225

So weighed in today, 225. Not proud or happy about it, but it is what it is. I've gained 17lbs since early September. I could give you lots of excuses, but bottom line. I gained because I ate. ALOT. EVERYTHING.

What we need to focus on now is getting back on track, and finding a way to make it a life style and something I can do long term. I can't be "on" and "off" it's not healthy and not productive.

Today is a new day...

*this post was made on Dec 28th, but won't post from my laptop, so just getting around to posting now from my desktop.. I'm down to 220-221 this morning...*

I'm fat...

and getting fatter by the day. This is so stupid. How can I be so on/good about weight loss, then be so off/bad with it. Stupid stupid stupid.

Track... where's the Track?

'cause I gotta get back on it! Between Thanksgiving (2 huge meals) and then girls trip to the States and eating out alot, and enjoying yummy yummy Mexican food, I"m sure I've gained like 10lbs. I don't even want to get on the scale for 2 weeks, just get the weight down first. But who are we kidding. I'll probably get on it Tuesday morning.

Anyways I am feeling pretty full/disgusting/gluttonist (word?) pretty much disgusting so I know i'm ready to get back to a much healthier lifestyle. This will include clean eating, exercising and a positive attitude!

I have a goal of about 15-25lbs I'd like to lose by March 2011 (because i'm going to Hawaii!!!)

60

FINALLY hit the 60lbs lost mark. Those dang 2lbs have been hanging around for a month (read I have not lost anything in a month). So I am now 208, which means soo close to being in "one-der-land" (as copied from one of my fav. weight loss bloggers) and 13lbs from my 'wedding weight'. I plan to get my body fat tested next time I go home (read; get to the big city). Last time I was at 28% so curious what I'm at now, I still have lots of "fat on me" lol.

Time to Check In

So the summer is winding down, and I guess i've been slacking on the posting! Glad to say that I have not let up on my fitness/health goals. I've had a few week moments but I embarrassed them and took them as a well deserved break.

I'm at 210 right now, and have been for 2 weeks. I reeeeeally want to break the 210, 208 would bring me to 60lbs lost, and then of course to break the 200's!!! Which really is only 10 (11) lbs away.. I"m hoping to reach this by Canadian thanksgiving (Oct 11th).

I've been hitting the gym 4-6X a week, alternating between lower and upper body weight routines and cardio, alternating between HITT and long slow runs. I'm starting to see some definition in my arms, but it's very slight, still lots of fat there. I'm going to get hubby to do picks on sat. I haven't done in a long time... and I know it's important, I just to get around to doing it!

Some NSV (non-scale victories) i've had this summer:

• I have to do my ipod band up tighter these days
• jeans I bought a month ago (size 16) which were very snug, now go on with ease
• I shop in regular size stores now
• I have a HUGE piles of clothes I need to drop off to charity
• I didn't have to wiggle in to the plastic outside chairs at my MIL's this summer (it was a tight fit last summer)
• my 'travel' wedding band (had to stop wearing my regular set in Jan) is now getting loose, soon I won't have any rings to wear :( will get them all sized when i'm at goal)
• I'm almost 100lbs lighter than my husband (who's 6'8" 305lbs) we've been as close as 30lbs apart before

Pictures.,.

This is at Christmas time.. around 250-255ish

This is mid-May.. about 230lbs back shot... (picture complements of my daughter!!)

This is end of July, just to compair the 2 'butt' shots (me in jeans and white t-shirt with butt to the camera) about 215lbs

This is end of July at about 215lbs

Obese No More

I am ECSTATIC to post that I am no longer obese, according to BMI calculators ever where. This morning I weighed in at 215 (also note, a new low for me!!) and this puts me at 29.99 BMI which means I'm out of the 30's which means I'm not considered obese anymore! Though I know those charts are just an estimate, and don't take in to account lean body mass ect. It's still nice to be out of that range!

Another victory...I am now 97.5kg's, so I am out of the triple digit's FOREVER in kilograms, whoooo hooooo.

So I've been working out really hard the last little while, thurs I was starting to feel iffy, woke up achy ect but still plugged on.. Friday I was not well. Headache, achy all over, very irritable. I came to the conclusion that i've been over training. My weight was not shifting so i'd work out harder ect. I was doing my best to keep my calories up, but had a few days of low calories (1300 range) so that coupled with hard workouts = feeling really sick. I really do equate it to over training because I never got sick/flu/poops ect. I'm still not feeling 100% but about 90% today. I have now not worked out for 3 days and have dropped 4lbs, so that also tells me my body needed a break!

I'm going to switch up my routine. Cutting out some cardio and start doing a weight/body weight exercises 3x a week and the other 2 days will be cardio, one day i'll do HITT the other i'll do a long slow run. I'll stick with this for about 6 weeks, the rest of the summer. I'm hoping to be around 203-207 range come labor day weekend. My challenges will be when I go to my inlaws the last week of July, but i'll just do my best to pack healthy, clean foods. We will have our trailer so that will help to have my own mini kitchen!

oh and I did buy a bikini for some body shots, as I know it's important to document, and I think better in a bikini than my full piece, BUT i never plan to wear it out in public. It's an XL and fits right now, but bulges out some fat in places still :) this next week it's my goal to get hubby to take pictures so I can post some progress pics!

so to recap:
Start weight: 268
Current weight:215
Total lost:53lbs

Start BMI: 37.4
Current BMI: 29.99

Start KG's: 121.5kg
current KG's: 97.5kg

50lbs lost, and no plans to find them, EVER!

So I am pretty sure I hit my 50lbs mark this morning.. I say pretty sure because my scale jumps all over the place, drives me nuts! but I'll go with it.
So this is the lowest i've weighed in probably 7years. and the first time i've hit the 50lb mark, so kinda excited! Next big # is 214 'cause then i'm out of the stupid 'obese' range for BMI, even thought I know i should not put any clout in BMI's but it still bugs me.

My hubby is away right now with the kids, and i'm enjoying a much needed break. Though I do have some guilt/hesitation with it, but still very much enjoying it. I did a really great work out yesterday, but also learned a lesson. I NEED to be drinking more water. My hammies ceased up on me and almost made me fall to the ground. I drank about 1/2 my water bottle and they got better. I had not drank any water that morning and did a hard cardio work out just prior. So lesson learned.

I'm almost finding it hard to eat all my calories and drink all my water (min 2L a day) I don't know how people are hungry if they are eating nutrient rich foods and drinking all the water they should. I feel like I am constantly full and have to force my self to eat and drink, lol!

I bought a new work out outfit yesterday. A yellow Adidas dry t-shirt (bright yellow!) and some black stretchy Capri's. I am feeling more confident to wear fitted stuff to the gym and frankly my old work out shorts were too big, starting to look sloppy! I also bought a new sports bra as the girls were getting away from me during working out. It's the only time in my life I feel it a pain to be large busted (36D) so today they are double bagged, lol. A under wire sports bra + a tank style sports bra. We'll see if they can calm down a bit today :)

Vo2 Max, RMR, Body Fat %

So I bit the bullet and while I was visiting my Mom and family in the big city I got my Vo2 Max tested as well at RMR (resting metabolism rate) and my body fat percentage done.
The Vo2 Max gives me personalized training zones for aerobic and anaerobic zones. For my aerobic I train 140-156 bpm (beats per minute). They also gave me the speeds on the treadmill to exercise at to achieve this. My anaerobic zone is 170 to 183 (183 being my maximum heart rate). I love it. It gives me much better direction to train at and I feel like I'm training with a purpose rather than just doing what ever. I also got an estimated Vo2max as I did not reach it. The test is performed with a scuba type mouth piece and your nose pinched off so you have to breath through your mouth and thru a tube that has a one way check valve. So when you are running really hard that very small delay in the valve made me closaphobic (SP?) a bit and I just found it really hard/ strange to breath thru this scuba type mouth piece. So needless to say I finished kinda abruptly and didn't do as well as I had hoped. I finished at 8min 30 sec. with a Vo2max estimated at 28. something. I think that falls in to the poor rating. but what ever, mostly did the test to get me heart rate zones! I'll do better next time!

Next was the RMR, this test told me exactly how many calories my body burns at rest, 1600. Instead of using the Internet to estimate it according to my height and weight (which ranged from 1780 to 1850) this test told me exactly what mine is. So I take my rate, 1600 and multiply by my activity level and then minus 500 calories for weight loss. So I am now aiming to eat between 1700-1800 calories a day.

Finally was the body fat percentage. Mine is 28% the range for women is 20% to 33% so I am happy where I fall (better than BMI which tells me I'm still obese at 30points). The test was taken over 17 sites and compiled over 10 of them. My lean body mass (everything except fat) was 162lbs and that means I have about 58lbs of fat on me. I have a goal of about 20% body fat which is aprox. 195lbs if I don't loose any lean mass. So that made me VERY HAPPY as I originally though I needed to get down to 170ish but that is impossible with a lean body mass of 162 lbs. So I only have about 25lbs left to go!!!

45

45 pounds down...

Sweat Stains

Ok. Vent.

Why, when I sweat, does it look like I've totally peed myself. I know I've mentioned this before, but it still really bugs me! Every time I'm done working out, I look down, huge wet spot all around my va-ja-ja region. Doesn't matter if I'm on the treadmill, eliptial, bike, track. Always big pee sweat stain.

It's gross and not very lady like.

A few NSV

So last week I went to our local fabric store, which is right beside this clothing store that I've never been in before. Never been in because for the past 8 years I've shopped exclusively at plus size stores (well some tops at Old Navy) so I peek in and think "oh.. there are some cute things in here.." so I go poke around and get to shopping. So I find the discount rack and try on some pants and find a pair that I quite liked, size 16.. and you know what it took like a day or two to realize. I just bought pants at A REGULAR SIZE STORE.

HELLO PEOPLE

this is huge!!

I'm excited to wear them Friday for our girls night out. I'll be sure to take some pics :)

So..

been a bit frusterated as I didn't lose this week and may have but a pound on actually. In my mind i've been eating great and doing 'everything right'. So i've decided to go back to sparkpeople and continue to count calories, while eating clean. Just to make sure i'm hitting all my *markers*. So just for fun I started entering calories today. And I know I splurged a bit, but when I entered my caloires, I ate 1300 at lunch. hmmm that could be a very good reason, that my perseption of how much i'm eatting has gotten a bit out of wack. So sounds like it's a good idea for me to get back on the calorie counting wagon!

Another dilema of mine, my girls (4+5) are now done preschool for the year. I was using the mornings when they were in preschool (3 mornings a week, 9:15am-11:15am) to hit the gym, then I only had to put 2 kids in child minding. Well now I need to put all 3 in everytime I want to go to the gym, which costs me $9 everytime I go!! ($3/h x 3kids) never mind my membership on top of that. So for now i'll plan to go mon,wed,fri. and hope to squeeze in other work outs if hubby gets home from work early or just doing interval training at home.

So today at Church I got a few people commenting on my weight loss. After 7months and 42lbs it's about time, lol. It just goes to show it's a slow process, but so nice that my efforts are starting to show now. Made me happy :)

Survived

Well I have officially survived another year... celebrated my "late 30's b-day yesterday" uhg. My goal is to be a very fit, hott 40 year old. I still have 3 years, but it's probably gonna take all that time to get there :)

So did I cheat on my birthday you bet I DIDN'T. The family went to Dairy Queen for dessert, and I brought a bowl of cherries from home. and you know what? I didn't even miss having ice cream/chocolate, not one little bit. I had lobster for dinner..yummmmmmm I guess the cheat I had for the day was the butter I dipped my lobster in, but I still consider it clean, just not a healthy daily choice.

I also went for a massage and peddy yesterday. The masseuse really worked me over, I actually feel sore today. I even got a work out in yesterday too.

So my weight is still flexing around 226 to 228. I have had 2 days of not the best water drinking, do weights, snacking at night (on fruit) finishing my cycle.. so all these add up to some expected fluctuating in my number, so I'm not so concerned.

40.2lbs

Finally hit the 40 mark!! Whoot Whoot. I was 227.8lbs this morning, so with a starting weight of 268, that's a 40.2lb loss so far. Can I get a "Whoot Whoot" with a raise the roof?

Since Monday I have cut out fruit and sweeteners (honey agave ect) and am seeing great results, even considering it's t-minus 1 day till TOM.

32.8lbs to go till I get to my wedding weight of 195lbs. Then we'll go from there :)

Vegas

So found out that a goal trip I was aiming for (end of Nov to black fri shopping in Great Falls MT.) has been changed to a Vegas trip in Sept/Oct!! I'm quite excited but now I got to kick it in to high gear. My goal was to be 195lbs for this trip and then to SHOP SHOP SHOP for a whole new wardrobe. But now 'cause things have been moved up 2months I really got to kick it in to gear. I think it's doable, maybe more a 199 but it means no slacking off time.

The trip is with my mother in law and my 3 sister in laws. Last year they went to Great Falls and saw a play and did some shopping. My hubby couldn't get the time off for me to go, so this year for sure! I think it will be such a blast! and hopefully Vegas is still HOT HOT HOT by then.

I did really well those 2 weeks I was doing my yeast detox so I am reverting mostly back to that eating for the next week.

So no:

• fruit
• natural sweeteners (honey, agave)
• butter (my big weekness)

not alot of no's but i'm still eating very 'clean' so not alot I can take out. So I will be eating lots of veggies, lean meats, brown rice, coconut oil, olive oil, beans, fish ect.

I am sooo close (well 10lbs) from being where I was when I 'dieted' before and I so want to surpass there, all this work/loosing right now feels like "been there, done that" as I"ve seen all these #'s before (3 years ago) and it's more frustration that I let myself gain it all back (and then some). So once I hit the teen's (217 to be exact) I will be in 'new territory'. Also then I will be sooo close to getting out of OBESE and in to OVERWEIGHT which will be a huge mental milestone!! (214 is that magic #)

Fridge

So I decided to take a pic of my fridge for you all. I know weird, but hey I was bored. I thought a fridge gives a good snap-shot of life at that person's house.



So some key notes:

• you'll find my hubby's diabetic meds. he's type one so we have to deal with that. Which really isn't a big deal. but in the back of my mind it scares me that our time may be shortened because of this disease.


• Left overs from last night. I made 2 meals. One for the fam. one for me. They had noodles with homemade cheese sauce, veggies and ham. Me, I had homemade butternut squash soup. One of my faves!!


• A salad for a BBQ we are going to tonight. I made a 'clean' greek salad with fresh oregano from my garden!! (I'm quite pumped about this). I am so excited I don't have to cook dinner tonight!


• My homemade yogurt which I love love love. It is so easy, CRAZY easy and give me such satisfaction to make my own. + I save so much $$. (.78cents compared to $2.89)


• Tiny mozzarella balls. They are b.. .something, I made a tomato, fresh basil, olive oil, mozz. cheese salad for lunch today, yum!!!

Cravings

So last night I was realllly craving McDonalds for supper. Don't know why, part because I was pretty tired from gardening, and just 'done' with cooking. Luckily the husband whipped out the cereal for the kids before I could tell him of my craving (cerel is a go to in our house for day's we don't want to cook ect) so I just had some homemade yogurt, granola and a mango. It was quite yummy. I was snacky all night and ended up having a bowl of air popped popcorn with about 2 tablespoons of butter on it. Not horrible, but not the best.

But... I was so glad I did not give in to my urges, as this morning I was 229.8... I am out of the 230's!!! i've been retaining water because of the heat here (30C) and pms so was very surprised to see it. But it gave me the umph to stay on track with my eating. I bought some cherries today so looking forward to that for my snack today.

I haven't been to the gym as much lately but been busy with cleaning and gardening, and just being more busy that I usually would be at home so it kinda makes up for it. I also believe in taking little breaks.

SEVEN

7lbs in 2 weeks... I am beyond excited!!!!! I finally decided to weigh my self this morning, after getting hubby to hide the scale for 30 days, but after 2 weeks I decided I needed to 'check in' and am soooo happy to see things are working. It gives me a new boost to keep going.
So what am I doing you ask?

1) Eating Clean. you can google this but basically not eating processed foods, white flour, SUGAR, trans + sat. fats. Eating good food in it's natural state.

2)Yeast Cleanse. taking herbal supplements and staying away from all yeast made/producing foods ie. bread, cheese, soy sauce, fruit, sugar, mushrooms...

3)Drinking my water

4)Exercising. aprox 4-5X a week cardio type stuff for 40-50min. I really like doing Tabata with my new gymboss.

So that's the scoop. I also want to note that I purposely put exercise last. In reading The Eating Clean Book, I've learned that diet is 80% of the weight loss equation, 10% is genetics and 10% is exercise. It makes sense to me. Really it's alot easier to eat 500 less calories a day (skip the muffin and juice) than it is to burn 500 calories. Well in my case it is. We're all different.
So i've decided I needed to be more vigilant about my diet, and not stress about the exercise as much. I have always really enjoyed exercise so it has never been a big deal to get to the gym. But now it's that much more enjoyable because I don't "have" to do it.
So that's what's working for me right now. Today is actually my last day of the yeast cleanse to starting tomorrow I will add fruit (2-3 servings) in to my menu. Yum!!


OH and how could I forget.. i'm HALF WAY to goal!!!

Day 13 of 30

and only 2 more days of my 'yeast detox' so then I can add fruit back in to my diet. I'm really starting to miss it!! Hubby made the kids Mac+Cheese today for lunch and I was tempted, it smelt quite yummy. I have found if I am starving I am more likely to cheat ( but I have NOT cheated at all!). I think I am going to weight in on wed. Originally I wasn't going to weight till the 30 days but I now decided I need a 1/2 way check in...so if things aren't moving working I can re-evaluate and not loose a whole month. + it will be 2 days after TOM and that is usually when I am pretty 'lite'.
I have not been tracking my calories.. I figure i'm pretty safe with how i'm eating but another reason I need to check in with the scale, to see if I need to get back to counting calories.

Did I check back in after my first couple work outs with my Gymboss? Can't recall, but I do want to say I LOVE it! Friday I just worked out at home, I did the bike 4min of 10rest/20hard second intervals, then did some squat/jumping jack intervals and some modified mountain climber and wall push up intervals, all in all about 30min that felt like 10min, lots of sweat and a feeling of accomplishment!!

During it I had the thought that I should be making a "true" mom work out video. I was using my bike beside our spare bed piled to the roof with clean clothes, did jumping jacks in the toy area, dodging lego bits on the floor, mountain climbers on the stair with my 2 year old crawling all around me and the stairs, trying to mimic me, and push ups on the wall, straddling a garbage bag of hand me downs yet to be sorted. A TRUE stay at home mom work out if I do say so my self!

Measurments -1 Month

Bust- no change
Waist- down 1"
hips- down 1.25"
thigh- down 1"
bicep- down 1"

Wow! I'm very happy with the results. I kind of find it intriguing that I am loosing so 'evenly' lol. Does this happen with everyone? hmmmm

Well off to the gym, my gymboss timer finally arrived yesterday and I am quite excited to try it. You can set 2 times, example. Run 1min *beep* walk 2min *beep* run 1min. ext. or for doing Tabata training where you go hard and do as many reps of an exercise for 20 sec. and rest for 10 sec. and do this for 8 intervals = a crazy good 4min work out!! I'll post how it goes!

Day 6 of 30

So just plugging along here on my clean eating. It really is going quite well. No major cravings.. yet.. it's a bit harder because I am doing a yeast cleanse as well, so basicly I am eating, veggies, meat, plain yogurt, grains, rice noodles, rice. I made an amazing risoto...yummmm it was so good, it was with scallops.. yum, yum, YUM. I think I will be making lots of risoto dishes.

Still working out too, today I did 30min on the treadmill (360cal)walking at 6 incline and 3mph. Then did 17min on the eliptical for another 200cal. ( I brought a clean DRY pair of pants to change into after before picking up my daughter)

Did I mention that I hid the scale for 30 days? I would weight myslef 2-3x a day and was starting to feel that my success was based on the # and also frusterated at how much it shifted (due to cycle, salt ect). So for the 30 days of clean eating, I will not be weighting myself..so far that has been the harder part of this (than not eating crap!)Hubby took my measurements about 2 weeks ago so I think I will have him do them again today/tommorow to see what the change is, and will post it here!

Nothing like...

picking up your daughter from pre-school, and we you get home your husband points out your HUGE sweat stain on your crotch that looks like you totally peeed your self. The joys of working out.

Oh and by the way yesterday I started a 30 day challenge for myself. 30 days of "Clean Eating" I totally love the concept of cleaning eating. The first 14 days i am also doing a Yeast cleanse as well. I've had a problem with yeast for a year or 2 and am finally brave enough to do something about it (besides masking it with antibiotics). So no fruit either for 14 days. That will be a challenge. I know i'll go thru sugar/sweetness withdrawals, and I hope for my husbands sake, it's not too ugly!!

Things Seem to Be Working...

I think I have found that delicate area that is working for me. I don't seem to be fluctuating as much and can see I'm down a few "point somethings" each day which is encouraging. I eat between 1600-1700 cal a day and do aprox 45min of cardio 4-5 days week burning 400-650 cals each session, depending on what I'm doing. These days I do these for cardio:

1)Treadmill at about 6 incline and 3.2mph (basically hill walking)
2)HITT on the tread mil; 3 incline, walk speed 3 mph, run speed 6.5mph, doing 1min run, 2min walk (or until my hr recovers)
3)Stationary biking with a level of at least 10
4)I was doing spin classes but found it too hard on my back and the seats were just TOO uncomfortable. but I loved the work out!

I'm feeling great, and am almost half way to my 1st goal (195 wedding weight). Hubby even noticed the other day when I was dressed going to the gym, he was like "you are looking good!" and noted that he is really starting to see a difference! Whoot whoot!

30

30lbs down since Nov/09.
Ya me :)

27.4

I've gone past the 25 mark and am half way to losing 30lbs so far!! Ya Me!
I've dropped my working out a bit, and kept my calories around 1600-1800, stopped eating after supper (most nights :) ) and that has helped to shift things moving again.

Check'n In

Just because my blog has slowed down doesn't mean I have... I'm still tracking daily with Spark People and I exercise 4-5 days a week, aprox 40-50min and burn 500-700 calories each time! I love tracking my exercise!
I'm seeing tiny shifts on the scale, I think i've just come to terms that I am a slow looser... I've seen 243.4 but it's gone back up to the 244's.. I think I stop eating after supper than I can see the 243's again.
I did my first spin class last week and loved it! It's quite the work out though. My legs/back couldn't handle much of the standing but that will come as I get lighter and stronger. The hour long class went by pretty fast cause you are so focused on just staying alive, lol! I hope to do more because I'm getting kinda bored just doing the treadmill and stationary bike at the gym.

Movement Finally!

So finally down a bit... 244.2!! and it's TOM, go figure.

Away for a week!

So i've been away for a week and while I was away the following happened:

1)husband found out he has a broken foot and has a cast, is on crutches and off work for 6-8 weeks
2)went to a funeral (family friend very sick, so it was good)
3)saw the inlaws and my dad and family
4)ate ALOT of chocolates and good home cooking
5)power walked for 1h (aprox. 8k steps) 3 mornings while I was away
6)ate fast food and didn't really like it
7)packed and unpacked the truck 4x by myself
8)didn't gain a pound, may have even lost a pound or 2!

go figure!

I'll take it...

So weighed my self after working out and I finally saw a shift in the scale. It was 245.
Things i'm doing different
1) eating more calories. Sparks gives me a range of 1500 ish to 1900ish, I always aimed for the 1500# but now I am aiming for the 1900 and it seems to help.
2) I stopped strength training. I know some would not suggest this, and I don't like it too much either, but I NEED to see the scale move. When I get closer to goal I will start incorporating it again.

Hard

Hard to be motivated to go to the gym and eat well when you keep gaining weight. 248. something this morning. I just don't understand. I feel like I'm slipping off the wagon. I need to see progress. I know I should prob. take my measurements, so I have another way to track. But it's so frustrating seeing that # stay the same, even go up! and now i'm a weekish away from my cycle, so the next 10days is shot for any sort of weight loss. bleh.
I've decided to not do any weight training these next 2 weeks, and just do cardio, see if that makes a difference at all.

What I am currently doing:

tracking calories on spark people, eating 1580-1900 calories a day (as recommended)
working out 4x a week, doing 30-50min of cardio, burning 300-500 calories
(I was doing 15min of weights, lifting pretty heavy, I know I put muscle on easy)
drinking 2L of water a day.

+ we are going away next week. This is always when I totally give up on a program, when we travel and then I usually don't get back on. I REALLY don't' want this to happen, but with my stagnant weight loss, I'm scarred it totally will. boo.

11510

That's how many steps i'm at so far.. and it's only 1:30pm! I had an amazing 2h work out today at the gym. Mostly because my daughters pre-school had a Field trip to the gym so I didn't' have to waist time driving to school/drive to the gym, get the kids in child care (home with Dad today) ect. (I even had a peaceful shower there too!) I figured I burned around 800-1000 calories!!

Treadmill sprints 30min=400cal
Bike 20min=200cal
Walking track 20min=134cal
weight training 15min=100-200??

and I have to say I cam home and had a huge BBQ steak for lunch. It was soooo good. Almost orgasmic good, as much as a steak could be! Maybe it tasted so good because I was so hungry, lol! I feel good that I ate it for lunch too, not dinner so it didn't sit there!

My weight isn't moving much, but really only been tracking my food for 2 days so I should give it some time eh?

So I have been trying to get my eating figured out. I was not eating bad, but not tracking/counting ect and that wasn't working for me anymore (stopped losing, but not gaining either) I have been very consistent with my workouts ect. so I thought

"Lady this is crazy, for how hard you are working out at the gym, you are just wasteing it by not being more vigilant with your eating!"

So I joined Sparkspeople. I have decided to track calories, instead of WW points... I quite like the site, I also really like entering everything ect. I entered everything for yesterday and was kinda surprised when I reached my total, I would have probably eating another 500 calories easily, and that's why I stopped loosing.
So here's hopping to the scale starting to go down again! I feel like I've lost almost a month of weight loss just being in limbo. I guess the + is that I've kept up with my gym work outs so getting fitter.

Miss Me?

Guess I've slacked a bit.. just on the blog.. not on "Healthy New Me" or exercise. (much to my sore muscles dismay). Still kick-en it at the gym, but feeling tired these days, I think I need to eat more (did I really just say that, lol). I'm going about 4 days a week. I finally (well almost) have finished my cycle.. I hate what it does to the scale! I also find that heavy works outs 'do it' to the scale as well. I love how I make all these 'excuses' but really.. it's the truth. If I was eating back and feeling like I've gained weight then they'd be excuses, but because I am eating well, and doing everything I *should* be, then I'm not too worried.

No Excuses

So I'm at the gym today, peddling up a storm, feeling so tired and blah and just want to quit. I had done 20min on the treadmill and done about 4 sprint sessions and I just had to get off, no energy (I was aiming for 30min)So I thought I'd get on the bike for 10min.

So I'm there, on the bike, feeling frustrated that I'm there, and that I'm tired.. and I watch these 3 men come in to the gym. One you can tell is a phyiso therapist guy(there's an office at the gym) and another guy? and then the guy they were there to help. He was not walking but shuffling in. You could just feel his pain. I think it was a leg/knee maybe back issue? The go to the lat-pull down machine. (basically you sit down and pull the bar down to your chest). He attempted to sit down. He couldn't even do this. You could just feel his pain. They tried having him sit turned around (so his knee's wouldn't have to fit under the pads. No go. They tried having him stand and do it. No go. So off they shuffle, out of the gym.

I'm thinking that man would give anything to be able to just walk upright and in to a gym. To be able to perform basic body movements. I don't know his story, I'm guessing and accident of some type. I bet he has felt at some point what he would give to have his 'old' body back. We need to realize how blessed we are that we have able, healthy bodies. Yes I am carring around about 80-90lbs of EXTRA fat, but I can still move, I have NO EXCUSES not go move my body. NO EXCUSES.

NO EXCUSES.

Blah Blah Blah...

That is how I feel. No motivation, I just want to sleep, blah blah blah. When did this wash over me? I hate it! I am hoping it's just PMS, but still, it's hard to function when you feel like this! I have not exercised since Friday. I know I NEED to go today but uhg. And of course my weight is up a pound or 2. And have I drank hardly a cup of water in the past 48hours, I think not. Yesterday I skipped breakfast, had peanut butter cookies for lunch and then had a huge supper. Not they way to do things!!!
Wish me luck on getting back in the the "mode"


**update**
so I MADE myself do something, I rode my bike at home for 25min. I have to admit it did feel good, but hasn't totally washed away the blahs.... but it helped!

Hmph

So up 3lbs today.. I'm chalking it up to heavy workout yesterday and PMS. TOM is in a week, next sat. I'm not going to stress, I'm not going to stress. I really think it has to do with those 2 factors. We'll only see after next week I guess. And after a few months of steady tracking, if my weight always jumps up a bit before TOM. I seem to reacal it does.

20

Down 20bls since Nov. 9th (notice that includes over Christmas!!) Whoot Whoot... next milestone, 27lbs=10% loss...

That is over 11weeks so that is aprox. 1.8lbs a week!! (my average is usually 1.5lb/week so I'll take the little bit more!
So to get to short term goal (199) it will take aprox.28weeks=Aug/2010
and to get to long term goal (175) it will take aprox. 41 weeks=Nov/Dec 2010

It seems weird to me that I can actually be at goal by Christmas!! Thought I am NOT putting any time line on it, as I know I will have plateaus and what not! It's just nice to know it's possible.

Tales from the Scale

So my scale has been doing funny things... remember a little while ago I said how sometimes I'd get on the scale and it would be down, and then I'd adjust it and it would be up again. Well this morning I got on and what did I see? 247.4, I was like "Wow!" so double checking, tired again, again 247.4lbs! Adjust the scale and it was still 247.4. I am a little unsure about accepting this weight. Right after I had breakfast (a bowl of cereal) I weighed again, 250.6... hmmm don't think I age 3lbs of cereal. what ever. After I worked out (hard, sweaty HIIT work out) I weighed 249.0 so that is the weight I am going with today.
So I know what you are thinking.. "GIRL STOP WEIGHING YOUR SELF 5MILLION TIMES A DAY!!!" ha ha I know, I know better, but it was that low # this morning that threw me off, I kept having to check if it was "real". I'll know better tomorrow morning.
Thank you for not chastising me. XOXO

Classy...

So, another wake up call, though currently I am very awake, but I guess this should help keep me awake.. I just realized that with the last 2 pounds I lost I went from CLASS 2 OBESE (holy CRAP) to Class 1 Obese.

Firstly I'd like to say that I've never considered my self obese, yes overweight, yes fat, etc, but not 'obese'. To learn that I'm actually in (or was just in) the 2nd level of obesity is just, well, gross! and very very unhealthy!

So proud (I guess) to say that I am no longer class 2 obese, but only class 1. Can't wait to get in to the 'overweight' category :)

Butt

That's what I kicked at the gym today, and it felt awesome! I was reading (thru random surf'n the net last night) that listed the best 3 ways to loose fat.


1. Strength training
2. HIIT (High intensity interval training)
3. Cardio

It really made sense to me, so I am tiring to make sure I do some weights when ever I'm at the gym. Today I did a different cardio "routine" I was aiming for a HIIT type work out. I'd walk for 2min (level 3.0 incline, 3.0 speed) and then I did 10.0 incline for 2min, back to 3.0 incline. I did 2 or 3 sets of those. Then I changed up the speed; 1min at 6.0 speed (for me this is a big effort!) and then 3.0 speed until my heart rate recovered, then do another sprint.
I really loved it and it went by fast, I had a good sweat on and felt like I really did something. It was awesome!

Yabba Dabba Dooooooo

Hello 40's... it's been a while, but I've missed you so. You are as inspiring as ever. However I hope our affair is a short one, only a month or two. As there is another I'm starting to fantasize about.. the 30's. Forgive me.

Dinner Out

So we had GNO tonight (girls night out) we went for dinner. I was nervous as this is where temptation gets me usually! So I passed on appetizers, even though someone wanted to split the calamari with me, which I LOVE. I ordered the grilled salmon, said no to the rice, doubled my veggies, and cancelled the sauce that was to come with the salmon. Guess what, it was still very good! Any meal I don't have to cook for my self is yummy! I think it also tasted good as there was no guilt with it. I had a nibble (1) of someones popcorn shrimp. And tried a 1/2 a ravioli of someone else's.
It's funny, I feel quite proud of myself. lol!

Almost There...

the 40's that is... maybe tomorrow...

Thoughts

So these are some thoughts i've been having.

*When I start working out, feeling great, I think I am look'n good, I feel like i'm slimmer than I am. Then I get a glimps in the mirror and YIKES. I get disheartened to see that I am the same. Which really should be no big surprize as i've only lost a minimal amount of weight so far. And lets face it, I do weigh 250lbs. No matter how tall I am, I can't 'carry that well'. I have to constantly remind myself that it will take a while, probably a good year + to get to goal (170's). That after 1-2 weeks of working out I am not instantly going to have a ripped, hot body.

*I love chocolate, I can not live with out chocolate. So I will need to learn to 'pace' myself with this delectable treat.

*It's hard being a SAHM.

Friends are Fabulous!

So this past Saturday I have a very dear friend of mine come visit. She lives& works in Africa... sooo I don't see her to often. She gets home 2x a year. Home for her is actually 5h drive from me but she made that drive and came to visit me! She's one of those friends that you can go how ever long with out talking/seeing and then when you do see them, it's like you've never spent a day apart. I love her like she was sister. It was so good to see her and just have some girlfriend time!

Ok so I know that had nothing to do with weight loss, but just had to share. On to weight loss stuff...

I road my bike at home for 16min. I find it way easier with shoes on. Not sure why I thought it would be good to go shoe-less in the first place. I also hit the gym today. Hubby's on days off so I was able to go kid-less which is nice. Even though they go in the child care it was nice not to have to deal with the drop off/pick up thing. I did 45min walking on the treadmill (but at a level that made me sweat and have a target heart rate) and then I did 15min of various upper body weights. Felt pretty good if I do say so! I have plans to hit the gym again tomorrow. Love it!

It's all Coming Back to Me...

What you ask... several things;

1) that the week after my period is the prime week for me to drop poundage. That's why this week the #'s are very much in my favor, after this week, the next three, it's not so easy/fast.

2) that good, wholesome, pure food really does taste amazing and better than anything processed. I find I am naturally gravitating toward food in it's simplest form. For breakfast I made a big fruit salad (oranges, grapefruits, banana's, strawberries) the kids and I loved it. We had some yogurt with it too! My favorite lunch right now is a pita pizza. You take a whole wheat pita, spread a little BBQ sauce on the bottom, add thin sliced peppers, onions, yesterday I then added some frozen shrimp pieces I had and top with lf mozzarella cheese, cook under the broiler for about 5min, sooo Good!!!!

3) it feels amazing to exercise and move your body. It feels great for your body and for your mind. It's very therapeutic. VERY.

4) I think I am doing better by not setting any goals.. for now. I feel less pressure. I'm just doing the right thing day by day. I am having little nibbles of 'favorites' (chocolate) and am satisfied with the few bites I get, and I have no guilt about it. I'm very much and all or nothing girl when it comes to weight loss and I think that's where I've had problems before. I'd get so frustrated and mad at my self for not staying 100% on plan, I'd get in a downward cycle.

15

Yup, that's what i've lost so far. I guess since Nov 9th ish. So that averages out to about 1.5lbs a week, which is were I always seem to settle out with weight loss. It would be nice to be loosing a bit more, bit faster, seems I am *big* and all.. but I'll take what I can get. and given that was over Christmas/New Years, i'd say pretty good!
I am really itching to get out of the 50's.. it's time. I also need to get with a program (points, core, calorie counting etc) and stick with it. I'm not doing anything right now but "making better choices" and really watching my carb intake. I feel i'd have better results if I was following a program, but finding it difficult to get with it.

Guess What I Did Today...

Yes, I set foot in my local gym. First time in a while (prob 1.5y!!) I stopped going for a couple reasons
a)2 summers ago I attempted to run a 5k, failed miserably, went on vacation afterwards, and this was the start to a HUGE downward spiral for myself.
b)it's expensive with 3 kid... they do offer child minding, but with 2-3 kids in it, it adds up. Today my bill was $15 (for my pass and child minding) so do that 2-3X a week equals about $120-$180 a month, which is kinda a lot for a 1 income family.

But I'm going to crunch #'s and see what I can come up with. If I go while 1 child is in Pre-School then I only have to pay for 2 kids, and if I get a 4m-1y pass it's cheaper, but then there is the inital cost as well.

Anyways it felt good, I walked on the treadmill for 30min at an incline and got a good sweat on. Then I did 10min on the eliptial mch. I really don't like eliptials, I feel like they don't really do anything.. but they only had 1 upright bike at the moment ( read some sign about more being on order). So it felt really great to sweat, and i've booked my kids in to child minding on thurs so well see if we can make it a twice this week thing.

Mental Health Day.. Sort of

So hubby is away working.. has been since last Sunday.. for those that don't know, I am a SAHM of 3 kids, 4,3,1 and well it's alot of work! Exp. when hubby is away working! So I did a little road trip to my friends house, she lives about 2.5h from me. She has 3 young kids at home too! So really it wasn't much of a "break" but nice to have some girl time! One thing we did (it was even my idea!!) was go to her gym. They have child minding and I thought it would be a good way to get some grown up time in + doing something good for us (she has about 15lbs of baby weight left to lose). I'm proud to say I rode the bike for 30min and got a good sweat on! Then I rode the sit down bike and chatted with her for another 15min, but it wasn't really a 'work out' but I guess we were moving, so it count for something.
My cycle is due to start any day so I'm hoping that's why my weight is not changing.. so we'll see in a week or so.

Mean Scale...

Eating treats while watching the Biggest Loser is like.... I don't know.. it's just bad! I don't know why but last night I was just craving a treat so bad. I tried to combat it with a bowl of mini-wheat cereal.. but it didn't work, so off to my baking stash I go.. skor bits and chocolate chips. It did totally hit the spot, but still, why do we have such strong cravings? Anyways I didn't dwell on it, just moved on.

On another note, my scale likes to play tricks on me... once in a while I get on it and am like "Holy Crap"!! like a couple weeks ago when it was 251. I mean I would love to believe it, but you know how you can just "tell" when it's not your true weight. The next time it did that, I got off and re-positioned it and it went back to "normal" 254-255 range. Weird. So this morning I hop on it, and what do I see? 250.0, 249.8, 250.4... ummm I'd love to be that, but I can tell in my body I'm not. + I doubt I drooped 4lbs in one day. So I re-position the scale, wipe the "feet" with my finger and hop back on... 254.4, 254.6. 255... Why would it tease me like that in the beginning? Mean scale.

Funny Thing...

Since New Years Eve, I have been off the wagon BIG TIME. So I get on the scale this morning (after encouraging another blogger I'd feel hypocritical if I didn't follow my preaching) and low and behold... i have not gained weight!!??? (check out my daily weigh in on the side bar)

So off to the grocery store to stock up on good foods. I think I'm going to do a version of core/clean eating. I've tried several times to start doing points, but just wasn't working for me yet. I also watched Dr. Oz's "diet" yesterday and quite liked his recommendations a quick synopsis of what they were:
Top 5 foods NOT to eat:
1) simple sugar
2) syrups
3) white flours
4) trans fats
5) saturated fats

also,
measure your waist (should not be more than 1/2 your height) eat off a 9" dinner plate, automate your meals, 10'000 steps a day... etc.

ok it's getting late and I need to get this day started :)

He He He...

Sooooo 251 didn't last long. The next day it was back up to 254 something and then New Years Eve happened, I put on a spread for a few friends... and there were left overs.. and well.. I'm sitting around 256 right now. WHOOOPS. Funny the past 3 New Years i've been 250 (well this year i'm 5lbs over. But in between those times I've been any where from 218 to 268... funny how that works, by New Years I manage to get back (up or down) to 250...

Happy New Year all!!! Will this be the year? I bet you and me hope so... It's in our hands, and we can make a significant change in one year... can we do it? YES Will we do it? yes.. (hopefully).