I like successful Biggest Loser stories. I figure Jillian Michaels and Bob...whatever his last name is, must be pretty decent at their jobs since these folks are losing lots of poundage. So I decided to check out the 30 Day Shred from Netflix. Most people who bought it on Amazon.com gave it good reviews. It's a 20 minutes work out incorporating, cardio/abs/weights.
It was pretty good. My darling hubby did it with me and concurred that it was a good workout. He distracted me quite a bit throughout the workout and made me laugh alot, so I probably could have worked out a little bit harder. I realize how much I know about exercise talk and proper form of lunges, squats and different moves. Hubby has never taken a class so the fundamentals were a little rough for him. I love him for trying it with me though!
My eating has been very good today. Last night we had dinner with friends and I had lasagna and bread and ice cream and a brownie for desert. There's a good feeling when you don't stress over one meal because you have eaten very many good meals in a row. When I'm struggling to stay on a good plan one more bad meal is cause for stress, but when I've been doing exceptionally well, I have the wherewithal to say "It's just one meal and it won't sabotage me" and it doesn't. Healthy Mind/Healthy Body.
I did my measurements today. I thought I had done the measurements when I started, but I don't have them anywhere on the blog. I'll have to look through my papers somewhere. We'll see where the weight goes from now on.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Breathing Through My Toes and Other Absurdities
I love my BodyFlow class...(except the name) and the last 10 minutes of each class is relaxation and meditation lying down, eyes closed, deep breathing. The instructor always reads through this meditation guide talking about letting go and breathing deep. She was reading a new one today that said "concentrate on your toes, let go of tension. Now take a deep breath and breath out through your toes." These things make me laugh. Maybe I just don't get it or don't have a good enough connection with my "inner being".. I don't know. This goes along with lifting the crown of my head. I just don't know how to do it.
Initially today I was going to write about the pros and cons of exercise. (REALLY!) It started because I was folding laundry first thing and it was most of my work out clothes. So I thought about the cons:
1. Laundry - I am thankful we have towel service at our fitness center. Otherwise the excess laundry would probably really deter me.
2. Sweat - I do not love being sweaty. I am enjoying it more these days, but generally I don't like to be hot. Our bedroom is at a very comfy 64 degrees all year round. (my husband sleeps with 3 blankets in July!
3. Time - I have time, so maybe its not really that but rather the EXTRA time it takes me to get the kids ready to go to the fitness center, make sure they go potty, that they have socks and shoes or shoes if they are wearing boots. Then signing them in, signing them out, listening to the whining that I took too long/not long enough and "Mom, can I pleeeeeeease have a snack from the snack bar, pleeeeeeease!?"
4. Pain/Soreness - Seriously, who really likes pain? I've grown accustomed to it after grueling workouts, but I could do with out it.
5. Dry Skin. Yes I blame exercise. Because it makes me sweaty, which makes me have to shower alot, which dries out my skin more than it already is. I could take cooler showers to help with this, but that's not going to happen.
Okay Okay so there are my cons. Don't worry I'm not going to stop exercising....The pros are better:
1. Weight Loss
2. Muscle Strength
3. Increased Endurance
4. Endorphins
5. Flexibility
6. Lower Blood Pressure
7. Lower Cholesterol
8. Better Body Tone
9. Break from the kids
10. Sauna/Steam Room
There are more....but already it is double the cons.
So official Friday weigh in....260.8! YIPPEE!
Initially today I was going to write about the pros and cons of exercise. (REALLY!) It started because I was folding laundry first thing and it was most of my work out clothes. So I thought about the cons:
1. Laundry - I am thankful we have towel service at our fitness center. Otherwise the excess laundry would probably really deter me.
2. Sweat - I do not love being sweaty. I am enjoying it more these days, but generally I don't like to be hot. Our bedroom is at a very comfy 64 degrees all year round. (my husband sleeps with 3 blankets in July!
3. Time - I have time, so maybe its not really that but rather the EXTRA time it takes me to get the kids ready to go to the fitness center, make sure they go potty, that they have socks and shoes or shoes if they are wearing boots. Then signing them in, signing them out, listening to the whining that I took too long/not long enough and "Mom, can I pleeeeeeease have a snack from the snack bar, pleeeeeeease!?"
4. Pain/Soreness - Seriously, who really likes pain? I've grown accustomed to it after grueling workouts, but I could do with out it.
5. Dry Skin. Yes I blame exercise. Because it makes me sweaty, which makes me have to shower alot, which dries out my skin more than it already is. I could take cooler showers to help with this, but that's not going to happen.
Okay Okay so there are my cons. Don't worry I'm not going to stop exercising....The pros are better:
1. Weight Loss
2. Muscle Strength
3. Increased Endurance
4. Endorphins
5. Flexibility
6. Lower Blood Pressure
7. Lower Cholesterol
8. Better Body Tone
9. Break from the kids
10. Sauna/Steam Room
There are more....but already it is double the cons.
So official Friday weigh in....260.8! YIPPEE!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
You're Fired!!
No, I don't watch the Apprentice, but today I fired our real estate agent. Our 'other' house has been on the market for over a year and has not sold despite numerous price decreases. We just felt our realtor was not terribly concerned about selling our house, but since we've been paying two mortgages for a year, we really need to get rid of it!!! I love our house now, so I don't care so much about the loss we take in a declining market. I just want to stop writing two big checks every month.
Surprisingly this event has not caused me to binge eat. Most people would be stressed to the max with this situation, but I'm so ho-hum about it. My theory is: If I have money, great, if I don't - oh well! I'm the type of person who hates the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years" question in interviews. I really would like to say someday. "Look in 5 days I might be working for you, and maybe still in 5 months, but in 5 years I could be on a yacht in the Mediterranean, drinking umbrella drinks under the sun." My point - I don't have a 5 - year plan. I generally don't have a 5 day plan. I might have a 5 minute plan. Like, in 5 minutes I might put laundry in. But that's really as far as it goes. Some might think my lack of planning won't help in my weight loss efforts and we'll see, but I know that I'm happier when I'm succeeded slowly than when I'm trying to make my "plan". My goals: To feel normal, to experience as much as this world can offer me and hopefully become healthy enough to do it!
So a 5 year plan really doesn't work for me. I've never had the same job for 5 years. I do administrative work, but in many different industries: investment banks, malls, accounting firms, violin shop, furniture store, college. Same stuff but different environments. I get too bored to stay one place for a long time. At a certain point I've gotten to a place where the learning curve stopped..then I've had to move on. I guess my answer to that 5 year question would be "I plan on staying here until I've learned everything I can from your company, and then move on."
So I guess in terms of weight loss: "I plan on working on my body until I've done everything I can to make it healthy, and then I will find a new journey"
Surprisingly this event has not caused me to binge eat. Most people would be stressed to the max with this situation, but I'm so ho-hum about it. My theory is: If I have money, great, if I don't - oh well! I'm the type of person who hates the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years" question in interviews. I really would like to say someday. "Look in 5 days I might be working for you, and maybe still in 5 months, but in 5 years I could be on a yacht in the Mediterranean, drinking umbrella drinks under the sun." My point - I don't have a 5 - year plan. I generally don't have a 5 day plan. I might have a 5 minute plan. Like, in 5 minutes I might put laundry in. But that's really as far as it goes. Some might think my lack of planning won't help in my weight loss efforts and we'll see, but I know that I'm happier when I'm succeeded slowly than when I'm trying to make my "plan". My goals: To feel normal, to experience as much as this world can offer me and hopefully become healthy enough to do it!
So a 5 year plan really doesn't work for me. I've never had the same job for 5 years. I do administrative work, but in many different industries: investment banks, malls, accounting firms, violin shop, furniture store, college. Same stuff but different environments. I get too bored to stay one place for a long time. At a certain point I've gotten to a place where the learning curve stopped..then I've had to move on. I guess my answer to that 5 year question would be "I plan on staying here until I've learned everything I can from your company, and then move on."
So I guess in terms of weight loss: "I plan on working on my body until I've done everything I can to make it healthy, and then I will find a new journey"
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Better Not Bitter
I got an interesting thing to think about at bible study today. The teacher challenged us to think about whether we are bitter about our circumstances or trying to better our circumstances. I can honestly say that I have been very bitter about life circumstances, including my weight. I've blamed many things/people for my current state of life and haven't until recently tried to better the circumstances. I need to remember this challenge daily and ask myself when things come up if I'm being bitter or trying to make it better. My weight loss now is about trying to make it better. I guess it's about letting go and moving forward.
I am surprising mobile today. I was a bit sore this morning when I woke up, but I've bounced back pretty quickly. I'm planning on resting today, maybe doing a workout video later tonight. It is supposed to snow a lot tonight, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to workout at the fitness center tomorrow :(.
Something I've noticed. I wonder if because I've stopped eating so much garbage, I've set my body/taste buds to a different setting. Lately I've wanted to add salt to things like pasta and celery, tomato sauce... I have not wanted to add salt to anything since, well, ever. I even like to eat NO salt chips. Perhaps by eating such garbage for so long I didn't want salt because my body was getting a lot of it through the crappy food...I don't know, just a theory. All I know is that it is something I have not wanted to do in decades.
I'm excited to weigh in on Friday because I think it's going to be a good one. (at least this morning looked good on our house scale). I'm starting an official Friday weigh in to help me know exactly what I'm doing. I'm trying not to weigh every day. I skip days here and there, just to STOP THE INSANITY (as Susan Powter used to say or still says...I don't know, she scares me!)
I am surprising mobile today. I was a bit sore this morning when I woke up, but I've bounced back pretty quickly. I'm planning on resting today, maybe doing a workout video later tonight. It is supposed to snow a lot tonight, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to workout at the fitness center tomorrow :(.
Something I've noticed. I wonder if because I've stopped eating so much garbage, I've set my body/taste buds to a different setting. Lately I've wanted to add salt to things like pasta and celery, tomato sauce... I have not wanted to add salt to anything since, well, ever. I even like to eat NO salt chips. Perhaps by eating such garbage for so long I didn't want salt because my body was getting a lot of it through the crappy food...I don't know, just a theory. All I know is that it is something I have not wanted to do in decades.
I'm excited to weigh in on Friday because I think it's going to be a good one. (at least this morning looked good on our house scale). I'm starting an official Friday weigh in to help me know exactly what I'm doing. I'm trying not to weigh every day. I skip days here and there, just to STOP THE INSANITY (as Susan Powter used to say or still says...I don't know, she scares me!)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Body Tired
Heh. Since we have Body Pump, Body Flow, Body Jam, etc, at our fitness center...I am Body Tired after taking two classes in a row.
I don't know the last time my body was this, well...tired. You know the feeling when the thought of even lifting a pencil is too much? I'm barely squeaking out this post and probably wouldn't except I can rest my wrists on the laptop and my arms on the table. I ate a little supper (like a handful of pasta) and I don't even have energy to eat. That is Body Tired.
I normally don't do two classes back to back. I felt like pushing myself today and since hubby had bible study after work, I needed a break from the kiddos. AND my favorite Kiersten was teaching two classes in a row. If she can do it... (hah, that's how my brain works) well..she's trained herself to do it.
I'm 5/5 this year with the workouts. I may need a break tomorrow, we'll see how my body feels.
I don't know the last time my body was this, well...tired. You know the feeling when the thought of even lifting a pencil is too much? I'm barely squeaking out this post and probably wouldn't except I can rest my wrists on the laptop and my arms on the table. I ate a little supper (like a handful of pasta) and I don't even have energy to eat. That is Body Tired.
I normally don't do two classes back to back. I felt like pushing myself today and since hubby had bible study after work, I needed a break from the kiddos. AND my favorite Kiersten was teaching two classes in a row. If she can do it... (hah, that's how my brain works) well..she's trained herself to do it.
I'm 5/5 this year with the workouts. I may need a break tomorrow, we'll see how my body feels.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Free to Be Me
4 days into 2010 and I've worked out each day (well I'll be working out later for today, but it WILL happen) Yay me.
I used to love a good challenge. I'm VERY competitive by nature and probably a few years ago if I was given a Perfect 10 challenge (the one many bloggers are doing) I would have jumped on it! I've changed though. I think I've realized that competitive stuff makes me psychotic. Seriously, if the scale won't move, I won't eat and inevitably screw up my metabolism. For those that have control of their competitive psyche - WAY TO GO! I'm not there. I cheer you on whole heartedly though.
I'm also changed where I am no longer a bandwagon person. I've turned into the rebel. I mentioned on a comment that when all my friends bought a Honda Odyssey, I specifically refused to look at them because I didn't want to be like everyone else. We own a Toyota Sienna. We live in a land of vast subdivisions and we tried living in one and HATED it, so now we live out in the country on an acre in a very unique home. Everyone started giving gift bags and gift cards, I bought presents and wrapped them in paper. I think this might have occurred in my early 20's when I lived with a very good friend for a year. We lived together, had gone to the same college, worked the same job, had the same friends, went to the same church. I think there was a moment that I didn't know where she ended and I began. I still don't think I know exactly who I am, but I know for sure I'm not living someone else's life. I think there is a balance between wanting to feel normal (which is really my ultimate goal here) and wanting to be like everyone else. I think it's knowing your own tastes and not swaying from them even if the majority doesn't go along with it. I'm still learning...I hope to always be learning.
I wrote a poem when I was a freshman in high school - 1988 called Free to Be Me. If I find the whole thing I'll post it, but what I remember from it, I think 22 years later it still is relevent to me:
I have my own thoughts, feelings and dreams
But everyone's trying to change me, it seems.
I'm not what you want, I will never be
For I am my own, and I choose to be me.
I used to love a good challenge. I'm VERY competitive by nature and probably a few years ago if I was given a Perfect 10 challenge (the one many bloggers are doing) I would have jumped on it! I've changed though. I think I've realized that competitive stuff makes me psychotic. Seriously, if the scale won't move, I won't eat and inevitably screw up my metabolism. For those that have control of their competitive psyche - WAY TO GO! I'm not there. I cheer you on whole heartedly though.
I'm also changed where I am no longer a bandwagon person. I've turned into the rebel. I mentioned on a comment that when all my friends bought a Honda Odyssey, I specifically refused to look at them because I didn't want to be like everyone else. We own a Toyota Sienna. We live in a land of vast subdivisions and we tried living in one and HATED it, so now we live out in the country on an acre in a very unique home. Everyone started giving gift bags and gift cards, I bought presents and wrapped them in paper. I think this might have occurred in my early 20's when I lived with a very good friend for a year. We lived together, had gone to the same college, worked the same job, had the same friends, went to the same church. I think there was a moment that I didn't know where she ended and I began. I still don't think I know exactly who I am, but I know for sure I'm not living someone else's life. I think there is a balance between wanting to feel normal (which is really my ultimate goal here) and wanting to be like everyone else. I think it's knowing your own tastes and not swaying from them even if the majority doesn't go along with it. I'm still learning...I hope to always be learning.
I wrote a poem when I was a freshman in high school - 1988 called Free to Be Me. If I find the whole thing I'll post it, but what I remember from it, I think 22 years later it still is relevent to me:
I have my own thoughts, feelings and dreams
But everyone's trying to change me, it seems.
I'm not what you want, I will never be
For I am my own, and I choose to be me.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
A New Year a New You!
I'm not terribly fond of this saying. It implies promises that may not be met. Even if I lose this weight, I could be the same me. Me, just skinnier. And I don't want to be entirely a NEW person. I hope that some things change (like my self esteem) but generally I'm a decent person and don't need to be entirely new.
I think people out here in the midwest don't believe in any holiday except Christmas. The fitness center was open yesterday and I went expecting maybe a couple of people in the class...maybe even just me. After all, it was the day after New Year's Eve....While it wasn't a packed class there were still maybe 10-12 people in the class I was in and there were other classes going on at the same time. I guess these people are starting the New Year's Off right, with a workout. I know I was happy to have done it. I took Body FLow, which I haven't done in a while. I still like it (especially the 10 minutes of relaxation at the end!) and I'm somewhat excited to stay that I can stay in plank position (like a real pushup) for a little bit - (Something i was NOT able to do 5 months ago. I'll have to try an actual plank pushup one of these days, instead of on my knees.
I'll do a cycle class in about an hour. (UPDATE) - I went to do a cycle class and it was FULL! Darn these people with new years resolutions!! Instead I did 10 minutes on a cycle 10 minutes on an elliptical and walked the track for 20 minutes. All in all it was about 4 miles. 2 workouts down for the year.
I've been thinking about something else...about my Christmas miracle that I did not gain weight this month. I attribute some of this to the fact that I decided to eat "like a normal person" throughout this process. Meaning sometimes I eat a candy bar....sometimes I go out to eat and eat something not entirely healthy. So I've lost slower...and I haven't gained it back. If I had done any other program I would have gained it back. I've gained 12 lbs in a month on WW before when I didn't follow the plan. So while my eating is not exactly a "Diet", rather making good choices" it is working to not only lose weight but making my body healthy so it doesn't regain it. Anyhow, that's my story...and I'm sticking to it!
Happy 01/02/2010
I think people out here in the midwest don't believe in any holiday except Christmas. The fitness center was open yesterday and I went expecting maybe a couple of people in the class...maybe even just me. After all, it was the day after New Year's Eve....While it wasn't a packed class there were still maybe 10-12 people in the class I was in and there were other classes going on at the same time. I guess these people are starting the New Year's Off right, with a workout. I know I was happy to have done it. I took Body FLow, which I haven't done in a while. I still like it (especially the 10 minutes of relaxation at the end!) and I'm somewhat excited to stay that I can stay in plank position (like a real pushup) for a little bit - (Something i was NOT able to do 5 months ago. I'll have to try an actual plank pushup one of these days, instead of on my knees.
I'll do a cycle class in about an hour. (UPDATE) - I went to do a cycle class and it was FULL! Darn these people with new years resolutions!! Instead I did 10 minutes on a cycle 10 minutes on an elliptical and walked the track for 20 minutes. All in all it was about 4 miles. 2 workouts down for the year.
I've been thinking about something else...about my Christmas miracle that I did not gain weight this month. I attribute some of this to the fact that I decided to eat "like a normal person" throughout this process. Meaning sometimes I eat a candy bar....sometimes I go out to eat and eat something not entirely healthy. So I've lost slower...and I haven't gained it back. If I had done any other program I would have gained it back. I've gained 12 lbs in a month on WW before when I didn't follow the plan. So while my eating is not exactly a "Diet", rather making good choices" it is working to not only lose weight but making my body healthy so it doesn't regain it. Anyhow, that's my story...and I'm sticking to it!
Happy 01/02/2010
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