I managed to live through Christmas without gaining any weight, which is actually surprising since I felt like I was eating all day long the days leading up to Christmas. Mission accomplished.
Now we're in the home stretch to the new year. Tomorrow is NYE. For some reason I decided to get nostalgic and rummaged through an old box of pictures that was out in the garage.
A couple of things that I noticed:
1) I've come a long way when it comes to my weight. But more importantly, in looking back at old pics of myself from high school, through college, with my first love, and through my marriage I never once remember caring or rather obsessing with how I looked. I was anorexic thin in 8th grade, remained muscular/stocky throughout high school, gained some weight in college and just packed on the pounds when I was married. But I never let the weight stop me from wanting my picture taken. It's not until I got divorced did I really take stock of myself and my health did I start obsessing about it. Then losing close to 50 lbs and landing my now boyfriend who at the time was one of the hottest guys I've ever met, and knowing that he would never have considered me 50 lbs ago just reinforced my obsession. But just like most long term relationships, you get comfortable and slowly the weight crept back on and I gained about 30 lbs back. As soon as that weight came back, I didn't want my picture taken and I really didn't want to socialize with his friends because I was ashamed. They only knew me as being relatively thin so to be fat was embarrassing. Not that they even cared about that, but that was how I felt so I isolated myself and my boyfriend from his friends. The sad thing is that by doing that, I feel like I lost 4 years of my life, our life. I just really need to work on not making my weight define who I am.
2) I realize that I've changed so much over the years, to the point where I can't remember how I was back then. It's actually pretty scary because I can't remember a lot of things from my college years (and I didn't drink so I can't blame it on that). I see pictures of the people I went to school with and can't even remember their names or anything about when the picture was taken. Then I see pictures of my wedding and my ex and our dog and first house and feel like it was like a different lifetime. I use to cook, I was the submissive wife and I looked happy. But I was HUGE! I wasn't taking care of myself whatsoever so the smile on the outside was really hiding the misery inside. The only thing I miss from that relationship is my yellow lab Willy and seeing pictures of him as a puppy and then as a young dog makes my heart ache. He really was my baby and he will always have a place in my heart.
3) I also realize that I need to start taking more pictures to document points of time in my life. Case in point, I have only have 1 picture of me after losing 30 lbs. I mean really?! I hope to maintain this weight for a long time but there are no guarantees. I bought my boyfriend a small handheld video recorder for Christmas so we can start filming things, especially our dogs. Simba is 11 years old now and as much as I want him to live forever, I know he won't. I don't know if I'd be able to watch old videos of him after he passes but it would be nice to have.
So with the new year upon me, I have no resolutions. I don't believe in them. I just want to continue to live healthy both inside and out. There is no winning when it comes to the battle of the bulge. It will be a constant battle for me and I can accept that. I just bought some resistance bands and got the P90X workout dvds and the Physique 57 dvds to change up my workouts. I did the P90X cardio, plyometrics, and yoga dvds and they are incredibly intense which is good. I'm in excruciating pain today but I know that it's a good pain. I did find out that I have terrible balance and weak core strength and not much flexibility but I know that I just have to keep working on that. I also signed up for 2 half marathons in 2011 already to keep me motivated.
I do realize that I'm probably the best shape I have been in years and I am relishing in that. Knowing how hard I worked to get to this point a second time has made it all the more rewarding. I hope that I never forget it!!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tis the Season
Well I survived Thanksgiving...for the most part. I thought I did enough exercising to allow me to splurge a little on my food consumption but by Monday my pants were feeling a little snug. Maybe it was all in my head but it did get me down.
I know the next 3-4 months are going to be a huge challenge for me in terms of keeping the weight off. I've been running on the treadmill for about 65 mins a day (well running most of the time). I've increased my speed to try and change it up since I'm not running as long as I use to. It's a challenge just to do an hour on that thing. Even watching my tv shows doesn't pass the time quick enough. My calorie burn according to the treadmill is around 600-650 but I guess I'm still eating too much. Ugh it's just so exhausting to consistently monitor what you eat.
I pretty much live on Subway. I eat a 6" turkey sandwich meal everyday. I calculate it to be around 500-600 calories with the chips and pop. I have two 6 oz protein shakes before lunch which is close to 300-350 calories. So by the time I get home, I've consumed almost 1000 calories. Then I work off 600 so I'm down to 400 before I eat dinner. I've concluded that dinner MUST be the problem. Honestly by dinner time I am pretty hungry. I know my problem is making my own dinner. Yeah how sad is that. I've realized I have no self control.
Since I don't like to cook or really know how to, I end up making things that are easy. Like grilled cheese sandwiches, mac n cheese. I am also obsessed with the harvest cheddar sunchips and find myself eating the whole bag in about 3 days. So I think even though it may be cheaper to go to the store and buy food in bulk, I tend to overeat when I do this. I need to just go out and buy Subway or something healthy and limit myself to that meal. Once it's gone it's gone. I'm not tempted to eat the entire bag of chips or make myself another sandwich.
I've also been adding weight training to my exercise routine. I'm using the all in one weight set that Brett has in his basement and incorporating 20 jumping jacks in between my sets to keep my heart rate up. Then I started jump roping! I bought a jump rope about 2 or 3 years ago and found that when I was heavier it hurt my knees too much to jump. But now that I've lost close to 30 pounds I could do it without the pain! But OMG! I forgot how exhausting it is to jump rope. I could only do about 30 seconds at a time before I had to stop and rest. Seriously I don't remember being this out of breath when I use to do it as a kid. Talk about a workout.
I went outside in front of Brett's house to jump. I knew everyone in the world would see me but figured they'd probably be envious that I could still jump rope (at least that's what I told myself. They were probably laughing at me). It was maybe 40 degrees out and breezy and I was only in my sweaty workout clothes. After 15 mins I was totally soaked in sweat and wiped out. I vowed to continue this routine on the weekends but suddenly last weekend my jump rope actually split in two! I guess it was made of like plastic so after constant poundings on the sidewalk it just gave. So now I need to find a new one, preferable of better quality.
Today is our first snowfall. It started last night and this morning everything is blanketed in this pretty white snow. It's still coming down. The forecast is for 2-4 inches. As pretty as it is, it's just a reminder that this is the beginning of winter. I wish I could be like a bear and pig out for a few months before I get to hibernate until spring. Oh well. I need to keep my spirits up and try my best at keeping up my battle of the bulge!
I know the next 3-4 months are going to be a huge challenge for me in terms of keeping the weight off. I've been running on the treadmill for about 65 mins a day (well running most of the time). I've increased my speed to try and change it up since I'm not running as long as I use to. It's a challenge just to do an hour on that thing. Even watching my tv shows doesn't pass the time quick enough. My calorie burn according to the treadmill is around 600-650 but I guess I'm still eating too much. Ugh it's just so exhausting to consistently monitor what you eat.
I pretty much live on Subway. I eat a 6" turkey sandwich meal everyday. I calculate it to be around 500-600 calories with the chips and pop. I have two 6 oz protein shakes before lunch which is close to 300-350 calories. So by the time I get home, I've consumed almost 1000 calories. Then I work off 600 so I'm down to 400 before I eat dinner. I've concluded that dinner MUST be the problem. Honestly by dinner time I am pretty hungry. I know my problem is making my own dinner. Yeah how sad is that. I've realized I have no self control.
Since I don't like to cook or really know how to, I end up making things that are easy. Like grilled cheese sandwiches, mac n cheese. I am also obsessed with the harvest cheddar sunchips and find myself eating the whole bag in about 3 days. So I think even though it may be cheaper to go to the store and buy food in bulk, I tend to overeat when I do this. I need to just go out and buy Subway or something healthy and limit myself to that meal. Once it's gone it's gone. I'm not tempted to eat the entire bag of chips or make myself another sandwich.
I've also been adding weight training to my exercise routine. I'm using the all in one weight set that Brett has in his basement and incorporating 20 jumping jacks in between my sets to keep my heart rate up. Then I started jump roping! I bought a jump rope about 2 or 3 years ago and found that when I was heavier it hurt my knees too much to jump. But now that I've lost close to 30 pounds I could do it without the pain! But OMG! I forgot how exhausting it is to jump rope. I could only do about 30 seconds at a time before I had to stop and rest. Seriously I don't remember being this out of breath when I use to do it as a kid. Talk about a workout.
I went outside in front of Brett's house to jump. I knew everyone in the world would see me but figured they'd probably be envious that I could still jump rope (at least that's what I told myself. They were probably laughing at me). It was maybe 40 degrees out and breezy and I was only in my sweaty workout clothes. After 15 mins I was totally soaked in sweat and wiped out. I vowed to continue this routine on the weekends but suddenly last weekend my jump rope actually split in two! I guess it was made of like plastic so after constant poundings on the sidewalk it just gave. So now I need to find a new one, preferable of better quality.
Today is our first snowfall. It started last night and this morning everything is blanketed in this pretty white snow. It's still coming down. The forecast is for 2-4 inches. As pretty as it is, it's just a reminder that this is the beginning of winter. I wish I could be like a bear and pig out for a few months before I get to hibernate until spring. Oh well. I need to keep my spirits up and try my best at keeping up my battle of the bulge!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Feeling pretty good!
I just wanted to document real quick that I think I'm back to where I was 7 years ago when I lost a lot of weight. I bounce around between 166 and 167 lbs which is a good 30+ lbs less than where I started in May. I drink about 40+ ounces of water from 5:30 to 7am (on my way to work and when I get into work) and I think that has helped tremendously. I believe it kicks my matabolism in gear and flushes me out. My skin looks and feels awesome. Overall I feel awesome!
I still have about 20 more lbs to lose. The belly fat is still there although there is less of it but I'm nowhere near flat abs. I'm sure this is because all I've been doing since May is running and no weight training. Yesterday I did pushups and crunches for the first time in about a year and I'm feeling it today. With the weather getting cold (too cold to motivate me into running outside), I plan on changing up my routine and doing more resistance training.
I'm trying to do it without joining a gym only because I don't want to spend the money. I saw an ad for Cardinal Fitness for $10/month. Now that may be worth it because there is one close to both my house and Brett's. I prefer using the machines. So we'll see. I know I need to do something because I could only handle running about an hour on the treadmill (about 5 miles) before I get bored. Although I am changing up the pace on the treadmill. I run outside at about 5 mph so I've been increasing it to 5.5 to 6 mph on the treadmill for short spurts.
My biggest fear is putting back on the weight because I won't be running as much for the next 3 months or so. And my diet isn't the best. I drink 12 ounces of my protein shake before lunch and pretty much have a 6" turkey or tuna subway meal for lunch and pretty much the same for dinner. I know I am not eating enough veggies and pretty much no fruit and probably drinking too much pop. It hasn't been affecting my weight because I was burning close to 1000 calories during my runs. Now I'm only burning about 600-650 calories. So I know I need to watch my diet. I just don't look forward to it at all. This is where I falter. With the cold weather and it getting dark by 4pm, my motivation is zapped. I am trying to sign up for some races in the spring to keep me motivated. I'm worried that I'll get out of this awesome place that I'm in and not get back. This is the second time I've gotten back in shape but it was a bitch to do. Lots of food deprivation. I don't want to go through that again.
I just need to keep all this in front of me so that I don't lose the battle!!
I still have about 20 more lbs to lose. The belly fat is still there although there is less of it but I'm nowhere near flat abs. I'm sure this is because all I've been doing since May is running and no weight training. Yesterday I did pushups and crunches for the first time in about a year and I'm feeling it today. With the weather getting cold (too cold to motivate me into running outside), I plan on changing up my routine and doing more resistance training.
I'm trying to do it without joining a gym only because I don't want to spend the money. I saw an ad for Cardinal Fitness for $10/month. Now that may be worth it because there is one close to both my house and Brett's. I prefer using the machines. So we'll see. I know I need to do something because I could only handle running about an hour on the treadmill (about 5 miles) before I get bored. Although I am changing up the pace on the treadmill. I run outside at about 5 mph so I've been increasing it to 5.5 to 6 mph on the treadmill for short spurts.
My biggest fear is putting back on the weight because I won't be running as much for the next 3 months or so. And my diet isn't the best. I drink 12 ounces of my protein shake before lunch and pretty much have a 6" turkey or tuna subway meal for lunch and pretty much the same for dinner. I know I am not eating enough veggies and pretty much no fruit and probably drinking too much pop. It hasn't been affecting my weight because I was burning close to 1000 calories during my runs. Now I'm only burning about 600-650 calories. So I know I need to watch my diet. I just don't look forward to it at all. This is where I falter. With the cold weather and it getting dark by 4pm, my motivation is zapped. I am trying to sign up for some races in the spring to keep me motivated. I'm worried that I'll get out of this awesome place that I'm in and not get back. This is the second time I've gotten back in shape but it was a bitch to do. Lots of food deprivation. I don't want to go through that again.
I just need to keep all this in front of me so that I don't lose the battle!!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monster Dash 1/2 Marathon Results
All I could say was WOW as I walked from the North Garage at Soldiers Field across the museum campus to the start of the race at Grant Park. I was worried that the weather would be frigid considering we had 50-60 mph wind gusts the last few days and knew that kind of wind off the lake would not be pleasant. So when I woke up at 5:15 and checked my iphone for the current temps I was very happy to see it was around 48-49 degrees and the wind was only 5-9 mph coming out of the NNE. THAT was doable. And the forecast called for mostly sunny skies. Even better.
It was about 7:15 when I came up to Shedd Aquarium and caught a glimpse of the sun rising above the lake and shining off the beautiful Chicago skyline. I mean it was picture perfect. There is no other city that captures that beauty. It put me in a great mood to start this race.
As I waited at my pace area I saw a friend of mine that was doing her first half. She has lost close to 80 lbs and looks awesome. She warned me that she'll be walking most of it and for me not to stick with her. Which secretly I was happy because I really wanted to challenge myself and see if I could beat my time at Indy.
So we slowly make out way to the start line and I start jogging when all of a sudden the toe of my right shoe snags one of the mats (I think these mats have sensors in them to monitor your time) and I began the humiliating tumble to the ground. It felt like minutes passed and all I could think of as it was happening was NO!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!! Nothing like eating humble pie in front of thousands of people. I tried my best not to create a domino effect and luckily I didn't get trampled on by the runners behind me. I guess it was good that I was close to the back of the pack so there were mostly walkers and slow runners. One of the guys working the race helped me up. A guy behind me joked that I was suppose to fall at the end of the race, not the beginning. That allowed me to laugh at myself and not to beat myself up over it for the next 13 miles. Which I did for about 1 mile and then figured most people didn't see it happen and have probably forgotten about it already. But in the back of my mind, I feared the scene being sent viral on youtube or facebook since EVERYTHING nowadays is up for publicity. So far, I haven't seen anything, thank goodness.
I really enjoyed the run. The scenery was beautiful. Most of the run was along the lakefront which at first I was confused because the course map showed the race south along the lakefront but we were running north (as felt by that nice north wind). At the time I didn't realize that the race coordinators had to change the route at the last minute because President Obama was in town campaigning for a IL senate candidate on Saturday night. Not sure what that had to do with Sunday unless he was still in town. But I was fine with that. We ran through Lincoln Park and other nice neighborhoods. The only complaint I had was that a lot of the course was through unlevel and cracked sidewalks which is a hazard for runners. I was careful not to sprang my ankle. Running along the lake was fabulous. If I lived downtown I'd so do that everyday. There are no words to describe how beautiful the lakefront is. The other downside was that this was not a closed course so naturally on a beautiful fall day, there are A LOT of people walking/running/biking along the lakefront so sometimes you had to dodge pedestrians.
The last half of the race was nice because the wind was at your back. Trust me, that helped beyond belief when coming up to mile 10/11. The last mile of a half marathon is the longest mile EVER!! I can't imagine the last mile in a full marathon. FORGET THAT!! It takes every last bit of stamina in me to cross that finish line and it's only my determination that gets me there. I did not stop running the entire race except to use the bathroom around mile 6 or 7. Naturally there were only two portapotties so I lost about 5 mins getting that taken care of.
I've noticed a couple things in these two races. One, there are people of every size who participate in half marathons. Now I am definitely not a world class athlete and acknowledge that I have about 10 more pounds of body fat to lose but when I see people who appear heavier or more out of shape than I am crossing the finish line ahead of me, I really wonder if I'm not as good as I think I am. I mean, I think running a half marathon is challenging. My pace is a little under 12 min/mile or 5 miles per hour. It's not fast but certainly not slow. The average time for women to complete 13.1 miles is between 2 hrs 15 mins and 2 hrs 21 mins. I do it in around 2 hrs 33 mins. That's about a 10 1/2 min mile pace or a full minute faster. It doesn't sound like much but try doing it for 13 miles.
I think my issue is my strategy. I try to run at a consistent pace throughout the race. This leads me to the second thing I noticed. There was a couple who were running for a few minutes, then walking. They beat me through the finish line. It was funny because I'd pass them as they were walking, then they'd pass me when they started running and just when I thought I was well ahead of them, they pass me and cross the finish line first. That got me thinking that maybe I need to change my strategy. Either train to run faster or maybe incorporate the run/walk. But in my mind I feel it's more of a challenge to run the whole thing :)
Another lesson learned is not to drink pop the night before a race. I had pizza (it's a good source of carbs right?) and a can of pop. I think the issue was that I didn't drink any water afterward and because I pee constantly when I drink water, I barely drank any water before the race. Needless to say, around mile 3 or 4 my left calf about locked up in a cramp. I was so worried because I was determined to finish this race since it cost me close to $100. So I ran through the pain and could barely walk when I crossed the finish line. No pain, no gain!! I did drink a TON of water and ate 3 bananas after the race. Luckily there's no permanent damage.
I did not know my official time when I finished the race. I don't keep track of it during the race since really my goal is just to enjoy the race and to finish it. I figured it had to be around the 2:30 mark since I had a general idea of what time it was when I finished. So on Monday I checked the official time and found that I actually finished in 2:36:03. About 3 mins worse than Indy. I was a little bummed but still felt good about it. I figured it was due to the 5 min potty break. Then I read a post on facebook that the course was actually 13.35 miles! So I did the math and calculated that if the course was the standard 13.1 miles I would have finished exactly at 2:33!! Not that this matters to anybody but me :)
I would definitely do this race again. A lot of people dressed up in halloween costumes which was surprising. Not that I'd dress up but you can't beat running along the lake in Chicago. I would just hope the weather is as perfect. I have been extremely lucky that my first two half marathons have been in relatively warm sunny weather. I don't plan on running anymore half marathons until next Spring. I need a break :)
It was about 7:15 when I came up to Shedd Aquarium and caught a glimpse of the sun rising above the lake and shining off the beautiful Chicago skyline. I mean it was picture perfect. There is no other city that captures that beauty. It put me in a great mood to start this race.
As I waited at my pace area I saw a friend of mine that was doing her first half. She has lost close to 80 lbs and looks awesome. She warned me that she'll be walking most of it and for me not to stick with her. Which secretly I was happy because I really wanted to challenge myself and see if I could beat my time at Indy.
So we slowly make out way to the start line and I start jogging when all of a sudden the toe of my right shoe snags one of the mats (I think these mats have sensors in them to monitor your time) and I began the humiliating tumble to the ground. It felt like minutes passed and all I could think of as it was happening was NO!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!! Nothing like eating humble pie in front of thousands of people. I tried my best not to create a domino effect and luckily I didn't get trampled on by the runners behind me. I guess it was good that I was close to the back of the pack so there were mostly walkers and slow runners. One of the guys working the race helped me up. A guy behind me joked that I was suppose to fall at the end of the race, not the beginning. That allowed me to laugh at myself and not to beat myself up over it for the next 13 miles. Which I did for about 1 mile and then figured most people didn't see it happen and have probably forgotten about it already. But in the back of my mind, I feared the scene being sent viral on youtube or facebook since EVERYTHING nowadays is up for publicity. So far, I haven't seen anything, thank goodness.
I really enjoyed the run. The scenery was beautiful. Most of the run was along the lakefront which at first I was confused because the course map showed the race south along the lakefront but we were running north (as felt by that nice north wind). At the time I didn't realize that the race coordinators had to change the route at the last minute because President Obama was in town campaigning for a IL senate candidate on Saturday night. Not sure what that had to do with Sunday unless he was still in town. But I was fine with that. We ran through Lincoln Park and other nice neighborhoods. The only complaint I had was that a lot of the course was through unlevel and cracked sidewalks which is a hazard for runners. I was careful not to sprang my ankle. Running along the lake was fabulous. If I lived downtown I'd so do that everyday. There are no words to describe how beautiful the lakefront is. The other downside was that this was not a closed course so naturally on a beautiful fall day, there are A LOT of people walking/running/biking along the lakefront so sometimes you had to dodge pedestrians.
The last half of the race was nice because the wind was at your back. Trust me, that helped beyond belief when coming up to mile 10/11. The last mile of a half marathon is the longest mile EVER!! I can't imagine the last mile in a full marathon. FORGET THAT!! It takes every last bit of stamina in me to cross that finish line and it's only my determination that gets me there. I did not stop running the entire race except to use the bathroom around mile 6 or 7. Naturally there were only two portapotties so I lost about 5 mins getting that taken care of.
I've noticed a couple things in these two races. One, there are people of every size who participate in half marathons. Now I am definitely not a world class athlete and acknowledge that I have about 10 more pounds of body fat to lose but when I see people who appear heavier or more out of shape than I am crossing the finish line ahead of me, I really wonder if I'm not as good as I think I am. I mean, I think running a half marathon is challenging. My pace is a little under 12 min/mile or 5 miles per hour. It's not fast but certainly not slow. The average time for women to complete 13.1 miles is between 2 hrs 15 mins and 2 hrs 21 mins. I do it in around 2 hrs 33 mins. That's about a 10 1/2 min mile pace or a full minute faster. It doesn't sound like much but try doing it for 13 miles.
I think my issue is my strategy. I try to run at a consistent pace throughout the race. This leads me to the second thing I noticed. There was a couple who were running for a few minutes, then walking. They beat me through the finish line. It was funny because I'd pass them as they were walking, then they'd pass me when they started running and just when I thought I was well ahead of them, they pass me and cross the finish line first. That got me thinking that maybe I need to change my strategy. Either train to run faster or maybe incorporate the run/walk. But in my mind I feel it's more of a challenge to run the whole thing :)
Another lesson learned is not to drink pop the night before a race. I had pizza (it's a good source of carbs right?) and a can of pop. I think the issue was that I didn't drink any water afterward and because I pee constantly when I drink water, I barely drank any water before the race. Needless to say, around mile 3 or 4 my left calf about locked up in a cramp. I was so worried because I was determined to finish this race since it cost me close to $100. So I ran through the pain and could barely walk when I crossed the finish line. No pain, no gain!! I did drink a TON of water and ate 3 bananas after the race. Luckily there's no permanent damage.
I did not know my official time when I finished the race. I don't keep track of it during the race since really my goal is just to enjoy the race and to finish it. I figured it had to be around the 2:30 mark since I had a general idea of what time it was when I finished. So on Monday I checked the official time and found that I actually finished in 2:36:03. About 3 mins worse than Indy. I was a little bummed but still felt good about it. I figured it was due to the 5 min potty break. Then I read a post on facebook that the course was actually 13.35 miles! So I did the math and calculated that if the course was the standard 13.1 miles I would have finished exactly at 2:33!! Not that this matters to anybody but me :)
I would definitely do this race again. A lot of people dressed up in halloween costumes which was surprising. Not that I'd dress up but you can't beat running along the lake in Chicago. I would just hope the weather is as perfect. I have been extremely lucky that my first two half marathons have been in relatively warm sunny weather. I don't plan on running anymore half marathons until next Spring. I need a break :)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monster Dash - Another 1/2 Marathon
Signed up for another 1/2. Yeah I know, I'm crazy. Most people train for their first and pretty much give up running for a while. Not me!! And really that was part of the reason why I signed up. I needed the motivation.
I also thought it would be fun. It's not the "Chicago Marathon" but it's still a 1/2 marathon in Chicago along the lakefront. Plus they have some pretty cool gear. The medal is oval shaped and doubles as a belt buckle (not that I'd EVER wear a belt buckle, I hardly wear belts!) and they are giving tech hoodies which are black with reflective striping and sleeves with holes for your thumbs. Way cooler than the cotton t-shirt I got for the Indy 1/2. Although this one cost me $75 plus $16 to park in the garage at Soldiers Field! I really need to plan for these races ahead of time because the later you wait to sign up, the more expensive they are. If you signed up for this race on Saturday, it costs $169! Really!? If I wanted to run 13 miles along the Chicago lakefront, I could do it for free some other weekend.
So tonight I pick up my race packet. My biggest fear as usual is the weather. The forecast did say sunny and 61 for Sunday but now it's saying 30% chance of rain. I already know it's going to be cold. The race starts at 8 in the morning so it will definitely be in the 40's at best and it's in chicago so I expect it to be somewhat windy but I can't do rain with wind in 40 degree weather. On the other hand, I don't know if I can stomach throwing away almost $100 on this and not at least attempting it. Fingers crossed!!
I also thought it would be fun. It's not the "Chicago Marathon" but it's still a 1/2 marathon in Chicago along the lakefront. Plus they have some pretty cool gear. The medal is oval shaped and doubles as a belt buckle (not that I'd EVER wear a belt buckle, I hardly wear belts!) and they are giving tech hoodies which are black with reflective striping and sleeves with holes for your thumbs. Way cooler than the cotton t-shirt I got for the Indy 1/2. Although this one cost me $75 plus $16 to park in the garage at Soldiers Field! I really need to plan for these races ahead of time because the later you wait to sign up, the more expensive they are. If you signed up for this race on Saturday, it costs $169! Really!? If I wanted to run 13 miles along the Chicago lakefront, I could do it for free some other weekend.
So tonight I pick up my race packet. My biggest fear as usual is the weather. The forecast did say sunny and 61 for Sunday but now it's saying 30% chance of rain. I already know it's going to be cold. The race starts at 8 in the morning so it will definitely be in the 40's at best and it's in chicago so I expect it to be somewhat windy but I can't do rain with wind in 40 degree weather. On the other hand, I don't know if I can stomach throwing away almost $100 on this and not at least attempting it. Fingers crossed!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
First 1/2 Marathon - Indianapolis 10/16/2010
I know it's been a while since I last posted. Good thing nobody reads this but me :) I have a lot of respect for people who keep up on their blogs, I do not have that fortitude.
It's Oct. 17th and I'm looking outside to a beautiful sunny day, blue skies and around 55 degrees going up to around 70. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this. This has to be the best summer/fall EVER!! I don't want to forget it for a number of reasons.
Yesterday I ran my first half marathon in Indianapolis, 13.1 miles and yes I will specify that .1 because I earned every tenth of a mile!! I started on my weight loss journey on May 25th, never with the intention of running a half marathon. But running has ALWAYS been the key to quick weight loss for me and I enjoy it. It's a true solo sport and being the fiercely independent person that I am (Brett would say anti-social) running totally suites me. I don't have to depend on anybody but myself.
In the beginning I just vowed that I will walk every day no matter what as long as it wasn't raining. How hard is that right? I mean there is no pressure to walk. Then I started to walk/jog, then jog more than walk until I worked myself up to trying to jog 3 laps around my trail which is 3.6 miles per lap. It was sometime in August I think where I ran my first 10 miles nonstop!! I was so proud of myself. It was NOT an easy feat. Most people can't imagine running nonstop for more than 2 hours. Trust me, it's grueling. So why did I want to try and do 13 miles?? Easy answer, just to see if I could do it. I wasn't out to break any records. I just wanted to finish the race with a mini-goal of doing it under 3 hours.
I ran 12 miles for the first time last Sunday. A week before that I had an intestinal virus from hell. I was literally on the toilet every day almost every hour of the day spilling my guts out. Needless to say, I did not run one bit that whole week which was the most I've not worked out since I started in May. That started to freak me out knowing that I was a week away from the race.
So when I finally started to feel normal again, I did not hesitate to get back on the trail and see if I could do it. It really was more of a mental thing than a physical. My legs actually felt awesome from not running in a week. Talk about fresh legs. And because I was so sick I wasn't eating and lost 2 lbs and actually broke the 167 barrier!! Too bad it was all water weight but I didn't care, it was still awesome to see 164.4 on the scale. So physically I felt really good, I just needed to know that I could do it. And I did! It took me 2 hrs and 15 mins which was about 11.25 min miles. Not bad. Now I felt confident that I could finish the race.
I did not run on Monday, ran 7 or so miles on Tuesday, didn't run on Wed even though I wanted to which left me to decide if I should run on Thurs before the race. I've been reading a bunch of marathon blogs and first timer tips and almost all of them said to not workout 2 days before the race so your legs can rest. Of course, I couldn't resist. I did a light run of 3.5 miles. Again, it was really just a mental thing. I figured I'm not running a marathon and wanted to approach this race with the same mentality as any other time I've ran more than 10 miles. I usually run every day during the week, then when Sat comes around, I get up, drink my protein shake and go run.
I didn't want to psych myself out because it was an actual race. I wanted to treat it like a typical Sat run. Grant it, there was going to be 6200 people and it's an actual event versus a jog in a forest preserve but mentally I didn't want to make it more than that. And that worked for me. Now I have to admit, I was a little anxious about it. I did not sleep well at all the night before. Just being in a different bed in a different location doesn't allow me to sleep well. Add to that a screaming crying kid a few doors down and I definitely wasn't going to get a peaceful nights rest. I also woke up every couple of hours because I was afraid my alarm wouldn't go off and I'd be late for the race. I knew I had to be in the parking lot well before 7:15 so my plan was to leave around 6:15. I had already drove to where the race was going to be held and knew exactly where I had to be so at least that wasn't stressing me out. But I wanted to make sure I beat the traffic and because I am extremely anal about stuff like this, I knew I'd leave extra early. Which I did.
I was probably one of the first cars in the lot. The volunteers hadn't even started working yet. They were still in their pre-game huddle so I picked a spot on the end for easy exiting and literally sat in my car for about an hour and a half reading my book. Luckily I was parked right under a street light so that made for easy reading. By 7, I had to pee so bad that I left my car and went looking for a portapottie. Unfortunately the closest ones were by the start of the race so I had to walk about 10 mins away. At this point I still needed to drink another protein shake and get my sunglasses because it was suppose to be brillantly sunny. So I rushed back to my car and took care of those things and grabbed my ipod and headed back to the race site.
At this point, there were TONS of people milling about and a ton more waiting to use the portapotties. I couldn't believe how long the lines were and there were probably 50 potties. Of course I knew after just drinking 8 ounces of shake I'd have to go again so I jumped in line. I barely made it through before the race started (had about 5 mins to spare). I registered under the slowest pace 17 min mile because I knew I wasn't going to be fast. What was amazing is all the different shapes and sizes of the people participating. There were people in their 50's, 60's, there were people who were overweight, there were the typical runner-shape people who were lean with no body fat. It was pretty cool seeing all kinds of people taking on a marathon/half marathon. So I felt pretty comfortable in my skin.
The one lesson I learned is that I need to register under a more realistic time. There were 7 corrals based on your pace. Obviously the ultra marathoners are in corral A because they run at least a 5 min mile pace. Then you have corral H which is the slowest at 17 min mile pace. When you are in the last corral, it takes forever to get past all the slow people. I was shocked by how many people were actually walking the race! These people create huge bottlenecks so you have to zigzag around them which wastes a lot of energy in the first few miles.
I am not and never plan to be a professional runner. I don't have the fancy garmin watches which give you your pace, speed, heart rate, calorie count, etc. I have a POLAR watch with a close to dead battery and I only use it for the time watch function. I consider myself a recreational runner with the sole purpose of allowing me to eat some of my favorite foods without feeling guilty. So I guess I learned that it would have been helpful to honestly figure out my pace and get placed in the right corral. I don't know how that would have affected my final completion time since your official start time is when you crossed the start line. I don't have the official results from my time chip but when I crossed the finish line the time on the billboard said 2:38:44 or something like that which equates to about a 12 min mile pace. Not bad for the first time.
In the end, I'd totally do this race again. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. The trees were all in full color and spectacular! I LOVE fall. The weather was actually perfect, if not a tad brisk at the start. It was 42 degrees and clear blue skies which made it colder. I debated if I wanted to leave my fleece jacket in the car but I couldn't handle the cold. When you can see your breath it's hard for my mind to accept standing outside in a long sleeve underarmour shirt and t-shirt. But I saw a lot of people with short sleeves and tank tops on!! Brave souls. Although by the middle of the race, I was so ready to take off my jacket. But I knew I wouldn't because it would take time to take off my ipod and headphones. But it wasn't too bad. There were a couple of steep inclines along the course. Around mile 3 and a horrendous incline after mile 10. I was trying my best to jog up those hills but felt like I was barely moving. Most people were walking them but at this point I was determined to not slow down. And I got through them. What was funny was there was a guy in front of me with a bright orange shirt on that had the quote from Phillipeans 4:13. Something to the effect that through Christ, I can gather the strength to endure anything!!! It was so motivating and at a perfect time. Running the last 3 miles was brutal. By the last 1/2 mile I was so ready to stop but all the people cheering you on really helped me finish strong. I literally sprinted (as fast as I could at that point) to the finish line. It was a little anti-climatic since I didn't have anybody there to share it with which was okay but would have been nice to have a little celebration. Guess that's the price you pay for being so independent.
Today my calves are screaming sore because of those inclines but I'd totally do it again. The race was very well organized and in a beautiful location. I still don't have any plans to do more than 13 miles even though I said before that I'd never do more than 6 miles. At the 12 mile mark there is a turnoff for the marathoners to go on and I couldn't imagine having to run another 13 miles! I give them props, it is an incredible challenge. When I was running to mile 6, there were marathoners who were coming up to mile marker 12. They were running twice as fast as me which means around 6 min mile pace. Incredible. Every single one of them was skin and bones and mostly guys although there were a handful of girls. Inside I was cheering them on because it is not an easy feat. And right now, I still don't aspire to be them although Brett wants me to try and run a marathon just to see if I can do it. No immediate plans for that. I would like to do the Arizona half marathon in January. I think it would be cool to travel to different cities and run races as a hobby. You get to experience different scenery and run on a different course and get to spend a little fun time there as well. Most vacations you tend to gain weight because it interrupts your workout but this would be the best of both! I know, how obsessed am I :)
Now my fear is trying to maintain this regimen during the coming winter months. My biggest fear is slowing down, not watching my eating habits and gaining all the weight back. I've come so far and worked so hard that I don't want to mess it all up. I guess that should be my motivation. That was the other bad thing about not having somebody else with me on my first 1/2 marathon, I didn't have somebody taking pictures of me or the event to visually document my achievement. Sometimes pictures are worth more than words. I'll just have to lock the day away in my memory!
It's Oct. 17th and I'm looking outside to a beautiful sunny day, blue skies and around 55 degrees going up to around 70. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this. This has to be the best summer/fall EVER!! I don't want to forget it for a number of reasons.
Yesterday I ran my first half marathon in Indianapolis, 13.1 miles and yes I will specify that .1 because I earned every tenth of a mile!! I started on my weight loss journey on May 25th, never with the intention of running a half marathon. But running has ALWAYS been the key to quick weight loss for me and I enjoy it. It's a true solo sport and being the fiercely independent person that I am (Brett would say anti-social) running totally suites me. I don't have to depend on anybody but myself.
In the beginning I just vowed that I will walk every day no matter what as long as it wasn't raining. How hard is that right? I mean there is no pressure to walk. Then I started to walk/jog, then jog more than walk until I worked myself up to trying to jog 3 laps around my trail which is 3.6 miles per lap. It was sometime in August I think where I ran my first 10 miles nonstop!! I was so proud of myself. It was NOT an easy feat. Most people can't imagine running nonstop for more than 2 hours. Trust me, it's grueling. So why did I want to try and do 13 miles?? Easy answer, just to see if I could do it. I wasn't out to break any records. I just wanted to finish the race with a mini-goal of doing it under 3 hours.
I ran 12 miles for the first time last Sunday. A week before that I had an intestinal virus from hell. I was literally on the toilet every day almost every hour of the day spilling my guts out. Needless to say, I did not run one bit that whole week which was the most I've not worked out since I started in May. That started to freak me out knowing that I was a week away from the race.
So when I finally started to feel normal again, I did not hesitate to get back on the trail and see if I could do it. It really was more of a mental thing than a physical. My legs actually felt awesome from not running in a week. Talk about fresh legs. And because I was so sick I wasn't eating and lost 2 lbs and actually broke the 167 barrier!! Too bad it was all water weight but I didn't care, it was still awesome to see 164.4 on the scale. So physically I felt really good, I just needed to know that I could do it. And I did! It took me 2 hrs and 15 mins which was about 11.25 min miles. Not bad. Now I felt confident that I could finish the race.
I did not run on Monday, ran 7 or so miles on Tuesday, didn't run on Wed even though I wanted to which left me to decide if I should run on Thurs before the race. I've been reading a bunch of marathon blogs and first timer tips and almost all of them said to not workout 2 days before the race so your legs can rest. Of course, I couldn't resist. I did a light run of 3.5 miles. Again, it was really just a mental thing. I figured I'm not running a marathon and wanted to approach this race with the same mentality as any other time I've ran more than 10 miles. I usually run every day during the week, then when Sat comes around, I get up, drink my protein shake and go run.
I didn't want to psych myself out because it was an actual race. I wanted to treat it like a typical Sat run. Grant it, there was going to be 6200 people and it's an actual event versus a jog in a forest preserve but mentally I didn't want to make it more than that. And that worked for me. Now I have to admit, I was a little anxious about it. I did not sleep well at all the night before. Just being in a different bed in a different location doesn't allow me to sleep well. Add to that a screaming crying kid a few doors down and I definitely wasn't going to get a peaceful nights rest. I also woke up every couple of hours because I was afraid my alarm wouldn't go off and I'd be late for the race. I knew I had to be in the parking lot well before 7:15 so my plan was to leave around 6:15. I had already drove to where the race was going to be held and knew exactly where I had to be so at least that wasn't stressing me out. But I wanted to make sure I beat the traffic and because I am extremely anal about stuff like this, I knew I'd leave extra early. Which I did.
I was probably one of the first cars in the lot. The volunteers hadn't even started working yet. They were still in their pre-game huddle so I picked a spot on the end for easy exiting and literally sat in my car for about an hour and a half reading my book. Luckily I was parked right under a street light so that made for easy reading. By 7, I had to pee so bad that I left my car and went looking for a portapottie. Unfortunately the closest ones were by the start of the race so I had to walk about 10 mins away. At this point I still needed to drink another protein shake and get my sunglasses because it was suppose to be brillantly sunny. So I rushed back to my car and took care of those things and grabbed my ipod and headed back to the race site.
At this point, there were TONS of people milling about and a ton more waiting to use the portapotties. I couldn't believe how long the lines were and there were probably 50 potties. Of course I knew after just drinking 8 ounces of shake I'd have to go again so I jumped in line. I barely made it through before the race started (had about 5 mins to spare). I registered under the slowest pace 17 min mile because I knew I wasn't going to be fast. What was amazing is all the different shapes and sizes of the people participating. There were people in their 50's, 60's, there were people who were overweight, there were the typical runner-shape people who were lean with no body fat. It was pretty cool seeing all kinds of people taking on a marathon/half marathon. So I felt pretty comfortable in my skin.
The one lesson I learned is that I need to register under a more realistic time. There were 7 corrals based on your pace. Obviously the ultra marathoners are in corral A because they run at least a 5 min mile pace. Then you have corral H which is the slowest at 17 min mile pace. When you are in the last corral, it takes forever to get past all the slow people. I was shocked by how many people were actually walking the race! These people create huge bottlenecks so you have to zigzag around them which wastes a lot of energy in the first few miles.
I am not and never plan to be a professional runner. I don't have the fancy garmin watches which give you your pace, speed, heart rate, calorie count, etc. I have a POLAR watch with a close to dead battery and I only use it for the time watch function. I consider myself a recreational runner with the sole purpose of allowing me to eat some of my favorite foods without feeling guilty. So I guess I learned that it would have been helpful to honestly figure out my pace and get placed in the right corral. I don't know how that would have affected my final completion time since your official start time is when you crossed the start line. I don't have the official results from my time chip but when I crossed the finish line the time on the billboard said 2:38:44 or something like that which equates to about a 12 min mile pace. Not bad for the first time.
In the end, I'd totally do this race again. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. The trees were all in full color and spectacular! I LOVE fall. The weather was actually perfect, if not a tad brisk at the start. It was 42 degrees and clear blue skies which made it colder. I debated if I wanted to leave my fleece jacket in the car but I couldn't handle the cold. When you can see your breath it's hard for my mind to accept standing outside in a long sleeve underarmour shirt and t-shirt. But I saw a lot of people with short sleeves and tank tops on!! Brave souls. Although by the middle of the race, I was so ready to take off my jacket. But I knew I wouldn't because it would take time to take off my ipod and headphones. But it wasn't too bad. There were a couple of steep inclines along the course. Around mile 3 and a horrendous incline after mile 10. I was trying my best to jog up those hills but felt like I was barely moving. Most people were walking them but at this point I was determined to not slow down. And I got through them. What was funny was there was a guy in front of me with a bright orange shirt on that had the quote from Phillipeans 4:13. Something to the effect that through Christ, I can gather the strength to endure anything!!! It was so motivating and at a perfect time. Running the last 3 miles was brutal. By the last 1/2 mile I was so ready to stop but all the people cheering you on really helped me finish strong. I literally sprinted (as fast as I could at that point) to the finish line. It was a little anti-climatic since I didn't have anybody there to share it with which was okay but would have been nice to have a little celebration. Guess that's the price you pay for being so independent.
Today my calves are screaming sore because of those inclines but I'd totally do it again. The race was very well organized and in a beautiful location. I still don't have any plans to do more than 13 miles even though I said before that I'd never do more than 6 miles. At the 12 mile mark there is a turnoff for the marathoners to go on and I couldn't imagine having to run another 13 miles! I give them props, it is an incredible challenge. When I was running to mile 6, there were marathoners who were coming up to mile marker 12. They were running twice as fast as me which means around 6 min mile pace. Incredible. Every single one of them was skin and bones and mostly guys although there were a handful of girls. Inside I was cheering them on because it is not an easy feat. And right now, I still don't aspire to be them although Brett wants me to try and run a marathon just to see if I can do it. No immediate plans for that. I would like to do the Arizona half marathon in January. I think it would be cool to travel to different cities and run races as a hobby. You get to experience different scenery and run on a different course and get to spend a little fun time there as well. Most vacations you tend to gain weight because it interrupts your workout but this would be the best of both! I know, how obsessed am I :)
Now my fear is trying to maintain this regimen during the coming winter months. My biggest fear is slowing down, not watching my eating habits and gaining all the weight back. I've come so far and worked so hard that I don't want to mess it all up. I guess that should be my motivation. That was the other bad thing about not having somebody else with me on my first 1/2 marathon, I didn't have somebody taking pictures of me or the event to visually document my achievement. Sometimes pictures are worth more than words. I'll just have to lock the day away in my memory!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Unofficial end of summer Sept 6, 2010
I know I haven't written in quite awhile, guess it's a good thing nobody reads this thing but me and maybe Allison :)
Well my favorite time of the year is coming to a close :( I just have to say that this was BY FAR the best summer I can remember in a long time. Not only have I lost 30 lbs!!! But the weather was hot and humid just like summer's are suppose to be (I know I'm weird). I have to admit that this past weekend actually felt nice. It was about 72 degrees with a cool breeze. You could smell that fall is right around the corner. If we have an actual FALL (meaning it doesn't immediately drop to 40 degrees over the next few months) then I'm really looking forward to it.
I ran my first 10 miles on Saturday!! First time ever in my life that I ran that long without stopping. That is 1 mile shy of 3 times around my favorite trail. As much as I wanted to make it all the way on that 3rd lap, I just lost steam, plus my knee was getting pretty sore. But 10 miles!! That is a huge accomplishment for me. I just wanted to see if I could do it. Then this morning I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast because I have not been there is months. I got my usual and it was pretty good but pretty greasy. Which I'm sure it has always been that way but now that I'm not use to eating it, and boy did my stomache pay for it. So as to not get into the details, let's just say that I'm not anxious to go back.
So because that indiscretion made me feel guilty, I ran another 10 miles today. I know I have issues. I knew this would happen. I swing way to the other extreme so now if I eat bad things I feel I have to push myself extra hard to work it off. Believe me jogging 10 miles is hard work.
I've been limiting myself to one "whatever" meal a day. So if it's pizza, a hamburger and fries, Jimmy John's sub, or Chili's, I'll restrict myself for the rest of the day meaning that I'll just eat my protein shake. I figure that I'm eating about 1200 or so calories a day and I continue to jog at least 4-5 miles a day during the week. So far it seems to be working since I'm maintaining.
Yeah I'd like to lose the last 20 lbs to make my original goal but I'm content with where I'm at right now. I like being able to eat the foods I like whenever I want as long as I keep up with the cardio. And trust me, I realize that as soon as I make any reductions in the cardio I absolutely have to change my diet. Carbs and sugar are still the enemy and unfortunately they will always be the enemy. I know now that as soon as I restrict those two things from my diet the weight will literally fall off.
Another crazy logic stuck in my head is that by not going grocery shopping, I'm able to stick to my diet. I have not had bread, milk or cheese in my fridge since May and I seriously think that is helping. It may not be helping my pocketbook but it's helping keep the temptation away. Yeah I know I could stock up on healthy foods but it's soooo much easier to just run to subway for a salad or Wendy's for a chicken sandwich. I'm actually surprising myself with my ability to restrain from ordering fries or pop. My downfall is around lunchtime 11-12pm when the only thing I've "eaten" since 5am is 2-6 oz protein shakes. That's about 300 calories. So by 11am I am beyond starving and it's tempting to go to Subway and order a spicy italian sub (the worst thing to get) along with the chips and pop. I have been able on numerous occassions to just order the salad with grilled chicken breast with a side of honey mustard. Grant it by 3pm I am STARVING again but it's all about the number of calories!!!
I'm worried about the coming winter months. I've always hated running when it's below 50 degrees out. The cold air kills my lungs but maybe this year will be different. I think I am really going to try to maintain my jogging regimen. When I ran that 10 miles for the first time it was 58 degrees out and I had to admit it was so much easier to run without the humidity. I just hate wearing 4 layers of clothes to start out in and not being able to take them off as I start sweating. I know there are sweat wicking type clothing out there but I'm cheap when it comes to buying that stuff. I have a hard time spending $30-40 bucks things like that. Those who know me, know that I LIVE for Kohl's. Yeah I know it's cheap clothing that doesn't last more than a few years but I like quantity over quality. If I can get 20 items for $200 bucks versus 5 items for the same amount, I'll go for the 20 any day. And for the record, I do have some clothes from Kohls that have lasted 6 years now so it's not all that bad :)
So onto a new season!! I guess you could say that half the battle has been won (losing the weight) now that other half has to be conquered (keeping it off!).
Well my favorite time of the year is coming to a close :( I just have to say that this was BY FAR the best summer I can remember in a long time. Not only have I lost 30 lbs!!! But the weather was hot and humid just like summer's are suppose to be (I know I'm weird). I have to admit that this past weekend actually felt nice. It was about 72 degrees with a cool breeze. You could smell that fall is right around the corner. If we have an actual FALL (meaning it doesn't immediately drop to 40 degrees over the next few months) then I'm really looking forward to it.
I ran my first 10 miles on Saturday!! First time ever in my life that I ran that long without stopping. That is 1 mile shy of 3 times around my favorite trail. As much as I wanted to make it all the way on that 3rd lap, I just lost steam, plus my knee was getting pretty sore. But 10 miles!! That is a huge accomplishment for me. I just wanted to see if I could do it. Then this morning I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast because I have not been there is months. I got my usual and it was pretty good but pretty greasy. Which I'm sure it has always been that way but now that I'm not use to eating it, and boy did my stomache pay for it. So as to not get into the details, let's just say that I'm not anxious to go back.
So because that indiscretion made me feel guilty, I ran another 10 miles today. I know I have issues. I knew this would happen. I swing way to the other extreme so now if I eat bad things I feel I have to push myself extra hard to work it off. Believe me jogging 10 miles is hard work.
I've been limiting myself to one "whatever" meal a day. So if it's pizza, a hamburger and fries, Jimmy John's sub, or Chili's, I'll restrict myself for the rest of the day meaning that I'll just eat my protein shake. I figure that I'm eating about 1200 or so calories a day and I continue to jog at least 4-5 miles a day during the week. So far it seems to be working since I'm maintaining.
Yeah I'd like to lose the last 20 lbs to make my original goal but I'm content with where I'm at right now. I like being able to eat the foods I like whenever I want as long as I keep up with the cardio. And trust me, I realize that as soon as I make any reductions in the cardio I absolutely have to change my diet. Carbs and sugar are still the enemy and unfortunately they will always be the enemy. I know now that as soon as I restrict those two things from my diet the weight will literally fall off.
Another crazy logic stuck in my head is that by not going grocery shopping, I'm able to stick to my diet. I have not had bread, milk or cheese in my fridge since May and I seriously think that is helping. It may not be helping my pocketbook but it's helping keep the temptation away. Yeah I know I could stock up on healthy foods but it's soooo much easier to just run to subway for a salad or Wendy's for a chicken sandwich. I'm actually surprising myself with my ability to restrain from ordering fries or pop. My downfall is around lunchtime 11-12pm when the only thing I've "eaten" since 5am is 2-6 oz protein shakes. That's about 300 calories. So by 11am I am beyond starving and it's tempting to go to Subway and order a spicy italian sub (the worst thing to get) along with the chips and pop. I have been able on numerous occassions to just order the salad with grilled chicken breast with a side of honey mustard. Grant it by 3pm I am STARVING again but it's all about the number of calories!!!
I'm worried about the coming winter months. I've always hated running when it's below 50 degrees out. The cold air kills my lungs but maybe this year will be different. I think I am really going to try to maintain my jogging regimen. When I ran that 10 miles for the first time it was 58 degrees out and I had to admit it was so much easier to run without the humidity. I just hate wearing 4 layers of clothes to start out in and not being able to take them off as I start sweating. I know there are sweat wicking type clothing out there but I'm cheap when it comes to buying that stuff. I have a hard time spending $30-40 bucks things like that. Those who know me, know that I LIVE for Kohl's. Yeah I know it's cheap clothing that doesn't last more than a few years but I like quantity over quality. If I can get 20 items for $200 bucks versus 5 items for the same amount, I'll go for the 20 any day. And for the record, I do have some clothes from Kohls that have lasted 6 years now so it's not all that bad :)
So onto a new season!! I guess you could say that half the battle has been won (losing the weight) now that other half has to be conquered (keeping it off!).
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday July 16th
I need to get the word "diet" out of my head. I need to think "lifestyle change" instead because really, that's what it is right?
When I think diet, I think of a short term thing, a means to an end but with my body type, there is no end. I will never be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight, especially when it comes to sugar.
I decided to splurge today and have my chocolate ice cream. I knew ahead of time that I was going to feel super guilty and probably physically ill but I just had to have it. I've been thinking about it for weeks and figured today was as good of a day as any so I did.
I didn't get my favorite Oberweis, instead opting for my usual convenient second choice of DQ. I went for a small (as if it mattered) m&m blizzard with chocolate ice cream, the standard fare. (I don't care what new flavors come out, I barely even look at the menu to check because I know what I like and I get it EVERY single time :)
So I go home, turn on the tv to add insult to injury (nothing like a picture of health right?) and indulge. Only it didn't taste as good as I remember. I was IN LOVE with this treat practically eating it on a weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) basis (thus the 30 lbs weight gain). I think it's true that once you wean yourself off of this sugar kryptonite your taste buds change.
I'm beginning to think that this whole "lifestyle change" is truly mental. My brain remembers the happy feeling I use to get when I ate this but my body is like "eh, it's not all it's cracked up to be". Which is a good thing. I really don't want to go back to eating this stuff. I feel a million times better staying off of it.
So now I know. I've done it. I'll pay the poundage price for doing it but I don't have plans on doing it again anytime soon.
I've also concluded that I'm "over training", or in other words I'm obsessing about exercising. I've been there many times before so you'd think that I'd learn but like my Dad, I have a little OCD. I feel like more is better but in the end, it's not doing my body any good. I know my body needs a few days rest to recoup. It's just that the weather is exactly how I like it, hot and humid so it's hard to resist. But tomorrow is suppose to be 91, clear blue skies and humid...PERFECT!! Time to redeem myself!!
When I think diet, I think of a short term thing, a means to an end but with my body type, there is no end. I will never be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight, especially when it comes to sugar.
I decided to splurge today and have my chocolate ice cream. I knew ahead of time that I was going to feel super guilty and probably physically ill but I just had to have it. I've been thinking about it for weeks and figured today was as good of a day as any so I did.
I didn't get my favorite Oberweis, instead opting for my usual convenient second choice of DQ. I went for a small (as if it mattered) m&m blizzard with chocolate ice cream, the standard fare. (I don't care what new flavors come out, I barely even look at the menu to check because I know what I like and I get it EVERY single time :)
So I go home, turn on the tv to add insult to injury (nothing like a picture of health right?) and indulge. Only it didn't taste as good as I remember. I was IN LOVE with this treat practically eating it on a weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) basis (thus the 30 lbs weight gain). I think it's true that once you wean yourself off of this sugar kryptonite your taste buds change.
I'm beginning to think that this whole "lifestyle change" is truly mental. My brain remembers the happy feeling I use to get when I ate this but my body is like "eh, it's not all it's cracked up to be". Which is a good thing. I really don't want to go back to eating this stuff. I feel a million times better staying off of it.
So now I know. I've done it. I'll pay the poundage price for doing it but I don't have plans on doing it again anytime soon.
I've also concluded that I'm "over training", or in other words I'm obsessing about exercising. I've been there many times before so you'd think that I'd learn but like my Dad, I have a little OCD. I feel like more is better but in the end, it's not doing my body any good. I know my body needs a few days rest to recoup. It's just that the weather is exactly how I like it, hot and humid so it's hard to resist. But tomorrow is suppose to be 91, clear blue skies and humid...PERFECT!! Time to redeem myself!!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
July 13, 2010 - Week 8
Lost a whopping .4 lbs. Yeah, I guess I deserved that after Sunday but still, it hurts. I know there are many reasons why the numbers aren't higher but at the end of the day, I know I've lost inches and again, that's what really matters....at least I have to keep convincing myself of that.
I think this is my last week of purchasing the IP products. They are just too expensive and at the rate of my weight loss so far, I think I can proceed on my own. It's a scary proposition because that makes it THAT MUCH easier to go back to my old habits but I'm still determined. I'm going to have to do this on my own eventually.
I've come to realize that I will never ever be able to eat with abandon. I very much miss my ice cream especially since this summer has been so perfect (heat wise) for enjoying an ice cold chocolate shake or m&m blizzard :) These treats just cannot be enjoyed on a weekly (or daily) basis. They will have to remain the "every once in a long while" type treats.
So I'll finish up the IP product that I currently have, take my measurements and weigh myself next week and take it from there. I'm confident I have learned enough from these last 7 weeks to do this on my own. My goal is still to get into a size 8 jean but I do need to modify the diet to allow a little bit of cheating so that I don't experience another Sunday like last Sunday!! And I will alter my workouts to 60 mins instead of 2 hrs so I can increase the intensity. Sometimes more is not always better. We'll see how it goes!!
I think this is my last week of purchasing the IP products. They are just too expensive and at the rate of my weight loss so far, I think I can proceed on my own. It's a scary proposition because that makes it THAT MUCH easier to go back to my old habits but I'm still determined. I'm going to have to do this on my own eventually.
I've come to realize that I will never ever be able to eat with abandon. I very much miss my ice cream especially since this summer has been so perfect (heat wise) for enjoying an ice cold chocolate shake or m&m blizzard :) These treats just cannot be enjoyed on a weekly (or daily) basis. They will have to remain the "every once in a long while" type treats.
So I'll finish up the IP product that I currently have, take my measurements and weigh myself next week and take it from there. I'm confident I have learned enough from these last 7 weeks to do this on my own. My goal is still to get into a size 8 jean but I do need to modify the diet to allow a little bit of cheating so that I don't experience another Sunday like last Sunday!! And I will alter my workouts to 60 mins instead of 2 hrs so I can increase the intensity. Sometimes more is not always better. We'll see how it goes!!
Monday, July 12, 2010
July 12 - Monday - finishing up week 7
So I ended week 7 with a bang and not a good bang. I pigged out yesterday!! I knew all week long that we were going on Carrabbas on Sunday for dinner because I had a $50 gift card burning a hole in my wallet. It's one of my favorite restaurants and I knew I was going to be bad. But not as bad as I ended up being!
Somehow the task of eating got away from me yesterday. Now when I was on a carb heavy diet, it was nearly impossible for me to go more than 3 or 4 hrs without eating or I felt like I would faint. So I had my protein cereal around 8:30, then jogged 3.6 miles, then immediately went over to Allison's house for a couple of hours of soaking up the sun in her pool, then ran back over to Brett's house to jump in the shower and leave for a movie. We get to the movies around 3 and I was totally up for a little snack (but not too much knowing what was waiting for me for dinner) but this movie theater did not have pretzel bites. So I decided to wait until dinner. By the time we get to Carrabbas, it was almost 6 pm and I was ravished. This is soo bad for so many reasons. My main concern was that I now put my body in starvation mode so all this good food I'm about to eat is probably going to go straight into fat storing mode.
At this point, I did not care, which is another reason not to go this long without eating. So as soon as the awesome tasting loaf of bread and herbs and oil comes out, I'm digging in. The slices are small but I did have 3 of them. Then came the two apps that we ordered. I had one mini skewer of caprese which is sliced up grape tomatoes, chesse and pesto sauce. Then a meatball. Then my chicken soup. Then my main meal which was the best tasting 4 cheese pizza with italian sausage. It's on this thin crispy dough and I ate 4 out of the 8 pieces. I could have eaten all of it but I was going to get dessert!!! They have this awesome chocolate brownie type dessert and at this point, I'm going all out. In the past I may have eaten 3 or 4 bites and Brett would eat the rest. This time, I think I ate most of it. All I know is that the plate was pretty much licked clean.
When all was said and done, I felt like I was about to explode and of course I felt super guilty. I couldn't even justify it by saying that it was pretty much my only meal of the day. But it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!! Every single bite was awesome. So in the end, yes, I blew my diet to shreds but it was worth it. It scares me a little because I can see how easily it would be to fall off the wagon and onto the fat farm. I just keep on thinking about how far I've come and how exciting it is to finally start fitting into my "skinny" clothes again (I tried on my size 12 white jeans on Sunday and they fit, albeit a little snug but I was able to button them and wore them out!! Most women know that white clothing is the most unforgiving, there's no way to hide those rolls or dimples like you can with black clothing). It's those accomplishments that keep me in this til the end!
I'm hopeful but slightly terrified of tomorrow's weigh in....
Somehow the task of eating got away from me yesterday. Now when I was on a carb heavy diet, it was nearly impossible for me to go more than 3 or 4 hrs without eating or I felt like I would faint. So I had my protein cereal around 8:30, then jogged 3.6 miles, then immediately went over to Allison's house for a couple of hours of soaking up the sun in her pool, then ran back over to Brett's house to jump in the shower and leave for a movie. We get to the movies around 3 and I was totally up for a little snack (but not too much knowing what was waiting for me for dinner) but this movie theater did not have pretzel bites. So I decided to wait until dinner. By the time we get to Carrabbas, it was almost 6 pm and I was ravished. This is soo bad for so many reasons. My main concern was that I now put my body in starvation mode so all this good food I'm about to eat is probably going to go straight into fat storing mode.
At this point, I did not care, which is another reason not to go this long without eating. So as soon as the awesome tasting loaf of bread and herbs and oil comes out, I'm digging in. The slices are small but I did have 3 of them. Then came the two apps that we ordered. I had one mini skewer of caprese which is sliced up grape tomatoes, chesse and pesto sauce. Then a meatball. Then my chicken soup. Then my main meal which was the best tasting 4 cheese pizza with italian sausage. It's on this thin crispy dough and I ate 4 out of the 8 pieces. I could have eaten all of it but I was going to get dessert!!! They have this awesome chocolate brownie type dessert and at this point, I'm going all out. In the past I may have eaten 3 or 4 bites and Brett would eat the rest. This time, I think I ate most of it. All I know is that the plate was pretty much licked clean.
When all was said and done, I felt like I was about to explode and of course I felt super guilty. I couldn't even justify it by saying that it was pretty much my only meal of the day. But it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!! Every single bite was awesome. So in the end, yes, I blew my diet to shreds but it was worth it. It scares me a little because I can see how easily it would be to fall off the wagon and onto the fat farm. I just keep on thinking about how far I've come and how exciting it is to finally start fitting into my "skinny" clothes again (I tried on my size 12 white jeans on Sunday and they fit, albeit a little snug but I was able to button them and wore them out!! Most women know that white clothing is the most unforgiving, there's no way to hide those rolls or dimples like you can with black clothing). It's those accomplishments that keep me in this til the end!
I'm hopeful but slightly terrified of tomorrow's weigh in....
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
July 6, 2010 - Week 7
Lost 2.2 lbs this past week. Not stellar but I'll take it. I'm now down 18.5 lbs in 6 weeks which is an average of 3 lbs per week. Considering that I haven't been following the diet to the "T", I think I'm doing pretty good.
I've reached my point of saturation. I'm getting bored with eating chicken breasts or plain burgers and the only veggies I'm eating are salads with the usual tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. I'm really liking Subway's salads. I'm also not using my diet salad dressing. I'm BARELY using the regular stuff, just a touch to give it some taste. I figure I'm going to have to learn to start eating in moderation for when I go off this phase so what the heck. I don't think I'm going to learn to like diet dressing.
I am still majorly craving pizza. I wasthisclose to just getting a small pizza after my weigh in...yeah I know, pretty pathetic. I was justifying it in my mind by telling myself that if I cheat tonight then I have a whole week to make up for it!! But I did not. I went to Meijer, got my chicken breasts and salad ingredients. I did buy ham steaks...yeah never heard of them either but all it is is a thick slice of ham. It was pretty good, although a little too salty. But at least it was differnt than chicken. I did cook the chicken since that will be my meal for the next 3 days. Yay.
What's funny is that I ask Dr. Sam (Samantha) if I look like I weigh 180 lbs. She shook her head with an emphatic NO. She said that the numbers on the scale really don't matter, it's the inches. I couldn't agree more! Which the devil on my shoulder then started whispering to me that if that is the case, then maybe my goal should be to get into a size 8 jeans....not necessarily getting down to 149 lbs. With the hope that I don't have to weigh 149 lbs in order to fit in those size 8's :)
I'm not sure what size I am now since pant sizes vary so much. I am wearing some pants that are a 12 but not sure about jeans. I know my dress pants are a size 16 and they are practically falling off of me (which I secretly like because all day long I revel in my success!) It is getting harder to stick to the plan. Brett doesn't help the cause when he tries talking me into cheating. Not in a bad way but just to live a little on the weekends since I'm so hard core during the week. At this point, it's an easy argument for me to cave into but he does have a point. I still concede that I'm not eating enough which is why I'm not averaging more than 3 lbs per week. Plus I'm walking almost 2 hours a day so in reality, my body can use a few carbs. BUT I DO NOT WANT TO TOTALLY SABOTAGE ALL MY HARD WORK! That sticks in my mind and curbs me from going crazy.
Doing this is not easy. Yes, you get use to it but a part of me will always want what I can't have. Be it the pizza with cheese and pepperoni, or an Oberwies chocolate shake made with chocolate ice cream. I will have my chocolate shake one day before summer ends. I'm just afraid that since I have not had any sugar for so long that the shake may not taste as good as I remember....noooooo that's impossible. Chocolate will always taste as good as I remember!
I've reached my point of saturation. I'm getting bored with eating chicken breasts or plain burgers and the only veggies I'm eating are salads with the usual tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. I'm really liking Subway's salads. I'm also not using my diet salad dressing. I'm BARELY using the regular stuff, just a touch to give it some taste. I figure I'm going to have to learn to start eating in moderation for when I go off this phase so what the heck. I don't think I'm going to learn to like diet dressing.
I am still majorly craving pizza. I wasthisclose to just getting a small pizza after my weigh in...yeah I know, pretty pathetic. I was justifying it in my mind by telling myself that if I cheat tonight then I have a whole week to make up for it!! But I did not. I went to Meijer, got my chicken breasts and salad ingredients. I did buy ham steaks...yeah never heard of them either but all it is is a thick slice of ham. It was pretty good, although a little too salty. But at least it was differnt than chicken. I did cook the chicken since that will be my meal for the next 3 days. Yay.
What's funny is that I ask Dr. Sam (Samantha) if I look like I weigh 180 lbs. She shook her head with an emphatic NO. She said that the numbers on the scale really don't matter, it's the inches. I couldn't agree more! Which the devil on my shoulder then started whispering to me that if that is the case, then maybe my goal should be to get into a size 8 jeans....not necessarily getting down to 149 lbs. With the hope that I don't have to weigh 149 lbs in order to fit in those size 8's :)
I'm not sure what size I am now since pant sizes vary so much. I am wearing some pants that are a 12 but not sure about jeans. I know my dress pants are a size 16 and they are practically falling off of me (which I secretly like because all day long I revel in my success!) It is getting harder to stick to the plan. Brett doesn't help the cause when he tries talking me into cheating. Not in a bad way but just to live a little on the weekends since I'm so hard core during the week. At this point, it's an easy argument for me to cave into but he does have a point. I still concede that I'm not eating enough which is why I'm not averaging more than 3 lbs per week. Plus I'm walking almost 2 hours a day so in reality, my body can use a few carbs. BUT I DO NOT WANT TO TOTALLY SABOTAGE ALL MY HARD WORK! That sticks in my mind and curbs me from going crazy.
Doing this is not easy. Yes, you get use to it but a part of me will always want what I can't have. Be it the pizza with cheese and pepperoni, or an Oberwies chocolate shake made with chocolate ice cream. I will have my chocolate shake one day before summer ends. I'm just afraid that since I have not had any sugar for so long that the shake may not taste as good as I remember....noooooo that's impossible. Chocolate will always taste as good as I remember!
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 2, 2010 - THE PERFECT SUMMER DAY
Today was the absolute perfect summer day. It is the type of day that I live for. Bright blue sky, not a cloud in sight, sun blazing, gentle breezes, 83 degrees, seriously it doesn't get any better than this.
I went walking along my favorite trail. It is perfect in every sense of the word. It's close to Brett's house, it's 3.6 miles around so two laps is doable, it has the perfect balance of shade and sun as you walk along the trail and because it's in a forest preserve, the landscape is gorgeous. It's God's work through and through. Occasionally I see deer walking across the path not more than 10 feet in front of me. I think I saw a fox the other day (that scared me a little). There are birds everywhere singing. It's like the forest where Bambi was born!! LOL! And I feel safe there. Not that I don't still look over my shoulder or check my surroundings, I know that nowhere in this day in age is completely safe, but I've never had a problem (hope I don't jinx myself). Almost everybody that uses the trail is polite and friendly. Everybody is there for one purpose, to exercise. And everybody keeps to themselves. Those who know me totally understand where I'm coming from :)
As I walked my second lap, I was not only soaking up the sun, but soaking up the beautiful nature of it all. I feel so blessed in so many ways. Just being physically able to walk or jog, to be able to appreciate the beauty, to easily breathe in the fresh air, to see clearly, all things that some people take for granted. I've learned that your health is something to NEVER take for granted. I pray for those who are in constant pain, who can't walk or see or hear, who have to rely on medications to stay alive. I pray that I never forget to thank God for blessing me with good health.
Halfway around the trail I came upon these two marshes which are on both sides of the path and right in front of me this mother duck and her 3 baby ducklings came out of the one side and waddled (quickly because she saw me coming) to the other side. OMG was it the cutest thing ever. It's little things like that that I treasure.
I must be hormonal since I feel so emotional today :) I just wanted to document days like this because I realize that life is short. And around here, summer is short as well. So far, this has been the best summer weather we've had in a while even though we've had some pretty bad storms, the weather is like Florida so I expect the storms. But the storms come and then they're gone by the next day. It's not like last summer where the temp on July 4th was barely 60 degrees! I was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans at 2pm on the 4th of July. Seriously. That's ridiculous. Winters can start in October and run through May! Like last year. I don't think it barely made it out of the 70's from June - Aug.
So I will relish this summer and take in all it's glory while it lasts. I'm hoping it lasts through December :)
I went walking along my favorite trail. It is perfect in every sense of the word. It's close to Brett's house, it's 3.6 miles around so two laps is doable, it has the perfect balance of shade and sun as you walk along the trail and because it's in a forest preserve, the landscape is gorgeous. It's God's work through and through. Occasionally I see deer walking across the path not more than 10 feet in front of me. I think I saw a fox the other day (that scared me a little). There are birds everywhere singing. It's like the forest where Bambi was born!! LOL! And I feel safe there. Not that I don't still look over my shoulder or check my surroundings, I know that nowhere in this day in age is completely safe, but I've never had a problem (hope I don't jinx myself). Almost everybody that uses the trail is polite and friendly. Everybody is there for one purpose, to exercise. And everybody keeps to themselves. Those who know me totally understand where I'm coming from :)
As I walked my second lap, I was not only soaking up the sun, but soaking up the beautiful nature of it all. I feel so blessed in so many ways. Just being physically able to walk or jog, to be able to appreciate the beauty, to easily breathe in the fresh air, to see clearly, all things that some people take for granted. I've learned that your health is something to NEVER take for granted. I pray for those who are in constant pain, who can't walk or see or hear, who have to rely on medications to stay alive. I pray that I never forget to thank God for blessing me with good health.
Halfway around the trail I came upon these two marshes which are on both sides of the path and right in front of me this mother duck and her 3 baby ducklings came out of the one side and waddled (quickly because she saw me coming) to the other side. OMG was it the cutest thing ever. It's little things like that that I treasure.
I must be hormonal since I feel so emotional today :) I just wanted to document days like this because I realize that life is short. And around here, summer is short as well. So far, this has been the best summer weather we've had in a while even though we've had some pretty bad storms, the weather is like Florida so I expect the storms. But the storms come and then they're gone by the next day. It's not like last summer where the temp on July 4th was barely 60 degrees! I was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans at 2pm on the 4th of July. Seriously. That's ridiculous. Winters can start in October and run through May! Like last year. I don't think it barely made it out of the 70's from June - Aug.
So I will relish this summer and take in all it's glory while it lasts. I'm hoping it lasts through December :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Day 36
Heck at this point, I don't even know the "Day" it is. I think it's 36. All I know is that I'm into week 6 of my journey. WI yesterday....lost 4.8 lbs!! I was hoping for 7 but you know, I'll take what I can get especially after the 2 lb gain last week.
I've learned that I can't even really guage my progress week over week because my body fluctuates so much. So I think a better indicator is to average it out month over month and so far I'm averaging a little more than 3 lbs per week. Not bad.
I put on my size 16 jeans today and they are literally falling off me! What an awesome feeling. Since I don't have any smaller sized jeans (I get rid of my clothes faster than probably most people)I had to put on a belt. And because when I'm heavy I NEVER wear belts because lets face it, the fat tends to keep the pants on, the belt didn't have enough holes to really make a difference! Ahhhh, this must be what it feels like to be a skinny bitch!! LOL, don't get me wrong, I totally do not consider myself skinny. I have only lost 16.3 lbs in 5 weeks with almost 35 more to go.
But I can't lie, it sure feels good to have your clothes looking baggy because of weight loss and not because you bought 2 sizes larger to make yourself look thinner :)
Now that I've been doing this for a while, I really think I will stick to eliminating sugar from my diet. Sugar is evil. It tastes good but evil in so many ways. I fear even having a little taste of it when I'm done with this diet plan for fear it will be like crack and I'll get addicted again. Nothing like fear to motivate you! I have accepted "cheating" on one meal a week, usually on Sat night. By cheating, I'm not going hog wild but last weekend we went to a habachi where the chef makes everything on a big grill in front of you and of course he made fried rice which is my favorite. I ate it...all. But I had the teriyaki chicken and some shrimp so out of the whole meal, the rice was the worst part. And I still lost almost 5 lbs. Maybe the rice is why I didn't lose the extra 2. Who knows.
Also another accomplishment is last Friday Brett wanted to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner for their fish fry (he gets the fried cod which is possibly the best we have ever tasted) and I got their chef salad. I did get the ranch dressing but I used it so sparingly that you could barely tell I used any at all since the little container it comes in on the side barely looks touched. So I keep proving to myself that I can do this even with SOOOOO much temptation around. I think it's because when we are done with the meal and I had to witness Brett eating all the things that I absolutely love, I feel so much better physically. I'm not stuffed to the gills, I'm not bloated and tired. Instead, I feel satisfied and light on my feet! I can definitely learn to love that feeling. It's what's keeping me going right now.
I've learned that I can't even really guage my progress week over week because my body fluctuates so much. So I think a better indicator is to average it out month over month and so far I'm averaging a little more than 3 lbs per week. Not bad.
I put on my size 16 jeans today and they are literally falling off me! What an awesome feeling. Since I don't have any smaller sized jeans (I get rid of my clothes faster than probably most people)I had to put on a belt. And because when I'm heavy I NEVER wear belts because lets face it, the fat tends to keep the pants on, the belt didn't have enough holes to really make a difference! Ahhhh, this must be what it feels like to be a skinny bitch!! LOL, don't get me wrong, I totally do not consider myself skinny. I have only lost 16.3 lbs in 5 weeks with almost 35 more to go.
But I can't lie, it sure feels good to have your clothes looking baggy because of weight loss and not because you bought 2 sizes larger to make yourself look thinner :)
Now that I've been doing this for a while, I really think I will stick to eliminating sugar from my diet. Sugar is evil. It tastes good but evil in so many ways. I fear even having a little taste of it when I'm done with this diet plan for fear it will be like crack and I'll get addicted again. Nothing like fear to motivate you! I have accepted "cheating" on one meal a week, usually on Sat night. By cheating, I'm not going hog wild but last weekend we went to a habachi where the chef makes everything on a big grill in front of you and of course he made fried rice which is my favorite. I ate it...all. But I had the teriyaki chicken and some shrimp so out of the whole meal, the rice was the worst part. And I still lost almost 5 lbs. Maybe the rice is why I didn't lose the extra 2. Who knows.
Also another accomplishment is last Friday Brett wanted to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner for their fish fry (he gets the fried cod which is possibly the best we have ever tasted) and I got their chef salad. I did get the ranch dressing but I used it so sparingly that you could barely tell I used any at all since the little container it comes in on the side barely looks touched. So I keep proving to myself that I can do this even with SOOOOO much temptation around. I think it's because when we are done with the meal and I had to witness Brett eating all the things that I absolutely love, I feel so much better physically. I'm not stuffed to the gills, I'm not bloated and tired. Instead, I feel satisfied and light on my feet! I can definitely learn to love that feeling. It's what's keeping me going right now.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Day 28
Weigh in...I gained 2 lbs. I just don't get it. Yeah I cheated on 2 meals during 9 days of my vacation and I worked out like crazy!! That's 2 out of 36 meals. I knew cheating wasn't going to aid in the weight loss but there's no way in hell I should have gained 2 whole lbs.
I've cut my calorie intake by thousands per week, I'm fast walking between 3-7 miles a day....WTF! I'm either gaining muscle, not drinking enough water, or full of crap (literally). I've just been diagnosed with IBS with constipation, lovely. I'm actually glad that at least my condition has a name and that it's a real condition. My dr prescribed amitiza which according to their website comments by patients who are either on or are taking it, can have extremely unpleasant side affects.
I know medications effect everyone differently and I'm hoping to be the ones who were celebrating it as an answer to their prayers and that I will finally feel normal again and perhaps lose a few pounds. According to my doc this form of IBS is extremely common in women and according to the boards, 99.9% of the people commenting were women. I am not taking any chances with this medicine though and have decided to start taking it over the weekend in case I happen to be one of those women who suddenly find themselves in a diarreha puddle (EWWWWWW).
One positive outcome of today's weigh in is that they took my measurements. Compared to 4 weeks ago I have lost 1.5" off my chest, 2" off my waist and I think 2" off my hips and some inches off my arms and legs. So I got that going for me!
I know what I'm doing is working. Again Kari, don't get caught up in the numbers on the scale. My two indiscretions did show me that I feel like serious crap after eating a high carb/sugar meal (not only the crappy feeling of guilt but literally I could feel my body reacting by spiking my insulin). I got a slight headache and just felt sluggish and bloated overall. Don't get me wrong, I do miss my pizza and Cracker Barrel but it's not worth feeling both bad and guilty.
So now I'm into week 5. It does get easier and I have to admit, I feel a little bit of my "glow" and confidence coming back! My pants are much baggier and my face and stomach are much flatter so even though the numbers on the scale aren't reflecting what I want them to, there are definite benefits to sticking to this thing.
I've cut my calorie intake by thousands per week, I'm fast walking between 3-7 miles a day....WTF! I'm either gaining muscle, not drinking enough water, or full of crap (literally). I've just been diagnosed with IBS with constipation, lovely. I'm actually glad that at least my condition has a name and that it's a real condition. My dr prescribed amitiza which according to their website comments by patients who are either on or are taking it, can have extremely unpleasant side affects.
I know medications effect everyone differently and I'm hoping to be the ones who were celebrating it as an answer to their prayers and that I will finally feel normal again and perhaps lose a few pounds. According to my doc this form of IBS is extremely common in women and according to the boards, 99.9% of the people commenting were women. I am not taking any chances with this medicine though and have decided to start taking it over the weekend in case I happen to be one of those women who suddenly find themselves in a diarreha puddle (EWWWWWW).
One positive outcome of today's weigh in is that they took my measurements. Compared to 4 weeks ago I have lost 1.5" off my chest, 2" off my waist and I think 2" off my hips and some inches off my arms and legs. So I got that going for me!
I know what I'm doing is working. Again Kari, don't get caught up in the numbers on the scale. My two indiscretions did show me that I feel like serious crap after eating a high carb/sugar meal (not only the crappy feeling of guilt but literally I could feel my body reacting by spiking my insulin). I got a slight headache and just felt sluggish and bloated overall. Don't get me wrong, I do miss my pizza and Cracker Barrel but it's not worth feeling both bad and guilty.
So now I'm into week 5. It does get easier and I have to admit, I feel a little bit of my "glow" and confidence coming back! My pants are much baggier and my face and stomach are much flatter so even though the numbers on the scale aren't reflecting what I want them to, there are definite benefits to sticking to this thing.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Day 23
The other night I cheated on my diet. I've been so good so far on my vacation but I had to admit I was miserable. We'd gone out to eat a few times and knowing I couldn't eat 2/3rds of what was in my meal pissed me off. Why am I paying $12 for only eating the meat!
So the other night Brett convinced me that cheating a little will not cause me to gain 5 pounds. So I've been CRAVING Giordannos pizza. So we go. We get the turkey chef salad with a side of ranch. I ate the cheese that came with it along with a tiny bit of ranch. Plus I had ONE little piece of bread and butter. I hate to admit that that piece of bread and butter was HEAVEN!! Then came the pizza. I thought I'd mauw down on 4 pieces but all I could manage was a little corner piece and a regular piece (they're cut in squares so nothing huge). AND I drank water, no pop when I could have killed for a Pepsi.
And you know what? I didn't feel super guilty. Now I did weigh myself the following morning just to check and Brett was right, nothing gained. I then continued to walk over 7 miles and bike ride another 6 miles just for good measure :) I have to admit, I wanted to make sure I burned all those bad calories!
But I did learn something from it. I learned that you have to give in to those cravings every now and then or it will make me miserable AND I will go crazy once I can have them and I don't want to sabotage this. I also learned that the food I was craving was very good but I can live without it. It's more of a mental thing than a nutrition thing.
So even though I also crave Cracker Barrel and Oberweis, I don't feel the urge to totally go hog wild and eat it. I looked at myself in the mirror and can see my stomach flattening out and my face and neck getting thinner and I really don't want to mess that up. I'm finally liking what I see again and that's HUGE!!
Now it's going to be another beautiful sunny day and I am going to go out and enjoy it!!!
So the other night Brett convinced me that cheating a little will not cause me to gain 5 pounds. So I've been CRAVING Giordannos pizza. So we go. We get the turkey chef salad with a side of ranch. I ate the cheese that came with it along with a tiny bit of ranch. Plus I had ONE little piece of bread and butter. I hate to admit that that piece of bread and butter was HEAVEN!! Then came the pizza. I thought I'd mauw down on 4 pieces but all I could manage was a little corner piece and a regular piece (they're cut in squares so nothing huge). AND I drank water, no pop when I could have killed for a Pepsi.
And you know what? I didn't feel super guilty. Now I did weigh myself the following morning just to check and Brett was right, nothing gained. I then continued to walk over 7 miles and bike ride another 6 miles just for good measure :) I have to admit, I wanted to make sure I burned all those bad calories!
But I did learn something from it. I learned that you have to give in to those cravings every now and then or it will make me miserable AND I will go crazy once I can have them and I don't want to sabotage this. I also learned that the food I was craving was very good but I can live without it. It's more of a mental thing than a nutrition thing.
So even though I also crave Cracker Barrel and Oberweis, I don't feel the urge to totally go hog wild and eat it. I looked at myself in the mirror and can see my stomach flattening out and my face and neck getting thinner and I really don't want to mess that up. I'm finally liking what I see again and that's HUGE!!
Now it's going to be another beautiful sunny day and I am going to go out and enjoy it!!!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Day 21
Weighed in this morning and lost 2.8 lbs. Yeah, I should be happy but I'm not. I've been depriving myself of all the foods I love and I'm on VACATION!!! You do not know how extremely difficult and a test of willpower it is to resist eating the good stuff.
I know I'm being a brat. There's no way I would have lost close to 14 lbs in 3 weeks if I was doing this on my own. I know, I know!!! But it's just frustrating. My problem is I set myself up for this disappointment every week because I expect to lose at least 5 lbs a week. Last week it was 3.4 lbs and I thought that was because I was starting my monthly cycle so I chalked the low numbers to that. So this WI I thought for sure it would be 5 lbs. It's just hard when you lose almost 8 lbs during the first week and every week after that the numbers have dropped considerably.
But I can see the difference! I'm anxious to get my measurements done next week because I know I've lost inches. I must keep the big picture in mind. Before I even started this thing I estimated at least 2-3 months to get to my goal weight. I guess I'm on track.
It's just that this diet is very difficult to maintain. I'm tired of my veggies and salad so I'm resorting to eating pickles for my veggie requirement. I know the reason why I'm not losing weight is because I'm not eating enough. Plus I need to start weight training to build muscle so it will burn more calories.
Okay, I know it sounds funny but my mantra is "skinny face" and it is what is keeping me going. I hate having a fat face, which is where my weight tends to go first, so getting back my skinny face along with skinny body is what I have to keep in mind. I didn't gain this weight in 3 weeks so I'm not going to lose it all in 3 weeks. I.must.keep.going!!!
I know I'm being a brat. There's no way I would have lost close to 14 lbs in 3 weeks if I was doing this on my own. I know, I know!!! But it's just frustrating. My problem is I set myself up for this disappointment every week because I expect to lose at least 5 lbs a week. Last week it was 3.4 lbs and I thought that was because I was starting my monthly cycle so I chalked the low numbers to that. So this WI I thought for sure it would be 5 lbs. It's just hard when you lose almost 8 lbs during the first week and every week after that the numbers have dropped considerably.
But I can see the difference! I'm anxious to get my measurements done next week because I know I've lost inches. I must keep the big picture in mind. Before I even started this thing I estimated at least 2-3 months to get to my goal weight. I guess I'm on track.
It's just that this diet is very difficult to maintain. I'm tired of my veggies and salad so I'm resorting to eating pickles for my veggie requirement. I know the reason why I'm not losing weight is because I'm not eating enough. Plus I need to start weight training to build muscle so it will burn more calories.
Okay, I know it sounds funny but my mantra is "skinny face" and it is what is keeping me going. I hate having a fat face, which is where my weight tends to go first, so getting back my skinny face along with skinny body is what I have to keep in mind. I didn't gain this weight in 3 weeks so I'm not going to lose it all in 3 weeks. I.must.keep.going!!!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day 16
I just have to say that I love love love summer! This weather just screams for me to be outside! Needless to say, it's hard to sit here at work :)
I have vowed to walk every day that it is not raining. I use to jog but now I prefer a nice fast walk. For some reason, I'm just as sore after the walk! But it's easier on my joints and there's no excuse not to do it whereas with jogging, I always manage to find a reason why I don't want to do it. Not that I don't enjoy it, but I figure with the massive reduction in my calorie intake, walking is about all I can handle before I lose steam.
I realized yesterday that eating has now become a big to-do. For example, last night after my walk, I get home around 6:15 and planned on cooking chicken. So I get out the pan for the chicken, season it, throw it in the oven. Then I ate the rest of my salad which was pretty huge but good so I scarfed it down. So then I decided to chop the other head of lettuce because I know I'll need to. Then I figured I'd better make some veggies so I chopped up the couliflower and threw it in the steamer. Then I realized that because I ate my lean protein at lunch that I need to have a meal packet for dinner. So I unbox my brand new blender and decide to try and make IP ice cream!! I take it all apart to give it a good wash (never know what happens to these things during packaging), put it back together, briefly read the instructions since I've never owned a blender and dumped my IP chocolate shake power with water and some ice cubes. Blended it and because I wasn't sure how long to blend it, it came out more like chocolate slushy. But it was pretty good! I liked it so much better than just adding water and shaking it in my little shaker. Now my plan is to master this blender!!
Anyway, so when it was all said and done, I had a ton of dishes to wash!! Seems like every meal requires a million dishes. Before all I had to do was throw away the fast food bag. Yes, it's much easier but I have to admit, my body is much more satisfied with nutritious food than fast food. I'm still surprised how I can get so full off of salad and veggies.
I'm on vacation next week and part of me really wishes that I can eat whatever I want. It's how I use to celebrate my vacations in the past. I'm not worried that I'll fall off the wagon since I'm not going anywhere plus I'll be going into week 4 at that point and I've come too far to mess this up!!
I have vowed to walk every day that it is not raining. I use to jog but now I prefer a nice fast walk. For some reason, I'm just as sore after the walk! But it's easier on my joints and there's no excuse not to do it whereas with jogging, I always manage to find a reason why I don't want to do it. Not that I don't enjoy it, but I figure with the massive reduction in my calorie intake, walking is about all I can handle before I lose steam.
I realized yesterday that eating has now become a big to-do. For example, last night after my walk, I get home around 6:15 and planned on cooking chicken. So I get out the pan for the chicken, season it, throw it in the oven. Then I ate the rest of my salad which was pretty huge but good so I scarfed it down. So then I decided to chop the other head of lettuce because I know I'll need to. Then I figured I'd better make some veggies so I chopped up the couliflower and threw it in the steamer. Then I realized that because I ate my lean protein at lunch that I need to have a meal packet for dinner. So I unbox my brand new blender and decide to try and make IP ice cream!! I take it all apart to give it a good wash (never know what happens to these things during packaging), put it back together, briefly read the instructions since I've never owned a blender and dumped my IP chocolate shake power with water and some ice cubes. Blended it and because I wasn't sure how long to blend it, it came out more like chocolate slushy. But it was pretty good! I liked it so much better than just adding water and shaking it in my little shaker. Now my plan is to master this blender!!
Anyway, so when it was all said and done, I had a ton of dishes to wash!! Seems like every meal requires a million dishes. Before all I had to do was throw away the fast food bag. Yes, it's much easier but I have to admit, my body is much more satisfied with nutritious food than fast food. I'm still surprised how I can get so full off of salad and veggies.
I'm on vacation next week and part of me really wishes that I can eat whatever I want. It's how I use to celebrate my vacations in the past. I'm not worried that I'll fall off the wagon since I'm not going anywhere plus I'll be going into week 4 at that point and I've come too far to mess this up!!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Day 15
So WI wasn't as good as I thought it would be at 3.4 lbs but I can't complain. My total weight loss for two weeks is 11 lbs which is an average of 5.5 lbs per week. Definitely better than any other diet I've been on!
The doc did scold me for not eating 3 IP packets a day though. I told him that I was spreading out my lunch but he wasn't having it. He said I have to have that 3rd packet to maintain my muscle mass, which without it I'm creeping into the starvation diet which is not healthly. I guess part of me was thinking that it meant less calories but he's right, I don't want to lose muscle because in the end, muscle is what is going to keep the fat off.
So he said I can start buying the meal bars which from the 3fatchicks website I hear are really good. He advised that I cut one bar in half and have it for my afternoon snack then eat the rest around 7:30 as my nightly snack. He said not to eat them everyday since they do have carbs in them so hopefully I can restrain myself :)
Yesterday I stir fried shrimp for the first time!! OMG it was FABULOUS!! I dipped the shrimp in the Franks Buffalo wing sauce and I could have eaten all 16 oz of it. I saved half for lunch today and I can't wait to eat them (although I hope they taste as good as when they were fresh). I also made an awesome looking salad which I now realize cutting up a head of lettuce tastes so much better than the bag lettuce.
So I'm off to Week 3!
The doc did scold me for not eating 3 IP packets a day though. I told him that I was spreading out my lunch but he wasn't having it. He said I have to have that 3rd packet to maintain my muscle mass, which without it I'm creeping into the starvation diet which is not healthly. I guess part of me was thinking that it meant less calories but he's right, I don't want to lose muscle because in the end, muscle is what is going to keep the fat off.
So he said I can start buying the meal bars which from the 3fatchicks website I hear are really good. He advised that I cut one bar in half and have it for my afternoon snack then eat the rest around 7:30 as my nightly snack. He said not to eat them everyday since they do have carbs in them so hopefully I can restrain myself :)
Yesterday I stir fried shrimp for the first time!! OMG it was FABULOUS!! I dipped the shrimp in the Franks Buffalo wing sauce and I could have eaten all 16 oz of it. I saved half for lunch today and I can't wait to eat them (although I hope they taste as good as when they were fresh). I also made an awesome looking salad which I now realize cutting up a head of lettuce tastes so much better than the bag lettuce.
So I'm off to Week 3!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Day 14
Today's weigh in and I'm excited to see how week 2 went. It's still not easy and I tend to put myself in temptation's way. We went to BW3 Saturday night to meet up with some friends and I absolutely love their buffalo ranch chicken wrap. Needless to say, there was none of that in my future. So I prepared myself and ate a grilled chicken breast a couple hours before we left for Bdubs. I brought my homemade salad dressing and ordered the garden salad minus cheese minus croutons so it was lettuce and tomatoes. I was fine until we ended up hanging out for about 4 hours!!!
I think I drank 64 oz of water during that time to quelch my intense hunger pains. Seeing and smelling those wings going past our table all night almost killed me. Talk about torture. But I managed!! I didn't waver. I went home and went to bed. But I told Brett that I will NOT be doing that again!! Two hours max is all I can handle.
Honestly, I don't know why I do this to myself. I think I like testing myself because when I pass, I know that I can do this. They say you shouldn't have any cravings while on this program but I am sooooo wanting Giordano's Pizza!! I just love how it tastes, it's not like I'm filling an emotional void.
But the more and more I notice the weight loss, the less inclined I am to filling my belly with pizza. I'm just getting burned out on the veggies. My selection is quite small only because I don't know how the others taste or even how to cook them. I made a HUGE mistake and bought brussel sprouts. I thought I liked them. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!!! Grant it, I probably didn't cook them correctly but I don't think it would matter, the taste was horrendous. Note to self, don't buy those again. I find myself not eating enough salads (mostly skipping them altogether) and not really eating the veggies as much as I should. And of course, I'm hungry!! I'm losing weight but in the end, not eating enough is not a good thing for many reasons.
Time to get creative!!
I think I drank 64 oz of water during that time to quelch my intense hunger pains. Seeing and smelling those wings going past our table all night almost killed me. Talk about torture. But I managed!! I didn't waver. I went home and went to bed. But I told Brett that I will NOT be doing that again!! Two hours max is all I can handle.
Honestly, I don't know why I do this to myself. I think I like testing myself because when I pass, I know that I can do this. They say you shouldn't have any cravings while on this program but I am sooooo wanting Giordano's Pizza!! I just love how it tastes, it's not like I'm filling an emotional void.
But the more and more I notice the weight loss, the less inclined I am to filling my belly with pizza. I'm just getting burned out on the veggies. My selection is quite small only because I don't know how the others taste or even how to cook them. I made a HUGE mistake and bought brussel sprouts. I thought I liked them. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!!! Grant it, I probably didn't cook them correctly but I don't think it would matter, the taste was horrendous. Note to self, don't buy those again. I find myself not eating enough salads (mostly skipping them altogether) and not really eating the veggies as much as I should. And of course, I'm hungry!! I'm losing weight but in the end, not eating enough is not a good thing for many reasons.
Time to get creative!!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Day 10
Why oh why did I not do this diet sooner? My body is screaming THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I feel so good right now. My stomach has flattened a little (meaning the rolls have gotten a little smaller, not like I now have 6 pack abs) and I just feel so much better. I don't feel bloated or sluggish. Instead I feel light and peppy!
My friend Lori told me that the second week would be easier and she's right. I'm not as hungry between meals which I think is because I now have the meal packets that I really like plus I've upped my lean meat intake to around 8 oz instead of 5. I continue to walk 3.6 miles everyday and am accepting that even though I am not jogging, a fast walk is good for me. I'm actually sore by the end of it which surprised me. I'm an all or nothing girl so usually I insist that if I can't push myself to the limit each workout then why bother. Now my thinking is just walk everyday. It's not hard and it's easier on my joints. I need to start incorporating weight training back into my workouts because I know muscle is going to help me continue to burn calories throughout the day. I just don't have the energy yet. I'll get there though!
My friend Lori told me that the second week would be easier and she's right. I'm not as hungry between meals which I think is because I now have the meal packets that I really like plus I've upped my lean meat intake to around 8 oz instead of 5. I continue to walk 3.6 miles everyday and am accepting that even though I am not jogging, a fast walk is good for me. I'm actually sore by the end of it which surprised me. I'm an all or nothing girl so usually I insist that if I can't push myself to the limit each workout then why bother. Now my thinking is just walk everyday. It's not hard and it's easier on my joints. I need to start incorporating weight training back into my workouts because I know muscle is going to help me continue to burn calories throughout the day. I just don't have the energy yet. I'll get there though!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Day 7
Let's just start with the good news...did my first weigh in today and I lost 7.6 lbs in one week!!! WTF!!! Trust me, it was not easy. I told the doc that I'm still very hungry and he said that I'm not eating or drinking enough then. So he gave me a couple of recipes for salad dressings because I told him that I will puke if I have to eat another dry or vinegar and oil salad (I think it is the white vinegar that nauseates me). And because I am working out, he said to up the ounces on the dinner lean meats (yay). My biggest problem on this diet is that I am not a cook. Anybody who knows me will vouch for that. I am a woman of convenience, hence the 50 lbs weight gain. I think if I were a cook I'd know how to be creative enough to add variety to my meals. So he gave me a website called three fat chicks. I haven't checked it out yet. The doc also advised on getting Big Franks buffalo wing hot sauce to add to my chicken. Let me tell you, I baked some chicken for dinner tonight(plain with just a little sea salt) and dipped it in this buffalo sauce and can I say OMG!!!! It was phenominal! Like I said, maybe it's because I'm on such a restricted diet that anything tastes awesome but seriously, I now realize how good home cooking can be. Never in my life until now have I bought garlic cloves, garlic press, asparagus, couliflower, broccoli, evoo, a veggie steamer (the best purchase yet), food scale or half of the no cal/no fat/no carb condiments! Grant it this diet is costing me an arm and a leg but heck, with results like 7 lbs lost in one week, it is absolutely worth it.
I think what's even more gratifying is that I'm learning to like cooking...let me pause here while my best friend and boyfriend catch their breath :) Yeah, who knew!! I'm learning good eating habits and portion control that will last a lifetime. This is not a one-time goal for me, I want to keep all this weight off after it comes off.
I just have to give myself some props here, I managed to stick to this diet throughout Memorial Day weekend which was a HUGE accomplishment. We went to the movies and I kept smelling that popcorn and it was extremely hard not to cheat (especially since my stomach was growling). Then we went to Champps which is my all time favorite restaurant and it was 1/2 off burger night (their burger is one of my fav). I got a side order of grilled shrimp, a side salad, and steamed broccoli with two big glasses of water. While my boyfriend ate a bbq burger with waffle fries and cheese dip (did I mention that these waffle fries are fabulous - to me at least). I did not even steal one fry. Talk about commitment. Don't get me wrong, it was excruciating to resist. I figured I've suffered through 6 whole days at that point that I wasn't throwing it all away. I must train myself not to be an emotional eater. One day at a time.
I think what's even more gratifying is that I'm learning to like cooking...let me pause here while my best friend and boyfriend catch their breath :) Yeah, who knew!! I'm learning good eating habits and portion control that will last a lifetime. This is not a one-time goal for me, I want to keep all this weight off after it comes off.
I just have to give myself some props here, I managed to stick to this diet throughout Memorial Day weekend which was a HUGE accomplishment. We went to the movies and I kept smelling that popcorn and it was extremely hard not to cheat (especially since my stomach was growling). Then we went to Champps which is my all time favorite restaurant and it was 1/2 off burger night (their burger is one of my fav). I got a side order of grilled shrimp, a side salad, and steamed broccoli with two big glasses of water. While my boyfriend ate a bbq burger with waffle fries and cheese dip (did I mention that these waffle fries are fabulous - to me at least). I did not even steal one fry. Talk about commitment. Don't get me wrong, it was excruciating to resist. I figured I've suffered through 6 whole days at that point that I wasn't throwing it all away. I must train myself not to be an emotional eater. One day at a time.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Day 6
I've come to realize that I am an emotional eater. I never thought I was until now. I like to reward myself with food. Having a bad or long day at work? How bout an M&M blizzard from DQ. Having a rough week at work? How bout a whole weekend of eating whatever I want because I deserve it. I'm also an all or nothing type person. I either follow something to the letter of the law or I don't follow it at all. For example, this diet. I'm following it to the letter of the law and you would not believe how many times I would have loved to gone to Cracker Barrel or any restaurant and eat my favorite foods over this holiday weekend. I always looked forward to the weekends because I knew I'd eat good. It's true that I don't have any cravings (which is what the dr said would happen) but I do miss me some bread!! Especially white bread like Jimmy Johns sandwiches or garlic bread. But it's weird that I'm not craving it. I just miss the taste of it. I have been hungry a lot this past week but I think that is because I've been walking 3.6 miles every day for the last 4 days. I reheated the burger that I made a few days ago and OMG was it delicious!! Even though it was 2 days old! And I bought a steamer for my veggies. That was the best thing I could have bought. I've been eating steamed broccoli and asparagus and it is DELICIOUS!! I would NEVER had gone through the trouble to make steamed veggies before. A ride through the nearest drive through was a lot easier and tastier. But when your diet is extremely limited, you start to enjoy the simplest of foods (i.e. a plain burger which is just a patty of beef). What's also funny is that me and my boyfriend planned our weekends around where we were going to eat next. Now that I'm on this diet, we have a bunch of free time that we don't know what to do with. Inevitably my boyfriend is going to end up losing weight while I'm on this diet because now he's finding stuff to eat at home :)
I am staying focused on my goal. I'm excited to see what my weight loss is tomorrow after being on this for one week. I know I've lost something. I can feel it. Plus I don't think I'm eating more than a 1000 calories per day! How can you not lose weight?? And now that I've had a weeks worth of the IP food, I know what I like and what I don't like and get to customize my food for the upcoming week. Yay!
I am staying focused on my goal. I'm excited to see what my weight loss is tomorrow after being on this for one week. I know I've lost something. I can feel it. Plus I don't think I'm eating more than a 1000 calories per day! How can you not lose weight?? And now that I've had a weeks worth of the IP food, I know what I like and what I don't like and get to customize my food for the upcoming week. Yay!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Day 4
I know I skipped a day but yesterday it was just way to beautiful out to even log in! Sunny and 75 without a single cloud in the sky. Also, I was out at a book signing on Thursday night to meet my favorite author Jennifer Lancaster and didn't get home until midnight. So needless to say, I didn't wake up until almost 10 on Friday...yikes. I've noticed on this diet that I'm tired earlier than usual. By 8pm I'm ready for bed. Sometimes I like to go to bed just so I'm not tempted to eat. I've been hungry between meals but it's a different kind of hungry. It's not a low sugar type hungry where I'm shaking and looking for the nearest fast food restaurant. This type of hunger is tolerable. Also, my workouts (I've only been walking) seem better. I can feel a difference in how my body is reacting. Before I felt tired before I even made it halfway around the trail and I'd get so frustrated because I know I can make it all the way around. Now I feel like even though I'm hungry, I don't feel weak. So I got that going for me :)
And yesterday I cooked hamburgers on the grill and they came out AWESOME!! Trust me, this is a rare occurrence. My boyfriend will be the first to tell you that anything I cook on the grill comes out the consistency of a hockey puck. I couldn't believe how good they were (I could only have 1 7oz burger with nothing on it) for being made with 96% lean beef. Also, I've never cooked asparagus and I took a simple recipe that my best friend gave me (little evoo, seasalt and pepper) and actually cooked them on the grill and they came out PERFECT!! I mean perfect crispness and taste. I ate them all and didn't even leave some for my boyfriend (his loss, he decided to go out golfing with his friends). I figured they wouldn't be good by the time he got back. So asparagus is my new fav veggie! I was desperate to find more veggie options since lettuce and cucumbers were getting old fast.
Anyway, I still haven't felt any real withdrawl symptoms like headaches which I thought FOR SURE I'd get. This makes me happy because I know that I can always come back to this diet plan if I need to (which I'm hoping I won't because it's not easy).
Now I'm off to start my day and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend. It's going to be nothing but sun and 80's all weekend except for Monday of course. Mother Nature can't give us everything :) And I have to be honest, I do miss going to Cracker Barrel with my bestie on Saturday mornings. CB was my weekend guilty pleasure. Oh well, I keep my 50 lb goal in mind and that keeps me motivated! Plus I'm getting out of this vicious sugar cycle and I couldn't be happier about that.
And yesterday I cooked hamburgers on the grill and they came out AWESOME!! Trust me, this is a rare occurrence. My boyfriend will be the first to tell you that anything I cook on the grill comes out the consistency of a hockey puck. I couldn't believe how good they were (I could only have 1 7oz burger with nothing on it) for being made with 96% lean beef. Also, I've never cooked asparagus and I took a simple recipe that my best friend gave me (little evoo, seasalt and pepper) and actually cooked them on the grill and they came out PERFECT!! I mean perfect crispness and taste. I ate them all and didn't even leave some for my boyfriend (his loss, he decided to go out golfing with his friends). I figured they wouldn't be good by the time he got back. So asparagus is my new fav veggie! I was desperate to find more veggie options since lettuce and cucumbers were getting old fast.
Anyway, I still haven't felt any real withdrawl symptoms like headaches which I thought FOR SURE I'd get. This makes me happy because I know that I can always come back to this diet plan if I need to (which I'm hoping I won't because it's not easy).
Now I'm off to start my day and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend. It's going to be nothing but sun and 80's all weekend except for Monday of course. Mother Nature can't give us everything :) And I have to be honest, I do miss going to Cracker Barrel with my bestie on Saturday mornings. CB was my weekend guilty pleasure. Oh well, I keep my 50 lb goal in mind and that keeps me motivated! Plus I'm getting out of this vicious sugar cycle and I couldn't be happier about that.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Day 2
I survived the first day! Who knew I could go one day without carbs. I'm guessing that this is going to get harder as time goes by. I didn't experience any headaches or nausea so that was good although by the evening I was feeling a little tired due to lack of energy. I stuck to the plan and didn't eat more than 4 IP packets when I could have had one more. I may have to do that today since I'm feeling very hungry.
I did ask my friend who is on this what she did for salad dressing. I have no clue on how to properly mix vinegar and oil. She said she's been putting hot sauce on everything even salads. Now I would never have thought of that but I did put it on my eggs this morning and it rocked! Guess I'll be stocking up on hot sauce! One thing about this diet is that it is extremely bland. I also need to get a variety on the vegetables. All I've been eating is salad and cucumbers. That's going to get old pretty quick. The list of "unrestrictive veggies" has barely a handful of veggies that I like. This is the problem when you do not cook and eat convenience food, you don't know how to be creative.
I did have a slight panic attack last night when I remembered that I was going to dinner with my friend tonight (plans that were made before I embarked on this diet). I don't want to sabatoge myself so early in the game so my plan is that no matter where we go, all I'm getting is a plain chicken breast and some lettuce to make a chicken salad. I must remember the goal and not be bummed out that I won't be able to enjoy all the awesome fattening food I use to.
I did ask my friend who is on this what she did for salad dressing. I have no clue on how to properly mix vinegar and oil. She said she's been putting hot sauce on everything even salads. Now I would never have thought of that but I did put it on my eggs this morning and it rocked! Guess I'll be stocking up on hot sauce! One thing about this diet is that it is extremely bland. I also need to get a variety on the vegetables. All I've been eating is salad and cucumbers. That's going to get old pretty quick. The list of "unrestrictive veggies" has barely a handful of veggies that I like. This is the problem when you do not cook and eat convenience food, you don't know how to be creative.
I did have a slight panic attack last night when I remembered that I was going to dinner with my friend tonight (plans that were made before I embarked on this diet). I don't want to sabatoge myself so early in the game so my plan is that no matter where we go, all I'm getting is a plain chicken breast and some lettuce to make a chicken salad. I must remember the goal and not be bummed out that I won't be able to enjoy all the awesome fattening food I use to.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Day 1
So today I started the Ideal Protein program. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's similar to Atkins but monitored by a doctor and better for you (at least that is the bill of goods I was sold). It doesn't matter to me at this point, I just want to see results!! It was suggested to me by a friend who has already lost 67 lbs on her own and she found it when she hit a plateau and now has lost 16 lbs in 4 weeks. Now those are my kind of numbers! I know, I know, I didn't gain back 50 lbs in a month and I know I won't lose it in a month but I live by instant gratification (which breeds disappointment and frustration thus leaving Seattle Sutton and Nutrisystem in the dust). The whole point of this program is to "reset" the pancreas so that it's not overproducing insulin. In a nutshell, if you are doing all you can to lose weight (eat right, exercise) and still not seeing results, it may be because your body is not using sugar like it should. Sugars include carbs and let me tell you, I never met a carb I didn't like. If your body was functioning normally, it would use the sugar you consumed to fuel your muscles. If not, then your body is storing all that sugar into fat. I'm obviously not a doctor but given some other things I've noticed about my how my body functions, I truly believe that my body is not using sugars properly in addition to my eating a high carb based diet.
So far I had the herb and egg mix for breakfast and 25 oz of water, a chocolate shake for my mid-morning snack (did I mention I am a chocolohoic) and just had my 2 cups of vegetables and a bowl of salad for lunch. I'm holding off on my packet of chicken soup for later which may be sooner rather than later. I have to admit, the food is actually decent! My biggest challenge will be discipline. I'm all excited now because it's new but just like a new pair of shoes, eventually the newness wears off. But I am determined to make this work. I realize that I should have done this in the winter so that I can have that rockin body for summer (HA! yeah right) but at this point it's better now than never. I've come to a point in my life where I have to start worrying about my health just as much as my vanity. Every single one of my Dad's brothers and sisters (total of 8) had diabetes after the age of 40. That was not the future I wanted for myself.
Because I feel in my heart and soul that I am going to beat the system (i.e. my lack of willpower) and reach my goal and KEEP IT OFF this time that I wanted to document my journey. I realize that the topic of weight loss and the struggles with it is very common. I just want to be able to look back and never forget how hard I worked to get to where I am. So let the journey begin!!!
So far I had the herb and egg mix for breakfast and 25 oz of water, a chocolate shake for my mid-morning snack (did I mention I am a chocolohoic) and just had my 2 cups of vegetables and a bowl of salad for lunch. I'm holding off on my packet of chicken soup for later which may be sooner rather than later. I have to admit, the food is actually decent! My biggest challenge will be discipline. I'm all excited now because it's new but just like a new pair of shoes, eventually the newness wears off. But I am determined to make this work. I realize that I should have done this in the winter so that I can have that rockin body for summer (HA! yeah right) but at this point it's better now than never. I've come to a point in my life where I have to start worrying about my health just as much as my vanity. Every single one of my Dad's brothers and sisters (total of 8) had diabetes after the age of 40. That was not the future I wanted for myself.
Because I feel in my heart and soul that I am going to beat the system (i.e. my lack of willpower) and reach my goal and KEEP IT OFF this time that I wanted to document my journey. I realize that the topic of weight loss and the struggles with it is very common. I just want to be able to look back and never forget how hard I worked to get to where I am. So let the journey begin!!!
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