Well, I forgot to weigh in this morning. I have been doing so-so lately on eating, although it's been getting a little better. I have started Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30, and I'm liking it a lot so far. I did the first 2 workouts in 30-day Shred so many times I was sick of them, but it's a great video, and I think Ripped in 30 is even better. I think 30-day-Shred was really effective for my weight loss, so I'm hoping that Ripped in 30 will be also good for my weight maintenance/loss.
I never did 30-day-Shred more than 2-3 times a week. My goal for Ripped in 30 is to work up to doing each level 5 days in a row (with 2 rest days), to see what kind of results I get. Last week was my first week, and, due to extreme soreness, I was only able to do it 3 times. This week, I'm hopeful I'll be able to do it 4-5 times.
Jillian workouts are great for my shoulders. When I do my strength training exercises sans video, I do a lot more shoulder work now because of her videos. They also work my legs, something I tend to ignore when I'm doing workouts on my own. My legs are muscular enough just from walking that I tend to neglect those little muscles that don't get worked in my daily life. Her videos also provide much needed ab work and reminders about form that I tend to forget about when doing ab work on my own.
I also like her videos because her models are so very ripped. It tends to make me think in a more positive way about making my body stronger and my muscles more defined, rather than trying to get tiny looking.
I'm hoping that with the help of Jillian I'll emerge from the cold weather months more toned than before!
Losing the Last 14 (One More Time)
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Weigh-in
Well, I am down to 131.8, which is, I believe my 2nd lowest weight since I started recording them a year ago. Weird. It's been like 3 weeks since I've done my strength training. I haven't been running or doing any intense cardio, just walking and exercise bike. I have been fairly consistent, haven't had much sweets, have been trying to watch my snacking. I eat too many dry cheerios, but I guess they are low enough in calories that they don't have that much effect.
We got back from Disney on Sunday, after 8 days there. I was sure I would gain 5 pounds, eating so much restaurant food (and desserts!) I guess all the miles and miles of walking cancelled it out. And I never ate a whole dessert--I always got a shared one. I wish I had time to do that kind of walking on a daily basis.
I guess with my new goal, I'm only 2.8 pounds away! That actually feels really good.
We got back from Disney on Sunday, after 8 days there. I was sure I would gain 5 pounds, eating so much restaurant food (and desserts!) I guess all the miles and miles of walking cancelled it out. And I never ate a whole dessert--I always got a shared one. I wish I had time to do that kind of walking on a daily basis.
I guess with my new goal, I'm only 2.8 pounds away! That actually feels really good.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Coping with Stress, Changing my Goal
I took a break from blogging for a while. I got down to about 131 pounds then crept back up to 134 and am somewhere in between. (We'll see what I weigh in at tomorrow.) Last Sunday, I weighed in at 134.
I had a really difficult few weeks where I let stress get the better of me, and I was not eating well. I got worked up about our homeschool year starting and kept staying up late, looking for ideas on the Internet, ordering books, etc. I would stay up until 2 AM but still have to get up at 7 or 8, which isn't enough for me. When I don't get enough sleep, I get really hungry, have less self-control, and start mindlessly snacking.
I kept thinking to myself, I canNOT let myself go just because I get stressed out. And then I realized that that is just never going to happen. I have to deal with the stress in a better way, so that it doesn't mess up my sleeping and eating. I'm working on it.
I also realized that losing these 5 pounds has been such a struggle that I decided to set my goal weight at 129. If I get up to 130, I will work on losing weight. If, over the course of praticing portion control and exercising, I get below 129, I certainly will not try to gain back the weight, but I think 129 is a better goal for me that 125. I don't care that much if the size 4 jeans never fit me again, and I'm tired of stressing myself out about it.
Here is the plan I've made up for myself:
1) Use healthy ways to deal with stress (making to-do lists, walking, running, yoga, gardening), so that I minimize sleep loss and mindless eating.
2) Get enough sleep. Go to bed, not to computer, when sleepy.
3) Practice portion control. Stop eating when full. Eat five times a day (3 meals, 2 snacks) and no more.
4) Exercise every day. Get cardio (even if it's just walking) 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes and strength training 2 times a week.
5) When I realize I've fallen off the eating-exercise wagon, get right back on.
I think those are do-able rules that will keep me healthy and lean.
I had a really difficult few weeks where I let stress get the better of me, and I was not eating well. I got worked up about our homeschool year starting and kept staying up late, looking for ideas on the Internet, ordering books, etc. I would stay up until 2 AM but still have to get up at 7 or 8, which isn't enough for me. When I don't get enough sleep, I get really hungry, have less self-control, and start mindlessly snacking.
I kept thinking to myself, I canNOT let myself go just because I get stressed out. And then I realized that that is just never going to happen. I have to deal with the stress in a better way, so that it doesn't mess up my sleeping and eating. I'm working on it.
I also realized that losing these 5 pounds has been such a struggle that I decided to set my goal weight at 129. If I get up to 130, I will work on losing weight. If, over the course of praticing portion control and exercising, I get below 129, I certainly will not try to gain back the weight, but I think 129 is a better goal for me that 125. I don't care that much if the size 4 jeans never fit me again, and I'm tired of stressing myself out about it.
Here is the plan I've made up for myself:
1) Use healthy ways to deal with stress (making to-do lists, walking, running, yoga, gardening), so that I minimize sleep loss and mindless eating.
2) Get enough sleep. Go to bed, not to computer, when sleepy.
3) Practice portion control. Stop eating when full. Eat five times a day (3 meals, 2 snacks) and no more.
4) Exercise every day. Get cardio (even if it's just walking) 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes and strength training 2 times a week.
5) When I realize I've fallen off the eating-exercise wagon, get right back on.
I think those are do-able rules that will keep me healthy and lean.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Weekly Weigh-in
I did actually weigh in on Sunday, but I've just been too busy to post. I was shocked to see the scale move down to 132.6. I don't know if I'll get a number that good on Sunday. My eating has not been wonderful this week, although not terrible. I did have an anniversary dinner where I drank two glasses of wine. I've also had a few treats. My exercise has been consistent but not outstanding. So, we'll see.
Getting so close to the 120's again is honestly making me a little nervous. I'm afraid of screwing up so close to my goal. The silly thing is that I'm pretty much back where I started in October, when I originally wanted to lose about 7 pounds. And then I gained 7, the first time I've ever gained while weighing regularly. So painful.
But I figure it was BECAUSE I weighed regularly that I stopped gaining and then started losing. In the past, I've gone into much deeper denial regarding my weight, and then I end up in a real mess.
I need to be a little more positive with myself about finishing this. Maybe I also just need to focus on getting to 129 and then do some re-evaluating. Maybe I'll want to stay there. Maybe I'll want to go a step farther. Either way, it's fine.
Getting so close to the 120's again is honestly making me a little nervous. I'm afraid of screwing up so close to my goal. The silly thing is that I'm pretty much back where I started in October, when I originally wanted to lose about 7 pounds. And then I gained 7, the first time I've ever gained while weighing regularly. So painful.
But I figure it was BECAUSE I weighed regularly that I stopped gaining and then started losing. In the past, I've gone into much deeper denial regarding my weight, and then I end up in a real mess.
I need to be a little more positive with myself about finishing this. Maybe I also just need to focus on getting to 129 and then do some re-evaluating. Maybe I'll want to stay there. Maybe I'll want to go a step farther. Either way, it's fine.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Weight Loss and Bra Size
Well, weight loss has not been foremost on my mind this week, although I did get some good exercise in and have been doing pretty well on my eating. But I've been thinking about other things. Thus, I forgot to weigh myself first thing in the morning on Sunday and then on Monday. So, I took Tuesday's weight, which turned out to be pretty good at 134.0.
I'm about 5 pounds down from where I got up to, and, ironically, pretty much where I was when I started charting my weight. I'm very happy to be back here, and truth be told, I think I could be happy at this weight. My clothes all fit, except for 2 pairs of pants. I do think that a few more pounds would be good, so I'll keep trying.
I am now running into the problem that my bras no longer fit. I have gone down a band size. I have 4 wire-free Warner's bras, size 34B, and they fit nicely until now. They are now too big. I am now a 32 B, or possibly even 32C, which means I'm a lot more limited in what brands make my size. I also need padding or my nipples show through.
I hate bras, and it makes me mad that I now have to find a new brand. What I decided to do in the meantime is to order a couple of less structured bras and some silicone nipple covers and see if that solves my problem. Then, when I'm at my goal, I might think about figuring out exactly what size I am. Or if I like the less structured ones, I may just stick with that.
I've read that a woman's bra size can change constantly. Even 5 pounds can change the breast or cup size. It's just terribly annoying because bras are expensive, and a badly fitting bra is extremely uncomfortable.
I am happy about my continued weight loss. But it is making me nervous because I do like this size, and I do want to maintain it, and I'm afraid I'll go back to my old habits of eating out of boredom. I think I just need to take it one day at a time, worry about the present and not the future. If only it were easier to take my own advice.
I'm about 5 pounds down from where I got up to, and, ironically, pretty much where I was when I started charting my weight. I'm very happy to be back here, and truth be told, I think I could be happy at this weight. My clothes all fit, except for 2 pairs of pants. I do think that a few more pounds would be good, so I'll keep trying.
I am now running into the problem that my bras no longer fit. I have gone down a band size. I have 4 wire-free Warner's bras, size 34B, and they fit nicely until now. They are now too big. I am now a 32 B, or possibly even 32C, which means I'm a lot more limited in what brands make my size. I also need padding or my nipples show through.
I hate bras, and it makes me mad that I now have to find a new brand. What I decided to do in the meantime is to order a couple of less structured bras and some silicone nipple covers and see if that solves my problem. Then, when I'm at my goal, I might think about figuring out exactly what size I am. Or if I like the less structured ones, I may just stick with that.
I've read that a woman's bra size can change constantly. Even 5 pounds can change the breast or cup size. It's just terribly annoying because bras are expensive, and a badly fitting bra is extremely uncomfortable.
I am happy about my continued weight loss. But it is making me nervous because I do like this size, and I do want to maintain it, and I'm afraid I'll go back to my old habits of eating out of boredom. I think I just need to take it one day at a time, worry about the present and not the future. If only it were easier to take my own advice.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
4 Weight Loss Memoirs
Over the past several days, I have read 4 weight loss memoirs, and I think I'm ready to read something different now. I tend to go through nonfiction like that and devour several books on one topic that I'm really interested in. I decided to review them here. All of the books made me feel like a weight loss amateur, being only 50 ponuds overweight at my biggest.
The first one I read was Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir by Jeanette Fulda. She lost half her weight in a fairly short amount of time, and she writes about the changes she made to her life, how her life changed, and how it didn't change. Of all the memoirs reviewed here, hers is the funniest and most irreverent. As she loses weight, her self-consciousness fades. She attributes it to the weight loss, and perhaps it wouldn't have happened without the weight loss, but I think a lot of her story is something that many people in their twenties can relate to as they grow up, gain some perspective, and grow more comfortable with themselves.
As soon as I finished the book, I went online to google Jeanette to see how she is doing today. She has a blog. I learned that she has gained some of her weight back due to depression and chronic pain resulting from a headache that won't go away. She has written a book about that as well. My hope for her is that her pain goes away one day. Half-Assed is funny and inspiring.
I then read Battle Scars: My Journey from Obesity to Health and Happiness, Fifteen Years and Counting! by Stephen Cremen. I found this one to be particularly compelling because Stephen has kept most of his weight off for such a long period of time. Of the four I read, Stephen writes the most about emotional issues relating to his weight, and I think that his introspection is probably one the major keys to his success. His coming out as a gay man and how keeping that part of himself secret contributed to his eating issues is an interesting part of his story as well. It was a very enjoyable read and possibly the most inspirational of the four I read, simply because he's managed to be successful for so long. At the time I bought the book, it was only $1.99 on Kindle--a great bargain!
After that, I read 703: How I Lost More than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life by Nancy Makin. This was the strangest of all four memiors. Nancy had a childhood that was complicated by a stay in a horriffic Canadian cult. She became pregnant as a teenager, married the young man, and had a baby at the young age of 16. Her relationship with her controlling mother was troubled. She reached the massive weight of 703 pounds (at least) and was completely homebound, waiting to die. She is vague on exactly how she managed to become that large. Her method of weight loss was equally vague. From what I could figure out, she had been eating enormous amounts of calories constantly, and after getting a computer with Internet, she forgot to eat as much. Her book was the most painful to read--the other books I read were about young people with much more ordinary lives. After googling her, I found pictures of a strikingly pretty woman, but I could find nothing recent. I hope that she continues to lead a healthy lifestyle.
This evening, I finished reading The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid. Of all the books, I enjoyed this one the most, and I could relate to Shauna the most. She lost half of her body weight as a young woman, like Jeanette Fulda. She took six years to do so and made peace with her weight about 10 pounds above her original goal. Also like Jeanette, Shauna's book grew out of her blog. The book spans about six years of weight loss, begins in Australia, ends in Scotland, and includes a romance. Shauna grows up a lot as the book progresses. To me, this one was the most novel-like of all of the memoirs. I highly recommend it. Shauna has struggled with a bout of depression and weight gain, and I wish her the best as she takes control of her life again and works on becoming more athletic and eating in a healthy way.
I think all of these books are worth reading if you're looking for weight loss inspiration, but Battle Scars and The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl are the most worth reading, in my opinion.
The first one I read was Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir by Jeanette Fulda. She lost half her weight in a fairly short amount of time, and she writes about the changes she made to her life, how her life changed, and how it didn't change. Of all the memoirs reviewed here, hers is the funniest and most irreverent. As she loses weight, her self-consciousness fades. She attributes it to the weight loss, and perhaps it wouldn't have happened without the weight loss, but I think a lot of her story is something that many people in their twenties can relate to as they grow up, gain some perspective, and grow more comfortable with themselves.
As soon as I finished the book, I went online to google Jeanette to see how she is doing today. She has a blog. I learned that she has gained some of her weight back due to depression and chronic pain resulting from a headache that won't go away. She has written a book about that as well. My hope for her is that her pain goes away one day. Half-Assed is funny and inspiring.
I then read Battle Scars: My Journey from Obesity to Health and Happiness, Fifteen Years and Counting! by Stephen Cremen. I found this one to be particularly compelling because Stephen has kept most of his weight off for such a long period of time. Of the four I read, Stephen writes the most about emotional issues relating to his weight, and I think that his introspection is probably one the major keys to his success. His coming out as a gay man and how keeping that part of himself secret contributed to his eating issues is an interesting part of his story as well. It was a very enjoyable read and possibly the most inspirational of the four I read, simply because he's managed to be successful for so long. At the time I bought the book, it was only $1.99 on Kindle--a great bargain!
After that, I read 703: How I Lost More than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life by Nancy Makin. This was the strangest of all four memiors. Nancy had a childhood that was complicated by a stay in a horriffic Canadian cult. She became pregnant as a teenager, married the young man, and had a baby at the young age of 16. Her relationship with her controlling mother was troubled. She reached the massive weight of 703 pounds (at least) and was completely homebound, waiting to die. She is vague on exactly how she managed to become that large. Her method of weight loss was equally vague. From what I could figure out, she had been eating enormous amounts of calories constantly, and after getting a computer with Internet, she forgot to eat as much. Her book was the most painful to read--the other books I read were about young people with much more ordinary lives. After googling her, I found pictures of a strikingly pretty woman, but I could find nothing recent. I hope that she continues to lead a healthy lifestyle.
This evening, I finished reading The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid. Of all the books, I enjoyed this one the most, and I could relate to Shauna the most. She lost half of her body weight as a young woman, like Jeanette Fulda. She took six years to do so and made peace with her weight about 10 pounds above her original goal. Also like Jeanette, Shauna's book grew out of her blog. The book spans about six years of weight loss, begins in Australia, ends in Scotland, and includes a romance. Shauna grows up a lot as the book progresses. To me, this one was the most novel-like of all of the memoirs. I highly recommend it. Shauna has struggled with a bout of depression and weight gain, and I wish her the best as she takes control of her life again and works on becoming more athletic and eating in a healthy way.
I think all of these books are worth reading if you're looking for weight loss inspiration, but Battle Scars and The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl are the most worth reading, in my opinion.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Weekly Weigh-In
I did not have high expectations for this week. I didn't exercise much towards the beginning of the week, due to getting over my cold. I didn't do my strength training until Saturday, which tends to make me retain a little water. My period is expected soon. I ate too much popcorn at the movie theater yesterday. (My husband and I took our kids to see brave, the first time we had gone to the movies as a family. We had popcorn because we so rarely go to the movies, and it was a special treat.) Otherwise, I've been doing okay, but felt especialy bad about the popcorn. I know--I need to forgive myself about the popcorn and move on.
Well, the scale, to my surprise, pronounced me 134.2 this morning, down almost half a pound from last week. So, this week I'm going to work very hard and try and get on the other side of 134 for next week (I have seen the lovely 133's on the scale some mornings). Getting so close to the 120's again!
One thing I learned from Thin for Life is that successful maintainers set reasonable goals. Setting a goal of 10 pounds in a month for July was not a reasonable goal for a busy mother of 2 children who doesn't have very much weight to lose. Sure, if I went to a weight loss camp and burned a ton of calories every day, I could do it, but it would be very difficult and time consuming for me to do that in conjunction with my responsibilities at home. Five pounds might have been a reasonable goal, but 3-4 is probably what I'm going to get.
I'm not discouraged or sad that I'm not going to lose 10 pounds this month, and the idea of it did motivate me at the beginning of the month. As much as I want to be at my goal, I have to remind myself that even when I'm "done" losing weight, I'm not going to be "done" ever. I will have to watch my eating and exercise habits for the rest of my life. And that's okay--most fit people do, and I can too.
One great thing that has happened is that my jean shorts fit again. Actually, they are too loose. I have lost five pounds, apparently mostly off my waist, and I must have built up muscle over the months too. In late spring, my shorts were unwearable because they were so tight. Now I have inches to spare and really should retire them. It's kind of confusing actually. These are not shorts from when I was at my thinnest--they are from when I had put on some weight--I picked them up at a yard sale. My other shorts are still a little snug, but I can wear them. Hopefully, by the end of the summer, they will be really comfortable again.
I got some new videos, one Biggest Loser, one Bob Harper, and one Jillian. (Yes, I'm a fan of the show.) I hope to review them in the coming weeks. I'm only now feeling over my cold enough to do them.
Originally, had decided to tie my weight loss to my clothing budget and only buy clothes for myself when I had lost weight or maintained my goal weight. I decided this was a bad idea for me. I need to look nice no matter what my weight, so I have bought clothes that should continue to fit me at my goal weight. When I reach my goal, however, I will get myself a refurbished iTouch. I really want one!
Overall, I'm pleased with my results today and planning on working very hard next week.
Well, the scale, to my surprise, pronounced me 134.2 this morning, down almost half a pound from last week. So, this week I'm going to work very hard and try and get on the other side of 134 for next week (I have seen the lovely 133's on the scale some mornings). Getting so close to the 120's again!
One thing I learned from Thin for Life is that successful maintainers set reasonable goals. Setting a goal of 10 pounds in a month for July was not a reasonable goal for a busy mother of 2 children who doesn't have very much weight to lose. Sure, if I went to a weight loss camp and burned a ton of calories every day, I could do it, but it would be very difficult and time consuming for me to do that in conjunction with my responsibilities at home. Five pounds might have been a reasonable goal, but 3-4 is probably what I'm going to get.
I'm not discouraged or sad that I'm not going to lose 10 pounds this month, and the idea of it did motivate me at the beginning of the month. As much as I want to be at my goal, I have to remind myself that even when I'm "done" losing weight, I'm not going to be "done" ever. I will have to watch my eating and exercise habits for the rest of my life. And that's okay--most fit people do, and I can too.
One great thing that has happened is that my jean shorts fit again. Actually, they are too loose. I have lost five pounds, apparently mostly off my waist, and I must have built up muscle over the months too. In late spring, my shorts were unwearable because they were so tight. Now I have inches to spare and really should retire them. It's kind of confusing actually. These are not shorts from when I was at my thinnest--they are from when I had put on some weight--I picked them up at a yard sale. My other shorts are still a little snug, but I can wear them. Hopefully, by the end of the summer, they will be really comfortable again.
I got some new videos, one Biggest Loser, one Bob Harper, and one Jillian. (Yes, I'm a fan of the show.) I hope to review them in the coming weeks. I'm only now feeling over my cold enough to do them.
Originally, had decided to tie my weight loss to my clothing budget and only buy clothes for myself when I had lost weight or maintained my goal weight. I decided this was a bad idea for me. I need to look nice no matter what my weight, so I have bought clothes that should continue to fit me at my goal weight. When I reach my goal, however, I will get myself a refurbished iTouch. I really want one!
Overall, I'm pleased with my results today and planning on working very hard next week.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Book Review: Thin for Life
I just finished reading Thin for Life by Anne M. Fletcher. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I recommend it to anyone wanting some encouragement about maintaining their weight loss.
This book describes people who have maintained a weight loss, describes how they do it, and discusses why these people may not show up in studies. There is so much negativity out there about how it's "impossible" to keep weight off. This is contrary to my own experience and that of people I know. According to the fat acceptance circles, you lose weight, and then you gain even more back, and continue a viscious cycle. I've yo-yo'd a little over the past 9 years, but each time the string gets shorter. My husband has kept about 40 pounds off fo the past 9 years. He'd like to be 180, sometimes gets up to 200, and is generally about 190. (He's a tall, broad-shouldered and devastatingly handsome man.)
Anyway, this book is very encouraging. There were several things that were particularly helpful to me. The first was that it's okay not to be in love with the way you look in a bathing suit at your goal weight. It's really okay. I needed to hear that so badly. When I got to my goal 2 years ago and didn't have that washboard stomach, I felt like I wasn't done, even though I was within my BMI range for my height, even though I had a healthy amount of muscle, and even though I felt great. (The tummy didn't go away, by the way, when I continued past my goal.) I will get to 125 and just keep doing cardio, strength, and work on my core, but I give myself permission to be happy with my weight even if I don't look like someone on TV or in a magazine. (As my husband reminded me, even those people don't actually look like that.)
Another thing that was interesting to read was that maintainers eat very similarly to how they ate while they were losing weight. So, when I go to maintain, I've decided I should keep my calories the same, but have a glass of wine once a day, a sugar free coffee drink, or perhaps another small treat. This is really helpful.
Third, it's essential to have a "line in the sand." I originally was gonig to make it 125, but I've decided to make it 127, although I may change my mind and lower it depending on how my weight loss goes. If I get up to 127, I have to cut back a little on food, and step up my exercise. This is so I don't end up with 15 extra pounds to lose, like I did this time. This is what maintainers do, and what people who have never been overweight do. They cut back or exercise more when they see the scale creeping up, or their clothes get tight.
There are a lot more useful ideas in the book, but those were the ones that were particularly helpful to me. The one thing I didn't like was the emphasis on low-fat eating. For those of us with insulin resistence, I believe studies have shown that a low-carb approach can be more helpful. It seems like recent research has shown some people do better with one approach or the other.
Overall, this is a very useful and motivating book.
This book describes people who have maintained a weight loss, describes how they do it, and discusses why these people may not show up in studies. There is so much negativity out there about how it's "impossible" to keep weight off. This is contrary to my own experience and that of people I know. According to the fat acceptance circles, you lose weight, and then you gain even more back, and continue a viscious cycle. I've yo-yo'd a little over the past 9 years, but each time the string gets shorter. My husband has kept about 40 pounds off fo the past 9 years. He'd like to be 180, sometimes gets up to 200, and is generally about 190. (He's a tall, broad-shouldered and devastatingly handsome man.)
Anyway, this book is very encouraging. There were several things that were particularly helpful to me. The first was that it's okay not to be in love with the way you look in a bathing suit at your goal weight. It's really okay. I needed to hear that so badly. When I got to my goal 2 years ago and didn't have that washboard stomach, I felt like I wasn't done, even though I was within my BMI range for my height, even though I had a healthy amount of muscle, and even though I felt great. (The tummy didn't go away, by the way, when I continued past my goal.) I will get to 125 and just keep doing cardio, strength, and work on my core, but I give myself permission to be happy with my weight even if I don't look like someone on TV or in a magazine. (As my husband reminded me, even those people don't actually look like that.)
Another thing that was interesting to read was that maintainers eat very similarly to how they ate while they were losing weight. So, when I go to maintain, I've decided I should keep my calories the same, but have a glass of wine once a day, a sugar free coffee drink, or perhaps another small treat. This is really helpful.
Third, it's essential to have a "line in the sand." I originally was gonig to make it 125, but I've decided to make it 127, although I may change my mind and lower it depending on how my weight loss goes. If I get up to 127, I have to cut back a little on food, and step up my exercise. This is so I don't end up with 15 extra pounds to lose, like I did this time. This is what maintainers do, and what people who have never been overweight do. They cut back or exercise more when they see the scale creeping up, or their clothes get tight.
There are a lot more useful ideas in the book, but those were the ones that were particularly helpful to me. The one thing I didn't like was the emphasis on low-fat eating. For those of us with insulin resistence, I believe studies have shown that a low-carb approach can be more helpful. It seems like recent research has shown some people do better with one approach or the other.
Overall, this is a very useful and motivating book.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Weekly Weigh-in
I weighed in yesterday at 134.6. Hurray! 134.6! That's the lowest point since February, when I was painfully charting my weight creeping up. That's the good news. The bad news is that I've been fighting a cold for the past few days, so haven't been able to exercise. Many people can exercise through a cold, but I've found that it just makes me feel terrible, possibly because of my slight asthma. Also, it's been about 100 degrees here every day, which is even more miserable when you have a cold. I might have gone for a slow walk, but I think the 100 degrees on top of the
So, I watched about a million episodes of the Biggest Loser on Netflix this weekend. Yesterday, that's basically all that I did. It was great. I would have rather been moving around, but a TV binge when you're sick is kind of nice. It's nice that my kids are old enough where I can actually do that. Especially since my husband was home and willing to take them away for a while. I also find the Biggest Loser to be extremely motivating. Right now I wish I could go to "Fitness Ridge" for 2-4 weeks and get rid of my extra pounds. But, alas, I am not rich.
I've also been reading a book called Thin For Life, which has also been motivational to me. I'll try and post a review of it here when I'm finished.
I'm very, very happy about breaking 135. My next goal is to get into the 133's. One step at a time.
So, I watched about a million episodes of the Biggest Loser on Netflix this weekend. Yesterday, that's basically all that I did. It was great. I would have rather been moving around, but a TV binge when you're sick is kind of nice. It's nice that my kids are old enough where I can actually do that. Especially since my husband was home and willing to take them away for a while. I also find the Biggest Loser to be extremely motivating. Right now I wish I could go to "Fitness Ridge" for 2-4 weeks and get rid of my extra pounds. But, alas, I am not rich.
I've also been reading a book called Thin For Life, which has also been motivational to me. I'll try and post a review of it here when I'm finished.
I'm very, very happy about breaking 135. My next goal is to get into the 133's. One step at a time.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Mid-week update
I've had a good week so far, since deciding to really "get serious" on July 1. I have to admit that I only logged my calories the first day, and I've made a deal with myself that I will have to log calories if I can't control my eating. This gets me to control it. I HATE recording stuff like that. I didn't like sparkpeople either. If I do record calories, I'll have to get back into fitday or try another calorie counting page. If you have any recommendations, please include them in the comments.
I've been good about walking the dog in the mornings. Unfortunately, we don't do more than 1-2 miles because of the heat. I'm fine with the heat, but my Corgi isn't. Dogs can't sweat. He loves the cold though. I have to be careful with him above 70 degrees and really careful with him above 80 degrees.
On Monday, I went to Zumba class at the YMCA. It was fun. I'm a terrible dancer, so I have trouble following the moves, but I just tried to keep moving. I was happy when we did a dance that included jumping jacks--at least I can do those. I was sore after the class. On Tuesday, I went to yoga at the Y. I was surprised to see that the teacher resembled Santa Claus, albeit thinner. I enjoyed th class, although it wasn't much of a workout. We spent at least 15 minutes in corpse pose. But I felt a lot better aftewards.
Today, in addition to our little walk, I did my strength exercises, and I did 45 minutes on my stationary bike. I was also at the pool for a couple of hours, but that mostly consisted of floating with a noodle.
My calorie intake has been good, probably around 1200-1400 a day, but more today, since we had some special holiday meals. I've been trying to eat just enough to stave off hunger. I'll just keeping trying.
I'm considering going down to about 124 pounds (my official goal is 125) and making 127 the weight at which I start dieting again. I think that seems like a good range.
I'm feeling good about myself. The exercise makes me feel happy with my body. It's a little thicker than I would prefer, but I like it. The muscles on my legs and arms are obvious now. I got a tan through my sunscreen, and I like being light brown.
I realized that some of my lingerie fits again, and that makes me happy.
I also wanted to buy a new swimsuit from Target, since my favorite one is from Target, and it fits nicely. I thought it was a medium, so I was debating whether to buy a medium or small. I looked at the tag on my suit, and it's a small. I couldn't find one in the right size, sadly, but I am very glad that the small is fitting well again.
Overall, a very good day--I'm feeling good enough that it's quite an effort to motivate myself to continue losing these pounds, but I know I'll be even gladder when they are gone.
I've been good about walking the dog in the mornings. Unfortunately, we don't do more than 1-2 miles because of the heat. I'm fine with the heat, but my Corgi isn't. Dogs can't sweat. He loves the cold though. I have to be careful with him above 70 degrees and really careful with him above 80 degrees.
On Monday, I went to Zumba class at the YMCA. It was fun. I'm a terrible dancer, so I have trouble following the moves, but I just tried to keep moving. I was happy when we did a dance that included jumping jacks--at least I can do those. I was sore after the class. On Tuesday, I went to yoga at the Y. I was surprised to see that the teacher resembled Santa Claus, albeit thinner. I enjoyed th class, although it wasn't much of a workout. We spent at least 15 minutes in corpse pose. But I felt a lot better aftewards.
Today, in addition to our little walk, I did my strength exercises, and I did 45 minutes on my stationary bike. I was also at the pool for a couple of hours, but that mostly consisted of floating with a noodle.
My calorie intake has been good, probably around 1200-1400 a day, but more today, since we had some special holiday meals. I've been trying to eat just enough to stave off hunger. I'll just keeping trying.
I'm considering going down to about 124 pounds (my official goal is 125) and making 127 the weight at which I start dieting again. I think that seems like a good range.
I'm feeling good about myself. The exercise makes me feel happy with my body. It's a little thicker than I would prefer, but I like it. The muscles on my legs and arms are obvious now. I got a tan through my sunscreen, and I like being light brown.
I realized that some of my lingerie fits again, and that makes me happy.
I also wanted to buy a new swimsuit from Target, since my favorite one is from Target, and it fits nicely. I thought it was a medium, so I was debating whether to buy a medium or small. I looked at the tag on my suit, and it's a small. I couldn't find one in the right size, sadly, but I am very glad that the small is fitting well again.
Overall, a very good day--I'm feeling good enough that it's quite an effort to motivate myself to continue losing these pounds, but I know I'll be even gladder when they are gone.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Could I really finish this?
So, I counted my calories today and came up with a grand total of 1274. Pretty good. I may have a little bit of cheese before I go to bed to keep away the hunger and keep my blood sugar stable. I also did a dance video and rode my exercise bike for 30 minutes. I read some articles stating that there really isn't any health reason not to diet down to 1200 calories or so, and as short as I am, I think that's where I need to be. When I weighed 155, I lost weight by dropping down to 2000 calories (while exercising). I don't that that cuts it anymore, although I really don't know how much I've been eating lately. It could have been that much or more.
We went out to Panera for dinner, and I made choices that were several hundred calories less than my usual ones. They did push me over my carb count for the day, sadly.
It's possible I could drop these silly 10 pounds in a month and be done. And actually work on maintaining, which is what this silly blog is supposed to be about. I'm going to stick to my diet as well as possible. Unfortunately, Friday is my husband's birthday, and he wants us to go to the Cheesecake Factory, which will result in us taking home either a whole cheesecake or individual cheesecakes. I'll have to decide if I'm going to partake. Also, all the entrees there are HUGE and delicious, another dilemna.
We went out to Panera for dinner, and I made choices that were several hundred calories less than my usual ones. They did push me over my carb count for the day, sadly.
It's possible I could drop these silly 10 pounds in a month and be done. And actually work on maintaining, which is what this silly blog is supposed to be about. I'm going to stick to my diet as well as possible. Unfortunately, Friday is my husband's birthday, and he wants us to go to the Cheesecake Factory, which will result in us taking home either a whole cheesecake or individual cheesecakes. I'll have to decide if I'm going to partake. Also, all the entrees there are HUGE and delicious, another dilemna.
Weekly Weigh-In
Weighed in at 136.8 today. UGH.
The only thing left to do is what I should have been doing all along: count calories. I'm going to try to stay below 1500 calories each day. I also decided, rather arbitrarily, to stay below 60 carbs a day.
I used to use Fitday to track my calories, but I couldn't log in to their site today, and they didn't instantly send me a link to reset my password, so I decided to try a site I haven't used before, SparkPeople.
All I can say is that it SUCKS to lose weight when you don't have a lot to lose. But it's still better than having a lot to lose.
I've been afraid to track my calories because I know I eat too much. But why should I be afraid, when this will stop me from eating too much? When I lost a lot of weight 2 years ago (went from about 160 to 120), I only tracked my calories at first. After that, I got use to a lower caloric intake and was able to tell when I had eaten enough by how full I felt. I hope that happens again. I will need to continue to weigh myself after I reach my goal to see if I need to count calories again.
It is also possible that I will need to count calories for the rest of my life, if I want to maintain at my goal weight. With today's technology, that shouldn't be a problem, although a smartphone sure would help. Oh, well.
The only thing left to do is what I should have been doing all along: count calories. I'm going to try to stay below 1500 calories each day. I also decided, rather arbitrarily, to stay below 60 carbs a day.
I used to use Fitday to track my calories, but I couldn't log in to their site today, and they didn't instantly send me a link to reset my password, so I decided to try a site I haven't used before, SparkPeople.
All I can say is that it SUCKS to lose weight when you don't have a lot to lose. But it's still better than having a lot to lose.
I've been afraid to track my calories because I know I eat too much. But why should I be afraid, when this will stop me from eating too much? When I lost a lot of weight 2 years ago (went from about 160 to 120), I only tracked my calories at first. After that, I got use to a lower caloric intake and was able to tell when I had eaten enough by how full I felt. I hope that happens again. I will need to continue to weigh myself after I reach my goal to see if I need to count calories again.
It is also possible that I will need to count calories for the rest of my life, if I want to maintain at my goal weight. With today's technology, that shouldn't be a problem, although a smartphone sure would help. Oh, well.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I am so tired, but in a good way
My kids are at camp (mornings only) this week, so, even though I have a billion things I need to do, I decided to use the time to exercise. Mostly walking, with a little couch-to-5K sprinkled in. Because my schedule is constantly changing, I've decided I have to plan out my exercise in advance for each week. So, this week is walking and walking and walking and a little running.
Next week, I hope to be able to do some classes at the Y.
Eating has been pretty good. I have decided to eat veggie wraps for lunch, until I get tired of them. The veggies come from my garden or the farmer's market, so they are full of flavor. I sautee onions and squash in butter, mix them with fresh cucumber and tomato, goat cheese, and I put everything on a couple of Trader Joe's low carb tortillas. Yummy.
I did go out with friends last night, going out for pizza with friends on Thursday night, and out to lunch at Panera on Saturday. So, that is not all that good. Also, my husband made brownies last night.
I would love, love, love to be in the 134's on the scale on Sunday. We'll see. I'm going to do my strength training before we head for the pool.
Next week, I hope to be able to do some classes at the Y.
Eating has been pretty good. I have decided to eat veggie wraps for lunch, until I get tired of them. The veggies come from my garden or the farmer's market, so they are full of flavor. I sautee onions and squash in butter, mix them with fresh cucumber and tomato, goat cheese, and I put everything on a couple of Trader Joe's low carb tortillas. Yummy.
I did go out with friends last night, going out for pizza with friends on Thursday night, and out to lunch at Panera on Saturday. So, that is not all that good. Also, my husband made brownies last night.
I would love, love, love to be in the 134's on the scale on Sunday. We'll see. I'm going to do my strength training before we head for the pool.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Weekly Weigh-In
So, yesterday I weighed in at 136.6. And my period was over. So, there we go, I guess it's time to change my ticker from 135.2 to 136.6.
I decided that I needed to take my eating and exercise a lot more seriously. I'm not sure there is any way to lose weight without being at least a tiny bit hungry. Otherwise, how would I have a calorie deficit? So, I started doing that today. I'm not counting calories formally, but I am paying close attention to what I eat and not getting as full. And I'm kicking the exercise into high gear, as in 1-2 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, until I reach my goal.
My goal is to get down to 125 by August 1st and then maintain. Based on past experience, I believe that I can do this.
Sometimes I do wonder why I care so much. Everywhere I look, I see people who are much larger than me. I wear a freaking size small in most clothes, occasionally an extra small, and more occasionally a medium. I am a size I would never have believed I could have gotten down to at certain points in my life. Still, I'm a little thick and a little wide, and I really wish my tummy would shrink.
I know someone in real life who has started a blog. She is 2 inches taller than me, and her goal weight is not far from my highest weight. It just kind of puts things in perspective.
I have another friend who has a completely flat stomach with well-defined ab muscles. I know I will never get there. I have neither the motivation, nor, I think, the genetics to get my body fat down that low.
But what I really need to do is to stop comparing myself to other people.
I decided that I needed to take my eating and exercise a lot more seriously. I'm not sure there is any way to lose weight without being at least a tiny bit hungry. Otherwise, how would I have a calorie deficit? So, I started doing that today. I'm not counting calories formally, but I am paying close attention to what I eat and not getting as full. And I'm kicking the exercise into high gear, as in 1-2 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, until I reach my goal.
My goal is to get down to 125 by August 1st and then maintain. Based on past experience, I believe that I can do this.
Sometimes I do wonder why I care so much. Everywhere I look, I see people who are much larger than me. I wear a freaking size small in most clothes, occasionally an extra small, and more occasionally a medium. I am a size I would never have believed I could have gotten down to at certain points in my life. Still, I'm a little thick and a little wide, and I really wish my tummy would shrink.
I know someone in real life who has started a blog. She is 2 inches taller than me, and her goal weight is not far from my highest weight. It just kind of puts things in perspective.
I have another friend who has a completely flat stomach with well-defined ab muscles. I know I will never get there. I have neither the motivation, nor, I think, the genetics to get my body fat down that low.
But what I really need to do is to stop comparing myself to other people.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Sunday Weigh-In
Today, with my period starting, I weighed 135.8. That's okay. It's not great, but I'm not upset about it. I don't appear to be either gaining or losing weight right now. Just fairly stable. Stable is okay. Gaining is bad.
This is really a new experience for me, starting at a relatively low weight and working down to a lower one. The two times in my life I've lost weight I was a lot fatter to begin with.
I broke my vow, which was to keep my clothes budget tied to my weight and not to buy clothes until I've reached my geal. I bought clothes, some pretty summer clothes at summer sales online that I hope to enjoy wearing. I bought dresses and skirts. I hope they'll help me to feel good about myself. I want to enjoy the body I have, even if it is 10 pounsd more than the one I want.
I've also found that the BEST way to lose weight is to buy some clothes you really love. It never fails. At that point, I will lose weight and then my beautiful clothes will look baggy. Oh, well.
The good news is that my kids' end-of-year programs are over, and things should settle down a little, and I should be able to get into a better routine. I'm hoping to take some classes at the Y. I just need to put them on my calendar and GO. I'm interested in Zumba, line dancing, yoga, pilates, and spinning (although the spinning classes tend to fill up).
I did have a fun 30 minutes of roller blading one day, while my son biked. I would have loved to have kept going, but he was done. After I took a fall, I realized that I need knee pads before I try it again! My scrapes have healed fine, but I'm over 30, and hurting my knee is a lot bigger of a deal than it was when I was, say, 12.
The Couch to 5K is not going well at all. Ugh. I could do it if I weren't so overloaded, but I think for now, I need something a little more exciting and different from what I'm used to.
Once again, I would love to see the OTHER side of 135 next week.
This is really a new experience for me, starting at a relatively low weight and working down to a lower one. The two times in my life I've lost weight I was a lot fatter to begin with.
I broke my vow, which was to keep my clothes budget tied to my weight and not to buy clothes until I've reached my geal. I bought clothes, some pretty summer clothes at summer sales online that I hope to enjoy wearing. I bought dresses and skirts. I hope they'll help me to feel good about myself. I want to enjoy the body I have, even if it is 10 pounsd more than the one I want.
I've also found that the BEST way to lose weight is to buy some clothes you really love. It never fails. At that point, I will lose weight and then my beautiful clothes will look baggy. Oh, well.
The good news is that my kids' end-of-year programs are over, and things should settle down a little, and I should be able to get into a better routine. I'm hoping to take some classes at the Y. I just need to put them on my calendar and GO. I'm interested in Zumba, line dancing, yoga, pilates, and spinning (although the spinning classes tend to fill up).
I did have a fun 30 minutes of roller blading one day, while my son biked. I would have loved to have kept going, but he was done. After I took a fall, I realized that I need knee pads before I try it again! My scrapes have healed fine, but I'm over 30, and hurting my knee is a lot bigger of a deal than it was when I was, say, 12.
The Couch to 5K is not going well at all. Ugh. I could do it if I weren't so overloaded, but I think for now, I need something a little more exciting and different from what I'm used to.
Once again, I would love to see the OTHER side of 135 next week.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
A Binge
I went on a terrible binge yesterday, which honestly is fairly unusual for me. My problem is normally too much grazing and occasional overeating.
Last night, after driving through Friday evening traffic to take my son to a dress rehearsal for his dance recital, we waited around there for over an hour until he was finished, and then I drove him home through Friday evening traffic. By the time I got there, I was HUNGRY. I ate 4 slices of (homemade) pizza, admittedly they were small slices, had 3-4 glasses of wine, and a very generous serving of Oreo ice cream. I don't even want to know how many calories I consumed.
Yesterday was also emotional because it was my younger son's last day of preschool, and it just marks the passage of time. I'm both happy and sad not to have a toddler around anymore.
I am tired and cranky, and my period is starting. I am wishing that I had gotten the hormonal IUD instead of the copper one so that I wouldn't have this monthly insanity. Pre Menstrual Psychosis. It's not pretty.
Last night, after driving through Friday evening traffic to take my son to a dress rehearsal for his dance recital, we waited around there for over an hour until he was finished, and then I drove him home through Friday evening traffic. By the time I got there, I was HUNGRY. I ate 4 slices of (homemade) pizza, admittedly they were small slices, had 3-4 glasses of wine, and a very generous serving of Oreo ice cream. I don't even want to know how many calories I consumed.
Yesterday was also emotional because it was my younger son's last day of preschool, and it just marks the passage of time. I'm both happy and sad not to have a toddler around anymore.
I am tired and cranky, and my period is starting. I am wishing that I had gotten the hormonal IUD instead of the copper one so that I wouldn't have this monthly insanity. Pre Menstrual Psychosis. It's not pretty.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Weekly Weigh In
I weighed in this morning at 135.6. I was less than thrilled. Well, I'll just hope to be on the other side of 135 next week. I need to do better on exercise. Next week is going to be hectic, and then it should start to slow down (I hope?).
I've gotten back to staying up late and getting up late, and I really do believe that my 45-minute-to-an-hour walk each morning is a key to success.
If I keep losing weight at this rate, I will be finished in something like 5-10 months. Which would be okay if I had 50 pounds to lose, but I think it's a little extreme for 10 pounds. I think I need to step things up, especially with the exercise!
I've gotten back to staying up late and getting up late, and I really do believe that my 45-minute-to-an-hour walk each morning is a key to success.
If I keep losing weight at this rate, I will be finished in something like 5-10 months. Which would be okay if I had 50 pounds to lose, but I think it's a little extreme for 10 pounds. I think I need to step things up, especially with the exercise!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Tried out My 15's
I went up to 15-pound dumbells for most of my strength training exercises. I was using 12's and didn't expect the 15's to be so hard. But they were.
I could do tons of reps of chest flies with the 12's. With the 15's, I only did 8. I wonder if I did multiple sets, if increasing weight would be a little easier. I might want to think about that before I try 20's in a few months.
The strange this is that, because the heaviest weight I had was 12, I was using it for nearly all of my exercises (except for the lateral raise, which I can barely do with 8's). When I first started strength training years ago, doing the overhead press with 5's was painful. Now, I look back on that and think, what they heck was wrong with me?
Anyway, now my overhead press is the same weight as my bicep curl, and it was actually easier to increase weight on the overhead press than it was to increase the bicep curl. Very, very weird.
I have not been doing much lower body exercise. My lower body is pretty muscular just from life, thanks to my freak genetics that cause me to build muscle easily. (My parents and sister are the same way.) I think it would good, as far as my weight loss goals, to add in some squats and lunges next time. Nothing excessive that would take me much longer, just something to round things out and work my lower body too.
So, a happy day. I also randomly weighed in mid-afternoon and came up with a weight of 134.4. I'm really hoping my Sunday morning weight is something close to that!
I could do tons of reps of chest flies with the 12's. With the 15's, I only did 8. I wonder if I did multiple sets, if increasing weight would be a little easier. I might want to think about that before I try 20's in a few months.
The strange this is that, because the heaviest weight I had was 12, I was using it for nearly all of my exercises (except for the lateral raise, which I can barely do with 8's). When I first started strength training years ago, doing the overhead press with 5's was painful. Now, I look back on that and think, what they heck was wrong with me?
Anyway, now my overhead press is the same weight as my bicep curl, and it was actually easier to increase weight on the overhead press than it was to increase the bicep curl. Very, very weird.
I have not been doing much lower body exercise. My lower body is pretty muscular just from life, thanks to my freak genetics that cause me to build muscle easily. (My parents and sister are the same way.) I think it would good, as far as my weight loss goals, to add in some squats and lunges next time. Nothing excessive that would take me much longer, just something to round things out and work my lower body too.
So, a happy day. I also randomly weighed in mid-afternoon and came up with a weight of 134.4. I'm really hoping my Sunday morning weight is something close to that!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
How many sets?
I confess, like the author of the blog post I'm about to link to, I only do one set of strength training. After reading the article and the comments, I have to conclude that one is better than none! Read it here: Cranky Fitness: Strength Training: Multiple Sets or Just One.
This About.com article, for what it's worth, says that for converting body fat into muscle, one set is probably fine, especially for beginners.
Like the Cranky Fitness blogger, I don't really care how strong I get, I just want to look good and be healthy.
UPDATED: I found this little gem from the Mayo Clinic, stating that for most people, only one set is needed! I think I'll believe this guy and enjoy my one-set lifestyle!
This About.com article, for what it's worth, says that for converting body fat into muscle, one set is probably fine, especially for beginners.
Like the Cranky Fitness blogger, I don't really care how strong I get, I just want to look good and be healthy.
UPDATED: I found this little gem from the Mayo Clinic, stating that for most people, only one set is needed! I think I'll believe this guy and enjoy my one-set lifestyle!
Sunday Weigh-In
Well, I weighed in today 135.2, which is good, although I would have loved for it to be just a tad on the other side of 135, but, still, that's less than last week, albeit slightly, so I will definitely take it.
I didn't have the best week, exercise-wise. I didn't do any more C25K, because of weather and a bit of upset stomach. I also didn't do enough walking because I had a lot to do and didn't get up in time. I really had to force myself do my strength training on Friday. I'm glad I have the exercise bike because that is kind of my last resort, and I used it a couple of times this week. I like the bike, I just don't think I get as good of a workout on it as I do by running or even walking.
I definitely do notice a difference in my body, and I think it's just from picking up my strength training again these past few months. My husband was scratching my back (and unexpectedly had to remove a tick) and said I was skinny. That is not really true, but definitely some of that fat has converted to muscle.
I need to pick up some neoprene 15-pound dumbells. (I do most of my exercises at 12, and those are really too easy again.)
Well, this week is a new week. I've got 10 pounds to go, and I'd love for them to be gone in 10 weeks.
I didn't have the best week, exercise-wise. I didn't do any more C25K, because of weather and a bit of upset stomach. I also didn't do enough walking because I had a lot to do and didn't get up in time. I really had to force myself do my strength training on Friday. I'm glad I have the exercise bike because that is kind of my last resort, and I used it a couple of times this week. I like the bike, I just don't think I get as good of a workout on it as I do by running or even walking.
I definitely do notice a difference in my body, and I think it's just from picking up my strength training again these past few months. My husband was scratching my back (and unexpectedly had to remove a tick) and said I was skinny. That is not really true, but definitely some of that fat has converted to muscle.
I need to pick up some neoprene 15-pound dumbells. (I do most of my exercises at 12, and those are really too easy again.)
Well, this week is a new week. I've got 10 pounds to go, and I'd love for them to be gone in 10 weeks.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Gardening and Health
I am an obsessed vegetable gardener. It's a good hobby for me because a lot of my other hobbies don't involve much movement. Playing video games, crocheting, knitting, scrapbooking are all very sedentary hobbies. At least reading and learning Spanish can be done at the same time as exercise. I can read while I ride my stationary bike, and I can listen to Spanish podcasts or music or read audio books while walking.
Gardening, however, is a pretty good physical activity on its own. There is a lot of walking around the yard and carrying things. I frequently have to lift compost. And then there is a lot of bending and squatting. It's not the most intense activity I can think of to do, but it sure burns a lot more calories than sitting on my butt and blogging.
It also makes me eat a lot more vegetables because the vegetables from my garden taste fresh and alive. I'm making an effort to buy more local produce for things I don't grow or don't have at the moment, but it just doesn't compare to a vegetable that is fresh picked and carried by hand into the kitchen, as opposed to picked a few days ago and sent on a truck a few miles. Or a few hundred miles. Or a few thousand miles.
My favorite things to grow in the garden are tomatoes. Homegrown tomatoes are to die for. And peppers. And cucumbers. And lettuce, spinach, and arugula. After growing my own salad greens, I can hardly stand the stuff in the grocery store or in restaurants. And the radishes--oh, the radishes. And then there are green beans, eggplants, and garlic. And peas. And tomatillos for making my own salsa! And herbs--parsely, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, cilantro.
I'm not a gardening evangelist. I don't think gardening is for everyone. Not everyone likes it, and that's perfectly okay. But I think delicious, fresh vegetables are something that can really help a person to lose weight, whether they are from the backyard or from the farmer's market.
Gardening, however, is a pretty good physical activity on its own. There is a lot of walking around the yard and carrying things. I frequently have to lift compost. And then there is a lot of bending and squatting. It's not the most intense activity I can think of to do, but it sure burns a lot more calories than sitting on my butt and blogging.
It also makes me eat a lot more vegetables because the vegetables from my garden taste fresh and alive. I'm making an effort to buy more local produce for things I don't grow or don't have at the moment, but it just doesn't compare to a vegetable that is fresh picked and carried by hand into the kitchen, as opposed to picked a few days ago and sent on a truck a few miles. Or a few hundred miles. Or a few thousand miles.
My favorite things to grow in the garden are tomatoes. Homegrown tomatoes are to die for. And peppers. And cucumbers. And lettuce, spinach, and arugula. After growing my own salad greens, I can hardly stand the stuff in the grocery store or in restaurants. And the radishes--oh, the radishes. And then there are green beans, eggplants, and garlic. And peas. And tomatillos for making my own salsa! And herbs--parsely, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, cilantro.
I'm not a gardening evangelist. I don't think gardening is for everyone. Not everyone likes it, and that's perfectly okay. But I think delicious, fresh vegetables are something that can really help a person to lose weight, whether they are from the backyard or from the farmer's market.
So Maybe I Won't Get a Milkshake
I got an advertisement for Chick-Fil-A's banana pudding milkshade. It sounded awesome. I wanted some! I clicked on it and checked the calorie count, so that I could be an informed eater. I was rather disappointed to learn that the size small milkshake has 780 calories in it! Yikes! That's nearly half the calories that I, as a small woman trynig to lose weight, should even eat in a day.
It is really too bad that they don't sell an extra small size, because I might enjoy about half of that for a special afternoon snack one day. I suppose I could buy a small milkshake, bring it home, and share it with both of my children, and then it would be a somewhat reasonable desert, at about 230 calories each. I actually might do that because I think it would be a good learning experience for them, in regards to nutrition and the appropriate amount of calories for a snack/desert. They may rebel against me one day when they're older and fatten up by drinking big milkshakes, but if they start to gain weight, at least they'll know why.
This is also why I no longer buy mixed drinks, unless I can get a sugar free, low calorie version. Margaritas frequently have 700 calories in them. Scarier still, there's no fat--all the calories come from alcohol and sugar. (The skinny margarita at Abuelo's is pretty good). My body can't take that many calories at once from just a drink. And it's not like I could drink a milkshake or a margarita as a meal and actually feel full. The milkshake would be somewhat filling--the margarita not at all.
It is really too bad that they don't sell an extra small size, because I might enjoy about half of that for a special afternoon snack one day. I suppose I could buy a small milkshake, bring it home, and share it with both of my children, and then it would be a somewhat reasonable desert, at about 230 calories each. I actually might do that because I think it would be a good learning experience for them, in regards to nutrition and the appropriate amount of calories for a snack/desert. They may rebel against me one day when they're older and fatten up by drinking big milkshakes, but if they start to gain weight, at least they'll know why.
This is also why I no longer buy mixed drinks, unless I can get a sugar free, low calorie version. Margaritas frequently have 700 calories in them. Scarier still, there's no fat--all the calories come from alcohol and sugar. (The skinny margarita at Abuelo's is pretty good). My body can't take that many calories at once from just a drink. And it's not like I could drink a milkshake or a margarita as a meal and actually feel full. The milkshake would be somewhat filling--the margarita not at all.
Friday, June 1, 2012
To Buy Clothes or Not
I'm struggling right now, trying to decide if I should buy any new clothes or not. With about 10 pounds to lose, I will be at least one size smaller, and in some clothes possibly 2 sizes smaller. This makes my life complicated. I'm feeling good about myself and am wanting to buy some pretty summery clothes.
I already wear the smallest size in certain stores/brands that tend to run big or do not carry small sizes. In Land's End, I wear an XS, and even that is kind of baggy. They do not have XXS. At JC Penny, I wear a size Small T-shirt. They do not have size XS in "misses." It's the same with the JC Penny shorts I wear. So, with the 10 pounds off, my current clothes will be a little baggy, and I won't be able to buy smaller sizes in some of the brands that I like.
It's very weird to me. As I've said before, if/when I lose these 10 pounds, I will still be a healthy woman with meat (fat and muscle) on my bones--it's only because I'm so short that I am getting into these tiny sizes. And it's only because America keeps getting fatter that the sizes keep getting more inflated.
I'm too curvy really to buy junior sizes, nor do I want to dress too much like a teenager at my age.
Do I buy clothes now? The more I think about it, it's probably not a good idea. I've got enough T-shirts, shorts, capis, and skirts to get me through the summer. I have a couple of cute dresses. But I don't want to buy anything now and have it hang off me after I finish my weight loss, or otherwise fit oddly. I bought a lovely paisley dress a couple of years ago in a size 8. I couldn't believe I was a size 8 again! Wow! And now that dress is too big. I'm only keeping it in case I get pregnant again one day.
I also don't want to buy anything in anticipation of it fitting and then find that it doesn't. It's very difficult to predict exactly what shape one will be after a weight loss.
Unfortunately, I can't pick the part of my body to lose weight from. If I could, I'd probably wish all 10 pounds to come off my abdomen!
I already wear the smallest size in certain stores/brands that tend to run big or do not carry small sizes. In Land's End, I wear an XS, and even that is kind of baggy. They do not have XXS. At JC Penny, I wear a size Small T-shirt. They do not have size XS in "misses." It's the same with the JC Penny shorts I wear. So, with the 10 pounds off, my current clothes will be a little baggy, and I won't be able to buy smaller sizes in some of the brands that I like.
It's very weird to me. As I've said before, if/when I lose these 10 pounds, I will still be a healthy woman with meat (fat and muscle) on my bones--it's only because I'm so short that I am getting into these tiny sizes. And it's only because America keeps getting fatter that the sizes keep getting more inflated.
I'm too curvy really to buy junior sizes, nor do I want to dress too much like a teenager at my age.
Do I buy clothes now? The more I think about it, it's probably not a good idea. I've got enough T-shirts, shorts, capis, and skirts to get me through the summer. I have a couple of cute dresses. But I don't want to buy anything now and have it hang off me after I finish my weight loss, or otherwise fit oddly. I bought a lovely paisley dress a couple of years ago in a size 8. I couldn't believe I was a size 8 again! Wow! And now that dress is too big. I'm only keeping it in case I get pregnant again one day.
I also don't want to buy anything in anticipation of it fitting and then find that it doesn't. It's very difficult to predict exactly what shape one will be after a weight loss.
Unfortunately, I can't pick the part of my body to lose weight from. If I could, I'd probably wish all 10 pounds to come off my abdomen!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Weight Loss, Scales, and Record Keeping
I think that an accurate scale is important for reaching and maintaining weight loss. This would seem obvious, but for many years, my husband and I used an old spring-type scale. We liked that it didn't require batteries. However, it became less accurate as the years went by, and showed me as approximately 7 pounds lighter than I actually was, and it showed my husband at 10 pounds lighter. It seemed to work perfectly for the kids. Also, being an analog scale, it did not give a precise weight.
These qualities were a perfect combination for the denial that occurs when I gained weight. Because I didn't have an exact weight to begin with, it was easy to pretend that I was never on the low side of 120 (according to that scale I was at one time), and thus I was not gaining weight. It was easy to trick myself that I was just having a little water retention from my period. That five pounds would be gone when my period goes away, right? In fact, I have learned that I am only an average of 1 pound heavier right before and during my period.
Eventually, my husband and I grew tired of estimating our weight based on our crummy old scale. I searched Amazon for a new one, and we argued about it a bit before we settled on the EatSmart Precision Digital Scale. I didn't like it that it had so many reviews--it looked suspicious to me. (EatSmart encourages its customers to leave reviews.) Despite my misgivings, it has turned out be a nice scale with good battery life and seems to be very accurate. It's easy to read the numbers, even in through early morning pre-coffee brain fog. If this scale doesn't work out, I'd definitely get another digital.
I began charting my weight at the end of October. I realized that I needed to lose about 7 pounds--I had probably gained about 10 from my lowest weight back in 2010. In the past, just charting my weight has frequently been enough to get my habits under control. Not this time. I painfully charted a 7 pound weight loss. I was recording weights irregularly (at least once a week on Sunday, but I'd also include the good ones from other days.) I decided that this was silly and began only recording my Sunday weight (or a weight from the next available day if I would be away from the scale on Sunday).
I still weigh myself frequently, but I only record once a week, EVEN IF i get a really good weight on another day. At the end of the month, I calculate my monthly average weight. This is extremely useful in spotting a pattern. I know I could do this online too, but I kind of like just putting it into a little paper book.
One thing I have learned over the years is that not weighing myself regularly is a huge red flag that I am deep in denial about my habits. I also think that doing something about it before I hit 140 is a very good sign--in the past, I've had to reach over 160 pounds before I realized how out of shape I had gotten. I think that's progress. I think it's a sign that, despite my childhood in Fatland, Texas, combined with the media bombarding me with images of skeletal females, I finally have a realistic idea about what a good weight for me, a very short female, should be.
These qualities were a perfect combination for the denial that occurs when I gained weight. Because I didn't have an exact weight to begin with, it was easy to pretend that I was never on the low side of 120 (according to that scale I was at one time), and thus I was not gaining weight. It was easy to trick myself that I was just having a little water retention from my period. That five pounds would be gone when my period goes away, right? In fact, I have learned that I am only an average of 1 pound heavier right before and during my period.
Eventually, my husband and I grew tired of estimating our weight based on our crummy old scale. I searched Amazon for a new one, and we argued about it a bit before we settled on the EatSmart Precision Digital Scale. I didn't like it that it had so many reviews--it looked suspicious to me. (EatSmart encourages its customers to leave reviews.) Despite my misgivings, it has turned out be a nice scale with good battery life and seems to be very accurate. It's easy to read the numbers, even in through early morning pre-coffee brain fog. If this scale doesn't work out, I'd definitely get another digital.
I began charting my weight at the end of October. I realized that I needed to lose about 7 pounds--I had probably gained about 10 from my lowest weight back in 2010. In the past, just charting my weight has frequently been enough to get my habits under control. Not this time. I painfully charted a 7 pound weight loss. I was recording weights irregularly (at least once a week on Sunday, but I'd also include the good ones from other days.) I decided that this was silly and began only recording my Sunday weight (or a weight from the next available day if I would be away from the scale on Sunday).
I still weigh myself frequently, but I only record once a week, EVEN IF i get a really good weight on another day. At the end of the month, I calculate my monthly average weight. This is extremely useful in spotting a pattern. I know I could do this online too, but I kind of like just putting it into a little paper book.
One thing I have learned over the years is that not weighing myself regularly is a huge red flag that I am deep in denial about my habits. I also think that doing something about it before I hit 140 is a very good sign--in the past, I've had to reach over 160 pounds before I realized how out of shape I had gotten. I think that's progress. I think it's a sign that, despite my childhood in Fatland, Texas, combined with the media bombarding me with images of skeletal females, I finally have a realistic idea about what a good weight for me, a very short female, should be.
Couch to 5K: Day 1
Yesterday, I did day 1, week 1 of Couch to 5K, which means that for 20 minutes, I alternated between jogging for 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds. It was easy. Still, it's hard to believe that back in November I completed a half marathon at a run/walk ratio of 2:3 minutes. I stopped running completely in January when I had cold that I couldn't shake, which turned into a sinus infection, which resulted in me getting my first (nonpreventative) antibiotic prescription in nearly a decade. Walking for 2 miles left me exhausted.
I'm not sure if I'll attempt running this winter. Instead, I may do Jillian Michaels DVD's instead. I really struggle to run in the cold. My children give me colds, and I also have a touch of asthma, which makes them worse. When I get sick or am recovering and try to run in the winter, my pulse gets way too high, and I feel terrible. I tend to have to take weeks off from vigorous exercise. I guess this means that when I'm sick, I need to watch my portion and carb intake much better than I otherwise would. If I can't exercise, probably giving up bread and carby snacks would be enough to carry me through until I can exercise again. (Carbs, especially in the winter, seem to make it harder for me to control my appetite.)
Anyway, so day 1 of C25K was a success. I am thinking that I will do each week twice, whether or not it is challenging. If it is challenging, I may repeat the week more. I want to get to the point that I can run 30 minutes continuously before DST goes away. Then I will attempt to run (intervals) with my Corgi in the mornings, when it's cool enough that I won't feel guilty for running him.
I am seriously considering walking a half marathon this fall. I, unfortunately, walked a half marathon I intended to walk/run back in April. Doubly unfortunately, there was a walking division that I did not enter, so I came in dead last in my age group, since I was in the running division. I started out at a great walking speed but was not able to maintain it! By the end, I could barely move. I definitely need to work on my speed walking.
I am trying to keep the stress down on me, and I really don't feel up to pushing myself as far as running goes. I'd prefer to do short runs and long and short walks. I LOVE running. I suck at it; it's hard for me, but I do love it. I also think it's a lot easier on my skeletal system to run when I weigh less, so I think it will be good for me to prolong the C25K to until I am sure to weigh about 10 pounds less.
I think I will do a 5K towards the end of the summer though, and run in it!
I'm not sure if I'll attempt running this winter. Instead, I may do Jillian Michaels DVD's instead. I really struggle to run in the cold. My children give me colds, and I also have a touch of asthma, which makes them worse. When I get sick or am recovering and try to run in the winter, my pulse gets way too high, and I feel terrible. I tend to have to take weeks off from vigorous exercise. I guess this means that when I'm sick, I need to watch my portion and carb intake much better than I otherwise would. If I can't exercise, probably giving up bread and carby snacks would be enough to carry me through until I can exercise again. (Carbs, especially in the winter, seem to make it harder for me to control my appetite.)
Anyway, so day 1 of C25K was a success. I am thinking that I will do each week twice, whether or not it is challenging. If it is challenging, I may repeat the week more. I want to get to the point that I can run 30 minutes continuously before DST goes away. Then I will attempt to run (intervals) with my Corgi in the mornings, when it's cool enough that I won't feel guilty for running him.
I am seriously considering walking a half marathon this fall. I, unfortunately, walked a half marathon I intended to walk/run back in April. Doubly unfortunately, there was a walking division that I did not enter, so I came in dead last in my age group, since I was in the running division. I started out at a great walking speed but was not able to maintain it! By the end, I could barely move. I definitely need to work on my speed walking.
I am trying to keep the stress down on me, and I really don't feel up to pushing myself as far as running goes. I'd prefer to do short runs and long and short walks. I LOVE running. I suck at it; it's hard for me, but I do love it. I also think it's a lot easier on my skeletal system to run when I weigh less, so I think it will be good for me to prolong the C25K to until I am sure to weigh about 10 pounds less.
I think I will do a 5K towards the end of the summer though, and run in it!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Weekly Update: Good News
NYPDNCJCYHNU (Technorati Claim)
I weighed in this morning. I actually was dreading weighing myself and lay in bed for longer than I should have. When I stepped on the scale, I was so relieved to see 135.4. It's been a few months since I've seen anything that low. I'm hoping that in June, I will at least get back to the numbers that started recording my weight at last year! My lowest recorded weight was 132.2 back in November.
I'm also very pleased that I do seem to be able to lose weight without going drastically low carb or doing a drastic increase in exercise. I've been mostly walking the dog for exercise and practicing portion control. While I'm not doing low carb, I have been very careful about sugary deserts. We've had cookies a couple of times, and I've been able to eat them in moderation. If I get a fancy coffee drink, I can ask for the low sugar syrup, and I think this is very helpful. I still get my treat without the effects to my blood sugar.
Activity, calorie intake, and carb intake are all equally important, in my opinion, to my weight loss.
I am going to start Couch to 5K today, probably in a few minutes. The Couch to 5K program will probably keep my busy all summer. I'm going to try using a podcast, rather than a digital watch, to keep me on track. This partly because I think it will be a fun change, and it is also because I have lost my digital watch. I'll also be wearing Spiderman sunglasses, because all the pairs I bought for myself at the Dollar Tree are lost, and I pathetically have to borrow my son's pair.
Hopefully, I will see the 134's next week!
I weighed in this morning. I actually was dreading weighing myself and lay in bed for longer than I should have. When I stepped on the scale, I was so relieved to see 135.4. It's been a few months since I've seen anything that low. I'm hoping that in June, I will at least get back to the numbers that started recording my weight at last year! My lowest recorded weight was 132.2 back in November.
I'm also very pleased that I do seem to be able to lose weight without going drastically low carb or doing a drastic increase in exercise. I've been mostly walking the dog for exercise and practicing portion control. While I'm not doing low carb, I have been very careful about sugary deserts. We've had cookies a couple of times, and I've been able to eat them in moderation. If I get a fancy coffee drink, I can ask for the low sugar syrup, and I think this is very helpful. I still get my treat without the effects to my blood sugar.
Activity, calorie intake, and carb intake are all equally important, in my opinion, to my weight loss.
I am going to start Couch to 5K today, probably in a few minutes. The Couch to 5K program will probably keep my busy all summer. I'm going to try using a podcast, rather than a digital watch, to keep me on track. This partly because I think it will be a fun change, and it is also because I have lost my digital watch. I'll also be wearing Spiderman sunglasses, because all the pairs I bought for myself at the Dollar Tree are lost, and I pathetically have to borrow my son's pair.
Hopefully, I will see the 134's next week!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
A Setback
I didn't update with my weight last week, and I haven't really weighed all week. Last Sunday, I weighed in at 137.2. I was kind of bummed out about it. I was probably retaining some water. I had lifted weights, and my period was starting, so it could have been just water. I haven't exercised well this week, and my eating has been fair, with some snacking problems. I am feeling very full after my meals, which is good.
I always have problems right before and during my period. I get extremely sleepy for about a week.
If I don't get extra sleep at night, I will have to lie down one evening and take a nap, where I sleep very heavily. I don't have bad cramps or migraines, certainly nothing a little naproxen or ibuprofen couldn't handle.
I need something new for next week. I was thinking about doing a Jillian Michaels video every day, but I think I'll start up with Couch to 5K. I stopped running over the winter, due to constant colds and the worst sinus infection of my life. I think I ought to save videos for the winter evenings when it gets dark depressingly early (around 4:30 here), and enjoy the outdoors while I can, even though it will be painfully hot. Since I need to walk the (damn) dog every morning, and I don't want to try and run with him in the heat, I'll have to go when my husband gets home from work.
Oh, well, it will be okay. I'm nervous to see what I weigh tomorrow, but whatever it is, I'll deal with it. At least my pants and shorts fit again, even if they are a tad snug. Maybe in a month they'll be comfortably loose.
I always have problems right before and during my period. I get extremely sleepy for about a week.
If I don't get extra sleep at night, I will have to lie down one evening and take a nap, where I sleep very heavily. I don't have bad cramps or migraines, certainly nothing a little naproxen or ibuprofen couldn't handle.
I need something new for next week. I was thinking about doing a Jillian Michaels video every day, but I think I'll start up with Couch to 5K. I stopped running over the winter, due to constant colds and the worst sinus infection of my life. I think I ought to save videos for the winter evenings when it gets dark depressingly early (around 4:30 here), and enjoy the outdoors while I can, even though it will be painfully hot. Since I need to walk the (damn) dog every morning, and I don't want to try and run with him in the heat, I'll have to go when my husband gets home from work.
Oh, well, it will be okay. I'm nervous to see what I weigh tomorrow, but whatever it is, I'll deal with it. At least my pants and shorts fit again, even if they are a tad snug. Maybe in a month they'll be comfortably loose.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Choosing a Goal Weight
Choosing a goal weight has been a very tricky task for me, partly because my perspective has changed so much as I've lost weight. When I was at my fattest, I would have given anything to be a size 12, and an 8 seemed like the most could ever hope for. But being as short as I am, I learned that a size 4 is a very reasonable goal, and that if I were extremely careful about what I ate and how much I exercised, I could probably get to be a size 0 or 2 and still be healthy. At this point, I would be quite upset if I were to go up to size 8 again.
My goal weight of 125 pounds will put me comfortably in a size 4. In many stores, I will be wearing the smallest size in adult women or "misses" clothing. But I will still have a bit of a belly and a fair bit of meat on my thighs and bottom.
I felt like I was putting too much pressure on myself when I decided to go below 125. At 125, my blood pressure was very good, I felt good, I looked good. However, I did not look women on TV are supposed to look, and I decided to get a little thinner. I think I set myself up for failure by not setting a goal that allowed me enough leeway with eating and exercise. My life is extremely full. It is sometimes stressful. I have many hobbies that I love. I get sick frequently in the winter due to my children giving me cold after cold.
I only have so much time to devote to exercising, and I do love to eat. Therefore, I'm maknig a decision not to lose those "last 10-15 pounds" that I could lose and still have periods and still have healthy bones.
I also think a lot about intuitive eating. One older book that describes this process is called Diets Still Don't Work by Bob Schwartz. He describes how to really pay attention to what you want to eat and how full you are, and by doing this, you can acheive a good weight for you without counting calories.
This worked very well for me 2 years ago, and it's working for me now. I still think it's good to know how many calories are in certain foods and beverages, especially those that can cause you to lose touch with your sense of fullness (things that are high in sugar). Most margaritas contain as much calories as I might need to eat in my evening meal! But they won't necessarily make me feel full. And I can easily ignore my sense of fulness while eating a 500-calorie slice of cheesecake.
However, eating slowly, savoring each bite of food, paying attention to when my stomach says, "enough!" is very helpful. When I practice that, I start to feel full very quickly, and I feel full for many hours each day. When I'm ignoring my stomach, I hardly ever feel full, even after eating a large meal. Some people reach their goal weight without worrying about the scale, simply by practicing this conscious/intuitive eating. I think that the scale is important for me in making sure that I'm not tricking myself into thinking I'm not overeating when I actually am.
My goal weight of 125 pounds will put me comfortably in a size 4. In many stores, I will be wearing the smallest size in adult women or "misses" clothing. But I will still have a bit of a belly and a fair bit of meat on my thighs and bottom.
I felt like I was putting too much pressure on myself when I decided to go below 125. At 125, my blood pressure was very good, I felt good, I looked good. However, I did not look women on TV are supposed to look, and I decided to get a little thinner. I think I set myself up for failure by not setting a goal that allowed me enough leeway with eating and exercise. My life is extremely full. It is sometimes stressful. I have many hobbies that I love. I get sick frequently in the winter due to my children giving me cold after cold.
I only have so much time to devote to exercising, and I do love to eat. Therefore, I'm maknig a decision not to lose those "last 10-15 pounds" that I could lose and still have periods and still have healthy bones.
I also think a lot about intuitive eating. One older book that describes this process is called Diets Still Don't Work by Bob Schwartz. He describes how to really pay attention to what you want to eat and how full you are, and by doing this, you can acheive a good weight for you without counting calories.
This worked very well for me 2 years ago, and it's working for me now. I still think it's good to know how many calories are in certain foods and beverages, especially those that can cause you to lose touch with your sense of fullness (things that are high in sugar). Most margaritas contain as much calories as I might need to eat in my evening meal! But they won't necessarily make me feel full. And I can easily ignore my sense of fulness while eating a 500-calorie slice of cheesecake.
However, eating slowly, savoring each bite of food, paying attention to when my stomach says, "enough!" is very helpful. When I practice that, I start to feel full very quickly, and I feel full for many hours each day. When I'm ignoring my stomach, I hardly ever feel full, even after eating a large meal. Some people reach their goal weight without worrying about the scale, simply by practicing this conscious/intuitive eating. I think that the scale is important for me in making sure that I'm not tricking myself into thinking I'm not overeating when I actually am.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sunday Weigh In and Weekly update
I record my weight every Sunday. I record after I first wake up. I use the bathroom and remove my clothes, and then what I get is what I write. Although I do weigh myself on other days, I don't record those weights. If I can't weigh in on Sunday, I record my Saturday weight, or the next day after Sunday that I'm near my scale. At the end of the month, I average my weights.
Today, I weighed in at 136 pounds. I am very happy with this, as I haven't gotten a weight this low since February! It means I have only 11 pounds to go before I reach my goal.
The sad thing is that since I started tracking my weight back at the end of October, I was weighing in in the 132's and 133's. At that time, I was a little discouraged that I needed to lose 7-8 pounds. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. If I hadn't started recording my weight, I'd probably weigh even more now.
Anyway, this round is for life, not for looking good in a bathing suit this summer (although that would be a nice benefit.) I also have to remind myself that for much of my adult life, I would have been THRILLED to be down to this weight. In fact, 135 was my original weightloss goal back in 2003.
I am trying to find a balance between feeling good about how far I've come yet motivated to continue.
Today, I weighed in at 136 pounds. I am very happy with this, as I haven't gotten a weight this low since February! It means I have only 11 pounds to go before I reach my goal.
The sad thing is that since I started tracking my weight back at the end of October, I was weighing in in the 132's and 133's. At that time, I was a little discouraged that I needed to lose 7-8 pounds. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. If I hadn't started recording my weight, I'd probably weigh even more now.
Anyway, this round is for life, not for looking good in a bathing suit this summer (although that would be a nice benefit.) I also have to remind myself that for much of my adult life, I would have been THRILLED to be down to this weight. In fact, 135 was my original weightloss goal back in 2003.
I am trying to find a balance between feeling good about how far I've come yet motivated to continue.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Snacking
I'm doing pretty well on diet and exercise except for one thing: snacking, especially afternoon snacking. I do like to have a snack in the middle of the afternoon, and I think it's good for me to pick up 100-200 calories (300 maximum!) at that time. That way I can make it until dinner without feeling too hungry.
But, being an at-home mom, with easy access to my fridge and pantry, I tend to snack a little too much. Sometimes I graze, and those calories add up. Other times I will actually have two snacks, one at 2 and one at 4. (This is really not okay!) If I can just make it until 3, then I can have a reasonable snack and not bee too hungry. But if I start at 2, I will surely be hungry again by 4, and then I'll eat again at dinner.
I'm not doing horribly, just eating too much to lose weight. I can't create a calorie deficit by grazing.
I try to remind myself daily that not gaining is a victory in itself, that being approximately 35 pounds below my maximum weight is a victory in itself.
But, being an at-home mom, with easy access to my fridge and pantry, I tend to snack a little too much. Sometimes I graze, and those calories add up. Other times I will actually have two snacks, one at 2 and one at 4. (This is really not okay!) If I can just make it until 3, then I can have a reasonable snack and not bee too hungry. But if I start at 2, I will surely be hungry again by 4, and then I'll eat again at dinner.
I'm not doing horribly, just eating too much to lose weight. I can't create a calorie deficit by grazing.
I try to remind myself daily that not gaining is a victory in itself, that being approximately 35 pounds below my maximum weight is a victory in itself.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Sleep: I Need It
I've never been a good sleeper. I love to stay up late and sleep late. If I have to get up early, I've always liked to have a nap in the middle of the day. This worked well at certain times in my life. As a homeschooling mom, however, I don't have much time for naps. My children are too young for me to really feel comfortable shutting the door to my room and having a real nap. The best I get is a light doze in the living room, where I can hear them playing and know if they open the front or back doors.
I went on vacation with my husband. We had a cabin with east-facing windows (no curtain) that streamed bright light into our bed early every morning. We hiked all day. We went to bed early. I felt awesome.
I came home and didn't want to go back to my old schedule of staying up late every night, dragging myself out of bed each morning, and dragging myself around all day, drinking coffee and diet soda continuously.
So, I haven't. After the children go to bed, I get in bed with my Kindle, and I'm asleep before 11 PM. I realize that isn't early to some people, but it sure is to me. And then I get out of bed at around 7. I find I'm needing to set my alarm for 6:45 to do this because I just don't wake up well. (Probably may be an ADHD-type thing.)
The word on sleep deprivation and metabolism is pretty bleak. I've been reading about it for years. So what if I leave emails unanswered or chores undone? It'll be a lot easier to do anything the next day if I get enough sleep. Also, chores can be caught up on, but sleep is extremely difficult to catch up on.
I've been feeling that my sleep deprivation has been holding me back, as I've really struggled to see any changes on the scale these past few months, despite modest eating and exercise changes. I know I've built up muscle, and my clothes fit better, but it hasn't translated into any weight loss. I did see a slight loss about a pound, coming back from vacation, which I think was due to lack of stress, increased exercise, and better sleep. I ate plenty, including dessert (homemade cookies or brownies and S'more's trail mix!) twice a day.
Anyway, there is no other way that I know of to help myself lose weight while remaining completely imobile, other than getting enough sleep.
I went on vacation with my husband. We had a cabin with east-facing windows (no curtain) that streamed bright light into our bed early every morning. We hiked all day. We went to bed early. I felt awesome.
I came home and didn't want to go back to my old schedule of staying up late every night, dragging myself out of bed each morning, and dragging myself around all day, drinking coffee and diet soda continuously.
So, I haven't. After the children go to bed, I get in bed with my Kindle, and I'm asleep before 11 PM. I realize that isn't early to some people, but it sure is to me. And then I get out of bed at around 7. I find I'm needing to set my alarm for 6:45 to do this because I just don't wake up well. (Probably may be an ADHD-type thing.)
The word on sleep deprivation and metabolism is pretty bleak. I've been reading about it for years. So what if I leave emails unanswered or chores undone? It'll be a lot easier to do anything the next day if I get enough sleep. Also, chores can be caught up on, but sleep is extremely difficult to catch up on.
I've been feeling that my sleep deprivation has been holding me back, as I've really struggled to see any changes on the scale these past few months, despite modest eating and exercise changes. I know I've built up muscle, and my clothes fit better, but it hasn't translated into any weight loss. I did see a slight loss about a pound, coming back from vacation, which I think was due to lack of stress, increased exercise, and better sleep. I ate plenty, including dessert (homemade cookies or brownies and S'more's trail mix!) twice a day.
Anyway, there is no other way that I know of to help myself lose weight while remaining completely imobile, other than getting enough sleep.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
My Story
I was always a little bit chubby when I was a kid and very self-conscious about it. When I turned about 15, I slimmed out. I tried not to eat too much, and I walked a lot, as in 1-2 hours a day. That was in 1990's, when everyone was into "low fat," which left me so hungry. I wish I'd known that "low sugar" and "low calorie" would be more helpful for me in staying healthy, especially considering my family's propensity to diabetes. I also wish I had found a more vigorous exercise at that time.
Anyway, I went to college and married young, and I don't know how to put it. I just ate everything I wanted, especially salty snacks, sweets, and restauraunt food. Fast forward a few years, and both my husband (T.) and I were obese by the time we graduated high school.
T. lost a fair bit of weight doing Dr. Weil's diet and the elliptical, although he was still overweight, but he felt hungry all the time. I couldn't stand the Weil diet and just stayed fat. Then we went on vacation, and I couldn't stand any of the pictures of myself. Who was that fat girl? And if I was that fat before kids, what would happen after I had kids? I had a pretty good idea. At my highest weigh, I believe I was about 175 pounds. At 5 feet tall. I'm not entirely sure of my highest weight because I didn't weigh much, and I practiced a lot of denial. I could not climb the hill near our apartment without resting.
I read about the Atkins Diet and decided I might as well try it. My husband I laughed about it and went out and bought lots of meat for me. The first day was horrible. I was an emotional wreck, but eventually I balanced out, and felt great. I lost weight rapidly, going down to about 150 pounds, and then the weight loss slowed. Still, I felt so much better. My only exercise continued to be walking. T. started Atkins about a week after I did.
Surprisingly, I found out I was pregnant soon after, so while I tried to stay healthy, I stopped trying to lose weight immediately and ate more fruit and whole grains. I had some health complications during pregnancy, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, both indicators that is especially important for me to try and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Thankfully, my son was born healthy, although early. I'm at high risk for heart disease and diabetes later in life.
I was pretty happy with my weight after having my first son. I breastfed him, which helped immensely with my weight loss. I got to about 145 pounds, maybe 140 at one time (our old scale was not too accurate). Although still overweight, I had much greater mobility than when I was fatter and looked more attractive.
Meanwhile, T. was thin and looking great, due to low carb, running, and weight lifting. I was doing some strength training, had started running intervals, and was continuing low carb as well.
I had another son and an easier pregnancy. Again, I had gestational diabetes, well controlled by diet, and my second son was full term. The baby weight came off pretty easily again with breastfeeding, and I was comfortably about 145 pounds. However, I ran into big trouble when he was weaning because I was used to needing so many more calories.
My weight shot up to 160-165(?) pounds--I can't remember exactly. I was so upset with myself. I had been in huge denial about how I big I was getting and had only been weighed because my toddler refused to stand on the scale. I had to stand on the scale holding him, and then have my weight subtracted from his. Thanks a lot, buddy.
Over the next few months, I did low carb, weight training, and cardio. When I really focused on counting calories and portion control, and paying close attention to my body's signals of fullness, the weight dropped off of me fast. I went right past my original goal of 135 pounds to 120-125 pounds (or so?).
The only trouble is maintaining that. I overeat when I'm stressed or bored. I eat until my stomach hurts sometimes. And I don't exercise enough. Especially in the winter, my kids get colds, and I get colds, and I can't work out. After this winter, I got up to 139 pounds. I am now at 137 pounds.
My goal is 125 pounds, very reasonable for my short muscular body. I am about a size 4 at that weight. I know it is hard, and I know I won't be able to get there and maintain it without paying close attention to my eating and exercise. I don't believe in going hungry or starving or depriving myself. I believe in taking care of myself. I have walked/run 4 half marathons. Everytime I do, I think about the girl who couldn't walk up the hill near her house without resting.
I am very, very proud of the fact, that except at the end of my pregnancies, I never got up to my highest weight. It's been about 8 years. So, I suppose I've sort of yo-yo'd, but the fluctuation has progressively gotten smaller rather than larger, and my average weight lower. This is probably because I have never sharply restricted my calories. I have never, ever starved myself. I have restricted carbs severely in the past but don't do that anymore because it's not sustainable for me personally. I do watch carbs moderately and restrict sugary foods.
Thanks for reading my blog! I'll be posting about my eating, exercise, and weight loss (I hope) and then take maintenance very seriously.
Anyway, I went to college and married young, and I don't know how to put it. I just ate everything I wanted, especially salty snacks, sweets, and restauraunt food. Fast forward a few years, and both my husband (T.) and I were obese by the time we graduated high school.
T. lost a fair bit of weight doing Dr. Weil's diet and the elliptical, although he was still overweight, but he felt hungry all the time. I couldn't stand the Weil diet and just stayed fat. Then we went on vacation, and I couldn't stand any of the pictures of myself. Who was that fat girl? And if I was that fat before kids, what would happen after I had kids? I had a pretty good idea. At my highest weigh, I believe I was about 175 pounds. At 5 feet tall. I'm not entirely sure of my highest weight because I didn't weigh much, and I practiced a lot of denial. I could not climb the hill near our apartment without resting.
I read about the Atkins Diet and decided I might as well try it. My husband I laughed about it and went out and bought lots of meat for me. The first day was horrible. I was an emotional wreck, but eventually I balanced out, and felt great. I lost weight rapidly, going down to about 150 pounds, and then the weight loss slowed. Still, I felt so much better. My only exercise continued to be walking. T. started Atkins about a week after I did.
Surprisingly, I found out I was pregnant soon after, so while I tried to stay healthy, I stopped trying to lose weight immediately and ate more fruit and whole grains. I had some health complications during pregnancy, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, both indicators that is especially important for me to try and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Thankfully, my son was born healthy, although early. I'm at high risk for heart disease and diabetes later in life.
I was pretty happy with my weight after having my first son. I breastfed him, which helped immensely with my weight loss. I got to about 145 pounds, maybe 140 at one time (our old scale was not too accurate). Although still overweight, I had much greater mobility than when I was fatter and looked more attractive.
Meanwhile, T. was thin and looking great, due to low carb, running, and weight lifting. I was doing some strength training, had started running intervals, and was continuing low carb as well.
I had another son and an easier pregnancy. Again, I had gestational diabetes, well controlled by diet, and my second son was full term. The baby weight came off pretty easily again with breastfeeding, and I was comfortably about 145 pounds. However, I ran into big trouble when he was weaning because I was used to needing so many more calories.
My weight shot up to 160-165(?) pounds--I can't remember exactly. I was so upset with myself. I had been in huge denial about how I big I was getting and had only been weighed because my toddler refused to stand on the scale. I had to stand on the scale holding him, and then have my weight subtracted from his. Thanks a lot, buddy.
Over the next few months, I did low carb, weight training, and cardio. When I really focused on counting calories and portion control, and paying close attention to my body's signals of fullness, the weight dropped off of me fast. I went right past my original goal of 135 pounds to 120-125 pounds (or so?).
The only trouble is maintaining that. I overeat when I'm stressed or bored. I eat until my stomach hurts sometimes. And I don't exercise enough. Especially in the winter, my kids get colds, and I get colds, and I can't work out. After this winter, I got up to 139 pounds. I am now at 137 pounds.
My goal is 125 pounds, very reasonable for my short muscular body. I am about a size 4 at that weight. I know it is hard, and I know I won't be able to get there and maintain it without paying close attention to my eating and exercise. I don't believe in going hungry or starving or depriving myself. I believe in taking care of myself. I have walked/run 4 half marathons. Everytime I do, I think about the girl who couldn't walk up the hill near her house without resting.
I am very, very proud of the fact, that except at the end of my pregnancies, I never got up to my highest weight. It's been about 8 years. So, I suppose I've sort of yo-yo'd, but the fluctuation has progressively gotten smaller rather than larger, and my average weight lower. This is probably because I have never sharply restricted my calories. I have never, ever starved myself. I have restricted carbs severely in the past but don't do that anymore because it's not sustainable for me personally. I do watch carbs moderately and restrict sugary foods.
Thanks for reading my blog! I'll be posting about my eating, exercise, and weight loss (I hope) and then take maintenance very seriously.
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