My attempt at maintaining this blog has epically failed. Since my last post back in May, 2013, I had lost an additional 5 pounds, ran 2 half marathons, an 8K, a couple 5Ks, and a 10K. Oh, and I can't forget that I gained 13 pounds back. So, here I am, chowing on my chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle, with all the toppings but guac, trying to pep talk myself into getting back ON the wagon...and staying there.
Needless to say, the food portions are back to full sized meals, and the quality of my meals aren't ideal. I rarely stay within my 1500 calorie diet.
My activity level has slacked quite a bit since completing the half marathon training back in January.I did hit the gym this morning and fought out 30 hard-minutes on the AMT. I have dipped in my activities, but at least I'm still pretty active for the most part. I did just get back from a rafting trip...sore arms and all. The running, however, is down to about 1-2 days a week, and I'm only covering about 3 miles each run. I mean, it hasn't been a couch-type summer. I spent a week at Boy Scout camp, going on hikes and exploring.
Running Group
Another plus is I've joined a local running group that provides lots of inspiration. Even better, it's a mom's running group (a local chapter of Moms Run This Town). It's been really cool and helpful chatting it up with these ladies, but I haven't met too many of them. Partly because of scheduling, and partly because of intimidation. I'm sure it's all in my head, but still, there are some fabulous athletes in this group. So, if you can find a local running group or club, it's amazing how they inspire and motivate.
Upcoming Events:To keep myself going I have several events that I'm all signed up for. They are, in order:
Sept. - Luminate 5K (okay, mostly to get together with friends)
October - Bay Area Challenge, 510 10K
November - Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half Marathon
January, 2015 - Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon (inaugural year, so I had to do this one...not to mention, I LOVE Star Wars)
May, 2015 - Disneyland Tinker Bell Half Marathon
I'm finding it difficult to keep myself from signing up for these events, even though I'm totally out of running shape. I keep telling myself, I have "x" number of months to train. Well, "x" keeps getting smaller, and I'm getting lazier and lazier.
So, here I am. Back on this blog. Trying to get motivated. Let's see if it helps. Toodles.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Sunday, May 12, 2013
off the wagon...
These past couple of weeks have been a bit of a challenge. My eating habits, although not totally unhealthy, but the amount of food I've been eating has increased. Mind you, I've definitely had days here and there when I've eaten things I shouldn't have. I think I'm saying all too often, "I still have to live." There always seems to be some excuse that I'm creating for myself to eat the things I'm eating. Perhaps I've gotten too comfortable with the 43 pounds I've already lost, and I feel I can reward myself? The problem is, I'm going to reward myself with those pounds back.
Another thing I seem to be doing to myself is projecting that I'll be going over my caloric intake for the day, so I'll make it a point to work out. I know it's still important to work out. However, I think I need to start doing what my friend, Amy, does. She won't log her exercise until the end of the day, so she doesn't "eat" the calories she's earned.
So, now I have to find a way to get back on the train. Logging my exercise at the end of the day might be one strategy as long as I can keep it out of my head knowing that I'll have these extra calories. I'm really enjoying the workouts, walks, and hikes. They've become a release for me when I'm frustrated.
I also need to be more conscientious of my portion sizes. I need to start portioning out my snacks. I need to split my meals and box them up before starting to eat when we go out. Meal planning the proteins and veggies for dinner options. That will be my focus this week, to help get back on that train. I will continue my journey to become less fat, not the other way around.
P.S. Happy Mother's Day! Yes, I used this day as an excuse to eat what I wanted.
Another thing I seem to be doing to myself is projecting that I'll be going over my caloric intake for the day, so I'll make it a point to work out. I know it's still important to work out. However, I think I need to start doing what my friend, Amy, does. She won't log her exercise until the end of the day, so she doesn't "eat" the calories she's earned.
So, now I have to find a way to get back on the train. Logging my exercise at the end of the day might be one strategy as long as I can keep it out of my head knowing that I'll have these extra calories. I'm really enjoying the workouts, walks, and hikes. They've become a release for me when I'm frustrated.
I also need to be more conscientious of my portion sizes. I need to start portioning out my snacks. I need to split my meals and box them up before starting to eat when we go out. Meal planning the proteins and veggies for dinner options. That will be my focus this week, to help get back on that train. I will continue my journey to become less fat, not the other way around.
P.S. Happy Mother's Day! Yes, I used this day as an excuse to eat what I wanted.
Monday, May 6, 2013
aftermath...
After the mud run, I decided to take Sunday off. The problem was Sunday was Cinco de Mayo. I was suddenly craving Mexican food. So, for breakfast I ran to the local farmer's market that has a Mexican Deli in the back and ordered a chorizo, egg, potato, and cheese burrito. Yikes! While there, I picked up fresh ingredients to make shrimp ceviche, as well as some freshly made Carnitas from the deli (including Mexican Crema sour cream and Tomatillo Salsa).
Typically, when I'm planning big, high calorie meals, I'll try to sneak in a workout, but my heel and muscles were just too sore from the mud run. So, I decided to make this day a wash and live my life. I enjoyed the food I ate and did it with only a little guilt. :)
Today, I was back on the train. I headed up Thomas Grade, which is 2 miles to the top from my house, then continued on through some of the streets in Holiday Lake by Lake Anderson. While out and about I saw a huge Tom (turkey) clearly pursuing some lucky female as his feathers were all puffed. That was neat to see on my walk/run. I feel like each time I head out, I'm able to run a little bit more. Mind you, it's mostly down hill, but I've been throwing in some up-hill jogs as well. My darn GPS on my phone paused at the top, so I lost my mileage, but I'm pretty sure it was close to 5-1/2 to 6 miles. I think I need to hop in my car and drive the route because I REALLY was to know!
Since my hilly walk/jog took almost 2 hours, I earned a bunch of calories back. So, I doubled my yummy coconut chia granola cereal (but that took it to 540 calories) with non fat milk. For lunch it was leftover shrimp ceviche. I'm still trying to figure out the calories on that stuff because it seems pretty healthy, but I know the shrimp and avocado pack on the calories. I guess I'll just have to break it apart and figure it out myself. Then again, those awesome deli-style fried corn tortilla chips did me in.
Through lunch, I've had about 1,500 calories (which is my normal daily intake). I'll have to focus and have a light low calorie dinner. Wish me luck. I really need to focus on getting less fat!
Typically, when I'm planning big, high calorie meals, I'll try to sneak in a workout, but my heel and muscles were just too sore from the mud run. So, I decided to make this day a wash and live my life. I enjoyed the food I ate and did it with only a little guilt. :)
Today, I was back on the train. I headed up Thomas Grade, which is 2 miles to the top from my house, then continued on through some of the streets in Holiday Lake by Lake Anderson. While out and about I saw a huge Tom (turkey) clearly pursuing some lucky female as his feathers were all puffed. That was neat to see on my walk/run. I feel like each time I head out, I'm able to run a little bit more. Mind you, it's mostly down hill, but I've been throwing in some up-hill jogs as well. My darn GPS on my phone paused at the top, so I lost my mileage, but I'm pretty sure it was close to 5-1/2 to 6 miles. I think I need to hop in my car and drive the route because I REALLY was to know!
Since my hilly walk/jog took almost 2 hours, I earned a bunch of calories back. So, I doubled my yummy coconut chia granola cereal (but that took it to 540 calories) with non fat milk. For lunch it was leftover shrimp ceviche. I'm still trying to figure out the calories on that stuff because it seems pretty healthy, but I know the shrimp and avocado pack on the calories. I guess I'll just have to break it apart and figure it out myself. Then again, those awesome deli-style fried corn tortilla chips did me in.
Through lunch, I've had about 1,500 calories (which is my normal daily intake). I'll have to focus and have a light low calorie dinner. Wish me luck. I really need to focus on getting less fat!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
mud run...
Today, I did something I never thought I'd ever do...I entered a mud run. With the walking and hiking I've been doing, I wasn't really too worried about the distance (a 5k) and the hills. It was the heat and the obstacles that frightened me. Fortunately, I had a couple friends and family doing the race with me.
What I didn't expect was the off camber trails that we were on. With my planer fasciitis and weak ankle, I was immediately in pain. But, it wasn't just my heel that was in pain, but the outer side of my leg that went about halfway up my lower leg. It was a pain that wouldn't quit, and it only got worse with each step.
When I got to the first obstacle, which was a giant stack of hay bails, I powered up them without any problem. When I went over the top, my foot (yes, the hurt one) fell in between two hay bails and I twisted my ankle. I honestly felt like I was going to have to bow out...it hurt THAT bad.
The next obstacle was a set of boards over a shallow gully that you had to balance across. That didn't cause any problems. Then up a small hill and then I hit the tires. There were a group of little kids cheering us on and high-fiving as we went by, which got me going. However, I'd never done tires before. I took it slow, sort of bouncing through them to get through.
Next was a rope walk over a water pit. There was a rope on the bottom you walked across, which a rope on top that you used for support. I'm fortunate enough to have pretty decent balance, so I was totally good. Then, came the rock climbing wall. Rather than assess what was ahead (and deal with my fear of heights), I just went for it. Getting over was actually quite easy, and I passed a couple people on the way over it. I had also caught up to my sister-in-law, and had passed Johnny (the hubby's friend).
Next came this structure that looked like an old barn with just the frame left. It wasn't, but that's the best was I can describe it. You could either climb to the top, then back down, or bipass and crawl through a metal tube. Since I wasn't going for time, I figured I'd just climb over. Again, I was able to pass a couple people on this obstacle.
Then, down a hill and next up was a wall with a rope and some boards that ran across. This is the only obstacle that I was told about that I truly feared. I didn't want to use too much of the rope, so I grabbed the rope with one hand, and used the other to grab the horizontal boards (where you place your feet). I was doing great until I got to the top and then had to figure out how to get over it. Since this wall was totally vertical, I made the mistake of stopping at the top and started over-thinking. That's when I freaked out, and I actually thought I was going to fall. My S-I-L was cheering me on, and the guys working the obstacle said they don't recall ever hearing so many cuss words at one obstacle, which helped lighten to mood and I was able to get over the top.
Up a super steep hill and then we hit the water slide. Only one person could go down at a time, so there was a pretty long line. Since our wave was the 5th wave to go, the bottom of the water slide was a giant muddy mess at the bottom. There was absolutely no way to avoid flying into the mud hole at the bottom. So, down I went and into the mud I slid. I climbed out as quick as my overweight, 41 year old body could get out, but I probably had about 5-10 extra pounds of mud now caking my whole body, including my shoes, which were a soppy, muddy mess. This made it harder to run at the point.
We went through some hilly, windy paths, then came to the over/under obstacle. There were 4 or 5 walls that were about 5 feet tall that you had to somehow climb over, and in between those walls were barbed wire that you had to either go under, or climb through. TJ was there at that obstacle and helped explain how to get over. Basically, I threw my leg up and hopped and rolled over each wall.
Finally up that last hill and to the giant 16-foot cargo net to climb up and over, and then under the barbed wire through the final mud pit before hitting the finish line.
I was absolutely beat and could barely breathe, but I finished strong and with a smile on my face. I am still finding mud in places where it clearly doesn't belong and my clothes are destroyed, but it was so worth the experience, and I'm actually looking forward to doing it again next year!
To see the course and obstacles, check out RanchRomp.com.
What I didn't expect was the off camber trails that we were on. With my planer fasciitis and weak ankle, I was immediately in pain. But, it wasn't just my heel that was in pain, but the outer side of my leg that went about halfway up my lower leg. It was a pain that wouldn't quit, and it only got worse with each step.
When I got to the first obstacle, which was a giant stack of hay bails, I powered up them without any problem. When I went over the top, my foot (yes, the hurt one) fell in between two hay bails and I twisted my ankle. I honestly felt like I was going to have to bow out...it hurt THAT bad.
The next obstacle was a set of boards over a shallow gully that you had to balance across. That didn't cause any problems. Then up a small hill and then I hit the tires. There were a group of little kids cheering us on and high-fiving as we went by, which got me going. However, I'd never done tires before. I took it slow, sort of bouncing through them to get through.
Next was a rope walk over a water pit. There was a rope on the bottom you walked across, which a rope on top that you used for support. I'm fortunate enough to have pretty decent balance, so I was totally good. Then, came the rock climbing wall. Rather than assess what was ahead (and deal with my fear of heights), I just went for it. Getting over was actually quite easy, and I passed a couple people on the way over it. I had also caught up to my sister-in-law, and had passed Johnny (the hubby's friend).
Next came this structure that looked like an old barn with just the frame left. It wasn't, but that's the best was I can describe it. You could either climb to the top, then back down, or bipass and crawl through a metal tube. Since I wasn't going for time, I figured I'd just climb over. Again, I was able to pass a couple people on this obstacle.
Then, down a hill and next up was a wall with a rope and some boards that ran across. This is the only obstacle that I was told about that I truly feared. I didn't want to use too much of the rope, so I grabbed the rope with one hand, and used the other to grab the horizontal boards (where you place your feet). I was doing great until I got to the top and then had to figure out how to get over it. Since this wall was totally vertical, I made the mistake of stopping at the top and started over-thinking. That's when I freaked out, and I actually thought I was going to fall. My S-I-L was cheering me on, and the guys working the obstacle said they don't recall ever hearing so many cuss words at one obstacle, which helped lighten to mood and I was able to get over the top.
Up a super steep hill and then we hit the water slide. Only one person could go down at a time, so there was a pretty long line. Since our wave was the 5th wave to go, the bottom of the water slide was a giant muddy mess at the bottom. There was absolutely no way to avoid flying into the mud hole at the bottom. So, down I went and into the mud I slid. I climbed out as quick as my overweight, 41 year old body could get out, but I probably had about 5-10 extra pounds of mud now caking my whole body, including my shoes, which were a soppy, muddy mess. This made it harder to run at the point.
We went through some hilly, windy paths, then came to the over/under obstacle. There were 4 or 5 walls that were about 5 feet tall that you had to somehow climb over, and in between those walls were barbed wire that you had to either go under, or climb through. TJ was there at that obstacle and helped explain how to get over. Basically, I threw my leg up and hopped and rolled over each wall.
Finally up that last hill and to the giant 16-foot cargo net to climb up and over, and then under the barbed wire through the final mud pit before hitting the finish line.
I was absolutely beat and could barely breathe, but I finished strong and with a smile on my face. I am still finding mud in places where it clearly doesn't belong and my clothes are destroyed, but it was so worth the experience, and I'm actually looking forward to doing it again next year!
To see the course and obstacles, check out RanchRomp.com.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
weekend of gluttony....
Since I've been doing so great at my eating and exercise, I decided to take the weekend off. Well, not totally, but as a good friend once told me, "You still have to live life." So, we celebrated my daughter's birthday on Saturday with a barbecue at our place. Earlier that morning, though, the kids had basketball from 8-noon. Since we were in such a rush, I noticed a donut shop across the street. My intention was to get myself a coffee and the kids donut holes. I had my Greek yogurt in my purse, along with a couple Cuties, and a grapefruit cup. Well, let me tell you, once I walked into that donut shop, I could have sworn I saw devil horns all about. :) Then, with an angel halo hovering above the tray, I saw the apple fritters, my absolute favorite.
I figured what the heck. 400 calories of heavenly bliss. I can't remember the last time I had a donut. I bought it, and it stared at me for about an hour, when I finally gave in. I ate about 3/4 of it, then passed the rest along to my mom as soon as she walked in. Like I said in previous posts, I wanted to make this change a positive one, and I really didn't want to deprive myself of things that I want...just in moderation.
The rest of the day was more eating, but I tried to incorporate healthier options, such as roasted brussel sprouts, and lots of different toppings for the hamburgers and hot dogs, including chili (okay, not healthy, but yummy), sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, peppercini's, jalapenos, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, stone-ground mustard, etc. I skipped the bun which saved me a few calories. However, I did have a very small sliver of red velvet cake for dessert.
Sunday was another day that wasn't spent really planning healthy eating. The family went to the beach, so we packed stuff to make salami sandwiches. I did have two slices of whole wheat bread, which I haven't had in a while. I also had some Kettle brand Sea Salt chips, and on the drive home we ended up stopping at Taco Bell. That's what really did me in the for the day. I usually order 2 beef tacos and call it a day, but we happened to be there during their Happy Hour, so they had this Beefy Nacho Griller for $1 that I waned to try. (Note: It wasn't worth the 420 calories... I would've rather had another apple fritter). I also wanted a Pina Colada Freeze (that was also only $1). because it was a really warm day. Well, my dinner alone was almost 1,400 calories which is another reason eating out can be risky. However, I guess I can't totally blame it on eating out because I did have a chocolate chip cookie and then had a few bites of my daughter's chocolate cream pie. :) Normally, I would've made up for it by going on a long hike or hitting the gym, but the weekend was too busy for workouts.
Tomorrow starts a new week for me, and I'll be back on track. I'll have to sneak in a gym visit tomorrow evening some time between work and a kid's birthday party. I'm sure my stomach will thank me in the morning, as well.
I figured what the heck. 400 calories of heavenly bliss. I can't remember the last time I had a donut. I bought it, and it stared at me for about an hour, when I finally gave in. I ate about 3/4 of it, then passed the rest along to my mom as soon as she walked in. Like I said in previous posts, I wanted to make this change a positive one, and I really didn't want to deprive myself of things that I want...just in moderation.
The rest of the day was more eating, but I tried to incorporate healthier options, such as roasted brussel sprouts, and lots of different toppings for the hamburgers and hot dogs, including chili (okay, not healthy, but yummy), sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, peppercini's, jalapenos, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, stone-ground mustard, etc. I skipped the bun which saved me a few calories. However, I did have a very small sliver of red velvet cake for dessert.
Sunday was another day that wasn't spent really planning healthy eating. The family went to the beach, so we packed stuff to make salami sandwiches. I did have two slices of whole wheat bread, which I haven't had in a while. I also had some Kettle brand Sea Salt chips, and on the drive home we ended up stopping at Taco Bell. That's what really did me in the for the day. I usually order 2 beef tacos and call it a day, but we happened to be there during their Happy Hour, so they had this Beefy Nacho Griller for $1 that I waned to try. (Note: It wasn't worth the 420 calories... I would've rather had another apple fritter). I also wanted a Pina Colada Freeze (that was also only $1). because it was a really warm day. Well, my dinner alone was almost 1,400 calories which is another reason eating out can be risky. However, I guess I can't totally blame it on eating out because I did have a chocolate chip cookie and then had a few bites of my daughter's chocolate cream pie. :) Normally, I would've made up for it by going on a long hike or hitting the gym, but the weekend was too busy for workouts.
Tomorrow starts a new week for me, and I'll be back on track. I'll have to sneak in a gym visit tomorrow evening some time between work and a kid's birthday party. I'm sure my stomach will thank me in the morning, as well.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
hiking mt. madonna
One of the activities that I've recently fell in love with is hiking. I used to hike years ago, when I was still fat but in much better shape. I have a couple different friends that I hike with, some in better shape than other, including myself, but I don't care. I try the best I can. We start at the bottom and do a trail called Sprig Lake Trail. I'm still trying ti figure that one out because as far as I know, there is not lake. Anyhoo, the trail starts off pretty steep. The first mile and a quarter is basically straight up, with an elevation change of about 1400 feet (or so my GPS on my phone says...not sure if it's totally accurate, but it sure sounds good). Then, at the top it levels off a bit. We started off by just going a mile and then back.
Now, we're up to a total of 5-1/2 miles. We go until we hit the road and then turn around and come on back. The difference today.... once we were at the end and it leveled off a bit, we tried adding a little jogging to the mix. We probably jogged a little over a 1/4 mile. It's hard to say because I'm just using my phone's GPS and that's now very accurate in the mountains. Needless to say, it felt really good. My foot hurts like a mother, but what's that saying everyone uses, No Pain, No Gain. (They should add until you have to have surgery...haha). Every time I hit that trail, my plan is to try to run a little farther, and it'll happen. My fat self was itching all over as I jogged, but I did it, and I'll do more the next time!
Other things I'll do is a 2-mile loop at Harvey Bear in San Martin, a steep street in Morgan Hill called Thomas Grade, and hitting the Adaptive Motion Trainer at the gym (for those days you have little time). I'm not a big gym fan, and I'll do what I have to to get fit and less fat.
Now, we're up to a total of 5-1/2 miles. We go until we hit the road and then turn around and come on back. The difference today.... once we were at the end and it leveled off a bit, we tried adding a little jogging to the mix. We probably jogged a little over a 1/4 mile. It's hard to say because I'm just using my phone's GPS and that's now very accurate in the mountains. Needless to say, it felt really good. My foot hurts like a mother, but what's that saying everyone uses, No Pain, No Gain. (They should add until you have to have surgery...haha). Every time I hit that trail, my plan is to try to run a little farther, and it'll happen. My fat self was itching all over as I jogged, but I did it, and I'll do more the next time!
Other things I'll do is a 2-mile loop at Harvey Bear in San Martin, a steep street in Morgan Hill called Thomas Grade, and hitting the Adaptive Motion Trainer at the gym (for those days you have little time). I'm not a big gym fan, and I'll do what I have to to get fit and less fat.
the start of my journey
For most of my adult life I've been fat. The funny thing is, even when I wasn't fat, I was still considered obese. Which, by the way, I hate that word....OBESE. Just say fat. I'm cool with that.
Back in January, I started on this journey to try to become less fat. Skinny will never be in my vocabulary (although all my comedian/comedienne friends now call me Skinny). So, back to my journey. This past December, my husband and I took a trip to Napa. While we were there I was getting sick (like vomit sick) in the evenings. My stomach was in pain, but I really didn't want to go to the doctors. Why, you ask? Basically because I try to avoid the doctors as much as possible because I hated getting on that scale. I also had this fear that I would hear words like, "Obese," and "high blood pressure," or even, "Diabetes." So, I just avoided it. Well, I finally ended up going in because the pain was so bad. Luckily, it turned out to be a stomach virus. No biggie.
So, I finally decided I ought to go in for a physical. Turns out, other than being OBESE and having this crazy foot pain the past two years, I was as healthy as a horse.
Now, we're in January. I had a little bit of stress. Enough that it caused me to not be able to eat for a couple of days. This was on, or around, January 5th. I decided to take advantage of this, and start making small changes. I started with portion size. I didn't worry too much about what I was eating, just the amount.
I finally got on a scale (for the 2nd time...on my own...since being forced to at the doctors) and weighed myself. I weighed in at 257 pounds. My jaw would've hit the floor, but this past summer, I weighed 263. I might add that over summer, I spent about 4-6 weeks working out 2-3 times a week, and only dropped 2 pounds. (Talk about frustrating).
Back in December at my doctor visit, I also got a referral for Weight Loss Surgery. Something I wanted to do as a last resort. I have a friend who did it, and was quite happy with it, so I figured why not look into it. I went to the orientation, and then to another, longer orientation put on by a surgeon and nutritionist. The facts were scary, and I really didn't think I wanted to do it. The thought of being on a handful of daily supplements the rest of my life (not to mention the very small mortality rate...even though small, someone had to be that statistic) really freaked me out. So, I decided to try it the old fashioned way.
I joined My Fitness Pal. I wanted to start tracking what I was eating, which isn't easy to do, but I really wanted to try. As I started entering the various foods I was eating, it was quite eye opening as to how many calories I was eating (some days upwards of 3,000-4,000). Well, according to MyFitnessPal...once I plugged in my age, weight, and goal weight I should only be eating 2250 a day. What I wasn't planning on was once the weight started to come off and you logged it, it slowly took calories away. (bummer).
Once I started logging, I sort of became obsessed with the calorie count on everything. It definitely made me more aware of what I was eating, as well as how much. I also came to the realization that I have to live my life, so if I went over my calories for the day, I didn't beat myself up...too bad. I started cooking better...more proteins and veggies, fewer carbs. I've always considered myself a foodie, so making that change in the way I cooked has been a challenge, but thank heavens for Cooking Light! :)
Immediately, I started loosing the pounds. I won't give you every little detail, but let's just say that so far (from January 5th to today, April 25th) I've lost 40 pounds. The first 35 were just diet alone.
The last 5 were a little tougher. I started walking and trying to include exercise into my weekly program. The problem was.... that darn foot that had been bugging my the past 2 years. I finally got that checked out, and learned that I have planters fasciitis. That's code for a shitload of pain on the heel of your foot. After nursing it for 3 months, then finally getting a cortisone injection, 600mg prescription Motrin, new inserts for my shoes, and now physical therapy, the damn thing still hurts daily. But, I can manage it a little better. It still hurts when I go for walks or hikes, but my goal to run. Yes, I really want to run.
So, back to those last 5 pounds. Apparently, once you start working out, fat starts to turn into muscle which apparently weighs more. Well, that sucks! Okay, not so much, now that I'm starting to see and feel things tightening up a little. I was lying in bed the other night and I had an itch on my leg. When I lifted my leg to scratch it, I was floored to actually feel a muscle in my upper leg....something I haven't felt or seen in many years. It was such a nice feeling. So, these last 5 pounds have taken me almost a month to lose. But, at least they're slowly still coming off.
The fat me is now a less fat version of me, which I'm thrilled with at the moment. Today, I weigh 217 pounds. Still OBESE and fat, but 40 pounds lighter. I bought a pair of jeans for the first time in 12 years. I'm trying to say goodbye to those Yoga pants. You know the stretchy ones with the elastic waist? I have to tell myself everyday, "I can do this." And the cool thing is I've got about 10 teachers that I work with using MyFitnessPal and joining me on my journey to less fat.
Back in January, I started on this journey to try to become less fat. Skinny will never be in my vocabulary (although all my comedian/comedienne friends now call me Skinny). So, back to my journey. This past December, my husband and I took a trip to Napa. While we were there I was getting sick (like vomit sick) in the evenings. My stomach was in pain, but I really didn't want to go to the doctors. Why, you ask? Basically because I try to avoid the doctors as much as possible because I hated getting on that scale. I also had this fear that I would hear words like, "Obese," and "high blood pressure," or even, "Diabetes." So, I just avoided it. Well, I finally ended up going in because the pain was so bad. Luckily, it turned out to be a stomach virus. No biggie.
So, I finally decided I ought to go in for a physical. Turns out, other than being OBESE and having this crazy foot pain the past two years, I was as healthy as a horse.
Now, we're in January. I had a little bit of stress. Enough that it caused me to not be able to eat for a couple of days. This was on, or around, January 5th. I decided to take advantage of this, and start making small changes. I started with portion size. I didn't worry too much about what I was eating, just the amount.
I finally got on a scale (for the 2nd time...on my own...since being forced to at the doctors) and weighed myself. I weighed in at 257 pounds. My jaw would've hit the floor, but this past summer, I weighed 263. I might add that over summer, I spent about 4-6 weeks working out 2-3 times a week, and only dropped 2 pounds. (Talk about frustrating).
Back in December at my doctor visit, I also got a referral for Weight Loss Surgery. Something I wanted to do as a last resort. I have a friend who did it, and was quite happy with it, so I figured why not look into it. I went to the orientation, and then to another, longer orientation put on by a surgeon and nutritionist. The facts were scary, and I really didn't think I wanted to do it. The thought of being on a handful of daily supplements the rest of my life (not to mention the very small mortality rate...even though small, someone had to be that statistic) really freaked me out. So, I decided to try it the old fashioned way.
I joined My Fitness Pal. I wanted to start tracking what I was eating, which isn't easy to do, but I really wanted to try. As I started entering the various foods I was eating, it was quite eye opening as to how many calories I was eating (some days upwards of 3,000-4,000). Well, according to MyFitnessPal...once I plugged in my age, weight, and goal weight I should only be eating 2250 a day. What I wasn't planning on was once the weight started to come off and you logged it, it slowly took calories away. (bummer).
Once I started logging, I sort of became obsessed with the calorie count on everything. It definitely made me more aware of what I was eating, as well as how much. I also came to the realization that I have to live my life, so if I went over my calories for the day, I didn't beat myself up...too bad. I started cooking better...more proteins and veggies, fewer carbs. I've always considered myself a foodie, so making that change in the way I cooked has been a challenge, but thank heavens for Cooking Light! :)
Immediately, I started loosing the pounds. I won't give you every little detail, but let's just say that so far (from January 5th to today, April 25th) I've lost 40 pounds. The first 35 were just diet alone.
The last 5 were a little tougher. I started walking and trying to include exercise into my weekly program. The problem was.... that darn foot that had been bugging my the past 2 years. I finally got that checked out, and learned that I have planters fasciitis. That's code for a shitload of pain on the heel of your foot. After nursing it for 3 months, then finally getting a cortisone injection, 600mg prescription Motrin, new inserts for my shoes, and now physical therapy, the damn thing still hurts daily. But, I can manage it a little better. It still hurts when I go for walks or hikes, but my goal to run. Yes, I really want to run.
So, back to those last 5 pounds. Apparently, once you start working out, fat starts to turn into muscle which apparently weighs more. Well, that sucks! Okay, not so much, now that I'm starting to see and feel things tightening up a little. I was lying in bed the other night and I had an itch on my leg. When I lifted my leg to scratch it, I was floored to actually feel a muscle in my upper leg....something I haven't felt or seen in many years. It was such a nice feeling. So, these last 5 pounds have taken me almost a month to lose. But, at least they're slowly still coming off.
The fat me is now a less fat version of me, which I'm thrilled with at the moment. Today, I weigh 217 pounds. Still OBESE and fat, but 40 pounds lighter. I bought a pair of jeans for the first time in 12 years. I'm trying to say goodbye to those Yoga pants. You know the stretchy ones with the elastic waist? I have to tell myself everyday, "I can do this." And the cool thing is I've got about 10 teachers that I work with using MyFitnessPal and joining me on my journey to less fat.
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