Posted on 04/11/11 at 4:27 pm to Celebrations
So, I weigh in on Mondays. That means today is weigh in day. I step on the scales with my daughter sitting on the floor. She gives me the 2 numbers and I don’t try and add them in my head this time. I sit down and add them up on the calculator and start doing a happy dance because I lost 11 lbs! But what’s more if I’d lost 1 more lb I would of reached a personal milestone which means next week is the week. I did reach a big milestone today anyway though. I have lost 50 lbs since February 1st! Oh yea.. *does Cat’s happy dance*
No CommentsPosted on 04/08/11 at 7:06 pm to Celebrations,Resources
I haven’t posted yet for this week. Not much to report. I had a 3 lb weight loss for this week for a total of 39 lbs lost since February 1st. Yay me! I also pledged 50 lbs to the Pound for Pound Challenge today. I can do this! Can you make a pledge to the Pound for Pound Challenge??? Even those maintaining can do it!
Posted on 03/28/11 at 9:28 pm to Celebrations,Daily Dribble
Last week was a difficult week for me. I came down with a spring flu and I wasn’t drinking my water properly last weekend. On top of that I had my unwelcome visitor. So when I weighed in last Monday and saw an 8 lb weight gain I about fell over. But I knew I was bloated. My rings weren’t fitting right and I hadn’t been drinking my water for 2 days. I waited 2 days and got on the scale again and officially recorded last week’s weight with a 1 lb gain. That’s better than 8! The 8 shocked me into drinking my water even though I was feeling too sick to be thirsty.
I stayed on program all week but didn’t really get any activity in. I know I could pull bigger numbers on the scale if I was getting some activity in. I stepped on the scale again today and was delighted to see that the 1 lb that returned last week has checked out and taken 6 friends with it. So today I had a 7 lb weight loss. Yay me!
Tonight Edwin and I pulled out my BOSU that I bought probably 4 yrs ago and never opened. We pumped it up and I’m reading the manual and will be watching the DVD to learn to properly use it. I’m also clearing off my exercise bike and I have my hand weights at the ready. I want to start getting in 45 minutes a day of some type of activity. Even if I have to break it up into 10 -15 minute increments a day. I know Jillian says that’s not as effective but other sources say that it’s fine when you’re starting where I am and at the weight I’m carrying.
So that’s where I’m at this week. I hope all of you out there on your own journey’s are having success!
No CommentsPosted on 03/14/11 at 1:10 pm to Celebrations
So I broke down and invested in 2 new scales. Why 2? Because this is what I need in order to weight myself right now. So I can track my progress without having to face the dreaded “over” on my regular scale. But I’m not all that far away from being able to use my regular scale again. About 30 lbs or so to go and I can use my good scale again. And at least I’ll know if it has a problem then it’s the scale and not me. I’ve lost approximately 30 lbs since February 1st. I say approximately because until a week ago I didn’t have an exact starting weight. So I just picked a number that sounded right based on my past and now current history with weight loss. And I probably actually under estimated my starting weight which means I could have a bigger weight loss than 30 lbs but for the sake of better safe than sorry so to speak, I will go with 30 lbs. I lost 10 lbs this week. Yay me! I want to start putting money in a jar for every lb of weight I lose. This will be my future plastic surgery fund. I know I’ll have to have excess skin removed and I’ve been wanting breast reduction and lift for years. If I’m going to go through all this work to lose the weight I don’t want to still have back pain because I’m well endowed and after 3 kids and getting closer to 40 things aren’t exactly where they used to be. LOL But that will come in the future. Well that’s all for today. I’m feeling pretty exhausted because I think ToM is about to pay an unwanted visit again. I swear I’ll figure out a way to lock the front door one of these days!
No CommentsPosted on 02/26/11 at 9:00 pm to Mind Dump
I’m back and feeling more motivated than ever to commit to this journey. I started doing Weight Watchers again on February 1, 2011. I’m feeling changes in my clothes already but know I have a long way to go. For the first 6 months of this journey I’m going to judge my progress based on how my clothes fit and taking progress photos every 2 months. For the time being my progress photos are password protected because I don’t want just anybody having access to them. There are a lot of cruel people in this world and I just don’t need their judgment and ridicule during a time when I’m feeling positive and focused. I’m fragile. Hurtful and hateful words can cause me set backs right now that I cannot afford. I will not attempt to step on the scale until September 1, 2011. In the past the scale has not been my friend and has caused me to start and stop Weight Watchers many times. I don’t want to be doing all this work and then step on my scale and see the dreaded “Over”. So I figure 7 months will be a good length of time for me to go and make progress to get down under the magic number to make my scale stop rejecting me.
I’ve had a few rough days. I was doing great the first 2 weeks. They’ve changed the program and foods I previously ate are now worth more points but they also increased the daily and weekly allowance. The problem I am having is that I have difficulty meeting my daily points. I can see where this change in the program will benefit those that have lower numbers to lose but it’s not good for me when I have hundreds to lose. They want you to eat more fruit and veggies but they’ve now made all fruits and most veggies zero points. So how is that supposed to help me in eating all my points? All the same, I’m giving this new program a try and I’ll see what happens. Maybe it will be a good thing that I’m not eating all my points every day. I guess that would be the same as lowering my calorie intake if I was doing a strictly counting calories type of diet.
Two weeks into this I got the munchies really bad. I felt like I couldn’t stop eating all day long. Of course, what I wasn’t paying attention to while I was counting points and tracking my food was the actual calendar. The next day ToM (time of month) came to visit. So my pants started feeling tighter again and I felt like I couldn’t get enough to eat. But now that ToM has checked out of Casa de Patience my pants have room in them again and the munchies have subsided. Normally I would consider this to be TMI but I feel I need to document it. I need to be aware of these things so that when ToM comes to visit again I can find other things to distract me from feeling hungry. Of course, I would not be opposed to ToM taking a permanent vacation somewhere else. I’ve tried to ban him from checking in at Casa de Patience but he says it’s his favorite vacation spot and he’s going to keep coming all the same. I need a better security force!
I’ve also been trying to eliminate drama and stress from my life. This is proving to be more difficult than changing what and how much I eat. I’m responsible for 3 children and they all have their own problems. I’m not just talking about normal childhood angst but real, genuine problems that were all triggered by Paul’s death and it’s difficult to help them work through their issues while at the same time focusing on myself. For too long I’ve put myself last. I have to make myself a priority. I have to stand up for myself and let people know when their issues are too much for me to deal with and still work toward a healthier me.
March 1st begins “Operation Move It & Lose It”. I have given myself the month of February to get used to the dietary changes & the changes to my body and energy levels as a result of the diet. March 1st I will begin the get active part of this journey. I will be taking walks around the mall with Edwin during the day while Devlin is at school. I figure the mall is a good place to start. It’s fairly quiet there during the day. There are benches scattered through out the mall so when I need to stop I can. Eventually I will be able to make these walks around the mall without having to stop. There is air conditioning which will help since we are moving into the warmer months here in Arizona. I also have hand weights, stretch bands, exercise balls, a treadmill & an exercise bike at home. It’s time to dust them all off and put them to use. Maybe even bust out one of those fitness videos I bought. How about some Hip Hop Abs or Yoga Booty Ballet or better yet belly dancing? I’d love to try Zumba. I’d also like to invest in the Xbox with Kinect and the Biggest Loser game.
I don’t want to die in 10 years or less and if I don’t lose this weight that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Edwin turns 18 in November and Cat’s not far behind. I feel like I’ve watched their childhood and not really participated and when I think of the memories of me they will have as adults from their childhood it breaks my heart. I’ve never ridden an amusement park ride with them because I can’t fit on them. It’s too much for me to even walk around the zoo with them any more. I can’t go shopping with them because walking around the store is too much. I don’t want to be a spectator to life any more. I want to be an active participant in not just my kids’ lives but my own. I want their adult memories of me to be better than their childhood memories. I’m only 36. I’m not old but I feel like I’m at least 20 – 30 years older. Something has got to give. Something has to change. My diet. My activity. My mental state. Though not with words, I was taught to internalize all my emotions and all the bad things that happen in my life. I was never taught to deal with them as they happen and then put them past me. I was just told to get over it. Well get over it didn’t work.
Don’t be surprised if this blog becomes more than just the diet and fitness part of this journey. There will be struggles and bad days. There will be days where I stop by to write about an event in my life that added to this weight that I carry internally and externally. I have to finally deal with things that have happened in my life. Most of them are things that people will probably read and think.. “She was 4 when that happened? Shouldn’t she be over it by now?” Well yes.. yes I should be. But I NEVER DEALT WITH IT! So I’m telling people right now. If you don’t want to hear how my parents getting divorced when I was a young child was one of the beginning blocks to my weight issues then move along to another person’s weight loss blog. This won’t be the place for you and in the spirit of making changes and sticking up for myself.. I don’t care what you think. I don’t care what you feel. This is MY place to document and process MY journey. Go start your own blog and write about sunshine and roses all you want because it won’t always be found here.
No CommentsPosted on 06/25/10 at 9:57 pm to Resources
A friend of mine shared this link on Facebook. It’s a program by Jillian Michaels that helps you train for a 5k. I figure it’s a good start also. I may not be able to take just one week for each phase but I figure I can do each week for as long as I need to until it’s not challenging to me any more and then start on the next week and build myself up.
As I find resources and things that will be helpful to me I will share them here.
No CommentsPosted on 06/25/10 at 7:45 pm to Resources
I took a quiz at http://jillianmichaels.com to find out my metabolic rate and here are my results. I was surprised by the results but when I read the information with the results it all made sense to me. I just thought 40% carbs seemed high.
Quiz Results: You Are a Balanced Oxidizer
If you are a balanced oxidizer, your diet is the easiest to follow since you require an equal percentage of carbs, fats, and proteins in order to optimally process, produce, and use the energy from your food. You feel your best on a diet that incorporates a wide range of foods. Your ideal macronutrient ratio is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.
You operate best when you are getting 30 percent of your total calories from protein. Choose from this list of proteins when deciding on a meal or snack: organ meats (pâté, liver, etc.), herring, sardines, anchovies, beef, bacon, dark-meat chicken, duck, lamb, spareribs, dark-meat turkey, veal, wild game, salmon, shellfish (mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, scallops), octopus, squid, dark tuna, eggs, regular-fat cheeses, white-meat chicken, turkey breast, lean pork, catfish, cod, flounder, perch, sole, trout, white tuna, swordfish, low-fat cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and egg whites.
With regard to carbs, the most significant difference between balanced, fast, and slow oxidizers is not the types of carbs allowed but the quantity. You should get 40 percent of your nutrients from carbs, but like everyone, you should avoid simple carbs and foods that have a high Glycemic Load value. Refined sugars, those found in cookies, sweets, and soda and processed grains like white bread and white rice, should be shunned whenever possible, especially on a weight-loss regimen. You’ll do best with a mix of fruits and vegetables from both the fast and slow oxidizers’ carb lists.
- Vegetables: asparagus, cauliflower, celery, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, cucumbers, garlic, kale, leafy greens, onions, peppers, scallions, sprouts, tomatoes, watercress, beets, eggplant, jicama, okra, yellow squash, zucchini
- Fruits: apples, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, tropical fruits
- Grains: barley, brown rice, buckwheat, corn, couscous, kasha, millet, oat, quinoa, rye, spelt
- Legumes/lentils: tempeh, tofu, beans, peas (all fresh, nothing dried)
To best support your metabolism, you should be getting roughly 30 percent of your calories from natural oils and fats. Don’t eat excessive amounts of fat, but don’t specifically restrict your fat intake. You can choose from fats on both the fast and slow oxidizers’ lists of permissible fats.
- Nuts/seeds: walnuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, filberts, pecans, pistachios, coconut, macadamias
- Fats/oils: butter, cream, almond oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil
Eat the foods that are ideal for you, and remember the following guidelines of what to avoid.
1. Don’t eat meals made up of just one macronutrient. Make sure you adhere to your ideal ratio of 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.
2. Don’t drink alcohol. It’s often accompanied by empty calories, which can lead to a sugar crash as well as an increased appetite. If you choose to have a drink, avoid sugary cocktails, beer, and wine. Stick to clear alcohols like vodka and rum with calorie-free mixers like diet and club soda.
3. Don’t eat foods that have a high Glycemic Load value. If you should happen to eat foods with a high GL value, make sure you accompany them with protein in order to slow the rate of oxidation and stabilize blood sugar and energy levels.
4. Don’t drink too much caffeine. In the forms of coffee, tea, and soda, caffeine gives you short-term energy by signaling your adrenal glands to release adrenaline into your blood. When the caffeine wears off, you feel tired and weak.
5. Don’t overcook your meat. Avoid overcooked animal products because heat destroys essential amino acids and valuable enzymes.
No CommentsPosted on 05/26/10 at 5:03 pm to Mind Dump
This is more for my own reminders later. This season there was a guy named Mike who started at 526 lbs. Mike has been a huge inspiration and motivator for me since he’s the first contestant to start near my own weight. One of the questions he’s been asked is if once you get to this size if you feel it’s hopeless. He said absolutely you feel hopeless. And it’s true. You look at the “goal” and it’s so far away that you think you’ll never get there. But if Mike can do it so can I. A lot of the emotions he went through while he was on the ranch were the same things I’ve been feeling. He was asked what some of his advice would be to people who are just starting to lose weight. He said the first thing is to throw out the idea of 3 meals a day. He said that the 3 meals a day gig (breakfast, lunch, dinner) doesn’t work. He said he eats smaller meals 6 times a day. Which is similar to the 3 meals and 2 snacks that I do when I’m on Weight Watchers. He also said that his family has a genetic disorder that gives them bad knees so running is very difficult for them but that walking is the way to go.
Soooo…. Starting June 1 I’m officially starting a new lifestyle. I’m going to do a combo Weight Watchers/Biggest Loser diet and spend as much time in the pool as I can. I also plan to get a cane for tall people so I can start walking around the mall. I live in Arizona. 100 degree temps & my weight is a recipe for heat stroke. But the mall is good. They have benches so I can start small and work my way up. I’m tired of feeling this way. I feel like I’m the real live, breathing picture of a bump on a log. I want to be able to do things with my children. I want to be able to take them places and not have to sit in the car while somebody else takes them inside because I can’t stand in lines or can’t walk very far. I don’t want to ever hear another kid in Devlin’s class call me “that huge marshmallow man”. I don’t ever want to see the look in his eyes when he’s excited to see me until somebody says, “is that your mom?” and when he says yes they tell him how fat I am. I’m his mom and he loves me and those comments hurt him too. And now at 7 yrs old he’s telling me he’s getting fat when I have to buy him slims in order for his jeans to fit and even then I have to pull the adjustable elastic waist bands tighter.
Edwin will be 17 this year and I have so little time left with him. I’ve NEVER ridden on any rides with him at fairs or amusement parks because I’ve never been able to fit in them since having him. I want to show Caitlyn that there is a healthier way to live so she never gets to be the size I am now. I want to show her that she’s young enough to make the changes and lose the weight so she never has to miss out on anything.
I’m ready.
No CommentsPosted on 01/13/10 at 8:42 pm to Administrative
I’m starting over today. Fresh start. All new posts. I’m keeping the articles though. I’ll update later with an emotional dump. LOL
No CommentsPosted on 06/16/08 at 6:11 pm to Articles
I saw this on the local news tonight and followed the link from their website to the entire list. It’s worth saving as a reminder when I need it for motivation!
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