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Monday, November 23, 2015

Monday Motivation...



Goals this week:
  • Eat smaller, healthy meals and snacks (between 1400-1600 calories daily)
  • Drink plenty of water (have to fill my new water bottle at least 4 times a day)
  • Move daily... minimum is the two mile walk with The Girl
  • Strength train at least twice
  • Get sleep
  • Start meditating in the mornings for 5 minutes
  • Go hiking on Black Friday

Friday, November 20, 2015

Stats...

I've decided that, to help keep me honest and on track, I will post certain stats every Friday... weight every week, and measurements once a month.

So here goes nothing....

(And yes, this makes me a tad uncomfortable... I feel so exposed)

Weight: 200.6 as of this morning

Bust: 43 inches

Waist: 39 inches

Hips: 45 inches

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]

Neck: 14 inches

Clothing size: 14/16

And now I feel officially huge.

But I know I can change. I can make those numbers very different.

This weekend, I am trying a workout I picked up at the library: Iron Yoga, which takes two exercises I don't do enough of—weight training and yogaand combines them. It's outside the norm for me, but that could be a good thing! I had been working through the C25K app training as well, but I think I have my first shin splint, and running is on the painful side. So I am trying other exercises while it heals, and then I am looking at a more gradual approach to running.

*Now, about those calories... I know my friend K said not to go below 1600, but I have lost precisely ONE pound in THREE weeks. That's slower than a snail's pace. And I felt uncomfortably full about half the time. (Okay, but to be totally honest, I do fit in a smaller size of pants, so there is that). And I was getting obsessive about counting grams of protein and calories every day.

 
So I'm taking a break from calorie counting, and just eating good, real food, in reasonable portion sizes, and of course, I weigh myself daily.


So how about an update on The Girl? Truthfully, I have not been keeping on top of her fitness like I should. Like I need to. First, let me explain that she is homeschooled, so she's at home, a lot. And she spends most of her time sitting. About 3/4 of the year, she does roller derby, which involves a lot of exercise and hard skating, twice a week, for a minimum of an hour and a half. But right now, the season is over, so she's not doing that at all. She watching YouTube videos and playing Minecraft instead. And she makes her own breakfast every morning while I am at work. I do stock the house with healthy options for this meal, but then I looked at her portion sizes... and promptly bought smaller ("custard cups") bowls for her beloved yogurt.

Last night we took a 2 mile, moderately paced walk. She was fine with it, so we'll be doing that at least 5 times a week. One thing that really struck me when I read Who's The New Kid? was the sheer simplicity of Heidi's 5-4-3 plan, which for them was 5 days swimming, 4 days walking, and 3 healthy meals a day. I'm making my own for The Girl, which is 5 days walking, 4 days other activities (strength training, skating, etc.), and 3 healthy meals a day. Luckily, she loves veggies and fruit, so the food part, besides portion size, should be easy enough to tackle. No, I am not putting her on a diet. It is about living a healthy lifestyle.

Tonight I have my own challenge. You see, The Husband and I have been married 20 years as of yesterday! So tonight we are heading out for dinner, and I want to make good choices. We've already decided to split the "small plate" of grilled calamari as an appetizer. Then, I though, why not stick with the small plate approach (the Grilled Moroccan Chicken Wings sound so good!) and get a side of veggies? Or, if I don't see a good option there, or the size is ridiculously small, I will set aside half the food I get with a "large" plate. And we can split a dessert. I'm not totally going to deny myself deliciousness with such a momentous occasion!

So, with all that said, have a great weekend, and again, I'll leave you with a motivational meme!


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Chugging Along...

Yes, I am having trouble settling on a name for this blog. But I think I'm happy now!

I have a friend, about my age evenI'll call her K—who lost over 100 pounds a few years back, and has kept it off. She's now a wellness coach actually, and a huge inspiration! A few times, I have turned to her for advice, which she has freely given. And for a week, or two, I would follow it... at least half-heartedly. And then, strangely enough, only sort of following what worked for her would not work for me, and I'd give up.

Now, about a week and a half ago, I decided to ask her about calories. And she messaged me back, giving me her advice (her advice, btw, never go below 1600, but focus primarily on protein and water). And then she asked if there was anything else she could do to help.

(In case you want to figure out your actual caloric needs, try this formula)

Umm, yeah. I can use some help.

So I asked if I could check in with her once a week. And she said yes, that she would love that.

Something has clicked in me this time. Yes, I am a repeat dieter. I have tried many a food plan and exercise plan, only to give up. This time though... I'm not sure how to explain it. Part of it is that I feel I owe her for wasting her time in the past. Part of it is that I really want to set the best example I can for my twelve year old daughter, since she's a bit of a couch potato. Part of it is that my fourteen year old son loves that I am more active with him—we go bike riding together, work out together, and he wants to try trail running together. And part of it is that I just really want to be fit and healthy. I am tired of weighting/waiting.

image courtesy of indulgy.com

Plus, eating healthfully and moving feel so good!

Well, except today. Today I am sore all over. I swear I can feel EVERY muscle in my body. For that, I blame those BeachBody Insanity dvds my sister passed on to me. Which, as they currently raise my heart level a little too much, I may set aside for the time being, in favor of my treadmill, my Bowflex, bicycle, and of course, the great outdoors. Living in northern California I'm lucky that I can exercise outside nearly year round. Plus, the dvds are a little isolating, and I want fitness to be a family endeavor. 

(Here's a heart rate formula for you too)

So K is there for me to check in with, to give me a boost, and advice, when I need it. I have also started reading weight loss memoirs for some added inspiration, and when I have downtime at the college library (a job hazard), I've been reading through current and back issues of fitness/health magazines.

On my reading list:
Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (currently reading)
The Incredible Shrinking Critic
Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir
The Weight Loss Diaries

I've already read:
It Was Me All Along: A Memoir (great book!)
Passing for Thin: Losing Half My Weight and Finding Myself (also very good)
Who's The New Kid? (inspiration for helping my twelve year old)
I'm With Fatty: Losing Fifty Pounds in Fifty Miserable Weeks (funny and informative)

I'll probably find some more titles later on.

On the agenda:
Figure out healthy dinners for the rest of the week. I've got breakfast and lunch covered.
Walk a lot today. I walk a mile on my break time at job 1, which is a good start at least!
Full workout tomorrow.
Lots of walking Friday.
Full workout Saturday/Family exercise time (hiking?)

I'll leave you with a motivational image...


image courtesy of rebloggy.com