Weight Loss Tracker

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Peaks and Valleys

I did not want to work today. I was tired, and didn't eat too well yesterday...which meant that my defenses were down. There were candies and doughnuts in the breakroom and I indulged. A lot. I don't even like doughnuts!

I was feeling all guilty and gross after work. But I pulled myself together and ate healthily before my workout and weigh-in...at which point I found out that I am

198lbs!!

Apparently, despite all of my little indulgences and over-working, I balanced it out! After I weighed myself, I had a FANTASTIC workout. Pushed myself, felt the burn, and was accompanied by the soundtrack for "Songs for a New World."

At which point, I came home (in the snow!) and ate 3pieces of pizza, drank some pop, and had some Peppermint Jo-Jos. Damnit!!

I keep flip flopping between healthy and not healthy behaviors! Why isn't this easy? Calming down. breathing in and out. Those choices are behind me. I can make a better choice in the future. What do you do when you find yourself having health highs and lows?

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Blustery days and cravings

Happy Holidays! I hope you all are enjoying your family and friends this wintery season, and not getting too caught up in the commercial side of things!

My week has been busy...too busy. For a few days I worked both jobs, sometimes one right after another. I was tired, and fed up, and not enjoying my food. You know how when you are craving something, but you don't know what it is? And everything that is not what you are craving loses some of its taste? That was cured at lunch today when I had and open faced sandwich with goat cheese, olive oil, avocados, tomatoes, and some bacon. YUM!

And then I went on a run with my dog. And I would say 75% of it was spent actually running! woot woot!

I finally went the easy way to upload my "before and after" pictures...which means I took a picture of them and then uploaded them:) So here they are:

Everything just looks slimmer! So much cause for celebration!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

New Goals on the Block!

My final results are in for the Biggest-Weight-Loss Challenge group I was in! My team won! We lost 6.15% of our total weight, and I am so proud of everyone on the team. Everyone was committed to showing up, which is half the battle for any goal!


Here are my results (the first number is from September 15th, and the second is from December 8th).


Weight: 228.....220

Body Fat%: 41.15%.....38.13%

Fat Weight: 93.82.....76.26

Chest: 122cm.....113cm

Waist: 116cm.....112cm

Hip: 122cm.....114.5cm


As you can read, this group was a huge success for me! I have before and after pictures....but I am a novice with my new computer, so scanning and uploading those pictures will be accomplished when my sister and brother have time to make me feel like and idiot for an hour:) Good news: you can totally tell the difference!


So what does this new weight mean for me? Well, first off, it means that I am 46lbs away from my ultimate goal, 154lbs.


That means I need to reconsider my original goal. At the beginning of my 90lbs in 90 weeks journey, the end date was in May of 2011. Looking at that goal now, I know I don’t need another 70-something weeks to lose 46lbs. But I also know that plateaus and struggles are in my future(because that is how life goes), so 46lbs in 46 weeks might be a wee bit unrealistic.


My compromise is this: 46lbs in (about) 50weeks. The new final weigh-in is DECEMBER 19th, 2010. That’s right folks, I’m moving the date up. I factored in some extra weeks so I don’t get discouraged if a weigh-in isn’t up to par.


Other things this new weight means is: being able to wrap a towel almost all the way around my body, shaking my hips like maracas, keeping up with my adorable dog on jogs, and wearing loose clothes that used to be tight!


The Holidays

Ahem...yeah, so the holidays are difficult. I don’t know about all y’alls families, but mine is full of excellent cooks. And my friends know how to make a spread of zesty hummus and winter brews like nobodies business. So what’s a girl to do?


Take it one gathering at a time. Eat small portions, try not to go back for seconds, and enjoy the delicious food and drinks. I write this like it’s easy.


I try not to graze, I try to limit intake and choose the healthiest options, but it doesn’t always work. And speaking of work, I am uber busy with my jobs. So not only am I tired when I arrive at gatherings because I’ve already worked one or two shifts, but I am usually hungry. So defenses are down, cravings are up, and I’m working on it.


Always having water with me helps, as does trying to eat or drink slowly. Or standing a wee bit away from the food table...or keeping your hands busy with a healthy food, like peeling an orange...or telling stories with my hands, which keeps them too busy to eat...oh wait, I already do that:)


Anywho, what I am trying to say is: stay sane. Eat slowly. Love your family and friends. And think of your pre-new-year goals, mine will be here soon!


Sunday Funny for getting all the way through this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5woNs9WRE

Friday, December 18, 2009

Rolling Hills of Weight-loss

Remember at the beginning of my weight-loss journey? Think back four months. I lost big numbers in those first weeks, mountains of excess that were weighing my body down. Then I became consistent with 2-4lbs every week...and now I am hitting 1s and 1/2s.


So I am not plateauing, but I am not living on easy street either. Am I okay with a 1/2 pound loss one week, and a 1-2 pound loss the next?


Yes. My goal and aim is still to lose 1lb a week...but. The real goal is to get healthy and lose weight as part of that process. So as long as I am doing that every week, I will be happy.


Which brings me to my final weigh-in! My final weigh-in this past tuesday was:


200lbs!!


I get a massage!!!! We got before and after pictures from our Biggest-Weight-Loss program, as well as stats for body fat and measurements that I will be sharing with you shortly.


Altogether I lost 28lbs in 13 weeks. I am really proud of myself, and I am so thankful for all the support and info I got from my team. I highlytrulycompletely recommend having a support group! Weight can be a touchy subject, and having a safe place to face it head-on with others going through the same struggle, is important. I will be switching gyms in the next month, but right now I love seeing familiar faces working up a sweat.



Goals!

Have you been thinking of goals? I have....and I am really nerdy excited....but you will have to wait to hear what my new goals are, since I am need of a new bra! (tmi?)


Have a fabulous weekend, enjoy but don’t over-do, and remember the real magic of Christmas is in your heart (cue cheesy music and my brother rolling his eyes:)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Off to the Tree Farm!

It's Christmas time! Today we are trekking out to our usual tree farm to pick a winner of an evergreen. By the way, I love Christmas...probably because I love my family and friends, so any excuse to spend time with them is fine by me. Also, when photo opportunities like this one from 2 years ago arise, I think we step up to the plate with confidence:
(aren't we purdy?)

Speaking of pretty, check out this photo from 2.5 years ago:
(I do a mean air guitar:)

It's amazing how in less than a year I went from that picture to this one:

Bigger body, less confidence. This journey is not just about weight-loss. That is an obvious external change that comes with gaining my life back.

I feel more in control of my life. I feel confident in what my body can do, and how I can choose to react to what happens around me. I feel more at home in my strong body, and am excited for the many changes in this transitional phase of life.

This is a rather random post, but my scattered thoughts are slowly organizing themselves...so thanks for being part of my organizational process:)

Friday, December 11, 2009

Blue Moon Blogging

Oops. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? The hardest thing about blogging after a mini-break is that I have so much I want to blog about!


So let’s start with the obvious: this week’s weigh-in. It was my last Biggest Weight-Loss class and as you might remember, I was aiming for losing another 1.5lbs before this past Tuesday. That would have brought me to an even 202lbs. The sad news is that I didn’t lose 1.5lbs. The good news?


I lost 2.5!!!


I now weigh 200.5lbs:) Yayayayay, happy dance! In the past 13 weeks, I have lost 27.5lbs in a healthy way!!! I am so pumped and excited for next week’s weigh-in (I reallyreallyreally want a massage).


I think the success of the last week can be attributed to my outdoor time. I had an entire day without work last Saturday! With 2 jobs I have some short days, but not many that are completely mine. And what did I do with my free 24 hours?


I woke up early(I know, ridiculous) and went on a hike with my friend M. It was foggy as I drove over bridges to pick her up and head into the Columbia River Gorge. But as we started hiking, the fog cleared and it was blue skies the whole way!


Hiking makes me feel free. I love jogging, and circuits in the gym, and walking my dog in our neighborhood, but on a mountain or in the forest I feel more alive. I don’t have to work hard to break a sweat. I just have to put one foot in front of another. And with a good friend, good conversation makes the time fly by.


I also went on a long jog with my puppy near a lake. There weren’t many other people out and about...probably because it was approximately 25 degrees outside. (The weather is sooooo cold right now. As in, my hair froze as I walked to a coffee shop this morning:)


It’s important to mix training/exercise up, and even doing the same thing in different places helps. Run inside one day, outside the next. Weight circuit at the gym, personal weights at home while watching Wedding Crashers. Mix it up!


A New Idea

I had an idea last week. More of a revelation actually. So here goes: I eat emotionally. And when I eat emotionally, I reach for comforting foods. Foods that remind me of childhood, or that I associate with certain memories of good times. (okay Losergirl, this is nothing new...It’s actually quite well known...and common...so get on with it)


What if, instead of reaching for comfort foods, I did comfort activities?! I could read a book I’ve read multiple times before. I could work on that dang afghan I have been making for the past 9 years. I could watch a familiar movie, or play with my dog, look at old photos, wear an old sweatshirt....there are so many possibilities not including food!


I was able to try this technique out the other day, and it helped me more than I thought it would. Instead of reaching for the bag of chocolate chips, I found my old copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and read the first chapter. My grandmother gave me a 1954 copy of the book, and the smell alone reminds me of the first time I read it about 10 years ago. That feeling of home, of familiarity was almost as good as the brownie that I was craving.


(side note: this good idea might not apply when a certain Losergirl is experiencing her womanly time and would consider punching a grandmother to get her hands on a chocolate chip cookie, chocolate ice cream, candies, or hot chocolate....because rules were meant to be broken and I am not giving up all of my excuses for indulgence just yet)


Resolutions

The New Year is getting closer my friends! And that means new year resolutions. Yay? You might remember a few weeks ago when I made my “before the new year” resolution (199lbs by 2010). I am well on my way, and I hope all of you who made your own goals are doing well and getting it done! Or at the very least, trying, and not beating yourself up.


I am hesitant to make resolutions, because I fail at them every time. Like last year, I resolved to treat my teeth better. I flossed until March, and now only do it once in a blue moon. And it’s such a set up. How many people truly commit to their resolutions? And why does the new year seem like such a great time to start? Why not, RIGHT NOW?


So a challenge to you: Think about something you want to change in your life. It can be a big change like, "stop hanging out with family and friends who bring me down," or a small change like, "write a letter once a month."


Write it down. Then write down how you are going to change it. The small steps, the big steps, whose help you will need, who will hold you to the change, what you will do when little failures occur. Then write down all the benefits you could possibly create with this change. Write them down in BIG LETTERS. Maybe give yourself an incentive, a prize.


Now, here is the kicker. Start your journey to that life change between now and December 31st. Be a rebel. By the time 2010 comes around, you will be on your way instead of just starting! In the next weeks, I will share my goals and how they are starting out, and I would love to hear yours!


Happy Friday!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

The Last Week of Biggest Loser

Quick post my friends, and then it's off to work (again:).

At my weigh-in this past week, I only lost .5lbs. Not great. Okay, good, but not my goal, which is one pound a week. My disappointment in that half pound carried over into my workout.

I didn't push myself as hard. It felt like I was going through the motions, just getting it done, and not pushing myself.

On one of my sprints around the track, I pounded out my frustration, and on the next run, I decided to stop wallowing. As much as I love a good pout/sulk, it wasn't going to help me get that next pound lost. So I made amends with a half pound, and moved onto the next.

I have been pushing myself every day this week, adding 5 minutes to every every workout, pushing myself to go faster, further, and focused..er? If I can lose one pound this week, I will have lost 26lbs in 13 weeks!

So here are the lessons for the week: don;t be over confident about food choices. Eat good food. Make mistakes, and then learn from them. As my friend S. said, "the path to success is paved with failure."

Also, don't trust my dog near salmon patties and onion rolls. She will eat them all:)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

YumYum


(pay no attention to the weird formatting above. I don't know how to fix it:)
And then I've got to fend for myself. Getting bored of soups for lunch at work, I have been trying to mix it up a little. Last week I mixed some mango salsa with shredded chicken leftovers and scooped it up in a whole wheat tortilla for a good meal.

On Sunday night I tried a recipe for Thai Chicken Salad from Shape magazine. Due to some leftovers, it was a thai turkey salad, but who's keeping track? Basically, I mixed shredded turkey and shredded carrots with these:
(peanut butter, rice vinegar, and ground red pepper)

The results were meant to go in a sandwich, but I used whole wheat tortillas again. The finished product, tupperwared and ready for the next day, looked like this:
I wish I could say it was awesome, but the taste of vinegar was strong, and the texture was mushy. BUT, I am even more determined to find a healthy peanut sauce out there that I can easily make!

Luckily, I was still excited about a dinner I made the week before, so my disappointment wasn't too bad:)

I wanted to try cooking fish. Cooking meat in general is a tricky area for me where I can make a marinade, but fail at actually cooking it. So I looked in the American Heart Association's Quick and Easy Cookbook to find an easy approach to fish.

Voila. Pan-Seared Tuna with Mandarin Orange Pico de Gallo. Sounds tricky, but I did it! For sides I had steamed broccoli and 5-minute cous-cous(I was bored of pasta and rice).
(That's my plate! The tuna is hiding under the pico de gallo.)

But enough about the successes. Let's talk a bit about the improvement opportunities. I was so proud of my last weigh-in, and the self-control I had on Thanksgiving, I let go on the weekend. I was working and cranky, so I procrastinated on planning meals to bring, be really hungry when I got home, and then loaded up. And I had more pizza than I could handle. Too much pizza=tummy ache.

As my life gets busier, I need to make more time for food planning. I know it's not a great hobby, but I love food, so spending time thinking of delicious healthy foods shouldn't be a hardship.

Lately I have been making excuses about food because it has "healthy fat." I will not shun fat, it is the taste in most foods and your body needs some.

However. I don't need large quantities. I've noticed that when my eating habits veer from healthy, I start abbreviating my food journal. I try to make the page seem relatively empty so it looks like I didn't eat too much. Who am I fooling???

And this is in the freezer. Right now. I really want some. BUT. I had a lot of good food today, and the ice cream will be there tomorrow. So I will wait. I will wait for creamy deliciousness, that is only 100 cal per 1/2 cup serving.

DARN YOU PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!

(Also, I love green tea. Especially when I can drink it out of my mug that is as big as my face:)