ammos yablo

the importance of phrasing

2009-01-06T08:08:00.003-06:00

week: +0.5
total: -72

I'm reading Tom Venuto's Feed the Muscle, Burn the Fat. The first chapter is all about motivation and goal-setting. The biggest lesson I took from that is that by changing my language, I can change my attitude, and also influence my outcomes for the better. Instead of phrasing things as "I need to..." or even from the positive "I will...," it actually tricks the mind into believing it if you say, as though from the point of view of the finished future, "I am..." or "I do...." And it doesn't have to be just about weight loss, this works for everything. "I do floss my teeth every night before bed." (I'm still working on 100% compliance on that, but I'm up to 5 nights in a row so far.)

By my motivators over there on the right, I'm still in weight-category limbo -- not firmly "overweight" anymore, but not comfortably in "normal" yet either. I've set a new goal, to be ready for Florida at spring break. Ready or not, I'll have to go.

some good, some bad, some ugly

2008-12-16T19:17:00.003-06:00

week: -0
total: -68

the good: gym on Sunday, tang soo do on Monday, mediocre (at best) gym on Tuesday

the bad: no working out between last Tuesday and Sunday

the ugly: the big payment we shelled out today for materials to fix the roof and interiors of our house (the remnants of Hurricane Gustav). But that's also a good.

I indulged and slept in this morning, which put me behind schedule all day. I was forced to have an abbreviated gym session. When I got to the locker room, I was horrified to realize that I had forgotten to pack a towel (no more towel service at the gym, as it costs more money than it brings in). Then I had to rush to my GP's office for my GP (general physical): clean bill of health though, assuming everything goes smoothly at my ladydoctor appt after the new year.

Ohyeah, we got promoted to fourth gup last night too -- at the next testing, we will be going for the red belt.

week 100

2008-12-02T09:02:00.002-06:00

week: +0.5
total: -69

One hundred weeks have gone by since I started my get healthy adventure. I'm on the high side of normal for my height now, according to most online calculators. I'm supposed to meet with my doctor soon for a yearly checkup, I may ask him if the clinic has a BMI testing facility.

all the changes I've made to my life in 100 weeks, if you had told me I'd be getting up early to go to the gym, I'd have laughed in your face.

It's an evolution that has enhanced my life, that's for certain. I'm not winded when climbing the stairs to my office, my knee doesn't usually give me problems anymore.

I still have the problem of being lured in by easy meals -- I'm not such a good cook, and I'm still a slave to taste. Still fighting against that.

In a couple weeks, will be the 2-year anniversary of this journey. I will have to work hard to get to the middle range of normal, because my body seems to feel that where I am now is good enough.

When I started this, I was wearing size 24 jeans. Now my pants are in the 8-12 range (darn you clothing industry and your non-standardized pants sizes!). I never measured my body at its largest -- I just didn't want to know the worst of it. But the jeans numbers are telling enough.

exercise medley

2008-10-14T17:18:00.003-05:00

week: -2.5
total: -69

I am not deliberately making posts only when I lose weight. Rather, this fall I have become a morning exerciser, at least on Tuesday/Thursday, which greatly inhibits my Tuesday weight-loss-saga posts. So, I endeavor to improve in this as in other areas of my life.

Sunday I made a new PR in pullups: 17 with 85 pounds offset (which means I'm lifting a fraction of my own weight, I know). So this morning, I knocked it down to offset 70 pounds and I was able to do about 7 reps (working from memory here, my notebook is in the gym bag still), which is a PR too for that weight level.

I tried a new machine called an Adaptive Motion Trainer. I felt like I was training to walk in a mechanical body armor suit. The machine allows the exerciser to use whatever stride is most comfortable, from vertical stair-climbing, to long horizontal cross-country skiing (I am guessing on that last part). Anyway, my ten-minute interval session plus five-minute cool-down about killed my thighs. My knees were really aching after too, but they were aching before, so I'm not sure how much to blame the AMT. In fact, I was supposed to do sprints on the track for intervals, but after my knees started screaming while climbing the stairs to the indoor track, I changed my mind and went looking for something low-impact. The AMT is quite low-impact, at least on the lowest setting, and I felt like I was springing on a trampoline or in the moonwalk bubble from my childhood. I won't use the AMT every time (because I never use the same interval type twice in a row), but I suppose I will put it into the mix.

Tang Soo Do testing is in four and a half weeks. I think I'll be ready, but I have to prepare myself for my breaks better than I did last time around (e dan ahp cha gi and tollyo chung dan kong kyuk).

September ends

2008-09-30T08:59:00.002-05:00

week: -2.5
total: -68

In the last week I did:
Tang Soo Do twice (Wed/Sat) (with hubby)
gym twice (Tues/Thurs)
cross-campus sprint walk between my MTWR classes, took the stairs several times, etc.

super busy last week: got up early and headed to the gym, completely forgetting that I should post something here. I'm almost ready for the gym today already, but I do have a few free minutes.

I rented a locker at the gym, since I'm trying that morning workout thing, so I'd have a place to keep my shower shoes w/out lugging them back and forth (and forgetting them at home more often than not). BUT the locker rental is $90 -- while it costs $1 to rent a towel on a per need basis. Twice a week for 45 weeks to justify that expense -- and it's a service I don't really need in summer. Maybe I'll switch to semesterly after this year is up.

I haven't been sleeping well the last few nights. I'm reluctant to go to bed in the first place (why? no idea, not tired); once I'm there it takes longer than usual to drop off; then I wake up every so often in a blind panic (or from a bad dream, like Sunday night), and I'm crushed when I see that it is still dark out. I think I have to force myself to go to bed earlier, even if I don't feel tired, just to unwind and settle the brain.

ready to return to normalcy

2008-09-16T22:18:00.002-05:00

week: +1.5
total: -67.5

Another week of hectic weather and hence sporadic exercise. Tang Soo Do school opened again last Wednesday, but then we were feeling the effects of Ike, even this far away, and I didn't want to go out on Friday or Saturday. So. I did make it back to the gym this morning, and managed 8 assisted pullups (not a PR but exciting since it had been so long since my last attempt).

not quite normal

2008-09-09T11:58:00.002-05:00

week: -3.5
total: -69

According to my milestones on the right column, I'm in the gray area between "overweight" (150) and "normal" (145). I don't necessarily like how I've achieved it here recently (see The Gustav Diet), but that plateau was pretty heinous, and I'm glad for breaking it.

Life is in turmoil here, and we have not practiced Tang Soo Do in over a week, nor have we been to the gym. We are planning to change that this afternoon and do something after work, and try to start getting back to normal, even as we keep waiting for the power to come back on.

the Gustav Diet

2008-09-06T11:19:00.004-05:00

week (as of Tuesday, 9/2): -3.5
total: -65.5

late on posting, because we had a bit of trouble with Gustav. You probably won't be surprised to read that I found myself on the Hurricane Anxiety Diet. I really didn't feel like eating, and when I did eat, because of the electricity situation, I could only get an energy bar, a can of beans, or a can of fruit. Consequently, I shattered my plateau -- the question now is whether my old weight will resume as my life returns to normal (which won't actually be for a long time).

Currently, I'm at a friend's house, so I don't actually have my spreadsheet of previous weigh-ins. I do have my little ticker at the bottom, so I'm extrapolating from that.

tortoise v hare

2008-08-21T20:49:00.006-05:00

I was just listening to an interview with Darin Steen (I'd put up a link, but the interviewer only makes it free for like 24hrs), who is a fitness and motivational coach in Chicago. One of the topics he touched on was the effectiveness of high-intensity intervals like sprints versus low-intensity steady-state jogging. Since we are in the midst of Olympics fever, he said something like: "Whose physique would you rather have, a sprinter's, or a marathoner's?" (Here are some pictures I found on the net to illustrate the point:)

<<<--SPRINTER

That marathon runner is slim and trim, but he's not solid like the sprinter. And I've always thought to myself: "When am I going to have to run 5k?" It's much more likely that I'll have to dash 100m -- to catch a child in the street or escape from an axe murderer. [Edited to add:] Or to dash across campus when I'm running late. [end addendum.] I've already been doing intervals based on my Abs Diet plan (I think it's in there), but it is always nice to vindication.

MARATHONER>>>

the end of summer

2008-08-19T14:24:00.004-05:00

week: +1.5
total: -60.5

gym: Tuesday/Thursday
tang soo do: Wednesday

We went out of town for the weekend, leaving Friday afternoon, so I didn't take the time to hit the gym that day, opting instead to pack. We spent the whole day outside in the park Saturday though (excepting the lunch break, when the sky opened up a downpour on us). We had packed a cooler for the trip over, but then we forgot to get the Blue Ice things out of the hotel room freezer. Oh well, we had finished most of the cold stuff on Saturday anyway.

School resumes next Monday. In some ways, it should be easier to make it to the gym, since it's right there on campus. However, it also gets a lot easier to find excuses to skip: tired after teaching, too rushed to go before class, too crowded at the end of the day, yadda yadda yadda. I am seriously thinking of asking about a locker there though, which would ease up some of my rushed-ness.

7 in 1 year

2008-08-12T19:11:00.004-05:00

week: -2
total: -62

gym: Thursday, Sunday, today (Tuesday)= met goal!
tang soo do: last Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, missed Saturday's class for waking up late = 3/4 of goal

Almost exactly a year ago (I missed it by a few weeks here), I took my waist-to-hip ratio measurements for the first time. Since then, I have lost seven inches from both. I guess I have gained and lost weight proportionally for the most part. Nevertheless, I hadn't realized how much progress I'd made on that front, so, even though I haven't hit a WL record any time recently, I still have things to celebrate!

up early for me

2008-08-05T09:57:00.002-05:00

week: -0
total: -60

Woke up this morning ... and I got myself a beer. No, wait, that was a different morning. This morning, I woke up at 7am and could not fall back asleep. So I decided to go ahead and get up and head to the gym; I figured that working out would maybe make me tired, and I could nap later. I just got home, so no nap just yet.

No post last week, because I had been out of town, and there was not much to report. Suffered some bad headaches on vacation, and they followed me home, so I did not work out Tues night or Wed at all. Sucked it up and went to TSD class on Thurs. Flash flooding from heavy rains on Friday -- driving through that mess always leaves me shaken (and stirred) so we cut class again, but made it out on Saturday and Sunday. So three sessions of exercise, not ideal, but decent.

My mini-project at the gym is to work up to doing pull ups unassisted. There is a machine that offsets through counterbalance (I guess) part of my weight, so I only have to lift a portion of my real weight. When I started this project, I set it on 100, and could only do a few. Today, I did 10 (barely) on 85. I won't be doing unassisted pullups any time soon, but I can definitely see progress, which is good enough for me.

beginning again

2008-07-22T18:18:00.003-05:00

week: -0
total: -60.5

Quite a while ago I bookmarked a blog entry by Men's Health editor Craig Ballantyne. This weekend I set up a spreadsheet cataloging the various kinds of exercises that he described. This way I can randomly generate a list of exercises to perform, and I have a basic (non-scientific) method of tracking my numbers.

I did my first version of this workout on Sunday, and another today. I'm going to be unable to use the gym for the next seven days, but this plan has a lot of bodyweight exercises that I could use instead, so I'll see how working out at home goes.

weekly acounting

2008-07-15T18:09:00.006-05:00

week: +2.5
total: -60.5

Last week we were preparing for Tang Soo Do testing. We attended class twice I think, but opted out of Friday's class. I also didn't want to hit the gym, lest I push myself too hard and make myself sore (it has happened before). Testing went well for the most part, except it took me three tries to break my board, and even then I had to use the remedial boards. Master C said I could try that part again in a few weeks.

After the test, we went to a Nepalese-Indian buffet, where I ate entirely too much chicken tikka marsala (?) and chickpea curry.

Sunday we ordered pizza so we wouldn't have to run out and cook while trying to do our role playing games with friends.

Hit the gym today, and the grocery for some fresh fruit. Getting ready to go to class in a few minutes, unless I cannot drag my dear husband away from his new videogame (Civilization IV).

update

2008-07-08T10:26:00.002-05:00

week: -4.5
total: -63

No Independence Day parties for us, so no excessive eating and drinking.

Testing for our next rank (for fifth gup, green belt) in Tang Soo Do on Saturday.

weekly checkin

2008-06-24T16:58:00.003-05:00

week: +1
total: -59

Tang Soo Do on Tuesday and Friday last week. Gym on Sunday. Not the best workout week, but certainly not shabby. Why is the weight still up (and up and up)? Too much snacking maybe -- a perennial problem for me. Monthly cycle is coming around (TMI!), that usually wreaks havoc on my systems. Cheated on Wednesday at Macaroni Grill, although I still ordered the chicken marsala which is recommended in Eat This Not That, AND took home half ... and we shared a tiramisu for dessert. So.

Got up early to go to the farmers' market. Probably spent way too much money, but so far the things I've tasted are outstanding. Blueberries taste much better fresh than the ones from the frozen section. Saturn (a.k.a. donut) peaches were new to me, but I love them now -- tiny, bite-sized, plenty juicy but not messy. Looking forward to getting into the blackberries.

other measures of advancement

2008-06-21T23:41:00.001-05:00

I bought some shorts today that are size 12.

blaming the bad cereal

2008-06-17T09:22:00.003-05:00

week: -1
total: -60

My weight loss has stalled, and I know exactly why. I've been snacking more. I bought "bad" cereal (chocolate biscoti -- it was a moment of weakness -- but it is so goooood). I've been taking the lazy way and stopping more for take-out. However, last week I was at the gym twice and did Tang Soo Do thrice, so that's something positive.

ending the slack

2008-06-10T10:34:00.003-05:00

week: +0.5
total since 01/07: -59

I've decided I have to get back into journaling at least once a week. I've been a total slacker on so many fronts, that now it is catching up with me. We were out of town for the weekend, and we got fed really well. We did plenty of walking and running around, but not nearly enough to burn off what I ate. I haven't really established that workout schedule that I posted last week (getting ready for this trip took a lot of time), but I'm packed for the gym now, and will be going that way in about an hour. I don't want to overdo it, because we are also scheduled to go to TSD tonight as well.

Anyway, I've been feeling like I'm going backwards on this weight loss thing for the last three or four weeks (!) and I have to get it under control. That starts today.

filling the days of summer

2008-06-03T11:22:00.002-05:00

Well, without Tales from the Scales, I don't feel much push to make a post. Shame on me.

I find myself slipping into old patterns -- patterns that helped me gain so much weight in the first place. I'm on summer break, and the last week melted away in listening to music and playing online games. We are also in danger of falling out of the training habit, and I absolutely do not want that. So, I need projects. Actually, I have projects, but I have not started them wholeheartedly. So, to remind myself, they are:

very short term:
larp armor

long term:
gym - Tues, Thurs, Sun
tang soo do - Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat (ideally)
Rosetta Stone Korean - daily

away from the computer:
catch up on reading an actual book!
catch up on movies saved to PVR
yard work

Oh yeah, I joined a book club on campus today, which meets once a week for 5-6 weeks. So that will hold me accountable for getting away from the computer -- to study! -- and out of the house, conveniently on gym day. :)

a weird week

2008-04-06T18:56:00.002-05:00

Tuesday/Wednesday my knee was really bothering me, a lot more than it ever has. So, I opted out of going to Tang Soo Do those nights. My cycle started early -- and I use oral contraceptives, which are supposed to help regulate that -- what's up with that?! As you might imagine, I'm always a little leery of wearing my white do bok pants on the earliest days of my cycle. So I opted out of Tang Soo Do on Thursday and Friday as well. Saturday morning, I woke up with the beginnings of a migraine. Took an ibuprofin, went back to bed, thinking my husband would wake me up in time for class. I slept until 1:30pm. I was glad to get the sleep, but I wish I had tried to go to class at least.

My weight has been weird too this week: up two, down two, up two again, every day something different and unexpected. Rather a lot like the weather, actually. I'm sure both will settle down soon.

outside perception

2008-03-27T21:28:00.002-06:00

I won a t-shirt at a raffle on Wednesday. When I went to pick it up, the woman at the desk apologized because the smallest size they had was XL.

weekly weigh in - no challenge

2008-03-12T09:18:00.003-06:00

week: -1.5
total (since Jan 2007): -54

Tales From the Scales has not announced a new challenge, but the check-in post still comes up every Wednesday.

So here's where I stand. It appears that my winter plateau might be breaking: three of the last four weeks have seen declines, and one week had no change at all. So that's encouraging.

Last weekend was our Tang Soo Do testing. I wasn't perfect, but mostly I was very good (in my own opinion, which counts for beans). I broke the boards (two thin boards, instead one thick one) on the first kick; my partner and I sparred enthusiastically (I have the bruises to prove it). Technically we won't know for two weeks whether we are being promoted, but I'm pretty confident.

Yesterday I had a super-early appointment, so I decided to go to the gym afterwards, since I had a big gap before my next responsibility. The gym itself was fine, not too crowded, but the showers appalled me. I have NEVER been a fan of public showering, all the way back to middle school, but I have tried to get over it for my own good now. But when I saw a roach wing stuck to my foot, that ended my prospects of showering at the gym for good. It's after work or free days only from now own, so I can come home to my own lovely shower.

Look Great in '08 - Wrap Up

2008-02-27T09:23:00.002-06:00

week: -1.5
total: -14.5

Losing weight in the winter is hard. There are too many holidays, thus too many parties, thus too much food. Here on the Gulf Coast, that means it starts at Thanksgiving and does not end till after Mardi Gras. But I think my metabolism thinks I'm still a Midwestern girl, and feels like it must hold on to every little calorie to get me through the cold dark days and nights -- even though there were actually a few days in Feb. when we turned on the cold air during the day.

I think I might finally have broken my plateau. The last two days have seen record low weights for me (since I started keeping track). I've been consistent with my exercise (the pressure of testing really helps) and I've gone to bed hungry a few nights this week (cf. Jan's NLNE). Haven't been as good about taking my lunch. There's always something to work on.

I like having the Challenge, and I hope there is another one now that this one is finished. I don't think I really need the challenge for motivation, per se, but I like making the permanent record via these blog posts (I don't think I would have done so without the Challenge, in fact). I like knowing that others are coming here to check on me, and I like reading the other members' posts too.

ups and downs.

2008-02-20T09:52:00.003-06:00

Last week was an up week, so this must be a down week. Let me check.

week: -1.5
total: -13

Indeed.

I had to attend a professional conference last weekend. At the reception Friday night, I was literally surrounded by chocolate. Fortunately (?), we had gone out to dinner beforehand, and gotten properly filled up, but that didn't stop me from snacking. There was a plate of strawberries though, which I happily mixed in with the brownies.

It didn't stop, either, since at the conference center there were all sorts of coffee cakes for breakfast, snacks, coffee breaks, etc. I have to admit, I tried one of everything. So good, but so bad. We did Mexican at a local place for lunch, where I got a fish fillet instead of an enchilada, so at least I redeemed myself. And we hit the gym on Sunday, so the weekend was not a total wash.

This week, we have to attend our Tang Soo Do class more reliably than we did last week. Promotion testing is 8 March, and I'm a little nervous that I won't measure up this time.

weigh-in week 21

2008-02-13T10:10:00.003-06:00

week: +1.5
total: -11.5

If I am completely brutally honest, I might consider that I've been snacking a fair bit, and I haven't really gone to bed hungry lately. But at least I'm snacking on good stuffs, like apples, cheese, and hummus (not together). I've also fallen off the brown bag bandwagon, so I've either been buying lunch, or forgoing it entirely. I have time today to pack a proper lunch though, so I'll do that in a bit.

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day here, so that's a load of pressure (in more ways than one) that I don't have to deal with.

surprise! weigh in!

2008-02-06T21:04:00.000-06:00

week: -3.5
total: -13

My computer is broken, so I am posting this from husband's.

I am totally shocked by this weight, since this whole weekend has been nothing but a flurry of food frenzy. BIG Mardi Gras party on Saturday, Super Bowl party on Sunday, Fat Tuesday in New Orleans and dinner in a fancy hotel restaurant after the parades. Like so many others, I am unable to account for the good reading on the scale.

I'll just wait and see where I am next week.

stuck

2008-01-30T09:56:00.000-06:00

week: +2
total: -9.5

I've looked at my weight numbers for the last month, and I seem to be on a mighty plateau. That, or my body thinks it's happy where it is now -- and I might buy that, except that my body still has a LOT of jiggly jubbly bits that really do not belong. I guess I'm going to have to change some things, or else just wait it out.

I tried the "gym before work" thing on Monday. It wasn't altogether heinous, but one needs to be supremely well-organized. I almost accomplished that, but I forgot my shower-shoes and my comb. (I had a spare comb in the car, so the latter was minor, except for walking out of the gym looking like a crazy woman.) It isn't too late for me to try it again today, but I'll have to make up my mind fast.

looking great in 08

2008-01-23T10:14:00.000-06:00

week: -2
total: -11.5

things I've done right this week:

resumed regular Tang Soo Do
returned to the gym
removed excessive amounts of chocolate from the house
took my lunch to work
did not go overboard on king cake at the first Mardi Gras parade & party

where I need improvement:

more water, especially late at night
less thinking that pasta is a fallback food (but I love it, so easy, so tasty)
potatoes too (I love my starches)

weighing in: a positive is positively not positive

2008-01-16T10:57:00.000-06:00

week: +1.5
total: -9.5

I'm going the wrong way here, and I think I've figured out why. I've not been to the gym to lift weights in weeks. I've been sporadic about Tang Soo Do. I can blame time, and headaches, and the business of starting a new semester, but really, it's just been disorganization. I already said it to my husband, that I have to get back, and now I'm saying it here. Once again I repeat my re-commitment to gaining health.

See how others are doing with the Look Great in '08 Challenge.

back from hiatus

2008-01-09T10:22:00.000-06:00

since last weigh-in: +1
total: -11

That +1 does not tell the whole story -- of how there was constantly food available at my in-laws' house (Christmas candy, Christmas cookies, fresh homemade bread, you get the idea), of getting home and back to our standard diet, and back into the habit of exercising. Weight-wise, it was a tumultuous two weeks.

And clearly, if the challenge had ended today as originally scheduled, I would be nowhere near my goal of losing 20. I probably would have been bummed, but now that we get to carry on till February, I know I still have a chance.

I wanted to review 2007 in a nutshell.

From Jan 2 to Dec 27, I went from 218 to 170, with my lowest weight of 167.5 peeking at me on Dec 22.
A year ago, I would never have posted my starting weight in a public forum.
In May, I discovered and joined the May Day Challenge, where I was introduced to many strong and determined people.
In June, I started following the Abs Diet plan, really changing my food choices and adopting an exercise program.
In September, my husband and I joined a traditional martial arts school to study Tang Soo Do.
In November, we tested for and earned our orange belts in Tang Soo Do

Overall, I'd say it was a good year. Happy New Year!

weigh in 13

2007-12-19T10:25:00.000-06:00

week: 2
total: -9.5

Bah, humbug. Anytime I have a bit of stress, my body seems to want to hold onto the weight. Well, as of today I'm officially on Christmas break, so the relaxation can set in, and the stress can go away. Except for the stress of finishing up that Christmas shopping. And finalizing our travel plans. And spending time at the in-laws (whom I really do love and get along with, but ...). Oy.

2 in 1 day!

2007-12-12T10:25:00.000-06:00

I just realized, I hit a major goal yesterday, and did not comment on it. I reached another 5% loss from my previous bodyweight. I'm now 77% of the woman I was last January. I'm aiming at 60% ultimately.

To celebrate, I ordered some CDs I've been eying for a while. It might be time to get some new clothes too.

LG08 week 12

2007-12-12T09:45:00.000-06:00

week: -2
total: -11.5

w00t! a new badge!

I have taken a week off from everything (except making proper food choices). Last Wednesday, in the evening, I suddenly felt my throat get raw and scratchy -- it was the weirdest thing. I guess usually that happens while I'm asleep, so I wake up sick. So I haven't been to the office (well, there was scheduled time off anyway), or the gym, or even tang soo do class. I did have to drag myself out to get groceries and more medicine. Mostly I feel okay, maybe a little tired, but then I'll have a horrible coughing fit, which just - won't - stop. I won't feel well till those stop.

LG08 #11

2007-12-05T10:04:00.000-06:00

week: -0.5
total: -9.5

Well, the holidays are really here. I have Christmas tunes stuck in my head. I've been to two parties on campus. Classes are winding down, and we're getting ready for the big push to exams. Somewhere in there I need to figure out our travel plans. I go through the same thing every December, putting off the making of a decision, because all the variables just overwhelm my little brain. The things I'm sure of: we will take good snacks with us, we will not overdo it at Christmas dinner -- wherever we are --, and we will enjoy visiting our families.

I think we visited his family in June, and we'd had some weight loss, but nothing dramatic; then I saw my parents in July. At that time I'd lost about 25 pounds. I've nearly doubled that loss since. This trip might be a little dramatic.

LG08 #10

2007-11-28T10:21:00.000-06:00

week: -3
total: -9

Ahh, Thanksgiving weekend was easy for me. No parties, no family, just me and the hubs lounging around and drinking hot coffee to stave off the autumn chill (which has finally arrived on the south coast). Didn't make a turkey (have done in the past, way too much work for 2), but did have mashers (oh how I love them) so by themselves they make it Thanksgiving.

The hardest part of the long weekend (as I mentioned before) was that the martial arts school and the campus gym were both closed -- except that I found out the gym was open on Sunday for regular hours! So we did get in one workout. It was tough after even just that little break. But I'm reinvigorated and re-inspired.

Broke out the breadmaker, to try going w/out store-bought bread for a bit. Then discovered that my flour is old, and makes the top cave in. Haven't had a chance to get new flour yet, but I haven't abandoned the home bread challenge just yet.

LG08 #9

2007-11-21T17:08:00.000-06:00

week: +2
total: -6

The last two weeks weren't kind. My schedule, which is usually pretty basic and routine, suddenly got very full, and didn't always leave me with a lot of time or opportunities to make good choices. I'm actually happy that Thanksgiving is here -- I can catch up on my sleep, and no one will have any demands on me until Monday morning.

Of course, the bad thing about the long weekend is that both our gym and our martial arts school will be closed. Time to bust out the dumbbells hiding under the couch, and get back on track. Again.

LG08 #8

2007-11-14T09:05:00.000-06:00

week: -2.5
total: -8

Wow, finally some action on the scales there. I think it was the afternoon snack I was having at the office that was messing me up. I think -- it's so hard to make a determination for a system as complex as the human body.

At Target, I found Apple Cinnamon Almonds. YUM! They aren't overboard on sodium or sugar (and no HFCS in the ingreds at all). We've decided they won't replace plain old raw almonds most of the time, but they'll be good for a change periodically. I also love that Target carries raw cashews, my favorite kind of nut. I always find them in the deli/produce area, not in the nut aisle.

weigh-in 7

2007-11-07T08:47:00.000-06:00

week: 0
total: -5.5

Essentially the same weight for the last five weeks. Going to have to change something, surprise it back into reacting. Going back to logging all my foods is one option. Doing a little iron work after Tang Soo Do is another. Going all-out at the sushi bar certainly doesn't help the process -- must learn restraint!

weigh in: week 6

2007-10-31T09:13:00.000-06:00

week: -2
total: -5.5

I kind of liked my old scale that did everything in whole numbers. However, I didn't like squinting to read what tiny line the pointer was aimed at. So, I'm getting used to the new machine.

I'm really out of things to report here. I just bought my Halloween candy yesterday, and only one bag, since we have to go out to class before the witching hour is really over. Oh yeah, mental note: do not run over any trick or treaters.

look great in 08: #5

2007-10-24T09:27:00.000-05:00

week: +2.5
total: -3.5

January of 2007, I bought a bathroom scale, the cheapest one I could find. It served me well, but here's the weird thing: the tread started slipping off the edge of the scale. Increasingly, I found my foot really sticky after weighing, from the glue that was supposed to be holding the tread to the scale. So, last week I bought another scale, one that appears to be a solid piece of plastic, and which has a digital readout. Unfortunately, it insists that I've gained 2.5 pounds in the last week. And maybe I have: we've been working out pretty frequently, and I'm sure I'm building muscle. Plus, my waist to hip ratio is the same as it was 2 weeks ago (although I'm never quite sure how accurate I am in taking those measurements).

So, I will reiterate something I know I've said before: I am not a number! I'm a free (wo)man!

Visit other participants at Tales from the Scales

get pumped for exercise

2007-10-19T00:38:00.000-05:00

I have my motivations for getting exercise. I want to have and keep a healthy body; I like having muscles; I'm enjoying Tang Soo Do so much, I'm always excited to go back and learn something new. But there are people out there who have trouble getting the gear on and doing the deed. For those, the website Lifehack offers some tips.

My favorite from the list:

Reward Showing Up, Not Weight Loss - Some people have gotten the idea that they should reward themselves for losing weight or gaining muscle. I disagree. Instead, I think you should reward showing up to the gym and exercising regularly. There are many ways you can lose or gain weight in unhealthy fashions. Rewarding exercise is rewarding your commitment to health.

(Elsewhere the list does address the issue of showing up but then wandering around aimlessly without actually accomplishing anything. Remember to have goals and standards!)

Good luck!

LGi08: check in week four

2007-10-17T08:52:00.000-05:00

week: -0
total: -6

I realized yesterday that I've lost half the total weight of my goal, a journey which I began in January of this year. So in view of that fact, one week of maintenance seems like not such a big deal. The master instructor at our training hall comments that we look slimmer every time we see him. When I first got back to work after summer break, I got some comments about how good I look too.

The most striking change I've noticed -- not counting the reduction in jeans size -- is the fact that I have arm muscles. I'm lying in bed holding a book; I glance down, and my bicep is literally popping off my arm. And I like that the muscle is there, so I want to keep exercising to make sure it doesn't go away. There's my motivation.

Visit Tales from the Scales to meet more people participating in the Look Great in 2008 Challenge.

half

2007-10-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

I see by my ticker way at the bottom of the page that I've reached the halfway point on my overall weight-loss goal. 44 pounds in 41 weeks. Now that I consider it, I guess I reached half-way last week. My big ticker and my LGi08 ticker are different by a day, so they don't always get the same input. I suppose I could make the differences potentially less drastic by using my 5-day average instead of the raw weight score, but I started with the one, it's far too late to change now.

Half-way is a pretty significant milestone. Maybe I'll reward myself with a trip to the bookstore.

week 3 weigh in

2007-10-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was looking at my calendar, and realized that I started my ticker over there on the right on the wrong date, and therefore: at the wrong weight. So officially:

week: -2
total: -6

I gets a button!

Clearly five days a week of exercise are doing me some good. That and the proper food choices. I'm so glad I saw Mama Bear June's post on the Abs Diet plan, because without it, I think I'd still be in a weight-loss rut. Lately I don't even have to go through the mnemonic to remember the core foods anymore: they're pretty much the foods that I have in the pantry now. I'll admit, I'm off the smoothie wagon though. I still love them, but I don't have the facilities to whip them up while I'm at work. That, and the bananas at the grocery store have been really crummy lately. What's up with that?

weigh-in #2

2007-10-03T09:52:00.000-05:00

week: -2
total: -3

Off to a good start here. I'm enjoying Tang Soo Do a lot more now that I have a handle on some of the moves. The kicks are still a complete challenge for me though. The only problem with TSD is the schedule. I have to rush home from work to change clothes and grab a smoothie -- and my husband, who is doing this with me -- before heading back to the training center. Then we have a proper dinner afterwards. Somewhere I read "hunger is the best seasoning for food" or something, and I'll say that's certainly true. I won't say I sleep like a log every night, but I fall asleep much faster now. Monday night I wanted to watch the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, to see David Boreanaz (Angel, Bones), but I don't think I made it through three minutes of the monologue.

LGi08 weigh-in one

2007-09-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

week: -1
total: -1

A new challenge, a new counter. Sort of sad, to lose the big number from the previous challenge and start all over. But it's a clean slate, time to see what else I can do to keep getting healthy.

The Tang Soo Do is really working well to get us out of the house, but so far it's not killing me like I expected it to. Our instructor keeps asking if we're sore, and I keep saying "no, not really." I think it isn't very intense yet, because I don't have the right skills. When I learn to keep my balance better (like learning to ride a bike in some ways) then better form -- and sore muscles -- will follow.

your eyes do not deceive you

2007-09-21T22:42:00.000-05:00

Figured no one would believe this without visual evidence. Husband and I shelled out the bucks the other night and joined a do jong -- that's a training hall for martial arts, if you couldn't guess from the picture. Tang Soo Do is our art, Moo Duk Kwan is our style. Moo means "stop conflict," and apparently the goal is "one hit, one kill," take your opponent down as efficiently as possible.

Earlier this summer we heard a presentation on the differences between historical and theatrical swordplay. Historically, the sword was not used for a lot of parrying and fancy footwork, but again, one hit one kill (clearly, this would remove a lot of the drama that goes into movie swordfighting).

Enough of that tangent for now though. We've attended two Tang Soo Do lessons. It reminds me a lot of the ballet lessons I took as a child, in that they both require a lot of balance and grace, neither of which come particularly easily to me. There was a lot to ballet intellectually that I just didn't "get" at the time either, which, in retrospect, I now understand (especially spotting), but would no longer attempt.

The master of our do jong also teaches yoga, so we gave that a try tonight. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I'm not sure I'd say I liked it. But, if everyone else was concentrating as hard as I was, then I know none of them saw how awkward I was in some of those poses.

the end of one thing is just the beginning of something else

2007-09-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

end of May Day Challenge
week: -2
total: -22

I already posted my end of challenge thoughts, so I won't bore you by reiterating them.

I would like to note that in this last week, I reached another mini-goal. According to my BMI calculations -- which are notoriously inaccurate for the very fit or the very overweight, but which I suspect are okay for average Joes like me -- I am out of the OBESE category and am now merely overweight. yay me!

Clearly though, there is still work to be done here, so MY GOALS FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE:

I will continue to make good food choices
I will continue to exercise (we're thinking of taking up a martial art in the near future, and we are going to visit the class tonight, which will help us decide whether this activity is right for us)

If I have counted correctly, there are 16 weeks in the new challenge. In that time, I think I can probably continue my 1lb/wk loss, so I'll be setting my goal at 20 pounds. I won't be running off on vacation as often during this new challenge, so I'm sure I'll be checking in every week. I can't promise to always write something witty and inspiring though -- by the end of the May Day challenge I was running out of words.

oops

2007-09-12T11:58:00.000-05:00

Looks like Beth at tales from the scales got a little ahead of herself. Next week is our final weigh-in, and the start of a new challenge.

It also looks like I miscounted on my weight tracker over there on the right. Ah well, I was never a math major.

Last Week evaluation

2007-09-11T09:41:00.001-05:00

week: -0
total: -20

Well, when I started this May Day Weight Loss Challenge, I stated my goals for weight loss in general, and not for the challenge in specific. So for the next challenge, I will try to do that part better. I did better (slightly) than one pound per week. Thanks to the other ladies of the challenge who muscled through and checked in every week to the end, I've seen lots of examples of women being determined through good days and bad. Even if they didn't lose as much as they would have liked, they are still inspiring. Over the course of this summer, I've learned HOW to make good choices in both eating and exercising (particularly thanks to Mama Bear June and The Abs Diet.

I haven't reached my ultimate goal yet, although I have accomplished several short-term goals. I intend to continue this weight-loss journey, via the next Challenge, and I will always remember that every day is a new day to make good choices.

weighing in for week 17

2007-09-04T09:23:00.000-05:00

may day challenge week 17
week: -6
total: -20

Last week's up week must have been a bad reading, because the day after, I was back down to something more reasonable, and I've lost again since then. As always though, the five day average is making a nice steady decline (and if you had that information, you'd see that, on average, I've only lost about 3 pounds since last week, but I'm using the Tuesday morning scale number here). Being at home, in my own kitchen, able to get to my gym, really makes such a difference, at least mentally. I'm sure it also helps that it's back to school (work) time for me, and a little more walking never hurts.

See more inspiration at the Tales from the Scales.

back on the wagon

2007-09-02T14:52:00.000-05:00

So many excuses keep people out of the gym or away from exercise. I went over a week without formal exercise -- broke that chain on Sunday, happily. Out of town, too tired, too busy, gym too crowded, dental work (that one's for real, and I think is valid -- first I was numb, and was afraid I'd bite something in my enthusiasm, then I wasn't numb, and didn't really feel well).

I'm not a morning person, and forcing myself out of bed to hit the gym before I go to the office just ... well, I'm a failure on that front. I try to go right after work a few times a week, but inevitably it's the most crowded time for the gym, and some musclenut is hogging some machine that I want (I hate to ask him to move too, because he's been sweating all over, and I don't see him carrying a towel... ew!).

I'm trying to change my routine, to be a dumbbell user, instead of a machine user, but on at least one occasion all the girlie weights that I needed were missing too. I also have to say that it's a big jump from a 10 pound weight to the fifteen. I almost dropped a fifteen on my face trying to do a bench press last week.

But if I use that fifteener, even for just a few reps, eventually my body will adapt and I'll become adept. Just hope it doesn't take too long to get over that hump.

Where did I stand today?

plank: 60 sec
side plank: 20 sec
cobra: x20

dumbbell squat: 10 lb x 15 reps (go up)
chest press: 10 lb x 20 reps (go up)
bent-over rows: 10 lb x 20 reps (go up)
side arm raise: 6 lb x 12 reps
triceps kickback: 8 lb x 15 reps (go up)
biceps curl: 10 lb x 16 reps (go up)
leg curl machine: 70 lb x 15 reps (go up)

16 down, 2 to go

2007-08-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

week: +1
total: -14

A lot of things came together this week to make for an up week (and I'm not talking about my attitude here). We were out of town for the weekend, so I missed two gym dates. Since we were out of town, we didn't have access to the foods we normally eat, and we were hitting fast food. I spent most of Saturday outdoors (good) but I didn't get my regularly scheduled snacks, so when we finally did get to the fast food, I overdid it. I just couldn't help it, I was so hungry.

Well, it's a new week now, and a new opportunity to start over.

weigh-in #15

2007-08-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

week: -1
total: -15

Up early today for a meeting. Feel like crap. Can't tell whether it's because I slept poorly, or nerves. Or the cheat meal pizza that turned into a two-day extravaganza. Ugh.

Must fly.

Remember to see how the others are doing at Tales from the Scales

intervals

2007-08-19T13:34:00.001-05:00

another intervals workout today on the erg (rowing machine). 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest, for 15 cycles -- which is tough, let me tell you. Worst set was 64m, best was 70m.

a new weight tracker

2007-08-15T23:18:00.000-05:00

I read on some other blog the other day (maybe Lifehacker) about this Google widget that some might find useful. It's a weight tracker for your Google Homepage (iGoogle), but it's not one that you're familiar with. Yes, you input your daily weight, but rather than seeing only the hills and valleys of your irregular weight, the widget calculates your running average, so you can see whether you are tending to lose weight, gain, or hold steady. I am not actually using it, as I have seven months of material stored in an excel file that's already showing me the 5-day average. But, I thought maybe the community would like to hear about this.

I think one thing it does require is a daily entry of data (weight) in order to give an accurate average. I just think of it as a piece of scientific information. It is not a definition of who I am, or my worth as a person, or anything more than a datum for finding a current trend. That keeps me sane, and it sure helps to see the average line pointing downward.

week 14

2007-08-14T14:27:00.000-05:00

week: -0
total: -14

Don't really have much to report. Nauseous all day Sunday (darn vitamin), which threw off that day's exercise plan. I'll admit, I can't remember everything we had for supper last week: salad, shrimp and rice, turkey wrap, pita pizza, and ...? The good news, of course, is that there is better food in general in the house, so even when I can't remember, I know it must have been not horrible.

See other participants of the May Day Challenge at Tales from the Scales.

MDC 13

2007-08-07T09:03:00.000-05:00

since last weigh: -3
total: -14

Was out of town again last week. I did find a scale while I was there, but it was old and didn't give consistent readings, so I ignored it. It was hard to make good choices when I was at my parents, since they really don't stock a lot of the things I've started eating. I guess I did well enough though, so I'm not going to dwell on it.

I reached the mini-goal of a few weeks ago, which means I've lost another 5% (mentioned this earlier in the blog). The next short-term goal must be to hit the next lowest number ending in zero. That's seven more pounds, and I'm only averaging a pound a week, so that will probably be a goal that extends beyond the end of this Challenge.

target reached

2007-08-05T12:18:00.000-05:00

I weigh once a day, first thing in the morning. I use a spreadsheet to track not only the daily weight, but also the five-day average, which generally gives a better picture of where I stand than the single daily number does. The goal I achieved today was the loss of another 5% of the weight I started with (probably not the best way to phrase it but so it goes). The first five percent took about two weeks. The second five percent took 4.5 months. Reaching the third marker took another 2.5 months.

May Day Week 11

2007-07-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

week: -1
total for challenge: -11

I'm on track, roughly one pound per week gone, but I still have this sense of spinning my wheels this week, which is totally ridiculous, since I'm down a pants size (woo).

My shopping and eating habits were kind of sporadic last week -- at one point we were out of everything, and when I went shopping, I still forgot key things, like bread!

Maybe it's just a restlessness and wanderlust that usually hit me about this time of summer. In fact, I'll be skipping another post next week since I'll be out of town again.

workout notes

2007-07-22T15:31:00.000-05:00

worked out today with 30 second intervals -- that's 30 seconds of hard work (rowing, specifically) followed by 30 seconds of rest. 20 intervals total. Kicked my butt. My best interval was 107m, my worst was 102m.

noting this for progress and tracking.

not so short

2007-07-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

The shorts currently in my shorts drawer are a mix of elastic band style and button and zipper khakis and denims. There's a lot of gap in my button shorts lately, and since I'm an anti-social cheapskate and didn't want to go to the store unless I absolutely needed to, I dug out an old pair of shorts from storage to see how they fit.

Just fine, thank you very much.

These are not exactly the same shorts that I wore around the time of my wedding (probably), but they're the same size. They're what's known as Mom jeans (shorts) and I was kind of surprised at just how high up my waist they go. I am typically a modest person, clothes-wise, and the low-rise hip-hug-her style has never really suited me -- I was wearing Mom jeans in high school -- but it's all I've been able to find recently. Yay for the old skool clothes in storage! But I digress.

After I got married, I took a summer job at Blockbuster Video, which kept me busy while my brand new husband was working. The next summer, we decided that the BBV job was unnecessary, and we could afford for me to have the summer off. That was a big mistake, because I did nothing that summer except play video games and get fat.

Why wasn't I spending my time outside? Except as a young child, I have not typically been one to enjoy running around in the sun and the heat. It actually affects me quite badly and I frequently become overheated and dehydrated -- I learned this early and have adopted this "avoid the sun" attitude, which has mostly served me well, especially since moving to the Deep South. It's also why I tend not to join outdoor sports leagues or jog.

I wouldn't say that I accepted the weight without question or complaint, but I never really had the tools to do anything about it. I tried working out last summer (06), but I didn't change my eating habits at all. I changed my eating habits this New Year, and that helped initially, but I hit a long plateau when I felt too busy and stressed to work out, and didn't make time for it. So I see now how the two go hand in hand, and I'll keep striving to eat less, move more.

weight loss inspiration from the ancient world

2007-07-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

here

a sample:

LESSON 1

"Some men live to eat and drink. I eat and drink to live."

-- Socrates, Greek philosopher, 5th century B.C.

Modern lesson:

Be sure to try a new interest or two. Eating shouldn't be your only hobby.

weighing in: week 10

2007-07-17T09:49:00.000-05:00

week: -1
total: -10

I just realized that we are past the halfway point in the challenge. I clearly won't be smashing any records, but as long as I continue this downward trend, I will be satisfied.

I'll admit that last week my motivation slipped, and instead of going to the gym on Wednesday, I just lazed around the house watching TV. I maintained a little discipline and didn't eat the whole pantry though, so we'll call that good news and bad news.

I have wholeheartedly embraced the eating plan in The Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide by David Zinczenko. That's how I am, jump into something with great enthusiasm, which will hold for a while, and then (usually) fades away. I expect that by the time my enthusiasm fades, I will have done the plan for long enough that the habits stick anyway. The plan's strength lies in allowing one to eat anything on occasion and in moderation, but guiding one toward natural unprocessed foods, especially foods high in fiber. Nothing is completely forbidden. I was able to use the precepts of the plan while I was away on vacation earlier this month, and even while eating out a lot, like at Macaroni Grill -- twice -- I didn't overdo it.

Last week, in keeping with the plan, I stopped buying Honey Bunches of Oats, and picked up Fiber One w/ Honey Clusters at the grocery. Biggest surprise to me: it doesn't taste like cardboard at all! It's just as good as honey bunches. This week the Fiber One was out of stock, so I tried Bran Flakes with Yogurt Clusters (vel sim.), and that variety is okay too. Who'da thunk that I'd ever like bran cereal? Certainly not me! Also on this list of new things I've tried and liked:

fiber/bran cereal (keeping my bullet list neat and complete)
whole wheat toaster waffles (good plain or with fruit and REAL maple syrup)
spinach (well, like might be a little strong for this, but it makes good filler on sandwiches)
fruit smoothies (I guess that's not truly surprising, but the last one that I bought -- from Subway long ago -- was very watery and not flavorful).

Read other women's stories at the master list: Tales from the Scales.

back in the game (8 July check-in)

2007-07-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

weight change since 19 June: +1
weight change since 8 May: -9

You might notice the last time I checked in was two weeks ago. Had a lovely holiday traveling around this great country, visiting friends and family. And I was able to put in practice all that I have learned about portion sizes and good choices at restaurants, hence essentially maintaining my previous weight. I was not able to squeeze in any real exercising, other than some sporadic walking to various destinations. We got back Thursday, and already we have hit the gym twice, which felt really good, so we're back in the groove and ready for more healthy living.

declaration of independence!

2007-07-09T10:08:00.000-05:00

I declare myself free from the unhealthy lifestyle I have followed for too long.

I recognize that my old habits will always be lurking in the recesses of my mind, waiting to drag me into unhealthy living once again. I will stay vigilant and on guard, and if I slip once, I will not overreact, but I will renew my vow to persevere.

I will aspire to eat unprocessed and natural foods and to avoid both high fructose corn syrup and saturated fats.

I will exercise three times per week. I like the feeling of having muscles and power. I like knowing that my body will perform well when I call on it.

I recognize that this is not a battle easily won, or quickly, but I am determined to follow it through until I have regained a healthy weight, as long as it takes, and for the rest of my life.

I thus declare that I am free from mindless eating, and that I am absolved of all allegiance to the snack machine; that as a free, healthy, and young(ish) woman, I have the full power to earn pain-free knees, to be comfortable in my body (whatever its shape), and do all other Acts and Things which Independent Women may of right do..

(inspired by Tales from the Scales and The Declaration of Independence.)

the great summer road trip

2007-07-06T14:49:00.001-05:00

June 25 we went out of town, on a vacation of sorts. I had planned to attend a professional conference, which happened to be located fairly close to where some friends live, and also not too distant from my in-laws. We got back from this great adventure Thursday night (5 July). This morning I checked my weight first thing, as per usual, and I have not gained any significant weight, despite lots of eating out and road food.

I am so proud of myself.

I was able to make good choices when we went out, and not overdo it when my mother-in-law offered us fresh apple cake a la mode. I wasn't able to do serious exercises while out of town, although there was a fair bit of walking at the conference, since many of the buildings were not situated close together.

And we've already been to thy gym today, getting back into our good habits. Again, I am so pleased!

checking in: Week 6

2007-06-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

week: -3
total: -10

exercised: three times

kept track of portion sizes: daily

took vitamin: daily

water: 3L and 12 glasses

Milestone week. Nice. Around June 9, I got two packages in the mail from Amazon. One was a stick blender that had been heavily discounted. The other was a little pocket-sized handbook called The Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide by David Zinczenko. I had added the book for two reasons: a, to get me up to free shipping; and b, because I had read favorable things about the method in various places.

It's called a diet, but it's really a food plan, with lots of emphasis on good unprocessed natural ingredients. Nothing is absolutely forbidden, and that's the kind of plan that I need, as long as you get lots of your daily foods from the core list (the ABS DIET POWER 12). Turns out that on this food plan, smoothie snacks are highly encouraged, so the purchase of the stick blender was fortuitous -- I find the stick part a lot easier to clean up than the blender pitcher.

I'll admit, I felt a little overwhelmed my first time in the fancy organic food store, trying to find flaxseed powder and extra-protein powder (the only supplement that the plan supports). I'll also admit, I have to learn a new style of shopping entirely, to keep my fresh foods from going bad before I get around to eating them.

I'm sure I have some new good habits. Must stay vigilant and not get lazy.

week 5

2007-06-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

week: -2
total: -7

According to my Goals Log at Joe's Goals, my stats this week:

exercised: 3 times

kept track of food diary: 7 times

took vitamin: 7 times

drank water: 7 litres and 12 glasses

It was like the perfect week. It may be all in my head, but I feel like I have more energy. My knees are definitely not a creaky as they once were. There is confirmed muscle development in my arms and legs. Now to unearth all these new muscles from beneath the flab.

WEEK 4 WEIGH-IN

2007-06-05T10:43:00.000-05:00

weekly change: -1
overall change: -5

In the last seven days, I:
kept track of food (portion size, calories): 7 days
exercised: twice
took a vitamin: 6 times (a new personal record)
drank water: 7 glasses and 5.5L (glasses are really plastic Mardi Gras cups usually, which I use when taking my vitamin or an ibuprofin)

The Good

I'm drinking plenty of water. Don't berate me about the water. 8 8-oz glasses is an excessive requirement, and the researchers who made that cryptic statement also said (and it gets lost in our sound-bite era) that a lot of this water is delivered to us in our food. So I think my daily intake is fine. At least it's not sugary soda (an old addiction of mine which I must constantly struggle against).

I'm almost taking my vitamin every day. It helps that I threw out the generic horse-chokers that my doctor originally recommended and went with the name brand, which is a slightly smaller pill.

The Okay

I only reached the gym twice. But still, I went twice and did good work, so that counts for something.

Where can I improve?

I'm trying to buy less pre-packaged food and make more use of fresh ingredients. It's hard for me though, because I'm no fan of vegetables mostly (dislike the textures, raw and cooked). Also, I'm not a wizard in the kitchen, but I'm determined to change that.

tracking

2007-05-30T17:58:00.000-05:00

There's a simple website called Joe's Goals that I use to keep track of various daily tasks. It's quite customizable, tracking good habits and bad. I don't think the "Reports" are very well implemented, and you can only view it by the week, but for my purposes that is sufficient.

So, for example, in the 7 days before our Week 3 Weigh-In, I can tell you that I:

kept track of my food intake: seven times

exercised: twice

took vitamins: five times

drank this volume of water: 9 glasses and 2.5L

I think I'd like to start making this a regular part of my weigh-in, as it really pulls into focus what I have accomplished, more than a (not-so) little number on a scale.

checking in: Week 3

2007-05-29T10:20:00.000-05:00

Weekly change: 0
Net Loss: 4

I seem to be on a plateau again. What is different about now and two weeks ago, when I had a spurt of weight loss?

I actually visited the doctor yesterday (my birthday in fact; bad planning on my part), for an unrelated issue. We talked a bit about my trying to lose weight, but it wasn't the main topic of the conversation.

Week 2 Weigh-in

2007-05-22T11:41:00.000-05:00

well, I had a net gain of 1 since last week. Guess when my weight shot up? The day after my wedding anniversary. The day after my darling loving husband convinced me to go out for both breakfast and dinner. We did go to the gym the next day too, but it was too late. My exercise schedule was also thrown off last week.

New Leaf!

ooh pretty

2007-05-16T13:36:00.000-05:00

May Day Week 1

2007-05-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

Wow, so looking back at my weight logs (a tip I ~~stole~~ got from Jeremy Zawodny, just as a method of collecting data), I was on a plateau since April 1 to -- you guessed it -- May 9. What causes a plateau? Why does it break? Maybe it has to do with stress, or how I wasn't able to hit the gym so often on account of work. Maybe my body just had to adjust.

In any event, I'm down five whole pounds from where I was on May 8.

Here's my reward!

a purpose for this throwaway blog....

2007-05-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

How does it work? On Tuesday, May 8th, you post on your blog how much weight you want to lose, and your weight history, what other goals you may have for this challenge (creating activity, cutting out soda, etc.) and any weaknesses you have. Come back to this site and sign Mr. Linky. Begin your diet. You have one week from today to plan your diet and prepare yourself for finding the skinny girl inside of you. She's in there and she wants out.

okay I'm a day late here.

Goal: lose at minimum 50 pounds, maximum 75 pounds.

History: I have never been small, but I recently saw a picture of myself as I was about to graduate high school, and in comparison I looked surprisingly trim. At the time I was size 16 in jeans, 12? in dresses. I was moderately active thanks to marching band, but not athletic. Now, 17 years later, mostly through inattention and inactivity, I've gained quite a bit.

Plans: I started taking steps in January (watching my diet, keeping track of my intake and weight, moving more), and lost 17 pounds, but for the past month or two, I've been on a solid plateau. Work is definitely to blame for this, as I'm just too tired to exercise after leaving the office. Soon the pressure will be off, and I should be able to get back to the gym regularly.

Weakness: prepackaged foods that make preparing dinner less complicated. I feel like I have to keep up with my husband, or else he'll eat it all (clearly not good for him if it's not good for me). I either need to learn how to make less, or I need to train him not to eat everything in sight.

go go gmail

2007-04-13T10:59:00.000-05:00

thanks to gmail I have an automatic account here at blogger. just what I needed, another blogspace. to see my real thoughts you should go to my livejournal. except I'm not going to tell you what it is. nyah.