off. I bumped it up a bit for the last 10 minutes and I burned over 300 calories, according to the machine. Whew. Day One of the re-diet plan is on track!
FFF #4
Our bodies see exercise as a form of stress. Too much causes problems, but too little leaves us frustrated.
Food today wasn't ideal, but I wasn't feeling really well so I laid off anything that would upset it. I didn't exercise either for the same reason. I am feeling better though, so tomorrow should be filled with roughage and exercise...
Food today wasn't ideal, but I wasn't feeling really well so I laid off anything that would upset it. I didn't exercise either for the same reason. I am feeling better though, so tomorrow should be filled with roughage and exercise...
I like Mom's scale better
I was 144.0 on Mom's yesterday, but I was 148.0 on mine today!! I know I didn't gain four pounds on the road yesterday, so the difference is in the scales. Ugh. But 148.0 is my official weight, and now I'm on a diet again. I haven't exercised in two weeks and I've eaten any old junk! I couldn't begin to account for what I've eaten on any given day. Today Daniel and I will go to the gym together, and I'm going to avoid all the unhealthy snacks Mom and Dad sent back with us. I'm going to try to exercise at least four days out of the week.
Killer pilates
Brian gave me the "maximum burn" pilates DVD's for Christmas. I already had the MB Basics, which is a really nice workout--challenging, but not impossible. And over the break I did the MB 20 minute workout, which was just kind of odd--the pace was easy but some of the moves were more difficult. Last night I tried the third in the series--Maximum Burn Advanced Super Sculpting and Body Slimming. Or something. It was 50 minutes of hell. First of all, it was non-stop--she warns at the beginning that you should already be familiar with pilates before doing this because there's very little cueing. And while most of the moves were familiar, there were a lot of new ones that were insanely difficult, including I think four variations of the Teaser, which I still have difficulties doing at the most basic level, and something called the Swan Dive that I don't think any real person could do. And lots of push-up type things that I can't do even when I'm refreshed and rested. And after 20 Criss-Crosses (10 slow, 10 fast, and I hate every one of them) she introduces the *advanced* criss-cross that involves swinging your body over from side to side on your stomach. It was also 50 minutes, not the 45 the back of the box says (although in small print it does say the running time is 55 minutes) so when the 45 minute mark came and I was exhausted and shaky and it DIDN'T END I thought I had entered the twilight zone where I just had to keep exercising until my body collapsed. Five minutes is a long time when you had mentally budgeted your strength to last 45 minutes!
OK, so I exercised last night. And after finishing it and not being able to do a bunch of the moves, I had to remind myself that in September I felt the same way about the simple 20 minute workout that I now consider an easy workout for days that I'm not feeling up to much of anything.
Food yesterday was good for the most part--cereal for breakfast, almonds for snack, a modified Nicoise salad for lunch (Brian made it with leftover black eyed peas instead of potatoes and asparagus instead of green beans and it was really yummy, plus high protein and fiber and low fat with lots of vegetables), string cheese for afternoon snack, then a McDonalds grilled chicken salad for dinner with lowfat balsamic vinagrette dressing. I pilfered some of Connor's fries at dinner, and after the killer pilates workout I ate a couple dozen of the Bottle Caps that Katie gave me for Christmas--that was about 200 calories I really didn't need, but I was actually low on carbs yesterday for a change and I think I just needed to replenish sugar after working myself to the point of shaky muscles. I know, there's healthier ways of doing that, but the Bottle Caps were there and no one else was going to eat them!
OK, so I exercised last night. And after finishing it and not being able to do a bunch of the moves, I had to remind myself that in September I felt the same way about the simple 20 minute workout that I now consider an easy workout for days that I'm not feeling up to much of anything.
Food yesterday was good for the most part--cereal for breakfast, almonds for snack, a modified Nicoise salad for lunch (Brian made it with leftover black eyed peas instead of potatoes and asparagus instead of green beans and it was really yummy, plus high protein and fiber and low fat with lots of vegetables), string cheese for afternoon snack, then a McDonalds grilled chicken salad for dinner with lowfat balsamic vinagrette dressing. I pilfered some of Connor's fries at dinner, and after the killer pilates workout I ate a couple dozen of the Bottle Caps that Katie gave me for Christmas--that was about 200 calories I really didn't need, but I was actually low on carbs yesterday for a change and I think I just needed to replenish sugar after working myself to the point of shaky muscles. I know, there's healthier ways of doing that, but the Bottle Caps were there and no one else was going to eat them!
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
FFF #3
To work out longer, have some carbs during your workout. Because they buoy your blood sugar levels, carbs fend off fatigue. Concoct a 50-50 mix of cranberry juice and water to drink during your workout.
Food today was pretty much under control. Breakfast was a yogurt smoothie, morning snack was a banana, lunch was 2 of the smallest slices of pizza I could find in the box with a regular soda, afternoon snack was an orange, and dinner was some mac & cheese and shredded pork. I have found that if I drink a regular soda instead of diet, I drink less soda in a day. When I drink diet, I just drink and drink and drink. Having a regular one helps me limit my intake.
I even came home and exercised. I'm in for Sarah's challenge. My ideal week will be: reasonable eating each day and night, dessert once between now and next weigh in, exercise 5 out of 7 days, with 3 treadmill sessions and 2 pilates DVDs.
Food today was pretty much under control. Breakfast was a yogurt smoothie, morning snack was a banana, lunch was 2 of the smallest slices of pizza I could find in the box with a regular soda, afternoon snack was an orange, and dinner was some mac & cheese and shredded pork. I have found that if I drink a regular soda instead of diet, I drink less soda in a day. When I drink diet, I just drink and drink and drink. Having a regular one helps me limit my intake.
I even came home and exercised. I'm in for Sarah's challenge. My ideal week will be: reasonable eating each day and night, dessert once between now and next weigh in, exercise 5 out of 7 days, with 3 treadmill sessions and 2 pilates DVDs.
oink oink
Well, Emily got our scale working again, and now I have no excuse for not blogging. The first time I weighed myself after the scale started working, I was 149. Today it read 151! At my request, Dick is packing up a lot of our cookies and candy and sending them South with Emily. I will try to be alot more moderate with what we kept behind! I guess my first goal should be to try to get back to the 146 I hit at one point on this diet. (I can't say I have een dieting through the holidays!) I want to get back to walking, and eating sensibly.
Tomorrow will be my weigh-in day
Though I liked Mom's scale's number today -- 144.0. My low at home has been 146.5 for a weigh-in day, I think, so I'm looking to go below that. I know my weight has gone down a pound and a half since I first weighed myself on Mom's scale (it's the junk-food-only diet and sleeping late exercise plan working agin) so maybe when I get back to Blacksburg it won't be so bad. I will also aim to have one good week, though I won't be able to exercise today, I fear!
Today...
OK - I was 207.4 this morning. That is up about .6 from last week, but still a little lower than the week before. Sigh. OK - so I am shooting for 202.4 on a weigh in day to be my next 5 pounds... although I really SHOULD be shooting for 200.4 - since 205.4 was 10 pounds for me and I am still counting me as having lost 10 pounds.
I am so glad the holidays are over!! I am ready to get back on track. I LIKED losing weight in September and October. I am ready for that again. I am going to get freezer bags today so I can freeze up that split pea soup. I also think I want to make up a bunch of ham dinners and freeze them too - so I won't keep eating ham all week. Yummy as it is it DOES make you retain water.
OK - my goal is for four days at the gym. I plan that as my on-going goal - my four work days will be my four gym days. But since I only have three work days this week I will make it my goal to get to the gym either tomorrow or Saturday also. I have been pretty good about getting back on track for food. I was good on Thursday and Friday of last week - and yesterday. I wasn't bad on Saturday and Sunday - considering it was a holiday. I want to start tracking my calories again too. Using Julie's math I should be allowed between 2080 and 2560 calories a day. Which is pretty much the same as what I discovered in September. I don't THINK I eat that much - but whatever I eat I want to be consistant from day to day. If you vary your calories too much your body never knows what to store and what to burn - so it stores everything...
Starting next Monday we are fat flushing here at work. I may do a modified fat flush (allow some whole grains) but I like the way I feel when I have been fat flushing - so I am kind of looking forward to it.
I am so glad the holidays are over!! I am ready to get back on track. I LIKED losing weight in September and October. I am ready for that again. I am going to get freezer bags today so I can freeze up that split pea soup. I also think I want to make up a bunch of ham dinners and freeze them too - so I won't keep eating ham all week. Yummy as it is it DOES make you retain water.
OK - my goal is for four days at the gym. I plan that as my on-going goal - my four work days will be my four gym days. But since I only have three work days this week I will make it my goal to get to the gym either tomorrow or Saturday also. I have been pretty good about getting back on track for food. I was good on Thursday and Friday of last week - and yesterday. I wasn't bad on Saturday and Sunday - considering it was a holiday. I want to start tracking my calories again too. Using Julie's math I should be allowed between 2080 and 2560 calories a day. Which is pretty much the same as what I discovered in September. I don't THINK I eat that much - but whatever I eat I want to be consistant from day to day. If you vary your calories too much your body never knows what to store and what to burn - so it stores everything...
Starting next Monday we are fat flushing here at work. I may do a modified fat flush (allow some whole grains) but I like the way I feel when I have been fat flushing - so I am kind of looking forward to it.
So much for meeting my initial goal!
I was back up to 142.8 today--nearly a three pound gain in a week. Think it has anything to do with sitting at home, reading endlessly, and scarfing cookies and candy? I'm back at work today, which automatically limits my intake and slightly increases my activity level since there's no sofa. So I should be back on track, and with no major holidays coming up in the near future there shouldn't be much food temptation running around.
So we're through the worst time of the year for dieting and I think we all managed to do pretty well, all things considered! Or at least none of us weighs more than we did back in September, which I think is more than most Americans can say! And now we have ten months until the feeding frenzy starts up again, and those ten months include six or seven months of good weather for getting outdoors and exercising (I'm looking forward to that--I said I hate running but I'd much rather be doing it outside than on a treadmill; last night I also spent time looking up all the bike trails in the Baltimore area and would like to give them a try this spring).
So here's a challenge for all of us: one good week. Not perfection, but how about we spend the next week focusing on making each day our ideal day in terms of diet and exercise? Whatever your personal goals are, do them. For me, that'll mean three days of running, three or four pilates/toning sessions, small portions of healthy food for each meal, two healthy snacks each day, lots of water, and no inhaling all the cookies and candy in sight each evening!
So we're through the worst time of the year for dieting and I think we all managed to do pretty well, all things considered! Or at least none of us weighs more than we did back in September, which I think is more than most Americans can say! And now we have ten months until the feeding frenzy starts up again, and those ten months include six or seven months of good weather for getting outdoors and exercising (I'm looking forward to that--I said I hate running but I'd much rather be doing it outside than on a treadmill; last night I also spent time looking up all the bike trails in the Baltimore area and would like to give them a try this spring).
So here's a challenge for all of us: one good week. Not perfection, but how about we spend the next week focusing on making each day our ideal day in terms of diet and exercise? Whatever your personal goals are, do them. For me, that'll mean three days of running, three or four pilates/toning sessions, small portions of healthy food for each meal, two healthy snacks each day, lots of water, and no inhaling all the cookies and candy in sight each evening!
Happy Weigh In Day!!
Not really. I came in at 164.8 this morning.
So that's my official 5 lb challenge starting weight. Hopefully Amy & I can lose 5 lbs at the same rate so we both win. I'm really not much of a competitor...
So that's my official 5 lb challenge starting weight. Hopefully Amy & I can lose 5 lbs at the same rate so we both win. I'm really not much of a competitor...
Monday, January 02, 2006
Ugh Tomorrow is Weigh-in
I forgot. How depressing. I actually was doing a little better a few days ago. I liked the stomach thing - I was down to 204.4 or something. Today I was back up to 207.2. Sigh. I was pretty good with my eating today - but not exercise. I also have been eating a lot of ham recently. Darn you Julie. It sounded so good when you were telling me about yours that I decided to make one for New Year's. So I had split pea soup for lunch and fried ham and eggs for dinner. I did have fruit today too... and the only stray I have done was a candy cane and two Christmas cookies after dinner.
OK Julie - using the weights we get tomorrow our challenge starts then. The cruise is just two months away - and I really would like to see some more loss - like I was seeing in the beginning. I have to get myself back into the habit of going to the gym too. Now that I have a good routine (although a tough one) I have no excuse not to go every day.
OK Julie - using the weights we get tomorrow our challenge starts then. The cruise is just two months away - and I really would like to see some more loss - like I was seeing in the beginning. I have to get myself back into the habit of going to the gym too. Now that I have a good routine (although a tough one) I have no excuse not to go every day.
FFF #2
Where are you guys???!!!
Fact #2: You should consume 13-16 calories for each pound of your ideal weight.
Today was better eating-wise. Joe & I went to Starbucks for breakfast and I had a pumpkin scone and some apple cider. Lunch was a slice of sharp cheese and 3 Ritz crackers. Dinner was Asian pork BBQ with green beans and mac & cheese (I kept my portion small.) For a snack a I had a few M&M's.
So I definitely ate less, BUT I didn't exercise at all. I may have to re-enact my no excuses challenge to myself to get back in the habit. Amy--does our 5 lb challenge officially start with tomorrow's weigh in?
Fact #2: You should consume 13-16 calories for each pound of your ideal weight.
Today was better eating-wise. Joe & I went to Starbucks for breakfast and I had a pumpkin scone and some apple cider. Lunch was a slice of sharp cheese and 3 Ritz crackers. Dinner was Asian pork BBQ with green beans and mac & cheese (I kept my portion small.) For a snack a I had a few M&M's.
So I definitely ate less, BUT I didn't exercise at all. I may have to re-enact my no excuses challenge to myself to get back in the habit. Amy--does our 5 lb challenge officially start with tomorrow's weigh in?
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Fitness Fun Fact #1
Your body burns about 10 calories digesting every 100 calories of protein, but just 4 calories for the equivalent amount of carbs. So to boost the amount of calories you burn each day, replace 300 calories of carbs with 300 calories of protein.
I have a million of these. Let's see how long I can keep this up...
My eating this week has been downright shameful. Plus I drank more than usual too. I haven't been buying Woodchuck cider for a really long time, and now I know why. Darn those things are tasty! I had 3 last night along with a small glass of wine, some yucky champagne AND a shot of Aftershock (darn peer pressure from Terry!)
Joe & I decided we are going to upgrade our treadmill rather than join gyms. We did the cost benefit analysis on it and it makes more sense for us to do that financially. I am pretty excited--we ordered a REALLY nice treadmill from HSN today. We went yesterday and looked around York, but while we were lying in bed today (I'll confess--it was noon!) he was flipping channels and we saw the HSN Fitness sale show and it was an awesome deal. Free S&H, no sales tax and it was 3x the treadmill we were looking at in the store. I can't wait until it comes. Although that means we have to figure out what to do with our current one. It is a $300 model from Wal Mart that we have had for 5 years. It has a few cosmetic issues, but no mechanical ones.
I have a million of these. Let's see how long I can keep this up...
My eating this week has been downright shameful. Plus I drank more than usual too. I haven't been buying Woodchuck cider for a really long time, and now I know why. Darn those things are tasty! I had 3 last night along with a small glass of wine, some yucky champagne AND a shot of Aftershock (darn peer pressure from Terry!)
Joe & I decided we are going to upgrade our treadmill rather than join gyms. We did the cost benefit analysis on it and it makes more sense for us to do that financially. I am pretty excited--we ordered a REALLY nice treadmill from HSN today. We went yesterday and looked around York, but while we were lying in bed today (I'll confess--it was noon!) he was flipping channels and we saw the HSN Fitness sale show and it was an awesome deal. Free S&H, no sales tax and it was 3x the treadmill we were looking at in the store. I can't wait until it comes. Although that means we have to figure out what to do with our current one. It is a $300 model from Wal Mart that we have had for 5 years. It has a few cosmetic issues, but no mechanical ones.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Eating too much!
I have no self control where cookies and candy are concerned. If it's in the house, I eat it. And I've been eating a LOT over the past few days--I've watched my weight go up to 142.4 pounds as of this morning! Ugh. Doesn't help that I've also been eating too much at meals also, and no fresh fruit or vegetables to speak of this week. I've been exercising, though, although not as much as usual. I've gone for two three mile runs this week and have done two pilates DVD's. The new Fitness magazine says that pilates has about the same calorie burn/cario effects as speed walking. I find that very hard to believe. I don't think my heart rate goes up much at all during those sessions.
For the record--I hate running. I don't understand these people who run for an hour, hour and a half each day and enjoy it! Except for the first couple of minutes where I'm just warming up and not yet winded and the last couple of minutes where the end is in sight and I'm going downhill, the rest of the run is miserable. I think it's easier when I'm at work--running on the treadmill, although mind-bogglingly dull, is a bit easier since you don't have to face headwinds while going uphill or dodge tree branches and traffic, plus you're forced to keep to a steady pace. And by running on the treadmill I'm avoiding work. But getting myself up and moving when I'm not at work is really hard. OTOH, I'm getting better--I did the whole three mile route in 35 minutes today (another reason it's harder to run outside: I run faster when I'm not on the treadmill).
For the record--I hate running. I don't understand these people who run for an hour, hour and a half each day and enjoy it! Except for the first couple of minutes where I'm just warming up and not yet winded and the last couple of minutes where the end is in sight and I'm going downhill, the rest of the run is miserable. I think it's easier when I'm at work--running on the treadmill, although mind-bogglingly dull, is a bit easier since you don't have to face headwinds while going uphill or dodge tree branches and traffic, plus you're forced to keep to a steady pace. And by running on the treadmill I'm avoiding work. But getting myself up and moving when I'm not at work is really hard. OTOH, I'm getting better--I did the whole three mile route in 35 minutes today (another reason it's harder to run outside: I run faster when I'm not on the treadmill).
Thursday, December 29, 2005
My Turn with the stomach thing
This morning beginning just before 6am I started with the violent purging. Ugh. It went on - well, it is still going on, but not as frequently. I did NOT take and evil immodium. I watched my weight drop from 205.6 to 204.4 this morning. That's kind of cool. But I could do without the constant cramping and the gurgling - and the periodic running to the bathroom.
I just got into work at about 1pm. I was wary of going anywhere. I still don't feel good and will probably go home soon - but I have work I needed to get done. Ugh.
I just got into work at about 1pm. I was wary of going anywhere. I still don't feel good and will probably go home soon - but I have work I needed to get done. Ugh.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
1 out of 1!
So I stuck mostly to the plan yesterday except for the deviation when I ate some Christmas cookies. Whatever is left by next trash day (Friday) is getting chucked. Other food yesterday was yogurt for breakfast, an apple for a morning snack, HC chicken and fettucini for lunch with a small pack of sun chips from the vending machine (the HC meal left a really yucky taste in my mouth and the sun chips were the least offensive item I could find) and bean soup with a roll for dinner.
Yesterday I came in at 165, and today I was 164.3.
I tried out Amy's gym for real yesterday. I enjoyed being able to use several different machines for shorter times. I get bored too easily. Any Emily--Amy & I can't figure out how you can use that bike for 40 minutes! My rear-end was so NUMB after 10 I was worried I would never regain feeling. Do you just set it to manual, or do you run one of the programs? Amy did manual and I tried out the hills on a low level. I liked the treadmill they have there--it was really snazzy and I also set that to run a hills program. I wish I understood the levels though. I think I may have set it too easy, but I didn't know if it went 1 to 10 or 1 to 100. We also tested the elliptical machine. That was a bit odd, but I can see how it must be an amazing workout. I'd have to work on my coordination though.
Now the thing will be to decide if I join the gym or not. I am still choking on the price a little, especially since we have to pay off our cc's from Christmas AND we have an appt at Home Depot next week to start talking about re-doing the kitchen. And my car payment starts in January, so another $50-$60 a month really does stink. Ugh. I also just remembered we still have to pay for our cruise that we are going on in June some time in early April. Sheesh. I may need a second job just to get through the first half of 2006...
I have a spreadsheet started to compare my options. Looks like I have until the end of January to find out, unless the card the lady gave me really does expire sooner. Joe said something about looking into getting a better treadmill at home--we have a basic one that doesn't have any programs and has a manual incline adjustment, which you can guess how often that happens. So last night I started pricing out nicer machines. But then we'll have to figure what to do with the old one as well. It'll all work out in the end.
Yesterday I came in at 165, and today I was 164.3.
I tried out Amy's gym for real yesterday. I enjoyed being able to use several different machines for shorter times. I get bored too easily. Any Emily--Amy & I can't figure out how you can use that bike for 40 minutes! My rear-end was so NUMB after 10 I was worried I would never regain feeling. Do you just set it to manual, or do you run one of the programs? Amy did manual and I tried out the hills on a low level. I liked the treadmill they have there--it was really snazzy and I also set that to run a hills program. I wish I understood the levels though. I think I may have set it too easy, but I didn't know if it went 1 to 10 or 1 to 100. We also tested the elliptical machine. That was a bit odd, but I can see how it must be an amazing workout. I'd have to work on my coordination though.
Now the thing will be to decide if I join the gym or not. I am still choking on the price a little, especially since we have to pay off our cc's from Christmas AND we have an appt at Home Depot next week to start talking about re-doing the kitchen. And my car payment starts in January, so another $50-$60 a month really does stink. Ugh. I also just remembered we still have to pay for our cruise that we are going on in June some time in early April. Sheesh. I may need a second job just to get through the first half of 2006...
I have a spreadsheet started to compare my options. Looks like I have until the end of January to find out, unless the card the lady gave me really does expire sooner. Joe said something about looking into getting a better treadmill at home--we have a basic one that doesn't have any programs and has a manual incline adjustment, which you can guess how often that happens. So last night I started pricing out nicer machines. But then we'll have to figure what to do with the old one as well. It'll all work out in the end.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
So it IS possible
Yippee Sarah! Good for you! You will be at 118 by cruise time at the rate you are going!! I dug out all of my existing bathing suits - but only 2 of them were 12s and one of them was a bikini. I have several 14s - which could possibly fit me by cruise time if I get my butt back in gear. The other two I have are fat bathing suits - which were a little too big even for ME when I bought them this past summer. LL Bean has some cute tanks on sale for $12.98. You should check them out.
I was 206.8 this morning. This was a BIG improvement because on Christmas I was up to 210.6!! ACK! What WAS the point of the past three months??? I was 208.6 last night and - thank goodness - down again this morning. So - I will have to keep working on the downward trend again.
I have also been a big pig for the past few days (weeks). BUT - I was thinking about Christmas. I only really was a minor pig. I had two pieces of coffee cake - spread out over the day - three Christmas cookies, and two pieces of cashew brittle - and some candy, I didn't track closely. Katie and I had grilled cheese sandwiches and veggies for lunch and then I ate moderately at dinner. So while, yes I was a pig, I wasn't as bad as I have been in the past. Yesterday I ate mostly junk - and a whole bunch of nuts - which I had to crack to get to, so does that count as exercise?
Julie and I just met at the gym. We did about 17 minutes on the treadmill, 10-11 minutes on the bikes, and 2 minutes on the weird cross trainy thing. I had my heart rate up the whole time and was sweating nicely. I am going back tomorrow to meet with a trainer and work out a workout routine. Julie discovered that the pass card the woman she met with gave her is good until the end of January - so hopefully she and I can meet up again. It was fun having someone there who was about at my level and I could chat with. The 30 minutes went MUCH faster than it normally does. I think I burned about 150 calories - which cancells out the Christmas cookie I just finished eating. 8-) I have to plan something healthy for dinner - and go grocery shopping. We have NO food currently.
I was 206.8 this morning. This was a BIG improvement because on Christmas I was up to 210.6!! ACK! What WAS the point of the past three months??? I was 208.6 last night and - thank goodness - down again this morning. So - I will have to keep working on the downward trend again.
I have also been a big pig for the past few days (weeks). BUT - I was thinking about Christmas. I only really was a minor pig. I had two pieces of coffee cake - spread out over the day - three Christmas cookies, and two pieces of cashew brittle - and some candy, I didn't track closely. Katie and I had grilled cheese sandwiches and veggies for lunch and then I ate moderately at dinner. So while, yes I was a pig, I wasn't as bad as I have been in the past. Yesterday I ate mostly junk - and a whole bunch of nuts - which I had to crack to get to, so does that count as exercise?
Julie and I just met at the gym. We did about 17 minutes on the treadmill, 10-11 minutes on the bikes, and 2 minutes on the weird cross trainy thing. I had my heart rate up the whole time and was sweating nicely. I am going back tomorrow to meet with a trainer and work out a workout routine. Julie discovered that the pass card the woman she met with gave her is good until the end of January - so hopefully she and I can meet up again. It was fun having someone there who was about at my level and I could chat with. The 30 minutes went MUCH faster than it normally does. I think I burned about 150 calories - which cancells out the Christmas cookie I just finished eating. 8-) I have to plan something healthy for dinner - and go grocery shopping. We have NO food currently.
I was down, but not today
Yesterday morning I weighed 146 despite having had no exercise in a week and having eaten like a pig for three days straight. I ate slightly more moderately yesterday (a mere piglet) but today I was 147.0. Still, it could have been a lot worse. Today I'm going to try to find time to exercise, and I'll again try to be moderate in my eating!
Sarah, WOO HOO!!! Congratulations on reaching your goal!!!
Sarah, WOO HOO!!! Congratulations on reaching your goal!!!
Goal!
I was 140 even this morning--even after eating like a pig the last two days! That was my initial weight loss goal, and has me officially at my pre-pregnancy weight (pre-Claire, that is). I still, however, have just as flabby a stomach as I did 18 pounds ago (o.k., maybe not quite as flabby, but it's still bad and isn't anything like what I had before babies). I think it'll take quite a lot more weight loss to get rid of it, and I may be stuck with the saggy skin forever, barring cosmetic surgery.
So now onto my ultimate goal of being in the 130 - 135 range. Think I can manage that by cruise time?
So now onto my ultimate goal of being in the 130 - 135 range. Think I can manage that by cruise time?
Friday, December 23, 2005
Overeating, Underexercising, Squeezing into clothes anyway
I haven't been to the gym since Monday, though today I shopped and shopped and shopped (it seemed -- but this was about the only bricks-and-mortar shopping I've done all year), so I probably burned quite a few calories just by being on my feet. I've been eating terribly, though. Breakfasts and lunches haven't been so bad, and since I don't have office parties to contend with I haven't had to face too many sweets all week. Last night I had beef stew for dinner, which wasn't so bad, either. But tonight I had cheese fondue -- about a million calories' worth -- with a caesar salad and a glass of wine to drink, and I had about a third of a beer tonight as well. Tomorrow's dinner will be lasagna and garlic bread, and more wine, and Sunday's will be a turkey dinner (healthy by comparison to the other nights, but probably way too much food). I'm doomed.
But I'm not allowed to eat anything between now and midnight mass tomorrow (which is at 11 pm, oddly enough) because tonight I bought a dress and I need it to fit! There weren't many actual dresses or even dressy separates; there were millions of suits, all in non-Christmasy colors and mostly with pants instead of skirts, and some evening gowns but nothing you could wear to church, and a few flowery church-type dresses, which again wouldn't do for Christmas, and a rack or two of little black dresses, and I already have one and don't want to wear it to church, either. I tried on a size 12 navy blue beaded dress and it looked nice, but it was really baggy around the waist and even a bit big up top -- can we say "size inflation"? This would never have been a 12 ten or fifteen years ago. In the end I found a few red, sparkly tops and some plain black bottoms. I tried on some 14s which were all huge, and they didn't have the tops in 12s, but I squeezed into a 10 and it didn't look half bad! So then I tried on bottoms -- there were black dress pants in 12s, and they were a little too loose!! So I got a full-length A-line satiny black skirt (it would make a good chorus skirt) in a size 10, too!! It is a weensy bit small, especially the top (I laughed putting it on because I thought there was NO way it would go on) so I need to make sure it fits (or is too big) by next Christmas. But I haven't bought anything labeled size 10 since college, and I'm thrilled. I'll post a picture this weekend!
But I'm not allowed to eat anything between now and midnight mass tomorrow (which is at 11 pm, oddly enough) because tonight I bought a dress and I need it to fit! There weren't many actual dresses or even dressy separates; there were millions of suits, all in non-Christmasy colors and mostly with pants instead of skirts, and some evening gowns but nothing you could wear to church, and a few flowery church-type dresses, which again wouldn't do for Christmas, and a rack or two of little black dresses, and I already have one and don't want to wear it to church, either. I tried on a size 12 navy blue beaded dress and it looked nice, but it was really baggy around the waist and even a bit big up top -- can we say "size inflation"? This would never have been a 12 ten or fifteen years ago. In the end I found a few red, sparkly tops and some plain black bottoms. I tried on some 14s which were all huge, and they didn't have the tops in 12s, but I squeezed into a 10 and it didn't look half bad! So then I tried on bottoms -- there were black dress pants in 12s, and they were a little too loose!! So I got a full-length A-line satiny black skirt (it would make a good chorus skirt) in a size 10, too!! It is a weensy bit small, especially the top (I laughed putting it on because I thought there was NO way it would go on) so I need to make sure it fits (or is too big) by next Christmas. But I haven't bought anything labeled size 10 since college, and I'm thrilled. I'll post a picture this weekend!
The good and the bad
The bad first: at the potluck lunch today, I had a piece of pizza (and deliberately took the largest one!), salad, fruit, corn pudding, and a hunk of baked brie and water crackers, along with a *real* Coke (they were out of Diet--I did look!) and three Tagalongs for dessert.
The good: afterwards, I went shopping at Target and since I had some time to kill I tried on a couple of pairs of size 10 pants, just to see how I was doing. The khakis (traditional fit, so an actual waistband at the waist) fit pretty well; the jeans (midrise, so had to fit around my hips) I could fasten but they were tight. But they looked awesome--I looked really thin in them! So now I'm extra motivated to lose eight or ten more pounds so I can buy them and look great. I'll have to get new underwear too--cotton briefs just don't work with low cut jeans!
The good: afterwards, I went shopping at Target and since I had some time to kill I tried on a couple of pairs of size 10 pants, just to see how I was doing. The khakis (traditional fit, so an actual waistband at the waist) fit pretty well; the jeans (midrise, so had to fit around my hips) I could fasten but they were tight. But they looked awesome--I looked really thin in them! So now I'm extra motivated to lose eight or ten more pounds so I can buy them and look great. I'll have to get new underwear too--cotton briefs just don't work with low cut jeans!
I've been remarkably well behaved.
All things considered, this week could have been much worse--I've been to the gym twice (haven't managed evening exercise, and probably won't), ate really reasonably every day, including evenings. I've been letting myself have a slice of that chocolate chip cake each day, but now it's gone (and Connor kept swiping my pieces, the little thief), but I balanced that with smaller portions of dinner. On Wednesday when I went to that BSO Alumni Party I only had two drinks, no bar food, then came home and had an egg and toast for dinner. I'm managing to either lose or maintain--my weight is fluctuating, as usual, but I've been down as low as 139.8 and not above Tuesday's 141.2.
Now the real challenge begins, though--cookies and candy for the next week. A pizza party at lunch today and I promised Claire pizza for dinner tonight as well. No exercise until at least Monday because I have too much to do.
OTOH, you all will be pleased to hear that I got less Christmas candy this year than in previous years, and it has to stretch to more people, so we'll get smaller bags of candy than usual. I'm debating what to do about the candy house--I'd feel really bad not filling it up, but I know if I fill it up, I'll eat it all!
Now the real challenge begins, though--cookies and candy for the next week. A pizza party at lunch today and I promised Claire pizza for dinner tonight as well. No exercise until at least Monday because I have too much to do.
OTOH, you all will be pleased to hear that I got less Christmas candy this year than in previous years, and it has to stretch to more people, so we'll get smaller bags of candy than usual. I'm debating what to do about the candy house--I'd feel really bad not filling it up, but I know if I fill it up, I'll eat it all!
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