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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 9 March 2006 06:56 pm |
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I don't know why it took me so long to figure out why Thursdays seem to be so "unlucky" for me. It's the first day of my work week and I usually spend the morning trying to cram so much into such a short time that I get distracted and careless. The universe is not throwing stuff at me, I'm throwing it at myself. So this morning I did not attempt to get in my work-out, laundry, banking, etc. all at once. Instead I slept late, went to Wally World (I love that place!) and indulged in a small cup of flavored coffee at my favorite little coffee place down the street - no green tea this a.m. I'm thinking I'll just practice some yoga movements before work and get in a good weight routine tonight after work.
Yesterday and last night were bad, bad, bad for craving junk. The only good thing is I wasn't at work and didn't have any activities planned so I could "suffer" in privacy. I've got this article that addresses in great detail exactly what happens physically and psychologically during all three phases of a woman's cycle. Unfortunately it's full of so many technical terms that I really only understood a little bit of it. For example: "Careful studies of GH secretion, which have used frequent blood sampling during the menstrual cycle, have documented higher GH and IGF-1 concentrations during the lueal phase compared to the follicular phase" I don't have a clue what that means!
The only thing I really "got" is that it's not just my imagination, there are a huge combination of hormonal and other physiologicial changes taking place that make me want to build and devour a chocolate covered gingerbread house once a month. The same thing apparently happens to both non-human female primates and to men when they are given a dose of oral contraceptives thar raise their estrogen levels. (I love that little fact!) But, all in all, it was not a happy day.
Snow wrote: "I work every day with Dr's, nurses and medics who should know better, but have all tried trendy diets or just eat whatever they want (and it shows). " Yep, that always amazes me too. I saw a show recently about a long-term residential program for severely obese clients. You would think that the medical professionals working with these people would be paragons of fitness, seeing first hand everyday the serious long-term effects of obesity. But pretty much the whole staff, from the docs to the physical therapy aides were seriously overweight themselves. I totally did not understand that.
"I will date someone for about six weeks, find all their flaws, then break up with them before it gets that far. I'm so pathetic." Sweetie, I wrote the book on "find his flaws and dump him before he finds yours and dumps you". Somewhere in the process of controlling my diet, maximizing my work-outs, losing weight, quitting smoking, and breaking my coffee addiction I will tackle that problem. I am such a work in progress!!!!
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 9 March 2006 07:41 pm |
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| I like the phrase you used...."I'm a work in progress." Ain't it the truth?! Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be completed. I'm my own worst enemy and biggest critic. I'll try to remember to send some special prayer for you next Wednesday night, since Thursdays are tough. Weekends are my weakest time. I guess it's because I get out of my routine. I'm just a routine kind of girl!
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 10 March 2006 07:43 pm |
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168.6 lbs --- can ya dig it baby.....I knew ya could!!!!:)
Did not, did not, DID NOT want to work out this am. My work-out partner is sick so I had to do my cardio all alone. I just was not feeling the motivation this morning but I kept reminding myself that "optimal results require optimal effort". Seeing that number (finally in the 160's) was like my reward for dragging my unwilling body out of bed. Nothing feels worse than working-out when I just don't feel into it, but at the same time, nothing feels better than getting it over with anyway.
I have to go back and look at my numbers to make sure, but I have this idea that I seem to experience a period of intense craving a few days before a weight drop. Does my body know it's about to release some fat stores and tries to hold on to them by sending "feed me" signals? I have no idea, but it makes a kind of bizzare sense.
The really bizzare thing is I am in the process of getting a new dessert recipe approved for my restaurant. This is the slow season so we all about food cost control right now. Our bakery makes fresh rolls, muffins, and cookies that have to be discarded at the end of the night which is a major waste but can't be helped cause we can't serve this stuff the next day. So I remembered this cobbler-type dessert my grandmother used to make with apples where the crust was comprised of roughly crumbled bread, cookies and cake. My GM loves the idea so we're going to play around with it and figure the exact measurements, etc. for commercial preparation and if our owner okays the final product, the dessert will be included in all of our stores. This will be kind of a major deal for me ($$$$$$) but it's so ironic that I can't/won't even taste the dessert that I'm responsible for introducing.
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 10 March 2006 08:10 pm |
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I'm so proud of you.....can you hear me clapping?! You go!!!!!
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 March 2006 12:48 am |
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 YEAH FOR YOU!!!! You go Girl! Congrats on the new LOWER #.
Look at how far you've come and how much you have learned. Keep the "Happy Juices" flowing.:)
Lee 
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trimB
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 March 2006 02:13 am |
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Will you let me know any secrets you uncover with your recipe experiments? I currently toast my leftover bread & doughnut for bread pudding, and use moistened cake crumbs & cocoa powder for a chocolate "filling" for pastries... but I've never heard of anything quite like your idea!!!!
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 March 2006 07:42 pm |
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| How exciting to be in on the ground floor of a project that is your idea. Managemant love to know that employees think outside the box, and for company benifit. Will you have any part in the naming? Grandma's....? This is exciting. You'll have to keep us informed of its progress. If it doesn't fly can you donate leftovers to a shelter or something? I know each state has their rules. GOOD LUCK.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 11 March 2006 09:02 pm |
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It's done -over -the end. I don't have to go to the gym anymore this week. I'm not sore, not tired, just ready for a whole long lovely gym free day!!!!! I'm not gonna stretch tommorrow, I'm not gonna do a single crunch or push-up. I'm not even gonna breath heavy. I'm gonna come home from work as early as possible, take the world's longest bubble bath, do my week's food/exercise plan, talk on the phone, watch t.v., read a book and generally just indulge my inner couch potato. Yess!!!!
personmom: health dept regs prevent us from donating any non packaged foods which is why we end up having to discard perfectly good bakery items.
trimblebe: I'll send the recipe to your in-box. I am sooooo not posting this incredibly fattening, yummy thing on a forum for weight-loss.
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on*a*mission
New Member
| Joined: | 3 March 2006 |
| Location: | Hawaii USA |
| Posts: | 39 |
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Posted: 12 March 2006 09:51 am |
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| congrats suenos!!!!! i wish u much success with the dessert
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 13 March 2006 02:46 am |
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This is my nine week's food/exercise plan. That means I've actually completed two months of weekly planning and follow through. Who woulda thunk it? Two months ago I have to honestly say I was just not a happy camper. In fact I was a tired, moody, easily irritated little person.:( I hated everything about my body - the way it looked, the way it felt, the way I could'nt seem to control how much food I was shoveling into it. I don't know why I waited so long to do something about it. Talk about "magical thinking" -- why in the world was I sitting on the couch eating a whole bag of nachos, wishing I was out somewhere in cute clothes, thinking "I'm going to thin again one day" - chomp, chomp. Last week I went on a date wearing cute clothes - and it sure didn't happen by sitting on my couch eating Tostidos and dip!!!! This week's workout routine:
Mon/Wen/Fri: cardio days: 50 min. interval on treadmill, 20 min. light circuit on weights.
Tues/Thurs/Sat: weights only: chest/back,abs.... arms/abs....thighs/butt/abs
I'm increasing the cardio by 10 mins, alternating speed intervals with incline. It's only a tiny increase in cardio, but I'm also increasing my and carbs this week so I'm hoping it will balance out. I'm also adding arms again this week. I stopped because I was starting to see a little too much muscle mass there. For some reason my upper body (arms, chest, back) seems to respond super well to weights. I think I'm gonna try to take advantage of this until I reach my body fat % goal. So, that's two fairly minor changes in my exercise program that may or may not make a difference - but I won't know if I don't try. This week's diet:
Chedder, and feta cheeses, eggs, cauliflower, shiitake and portabello mushrooms, garlic, onions, baby spinach leaves, broccoli, romaine lettuce, bok choy, avocados, blueberries, rasberries, grapefruit, almonds, pecans, chicken, salmon, tuna, halibut, crab, turkey, shrimp, 2 meal replacement bars, 3 protein shakes, red bull, green tea, olive oil, jello, whole-wheat flakes and faxseed, long grain brown rice, seaweed.
Using the feta in really small amounts, as an occassional "spice" is working well. Mixed with garlic and onion a tiny bit goes a looooong way. The blueberries are almost cloyingly "sweet" tasting on their own so I'm adding rasberries again. The mozzerella from last week never got used 'cause I just don't like my veggies cooked anymore and unmelted mozz. is just nasty. Final reduction of saturated fat by replacing beef with crab. It was on my last week but I ended up not eating it anyway so it's a pretty easy "give". Adding brown rice. That's actually my biggest, and starchiest, carb increase at one time but I feel pretty comfortable that the portion size I'll be eating, and food combination (always with a high protein fish and high fiber seaweed) won't trigger any cravings. If so, I'll have to adjust - oh well. Now that I have enough variety of food to work with, I've decided try a 30f/30p/40c(total, not net) ratio and see how that works out. This week's highlights:
Completing my food plan for the week. I am in love with the foods I am going to be eating this week. It's pretty much the cornerstone of the food plan I think I can happily and easily follow for years down the road. Successfully completing every single day's exercise goal-whether I wanted to or not, and a couple of days is was really, really, NOT. Making it through 24 hours of PMS munchies - without munching. Getting my body fat % - now I've got something tangible and realistic to work towards. Funny enough I just realized that the amount of weight I lost this week did not instantly pop into my head as a "highlight", so I won't include it as one. This week's lows: This is kinda stupid, but the one thing that really frustrated me this week was realizing how little I know about a perfectly ordinary biological process that my body has, and will continue to undergo for decades. Yeyyyyyy!!! This puppy is done!!! I know by now that if I take the time to sit down, think about it, look it up and write it down as a plan, I'll actually follow it pretty closely the rest of the week. So I now feel justified in spending the rest of my night in couch potato mode (minus the potato!).
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 13 March 2006 07:17 pm |
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| Good cardio workout this am, nice way to start off week! I still actually hate running 80% of the time I'm doing it. I'd rather climb a mountain than run a block - don't know why. At first I thought I'd start liking it more when I got better at it, but, nope, my form is good, I can control my breathing and I still hate running. BUT, I do love the way I feel when I'm done and I love the fact that I can actually do it now. I already know that as soon as I get to my maintainace weight I'm gonna switch my cardio exercise to step classes. I love step work-outs so it's a good motivator for me - run today so I can step tommorrow.
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 March 2006 07:44 pm |
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| I'm not a runner either. I always wanted to be, but once I start, I really don't like it. I have a large....um...chest, and I haven't found a sports bra that can handle running (sorry if that's too much information). I like step aerobics, too. I just hadn't made my way up to that yet. I'm on my way, though.
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Mountain Mike
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 March 2006 08:17 pm |
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Suenos,
It may take you some time to learn to like running.... for me, it was all "work" until I got the stage where I could run 4 miles outside. I guess the endorphins kicked in or something. Up to that point, I only felt good afterwards, like you.
Up to my 4-mile barrier, It was kinda like my head feeling so good-- after I stopped knocking it against a wall.
Mike
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 March 2006 08:31 pm |
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| I took a class at the YMCA that was called "High Energy Step". Hr. long class that began with warming/ stretches, working the step some, jumping jacks, then running around the step room a few times, then out in the weight room around people and machinesa few times. Then back for some more step stuff and then cool down, THEN some ab or glute or what ever someone shouted floor work. I completely enjoyed it, I was exhausted when finished. I only did it once a week for change up from usual.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 14 March 2006 05:58 pm |
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Got my weight training in a little early this am 'cause I have to spend the rest of the day cleaning my house, grocery shopping, cooking and portioning out my rest of week's food and doing laundry - fun stuff, good times. I was going to get my measurements but decided to wait until Thursday. Weight was 167.4 which is a total 2.8 weight loss for the week.
If I've got it figured out right (and I'm not sure I do) next week I'm going to be in the "luteal phase" which means for about a week my body will have an increased progesterone level when my metabolism will be at its peak: increased fat metabolism, blood flow to muscle, and resting energy expenditure. My goal is to increase my meals slightly, eat a "perfect" 30/30/40 ratio and kick both cardio and weights up a notch and see what happens. But, meanwhile, I've got the rest of this week to slog through.
The seaweed wraps are working out nicely. Sometimes I just want my food contained - I guess that's why somebody invented sandwich bread!
Last night a friend I haven't seen in a couple months called to see if I wanted to hang out tonight. As soon as I got off the phone my mind was going "I bet if I don't eat all day tommorrow I'll look really thin by evening". It was a fleeting thought which I rejected on the spot, but, it's a little scary that I even had the thought. Why would I even, for a second consider undoing 2 months of hard work to briefly impress someone I don't even like that much? Vanity and impatience - a deadly combination.
And, thinking about impatience and vanity, I really, really wish I had spent a few days looking at other gyms before plunking my money down for the one I joined. I know enough to get myself into bathing suit shape, but I really need a good trainer to take me from there. This sounds harsh, but the truth is none of them have bodies, or clients with bodies, that I want. And half the stuff I hear them saying is just outright cookie-cutter nonsense. Oh well, I guess it serves my purpose for the short term and I'll figure something out for the long term.
Guess I've rambled enough this morning. I sooo know I'm just delaying the moment I have to haul out the vacum cleaner and lysol.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 15 March 2006 07:20 pm |
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Very satisfying cardio work-out this am. For once, mind and body and spirit were all in agreement.
Fun, fun, fun evening last night. Went out to dinner with old friend I hadn't seen in a while and invited along my "under consideration for boyfriend material" guy. (His potential rises week by week.) Went to a seafood buffet place which was cool because it was easy to just select the items on my food plan this week.
They didn't have brown rice so I opted to try a couple of the sushi rolls made with white rice. BIG MISTAKE. I only ate the equivalent of 1/2 cup of cooked rice (possibly less) but ay yi yi - even though I ate the same portion of food I normally eat for a late dinner, by the time I got home I was as hungry as if I had not eaten at all. It was weird 'cause my tummy felt "full" but my brain kept saying "I'm hungry". I gobbled down a piece of cheese and my hunger switch shut off pretty quick. Not at all the same effect I get when eating the same amount of brown rice. Lesson learned.
So my girlfriend started off wanting to know how I'd lost so much weight since I'd seen her in December. But she really wanted to hear about some magic potion or something, not the reality of micro managing food intake and slogging off to the gym six days a week. She kept saying "But your belly, how'd you get rid of your belly?" Hello---are you listening? Food choice and portion control! Finally I just gave up and said "I do 300 crunches every day" and she nodded like "Yeah, that must be it" and the subject finally moved on.
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 15 March 2006 08:18 pm |
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| AHH yes. Wouldn't we all like to dream of the pill, shake, drink mix, exercise equipment that will "FIX" our weight/body problem. That is why the Weight loss industry has ammased the $$ they have. If it really worked we wouldn't all be looking for the "MAGIC". Kind of reminds me of OLD time carnie, side show elixers.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 15 March 2006 10:12 pm |
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| I am such an idiot sometimes!!!! This am I was a little concerned because it seems that there are times I have to "go" way out of proportion to the amount of water I drink (I drink a lot, but still). I couldn't find any information to explain it and I asked a very smart man (o.k., I asked Nevd) if he had any suggestions. Sorry, but it was not a question I was willing to throw out in an open forum. Anyway, he sugessted it might be a diuretic effect from something I was eating/drinking. My first thought was "Nope" cause I KNOW what I'm eating/drinking. Then the not so stubborn/idiot part of my brain took over and I looked up information on natural diuretics. Of which B6 is a big one. Which I not only take in the form of a B complex vitamin, but it's in my multi-vit., in my Red Bull, in my Protein drink, in my fortified water, and present in significant quantities in my brown rice, turkey, whole wheat flakes, tuna and cabbage!!!!!! I'm just guessing "the problem" will go away if I just replace the fortified water, dump the B complex vitamins and Red Bull. So thanks, Smart Man.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 16 March 2006 05:59 pm |
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(2/21) (2/28) (3/16)
upper arm: 13 shoulders: 45.5 chest: 41
upper arm: 12.5 shoulders: 43.75 chest: 40.5
upper arm: 12.5 shoulders: 42.5 chest: 39.5 waist: 35 ab: 40 hip: 43 thigh: 25 calves: 16
waist: 33.5 ab: 37.5 hip: 42 thigh: 24 calves: 16.75
waist: 33 ab: 37 hip: 41 thigh: 24 calves: 16.75 weight: 176
weight: 172 inches: -8 lbs: -4
weight: 168 inches: -3 lbs: -4
I did not complete my weight training routine this am for the worst of all possible reasons: I allowed myself to get so irritated over my measurements, and the guy taking them, that I couldn't concentrate. Very, very counter productive.
First off, it appears that although I've made progress, it's far less progress than I wanted or expected between 2/28 and 3/16 (a two week period) than I did between 2/21 and 2/28 (a one week period). Logically, I know that a 3 inch and 4 lb loss in a two week period is not a bad thing, it's probably even a good thing. Logically I also know that these numbers most likely reflect some amount of water retention. And logically, I also know that the inches lost are from the areas I most want to lose (waist, abs, hips) fat from and it's a positive sign that I have not lost inches from the areas that are already very muscular (calves, thigh, upper arm). But......
Emotionally I feel like I'm doing something wrong somewhere or my numbers would reflect greater losses. I know that by the end of the day my logical side will prevail and I won't feel so very, very bummed out, but at the moment the emotional side is not a happy camper.
As soon as I finish this entry I am going to (finally) order a pair of skin-fold calipers and a digital tape measure on-line. Which is the second (and stupid) reason I was so annoyed this morning. The trainer at the gym who took my measurements couldn't just stretch out his little tape measure in silence. He felt some compulsion to lecture me that I should only take my weight and measurements every six weeks and my body fat every 3 months. Hello... this guy is at least 20 lbs over weight, has no definition at all and a round little pot belly. I'm thinking (but did not say) "And how's that working out for you?" ARRRRG!
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 16 March 2006 08:29 pm |
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Hey woman. WHAT is so Bad about those numbers  They are less and consistent. And you admit in the places you want. DON"T beat yourself about it and get bummed out!! Next time tell the paunchy guy what you're thinking. It might make you feel better. Yes you've worked hard, WHO said this would be easy. You ARE making good choices and moving in a positive direction. Small victories everyday for a LIFETIME!!
Maybe next time ask for a woman. They can at least sympathize with you, they understand the female anatomy.
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Krystin
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 17 March 2006 12:01 am |
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You make me laugh! I'm serious, you should write a book! :)
Congrats on the stats; you know where you are going and how to get there!! So what if it feels like FOOOORRRREEEEVVVVVEEEERRRRR You have several weeks less to get to your goal that if you'd just started today.
Have a wonderful day! ~Krystin
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Dharma
New Member
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Posted: 17 March 2006 12:56 am |
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| The guy was a jerk! I read a study which showed that people who weighted everyday lost weight quicker and were able to maintain the weight loss better, and longer then those that weighted once a week or less. I feel the same way about measuring, I keep a tap measure in my bathroom and measure my waist often, it makes me feel good when I have lost a little, and makes me work harder at the gym.
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Be A Cow
Senior Member
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Posted: 17 March 2006 02:28 am |
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| So, was he just a lazy employee that didn't want to be bothered to have to take your measurements? How silly. Your measurements look great to me! It says -3 inches, but isn't it -4.25?? I added them right, I think? You're doing good!! I would be scared to not weigh, or take measurements every 6 weeks!!
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 17 March 2006 08:15 am |
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Yes, Be A Cow, it is -4.25, I think I was just in such a bad mood when I was listing them I didn't add right. And, Personsmon, there is nothing wrong with the numbers, just with the foul, bratty mood I was in at the time. Maybe I should have said what I was thinking - then he could have gotten offended, kicked me out of the gym, voided my contract and freed me up financially to join the gym down the road where the male trainers are hot. Dharma, like you, everything I've ever read says that people who weigh themselves daily or weekly are the ones most successful at losing and keeping the weight off cause you can catch slips quickly. Krystin, I guess it's got something to do with being almost at the halfway mark where I have just about as far to go as I've already come so somedays it feels like I'm just treading water instead of moving forward - but I know that's not true.
I really am pretty dissatisfied with the staff at my present gym. I really have to decide if I just want to suck it up for the next 11 months of my contract or eat the cost and join another gym where the trainers did not get their certification from http://www.be_a_trainer_fast.com. I think I'll wait until the hormones are a little more stable to decide.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 17 March 2006 08:40 am |
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Your link -- which caught my attention because (real ones) are not permitted in the forum -- made me laugh!
And it's so true. 
It has amazed me to see my gym hire "kids" and give them some time at the gym to read some course materials and then they get their certification... and the next day members are getting "professional" advice from them!
Peter
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 17 March 2006 06:26 pm |
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Girlfriend, you're a better woman that I am. I probably would have punched the guy. How can you be a certified trainer and have no people skills?! Ain't the world full of them?
You're doing great--Look carefully at your gym contract and check to see if they are holding up their end of the bargain. If you aren't getting the advice and the training you need, then they aren't holding their end of the contract. 'Something to think about.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 17 March 2006 06:56 pm |
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Ahhh, a new day! Great cardio this am.
I'm loving the extra 10 mins. added to this weeks' routine, a small change but I think it's improved my fitness level. I totally maxed out on my incline interval routine and my heart rate barely rose above 65% The downside to that is I have no choice but to run (shudder) to get my intensity level up. I like being able to run three miles and I'm going on faith that eventually I will learn to like the process itself.
Did the ab routine I ditched yesterday instead of scheduled circuit. The funny thing was my work-out partner, who still sometimes confuses English phrases, said "You are really beating up your body into shape" I'm pretty sure she meant "whipping into shape" but I could'nt stop laughing and thinking "The abs have been naughty and must now be punished".
The black cloud I started off with yesterday lifted by the time I got to work and it ended up being a really fun night. All my friends were on the work crew so we put some 60's Motown on the sound system and kept trying to outdo each other with cheesy dances all night. How many calories do you burn laughing?
Ordered a nifty set of skin fold calipers on-line yesterday. I can't wait to start pinchin' my inches. I promise not to whine if the numbers don't agree with some pre-conceived notion in my head.
Now I'm off to buy a green shirt for work tonight 'cause I forgot last year and got sick of being pinched all night. Do I look Irish?
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 17 March 2006 09:46 pm |
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| On St. Patrick's Day, everyone looks Irish!
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 18 March 2006 06:55 pm |
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Last night I had two seemingly random thoughts about food. It wasn't until I sat down to relfect on my day and organize my thoughts for this entry that the significance of them really hit me. First, we had a "roll-out taster" last night which is something we do periodically when we introduce a new item. Last night's new item was hand breaded deep fried coconut butterfly shrimp. I just sorta looked at my dish, thought "I bet that's really yummy but I sooo would not put all that transfat into my body" and passed the plate. After work I stopped by a store where a friend had told me they had little dark chocholate bars with no sugar. Actually the bars do gave 1 gram of sugar but that's not why I didn't buy one. I was reading the ingredient list and, other than the cocoa, nuts and sugar, I didn't have a clue what all the other ingredients were. I'm thinking "I don't want to eat a bunch of stuff I can't even pronounce".
So, what I'm realizing is, I've gone from thinking that I can't eat certian foods, to thinking that there are certain foods that I just don't want to eat. I'm not sure when that happened exactly. It's not that I don't like food, cause I will always be something of a foodie - I still love watching the Food Network, preparing yummy meals for others is a true pleasure, and I never sit down to a meal without enjoying what I eat. But, somehow, somewhere along the way I just lost interest in eating stuff I don't think is good for me.
This is as important to my long term ability to maintain my weight as the day I realized I had stopped eating out of emotion rather than hunger. So I went back and looked at my very first diary entry:
" Okay, today marks day 9 of my quest to regain my body, and with it my self-esteem. I am going to journal everything I do and learn and hopefully it will help me from ever getting in this awful fat place again."
I've successfully gone down the weight loss path before, but I'm starting to understand why I was unsuccessful in maintaining the loss. I kept my old "fat" mind-set in a skinny body. I really, really think that this time my mind is starting to "think like a slim person" . Ohhh, I hope so.
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 18 March 2006 08:54 pm |
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Congratulations!!!! on your "light bulb moment"! Don't ya just love it when it all comes together and you realize it! Keep up the good work and sharing with us.
BTW "sugar free" chocolate has sugar alcohols instead of sugars. They still count as carbs AND I have learned "they may have a laxative effect" on some people. ME!!
I have had something like what you have described as your taste food. Yes they are sweet and I love coconut but have removed them from my food list as well. Congrats on passing them by! 
Lee
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 20 March 2006 02:26 am |
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This is my tenth week's food/exercise plan. I just realized that I've been between 167.6 and 168.1 for the last nine days. However, I have lost nearly 5 inches during that period so I'm not freaking out - yet. As long as I'm losing inches I'm pretty confident (when I'm thinking logically) that I am losing fat while preserving lean muscle. This week's workout routine:
Mon/Wen/Fri: cardio days: 60 min. speed intervals on treadmill, 20 min. light circuit on weights.
Tues/Thurs/Sat: weights only: chest/back,abs.... arms/abs....thighs/butt/abs
I'm increasing the cardio by a final 10 mins, speed intervals only. It's always been my goal to do a full 60 mins. intense cardio 3x weekly- looks like I'm finally here. I've maxed out on doing inclines, don't know why but my body just adjusted real quick so I've got to do speed only this week to get the intensity up. Keeping the same weight routine but going for slowwwwer reps. This week's diet:
Feta cheese, tofu, eggs, cauliflower, shiitake and portabello mushrooms, garlic, onions, baby spinach leaves, broccoli, romaine lettuce, bok choy, avocados, blueberries, rasberries, grapefruit, almonds, pecans, chicken, salmon, tuna, halibut, crab, turkey, shrimp, 3 protein shakes, red bull, green tea, olive oil, jello, whole-wheat flakes and faxseed, long grain brown rice, seaweed. Swapping chedder for tofu and eliminating meal replacement bars. The tofu is a two for one deal. 4 oz of tofu vs 1 oz chedder is going to give me less fat and more nutrition. Additionally, I'm going to use the tofu in combination with other ingredients on my food list to try and make my own meal replacement bars this week. That's going to be interesting. This week's highlights:
Ordered and received a pair of skin fold calipers on-line. Knowing my body fat % will now be in my own control - once I figure out how to use them. So far I have a 1/2 dozen bruises on my right side and nary an accurate reading. Realizing I no longer feel "deprived" by not eating food on my "banned" list. Realistically, I am a big girl and can eat whatever I want. For the first time in my life I'm just choosing not to eat certain food. Not 'cause I can't, but 'cause I just don't want to. Today begins my luteal phase!!!!! This one is stupid to everyone in the world but I'm super excited about it and can't wait to start my gym routine this week and see what happens. Heck, even if nothing significant occurs, I personally think it's kicka$$ that I at least know about it. This week's lows: Short-changing myself on my weight routine this week 'cause I let myself get annoyed by a silly "trainer". Not having enough common sense to realize that even a small amount of white rice was not a good substitution for brown rice. Okay, week ten, here we go!
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 20 March 2006 06:47 pm |
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Still at 168 - and I am sooooo not caring about that particular number at this moment. First cause I did a quick waist only measurement this am and that's down. Tommorrow I'll have the whole thing done and have a complete set of numbers to look at and review. Second cause my size 10 pants bought a litle snug two weeks ago are now seriously baggy and can't be worn without a belt. Third, 'cause I have some nice, very visable upper body (from shoulders to belly button) definition taking place. And, finally, cause I just feel so darn good about the improvement in my overall fitness level.
Super intense and fun cardio workout this am. Ran 10 mins, did 25 crunches, ran 10 mins at slightly higher speed, then 25 more crunches, increased speed and 25 more crunches, and so on until I had completed 300 crunches and a little over 3 miles. Even my hair was sweating at the end. Nine weeks ago a mile was a struggle and doing 25 crunches properly was not only hard but painful.
I can't help it, James Brown is singing in my head this morning - I feel goooooood!
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sheltiemom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 20 March 2006 07:36 pm |
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| Sometimes our success doesn't show up on the scale, but in our clothes. Can you hear me clapping for you?! Don't look, 'cause I'm dancing, too (It's not a pretty sight). You're making it happen, aren't you?!!!!
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sundazzies
New Member
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Posted: 21 March 2006 04:18 am |
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Congratulations on your progress! I have been keeping up with your diary and you are such an inspiration. It must be quite an awesome feeling to see your clothes becoming baggy. I can't wait until I drop a size. Keep up the good work.
Sunny
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 21 March 2006 07:36 pm |
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Another day, another workout in the bag. Decided to be a little more anal than I already am (is that even possible) and wait until the 29th to have my complete measurements done so I'll have a full 2 week set to compare with the previous 2 week set.
Spent time in the bakery dept. last night trying to get exact ingredient measurements on stupid dessert (I'm no longer in love with doing it but I'm stuck with seeing it through:(). It's like boxing with one hand behind my back 'cause I can't "sample" anything to see if that's how it should taste - too sweet, not sweet enough.
It's shaping up to be a nasty day outside and I'm quite happy sitting here with my feet up, pecking away at my little keyboard - especially because I know that once I leave the house I'm going to have to spend mega bucks. There is nothing in my kitchen but seaweed, 4 eggs, 20 blueberries, a bag of brown rice and a bottle of olive oil. It's going to cost at least $100 to stock up for the next 10 days or so. I've finally run my cross trainers into the ground and I don't want to think about how much new ones are gonna cost. And of course, I really have to get more pants for work cause I can't keep walking around in baggy ones - even though I bought them a couple of weeks ago. Getting in shape is not cheap!
Even though I completed my full weight training routine this am, for some reason I physically want to go back and do an added weight or cardio session later this pm. The bad thing is I actually have a date to go to the movies that I'm seriously considering ditching so I can go to the gym instead. Also I want to pre-cook my meat and rice and pre-portion my food for the rest of the week and play around with making protein bars out of tofu. Hmmmm, how mad would I be if a guy ditched a date with me so he could work-out and cook???? Guess I'll have to think about this one.
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Mountain Mike
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 21 March 2006 09:06 pm |
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Suenos,
Maybe I'm weird, but is there a chance of inviting this "date" to the workout? If I were him, I'd want to go on a date with you to work out and cook; but that's me, and maybe I'm weird. And, maybe these things are too private at this point and you want to do them alone...
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Be A Cow
Senior Member
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Posted: 21 March 2006 09:42 pm |
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You could do some isometrics at the movie theater: get your workout and ditch your date at the same time :) (because isometrics look sort of strange :)) Unless you like the date, but just don't want to see him today.
Good job being so motivated :) Even though it sucks when you just don't have time.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 22 March 2006 07:23 pm |
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Really good cardio this am. Did same run, chruch, run routine as Monday but added inclines. The inclines had pretty much lost their intensity effect, but added to the chruches and increased speed, I'm really feeling them again. It's crazy how much harder I'm having to work to get and keep my heart rate up. Did chest routine post cardio instead of regular circuit. I could'nt resist measuring last night and that seems to be the new area my body has decided to reduce .
Spent an amazing amount of $$$$$ yesterday. But I had so much fun (yes, fun) grocery shopping. I decided to swap out roasted garlic hummus for feta (1 gram fat, 1 protein, 0 carbs, 35 cals. per 2 tbs) so I can use it on my seaweed wraps. Very, very yummy. I realized that I now have no dairy products in my meal plan and I don't know if that's good or bad. Do humans need dairy past infancy? I read something in one of the forum posts about the RDA of calcium but 1) I don't really have a lot of faith in the RDA of anything cause it changes everytime the wind blows, and 2) I'm pretty sure I'm getting a lot of calcium elsewhere in my diet. I gues I could spend some time looking it up but I'm too lazy today. Guess I'll do it before making next week's meal plan.
Mike wrote: "If I were him, I'd want to go on a date with you to work out and cook" You know what, that would have been my idea of the perfect date last night. A light workout, cook an amazingly tasty yet nutritious dinner and watch American Idol together. I was neither in the mood to entertain or be entertained - simply to be. Unfortunately we have only gone out a few times and are still in that stage of feeling we have to "entertain" each other with external activities.
Be a Cow Wrote: "Unless you like the date, but just don't want to see him today." I honestly don't know if I "like" him or not. I'm thinking "not" but giving myself time to make sure.
"Good job being so motivated " This sounds odd, but I'm not really that motivated. I mean, I had to be in the beginning because it is a time consuming weekly chore; but now meal planning, writing out the recipies, pre-portioning and prepping just feels like a necessary weekly chore that I actually enjoy. Sorta like washing my car.:)
edited to add: Finally finished the above mentioned food prep and figured out what I'm able to use the tofu for - protein bars: a BIG NO. exteeeending food: A BIG YESS!!! A 1/4 portion of avocado mixed with it becomes a 1/2 portion, 1 oz minced crab meat becomes 2 oz minced crab meat. If it can be mashed, diced, grilled or minced - it can be "tofued"!!!!!!
Last edited on 23 March 2006 01:44 am by suenos
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 23 March 2006 06:52 pm |
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I'm sitting in my car outside the laundrymat this am (if it's Thursday I must be doing laundry again - I'm soooo predictable) rationalizing why I don't need to do my weight training this morning. It's raining and I don't want to drive down that street in the rain, I can do it Sunday and still get in my 3 days of weights this week, etc. Finally I hit on a great reason - "well, losing weight is 99% diet not exercise and my diet has been great this week." Then a car pulls up next to mine and this girl in little black shorts and the most beautiful lean, toned thighs steps out. A couple mins. later another car and another girl, this one with the high tight butt of my dreams. I want those thighs, I want that butt. I can eat tofu and fish till I explode but I'm not gonna get that lean, toned, tight backside without dragging my lazy round booty and jiggly thighs to the gym. Big sigh. I hate it when reality intrudes on my rationalizations.
Thinking of my diet, I'm at the point where I know the fat/protein/carb and nutrient content of everything I eat, I know the ratios of f/p/c I'm aiming for, and the combinations to get those ratios. Since I don't plan to make any more significant additions, subtractions or subtitutions to my food list, it's time to start seriously looking at and tracking the calories as well. Yuck, yuck, yuck. It's the logical and necessary next step - but really, I don't wanna.
I don't want to decide every day's entire meals in the am because that just feels too regimented and I will get sick of doing/following it and will eventually "cheat", I don't want to just record everything at the end of the day because that leaves too much leeway to screw up and not know it until it's too late to correct. I have to think about this - but really, I don't wanna. :(
Last edited on 23 March 2006 06:54 pm by suenos
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 24 March 2006 06:45 pm |
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(2/21) (2/28) (3/16) (3/24)
upper arm: 13 shoulders: 45.5 chest: 41
upper arm: 12.5 shoulders: 43.75 chest: 40.5
upper arm: 12.5 shoulders: 42.5 chest: 39.5 upper arm: 12 shoulders: 42 chest: 37.5
waist: 35 ab: 40 hip: 43 thigh: 25 calves: 16
waist: 33.5 ab: 37.5 hip: 42 thigh: 24 calves: 16.75
waist: 33 ab: 37 hip: 41 thigh: 24 calves: 16.75 waist: 32 ab: 36.5 hip: 40 thigh: 24 calves: 16.75
weight: 176
weight: 172 inches: -8 lbs: -4
weight: 168 inches: -4.75 lbs: -4
weight: 166 inches: -5.5 lbs: -2
I'm loving these numbers!!!!! It's taken a looooong time for the scale to go down these last two pounds, I think it's been almost two weeks (I was 168 a few days before having the 3/16 measurements done). Only the fact that I knew my inches were shrinking kept me on track. My biggest goal right now is to get that waist and ab measurement down. I've got at least 20lbs of fat happily snuggling up in that area. I already know the next couple of weeks are going to be a major tug of war between me and that really stubborn fat. I'm even more stubborn - and it will leave my body.
Very satisfying work-out this am. Wanted to do weights instead of cardio and get measurements so went to the gym I hate. As soon as I told Ivan the Doughboy what I wanted he started in with the routine about not advising weighing or measuring more often than once every six weeks. I really, really would have suffered in silence through his eye-rolls and quacking except there were 3 or 4 other people hanging around the desk. Before I could stop myself I launched into my own lecture about the benefits of weekly weighing and measurements and the numerous studies which have shown it to be a significant tool in weight management. It was a nice little speech but, being me, I ran out of steam and ended with a lame "You're just weird and so is this gym" I don't think he likes me anymore.:D
I've given soooooo much thought to the calorie counting thing recently. I've asked myself if I am making my weight loss program more complicated and restrictive than it needs to be by not just counting calories. So last night I calculated all the happy numbers, figured out what my calories should have been for the day, added up what I'd eaten and, even though my ratios were almost exactly what I wanted, I decided the calories were too low. So, even though I wasn't remotely hungry at 11:30 pm I ate a crab/almond/spinach salad to get in 265 more calories. Then, of course I had to stay up until almost 1 am cause I can't sleep on a full tummy.
I just don't think that way is going to work for me right now- it's taken me too long to learn to not eat unless I'm hungry. For the next little while I think I'm just going to continue eating from my food list 4-5 times a day while exercising portion and ratio control. I"ll monitor the calories without acting on them, and if my weight loss stalls I can review the numbers and adjust portion sizes accordingly. Thinking about this now, it was probably a good experiement - if I can go through a typical day on my current meal plan and only be "off" 265 cals, my body is obviously sending me the "right" hungry and full signals.
Last edited on 24 March 2006 08:05 pm by suenos
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 24 March 2006 07:17 pm |
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You are loosing and toning! Don't let the #'s get to you. Did the same person measure you? There could be the differences. I admire your conviction and want for learning more. Keep the "Happy Juices" :) flowing.
How's Grandma's desert recipe coming Read your reference to boxing with one hand, very understood. But Management has the final say right So let that person be the taste tester. It doesn't have to taste like Grandmas it just has to be tasty. Good Luck! I check in on ya daily just don't always have time to reply.
Working on calories...if there is no time for planning ahead or choose not to...maybe have a calorie total in place for meals and snacks. You've already worked on your food list and have an idea what things are. So if there's no time just pick and choose for a total amount. Maybe you'll eat old foods in a new combination. Accentuate the positive and keep Smiling :)
Lee
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 24 March 2006 08:23 pm |
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personsmon: you must have slipped in between the time I copied my old numbers down for reference and then went back to post:). I'm actually thrilled, delighted and tickled pink by these numbers. This period I lost less weight on the scale (1 lb a week), but nearly twice as much in inches as the last period. (-5.5 over 8 days vs. 4.75 over 14 days). I always do have the same person doing the measurement which is why I always end up with "Ivan". Today, however, I came home and immediately took the exact same measurements facing a mirror so next timeI can do them myself without having to deal with him.
"Accentuate the positive and keep Smiling ": Oh, I'm going to be smiling all day cause when I was duplicating his measurements in the mirror I realized where the -2" on the chest came from: thoose fatty little bulges on the upper sides of my rib cage are GONE.
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 24 March 2006 09:00 pm |
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So, even though I wasn't remotely hungry at 11:30 pm I ate a crab/almond/spinach salad to get in 265 more calories. Then, of course I had to stay up until almost 1 am cause I can't sleep on a full tummy.
Why not just add the 256 cals to next day's allowance? Your weekly averages would have been the same, but your sleep patterns would have been undisturbed.
Just a thought.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 24 March 2006 09:04 pm |
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| nevd: cause I'm an idiot and it never occured to me!!!!
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Mountain Mike
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 25 March 2006 12:18 am |
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Hi Suenos,
NOT counting calories is obviously working for you, so if I were you I'd stick with what you are doing -- "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Think about what you're after....a thin and fit "you" and a permanent lifestyle change! The important thing is you are educating yourself about nutrition, and making good choices as a result.
This is not to say not to consider calories... For example if I am "forced" by circumstances to go to Taco Bell, I choose tacos over burritos, because I have checked the calories and know that tacos have quite a bit fewer calories.
I'm not against counting calories per se, but I would consider it a last resort, and not something that anyone could sustain forever.
TGIF! ~Mike
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 25 March 2006 08:20 pm |
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Ow, Ow, Ow. What did I do yesterday??!!! I need a heating pad. Some Tylenol. A red rubber hot water bottle.
I woke up this am seriously sore from butt to thigh. I am never sore post work-out. I don't believe in being sore post workout. In fact, I think it's counter-productive to end-up sore after work-outs. That said, today I'm hobbling around like an 80 year-old woman because I decided to add an extra set of hanging leg raises to yesterday's routine. I blame the endorphines for clouding my judgement. They were shouting "You can do it!"
This morning I told my body I was going to the gym to do cardio. It laughed at me. It hurts to sit, let alone run 3 miles. Today I am going to soak and stretch, tommorrow I am going to soak and stretch. I lost one whole cardio workout to gain the dubious benefits of adding an extra set to my weight routine. Ow.
edited to add: Mike you are right. It's just that I spent so much time viewing food from every angle except calories I was a little concerned that I might be missing the mark in that area. I went through the tedious and not fun process of entering the typical portion size of everything I eat to get a daily and weekly caloric average. With few exceptions (avocado, nuts, olive oil) all my food turns out to be relatively "low calorie" and I eat a lot . So, unless I miss a whole meal every day for a whole week or decide to seriously chow down on some baby spinach leaves (20 cals per 3 cups) and tuna (90 cals per 3 oz), there's not much danger in consistently under/over consuming my caloric needs. But, it's good to know what I'm working with. Why don't you keep some seaweed wraps handy and toss your chicken taco or burrito filling into that (I promise it is yummy)- at roughly 4 cals per wrap?????!!!! Food for thought;).
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Mountain Mike
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 25 March 2006 09:44 pm |
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Hi Suenos,
I'd like to make a quick comment on your opinion of being "sore" after a workout.
In my experience, soreness is sometimes necessary to push through to the "next level" in fitness. You sometimes have to break your body down a little bit so it will rebuild even stronger. The key is not to push yourself so far that you get injured. Stress and rest are the two building blocks of fitness.
The key is learning to listen to your body. Sometimes the "soreness" is a fakeout, and if you push past this kind of soreness, you'd find yourself working out and feeling great in a matter of minutes...for me, usually like 8-10 minutes. If you still feel sore after that time---or feel worse, then your body was probably right, and it is time to stop. Any sharp pains should also be a warning sign to STOP immediately.
Anyway...Just my 2 cents as a former (future?) runner...
Mike
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personsmom
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 26 March 2006 01:48 am |
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You were right I did read in between the posts. I typed a reply that day and the server was down so "send" didn't work. At work either its the server or the router and usually at lunch time. Congratulations on the NEW YOU. I'd be smiling too :)
Lee
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 26 March 2006 12:16 pm |
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Suenos -
Re the soreness. I think you definitely overdid it. When you get soreness like that, it's often good to exercise to 'wash out' the sore muscles. But not more of the same thing.
Is it possible for you to swim anywhere? You get to use all your muscles, but in a 'different' way.
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suenos
Moderator
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Posted: 27 March 2006 02:30 am |
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This is my 11th week's food/exercise plan. This time next week I can say that I actually stuck to my food/exercise plan for 3 months!!!!! When I did last week's plan I had no weight loss on the scale but this week I had -2 lbs and 5.5 inches. I think I was more afraid than impatient when it took so long to finally show on the scale. Somehow 168 seemed scarily close to 170 - like it could just slide back up there at any moment. 166 is a much more comfortable distance:).This week's workout routine:
Mon/Wen/Fri: cardio days: 60 min. speed/incline intervals on treadmill, 20 min. light circuit on weights; 15 mins pm breathing exercises.
Tues/Thurs/Sat: weights only: chest/back,abs.... arms/abs....thighs/butt/abs; 15 mins yoga stretches
Last week made final increase (in time) to cardio. Now just have to make the most of that hour - keep it intense and varied enough to be effective and interesting. Adding 15 mins breathing exercises in pm on cardio days. Keeping the same weight routine as last week, adding 15 min. yoga stretches in pm on weight training days. Continuing to reserve (and cherish) Sundays as "all forms of exercise prohibited" night. This week's diet:
Tofu, hummus, eggs, cauliflower, button and portabello mushrooms, garlic, onions, baby spinach leaves, broccoli, spring mix (baby lettuces, greens, endive and radicchio), bok choy, avocados, blueberries, rasberries, grapefruit, almonds, pecans, chicken, salmon, orange roughy, tuna, halibut, crab, turkey, shrimp, 3 protein shakes, red bull, green tea, olive oil, jello, whole-wheat flakes and faxseed, long grain brown rice, seaweed, unsweetened bakers chocolate, 2 meal replacement bars. Swapped feta for hummas, romaine for spring mix, added orange roughy, bakers chocolate and meal repacement bars, no eliminations. Didn't miss the cheese at all! Maybe dropping is was what finally got those 2 pounds off???? Making meal replacement bars with tofu was sincerely awful in both taste and texture - but it was a fun try. My next magic trick is to try to make a type of flan with tofu and unsweetened bakers chocolate. Instead of artificial sweetener I'm first going to try using the juice from crushed rasberries. It looks and tastes lovely in my head - but so did the tofu replacement bars! I just realized I only have about 35 items on my food list - and some of them (olive oil, red bull) are not even foods really. But somehow it feels varied and interesting. I guess I'm like the guy in Forest Gump: well, ya gotcha tuna/seaweed wraps, and ya tuna salad, and ya tuna patties and ya mushroom stuffed tuna, and ya tuna omletes.......... This week's highlights:
The most amazingly fun and energetic work-out sessions - until slightly derailed by my over-enthusiasm. Finally figuring out how to use my skin-fold calipers - and it only took a week. Making it, at last, to 166 - that's the 20 pounds down mark. Telling "Ivan" what I really think about his weigh every six weeks idea - gosh that was fun. This week's lows: Deciding I was gonna play Superwoman and overextending myself into a two day sore bottom. All in all, it was a pretty good week. I have a feeling that I have lost the "easy" fat and from here on out it's only going to be harder. Maybe my body will surpise me - I hope so.
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