200.0 GRRRRR! SO close! In 2 weeks, I lost .2 pounds. Now, I haven't been diligent about logging my points OR going to the gym. So, on the upside, I have learned to change my eating habits enough that I can maintain my weight without working out. But, I really wanted to be out of the 200's!
So, hopefully this will motivate me to be a more diligent dieter this week. I think I got used to eating how I ate when I was working out. And now I'm eating about the same amount, but not getting to the gym as often. Which could explain why I haven't been losing weight very quickly lately.
The reason I haven't been getting to the gym is because I am no longer allowed to be on my mom's family gym membership. Apparently, even though I live with her, I'm too old. A month after your 24th birthday, according to Ft. Sanders, I'm officially an adult. Now, my sister is going out of town for the summer for an internship, so I will be able to use her card. But eventually I'm going to have to go gym shopping. My restaurant has a deal with the YMCA downtown where I can be a member there for $49/month. Now, I'm not sure how long I'll be at the restaurant (I like it, I just don't want to be a waitress forever!), but I know I hope to be moving a lot closer to downtown sometime this year. So that might be a possibility. If anyone knows of a cheaper gym, though, let me know!
Despite the fact that I basically maintained my weight the past 2 weeks, I have seen things in the last few weeks that have made me proud. I fit into a size 14 dress for my cousin's wedding. I bought a size medium dress in February that didn't quite fit, but it was the only one because it was at a secondhand store, so I bought it anyway. And I managed to fit into it for Cinco de Mayo! In fact, I had to buy new work pants because mine were so loose. Now, the size 14 jeans are a little tight, but they do fit. All my clothes are fitting better, in fact, and I have the confidence to wear things I didn't before. All around, it's really nice.
As always, thank you for your support!!
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Trying to Keep You Updated
Hello again!
Just for the record, I did go to the gym yesterday. I waited until about 6:30 to get there, but I did go. I think I was feeling tired/lazy because I didn't take my thyroid meds at the time I usually take them. But nonetheless, I did get up and go to the gym.
Today has been good. Tuesdays are always busy because I work in the restaurant and teach. But, I still made it to my Body Flow class and did 15 minutes on the elliptical before I had to go shower for my lesson. For lunch at the restaurant I had delicious chicken lemon soup and a small greek salad. We have sweet potato fries that people order all the time, and always rave about delicious they are. I have yet to try them because I'm afraid they'll be so delicious I'll want to eat them every day. So as of now, I have resisted.
I'm nervous about my weigh-in day tomorrow, again. I've been feeling okay about my food this week, but my portion sizes have probably been underestimated more than once. Especially when it comes to stuff like chips. Chips are my downfall - especially cheesy ones. Cheez-its, cheetos. . . . whatever. I could eat a box of cheez-its in one sitting without missing a beat. Luckily my conscious (partially due to you all - thanks!!) keeps me from doing that. But I do buy baked cheetos, which I think are actually better than regular cheetos because they're less greasy, and because they're "healthier," I eat a lot more than I should. Things like that are a delicate balance for me - something to improve on in the coming week if I don't lose as much as I might like!
I'll update you all again tomorrow! Thanks for taking the time to read!
Just for the record, I did go to the gym yesterday. I waited until about 6:30 to get there, but I did go. I think I was feeling tired/lazy because I didn't take my thyroid meds at the time I usually take them. But nonetheless, I did get up and go to the gym.
Today has been good. Tuesdays are always busy because I work in the restaurant and teach. But, I still made it to my Body Flow class and did 15 minutes on the elliptical before I had to go shower for my lesson. For lunch at the restaurant I had delicious chicken lemon soup and a small greek salad. We have sweet potato fries that people order all the time, and always rave about delicious they are. I have yet to try them because I'm afraid they'll be so delicious I'll want to eat them every day. So as of now, I have resisted.
I'm nervous about my weigh-in day tomorrow, again. I've been feeling okay about my food this week, but my portion sizes have probably been underestimated more than once. Especially when it comes to stuff like chips. Chips are my downfall - especially cheesy ones. Cheez-its, cheetos. . . . whatever. I could eat a box of cheez-its in one sitting without missing a beat. Luckily my conscious (partially due to you all - thanks!!) keeps me from doing that. But I do buy baked cheetos, which I think are actually better than regular cheetos because they're less greasy, and because they're "healthier," I eat a lot more than I should. Things like that are a delicate balance for me - something to improve on in the coming week if I don't lose as much as I might like!
I'll update you all again tomorrow! Thanks for taking the time to read!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Weekend Update
So last night, I had Taco Bell. (For the Texans - we don't have Taco Cabana here! It makes me sad.) I really wanted some chips and queso, but I also ordered a chicken quesadilla which I only intended on eating half of. But I ate the whole thing anyway. And I was going to go to the gym today, but I really needed a nap this afternoon before I have rehearsal and then work at the restaurant.
Here's the thing - it's okay!! I'm starting to realize that Fridays and Saturdays are the days I'm going to have to use my weekly WW points. And even with the Taco Bell, I still stayed within my weekly points. So MUCH better than last Saturday - even though I ate fast food, I made smarter decisions.
So far I've been to the gym 3 days this week (my WW week starts on Wednesday), and I'm still taking the Body Flow class. I've noticed that I do much better in the first half of the class - the later half my body is still getting tired and it's hard to do some of the poses, but I definitely can tell a difference already. Also, I've increased my running intervals to alternating a lap and a half of running, then 2 laps walking. Hopefully it will be 2 laps of each soon. I've also noticed that my resting heart rate is much lower than it used to be, and I have to work a lot harder to get my heart rate up around 160.
My clothes are fitting better and it feels SO good to be confident in them. Last night I wore a shirt I hadn't work in at least 9 months, and I actually felt great. I can tell the most difference around my stomach - I carry a lot of weight there. It's not a totally obvious difference to most people, I'm sure, but I can tell. And hey, I'm doing this for me!
Thank you all for reading! Another update soon!
Here's the thing - it's okay!! I'm starting to realize that Fridays and Saturdays are the days I'm going to have to use my weekly WW points. And even with the Taco Bell, I still stayed within my weekly points. So MUCH better than last Saturday - even though I ate fast food, I made smarter decisions.
So far I've been to the gym 3 days this week (my WW week starts on Wednesday), and I'm still taking the Body Flow class. I've noticed that I do much better in the first half of the class - the later half my body is still getting tired and it's hard to do some of the poses, but I definitely can tell a difference already. Also, I've increased my running intervals to alternating a lap and a half of running, then 2 laps walking. Hopefully it will be 2 laps of each soon. I've also noticed that my resting heart rate is much lower than it used to be, and I have to work a lot harder to get my heart rate up around 160.
My clothes are fitting better and it feels SO good to be confident in them. Last night I wore a shirt I hadn't work in at least 9 months, and I actually felt great. I can tell the most difference around my stomach - I carry a lot of weight there. It's not a totally obvious difference to most people, I'm sure, but I can tell. And hey, I'm doing this for me!
Thank you all for reading! Another update soon!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Weigh-in day!
Weigh-in today!!! And the total is . . . .(drumroll) . . . 215.8 lbs! 1 pound lost this week, which considering my limited gym-going and not so great weekend, I am happy with. 1 pound down! I didn't gain and I didn't stay the same - there's NOTHING more frustrating than staying the same. So I'm not exstatic, but I'm happy! Not a lot of time to write, but I will say, at the restaurant today I had a salad AND I spent 45 minutes at the gym today. It's a good day! :) Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Changes and Truth
It's been a busy couple of days! I would love to say that this blog will be daily - but I'm going to say that probably won't happen. I will write as often as I can!
Since Sunday, I've been sticking pretty closely to the diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables, milk and protein and fewer carbs. I've felt good about what I've been eating. Don't get me wrong, I still treat myself a little. Sunday I had a 3 Musketeers fun size bar and yesterday I had a large low-fat blueberry muffin from Mimi's Cafe. But, most of the day, I eat well.
Today was my first day at the restaurant. It's going to be REALLY hard to eat well there. They have fantastic food, most of it southern comfort style, and I get a 50% discount anytime. But today, I got an avocado, tomato and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, with a side salad. And it was delicious! So today was a victory! Also, since my daily activity has changed from mostly sitting to mostly standing and walking. So, tomorrow, being the first day of my new Weight Watchers week, I will adjust my daily points to reflect that. For dinner tonight, I had a Healthy Choice Fresh Mixer, which, if you haven't tried, are DELICIOUS! They come in handy microwaveable packets that can steam rice and heat meat and sauce. I had the sesame teriyaki chicken one today. They're really handy to bring for lunch if you work at an office or something.
Today was also my first day at the gym since Thursday. This isn't great, but sometimes you just can't get there. And as long as you don't give up or get discouraged because you're not there every day for 5 hours, just keep doing what you can. Today I took this AWESOME class called Body Flow. (I'm lucky that my gym membership means all classes are free.) Body Flow is a mix of Tai-Chi, pilates and yoga. So, in short, I'm already sore! It was really difficult, but really cool. And then I got on the treadmill and walked for about 20 minutes. My mom wants to go with me to the next class. I'm hoping to go at least once or twice a week. I think if I went everyday I would never stop being sore! I forgot how GREAT I feel after I leave the gym.
I'm a little anxious about getting on the scale tomorrow. I hope I lose something. Well, actually, I hope I lost around 2 pounds. But I'm not sure it's going to happen. Last week I weight 216.8 lbs. I'll let you all know what the scale says - even if that's all I can post. As much as I'd like to say the weight doesn't matter, it's about a healthy lifestyle, blah blah blah - let's be real. Of course it's about weight. It's about self-esteem. I can't feel good about myself until I stop wearing a size 16-18. I can't be fully healthy until I STOP BEING OBESE. Yes, I am obese. I don't look like people you think of as obese, but that doesn't change the fact that my body fat percentage is 35%. I've always been blessed by the fact that I don't look like I weigh as much as I do. Now, the curse in this is that I can gain or lose about 15 pounds without there being much of a noticeable difference. So one day, I get on the scale and I weigh 15 pounds more than I thought I did. Maybe my number has always contributed to the fact that I've felt fat since I can remember, even when I used to wear a size 8. I used to look at my friends and wonder why I didn't look like them. As early as the 4th grade I can remember thinking this. I learned early to wear flattering clothes and suck in my stomach. I used to joke about the fact that I weighed 150 pounds when most of my friends weighed 120-120. But I joked about it to hide the fact that I didn't like the way I looked. So this is why I'm here. No more joking, no more hiding. I'm ready to change - thank you all for helping me. And thank you all for loving me when I feel like I'm at my worst.
Since Sunday, I've been sticking pretty closely to the diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables, milk and protein and fewer carbs. I've felt good about what I've been eating. Don't get me wrong, I still treat myself a little. Sunday I had a 3 Musketeers fun size bar and yesterday I had a large low-fat blueberry muffin from Mimi's Cafe. But, most of the day, I eat well.
Today was my first day at the restaurant. It's going to be REALLY hard to eat well there. They have fantastic food, most of it southern comfort style, and I get a 50% discount anytime. But today, I got an avocado, tomato and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, with a side salad. And it was delicious! So today was a victory! Also, since my daily activity has changed from mostly sitting to mostly standing and walking. So, tomorrow, being the first day of my new Weight Watchers week, I will adjust my daily points to reflect that. For dinner tonight, I had a Healthy Choice Fresh Mixer, which, if you haven't tried, are DELICIOUS! They come in handy microwaveable packets that can steam rice and heat meat and sauce. I had the sesame teriyaki chicken one today. They're really handy to bring for lunch if you work at an office or something.
Today was also my first day at the gym since Thursday. This isn't great, but sometimes you just can't get there. And as long as you don't give up or get discouraged because you're not there every day for 5 hours, just keep doing what you can. Today I took this AWESOME class called Body Flow. (I'm lucky that my gym membership means all classes are free.) Body Flow is a mix of Tai-Chi, pilates and yoga. So, in short, I'm already sore! It was really difficult, but really cool. And then I got on the treadmill and walked for about 20 minutes. My mom wants to go with me to the next class. I'm hoping to go at least once or twice a week. I think if I went everyday I would never stop being sore! I forgot how GREAT I feel after I leave the gym.
I'm a little anxious about getting on the scale tomorrow. I hope I lose something. Well, actually, I hope I lost around 2 pounds. But I'm not sure it's going to happen. Last week I weight 216.8 lbs. I'll let you all know what the scale says - even if that's all I can post. As much as I'd like to say the weight doesn't matter, it's about a healthy lifestyle, blah blah blah - let's be real. Of course it's about weight. It's about self-esteem. I can't feel good about myself until I stop wearing a size 16-18. I can't be fully healthy until I STOP BEING OBESE. Yes, I am obese. I don't look like people you think of as obese, but that doesn't change the fact that my body fat percentage is 35%. I've always been blessed by the fact that I don't look like I weigh as much as I do. Now, the curse in this is that I can gain or lose about 15 pounds without there being much of a noticeable difference. So one day, I get on the scale and I weigh 15 pounds more than I thought I did. Maybe my number has always contributed to the fact that I've felt fat since I can remember, even when I used to wear a size 8. I used to look at my friends and wonder why I didn't look like them. As early as the 4th grade I can remember thinking this. I learned early to wear flattering clothes and suck in my stomach. I used to joke about the fact that I weighed 150 pounds when most of my friends weighed 120-120. But I joked about it to hide the fact that I didn't like the way I looked. So this is why I'm here. No more joking, no more hiding. I'm ready to change - thank you all for helping me. And thank you all for loving me when I feel like I'm at my worst.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
New Dawn
First, I must say how much I've been touched by the response I've already gotten from writing this blog. I never thought that just by being honest, so many people would support me even more than they already did. And this is only the second entry! All of you that have contacted me and let me know that you were moved by my words, you should know: it was you I thought of in the gym today when I wanted to stop running, but kept going anyway. It was you I thought of on my drive home when I wanted to pick up mexican food, and got a salad instead. It was you I thought of at lunch when I wanted to have 2 pieces of leftover pizza, and only had one. YOU inspired me to stick to it! And I hope that I have the same effect on you all - I can be someone you think of when you're having a hard time. Not to make you feel guilty or berate you if you gain a couple of pounds. That I will be someone who will celebrate your successes and understand your defeats. That whether you're on the highest weight loss peak or the lowest possible point of weight gain, I'll be here and I'll understand both parts.
My New Year's resolution is two-fold this year. 1) Live a healthier life and take care of my body, mind and soul. 2) Be a better friend, especially to those who aren't close by. These 2 resolutions might seem backwards to some, might seem selfish for putting myself before my friends. But I realized that I can't be the friend I want to be until I love myself as much as my friends love me. (Or at least half as much!) If I depend on my friends for the acceptance I can't find in myself, that's putting an awfully large burden on them. And that's not really being a good friend at all.
Today has been a good day. I woke up later than expected, but still managed to spend about an hour and 15 minutes at the gym. I'm lucky right now in that I don't work most afternoons, so I have time to be a little leisurely as far as when I get to the gym. But too much free time can be dangerous, too because I'm VERY prone to bored-snacking. So next week starts the new waitressing job - I'll let you know how that goes! Anyway, for those of you that are curious, here were my gym activities for the day: 10 minutes of abs, 15 minutes alternating running/walking around the track, 15 minutes of arms and 20 minutes on the elliptical. Add stretching and that was my workout! (I'm a HUGE advocate of stretching thoroughly before and after working out, especially if you're relatively new to working out regularly. Please do it!) This is my usual gym workout. For the record, I HATE arms and DESPISE abs. But (maybe not surprisingly) these are the parts of my body I'm least proud of. So, I've found that if I do abs first and get it out of the way, it's not as despicable. Arms I put in between cardio so my heart rate stays up while I do them. I'm really not a fan of running either, but most of the people whose bodies I admire are runners. So, I'm trying to work my heart up to running. Right now I can't run much more than a lap (at my gym that's 1/12 of a mile) without maxing out my heart rate. Which I think at 23 is incredibly depressing, but it's pushing me to work harder to fix it! And speaking of heart rate, I'm also a HUGE advocate of heart rate monitors! You can plug in your own weight, age and sex, and it will tell you exactly how many calories you burn! A fantastic tool if you don't want to sit on an elliptical machine during your entire workout and still want to know how much you burn. Get one at your local sports supply store!
For those of you interested in how I'm keeping track of my calorie intake and burn, I'm on Weight Watchers. I'm a HUGE advocate of this program. I think it's the only program out that there really teaches you how to make decisions for yourself. Who wants to eat prepackaged meals at home every day of the week? And have to turn down your friends when they go out to dinner, or risk gaining weight because you went off program for one day of the week? Weight Watchers give you the option to have a dessert one day or a slice of pizza another day. I'll explain all the details another time, but for now suffice it to say this is how I lost weight in 2006 and I KNOW it works. They give you all the tools you need - after that it's up to you! You learn what you can and can't eat for yourself - or how to sacrifice a little if you REALLY want that extra cookie! The one mistake I made before was I never followed through with them and learned how to maintain my weight. This is a step I certainly WILL NOT be missing this time around!
Thank you all again for being such an inspiration to me and for taking time out of your lives to read and respond!!
My New Year's resolution is two-fold this year. 1) Live a healthier life and take care of my body, mind and soul. 2) Be a better friend, especially to those who aren't close by. These 2 resolutions might seem backwards to some, might seem selfish for putting myself before my friends. But I realized that I can't be the friend I want to be until I love myself as much as my friends love me. (Or at least half as much!) If I depend on my friends for the acceptance I can't find in myself, that's putting an awfully large burden on them. And that's not really being a good friend at all.
Today has been a good day. I woke up later than expected, but still managed to spend about an hour and 15 minutes at the gym. I'm lucky right now in that I don't work most afternoons, so I have time to be a little leisurely as far as when I get to the gym. But too much free time can be dangerous, too because I'm VERY prone to bored-snacking. So next week starts the new waitressing job - I'll let you know how that goes! Anyway, for those of you that are curious, here were my gym activities for the day: 10 minutes of abs, 15 minutes alternating running/walking around the track, 15 minutes of arms and 20 minutes on the elliptical. Add stretching and that was my workout! (I'm a HUGE advocate of stretching thoroughly before and after working out, especially if you're relatively new to working out regularly. Please do it!) This is my usual gym workout. For the record, I HATE arms and DESPISE abs. But (maybe not surprisingly) these are the parts of my body I'm least proud of. So, I've found that if I do abs first and get it out of the way, it's not as despicable. Arms I put in between cardio so my heart rate stays up while I do them. I'm really not a fan of running either, but most of the people whose bodies I admire are runners. So, I'm trying to work my heart up to running. Right now I can't run much more than a lap (at my gym that's 1/12 of a mile) without maxing out my heart rate. Which I think at 23 is incredibly depressing, but it's pushing me to work harder to fix it! And speaking of heart rate, I'm also a HUGE advocate of heart rate monitors! You can plug in your own weight, age and sex, and it will tell you exactly how many calories you burn! A fantastic tool if you don't want to sit on an elliptical machine during your entire workout and still want to know how much you burn. Get one at your local sports supply store!
For those of you interested in how I'm keeping track of my calorie intake and burn, I'm on Weight Watchers. I'm a HUGE advocate of this program. I think it's the only program out that there really teaches you how to make decisions for yourself. Who wants to eat prepackaged meals at home every day of the week? And have to turn down your friends when they go out to dinner, or risk gaining weight because you went off program for one day of the week? Weight Watchers give you the option to have a dessert one day or a slice of pizza another day. I'll explain all the details another time, but for now suffice it to say this is how I lost weight in 2006 and I KNOW it works. They give you all the tools you need - after that it's up to you! You learn what you can and can't eat for yourself - or how to sacrifice a little if you REALLY want that extra cookie! The one mistake I made before was I never followed through with them and learned how to maintain my weight. This is a step I certainly WILL NOT be missing this time around!
Thank you all again for being such an inspiration to me and for taking time out of your lives to read and respond!!
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