If I can't make it at home with fresh ingredients, I'm not going to eat it. That is the promise I made to myself. That being said, I need to have these Vietnamese Spring Rolls like I've never needed anything before. I've been craving the spring rolls from a local restaurant for the last week and I am about ready to cave. I'm thinking that I can walk to the restaurant from work, pick up my order, and walk back to work. It'll be about 3 miles total and in my mind, it is totally worth the effort.
I went online to track my calories today and it says that with everything I ate, I was only at about 1200 calories. Either I am missing something or I really only ate 1200 calories today. It's completely possible but strange. I didn't feel unsatisfied or irritable so I'm racking my brain to figure out what I missed. I made a huge change today by substituting dressing with salsa and it made my salad pretty amazing. A mild/sweet Salsa with Lettuce, Shrimp, Carrots, Green Onions, Almonds, Cucumber, and Tomato. I definitely needed my snack in the afternoon after a mostly veggie lunch but I wasn't ravenous. My dinner was not a good pre workout choice so I know now that Ravioli is on my "worst" list. I only wish I could get away with having sweet potatoes every night.
The workout tonight was intense. We did a cardio interval twice that just killed me. At one point in the second interval, I realized that Sonic's was across the street so I just imagined that I was running over there to get an Orange Cream Slush. What made it horrible was that the resistance increased from 0 to 15 over the 15 minutes but there were two minutes each at resistance 12, 14, and then 15. Worst six minutes ever. Times two! To make it even better, it was our core circuit night so we spent 20 minutes on the floor. It's the first time since we started that my core really aches. And it's also the first time since we started that I realized Sonic's was across the street. Sigh...
Second official weigh in is on Thursday and I think I've lost another 2-3 pounds since last week but we'll have to wait and see!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
We've entered the age range where we've decided to lie... about how many reps we've done.
I was really worried that I wasn't going to make it to the workout tonight. Legitimately worried and really stressed. Work was a little crazy but I ended up leaving on time and everything was OK.
Something I learned on my honeymoon (it's not rated R, don't worry!) was the mantra Mai Tai, water, water, Mai Tai. I've been trying to use the same lesson when it comes to coffee because I usually have two cups in a morning. Coffee, Water, Water, Coffee. Today I skipped the water and I totally felt the negative effects that I was previously ignoring. I got a major headache but as soon as I re-hydrated, I felt 100 times better. It really surprised me how much water has helped me recently. I'm required to drink at least 50 ounces a day as part of my meal plan and I've found that even though I'm peeing like crazy, it's done a lot to curb my appetite, improve my mood, and increase my endurance during workouts. Water = love. Thank you, Luau lady for the wonderful advice. (I won't share the other advice I got for my wedding/honeymoon, it's not appropriate but it's really funny)
To date my best pre-workout meal has been the combination of a sweet potato, meat, and veggies (this was my dinner tonight). Second best has been pasta, veggies, and sauce. The worst was the shrimp salad. The only problem with my dinner choice tonight was that I had the worst gas (tmi... sorry). The workout was slightly uncomfortable because of this but I made it through. Barely.
I did 15 minutes on an elliptical prior to the workout tonight and I ended up doing a 10:45 minute mile. 15 seconds were shaved off in a week. I actually talked to the lady next me the whole 15 minutes and was never out of breath. My face was bright red but I could talk and workout at the same time which leads me to believe I could have gone a little bit faster and been OK. It was actually really great to talk to someone about how they are doing with the program. It was great to hear that I wasn't the only one experiencing problems with the meals and my calorie intake.
The workout tonight was the upper body and arm circuits that we've worked on in the past couple of weeks. My arms are noticeably stronger but I'm still struggling with my "heavy" weight. We did a total of 30 push ups tonight and I did all of them, correctly and without struggling. It kind of helps that we did them five at a time as part of a circuit but it's still something I plan on bragging about. So there. The circuit was much more difficult tonight because there were no modifications at the end. Either he forgot that he was nice last week or he's stepping it up for us. My guess is the latter. If it is the latter, I can't wait until the core circuit (and the impending soreness) tomorrow.
And ending with some husband humor...
Me: So someone at work was checking me out today. When I caught him he told me my diet was working.
B: Ok.
Me: I told him to stop checking me out because I'm married and it's a little weird.
B: *laugh* Ok.
Me: So, what do you think? Wanna check me out and see if the diet is working?
B: Depends. Is my diet working?
Me: What is your diet?
B: Eating whatever I want, whenever I want.
Me: Yes, it's working.
B: Good, I think I might double my efforts.
Me: Please don't.
Something I learned on my honeymoon (it's not rated R, don't worry!) was the mantra Mai Tai, water, water, Mai Tai. I've been trying to use the same lesson when it comes to coffee because I usually have two cups in a morning. Coffee, Water, Water, Coffee. Today I skipped the water and I totally felt the negative effects that I was previously ignoring. I got a major headache but as soon as I re-hydrated, I felt 100 times better. It really surprised me how much water has helped me recently. I'm required to drink at least 50 ounces a day as part of my meal plan and I've found that even though I'm peeing like crazy, it's done a lot to curb my appetite, improve my mood, and increase my endurance during workouts. Water = love. Thank you, Luau lady for the wonderful advice. (I won't share the other advice I got for my wedding/honeymoon, it's not appropriate but it's really funny)
To date my best pre-workout meal has been the combination of a sweet potato, meat, and veggies (this was my dinner tonight). Second best has been pasta, veggies, and sauce. The worst was the shrimp salad. The only problem with my dinner choice tonight was that I had the worst gas (tmi... sorry). The workout was slightly uncomfortable because of this but I made it through. Barely.
I did 15 minutes on an elliptical prior to the workout tonight and I ended up doing a 10:45 minute mile. 15 seconds were shaved off in a week. I actually talked to the lady next me the whole 15 minutes and was never out of breath. My face was bright red but I could talk and workout at the same time which leads me to believe I could have gone a little bit faster and been OK. It was actually really great to talk to someone about how they are doing with the program. It was great to hear that I wasn't the only one experiencing problems with the meals and my calorie intake.
The workout tonight was the upper body and arm circuits that we've worked on in the past couple of weeks. My arms are noticeably stronger but I'm still struggling with my "heavy" weight. We did a total of 30 push ups tonight and I did all of them, correctly and without struggling. It kind of helps that we did them five at a time as part of a circuit but it's still something I plan on bragging about. So there. The circuit was much more difficult tonight because there were no modifications at the end. Either he forgot that he was nice last week or he's stepping it up for us. My guess is the latter. If it is the latter, I can't wait until the core circuit (and the impending soreness) tomorrow.
And ending with some husband humor...
Me: So someone at work was checking me out today. When I caught him he told me my diet was working.
B: Ok.
Me: I told him to stop checking me out because I'm married and it's a little weird.
B: *laugh* Ok.
Me: So, what do you think? Wanna check me out and see if the diet is working?
B: Depends. Is my diet working?
Me: What is your diet?
B: Eating whatever I want, whenever I want.
Me: Yes, it's working.
B: Good, I think I might double my efforts.
Me: Please don't.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Music, oh sweet music.
I've been acquiring music for years and I always seem to hear certain songs and I think, "Wow! I could really cover some distance with this!" These are some of the songs that I listen to when I'm really in the mood to run: Fitness Playlist. It's really funny because I generally pick music for this playlist that I wouldn't listen to otherwise. Some of these songs are on my normal playlists and I challenge you to figure out which ones those could be!
I forgot to time our outing today which is unfortunate because it felt fast. I finally figured out how to get the 10K App to work on my phone with music playing but it requires headphones. I hate running with headphones but I guess I need to start liking it. We have a lot of areas with no sidewalks and I don't like not being able to hear things. Plus, without headphones I can hear all the dogs trying to attack us through fences.
I redid workout 1 (on the app) and did much better this time. The running intervals were easier and I was able to recover faster during the walking intervals. Hank really enjoyed himself and the walking intervals do as much for him as they do for me. I'm still bummed that I didn't clock this one!
I read most of the afternoon and relaxed on the couch. Enjoyed fresh cilantro on turkey tacos and had lots of fresh veggies with dinner. Feeling pretty good but I'd prefer if I didn't have to go into work tomorrow.
I forgot to time our outing today which is unfortunate because it felt fast. I finally figured out how to get the 10K App to work on my phone with music playing but it requires headphones. I hate running with headphones but I guess I need to start liking it. We have a lot of areas with no sidewalks and I don't like not being able to hear things. Plus, without headphones I can hear all the dogs trying to attack us through fences.
I redid workout 1 (on the app) and did much better this time. The running intervals were easier and I was able to recover faster during the walking intervals. Hank really enjoyed himself and the walking intervals do as much for him as they do for me. I'm still bummed that I didn't clock this one!
I read most of the afternoon and relaxed on the couch. Enjoyed fresh cilantro on turkey tacos and had lots of fresh veggies with dinner. Feeling pretty good but I'd prefer if I didn't have to go into work tomorrow.
Just being reflective
I've been sharing all my posts via Facebook but this is not one that will be shared. I need to write about this but I don't need to widely share it with my Facebook friends. If you read this, great. If not, that is OK too. Either way, comments are not needed and if you see me in person, you don't need to bring it up.
At our workout the other day, someone posed a question to anyone who would listen and respond. "When did you realize that you had a weight problem?" And the follow up was, "What caused your weight to get out of control?" No one answered, everyone just thought.
The second question is much easier to answer because I can pinpoint the time in my life when I let things get out of control. In college, specifically around my 21st birthday, I was at my all time adult skinniest which was about 140 pounds. The following year, at my college graduation, I weighed about 150 pounds but felt really good. By the time I hit 23 and almost exactly one year after my graduation, I had just gotten engaged and I weighed in at 195 pounds. 45 pounds in a year. In a year. I was never hit by the freshman 15 but I was hit by the desk job 45. In the year and a half prior to our wedding, I lost 25 pounds mainly because at that point I had lost my job and became a bit more active. I've gained a little bit of weight since the wedding but now that gives you an idea of where I started just a couple of weeks ago.
My desk job started two weeks after college and if I knew then what I know now, I would never have started that job. My hours were 6AM-4PM with 24/7 access to work via blackberry and multiple Saturday shifts a month. There was so much stress and so much food. Breakfast and lunch at my desk and once I got home at night, I had no energy to do much else other than veg out and eat. I was used to skinny Melanie but I was also used to walking around campus and being active. I looked in the mirror and saw her, skinny Melanie. I stood on the scale and swore to myself, if you see 170, you will start eating better. If you see 180, you need to start eating better. If you see 190, things have to get better. I saw 195 and did nothing about it.
What happened between 150 and 170? I had a miscarriage. I was on birth control and the pregnancy took us by complete and utter surprise. I was still surprised by it when I miscarried. The doctor guesstimated that I was a couple months along. (The doctor also said some really mean things to me during the appointment in regards to promiscuity and being more careful, not even caring enough to realize I had a live in boyfriend who I had been with for four years). I was pretty depressed and hardly sleeping for weeks. I don't remember too much about it just because I tried really hard to block things out. I remember working myself to unimaginable stress levels and getting to the point where I was dreaming about work. I never got away from that place. Then I officially met fat Melanie. I saw an informal engagement picture of myself in the same shirt I wore on my 21st birthday. It was not pretty and I realized that the person in the mirror and in my head was not what the world saw.
When I got laid off, it was a blessing in disguise. After the initial "I feel really bad for myself stage", I really turned around my lifestyle. I worked a field researcher internship for a few months, got a dog (yay for Hank!), spent some more time off work, and then got my current job. In that time I lost about 15 of the excess pounds I spent a year accruing. And for the first time, I had my doctor tell me I was obese. She also told me that weight loss is black and white. You eat too much, you gain weight. To this day, I don't agree with her. Weight loss and weight gain is not black and white. If it were that easy, weight would be much easier to lose. The nutritionist I met at that time agreed with me. She also told me that I didn't look obese. Those words actually didn't help me at all. At the time, if someone had told me I was fat, I would have worked harder. Everyone I knew told me, "you don't look that fat."
"You don't look that fat." "You don't look like you weigh that much." "You don't look like you wear a size 12." "I think you are beautiful and I love you no matter what." These are not helpful phrases. Ok, I don't look my size so I'm not going to work as hard because I don't LOOK fat. Honesty would hurt but it would also kick my ass into shape. I'm not talking about honesty after the fact. "Oh wow, you finally lost that extra weight." "Oh you look so much better now that you've lost weight." I'm thinking more along the lines of, "Well you don't look like you weigh 180 pounds but you do look like you've gained weight. Need help getting into shape?"
So now, here I am. Hi. My name is Melanie. I'm overweight. I realized I had a problem two and a half years ago. I've lost 25 pounds on my own and now I need help because I've been on a plateau for a long time. I let my weight get out of control after I graduated from college, got a high stress desk job, had a miscarriage, and ate away the stress. I started the 5 Ton Challenge at Terrio and so far I've lost 8 pounds. I'm peeing like a crazy woman, I can walk 3 miles in 45 minutes, and I've stopped complaining about only eating 17 grapes at a time. I'm here to rock it and get better. It's nice to meet you.
At our workout the other day, someone posed a question to anyone who would listen and respond. "When did you realize that you had a weight problem?" And the follow up was, "What caused your weight to get out of control?" No one answered, everyone just thought.
The second question is much easier to answer because I can pinpoint the time in my life when I let things get out of control. In college, specifically around my 21st birthday, I was at my all time adult skinniest which was about 140 pounds. The following year, at my college graduation, I weighed about 150 pounds but felt really good. By the time I hit 23 and almost exactly one year after my graduation, I had just gotten engaged and I weighed in at 195 pounds. 45 pounds in a year. In a year. I was never hit by the freshman 15 but I was hit by the desk job 45. In the year and a half prior to our wedding, I lost 25 pounds mainly because at that point I had lost my job and became a bit more active. I've gained a little bit of weight since the wedding but now that gives you an idea of where I started just a couple of weeks ago.
My desk job started two weeks after college and if I knew then what I know now, I would never have started that job. My hours were 6AM-4PM with 24/7 access to work via blackberry and multiple Saturday shifts a month. There was so much stress and so much food. Breakfast and lunch at my desk and once I got home at night, I had no energy to do much else other than veg out and eat. I was used to skinny Melanie but I was also used to walking around campus and being active. I looked in the mirror and saw her, skinny Melanie. I stood on the scale and swore to myself, if you see 170, you will start eating better. If you see 180, you need to start eating better. If you see 190, things have to get better. I saw 195 and did nothing about it.
What happened between 150 and 170? I had a miscarriage. I was on birth control and the pregnancy took us by complete and utter surprise. I was still surprised by it when I miscarried. The doctor guesstimated that I was a couple months along. (The doctor also said some really mean things to me during the appointment in regards to promiscuity and being more careful, not even caring enough to realize I had a live in boyfriend who I had been with for four years). I was pretty depressed and hardly sleeping for weeks. I don't remember too much about it just because I tried really hard to block things out. I remember working myself to unimaginable stress levels and getting to the point where I was dreaming about work. I never got away from that place. Then I officially met fat Melanie. I saw an informal engagement picture of myself in the same shirt I wore on my 21st birthday. It was not pretty and I realized that the person in the mirror and in my head was not what the world saw.
When I got laid off, it was a blessing in disguise. After the initial "I feel really bad for myself stage", I really turned around my lifestyle. I worked a field researcher internship for a few months, got a dog (yay for Hank!), spent some more time off work, and then got my current job. In that time I lost about 15 of the excess pounds I spent a year accruing. And for the first time, I had my doctor tell me I was obese. She also told me that weight loss is black and white. You eat too much, you gain weight. To this day, I don't agree with her. Weight loss and weight gain is not black and white. If it were that easy, weight would be much easier to lose. The nutritionist I met at that time agreed with me. She also told me that I didn't look obese. Those words actually didn't help me at all. At the time, if someone had told me I was fat, I would have worked harder. Everyone I knew told me, "you don't look that fat."
"You don't look that fat." "You don't look like you weigh that much." "You don't look like you wear a size 12." "I think you are beautiful and I love you no matter what." These are not helpful phrases. Ok, I don't look my size so I'm not going to work as hard because I don't LOOK fat. Honesty would hurt but it would also kick my ass into shape. I'm not talking about honesty after the fact. "Oh wow, you finally lost that extra weight." "Oh you look so much better now that you've lost weight." I'm thinking more along the lines of, "Well you don't look like you weigh 180 pounds but you do look like you've gained weight. Need help getting into shape?"
So now, here I am. Hi. My name is Melanie. I'm overweight. I realized I had a problem two and a half years ago. I've lost 25 pounds on my own and now I need help because I've been on a plateau for a long time. I let my weight get out of control after I graduated from college, got a high stress desk job, had a miscarriage, and ate away the stress. I started the 5 Ton Challenge at Terrio and so far I've lost 8 pounds. I'm peeing like a crazy woman, I can walk 3 miles in 45 minutes, and I've stopped complaining about only eating 17 grapes at a time. I'm here to rock it and get better. It's nice to meet you.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
"I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing."
I almost didn't write a post today but decided if I stop now, I won't write another post. Dedication works in mysterious ways!
Today was physical inventory day and I got to spend all day at work. "Yes, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. It is the side of the bed that forces me to see your face today." That's a certified Melanie quote and yes, I said it out loud. Let's just say at 7AM on a Saturday when someone uses my order filling/cycle counting cart as a trash can, I get slightly irritated. My personal life and my home life aren't always neat and tidy but you better believe things at work are in order.
Anyway, aside from inventory being awful and boring, it was a good day. My legs are still a bit sore but I've felt really satisfied in the realm of food. They served donuts for breakfast and I didn't have any. They served pizza for lunch and I didn't have any. I had a great turkey, cheese, and cilantro sandwich for lunch (which, by the way, everyone was really jealous of) and cottage cheese and strawberries for breakfast. I had to go grocery shopping after work and I spent another $80 or so on food. I'm most excited about the Roasted Garlic Hummus I was able to get as a dip for my sugar snap peas. Mmmm... I'm really looking forward to that!
Hank and I took a quick walk to the dog park with our new Chuckit and had a great time chasing tennis balls. Hank made a new friend, a blue merle Aussie puppy who was like his shadow for the entire time we were there. The walk with shortcuts is less than half a mile, but we don't take shortcuts. The walk ends up being about a mile-ish both ways. Tomorrow is our three mile day! Wish us luck!
Today was physical inventory day and I got to spend all day at work. "Yes, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. It is the side of the bed that forces me to see your face today." That's a certified Melanie quote and yes, I said it out loud. Let's just say at 7AM on a Saturday when someone uses my order filling/cycle counting cart as a trash can, I get slightly irritated. My personal life and my home life aren't always neat and tidy but you better believe things at work are in order.
Anyway, aside from inventory being awful and boring, it was a good day. My legs are still a bit sore but I've felt really satisfied in the realm of food. They served donuts for breakfast and I didn't have any. They served pizza for lunch and I didn't have any. I had a great turkey, cheese, and cilantro sandwich for lunch (which, by the way, everyone was really jealous of) and cottage cheese and strawberries for breakfast. I had to go grocery shopping after work and I spent another $80 or so on food. I'm most excited about the Roasted Garlic Hummus I was able to get as a dip for my sugar snap peas. Mmmm... I'm really looking forward to that!
Hank and I took a quick walk to the dog park with our new Chuckit and had a great time chasing tennis balls. Hank made a new friend, a blue merle Aussie puppy who was like his shadow for the entire time we were there. The walk with shortcuts is less than half a mile, but we don't take shortcuts. The walk ends up being about a mile-ish both ways. Tomorrow is our three mile day! Wish us luck!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Re: Eating without thinking
For the first time since I started this challenge, I ate without really thinking or planning and I did a really good job.
Me: What do I want to do for dinner? Menu 6 or Menu 7?
B: I was thinking tacos.
Me: Ok, sounds good. What kind of tacos?
B: Ground Beef.
Me: Ok, can you make my beef plain?
B: Well I was going to put taco seasoning on the beef.
Me: *Looks at seasoning, it has 540mg of sodium* Can we make mine plain?
B: Can I use cumin and chili powder instead?
Me: *Looks in cabinet again. Better, much better* Sure.
My meal plans are planned out to a tee but I have the ability to add things to the menu via a website database. For instance, if one day next week I decide to buy a bottle of wine and have a glass with dinner, wine is listed in the database. It is not recommended but it is there.
Back to my dinner story! I guesstimated on all of my portions. 1/2 cup of Black Beans, two 6" corn tortillas, 3oz of ground beef, cilantro, cucumbers, and a little bit of avocado. I did not go over my calories for dinner and actually had some to spare for the day. Like elliptical running a mile in 11 minutes was a huge deal, this is also a pretty huge accomplishment for me. When my workout and nutrition program is finished in mid-March, I believe I have a good chance of being successful on my own. You may think that it is one day and one meal, but I happen to see it in a slightly different light. Dinner has always been a challenge, even when I was much thinner. Two weeks ago, I would added one more tortilla, 1/2 cup more of beans, the sodium filled seasoning, and twice the amount of meat.
People have assumed that my grocery bill has skyrocketed but it really hasn't because I'm not eating out and I've purchased a lot of canned and frozen foods. I still have a lot of fresh veggies and fruits but that's not out of the ordinary for me. Do I miss some of the foods I'm used to eating: absolutely. Am I bummed that I have to limit my grape intake: extremely. Am I dreaming about food more often: unfortunately. Am I seeing results and feeling better with less calories: yes, but I'm still adjusting.
In response to the first question, I found some food links that I will be attacking and using. Quite frankly, I miss eating at Chinese restaurants. I've been saved! Eat this not that style guide to Chinese food. Good news, I can still have won ton soup! Bad news, lo mein/chow mein is out of the question. Boo! And it looks like I will have to start cooking my Mexican food at home. Fresh Guacamole and Jicama, here I come! I love cooking my own soups but usually end up popping open a can of Chunky. Looks like I need to clean the stainless steel pot and get going. I'm going to stick strictly to the diet for the next couple of weeks and if I am still seeing results, I'm going to start being a little more creative.
Remember yesterday when I said my legs were feeling awesome? They aren't anymore and I am feeling the burn. I have walking lunges to thank for that! It's not walking that gets me, it's sitting and standing up from sitting. Moving is key!
I do have a frustration to share. I'm working really hard and even though I've been a little bit crabby, I've done a good job smiling and laughing everything off. The support I've received from my family and friends has been overwhelming and awesome. That being said, I don't expect coworkers to jump up, hug and congratulate me when I've lost a fraction of a pound. What I do expect is that they respect my choices. Yesterday I had to say no to a piece of homemade cake three times. "Why Melanie? Just eat the cake." "No thanks, I'm trying to eat better. Cake isn't on my list today." Then they proceed to taunt me with the cake and laugh about it. Really? It's really hard for me to say no to that damn cake, must you taunt me? Or my favorite, "So have you even lost weight? It doesn't look like it." Yes, I have lost weight and I'm really proud of myself. I don't expect (or want) you to notice that my boobs are smaller, my butt is a little higher, and that my knees look thinner. I just want you to understand that my days of allowing you to guilt me into food are over.
Ending on a happy note... I love my walking partner!
Me: What do I want to do for dinner? Menu 6 or Menu 7?
B: I was thinking tacos.
Me: Ok, sounds good. What kind of tacos?
B: Ground Beef.
Me: Ok, can you make my beef plain?
B: Well I was going to put taco seasoning on the beef.
Me: *Looks at seasoning, it has 540mg of sodium* Can we make mine plain?
B: Can I use cumin and chili powder instead?
Me: *Looks in cabinet again. Better, much better* Sure.
My meal plans are planned out to a tee but I have the ability to add things to the menu via a website database. For instance, if one day next week I decide to buy a bottle of wine and have a glass with dinner, wine is listed in the database. It is not recommended but it is there.
Back to my dinner story! I guesstimated on all of my portions. 1/2 cup of Black Beans, two 6" corn tortillas, 3oz of ground beef, cilantro, cucumbers, and a little bit of avocado. I did not go over my calories for dinner and actually had some to spare for the day. Like elliptical running a mile in 11 minutes was a huge deal, this is also a pretty huge accomplishment for me. When my workout and nutrition program is finished in mid-March, I believe I have a good chance of being successful on my own. You may think that it is one day and one meal, but I happen to see it in a slightly different light. Dinner has always been a challenge, even when I was much thinner. Two weeks ago, I would added one more tortilla, 1/2 cup more of beans, the sodium filled seasoning, and twice the amount of meat.
People have assumed that my grocery bill has skyrocketed but it really hasn't because I'm not eating out and I've purchased a lot of canned and frozen foods. I still have a lot of fresh veggies and fruits but that's not out of the ordinary for me. Do I miss some of the foods I'm used to eating: absolutely. Am I bummed that I have to limit my grape intake: extremely. Am I dreaming about food more often: unfortunately. Am I seeing results and feeling better with less calories: yes, but I'm still adjusting.
In response to the first question, I found some food links that I will be attacking and using. Quite frankly, I miss eating at Chinese restaurants. I've been saved! Eat this not that style guide to Chinese food. Good news, I can still have won ton soup! Bad news, lo mein/chow mein is out of the question. Boo! And it looks like I will have to start cooking my Mexican food at home. Fresh Guacamole and Jicama, here I come! I love cooking my own soups but usually end up popping open a can of Chunky. Looks like I need to clean the stainless steel pot and get going. I'm going to stick strictly to the diet for the next couple of weeks and if I am still seeing results, I'm going to start being a little more creative.
Remember yesterday when I said my legs were feeling awesome? They aren't anymore and I am feeling the burn. I have walking lunges to thank for that! It's not walking that gets me, it's sitting and standing up from sitting. Moving is key!
I do have a frustration to share. I'm working really hard and even though I've been a little bit crabby, I've done a good job smiling and laughing everything off. The support I've received from my family and friends has been overwhelming and awesome. That being said, I don't expect coworkers to jump up, hug and congratulate me when I've lost a fraction of a pound. What I do expect is that they respect my choices. Yesterday I had to say no to a piece of homemade cake three times. "Why Melanie? Just eat the cake." "No thanks, I'm trying to eat better. Cake isn't on my list today." Then they proceed to taunt me with the cake and laugh about it. Really? It's really hard for me to say no to that damn cake, must you taunt me? Or my favorite, "So have you even lost weight? It doesn't look like it." Yes, I have lost weight and I'm really proud of myself. I don't expect (or want) you to notice that my boobs are smaller, my butt is a little higher, and that my knees look thinner. I just want you to understand that my days of allowing you to guilt me into food are over.
Ending on a happy note... I love my walking partner!
 |
| Sorry it's blurry. We were walking fast! |
Thursday, January 26, 2012
And that's how I became their chief.
 |
| *Charlie Brown music plays, Melanie squeals, Melanie dances Snoopy Style* |
I have a problem with my alarm clock. When I set a new alarm, I always have an anxiety that I'm not going to wake up or the alarm isn't going to work. So the alarm was set for 5AM and I woke up at 3:11AM thinking the sun was already up. It took me forever to fall back to sleep and once I fell asleep, the alarm was blaring. I was up and out of the house within 10 minutes and I wish I had taken two extra minutes to grab a better breakfast. One pear just isn't enough before a workout.
If you've never experienced Tulle Fog, you need to re-adjust your knowledge of fog. It was so foggy this morning that I almost turned around to go back to bed. Luckily, the fog cleared for the last portion of my drive and I could actually see what was going on around me. I wasn't so lucky for the drive home but I made it, so everything is a-ok. I even got to watch the sunrise from a treadmill.
Now for the best news to date. I almost said it was an "indescribable" feeling and then realized I am typing a blog and describing my feelings. Anything is possible! The trainer set up the scale to read at my previous weight and then had me step on to the scale. Watching the number on the scale go down was the greatest moment. I stood there fake covering my eyes while he got everything adjusted and was so happy to find that I have lost eight pounds this week! I practically hopped off the scale and gave the man a hug, but I held back and did the snoopy dance in my head. Now let's see if I can keep losing a couple pounds a week. Say no to the plateau!
It has been decided that waking up for a workout is not as great as preparing for a workout throughout the day. I felt so sluggish this morning and I just couldn't keep up with the other people in the group. Maybe they were just powering through or had a good breakfast or maybe I'm just really slow. I got complimented for doing all my exercises with the proper form and that is a great thing to hear. You lost weight and you are doing the exercises properly. Arguably, some of the best words ever (there are better ones out there, I acknowledge this fact and I hope to hear them someday). A positive about the morning workout is that I got to walk out any soreness all day today. Despite the tough lower body circuits we did today, my legs are feeling pretty awesome.
Lunch time wasn't "We Three Walking Weirdos" because there were only two of us (us two trotting...er... walkers?). It's great to see people from work drive by with confused looks on their faces. It's really annoying when you get back to work and people make fun of you for actually trying. I have plenty of negative things to say about my workplace but what it comes down to is....well... erm... huh. I can't say any of the things I want to say. :)
As a final note, I cheated a little bit today. Last night we made dinner for a friend. My husband made his famous Chili and I made Cornbread and Cheesecake Cupcakes. Today I ate a leftover cheesecake cupcake. I deserved it! Don't judge me! (by the way, it was really good and I really enjoyed the splurge.)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Favorite pasttime: dancing in socks on the tile floor
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| I'm not claiming to be a sexy beast but I thought this was amazing anyway. |
I typed "funny jokes to keep you exercising" into a Google search and I found this! My favorite line is "DIET PILLS: "I'm
prescribing these pills for you," said the doctor to the overweight
patient, who tipped the scales at about three hundred pounds. "I don't want you to swallow them. Just spill them on the floor twice a day and pick them up, one at a time...."
Today was not an exercise day but it was certainly a busy day. At point, I was in an upstairs office at work on a conference call and the heater was set for 79 degrees. I hardly had the energy to sweat. How people do Bikram Yoga, I have no clue.
The first official weigh in is at tomorrow's class and I'm lucky because I'm joining the 6AM group for the day. My weight at the end of the day is never as wonderful as it is in the morning!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Look! I can life my arms enough to give you a hug!
I thought I wouldn't be able to put my hair up this morning but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could function all day AND give my husband a hug when I got home from work. Win for me!
But anyway, I felt much better with the new food plan today. I split my snacks so I'm eating a little more often during the day and I think it's really helping me focus and keep my energy levels high. I'm drinking an insane amount of water and it's coming out as quickly as it's going in. It's a little rough to be chained to the bathroom but I've been told this too shall pass.
I've noticed little changes in my body other than weight loss over the last couple of days. At today's workout, the core circuit was really tough but I've noticed my breathing is getting much better and is more relaxed while I workout. The only problem is the leg raises hurt my back like crazy because the floor is so hard. I think I'm going to try these at home and figure out what kind of cushioning to use while I'm working up to "hard floor resistance". I've also realized that having strong legs doesn't mean you have strong hips because I creaked like an old lady during some of the circuit today.
My body's response to the cardio workout has just been awesome. I found that during the cardio intervals today (I got an elliptical by the way), I was maintaining the same speed and intensity even when the resistance level went up to 15. It wasn't until we hit minute 15 that I needed to slow down and I ended up doing an 11 minute mile, which is huge for me. I felt pretty amazing after that! Tired, but amazing.
The coolest part of today is that I realized my lifestyle change has motivated a couple people I work with to also make some changes to either their exercise or eating habits. We started a lunch walking group, which I've dubbed "We Three Walking Weirdos" and hopefully it is something that we continue. It's kind of empowering and extremely motivating.
P.S. I just ate three M&M's. I won't tell if you don't!
But anyway, I felt much better with the new food plan today. I split my snacks so I'm eating a little more often during the day and I think it's really helping me focus and keep my energy levels high. I'm drinking an insane amount of water and it's coming out as quickly as it's going in. It's a little rough to be chained to the bathroom but I've been told this too shall pass.
I've noticed little changes in my body other than weight loss over the last couple of days. At today's workout, the core circuit was really tough but I've noticed my breathing is getting much better and is more relaxed while I workout. The only problem is the leg raises hurt my back like crazy because the floor is so hard. I think I'm going to try these at home and figure out what kind of cushioning to use while I'm working up to "hard floor resistance". I've also realized that having strong legs doesn't mean you have strong hips because I creaked like an old lady during some of the circuit today.
My body's response to the cardio workout has just been awesome. I found that during the cardio intervals today (I got an elliptical by the way), I was maintaining the same speed and intensity even when the resistance level went up to 15. It wasn't until we hit minute 15 that I needed to slow down and I ended up doing an 11 minute mile, which is huge for me. I felt pretty amazing after that! Tired, but amazing.
The coolest part of today is that I realized my lifestyle change has motivated a couple people I work with to also make some changes to either their exercise or eating habits. We started a lunch walking group, which I've dubbed "We Three Walking Weirdos" and hopefully it is something that we continue. It's kind of empowering and extremely motivating.
P.S. I just ate three M&M's. I won't tell if you don't!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Don't worry, it's only because I could only eat 17 grapes yesterday...
I woke up this morning, weighed myself and about fainted. Between yesterday and today, I lost 5 pounds. No wonder I felt so crappy yesterday! Not too excited about dropping so much weight in such a short amount of time, even if it is just water weight.
Today was my first day at work being 100% on the diet plan. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty. My breakfast was a whole grain waffle, yogurt, and strawberries. By 9 my stomach was growling and by 10 it was screaming, "Feed me now!" My snack was raspberries and almonds. My stomach continued on by yelling, "Chocolate might help!"
A minute before my lunch I got a phone call that basically brought to light that I was in a crappy mood. Luckily, it was someone who was willing to talk it out with me and I felt better and ended up laughing. Lunch was what I dub, "White Girl Tacos". Corn tortillas with avocado, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato slices, and salsa. I found out later that I was allotted 160 calories worth of tortillas and my two tortillas were only 110 calories. The lunch was great but I wish I had known I could have added something extra (cheese would have been nice!). Afternoons are generally more active for me because that is when the bulk of our orders come in. I was pretty busy but hit a slump around 3:30 and my brain kind of fogged up. My afternoon snack was 32 pistachios and an apple. It's actually a ton of pistachios to eat but I've found that they aren't filling for very long.
I almost got to leave work on time. Almost! Once I got home, I was worried I wouldn't have time to make my meal plan dinner so I switched it up a little bit. I had chicken breast, baked sweet potato, and steamed broccoli. The best part was, I had the calories available to add sour cream to my baked sweet potato. Another good part, the sweet potato came ready to microwave in it's own little plastic wrapper. It came out of the microwave EXACTLY how I wanted it and it was so yummy. My last memory of appreciating a baked potato so much is from high school when I tried out for the softball team my freshman year. The second day of tryouts, I was so worn out that all I wanted was a potato. That potato was almost as good as this potato. No joke.
On my drive to the gym, I had a ton of water and half a banana (the other half was for after the workout). Pretty much, I was fueled all the way through to the end of the workout. I only got fatigued because my muscles were truly fatigued, not because I didn't have the fuel to continue on. We did an all upper body circuits today but I was able to complete the cardio intervals afterwards without any problems. I even had the energy to do the post cardio upper body circuit. That's a great way to end the day considering how awful I felt for a majority of the day. I may or may not be able to put my hair in a ponytail tomorrow.
Oh and the lesson for today: never be the last to finish the self guided circuit because then you get the crappy cardio machine (ie: the stair stepper).
Today was my first day at work being 100% on the diet plan. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty. My breakfast was a whole grain waffle, yogurt, and strawberries. By 9 my stomach was growling and by 10 it was screaming, "Feed me now!" My snack was raspberries and almonds. My stomach continued on by yelling, "Chocolate might help!"
A minute before my lunch I got a phone call that basically brought to light that I was in a crappy mood. Luckily, it was someone who was willing to talk it out with me and I felt better and ended up laughing. Lunch was what I dub, "White Girl Tacos". Corn tortillas with avocado, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato slices, and salsa. I found out later that I was allotted 160 calories worth of tortillas and my two tortillas were only 110 calories. The lunch was great but I wish I had known I could have added something extra (cheese would have been nice!). Afternoons are generally more active for me because that is when the bulk of our orders come in. I was pretty busy but hit a slump around 3:30 and my brain kind of fogged up. My afternoon snack was 32 pistachios and an apple. It's actually a ton of pistachios to eat but I've found that they aren't filling for very long.
I almost got to leave work on time. Almost! Once I got home, I was worried I wouldn't have time to make my meal plan dinner so I switched it up a little bit. I had chicken breast, baked sweet potato, and steamed broccoli. The best part was, I had the calories available to add sour cream to my baked sweet potato. Another good part, the sweet potato came ready to microwave in it's own little plastic wrapper. It came out of the microwave EXACTLY how I wanted it and it was so yummy. My last memory of appreciating a baked potato so much is from high school when I tried out for the softball team my freshman year. The second day of tryouts, I was so worn out that all I wanted was a potato. That potato was almost as good as this potato. No joke.
On my drive to the gym, I had a ton of water and half a banana (the other half was for after the workout). Pretty much, I was fueled all the way through to the end of the workout. I only got fatigued because my muscles were truly fatigued, not because I didn't have the fuel to continue on. We did an all upper body circuits today but I was able to complete the cardio intervals afterwards without any problems. I even had the energy to do the post cardio upper body circuit. That's a great way to end the day considering how awful I felt for a majority of the day. I may or may not be able to put my hair in a ponytail tomorrow.
Oh and the lesson for today: never be the last to finish the self guided circuit because then you get the crappy cardio machine (ie: the stair stepper).
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| The view on the way home from work... pretty cool! |
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Who in the history of the world as EVER counted their grapes prior to eating them?!
This is a whining post because I'm really frustrated with my menu and I have the vent. Who counts the shit they eat? I mean really? 17 grapes and 20 peanuts? I don't care much about the peanuts but the grapes... why???!!! I love grapes. I love having more than 17 grapes. I'd love to have 30 grapes and not feel guilty about it.
:(
Diets are scientifically proven to make people irritable and angry. I am now a statistic.
After Dinner update: Still not happy. My stomach is completely rebelling at this point and it's really uncomfortable. Dinner was a good size, 3.5oz of Pork Tenderloin, 1 cup of couscous, and 1 cup of steamed asparagus spears.
Let me just give you a picture... my calories burned today was 3,150 calories. My calories consumed was 1,641. That means I've burnt (approximately) 1,509 calories today. I've lost 4 pounds in the last 3 days. Results? Sure. Best way possible? Not convinced.
:(
Diets are scientifically proven to make people irritable and angry. I am now a statistic.
After Dinner update: Still not happy. My stomach is completely rebelling at this point and it's really uncomfortable. Dinner was a good size, 3.5oz of Pork Tenderloin, 1 cup of couscous, and 1 cup of steamed asparagus spears.
Let me just give you a picture... my calories burned today was 3,150 calories. My calories consumed was 1,641. That means I've burnt (approximately) 1,509 calories today. I've lost 4 pounds in the last 3 days. Results? Sure. Best way possible? Not convinced.
"The longest journey begins with a small step taken by a brave person."
I need to start off by saying it is a beautiful, picturesque day in the Central Valley. The air is clean(er), it is fresh and brisk outside, and you can see the mountains! Well, not really in my picture but they are there and they are magnificent!
I downloaded this app for my iPhone last night: 10K Runner: Couch to 5K to 10K and used it for the first time this morning. I decided to leave Hank at home and complete Day 1, Workout 1 on my own. Overall, it's an easy program to use but I found that even though it advertises that you can play music and still hear the commands, it just doesn't work well. Or, I just can't hear the commands (today's playlist was Beats Antique). I need to figure out how to make it work because running/walking without music is lame-o.
D1/W1 was 30 minutes long but I was out for 38 minutes. The total distance of my walk should have been 3 miles but I cut the last half mile because I was seriously fatigued. So, 2.5 miles in 38 minutes isn't bad at all because using my speed and per mile time, I reduced my 3 mile time by about 3-4 minutes just by adding the running intervals that the app prompted me to add. I'm not running fast, but I am running! The only difference in today and yesterday is that I do not feel like a rockstar today, I feel like crap. Goals: find a better pre run food, have a better stretch routine for before and after my workout.
My real problem is rating my speed. I feel like my speed is all over the place and that it really hurts my ability to run for longer distances. I'm also not a breather. Yes, I breathe unconsciously because that is what a body is designed to do but when I am thinking about breathing, I ruin it for myself. Yesterday I had the ability to say no to running because of the wind and I think that was a really smart decision. Now I need to learn how to pace myself and breathe correctly. Tips and advice on anything running related are welcome!
And RIP to my Slouch Beanie. I left it at the gym or lost it between the gym and my car on Tuesday night. It was my headgear for walks and a necessity for the 7AM dog park trips. Le sigh... you are missed, comfy beanie. Now I need to search Etsy for a new one.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
“I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things... I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind.”
The title quote is by Leo F. Buscaglia. By the way, he is described as an American guru and a tireless advocate of the power of love. *fist pump for the power of love*
I went to the Super Walmart to grocery shop today and I bought food from four of my seven menus but will have enough food to last me about a solid week. I bought some water packed canned fruit and some frozen fruit, that way nothing goes bad. All said and done, I spent about $80 for everything.
The rain has held off for most of the day, so I took the dog on our three mile walk. It was so windy that I gave up on adding any running to the route. There were fences, real estate signs, and street signs down all over the place. The weather forecast actually has a wind advisory and mentions something about a tropical storm. Well, we certainly didn't have tropical storm winds on our walk but we did spend quite a bit of time walking into huge gusts of wind.
Before the grocery store, all I had eaten was a half cup of cereal with milk and two Clementine oranges. I was suppose to have a snack at some point in the morning but forgot but I was surprisingly not hungry. Before our walk and after unloading my bounty, I had some Blackberry Pomegranate Yogurt, Pistachios, and Pita Chips. I actually mixed it all together in a bowl and it tasted really good. Unfortunately, towards the tail end of my walk, I was really feeling the lack of calories. We stopped twice to stretch a bit (and you know, dog potty breaks) and took a slightly different route to make sure the walk was three miles. But it's so exciting! Our time was 6 whole minutes faster, no running involved! That means I went from walking slightly over an 18 minute (3.25MPH) to walking a 16.5 minute mile (3.6MPH). Way to go us!
Hank has yet to move from where he plopped down earlier which is amazing considering he's the Energizer Aussie. I on the other hand, have been quite productive. My productivity included an awesome Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat with bbq sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato, shredded carrot, and avocado with some fruit cocktail. I wouldn't mind eating this sandwich every day. Ok, maybe every other day.
Oh! Oh! Playlist: The Understorey Kick Ace Music Playlist. One of my fav indie/self published authors has the greatest taste in music. I could listen to this playlist, on repeat, all day!
I went to the Super Walmart to grocery shop today and I bought food from four of my seven menus but will have enough food to last me about a solid week. I bought some water packed canned fruit and some frozen fruit, that way nothing goes bad. All said and done, I spent about $80 for everything.
The rain has held off for most of the day, so I took the dog on our three mile walk. It was so windy that I gave up on adding any running to the route. There were fences, real estate signs, and street signs down all over the place. The weather forecast actually has a wind advisory and mentions something about a tropical storm. Well, we certainly didn't have tropical storm winds on our walk but we did spend quite a bit of time walking into huge gusts of wind.
Before the grocery store, all I had eaten was a half cup of cereal with milk and two Clementine oranges. I was suppose to have a snack at some point in the morning but forgot but I was surprisingly not hungry. Before our walk and after unloading my bounty, I had some Blackberry Pomegranate Yogurt, Pistachios, and Pita Chips. I actually mixed it all together in a bowl and it tasted really good. Unfortunately, towards the tail end of my walk, I was really feeling the lack of calories. We stopped twice to stretch a bit (and you know, dog potty breaks) and took a slightly different route to make sure the walk was three miles. But it's so exciting! Our time was 6 whole minutes faster, no running involved! That means I went from walking slightly over an 18 minute (3.25MPH) to walking a 16.5 minute mile (3.6MPH). Way to go us!
Hank has yet to move from where he plopped down earlier which is amazing considering he's the Energizer Aussie. I on the other hand, have been quite productive. My productivity included an awesome Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat with bbq sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato, shredded carrot, and avocado with some fruit cocktail. I wouldn't mind eating this sandwich every day. Ok, maybe every other day.
Oh! Oh! Playlist: The Understorey Kick Ace Music Playlist. One of my fav indie/self published authors has the greatest taste in music. I could listen to this playlist, on repeat, all day!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Oh right, doing the dishes is as important as exercising.
Today was the worst day of the week. I feel pretty invigorated and pretty excited that I can walk after yesterday's workout but still, it was the worst day. Probably a combination of a new diet, no coffee, sore muscles and the inability to eat the tacos at work. I had to make the decision that Tortillas, Beans and Bacon, and Shredded Beef were just not good choices for lunch. Instead, I had a Turkey Sandwich on wheat bread, Cantaloupe, and Sugar Snap Peas.
The new diet plan really sucked considering I didn't have all the necessary groceries here at home. When I went to log my meals online, I realized that I can't log foods from multiple meal plans in one day. So I had to create a bunch of foods and add them manually. After an irritating day, it was the last thing I wanted to do when I got home. Other than technology issues, the food choices were decent but I feel unsatisfied. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better because I'll actually be following the plan to a tee.
If it's not raining too hard tomorrow, I am planning to do a 3 mile walk/run with my dog Hank. If it is raining, I might go out on my own just to save the dog some trouble. We'll see! Either way, I'm going to time myself and try to improve my time gradually. Last time we walked the route, it took us 55 minutes which is slightly over an 18 minute mile and about 3.25 MPH. With a dog in tow, that is a pretty fast speed considering most exercise calculators estimate "Walking the Dog" to be about 2.5 MPH. I guess that's the good thing about an Aussie Shepherd!
The new diet plan really sucked considering I didn't have all the necessary groceries here at home. When I went to log my meals online, I realized that I can't log foods from multiple meal plans in one day. So I had to create a bunch of foods and add them manually. After an irritating day, it was the last thing I wanted to do when I got home. Other than technology issues, the food choices were decent but I feel unsatisfied. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better because I'll actually be following the plan to a tee.
If it's not raining too hard tomorrow, I am planning to do a 3 mile walk/run with my dog Hank. If it is raining, I might go out on my own just to save the dog some trouble. We'll see! Either way, I'm going to time myself and try to improve my time gradually. Last time we walked the route, it took us 55 minutes which is slightly over an 18 minute mile and about 3.25 MPH. With a dog in tow, that is a pretty fast speed considering most exercise calculators estimate "Walking the Dog" to be about 2.5 MPH. I guess that's the good thing about an Aussie Shepherd!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The 3 o'clock slump has developed a new meaning!
I think I need to draw a cartoon to really showcase my day. I think I might work on something and post it later. I need to share the good news first, in case no one wants to read until the end... Since Monday, my scale at home (in the morning) says I've lost 2.5 pounds. The scale at the gym (at night, after eating all day) says I've lost 1 pound. Still, that's awesome and it's something positive.
Anyway! I got my Met Test done this morning at 6AM. I was really proud of myself because I got out of bed at 5AM without hitting the snooze button. I was thirsty, cotton-mouthed, and really hungry so I swigged some water, sloshed it around, and day dreamed about a Venti coffee from Starbucks. I got to Fresno and waited around for about 15 minutes before my trainer showed up to administer the test. I had to go to a different gym and I was kind of wishing that I was taking class there instead. They had an indoor football field and a ton of available space. I also wished I had a female trainer but then I heard her "motivational" speak and decided that I was cancelling that wish.
The machine took 10 minutes to warm up so I got to have my picture taken and have my measurements taken. Unfortunately, the only measurement I heard was my chest measurement and it sounded way higher than it should have been. Probably doesn't help that I was wearing a bra, a shirt, and a workout jacket. At this point, I don't care because I know what size clothing I wear so we'll just have to wait and see on the measurements. By the way, I'm pretty much an all around in-betweener on my clothes. I'm right between a Medium and a Large for everything: pants, shirts, underwear.
The metabolic test was really awkward. My nose was plugged and I had to breathe into a tube that was connected to a printer sized box. I could hear every breath I took for an entire 10 minutes and swallowing hurt really bad because it popped my ears. At 10 minutes, I removed the tube from my mouth and at 10 minutes and 5 seconds, the results were printed out. My metabolism is actually considered fast compared to other people my age and weight class, which seems weird/amazing to me. According to the test, I burn 3,112 calories a day by just doing what I do here and there (resting, working, exercising, etc.). My ears have since recovered. I also fulfilled my Venti coffee craving.
According to the dietitian, she wants me eating 1600 calories a day. Shocked? Me too. It looks like a decent meal plan, there are seven menus to choose from and foods can be exchanged. We'll see how it works out because she said it is slightly adjustable. I get to eat a lot of fruits and veggies that are easy to find at the store and the only "exotic"/"hard to find" food I've seen so far is quinoa. Otherwise, my husband and I might be able to eat dinner together some nights. He can have a side he likes and I can have my meal plan sides. It just stinks that I spent $100 at Winco last weekend on food and now I can't eat a lot of it (frozen meals, easy meals, etc.)
I hit a slump at about 3 o'clock today but I was able to power through and make it to the end of my day. Plus, I could lift my arms above my head today so that was something I could mentally cling through while I suffered through the last two hours of work. I got home and realized the dog was on a sugar high because he shares the same obsession with Sour Patch Kids as my husband. I'm not sure how much sugar he had, but the house was a mess and the dog was more over the top than usual. Luckily, a walk before class is a good warmup. I am also so, so, so glad that I had a good pre-workout dinner (Turkey Sandwich with BBQ sauce, onion, tomato, and carrots) because today's workout was crazy.
Our regular trainer is finally with us full time now and the workouts are so much better and more focused. Our previous trainer did a good job but I felt like even though there was a "plan" he strayed from it and did exercises that were out of our experience and fitness levels. I didn't really realize until today that I felt that way, but I'm glad our regular trainer is with us now. I will summarize in this way: Squats, Core, Squats, Glutes, Core, Cardio, Walking lunges, Walking crunch lunges, Step ups, Core, Glutes, Squats, Cardio. And my favorite quote, "I love ab workouts when my students are fatigued. On the floor, start the circuit over and feel the burn!" Wow, sadistic much? Remember when you said to imagine it's your head between my hands during that last workout? Yeah, I was definitely visualizing during those final moments. Thanks for the inspiration! :)
End words, "Everyone better get home safe because it's a big day tomorrow. Rehydrate, Stretch, and get out and workout some more! See you Monday, people!" *claps*
Anyway! I got my Met Test done this morning at 6AM. I was really proud of myself because I got out of bed at 5AM without hitting the snooze button. I was thirsty, cotton-mouthed, and really hungry so I swigged some water, sloshed it around, and day dreamed about a Venti coffee from Starbucks. I got to Fresno and waited around for about 15 minutes before my trainer showed up to administer the test. I had to go to a different gym and I was kind of wishing that I was taking class there instead. They had an indoor football field and a ton of available space. I also wished I had a female trainer but then I heard her "motivational" speak and decided that I was cancelling that wish.
The machine took 10 minutes to warm up so I got to have my picture taken and have my measurements taken. Unfortunately, the only measurement I heard was my chest measurement and it sounded way higher than it should have been. Probably doesn't help that I was wearing a bra, a shirt, and a workout jacket. At this point, I don't care because I know what size clothing I wear so we'll just have to wait and see on the measurements. By the way, I'm pretty much an all around in-betweener on my clothes. I'm right between a Medium and a Large for everything: pants, shirts, underwear.
The metabolic test was really awkward. My nose was plugged and I had to breathe into a tube that was connected to a printer sized box. I could hear every breath I took for an entire 10 minutes and swallowing hurt really bad because it popped my ears. At 10 minutes, I removed the tube from my mouth and at 10 minutes and 5 seconds, the results were printed out. My metabolism is actually considered fast compared to other people my age and weight class, which seems weird/amazing to me. According to the test, I burn 3,112 calories a day by just doing what I do here and there (resting, working, exercising, etc.). My ears have since recovered. I also fulfilled my Venti coffee craving.
According to the dietitian, she wants me eating 1600 calories a day. Shocked? Me too. It looks like a decent meal plan, there are seven menus to choose from and foods can be exchanged. We'll see how it works out because she said it is slightly adjustable. I get to eat a lot of fruits and veggies that are easy to find at the store and the only "exotic"/"hard to find" food I've seen so far is quinoa. Otherwise, my husband and I might be able to eat dinner together some nights. He can have a side he likes and I can have my meal plan sides. It just stinks that I spent $100 at Winco last weekend on food and now I can't eat a lot of it (frozen meals, easy meals, etc.)
I hit a slump at about 3 o'clock today but I was able to power through and make it to the end of my day. Plus, I could lift my arms above my head today so that was something I could mentally cling through while I suffered through the last two hours of work. I got home and realized the dog was on a sugar high because he shares the same obsession with Sour Patch Kids as my husband. I'm not sure how much sugar he had, but the house was a mess and the dog was more over the top than usual. Luckily, a walk before class is a good warmup. I am also so, so, so glad that I had a good pre-workout dinner (Turkey Sandwich with BBQ sauce, onion, tomato, and carrots) because today's workout was crazy.
Our regular trainer is finally with us full time now and the workouts are so much better and more focused. Our previous trainer did a good job but I felt like even though there was a "plan" he strayed from it and did exercises that were out of our experience and fitness levels. I didn't really realize until today that I felt that way, but I'm glad our regular trainer is with us now. I will summarize in this way: Squats, Core, Squats, Glutes, Core, Cardio, Walking lunges, Walking crunch lunges, Step ups, Core, Glutes, Squats, Cardio. And my favorite quote, "I love ab workouts when my students are fatigued. On the floor, start the circuit over and feel the burn!" Wow, sadistic much? Remember when you said to imagine it's your head between my hands during that last workout? Yeah, I was definitely visualizing during those final moments. Thanks for the inspiration! :)
End words, "Everyone better get home safe because it's a big day tomorrow. Rehydrate, Stretch, and get out and workout some more! See you Monday, people!" *claps*
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
New Workout: Phone to Ear, Phone to Cradle (and repeat)
I'm currently in fast mode in preparation for my metabolic testing tomorrow. I suppose this has multiple actions. I had to quickly (as in fast...ly) get out of work so I could speed to Subway and get my dinner. I had to force the girl making the sandwich to move fast. Then I had to eat fast while driving fast so I could get home to... fast. See, fast mode! I was told that the latest I could finish my dinner was at or around 5:45PM tonight so the test is accurate tomorrow morning.
From what I've read, the metabolic test gives you your resting metabolic rate, body mass index, V02 level, respiratory rate, a bracket of caloric intake for a weight loss and a lot of other information that is used to come up with a personalized meal plan. And all you have to do is breath into a machine for 10 minutes. 12 hours of fasting, an hour + drive round trip, and a 10 minute test. Worth it? I guess we'll see when I get my results!
To make the appointment even more fun, we are doing my "starting" measurements and a "before" picture. I'd much rather just draw a picture of myself for reference purposes later, that way I don't really have to see myself in a "before" picture. Maybe like this. It's not going to be as bad as I'm making it out to be, but I can still complain about it. "It's my blog and I'll complain if I need to..." (off key but still beautiful)
Oh! And today I totally resisted eating homemade Chile Relleno with fresh, homemade tortillas. Chile Relleno could be healthy but these were definitely not the healthy kind. It was really difficult to resist but I did it! Even more amazing, I could walk today. Bending over and reaching my arms above my head was iffy but not impossible. It may sound silly, but my wedding ring fits a little looser today than it did yesterday. Step in the right direction? Sure!
From what I've read, the metabolic test gives you your resting metabolic rate, body mass index, V02 level, respiratory rate, a bracket of caloric intake for a weight loss and a lot of other information that is used to come up with a personalized meal plan. And all you have to do is breath into a machine for 10 minutes. 12 hours of fasting, an hour + drive round trip, and a 10 minute test. Worth it? I guess we'll see when I get my results!
To make the appointment even more fun, we are doing my "starting" measurements and a "before" picture. I'd much rather just draw a picture of myself for reference purposes later, that way I don't really have to see myself in a "before" picture. Maybe like this. It's not going to be as bad as I'm making it out to be, but I can still complain about it. "It's my blog and I'll complain if I need to..." (off key but still beautiful)
Oh! And today I totally resisted eating homemade Chile Relleno with fresh, homemade tortillas. Chile Relleno could be healthy but these were definitely not the healthy kind. It was really difficult to resist but I did it! Even more amazing, I could walk today. Bending over and reaching my arms above my head was iffy but not impossible. It may sound silly, but my wedding ring fits a little looser today than it did yesterday. Step in the right direction? Sure!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
"Breathing is really important. You don't breath, you die."
Quote of the Night
Trainer: "Melanie, don't let your stomach go. Belly button to spine!"
Me: "I already let my stomach go, that's why I'm here!"
When I got to the gym tonight, my nerves were shot. Network outage at work, overtime, scarfing of dinner (which wasn't Chili Beans and Sausage), almost running out of gas while headed to the gas station, and a 30 mile drive full of Fresno drivers trying to act like they are actually in the Bay Area. To make it worse, the class before ours was in full out cardio mode when I walked in the door. Everyone was doing running drills and it didn't make me very hopeful for our class. Don't worry, we didn't end up getting cardio mode because we were too busy completing our ab circuit. (read: having a lot of fun realizing our abs don't work)
Last night, we had a dozen people and tonight only seven people showed up. On the positive side it gave us more room to sprawl out after holding a plank position for two minutes. To elaborate, our circuit only required a 30 second hold but due to group wide laughing, giggling, and making of random snarky comments, we were punished. Twice. Even better, the punishment went through the rest of our workout. Bicycle crunches, side planking, crazy leg lifts, etc. Maybe I will one day have ABS OF GOLD!
Definitely had some triumphs today, which is a very good thing. The best one: I was able to lift my arms and move my legs despite being really sore. Though, I'm not sure if I will be able to boast that triumph again tomorrow!
Trainer: "Melanie, don't let your stomach go. Belly button to spine!"
Me: "I already let my stomach go, that's why I'm here!"
When I got to the gym tonight, my nerves were shot. Network outage at work, overtime, scarfing of dinner (which wasn't Chili Beans and Sausage), almost running out of gas while headed to the gas station, and a 30 mile drive full of Fresno drivers trying to act like they are actually in the Bay Area. To make it worse, the class before ours was in full out cardio mode when I walked in the door. Everyone was doing running drills and it didn't make me very hopeful for our class. Don't worry, we didn't end up getting cardio mode because we were too busy completing our ab circuit. (read: having a lot of fun realizing our abs don't work)
Last night, we had a dozen people and tonight only seven people showed up. On the positive side it gave us more room to sprawl out after holding a plank position for two minutes. To elaborate, our circuit only required a 30 second hold but due to group wide laughing, giggling, and making of random snarky comments, we were punished. Twice. Even better, the punishment went through the rest of our workout. Bicycle crunches, side planking, crazy leg lifts, etc. Maybe I will one day have ABS OF GOLD!
Definitely had some triumphs today, which is a very good thing. The best one: I was able to lift my arms and move my legs despite being really sore. Though, I'm not sure if I will be able to boast that triumph again tomorrow!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Debit card charged. Running shoes tied. Water bottle, non existent.
About three weeks ago I found a link for the Terrio 5 Ton Challenge and have been obsessing over the "Add to Cart" button. Do I do it or do I not do it? It took a lot of convincing and strategic money planning but I finally decided to sign up today. Today was the first day of the challenge, so it's safe to say that I really tried to not do it and come up with an excuse. There are no more excuses because it's paid for and one cannot waste money by skipping classes. (insert mild groan and slight frown here)
So here are the Day 1 details and believe me, I feel like things are dismal at this point.
Weight: Exactly 5 pounds more than my weight this morning. Ok, not a good start. How do you gain five pounds between 7AM and 7PM? Right... the dinner my husband made was Chili Beans and Sausage. BTW, not a good pre workout dinner.
Number of Situps in 1 minute: 15
Number of Pushups in 1 minute: 18 (modified, knees on the floor)
Number of "Laps" in the parking lot in 7 minutes: 15
Number of minutes of straight running before I needed to walk: 4 minutes (half of what I do at home with the dog. Hello? Legs and Lungs? What gives?)
There are some frustrations here because there are people twice my age doing 45 situps and/or pushups in a minute and I'm totally not at that point. It's like my core just decided to give up on me today. I know, I know. It's day one and I can't be hard on myself. I kind of have to focus on the fact that I completed the work out and had enough strength to make the 40 minute drive home and type this blog post.
One day down, 29 workouts and 10 more weeks to go.
So here are the Day 1 details and believe me, I feel like things are dismal at this point.
Weight: Exactly 5 pounds more than my weight this morning. Ok, not a good start. How do you gain five pounds between 7AM and 7PM? Right... the dinner my husband made was Chili Beans and Sausage. BTW, not a good pre workout dinner.
Number of Situps in 1 minute: 15
Number of Pushups in 1 minute: 18 (modified, knees on the floor)
Number of "Laps" in the parking lot in 7 minutes: 15
Number of minutes of straight running before I needed to walk: 4 minutes (half of what I do at home with the dog. Hello? Legs and Lungs? What gives?)
There are some frustrations here because there are people twice my age doing 45 situps and/or pushups in a minute and I'm totally not at that point. It's like my core just decided to give up on me today. I know, I know. It's day one and I can't be hard on myself. I kind of have to focus on the fact that I completed the work out and had enough strength to make the 40 minute drive home and type this blog post.
One day down, 29 workouts and 10 more weeks to go.
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