I wasn’t very hungry today. I tried to eat in a fairly balanced manner even though I was not consuming quite as much as I normally do. I am not really sure what was up with that, but I eat both when I am hungry and to keep my metabolism up, so I got most of the day’s food because of the latter factor. My body is really strange sometimes.
I went for a long walk this evening since it was finally not raining, but about three-quarters of the way through my stroll it suddenly started to pour! And then it hailed! And then there was lightening! Needless to say I was soaked and I am fairly certain that Mother Nature thinks she is a pretty funny gal right about now. It serves me right for trusting the weather this time of year.
I finally went and got myself that massage that I said I would get for going from a level two obesity rating to a level one over a month ago. Sometimes it takes me quite a while to get around to myself; there is usually so much going on that it’s hard to remember that I count too, but I am working on that! The massage was really nice and I tried to spend the time thinking about all that I have accomplished on this journey. The mind tends to wander, but I did focus on it for a little while. It was nice to pamper myself and I think that the next reward will be a weekend away; I need to save up though so we will see when that happens…
I am going to make this the official starting entry for the Looking to the Future Christmas Challenge. Due to my being further west than most others, and because I have a fairly odd schedule, I know that I often post much later than everyone else. To me, this is still Friday night. I would hate to think that me not giving people an early enough opportunity to leave their beginning comments was reason to slack on the first day! Ha! Anyhow, I hereby open the floor to all fourteen participants (including myself) for their starting statistics and statement of official goal, as well as to anyone else who may decide last minute that they want to partake in the fun – and possibly win a cool prize. Good luck everyone! Let the games begin!!!
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 9 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 3 cups green salad with spinach, tomato, mushroom, onion, red pepper, broccoli, cucumber, grated cheese, and fat free Caesar dressing
- 1 small mug of herbal tea
- 1 Mandarin orange
- 3/4 of a ham sandwich on brown bread with cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup fat free apricot and prune yogurt
- 1 cup of celery
EXERCISE:
- 2 hours of walking completed in 2 outings (1 hour and 35 minutes long and 25 minutes long)
- 45 minute step workout video
- 60 stomach crunches
- 7 push ups
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Welcome All!
Whew! That took me a while to go through all the fabulous new people, check out their blogs, and read all the comments left on my posts! But it is a great feeling to know that there seems to be a lot of excited and dedicated individuals out there ready to meet this challenge head on! So to Amazon Runner, Amy Christine, Amy H., Dawne, Fab Kate, Kelly, Leslie, and Sandra I send a special thank you for signing up! And to the other newbies who are now following this blog I offer you my sincere appreciation and bid you a warm welcome!
Glee!
Whoa! I just logged in to write a quick post saying that I am a bit short on time and will have to update later, but I discovered that I have five new followers since last night! Yippee! Plus, I have a bunch of comments from these fabulous individuals stating that they would like to join up for the Christmas Challenge! Double yippee! I will have to mention names and reply to the remarks left on my posts a little later, but for now please know that I am extremely grateful for all of your support! You are all so wonderful!!!
Bits And Pieces
First off, I would like to thank Kathryn for deciding to join the upcoming Christmas Challenge! Just another day or so left until it starts and I am very excited to get going on my continued commitment to lose weight – even through the holidays – alongside all of the great people who have signed up to participate so far.
I went to bed last night with a little bit of a headache and it was still there when I awoke this morning. It didn’t last long after I got up and started going about my business, but I made sure to get all my water today since I know that dehydration can sometimes lead to that type of pain. Headaches are relatively unusual for me, so I am hoping that it is gone for good.
It was another bleak, rainy day so my exercise was almost all indoors. I really pushed myself during the step video and am starting to think I may need to begin using my more difficult workout DVD because even the higher step I have implemented doesn’t seem to pose too much of a challenge with the more familiar routine. I have only done the harder one once before and it really kicked my butt, so I am slightly trepidacious. However, I think doing it a time or two will provide me with more confidence when I start to know the moves, and I will likely enjoy it after it starts coming a little more naturally.
I noticed yesterday that my forearms are smaller. I was reaching for something and did a bit of a double take because they seem so much leaner. I actually thing they look longer too now that they have lost some of their girth. It’s so weird to see the parts of my body that are changing in ways which never even occurred to me as a possibility. I also realized this evening that I am able to shave my legs much easier than I have been able to for years. Gaining flexibility is such a great weight loss bonus!
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with flaked canned chicken, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 2 Mandarin oranges
- 5 whole wheat crackers
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with 1 light Laughing Cow wedge, grape tomato, and pepper
- 1/2 cup fat free chocolate pudding
EXERCISE:
- 45 minute step workout video
- 2 sets of 7 push ups
- 4 sets of 50 stomach crunches (2 straight, 1 right, and 1 left)
- 3 sets of 15 squats
- 2 sets of 15 lunges for each leg
- 3 sets of 2 minutes of weight lifting with 5 lbs per arm
- 30 minute walk
I went to bed last night with a little bit of a headache and it was still there when I awoke this morning. It didn’t last long after I got up and started going about my business, but I made sure to get all my water today since I know that dehydration can sometimes lead to that type of pain. Headaches are relatively unusual for me, so I am hoping that it is gone for good.
It was another bleak, rainy day so my exercise was almost all indoors. I really pushed myself during the step video and am starting to think I may need to begin using my more difficult workout DVD because even the higher step I have implemented doesn’t seem to pose too much of a challenge with the more familiar routine. I have only done the harder one once before and it really kicked my butt, so I am slightly trepidacious. However, I think doing it a time or two will provide me with more confidence when I start to know the moves, and I will likely enjoy it after it starts coming a little more naturally.
I noticed yesterday that my forearms are smaller. I was reaching for something and did a bit of a double take because they seem so much leaner. I actually thing they look longer too now that they have lost some of their girth. It’s so weird to see the parts of my body that are changing in ways which never even occurred to me as a possibility. I also realized this evening that I am able to shave my legs much easier than I have been able to for years. Gaining flexibility is such a great weight loss bonus!
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with flaked canned chicken, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 2 Mandarin oranges
- 5 whole wheat crackers
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with 1 light Laughing Cow wedge, grape tomato, and pepper
- 1/2 cup fat free chocolate pudding
EXERCISE:
- 45 minute step workout video
- 2 sets of 7 push ups
- 4 sets of 50 stomach crunches (2 straight, 1 right, and 1 left)
- 3 sets of 15 squats
- 2 sets of 15 lunges for each leg
- 3 sets of 2 minutes of weight lifting with 5 lbs per arm
- 30 minute walk
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Day 100
Today marks the one hundredth day of this journey for me! I started this blog back on August 12th and, at that point, I had no idea where this path was going to take me. I would love to say that I knew from the start that this would be the time I finally lost all the weight and accomplished my goals, but the truth is I had no idea what would come from this particular pilgrimage to better health. There were so many times in the past when I was certain that I could stay on track and lose the weight, but those strong feelings obviously did not end up being accurate.
Ironically, I am now very confident in stating that I do know that this time is it. More than three months in, and with a completely different attitude and perception framing this experience, I am positive that I have found what will work for me. I have never had any weight loss program last for this long – whether food based, exercise based, or based on utilizing both elements – and I have never thought of the changes I made to my lifestyle as one that would be permanent and sustainable.
After little more than three months of eating cleaner and being more active, I have accomplished a lot! In one hundred days I have:
1. Dropped over fifty pounds.
2. Developed much more confidence in my appearance.
3. Lost more than eight points from my BMI reading.
4. Had most of the people in my life take notice of my efforts.
5. Gone from a 24W to a size 18 jean.
6. Significantly reduced my chances of a heart attack or stroke.
7. Found that I have ninety people I’ve never met cheering me on.
8. Experienced many epiphanies about how to make this long term.
9. Discovered a sense of pride from my progress photos.
10. Collectively taken off thirty-two inches from my body (when considering bust, waist, hips, both arms, and both thighs).
There are so many more things that I could list here, but I thought that these touched on a lot of the biggest achievements. I am so proud of how far I have come in such a short time. Some parts of this journey have been surprisingly easy and other areas have given me much greater difficulty. There has been a lot of hard work involved in getting to this point, but also a lot of great times along the way.
The best part is that this is still just the beginning. I have so much more to learn and share and, really, this won’t ever actually be over. My life has drastically changed for the better because of a decision I made one hundred days ago, and I am truly excited to see where the next one hundred days take me. And after that? I look forward to discovering the gifts and challenges of the next one hundred weeks, and then months, and maybe even years. Who knows? This journey has certainly taught me that absolutely anything is possible!
Ironically, I am now very confident in stating that I do know that this time is it. More than three months in, and with a completely different attitude and perception framing this experience, I am positive that I have found what will work for me. I have never had any weight loss program last for this long – whether food based, exercise based, or based on utilizing both elements – and I have never thought of the changes I made to my lifestyle as one that would be permanent and sustainable.
After little more than three months of eating cleaner and being more active, I have accomplished a lot! In one hundred days I have:
1. Dropped over fifty pounds.
2. Developed much more confidence in my appearance.
3. Lost more than eight points from my BMI reading.
4. Had most of the people in my life take notice of my efforts.
5. Gone from a 24W to a size 18 jean.
6. Significantly reduced my chances of a heart attack or stroke.
7. Found that I have ninety people I’ve never met cheering me on.
8. Experienced many epiphanies about how to make this long term.
9. Discovered a sense of pride from my progress photos.
10. Collectively taken off thirty-two inches from my body (when considering bust, waist, hips, both arms, and both thighs).
There are so many more things that I could list here, but I thought that these touched on a lot of the biggest achievements. I am so proud of how far I have come in such a short time. Some parts of this journey have been surprisingly easy and other areas have given me much greater difficulty. There has been a lot of hard work involved in getting to this point, but also a lot of great times along the way.
The best part is that this is still just the beginning. I have so much more to learn and share and, really, this won’t ever actually be over. My life has drastically changed for the better because of a decision I made one hundred days ago, and I am truly excited to see where the next one hundred days take me. And after that? I look forward to discovering the gifts and challenges of the next one hundred weeks, and then months, and maybe even years. Who knows? This journey has certainly taught me that absolutely anything is possible!
Sweet Dreams
I finished the dream catcher – pictured below – which I will be giving away to one lucky participant of the Christmas Challenge; I think it turned out pretty nice! It measures about five inches across the width of the circle and about seventeen inches top to bottom (approximately four of those inches are from the hanger). If there is anyone else interested in joining up and having a chance to win this little prize, the challenge still doesn’t start for another couple of days! 
I did well on the eating front today with one delicious exception. I made cinnamon buns very late in the evening and ended up sampling one a short time ago, with only about an hour before bed. I usually avoid snacking this late, but they looked so good and gooey – plus they are calorie conscious – and I just couldn’t resist having a couple of bites right after they came out of the oven. Mmmm… it was so worth it!
One thing I am particularly proud of tonight is that I was feeling pretty angry about something that happened, but rather than turning to food or just sitting and sulking in front of the television, I did my workout instead. I actually felt a lot better after sweating away my frustrations and am happy that I will be able to go to bed without having the issue still weighing so heavily on my mind. It’s nice to be able to get rid of negative feelings in such a positive way.
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 11 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 1 cup red grapes
- 2 cups Caesar salad with fat free dressing, dried cranberries, and croutons
- 1 Mandarin orange
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with flaked canned chicken, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 1 slice toasted whole grain bread with reduced calorie strawberry jam
- 6 whole wheat crackers
- 1 taste of reduced fat cream cheese icing
- 2 bites of reduced fat cinnamon bun with icing
EXERCISE:
- 45 minute step workout video
I did well on the eating front today with one delicious exception. I made cinnamon buns very late in the evening and ended up sampling one a short time ago, with only about an hour before bed. I usually avoid snacking this late, but they looked so good and gooey – plus they are calorie conscious – and I just couldn’t resist having a couple of bites right after they came out of the oven. Mmmm… it was so worth it!One thing I am particularly proud of tonight is that I was feeling pretty angry about something that happened, but rather than turning to food or just sitting and sulking in front of the television, I did my workout instead. I actually felt a lot better after sweating away my frustrations and am happy that I will be able to go to bed without having the issue still weighing so heavily on my mind. It’s nice to be able to get rid of negative feelings in such a positive way.
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 11 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 1 cup red grapes
- 2 cups Caesar salad with fat free dressing, dried cranberries, and croutons
- 1 Mandarin orange
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with flaked canned chicken, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 1 slice toasted whole grain bread with reduced calorie strawberry jam
- 6 whole wheat crackers
- 1 taste of reduced fat cream cheese icing
- 2 bites of reduced fat cinnamon bun with icing
EXERCISE:
- 45 minute step workout video
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Scattered Thoughts
I woke up this morning and my calves were killing me! I think that the couple of sets of running on the spot that I have done this week are what has caused the pain. That probably means that it’s working, but I will definitely be taking a break from that particular exercise for at least another night or two.
I would like to send out a hearty welcome to Tammy and Billie who have also decided to take part in my Christmas Challenge! So far the odds are pretty good for each of the participants to win the prize since there are currently four people signed up, so if you would like to join and try your luck let me know. The official starting day is this Saturday!
The weather here is pretty grim and wet so I doubt that there will be any outdoor activity planned for today. I am thinking that my workout DVD is a good option, but I will likely raise the level of my step as I have the routine down and am finding it rather easy as of late. With my sore calves though I will have to make sure that I stretch properly since I am not usually great for following through on that front.
I saw a friend yesterday who commented on my shrinking waistline. He said that I am looking skinnier than I ever have (which isn’t actually the case, although it has been years since I have been at this weight), and that my efforts are really noticeable. I’m so pleased to know that my hard work is paying off!
I would like to send out a hearty welcome to Tammy and Billie who have also decided to take part in my Christmas Challenge! So far the odds are pretty good for each of the participants to win the prize since there are currently four people signed up, so if you would like to join and try your luck let me know. The official starting day is this Saturday!
The weather here is pretty grim and wet so I doubt that there will be any outdoor activity planned for today. I am thinking that my workout DVD is a good option, but I will likely raise the level of my step as I have the routine down and am finding it rather easy as of late. With my sore calves though I will have to make sure that I stretch properly since I am not usually great for following through on that front.
I saw a friend yesterday who commented on my shrinking waistline. He said that I am looking skinnier than I ever have (which isn’t actually the case, although it has been years since I have been at this weight), and that my efforts are really noticeable. I’m so pleased to know that my hard work is paying off!
A Couple Of Challenges
Thanks so much to Daisy and Dee for being the first two committed participants in my Looking to the Future Christmas Challenge! If anyone else is interested in joining there are still a few days left to make up your mind since it doesn’t start until this Saturday – and to be clear, you don’t need a blog to participate. You could win a homemade dream catcher for the price of just a few comments and the determination to stay true to your weight loss plan through the holidays. It’s a win-win!
In other news, I had the best mushroom soup I have ever had in my life this evening. Unfortunately, I am thinking that it was so wonderful because it was very rich and, therefore, not the best choice for staying on track. It almost tasted like really great thinned out Alfredo sauce. I ordered it because I had already had a salad today and wanted something small. I figured that the mushrooms in it meant that it was a healthier option – which it probably did – but it was so very yummy that now I don’t even want to think about what the calories must have added up to. Do accidental overindulgences count as being off plan?
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with roast beef, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 2 cups Caesar salad with fat free dressing, dried cranberries, and whole wheat croutons
- 2 cups cream of mushroom soup
- 1 Mandarin orange
EXERCISE:
- 1 hour and 35 minutes of walking completed in 2 outings (45 minutes long and 50 minutes long)
- 7 push ups
- 2 sets of 50 stomach crunches
In other news, I had the best mushroom soup I have ever had in my life this evening. Unfortunately, I am thinking that it was so wonderful because it was very rich and, therefore, not the best choice for staying on track. It almost tasted like really great thinned out Alfredo sauce. I ordered it because I had already had a salad today and wanted something small. I figured that the mushrooms in it meant that it was a healthier option – which it probably did – but it was so very yummy that now I don’t even want to think about what the calories must have added up to. Do accidental overindulgences count as being off plan?
FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 wrap on a soft tortilla shell with roast beef, grated cheese, lettuce, dried cranberries, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 2 cups Caesar salad with fat free dressing, dried cranberries, and whole wheat croutons
- 2 cups cream of mushroom soup
- 1 Mandarin orange
EXERCISE:
- 1 hour and 35 minutes of walking completed in 2 outings (45 minutes long and 50 minutes long)
- 7 push ups
- 2 sets of 50 stomach crunches
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