I'm feeling like a natural woman...

You know what I love about being a woman? Okay, there are a few things, but one of the great bonuses of being female is the curves. Not the curves of my excess weight, but the natural curve of the hips and chest.

I have gotten into the habit recently of standing with my hands on my hips, because it is so exciting to me to have a waist again! For so long all I had was rolls of fat at different heights. But this is great. I feel more confident and capable, like a super woman! (Now all I need is a phone booth and a bodysuit/cape...on second thought...hold the body suit...not enough confidence for that yet:)

You know what else is great? My WEIGHT!

ahem.

I now weigh 211lbs.

211lbs! Or, in caps, @!!LBS! (1 more pound until I get 2 new DVDs...dare I start thinking about which ones I will get?)

In the past week of losing 4 pounds, I have had food poisoning and a cold, so circumstances were not primed for eating a lot, but wow. I feel like I am constantly (happily) surprised at weigh-ins. Every week I wait for something to go wrong. I step on the scale dreading a higher number.

And then I see results. Results for the hard work I am putting in. Results for bashing through the excuses, choosing to move, and moderate eating. These results are fueling my journey, and will hopefully inspire me when I hit plateaus. So here is to green tea with honey, rainy days, long walks with my dog, and curves!

Being Sick

Last Thursday I got intense food- poisoning. The next 24 hours were an unexpected detox that left me a little weak. Saturday I felt great again, and was able to do a workout at the gym that went something like this: 20min fast walking on the treadmill, then 15 min on the StairMaster, then 15 min on the reclining bike. ( intense, right? I'm calling it my mini-trinity:)

But Sunday I woke up with a sore throat (after a night of drinking with my brother and sister:). That sore throat steadily progressed into a cough/cold that kept my home from work for a day, and has me a little tired.

Now, the problem is, what do you do about working out and eating when you are sick? Most of my exercise lately has been dog walks of 1-3miles long. I take it at my own pace and slow down when I get tired.

When I get sick though, I crave not-so-healthy food. So I have had some M&Ms, ice cream, chips (gasp!), and some bigger meal portions than necessary. (I also made Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie! I love it so much, but the crust is butter and flour times one billion! Oh well...it tastes like moroccan air:)

What's funny is that I was feeling down about some of my food choices, and then I realized that my choices now are still SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE CHOICES I WOULD HAVE MADE 2 MONTHS AGO.

I forget how far I have come (33lbs, to be exact). I am not perfect. I am a work in progress. Aren't we all?

GOALS

1) Fergie Work-out....I don't know if I can last a full hour at a 15% on the treadmill, but I am going for 30 minutes.

2)Add 5 minutes to every workout....it's like doing an extra exercise session every week! This might mean extending my cardio, but I might also take that time to fit in some extra abs time, or try the rowing machine again. Try this out yourself, and let me know how it goes!

"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass." -Maya Angelou

Fergalicious

Who doesn't love Fergie? She sings in one of the best groups of our time, she can handle a solo career, and she is beautiful without being a size zero or bland!

I was going through more old magazines and I found an article on her that I love. (keep in mind that this article is almost 4 years old, and I do not speak personally for Fergie. You might find it hard to believe, but I have never met Fergie personally...doesn't mean I don't rock out to her on my ipod!)

She talks about how she is very strict with her regular diet, but will, every once in a while, eat pizza, or drink some wine. She talks about body image, turning 30 years old, and scheduling in work-out time, but my favorite part of the article concerns her workout.

"Her favorite way to break a sweat? 'Walking for an hour on the treadmill at 2.5mph and a 15% upgrade.'"

WHAT?! That is crazy! So crazy, I just might try it. Remember that there are multiple ways to break a sweat and get moving. You don't have to be a runner to rock on the treadmill, just get a good incline going and stick with it!

I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends. ~James Boswell

So this is a random pictures/stories/crafts post, so enjoy!

The best news is that: My sister is home! She goes to school in WA D.C. Too far away. At least we have unlimited minutes between our phones. And I don't know if I told you guys yet, but I love my siblings. They hard-core rock. Like my little brother? He is center snare for the highschool marching band, and even though he is an 18 year old guy, he has good moments:)

Here we are at his last high-school football game!

So...we wrapped my sister's room in ugly wrapping paper as a homecoming surprise! And then we dog-piled...because we are cool like that.

This is my sister and I in awe of the bad decor in a B&B we were staying at...seriously? SERIOUSLY?

So this morning I got a little crafty. And it only took 30 minutes! All you need is a corkboard(or a fridge front, or a wall to tape things on:), some scissors, old magazines, and you are set!

I had been thinking about making an inspiration board for a while, and then was convinced when I say what Skinny Me had done. So I gathered my many old magazines and started cutting. And this is what I ended up with:
I choose real looking women, and people moving, and yes, that is Jack Black dressed as Nacho Libre in the upper left corner...who wouldn't want to be a rocking-comedian-cute-musician? In a cape?

Okay, I can see I am alone in this argument:)

So the last portion of this delightful-sunny-sfternoon post is about my breakfast. I think my sickness was some intense food-poisening, because I feel great now. Woot! And this morning I had an all-star breakfast.

Can I just say, I love oat bran? Not as soupy as farina or cream-of-wheat, but smoother than oatmeal. Then I sprinkled some walnuts, dried cherries, plain yogurt, and brown sugar on top. ( the dried cherries were a splurge as WINCO the other day:)

BAM! My awesome breakfast! Paired with a little black coffee and the best hydration out there: H2O.

Have a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Sickness and Success

Good health and happiness to you all! I am currently sipping blue gatorade, trying to restore my body that does not want anything to do with food. I am listening to my body (goal from last week) and it is saying, "take it easy. Slow down for a bit. Sleep." Fair enough body, fair enough.

In other news: I know you have been dying to hear the results of my most recent weigh-in, right? Well hold onto your seats folks, because Tuesday I stepped on the scale, ready to see 219lbs...and instead saw:

215!!!

yesyesyesyes!

I think I really pushed myself with working out the past week, including a "last-chance-workout" on Monday that consisted of my jogging/walking on the treadmill for 52 minutes. I don't think I have ever spent that long on the treadmill. Luckily, I was listening to the Avenue Q soundtrack. (quite possibly my favorite musical ever. Look it up.)

Such a huge weight-loss does concern me a bit though. I think some of it has to do with womanly bloating and body weight-fluctuations, so my goal for the next weigh-in is to maintain that loss. Especially now that I am sick and might not be able to work out as much.

Oh, and I finally had spaghetti squash!! The first way I tried it was with olive oil and a mix of cumin, curry, and a bit of red pepper. It still tasted really squashy (what did I expect?). But I was determined to make something tasty.

My second attempt was lightly sautéing artichoke hearts, peppers, onions, some bits of chicken, and then adding in 1/2 cup of low-sodium v8 as the "sauce." MUCH BETTER.

I am trying to think of my "diet" as an opportunity to get creative with my food. What can I make that is healthy? That doesn't taste bland? That doesn't taste like diet food? That everyone in my family can enjoy? It forces me to make a wider use of all the spices I have available in the kitchen. Except for rosemary. blegh.

So go be creative! Make something new! Concoct a new dish! Redo a bland sandwich! And spice up your life!

The Sunday Funnies...

Hey guys! Hope everyone's weekend went well, I had some cake, some walks, some struggles with what to eat, but ultimately, I had a good time:) I just wanted to share wonderful video with y'all. Hope it helps you on your road to success and health!

Rawr!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSA-1tZZTPM

Who is Loser Girl?

I like a good stretch every now and then.

An extra post today! What fun!

I realized that my favorite blogs to read are the ones where I know some things about the blogger. And then I realized that there are a few people reading this blog who don't know me in real life! (how cool is that? Way to connect us, internet!) And y'all who know me wouldn't mind reading some random things about me, right? Right!

I now present to you, a random getting-to-know-me list:

I am 22. Yep.

I graduated from university in May with an English degree...like I was ever going to get a job with that:) And what a fine, healthy economy we graduated into...ahem.

I work as a barista, making espresso drinks for the masses. This means at least 4 days a week I am on my feet for 8 hours straight and working within 10 feet of a pastry case at all times...yay for burning calories in an active job! Boo on the pastry case:)

I live my parents at the moment....ouch. I actually really love my family, and living at home makes it easier to have good food on hand, as well as support and the cutest dog in the world. While I am hoping to move out soon to be closer to work, I really can't complain.

I love traveling. And books. And baking. And singing. And musicals, and hiking, and plays, and movie kiss montages on youtube, and the rain, and mountains, and the ocean, and games(like Clue and Apples to Apples, not mind games:).

While generally pleasant to people, I get pissy when I am driving...especially if you change lanes without signaling. If you do that, and notice the driver behind you gesturing wildly with her hands and looking peeved, wave...it's me!

The Pacific Northwest is the best region in the world. If you disagree, I will fight you.

Or I will let you have your own opinion on a very subjective subject...

But seriously, it is.

I gotta feeling.....oooooo!

Speaking of good songs, I listened to the Freaky Friday soundtrack the other day during my workout, and I was pleasantly surprised! It's no Black Eyed Peas, Queen, or rousing Beethoven symphony, but most of the songs have a good loud drum beat you can climb stairs to...you can also motivate yourself by thinking of lil ol' Lindsay Lohan and the path her life has taken...chuckle to yourself, then focus on making your life awesome, yet dignified:)

I weighed in this week at 220lbs: new sports bra, here I come! Good timing too, I'm starting to like jogging.

I'm going to be honest, I was a little disappointed at the weigh-in. One pound? I've done better than that every other week! But.

I lost one pound even though I went to a oktoberfest themed birthday party, ate out with family, and had the urge to hibernate. I lost that pound in a regular week of living...which means I am changing the way I live my life. It's scary and exciting at the same time. I love the extra energy I have when I eat right and exercise, and I need all the extra endorphins I can get! (I work in customer service...'nuff said.)

But this journey is also a letting-go of my old self. The old-self who would eat all the oreos, who would watch more tv. The old-self who had a pretty face, who was the perma-single funny friend, never the love interest. I could stream-of-conscious on this subject for a while, but I will limit myself to this: I am nervous about this new life I am creating, but I know it's the best shot I have at the life I want.

As for the past weeks goals, I did go jogging twice, but I only made two new recipes. No problem, I can do the other two this week. The two new recipes I helped concoct (new to me, that is) are the red cabbage and apple slaw, and a curry/coconut/cumin/pumpkin soup. I also now have some spaghetti squash in the house, so I am looking forward to making something with that for the first time!

So, new goals for the coming week:

1. Two new healthy recipes!
2. Listen to my body. I will continue to push myself, but I don't want to push myself to exhaustion or sickness. Then again, maybe this goal should include not listening when my body says, "it's hard. I don't know if I can do level 6. Maybe you should just take it easy." Hells no! I know that my body is capable of great things!

Hope everyone is rocking the socks off of this week and respecting themselves with healthy food, good exercise, and a wee bit'o'fun!

My 25th post!

Hello! Sorry about the little break there in blogging. I might be a bit a procrastinator at times. The kind who left all her school projects until the night before the due date...the adrenaline rush really kicks in at 4:30am while drinking a peanut butter soy latte! (so delicious, so rare)

I have so much I want to share and discuss, it’s hard to know where to begin. Oh wait, I know.

Thank you.

No, really....THANK YOU. This blog has been a source of motivation and inspiration for the last 8 weeks, and I am so grateful for all the support and comments you give. Friday and Saturday were the first days in a long while that I truly did not feel like working out. Maybe it was the cold crisp weather I love so much putting me in hibernating mode, maybe it was complacency with my weight-loss, whatever it was, I was not feeling it.

But then I was sitting on the couch Friday evening, watching the telly, and I thought, “Wait a second. If I don’t work out, I have to write a post about not working out. I don’t want to share my laziness with others!” And so I got off my butt and went to a Latin Rhythms class and generally made a fool of myself trying to shake my hips in decidedly un-wasp-ish moves. What fun!

Saturday I put off exercising until 9:15pm. (generally, you shouldn’t work out to close to your bed time, otherwise it might be difficult for you to fall asleep...and trust me, those zzz’s are important for weight-loss and health in general.)

What awesome activity did I do Saturday night, you might be asking yourself? Why, I made red cabbage with apples while doing arm workouts and dancing to the Spice Girls! And all in the comfort of my home kitchen...with my dog thinking I was trying to play some new game with her. Anyone ever try to do crunches when a dog is near? It’s a challenge.

Am I too cool or what? Bet you wish that had been your Saturday night:) Both of those exercise moments were because I didn’t want to let you, or myself, down. Yesterday I went jogging, and today I kicked my own butt with 20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the Stairmaster, and 2.5 minutes on the rowing machine. (okay, 2.5 minutes on the rowing machine might not seem that impressive, but my shoulders and back were killing me...maybe my form was off? Or maybe my rowing muscles are non-existent...)

I see my Mondays as a “Last Chance Workout” of sorts, since I currently weigh-in on Tuesdays.

So once more, THANK YOU. I hope you are inspired every once in a while by me, this blogationship should be a two way street! (no, I did not just make up a word! Blagationship is totally legit...don't quote me on that:) Have a wonderful week!

Oh happy days!

I love the fall. The smells, the crisp air, the crackling leaves and bonfires. At least, I love fall until the Pacific Northwest turns grey for 6 months...just kidding! I love the cold and drizzle. And rain boots. And wet pavement. And the sound of busy windshield wipers. I also love pants, sweaters, and scarves, so woot for the lower temperatures!

Okay, I got distracted by autumn. I really just wanted to let you know my goals for the week.

1. Go jogging at least twice.
2. Find 4 new recipes to try...and make them.

I've already started on both of these, and am going to keep updating my Fitday profile as well, so I can do random calories checks. And now for a beautiful picture of Mount Hood, from http://www.williampatrickmoore.com/Oregon-gallery.html

You don't drown by falling in the water.

You drown by staying there. - Edwin Louis Cole

So don’t worry if you make an unhealthy food choice, or don’t work-out one day. The important thing is that you change your behavior. I didn’t get to 244lbs because I overate and didn’t exercise for a day. I grew to 244lbs because I stayed in the same rut for a long time. Now I just have to get in a healthy rut:)

At my Biggest Weight-Loss class this week, we did a grueling circuit that included running around the track holding a long 2x4 above our heads with a partner. And there were stairs, and lunges, and squats, and fun core work outs. At one point, as I was huffing and puffing on the stairs, a woman came over to me and said "I know your trainer, her workouts are like boot camp. She will work your ass off!", and I said, "I hope so!"

Being a part of this team holds me accountable at a time I usually would start plateauing and getting bored. I also feel energized to be on a team in general! We cheer each other on, share our losses, and exchange our weight-loss techniques. We even got matching tee-shirts! I love being a dork!

Speaking of losses, I lost another 2lbs this past week, meaning I am 221lbs. (cue happy dance) So my grand total of weight-loss so far is 23lbs!! That means I have lost more than my age in weight!( I am 22)

On my jog today (yes, you read that right) I thought, “only 67lbs to go!” And I reminded myself that this life I am choosing to live is not about 67 more pounds. It is about the choices I make on a daily basis, it is about moving more, it is about the next pound, not the many pounds after that. So slow and steady wins this marathon. Channel the tortoise...

Update like you mean it!

So my goals for the past week were 1)do something crazy, and 2)open a Fitday account. I did accomplish both of my goals, but in different ways than I first thought. It’s funny how life takes your plans, does a little twist, and says, “now what?” But enough of my waxing poetic (nothing about waxing is poetic...where did this saying come from?) Here’s what happened:

I went jogging. *gasp* No seriously, I did. For the first time in at least a year and a half. I strapped myself in with two bras, leashed the dog, and alternated walking and jogging for 45 minutes. How CRAZY is that!? Now it gets insane because...I loved it.

(This is me striking a happy Losergirl pose in the backyard, while my

dog tries to catch flies in her mouth. Inspiring, no?)

I had been inside and driving all day and the crisp fall air combined with twilight jazzed me up and I kept wishing I could go longer! Too bad my dog had eaten a dozen muffins (including paper wrappers) the night before and threw them all up in the street. Good times, good times my friends:)

I started an account on Fitday, and am still learning how to use it. I found out that I am eating around 1800 calories on days I don’t have social events, and then I eat (and drink:) around 2100 calories. My intake also fluctuates with my work schedule, so that is something I have been more conscious of. One thing I appreciate about Fitday is that they do a pie chart for every day, letting you know how many of your calories come from fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

I have to be honest, I don’t enjoy calculating all this stuff out. Every once in a while is fine, but I prefer to just be mindful about what I eat, and try to exercise. This may change over time and as it gets more difficult to lose weight, but I focus on my breathing and sweat intensity on the elliptical, instead of a certain caloric number. And my food choices are focused on healthier foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein and some tasty fat) in moderation, instead of a gaol number. That works for me.

So figure out your own method. How do you judge your health? Do you count calories expended/caloric intake? Are you cutting back on carbs? On sugar? Not eating late at night? What is your personal living healthy plan?

How to burn like Earth, Wind and Fire

So how do you burn 500 extra calories? Every person burns a different amount of calories during exercise, depending on weight and intensity. I know that if I walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes at an incline of 6% going 4mph, I will burn 351 calories. But someone lighter would burn less.

Here are 2 calculators you can use for figuring out how many calories you are burning: http://www.hsc.edu/fitness/calculators/calories.html or at: http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/

Playing Frisbie for 49 minutes can help me burn 501 calories! The question is, do they mean ultimate Frisbie, Frisbie toss, or Frisbie golf? I need details!

And if you are more of a chart person, check out this one: http://www.nutribase.com/exercala.htm

The chart is by weight, and the calories listed are per 30 minutes of exercise. It’s nice to know that playing ping-pong for 2.5 hours would burn 500 calories:)

Or you can just find three 500-calorie burning workouts in this article: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/no-treadmill/workouts-burn-500-calories/ There is one one the Stairmaster, one for the stationary bike, and one on the treadmill.

Remember that the less you weigh, the harder you will have to work to lose a few pounds. Try upping intensity or duration a few times a week from where you are right now, and being a bit more nit-picky about what you eat.

And how do you Excuseproof your workout? An article I read recently (from the February 2009 Self) recommended this strategy: Grab a few index cards and write down your biggest get-fit barriers on the front of each card. Then flip the card over and brainstorm all the ways you could bust those blockades. For example, if your top card reads, “I’m too tired,” the flip side might read, “I can go to bed earlier. I can play ‘Stronger’ by Kanye West really, really loud. I can treat myself to a shot of espresso. I can call my honey for a pep talk.” Now stash those around you and pull them out next time you feel the big “but” coming on (because that but might lead to another, bigger butt...I’m just saying:)

The Big Skinny

Here's a quick book recommendation for y'all (who has been watching Reba? Me...enjoy my typing drawl:)

The Big Skinny: How I Changed My Fattitude

by Carol Lay

It's a graphic novel about this cartoonist's journey to a lower weight and better health! How cool is that? Unlike hefty health books that overwhelm me with information, Carol Lay focuses on her personal journey, and basic healthy choices we can all make. It includes recipes and some ideas for exercise, and it talks about the emotional hurdles we take on when trying to lose weight and keep it off. Did I mention it's funny?!

While I don't think I could be as disciplined as she is (she writes down every single calorie as she goes...and seems to reject alcohol altogether...hahahahahaha...right;), I love how she puts herself out there with this book. She is real woman with a real goal. Check it out from the Library sometime, or check out the website: http://www.thebigskinnybook.com/ for a new kind of health reading!

Loser Girl out!