I'm not sure exactly sure how many calories I will be consuming for dinner as we are going out to eat, but I have a range of 350 - 650 to keep me within my daily goal. And, fortunately, I do not find the bread basket at the Cheesecake Factory to be very tempting. So if I stick with a nice salad, I should be good to go!
Today is what my brother's cross-country coach calls 'active rest'. I did not run, bike, swim or weight train today, but between the commute, the lunch-time walk, the dog walking and the trip to the post office, I will have walked 11 miles today.
I am glad to be back working on this and keeping myself in check! I have really started to focus on the "trade-offs" I talked about yesterday. I could have bread tonight, and forego the wine. I could have an entree and no wine. I could have a glass of wine and a salad and still do well on my calories. No self-deprivation, no "off limit" foods. Just choices....choosing to live on less....and that's the healthier choice.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Back with a vengence
Soooo....2 weeks of vacations and other lame excuses got me out of the Sparkpeopl habit = BAD. Back-to-back weekends of excuses to allow myself a little excess. (One weekend would have been okay....2? No.) But my first day back on the wagon was a good one.
Know what one of the best things about sparkpeople (for Fitday or any food journal/tracking) is? It shows you how to make decisions. It demonstrates tradeoffs. You can enter everything you might eat, look at the various calorie allotments and have a really honest conversation with yourself about what is actually genuinely worth the calories.
That has been my defense against the still-present leftover Halloween candy in the office. Sure...I can have those Nestle Crunches....or I can have one glass of lovely Reisling after dinner. One or the other, but not both...and when presented in that fashion, it is easy to make the decision.
The last 2 weeks makes me a little fearful that I will never be to the point where I can just eat right without tracking...but for now....if this is working....it's not so onorous that I am willing to give it up.
Weight: 150 (le sigh)
Physical Activity: 2 miles of dog walking, 2 mile walk to work, 20-minute weight workout, 20 minutes on the ellptical, 4 mile run.
Calories: 1550
Know what one of the best things about sparkpeople (for Fitday or any food journal/tracking) is? It shows you how to make decisions. It demonstrates tradeoffs. You can enter everything you might eat, look at the various calorie allotments and have a really honest conversation with yourself about what is actually genuinely worth the calories.
That has been my defense against the still-present leftover Halloween candy in the office. Sure...I can have those Nestle Crunches....or I can have one glass of lovely Reisling after dinner. One or the other, but not both...and when presented in that fashion, it is easy to make the decision.
The last 2 weeks makes me a little fearful that I will never be to the point where I can just eat right without tracking...but for now....if this is working....it's not so onorous that I am willing to give it up.
Weight: 150 (le sigh)
Physical Activity: 2 miles of dog walking, 2 mile walk to work, 20-minute weight workout, 20 minutes on the ellptical, 4 mile run.
Calories: 1550
Monday, November 17, 2008
Working out is not a problem
Depending on your sources, you can have a variety of statistics on the breakdown in importance between calorie intake and exercise for weight loss. That remains a huge part of my frustration, I admit. I can follow a plan, if I know it is successful in the long-term. But while some will say weight loss is an easy equation of calories in versus calories burned, others will show scientific evidence of the KIND of calories (fiber, protein, good carbs vs. bad) or the timing of calories (eat whatever before 2 p.m., eat every 4 hours) or the temperature of calories (ice water burns more...) being a critical factor in success in weightloss. Frankly, if you did all kinds of online research, I can see where you might #1 - give up completely or #2 - buy into some stupid plan like the grapefruit diet.
But the bottom line is that nothing will work long term if you don't learn tio eat properly. I hear that losing weight is 70 - 80% diet, and the rest exercise. That is frustrating to me because exercise is NOT a problem for me. In fact just today I did a GREAT 30-minute upper body weight work out and a 5-mile run. But did I eat okay today? That is really the question when it comes to weightloss. And while the answer for today is probably "yes"...that is not the same as this past weekend....or last weekend, when I was on vacation. And if I am not ultimately learning to be a better eater I am not being successful in my current endeavour, I will also not accomplish long-term success in my relationship with food, which is really critical.
Our scale has been acting up, I think it is now fixed, but I do not have a current weight to report. Nor have I been good about tracking my calories.....I wanted to get to the point where that was not necessary....but I do not think I am there.
And the holiday season is upon us, which means food challenges. I have a lot to learn.
But the bottom line is that nothing will work long term if you don't learn tio eat properly. I hear that losing weight is 70 - 80% diet, and the rest exercise. That is frustrating to me because exercise is NOT a problem for me. In fact just today I did a GREAT 30-minute upper body weight work out and a 5-mile run. But did I eat okay today? That is really the question when it comes to weightloss. And while the answer for today is probably "yes"...that is not the same as this past weekend....or last weekend, when I was on vacation. And if I am not ultimately learning to be a better eater I am not being successful in my current endeavour, I will also not accomplish long-term success in my relationship with food, which is really critical.
Our scale has been acting up, I think it is now fixed, but I do not have a current weight to report. Nor have I been good about tracking my calories.....I wanted to get to the point where that was not necessary....but I do not think I am there.
And the holiday season is upon us, which means food challenges. I have a lot to learn.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Motivation in a shopping bag
Nothing will get your butt back on Sparkpeople and elevate the intensity of a workout like a day that starts with clothes shopping followed by a registration for an endurance event.
The extra hour last night might have helped too, because I was up early and felt like I had lots of time for a gym trip.
Weight: did not weigh
Physical activity: 2 miles walking the dog, 4.5 miles run (split, to gym and back), 20 minutes upper body weights (chest, biceps and triceps), 7 miles on stationary bike (26:30 minutes).
Calories: 1700 planned.
The extra hour last night might have helped too, because I was up early and felt like I had lots of time for a gym trip.
Weight: did not weigh
Physical activity: 2 miles walking the dog, 4.5 miles run (split, to gym and back), 20 minutes upper body weights (chest, biceps and triceps), 7 miles on stationary bike (26:30 minutes).
Calories: 1700 planned.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Depressed
The scale was 150 this morning. And today was Halloween. One week until I go to DC, so 7 weeks since I started.
I am very depressed.
I am very depressed.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
On my own
Sooooooo....5 days both on my own and on an expense account (for part of it). It showed, overall, that I am not quite ready. Sadly, I had time to do really, really well on my exercise.....yet also had plenty of access to free candy and dessert. (I was on the concierge floor...they brought me Oreos before bed for pete's sake!)
So....good in some cases and not good in others. I am learning a little....but need to work harder. Building on what I am learning...I will get there. Tomorrow will be another challenge......Halloween. Potluck at work and handing out candy. I hope we get lots of trick-o-treaters.
But I should not need to hope for that......I am getting better at containing myself....and the running is back.
Weight: 149
Exercise: 5 mile run (I started running again!)
Calories: 1550
So....good in some cases and not good in others. I am learning a little....but need to work harder. Building on what I am learning...I will get there. Tomorrow will be another challenge......Halloween. Potluck at work and handing out candy. I hope we get lots of trick-o-treaters.
But I should not need to hope for that......I am getting better at containing myself....and the running is back.
Weight: 149
Exercise: 5 mile run (I started running again!)
Calories: 1550
Thursday, October 23, 2008
HUGE challenge coming my way
Tonight: Dinner out with friends
Tomorrow: We leave for San Diego where we will spend the weekend, but then I will be there through Wednesday for a conference.
Challenge....not creep back into the 150s.
I have been holding at 148 every day...I do NOT NOT NOT want to go back up. There will be no food scale, no measuring cups, no internet to log into SparkPeople every day.
There will be a day at the zoo (walking!) and a gym at the hotel (hopefully....or I start running) plus I have never been to San Diego so I just want to walk around and see the place.
But I do view this as a test....have the changes I have been integrating really taken hold? Can I control my food intake when I don't have a visible calorie count?
I accpet this challenge, and hope to come out with flying colors!
Tomorrow: We leave for San Diego where we will spend the weekend, but then I will be there through Wednesday for a conference.
Challenge....not creep back into the 150s.
I have been holding at 148 every day...I do NOT NOT NOT want to go back up. There will be no food scale, no measuring cups, no internet to log into SparkPeople every day.
There will be a day at the zoo (walking!) and a gym at the hotel (hopefully....or I start running) plus I have never been to San Diego so I just want to walk around and see the place.
But I do view this as a test....have the changes I have been integrating really taken hold? Can I control my food intake when I don't have a visible calorie count?
I accpet this challenge, and hope to come out with flying colors!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Seeing is believing
Anyone else have those clothes you just know you are going to fit into 'some day'. I have several things in my closet....some I have never worn....because they were just a little small but I just knew I was going to lose the weight.
Well, this weekend I got into one of them...a pair of shorts I am embarrassed to admit I bought a year ago. Yup, that is how long it has taken me to get serious enough to actually make some visible changes. But it's a trend and let's hope it continues.
I did very well on my calories yesterday and have another 1500 calorie day planned for today, with a good weight workout and some extra long biking.
Not running has been HARD. I want to run. And yesterday I read and article that was a short interview with Jillian Michaels (my hero) and she said running is really the best calorie burn. So I want to get back at it to continue my success.....but I am trying to respect my body...and it's age, and remember that I need to do some resting if I want them to withstand the Ironman training.
Weight: 148
Exercise: 30 minutes weights, 9 miles biking (divided), 2 miles walking the dog
Calories: 1500
Well, this weekend I got into one of them...a pair of shorts I am embarrassed to admit I bought a year ago. Yup, that is how long it has taken me to get serious enough to actually make some visible changes. But it's a trend and let's hope it continues.
I did very well on my calories yesterday and have another 1500 calorie day planned for today, with a good weight workout and some extra long biking.
Not running has been HARD. I want to run. And yesterday I read and article that was a short interview with Jillian Michaels (my hero) and she said running is really the best calorie burn. So I want to get back at it to continue my success.....but I am trying to respect my body...and it's age, and remember that I need to do some resting if I want them to withstand the Ironman training.
Weight: 148
Exercise: 30 minutes weights, 9 miles biking (divided), 2 miles walking the dog
Calories: 1500
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Dashing in.....
.....Today is my no-calorie-count day....but this morning I stepped on the scale and saw a number I have not seen in probably 2 years. And the last time I did see it I bet it was AFTER a workout, not first thing in the morning. I am so happy!
Weight: 147
Exercise: 20 minutes weights, 4 miles dog walking (and walking all over Halloween Horror Nights!)
Calories: No count day
Weight: 147
Exercise: 20 minutes weights, 4 miles dog walking (and walking all over Halloween Horror Nights!)
Calories: No count day
Friday, October 17, 2008
Dare I say it?
This is the first full week I have been under 150 every day I have stepped on the scale. And the cool thing is, I have been stepping on it just as soon as I get up....unlike previous times I was under 150 and those weights were after a long water-burning run. I am admittedly excited.
I think success breeds success. Because today has been yet another good day for calories and I worked my butt off. And I think that might be literal. Perhaps it is my excitment coloring my perception, but I feel like I see a difference in some places in my body.
Not running has been hard. I know it is such a high calorie burn compared with the same amount of time in other exercises. But I feel good with my weight-lifting and my crazy walking. My legs are killing me today.
Weight: 149 ( I am so close to saying goodbye to 150s....the next time I want to see a 5 is when it's 145.)
Exercise: 2 mile walk to work, 30 minutes interval on the ellptical, 3 miles power walk home, 2 miles total with the dog.
Calories: Not 100% accurate, but it's about 1440.
I think success breeds success. Because today has been yet another good day for calories and I worked my butt off. And I think that might be literal. Perhaps it is my excitment coloring my perception, but I feel like I see a difference in some places in my body.
Not running has been hard. I know it is such a high calorie burn compared with the same amount of time in other exercises. But I feel good with my weight-lifting and my crazy walking. My legs are killing me today.
Weight: 149 ( I am so close to saying goodbye to 150s....the next time I want to see a 5 is when it's 145.)
Exercise: 2 mile walk to work, 30 minutes interval on the ellptical, 3 miles power walk home, 2 miles total with the dog.
Calories: Not 100% accurate, but it's about 1440.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The new me
The new me went to a company meeting today. The new me had one cookie. The old me would have had at LEAST one.
The new me went to bed last night at 8 because I was tired and I needed to get up early if I wanted to get a workout in today. The old me would have wanted to wait up to have a drink with my husband, would have said "I'll work out after work" and would have then been too tired.
Yesterday, the new me was exhausted at work, and ended up not working out, but kept my calories in check. The old me would have not beenn so good about keeping calories under control.
The new me got out of bed this morning, got in 3 miles of power walking and a great 25-minute weightlifting session -- the old me wanted to sleep for another hour.
The old me would have had steak tonight with my husband. The new me had a vegetarian dinner.
So....I did not weigh myself this morning and I am not sure if there is a new me with new numbers on the scale, but there is a new me mentally making better choices for my life. (The old me also would have run this morning since I was pressed for time, but the new me is giving my body a responsible break from running.)
Weight: Not sure, but it was 148 yesterday
Exercise: 3 miles power walking, 3 miles slightly fast walking, 25 minutes weights
Calories: 1450
The new me went to bed last night at 8 because I was tired and I needed to get up early if I wanted to get a workout in today. The old me would have wanted to wait up to have a drink with my husband, would have said "I'll work out after work" and would have then been too tired.
Yesterday, the new me was exhausted at work, and ended up not working out, but kept my calories in check. The old me would have not beenn so good about keeping calories under control.
The new me got out of bed this morning, got in 3 miles of power walking and a great 25-minute weightlifting session -- the old me wanted to sleep for another hour.
The old me would have had steak tonight with my husband. The new me had a vegetarian dinner.
So....I did not weigh myself this morning and I am not sure if there is a new me with new numbers on the scale, but there is a new me mentally making better choices for my life. (The old me also would have run this morning since I was pressed for time, but the new me is giving my body a responsible break from running.)
Weight: Not sure, but it was 148 yesterday
Exercise: 3 miles power walking, 3 miles slightly fast walking, 25 minutes weights
Calories: 1450
Monday, October 13, 2008
My Food Issue
So here tonight, I come face-to-face with my food issues. I do hope blogging is going to get me through it!
Reader's digest version: I grew up in a house with a single mom trying to raise 2 kids on a Florida teacher's salary. Let's just say, there was not tons of extra food in our house. We didn't starve, but my mom worked a lot of extra jobs and we were on our own a lot with microwave pizza, hotdogs and Steakums (remember those?).
By contrast, my father was not struggling. There was a huge variety of food in the house and it was all good. (We never ate frozen pizza with him.) I was there at two keys times of the year...the summer...which means lots of fresh produce and BBQs and camping trips with smores....and Christmas...which goes without saying is an awesome time for great food.
Somewhere in my upbrining, I started to associate good food as something temporary. I was going to get it for 6 weeks over the summer and 2 weeks at Christmas and then it would go away. As a result, I got it in my head that I needed to have all I could stuff into myself...because it would go away. And it was not just "bad" foods. Fresh produce. A good steak on the grill. It was all just something I did not get at home...so I'd better eat it all.
Year's later...a full grown adult with a good job and plenty of money in my bank account...this remains an issue. There is an open bag of oreos....I'd better eat them....or they will go away. Never mind that if I wanted to I could afford to go to the store every single day and buy another bag of oreos....I just have this desperate need to eat. It's worse when it is something actually temporary....at a restaurant...a cruise buffet...something served at the office.
So here tonight, I have done very, very well on my calories for the day and for dinner I made something really healthy...and very tasty!!! And now I want more. I'm not hungry. And I have a baked good in the oven that is also in my calorie count for the day...but still I want more of the dinner I made.
I have to learn. It will be there tomorrow (for lunch!)...it will be there the next day. And when it does run out....I can make a new batch. I don't need it now.
I was very, very tired today. I did not sleep well last night. It was difficult to get myself to go to the gym. I was supposed to do a weight workout today....but I knew it would be lousy. So I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and it was actually a really good workout. I pushed myself pretty well. Combine with 4 miles of walking to and from work and 45 minutes of walking the dog...I am pretty happy with the day.
Weight: 148
Exercise: 30 minutes of intervals on the elliptical (including arms), 4 miles of walking fast, 45 minutes of walking the dog.
Calories: 1430
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Seeing the changes
Friday sucked. Let me just say, my Friday's seem to suck. Work gets in the way. Now I had been allowing Friday to be my day off from working out....though I am admittedly not so great at taking days off. I know it is better for my body, but mentally I have this fear that any day I don't work out will be a back slide on the scale. But Thursday night I got a special delivery in the mail....the bridesmaid's dress I am wearing in March. It looked TERRIBLE on me. And I find nothing more motivating to wanting a good workout than trying on clothes and not liking what I see. So I was very disappointed as my lunch-hour came and went with no ability for me to get to the gym. However, my caloric intake for the day was very good.
Yesterday, the scale was a good number actually. I did cheat a little...I have been weighing myself first thing in the morning but after not working out on Friday, I did not think I wanted to get on the scale when I first got up. I walked for an hour and then did 2 Biggest Loser videos (40 minutes total) and I was feeling good, so I stepped on and was happy. Another small change I am making it not weighing myself every day. I know weight has natural fluctuations, but I do not do very well reminding myself of that on some of the higher-number days. Maybe 3-4 times per week....I think that will help me mentally.
But on a positive note, I think it had an impact on the food choices I made yesterday. Yesterday was my free calories day, so I am not sure what the totals were. But I know that I ate broccoli slaw before lunch and a low-fat smoothie for breakfast. I did have lunch at a bar watching a game...but I ordered the chicken sandwich, though I did have fries.
Today I walked the dog for 30 minutes and then power-walked for an hour. I have decided to take a short break from running. The Iron-man training program is going to be 36 weeks of increasing distance and I think it would be healthy for my knees to give them a break. Again, this is difficult for me because I know that running has one of the best calorie burns per hour. But I am trying to focus on weightlifting and other cardio. My walk today was up and down hills and I really did focus on making it cardio and not just a leisurely walk.
But I can see a little more definition in my arms and I can definitly see a difference in my food choices. For example, today at Costco they were giving out samples of chocolate candy, including my favorite. I took one peice and split it with Richard. (And I logged the calories...no cheating!) When I got home, I wanted a snack before dinner, I was going to have cheese and crackers. Instead, I literally put the crackers back in the pantry and cut an apple into thin slices for the measured one ounce of goat cheese.
Unfortunately, we are going out to dinner tonight, which makes exact measurements of food difficult, but I have lots of room in my calorie ceiling after logging everything else I have eaten today, and I think my new attitude toward portion size and trade-offs (ie, I can have 10 tortilla chips or I can have a glass of wine....not a hard choice) I am confident that I can enjoy dinner and not screw up my eating plan.
The ultimate goal is weightloss, it is true, but improving my food consumption is the only road to getting there and staying there, and I am very very happy to see changes in that arena.
Yesterday, the scale was a good number actually. I did cheat a little...I have been weighing myself first thing in the morning but after not working out on Friday, I did not think I wanted to get on the scale when I first got up. I walked for an hour and then did 2 Biggest Loser videos (40 minutes total) and I was feeling good, so I stepped on and was happy. Another small change I am making it not weighing myself every day. I know weight has natural fluctuations, but I do not do very well reminding myself of that on some of the higher-number days. Maybe 3-4 times per week....I think that will help me mentally.
But on a positive note, I think it had an impact on the food choices I made yesterday. Yesterday was my free calories day, so I am not sure what the totals were. But I know that I ate broccoli slaw before lunch and a low-fat smoothie for breakfast. I did have lunch at a bar watching a game...but I ordered the chicken sandwich, though I did have fries.
Today I walked the dog for 30 minutes and then power-walked for an hour. I have decided to take a short break from running. The Iron-man training program is going to be 36 weeks of increasing distance and I think it would be healthy for my knees to give them a break. Again, this is difficult for me because I know that running has one of the best calorie burns per hour. But I am trying to focus on weightlifting and other cardio. My walk today was up and down hills and I really did focus on making it cardio and not just a leisurely walk.
But I can see a little more definition in my arms and I can definitly see a difference in my food choices. For example, today at Costco they were giving out samples of chocolate candy, including my favorite. I took one peice and split it with Richard. (And I logged the calories...no cheating!) When I got home, I wanted a snack before dinner, I was going to have cheese and crackers. Instead, I literally put the crackers back in the pantry and cut an apple into thin slices for the measured one ounce of goat cheese.
Unfortunately, we are going out to dinner tonight, which makes exact measurements of food difficult, but I have lots of room in my calorie ceiling after logging everything else I have eaten today, and I think my new attitude toward portion size and trade-offs (ie, I can have 10 tortilla chips or I can have a glass of wine....not a hard choice) I am confident that I can enjoy dinner and not screw up my eating plan.
The ultimate goal is weightloss, it is true, but improving my food consumption is the only road to getting there and staying there, and I am very very happy to see changes in that arena.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
SparkPeople is my friend
So today I expanded my SparkPeople use from just tracking my food to also including my workouts for the day. Writing things down really does have an impact. It's there, in your face. I could lie, I suppose, but I am come to understand how that is not going to hurt anyone but me. Even today, I have finished entering my stuff for the day...and am considering opening a bottle of wine. But I am up on my calorie limit for the day......and opening that wine is a bad, bad idea. And looking at my daily intake...helps...greatly.
Accountability. It's what I need a grip on.
Accountability. It's what I need a grip on.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
It's days like these....
I wish I had more time in my schedule. I had a GREAT workout this morning, but it was only 30 minutes and I would have gone longer had I not had an early morning conference call. It was only 30 minutes, but it was 20 minutes of super-set weights and 10 minutes on the stair climber.
We had a team lunch out today, so I am unsure of my calories, but I am SO proud that I ate half my lunch (but all of the salad) and had a very small piece of cake. I have a vegetarian meal planned for dinner, so I feel comfortable that overall my calories will be in check today. Overall calories definitely important, but I am also just happy about an improvement in eating habits. Last night was the same. I had a friend over for dinner and I made stir-fry, and I had a very reasonable portion and did not feel stuffed at the end. I certainly hope this victory on the plate leads to victory on the scale!
Weight: 150
Exercise: 4-mile bike commute, 20 minute run with the dog, 20 minute walk with the dog, 20 minutes intense weightlifting, 10 minutes intense stair-climbing
Calories: not sure, but portion sizes are good!
We had a team lunch out today, so I am unsure of my calories, but I am SO proud that I ate half my lunch (but all of the salad) and had a very small piece of cake. I have a vegetarian meal planned for dinner, so I feel comfortable that overall my calories will be in check today. Overall calories definitely important, but I am also just happy about an improvement in eating habits. Last night was the same. I had a friend over for dinner and I made stir-fry, and I had a very reasonable portion and did not feel stuffed at the end. I certainly hope this victory on the plate leads to victory on the scale!
Weight: 150
Exercise: 4-mile bike commute, 20 minute run with the dog, 20 minute walk with the dog, 20 minutes intense weightlifting, 10 minutes intense stair-climbing
Calories: not sure, but portion sizes are good!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Mindful eating
I went to a company-sponsored lunch today about "mindful eating". Sadly, I did not really learn anything I did not already know. The problem, I realize, is that knowing is only so useful. If you know it and ignore it.....how is that useful?
Today was a good day for food. Unfortunately, my workout was not as long or intense as I would have liked, but it was something...and I have a plan for an early morning. I feel good and I am focused and pushing hard.
Weight: 150
Physical Activity: 2 miles walking the dog, 5 miles bike commute, 20 minutes weights.
Calories: 1500
Today was a good day for food. Unfortunately, my workout was not as long or intense as I would have liked, but it was something...and I have a plan for an early morning. I feel good and I am focused and pushing hard.
Weight: 150
Physical Activity: 2 miles walking the dog, 5 miles bike commute, 20 minutes weights.
Calories: 1500
Monday, October 6, 2008
Set-backs and steps forward
Admittedly, I am not a parent. But some would say my dog is my baby. If parenting is worse than being an overly-protective dog owner, then it's a good thing children are not in my future. Vega was sick last week and Wednesday -Friday nights were a lot more stress than sleep. The result was no workout Thursday or Friday, and Saturday, Sunday and Monday had "better-than-nothing" workouts.
On the upside, the food intake, while not well-tracked, has been better. I made homemade pizza for lunch one day, but only had one peice of cheese and a salad. I was also designated driver when we went out Saturday night, so my alcohol consumption has been down. No desserts and hardly any white bread products have been in my diet. And today my dinner was a potato and vegetables. I only weighed myself Saturday (150) so I am not sure where I stand in weightloss, but I am pleased with some of the lifestyle choices I have made and hope they are indicative of a change in eating habits that I can stick with.
I am headed for bed very early tonight, and have plans for a good workout tomorrow, as well as a good meal plan.
Weight: Unsure
Physical Activity: 5-mile round trip bike commute, 35 minutes on the ellptical, 3 miles walking the dog.
Calories: 1500 (I think it is probably less than this, but I make homemade pizza and had the rest for lunch today and I had to guess how to enter that into Sparkpeople.
On the upside, the food intake, while not well-tracked, has been better. I made homemade pizza for lunch one day, but only had one peice of cheese and a salad. I was also designated driver when we went out Saturday night, so my alcohol consumption has been down. No desserts and hardly any white bread products have been in my diet. And today my dinner was a potato and vegetables. I only weighed myself Saturday (150) so I am not sure where I stand in weightloss, but I am pleased with some of the lifestyle choices I have made and hope they are indicative of a change in eating habits that I can stick with.
I am headed for bed very early tonight, and have plans for a good workout tomorrow, as well as a good meal plan.
Weight: Unsure
Physical Activity: 5-mile round trip bike commute, 35 minutes on the ellptical, 3 miles walking the dog.
Calories: 1500 (I think it is probably less than this, but I make homemade pizza and had the rest for lunch today and I had to guess how to enter that into Sparkpeople.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
A new month
I did not want to post today. Posting would mean acknowledging that even though I have planned for a nice 1300-calorie day yesterday, including a birthday meal for a friend, that my friend got there, and by the time she left at midnight I had consumed an entire bottle of wine. By myself (she drank red, I drank a nice muscato). I had been doing well....last night was a step back.
Part of the problem is a new wine that I have found....Sutter Home muscato. In CA, it's about $4/bottle, it's sweet and it must not have much alcohol because I can drink an entire bottle without so much as a buzz. From that perspective it's a good thing....but it often does not make me realize just how much I am drinking....especially on nights when Richard is refilling my glass. I'm not blaming the wine, mind you, I know I need to learn far more restraint.
I did not weigh myself this morning. I would love to say that it was accidental, but what, precisely, is the point in lying here? I didn't step on the scale because I thought about that bottle of wine and I did not want to face the consequences.
But I flipped over the calendar this morning to October and took it as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf in a nice, fall metaphor. I have input my calories for the day and I am at 1206. I NEED to stick with the plan....even for no other reason than to prove to myself that I CAN.
No more weeknight drinking...and trying to cut down on the weekends since, if I am going to truly train for an Ironman....many early mornings are in my future and those don't happen when I am feeling the dehydration effects of a night filled with alcohol. Maybe I should treat it like being pregnant....the automatic designated driver for the next 10 months until the race. (Well, there's yet another reason for no breeding on my part!)
I have one month before I am signing up for the races...it needs to be a good month of weight loss and trying to find a training plan to follow. I also got some advice to up my weight training now, since it will help when I start going off for longer runs and bikes. That is difficult for me, since I can put on my iPod and do cardio for hours, but weight training just bores me to tears. Just one month....I can do it.
Weight: I cheated and did not look
Exercise: Walked 2 miles to work, will bike home and to the mail, 3 miles total of dog walking, weight workout in the gym.
Calories: 1206 (STICK TO THE PLAN!!!)
Part of the problem is a new wine that I have found....Sutter Home muscato. In CA, it's about $4/bottle, it's sweet and it must not have much alcohol because I can drink an entire bottle without so much as a buzz. From that perspective it's a good thing....but it often does not make me realize just how much I am drinking....especially on nights when Richard is refilling my glass. I'm not blaming the wine, mind you, I know I need to learn far more restraint.
I did not weigh myself this morning. I would love to say that it was accidental, but what, precisely, is the point in lying here? I didn't step on the scale because I thought about that bottle of wine and I did not want to face the consequences.
But I flipped over the calendar this morning to October and took it as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf in a nice, fall metaphor. I have input my calories for the day and I am at 1206. I NEED to stick with the plan....even for no other reason than to prove to myself that I CAN.
No more weeknight drinking...and trying to cut down on the weekends since, if I am going to truly train for an Ironman....many early mornings are in my future and those don't happen when I am feeling the dehydration effects of a night filled with alcohol. Maybe I should treat it like being pregnant....the automatic designated driver for the next 10 months until the race. (Well, there's yet another reason for no breeding on my part!)
I have one month before I am signing up for the races...it needs to be a good month of weight loss and trying to find a training plan to follow. I also got some advice to up my weight training now, since it will help when I start going off for longer runs and bikes. That is difficult for me, since I can put on my iPod and do cardio for hours, but weight training just bores me to tears. Just one month....I can do it.
Weight: I cheated and did not look
Exercise: Walked 2 miles to work, will bike home and to the mail, 3 miles total of dog walking, weight workout in the gym.
Calories: 1206 (STICK TO THE PLAN!!!)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Mentality
Yesterday was tough. I didn't think the weekend was so bad calorie-wise, and I thought my workouts would have fended off some of that. Scale said 153. Today is was back at 151. I had a good calorie day yesterday....even though we went out last night at the last minute to celebrate a colleagues promotion. I am not sure how much I ate, but I had given myself a 500 calorie cushion before dinner, and only ate half my meal, so I think I did pretty well.
Today has also been really good....I am at about 1300 calories...I am guessing a little because we had cake for a co-workers birthday and I only had a small peice, but I don't know exact calorie count. But I was under 1100 with everything else, so I am thinking I'm still well with-in my acceptable range.
Yesterday was just a short workout because I gave blood, so I did not have my full lunch hour for the gym. Today I ran...about 30 minutes with the dog, then biked to work (where my gym is), then ran another 30 minutes and finished off running 3 minutes of stairs. Good sweat.
I also have found some serious motivation...I hope. I have identified an Ironman race in CA next August that I want to do. So...if I can make my goal weight before December and not gain it all back over the holidays, I'll be in a good position to start serious training in January. I got excited running this morning just thinking about it. The races do fill up fast so there is no guarantee I will get in, but registration opens Nov. 1 and it's a Saturday....you can bet I'll be up until midnight that Friday waiting to register (if they turn it on right then!).
Weight: 151 - I really want to get out of the 150s for good.
Exercise: 1 hour of running, bike 2 miles to work, walk 2 miles home, walk the dog.
Calories: about 1300
Today has also been really good....I am at about 1300 calories...I am guessing a little because we had cake for a co-workers birthday and I only had a small peice, but I don't know exact calorie count. But I was under 1100 with everything else, so I am thinking I'm still well with-in my acceptable range.
Yesterday was just a short workout because I gave blood, so I did not have my full lunch hour for the gym. Today I ran...about 30 minutes with the dog, then biked to work (where my gym is), then ran another 30 minutes and finished off running 3 minutes of stairs. Good sweat.
I also have found some serious motivation...I hope. I have identified an Ironman race in CA next August that I want to do. So...if I can make my goal weight before December and not gain it all back over the holidays, I'll be in a good position to start serious training in January. I got excited running this morning just thinking about it. The races do fill up fast so there is no guarantee I will get in, but registration opens Nov. 1 and it's a Saturday....you can bet I'll be up until midnight that Friday waiting to register (if they turn it on right then!).
Weight: 151 - I really want to get out of the 150s for good.
Exercise: 1 hour of running, bike 2 miles to work, walk 2 miles home, walk the dog.
Calories: about 1300
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Highs and Lows
I cannot decide what to make of the weekend. On one hand, Friday night was tough and I have no idea what the ultimate calorie count was, even though I did very well early in the day.
The initial weight Saturday morning was 151. UGH! I get so frustrated when that happens. I walked...a LOT...yesterday. I walked the dog 30 minutes, and we actually went at a good clip. I had origianally thought I would go another 45 minutes on my own and then do a weight workout before heading out for the UCLA game. Calorie-wise, it was supposed to be my "free" day for the week, but I was trying to not go crazy considering my Friday night.
I ended up getting a little lost on my walk and walking for a solid hour, at a very good workout pace. I did do just a few weights for my arms, but did not have a whole lot of time. I ate before we left, and only shared a few fries and a little ice cream at the game. Good until now, and then we had friends over for the debate, which we had DVRd. Dinner was good, and I was even good about the cookies I made for dessert. My drinking, however, was ultimately too much.
Today I got up, had a smoothie, took the dog for a nice walk and then got on my bike. I planned to bike to the beach and back (7 miles total) and when I got there I started to remember how much I liked to bike and I did something very Californian...I got on the bike path by the beach and rode. I have no exact knowledge of how far I went, but it felt great. I started having thoughts of my ultimate athletic goal...doing an ironman. It is something I have long been interested in, but got shelved when I was heavy into the adventure racing. Now that that is over (since I moved to L.A.), I am back on the Ironman kick. Next year I will turn 37....if I'm gonna do it...it really needs to be, um, sooner than later.
So, I was inspired by thinking about actually commiting to this, and when I got home from biking, Iwent for a 4-mile run. Rather proud of myself.
I did not specifically track my calories today....mostly because of laziness and craziness of my errand schedule today. But it's easier during the week anyway, and that starts tomorrow. I probably had too much wine tonight, even if my food intake was good. I am sad to realize that the exercise..which was AWESOME...is not nearly as important as a few extra glasses of wine.
Le Sigh.
Tomorrow is (yet another) Monday.
The initial weight Saturday morning was 151. UGH! I get so frustrated when that happens. I walked...a LOT...yesterday. I walked the dog 30 minutes, and we actually went at a good clip. I had origianally thought I would go another 45 minutes on my own and then do a weight workout before heading out for the UCLA game. Calorie-wise, it was supposed to be my "free" day for the week, but I was trying to not go crazy considering my Friday night.
I ended up getting a little lost on my walk and walking for a solid hour, at a very good workout pace. I did do just a few weights for my arms, but did not have a whole lot of time. I ate before we left, and only shared a few fries and a little ice cream at the game. Good until now, and then we had friends over for the debate, which we had DVRd. Dinner was good, and I was even good about the cookies I made for dessert. My drinking, however, was ultimately too much.
Today I got up, had a smoothie, took the dog for a nice walk and then got on my bike. I planned to bike to the beach and back (7 miles total) and when I got there I started to remember how much I liked to bike and I did something very Californian...I got on the bike path by the beach and rode. I have no exact knowledge of how far I went, but it felt great. I started having thoughts of my ultimate athletic goal...doing an ironman. It is something I have long been interested in, but got shelved when I was heavy into the adventure racing. Now that that is over (since I moved to L.A.), I am back on the Ironman kick. Next year I will turn 37....if I'm gonna do it...it really needs to be, um, sooner than later.
So, I was inspired by thinking about actually commiting to this, and when I got home from biking, Iwent for a 4-mile run. Rather proud of myself.
I did not specifically track my calories today....mostly because of laziness and craziness of my errand schedule today. But it's easier during the week anyway, and that starts tomorrow. I probably had too much wine tonight, even if my food intake was good. I am sad to realize that the exercise..which was AWESOME...is not nearly as important as a few extra glasses of wine.
Le Sigh.
Tomorrow is (yet another) Monday.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thwarted!
Well, maybe....hopefully....not. But the challenges persist. Tonight is a management dinner for Richard's company and they are taking us to Fogo De Chao. Have you ever been to one of those brazillian BBQs? Endless supply of meat, meat, meat. And the sides are all heavy carbs (oh but the plantains are delicious!) And I hear, of course, that one of their signature items is cheese bread.
No measuring cups. No food scale. Just me and the "a serving of meat should fit in the palm of your hand....which might help with diameter but how does the thickness play in? And when the meat comes in waves, HOW do I keep this under control?
So, I am on to some of the things I CAN control. Like the rest of my day. Unfortunately, this is my rest day from working out. I have a hard time taking those but I have to remember that I am getting older and setting myself up for injury is a bad, bad, bad idea. I did take the dog for a longer-than-usual walk this morning and am hoping to get in extra movement thoughout the day. But no official cardio or weights.
In answer to a post about yesterday's cardio and weights....I did the Shred....I do love it. Mostly because I don't like doing weights and it's a way to sneak it in (I tend to not push myself hard at the gym) but unfortunately, they have taken level 2 off my OnDemand which means I only have level 1 and I can do it pretty easily. I'm not sore at all from yesterday's workout.
But I digress. So today should be a pretty low-calorie day in my book, given the lack of accompanying workout. This dinner presents a HUGE challenge to that. I have kept the calorie count for the rest of the day really low, trying to give myself as much wiggle room as possible. I am only just over 1000 calories, and may not even have my afternoon snack of a peach and cottage cheese because it's almost 2 and I am not hungry...I think I can hold out for dinner. That would drop me to 850 calories....technically 700 calories for dinner if I went to my ceiling of 1550 (which according to Sparkpeople still keeps me in weightloss range).
I could commit to no wine. I have not had any alcohol the last 2 nights - WHOO HOOOO! - but I'd really like to relax with a drink tonight...and the 850 already accounts for 2 glasses (although I have no idea how many ounces would be in their pour). I could skirt that issue by waiting until I got home and pouring my own....but I'm cheap and I'd rather have his company pay for my drinks. (Isn't that terrible!)
And tomorrow is supposed to be my 'free' day for calories...since we are once again headed out for a day of football games and a viewing party and counting calories in that situation is not easy. One thing that hopefully will keep my drinking down for the evening is the fact that I do need to get up early to get my workout in tomorrow before we head out for the game....so maybe I'll surprise myself and be really good.
Weight: 149
Exercise: Rest day, though 2 mile morning walk with the dog and likely another mile this evening, plus my 5-mile bike commute.
Calories: 850, before dinner and drinks....so who knows!
No measuring cups. No food scale. Just me and the "a serving of meat should fit in the palm of your hand....which might help with diameter but how does the thickness play in? And when the meat comes in waves, HOW do I keep this under control?
So, I am on to some of the things I CAN control. Like the rest of my day. Unfortunately, this is my rest day from working out. I have a hard time taking those but I have to remember that I am getting older and setting myself up for injury is a bad, bad, bad idea. I did take the dog for a longer-than-usual walk this morning and am hoping to get in extra movement thoughout the day. But no official cardio or weights.
In answer to a post about yesterday's cardio and weights....I did the Shred....I do love it. Mostly because I don't like doing weights and it's a way to sneak it in (I tend to not push myself hard at the gym) but unfortunately, they have taken level 2 off my OnDemand which means I only have level 1 and I can do it pretty easily. I'm not sore at all from yesterday's workout.
But I digress. So today should be a pretty low-calorie day in my book, given the lack of accompanying workout. This dinner presents a HUGE challenge to that. I have kept the calorie count for the rest of the day really low, trying to give myself as much wiggle room as possible. I am only just over 1000 calories, and may not even have my afternoon snack of a peach and cottage cheese because it's almost 2 and I am not hungry...I think I can hold out for dinner. That would drop me to 850 calories....technically 700 calories for dinner if I went to my ceiling of 1550 (which according to Sparkpeople still keeps me in weightloss range).
I could commit to no wine. I have not had any alcohol the last 2 nights - WHOO HOOOO! - but I'd really like to relax with a drink tonight...and the 850 already accounts for 2 glasses (although I have no idea how many ounces would be in their pour). I could skirt that issue by waiting until I got home and pouring my own....but I'm cheap and I'd rather have his company pay for my drinks. (Isn't that terrible!)
And tomorrow is supposed to be my 'free' day for calories...since we are once again headed out for a day of football games and a viewing party and counting calories in that situation is not easy. One thing that hopefully will keep my drinking down for the evening is the fact that I do need to get up early to get my workout in tomorrow before we head out for the game....so maybe I'll surprise myself and be really good.
Weight: 149
Exercise: Rest day, though 2 mile morning walk with the dog and likely another mile this evening, plus my 5-mile bike commute.
Calories: 850, before dinner and drinks....so who knows!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Planning for the weekend
So I am once again fighting the desire to have a drink. I am once again under the 1550 I can allegedly have for the day and still lose weight, I am thinking about the great workout I did today, and I am trying to justify it. It's 8:30. It would just be one drink.
But I know how many times I have done this. I know how mny times I opened a bottle of wine thinking I'd have 2 glasses...and the next thing I know Richard has kindly refilled my glass and so I say I should drink it since he poured it. And then there's only one glass (more or less) left in the bottle and we're still watching TV, so why don't I just have it.
It's ridiculous.
I made some FABULOUS fajitas tonight (shrimp, chicken and beef) and put it over salad with some cheddar cheese...instead of in a tortilla with sour cream. I am amazed by how such little things make significant differences. It should not surprise me - given that my calorie range is really not huge - but it is eye opening to consider what I would normally would have eaten. Just in today I would have had cheese in my morning omlette (I just have 2 eggs instead), maybe some OJ, a tortilla (at 210 calories!) and sour cream, and probably a drink. Or two.
The cheese alone would be another 50 calories, one rum and Coke zero another 100. 210 for the tortilla, conservatively say 30 for the sour cream and another 100 (let's be honest) for a second drink. Oh...and probably 2 Oreo cookies, and I would have felt all virtious about only having 2.
That would have added 600 more calories to my day....for seemingly small things.
Now, part of my frustration is that it's days like that that have kept me with 15 extra pounds on me. Yet, if I go on one of those calorie calculators...it says someone my height and age, etc. at a moderate activity level needs 2100 calories just to maintain weight. So if, on a daily basis, I am under 1500 and some days under 1400....why is the weight not coming off more easily?
This is what frustrates me about how confusing it is to lose weight. And, again, I'm not looking for a pill to fix this challenge....I just want someone to tell me what will work and give me a plan that actually does it.
Weight: 150
Exercise: 30-minute power walk with dog, 15 minute normal walk, 1st Episode of the 30 day Shred, 30 minutes on the Ellptical with a great interval workout.
Calories: 1342, if I can stay away from a rum and Coke Zero.
But I know how many times I have done this. I know how mny times I opened a bottle of wine thinking I'd have 2 glasses...and the next thing I know Richard has kindly refilled my glass and so I say I should drink it since he poured it. And then there's only one glass (more or less) left in the bottle and we're still watching TV, so why don't I just have it.
It's ridiculous.
I made some FABULOUS fajitas tonight (shrimp, chicken and beef) and put it over salad with some cheddar cheese...instead of in a tortilla with sour cream. I am amazed by how such little things make significant differences. It should not surprise me - given that my calorie range is really not huge - but it is eye opening to consider what I would normally would have eaten. Just in today I would have had cheese in my morning omlette (I just have 2 eggs instead), maybe some OJ, a tortilla (at 210 calories!) and sour cream, and probably a drink. Or two.
The cheese alone would be another 50 calories, one rum and Coke zero another 100. 210 for the tortilla, conservatively say 30 for the sour cream and another 100 (let's be honest) for a second drink. Oh...and probably 2 Oreo cookies, and I would have felt all virtious about only having 2.
That would have added 600 more calories to my day....for seemingly small things.
Now, part of my frustration is that it's days like that that have kept me with 15 extra pounds on me. Yet, if I go on one of those calorie calculators...it says someone my height and age, etc. at a moderate activity level needs 2100 calories just to maintain weight. So if, on a daily basis, I am under 1500 and some days under 1400....why is the weight not coming off more easily?
This is what frustrates me about how confusing it is to lose weight. And, again, I'm not looking for a pill to fix this challenge....I just want someone to tell me what will work and give me a plan that actually does it.
Weight: 150
Exercise: 30-minute power walk with dog, 15 minute normal walk, 1st Episode of the 30 day Shred, 30 minutes on the Ellptical with a great interval workout.
Calories: 1342, if I can stay away from a rum and Coke Zero.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Hump Day
I am sitting on the couch, watching TV, and I really, really want to have a drink. Just one. And I can have just one, and stay under 1500 (allegedly the top end of my range to still lose weight) but there are tons of reasons not to do it. I can fit it into my calories Friday night...and my next free day....but not tonight. Thank goodness for blogging just now....keeping me accountable.
It's also saving money to not open another bottle of wine.
I did discover a fabulous new recipe for dinner. I am doing really well during the day on my calories. The evenings are the tough part. I'm really used to hanging here on the sofa with a drink. And there are oreos in the pantry.
But I also know that these are the habits that got me into the extra weight I want gone.
Man I wish exercise were more valuable in weightloss....I have been having some great workouts!
I did get a battery for the scale...so tomorrow I get to see how bad I have been over the weekend and Monday.
Weight: Unknown due to lack of battery.
Exercise: 3.5 mile run (some with the dog) 1-mile dog walk, 2.2-mile bike ride home from the office. (I also moved so much more at the office today than usual.)
Calories: 1400
It's also saving money to not open another bottle of wine.
I did discover a fabulous new recipe for dinner. I am doing really well during the day on my calories. The evenings are the tough part. I'm really used to hanging here on the sofa with a drink. And there are oreos in the pantry.
But I also know that these are the habits that got me into the extra weight I want gone.
Man I wish exercise were more valuable in weightloss....I have been having some great workouts!
I did get a battery for the scale...so tomorrow I get to see how bad I have been over the weekend and Monday.
Weight: Unknown due to lack of battery.
Exercise: 3.5 mile run (some with the dog) 1-mile dog walk, 2.2-mile bike ride home from the office. (I also moved so much more at the office today than usual.)
Calories: 1400
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Challenges
Yesterday was terrible. TERRIBLE. I was having dinner with a colleague (she was cooking) and since I had no way of knowing exactly what went into her recipes, I really restricted my calories early in the day. But even with inputting what I knew about....I was near my calorie limit and that did not include the fresh baked bread or the dessert.
Not completly horrible, as I did not leave the table stuffed. Then she gave me some of the dessert to take home (she had made a huge chocolate tort for just the 2 of us) and I admit I ate more (it was REALLY good). Worse, though, I got home and thought, well...I've already had some wine...I'm gonna have more.
Where in the spectrum of weight loss or control does THAT attitude fit in?
Perhaps it is a good thing that I could not weigh myself this morning...and can't tomorrow...until I buy a new 9V battery for my scale.
Today was a MUCH better day calorie-wise...and I had a great weight workout at lunch and power walked 3 miles then walked the dog another 2 this evening. I have taken good things to have at work to eat, so that helps significantly. I have not even been tempted at work the last 2 days with bagels, sandwiches or the receptionists candy bowl. That is the up side!
Weight: not sure due to lack of battery
Exercise: great upper body workout, 40 minutes, 2-mile bike to work, 3-mile power walk to post office and home, 3.5 total miles of walking the dog today.
Calories: 1450
Not completly horrible, as I did not leave the table stuffed. Then she gave me some of the dessert to take home (she had made a huge chocolate tort for just the 2 of us) and I admit I ate more (it was REALLY good). Worse, though, I got home and thought, well...I've already had some wine...I'm gonna have more.
Where in the spectrum of weight loss or control does THAT attitude fit in?
Perhaps it is a good thing that I could not weigh myself this morning...and can't tomorrow...until I buy a new 9V battery for my scale.
Today was a MUCH better day calorie-wise...and I had a great weight workout at lunch and power walked 3 miles then walked the dog another 2 this evening. I have taken good things to have at work to eat, so that helps significantly. I have not even been tempted at work the last 2 days with bagels, sandwiches or the receptionists candy bowl. That is the up side!
Weight: not sure due to lack of battery
Exercise: great upper body workout, 40 minutes, 2-mile bike to work, 3-mile power walk to post office and home, 3.5 total miles of walking the dog today.
Calories: 1450
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Eye-Opening Day
One of our favorite fast food places is Baja Fresh. As fast food goes, it's certainly better than most. And, frankly, we have been eating out less than we used to, and I rarely eat fast food. I can't even remember going to a McD's or like place since being here in L.A.
I usually get a burrito. I do not usually get the beans, but I add sour cream. I had learned how bad tortillas are, in general, so I stopped eating all of the tortillas, and depending on my hunger level, I stopped eating very many tortilla chips that accompany the dish.
For the first time I went on their website to look at the nutritional info....a beef & bean burrito with steak is 1000 calories. And the chips are 250 more.
Holy crap. I was eating this in one sitting on a weekend. Ack!
So today I got 2 steak tacos...cheaper and basically the same thing as I got (since I took the beans off anyway) but it also has lettuce and tomatoes for a little more nutritional value. Less than 1/2 the calories.
Richard is out of town for 3 nights for business. I am going to dinner at a friend's on Monday (salmon and Lintels) and I have plans to cook basil chicken chili for lunches for the week and I bought some beans to work in meatless meals. Very excited!
Weight: 150
Physical Activity: 2.7 mile walk with the dog (another 1.5 planning for after this writing), 45 minuntes of weights
Calories: Approximately 1460 (I made homemade ice cream, so I am not 100% sure of the calories)
I usually get a burrito. I do not usually get the beans, but I add sour cream. I had learned how bad tortillas are, in general, so I stopped eating all of the tortillas, and depending on my hunger level, I stopped eating very many tortilla chips that accompany the dish.
For the first time I went on their website to look at the nutritional info....a beef & bean burrito with steak is 1000 calories. And the chips are 250 more.
Holy crap. I was eating this in one sitting on a weekend. Ack!
So today I got 2 steak tacos...cheaper and basically the same thing as I got (since I took the beans off anyway) but it also has lettuce and tomatoes for a little more nutritional value. Less than 1/2 the calories.
Richard is out of town for 3 nights for business. I am going to dinner at a friend's on Monday (salmon and Lintels) and I have plans to cook basil chicken chili for lunches for the week and I bought some beans to work in meatless meals. Very excited!
Weight: 150
Physical Activity: 2.7 mile walk with the dog (another 1.5 planning for after this writing), 45 minuntes of weights
Calories: Approximately 1460 (I made homemade ice cream, so I am not 100% sure of the calories)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Free Day #2
I did want more of a workout this morning, but I was up later and therefore got up later than I had planned. So I only got in a 4-mile run. But we have NOTHING planned for tomorrow, so I can make up for it. The thing that most sucked about that? The scale was down again this morning. I can't decide if it is a good or bad thing that I don't have fractional numbers on my bathroom scale. On one hand, perhaps I could take even more joy in watching progress if 3-days of 140 were 149.9, 149.6 and 149.1. But as it is, I have to deal exclusively in whole numbers.
And numbers are strange, strange, confusing, things. The scale this morning said 148. I want to do backflips...and it did admittedly excite me. But I try to temper my excitment my remembering that a mere 5 days ago the scale read 155 and, of course, I have no delusion that I actually lost 7 pounds in 5 days. (Nor would I want to....I want this to be healthy and lasting.)
Part of my surprise is that I had more calories yesterday than I had originally recorded....not a ton, but they came rather late in the evening. I had been better at not doing that, but I was really, legitimately, hungry last night (not just mindless, emotional eating).
But, the number was still a real mental and emotional boost and while today is a free calories day for me (I am making homemade ice cream tonight...whoo hooooo!) I have been pretty good about my calories so far (we are about to go out for mexican...). So while I will be over 1400, I am sure, I have not gone crazy. We did go to the UCLA game today (darn Bruins!) and I did have a tri-tip sandwich, and split garlic fries with Richard, but I had a very small breakfast and my homemade ice cream is lower fat than normal ice cream (skim milk, half-and-half instead of cream).
An interesting side effect of this effort has been my becoming pickier about my food. For example, the trip tip sandwich came on a mass-produced sub role. The meat was great (fresh off the grill!) but the bun was not even a little worth the calories. Had I been able to find a fork, I would have just eaten the meat. But the situation as it was, I pushed most of the meat to the end of the bun and ate a little more than half the bun.
I am trying to savor that which I do eat. Enjoy it. Eat less, enjoy it more. That's a good goal.
Weight: 148
Physical Activity: 4-mile run
Calories: Who cares....free day!!!!
And numbers are strange, strange, confusing, things. The scale this morning said 148. I want to do backflips...and it did admittedly excite me. But I try to temper my excitment my remembering that a mere 5 days ago the scale read 155 and, of course, I have no delusion that I actually lost 7 pounds in 5 days. (Nor would I want to....I want this to be healthy and lasting.)
Part of my surprise is that I had more calories yesterday than I had originally recorded....not a ton, but they came rather late in the evening. I had been better at not doing that, but I was really, legitimately, hungry last night (not just mindless, emotional eating).
But, the number was still a real mental and emotional boost and while today is a free calories day for me (I am making homemade ice cream tonight...whoo hooooo!) I have been pretty good about my calories so far (we are about to go out for mexican...). So while I will be over 1400, I am sure, I have not gone crazy. We did go to the UCLA game today (darn Bruins!) and I did have a tri-tip sandwich, and split garlic fries with Richard, but I had a very small breakfast and my homemade ice cream is lower fat than normal ice cream (skim milk, half-and-half instead of cream).
An interesting side effect of this effort has been my becoming pickier about my food. For example, the trip tip sandwich came on a mass-produced sub role. The meat was great (fresh off the grill!) but the bun was not even a little worth the calories. Had I been able to find a fork, I would have just eaten the meat. But the situation as it was, I pushed most of the meat to the end of the bun and ate a little more than half the bun.
I am trying to savor that which I do eat. Enjoy it. Eat less, enjoy it more. That's a good goal.
Weight: 148
Physical Activity: 4-mile run
Calories: Who cares....free day!!!!
Friday, September 19, 2008
One week down!!!
I am blogging in the morning instead of the evening because I am super excited....the scale this morning said 149....I lost the 2 pounds this week I wanted to. Whooooo hoooooo!
Today is my workout day off....but I have to admit I was so excited that I did power walk my morning commute - 2 miles. My walk home will be longer (have to go by post office) but it will not be a power walk. I just found out tomorrow we are going to a football game (UCLA) and so tomorrow will be my free calorie day, but I have decided I must combine the free calorie days with an extended workout. So I need to go to bed eary tonight to have time for a long walk and an episode of 30-Day sherd in tomorrow morning. (plus a long walk for the Vega dog!)
I have learned a lot this first week.
#1 - a lot about actual portion sizes. Measuring and weighing I am CONVINCED is the key. Accuracy in what I am eating. I think this will be the most important lesson to learn from this activity.
#2 - I do not need to be 'full' - or at least not hungry - all the time. Yesterday when I forgot part of my lunch, I did not starve. I kept my calories well in check all day. It is okay to feel hungry, for pete's sake.
#3 - the scale is a yo-yo, but you have to use it for positive and not let things get out of control, without letting it beat you up.
#4 - the 2 biggest things I am doing without is alcohol (and it's not cut out altogether, just significantly reduced) and sticking my hand into the bag of chocolate chips (damn those easy, re-sealable bags!) every night after dinner for 'just a handful'. And I have not entirely missed them and I realize I can add more sweets into my life when a - I plan for them and b - I am in maintenance phase after reaching my goal.
Working hard to keep it up!
Weight: 149
Exercise: Nothing formal, but lots of walking.....probably 8 miles total for the day
Calories: 1413 (projected in the morning....must stick to that!)
Today is my workout day off....but I have to admit I was so excited that I did power walk my morning commute - 2 miles. My walk home will be longer (have to go by post office) but it will not be a power walk. I just found out tomorrow we are going to a football game (UCLA) and so tomorrow will be my free calorie day, but I have decided I must combine the free calorie days with an extended workout. So I need to go to bed eary tonight to have time for a long walk and an episode of 30-Day sherd in tomorrow morning. (plus a long walk for the Vega dog!)
I have learned a lot this first week.
#1 - a lot about actual portion sizes. Measuring and weighing I am CONVINCED is the key. Accuracy in what I am eating. I think this will be the most important lesson to learn from this activity.
#2 - I do not need to be 'full' - or at least not hungry - all the time. Yesterday when I forgot part of my lunch, I did not starve. I kept my calories well in check all day. It is okay to feel hungry, for pete's sake.
#3 - the scale is a yo-yo, but you have to use it for positive and not let things get out of control, without letting it beat you up.
#4 - the 2 biggest things I am doing without is alcohol (and it's not cut out altogether, just significantly reduced) and sticking my hand into the bag of chocolate chips (damn those easy, re-sealable bags!) every night after dinner for 'just a handful'. And I have not entirely missed them and I realize I can add more sweets into my life when a - I plan for them and b - I am in maintenance phase after reaching my goal.
Working hard to keep it up!
Weight: 149
Exercise: Nothing formal, but lots of walking.....probably 8 miles total for the day
Calories: 1413 (projected in the morning....must stick to that!)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Biggest Loser!!!!
Okay, it's not me (yet) but I am talking about the show. I had it in the DVR since Richard was gone on a business trip and we watched it last night. I am always SO inspired by that show and I sincerely wish I had had more time between meetings to work out today because I had all kinds of drive for a good workout. As it was, it was a good 40 minutes, and I walked Vega for 40 minutes this morning and did my housework and everything.
I also forgot part of my take-to-work food today and, inspired by someone else who is shunning junk food and saving the money for charity, I refused to buy anything to fill the void. Know what I realized at the end of the day? I was hungry, but not famished. I had had enough. Sure, I needed a snack the minute I got home, but I was able to add a couple of glasses of wine to my evening and still have a good calorie count day.
Part of it, I believe is that I am eating less meat. I am aiming for 3 meatless lunches and 2 meatless dinners a week. Not always easy given that Richard is a meat-and-potatoes farm boy. But I have gotten over the need to have both of us eat the same thing.
So tomorrow is one week, I have already learned a lot, and hope it will push me into the coming weeks, and translates into new, better eating habits. I do want to lose the weight....but I need to get better about things even afterward....or this is all for not.
Weight: 151
Exercise: 40 rockin' minutes of cardio weights and ellptical, 60 total minutes of dog walking, 5 mile roundtrip commute.
Calories: 1268
I also forgot part of my take-to-work food today and, inspired by someone else who is shunning junk food and saving the money for charity, I refused to buy anything to fill the void. Know what I realized at the end of the day? I was hungry, but not famished. I had had enough. Sure, I needed a snack the minute I got home, but I was able to add a couple of glasses of wine to my evening and still have a good calorie count day.
Part of it, I believe is that I am eating less meat. I am aiming for 3 meatless lunches and 2 meatless dinners a week. Not always easy given that Richard is a meat-and-potatoes farm boy. But I have gotten over the need to have both of us eat the same thing.
So tomorrow is one week, I have already learned a lot, and hope it will push me into the coming weeks, and translates into new, better eating habits. I do want to lose the weight....but I need to get better about things even afterward....or this is all for not.
Weight: 151
Exercise: 40 rockin' minutes of cardio weights and ellptical, 60 total minutes of dog walking, 5 mile roundtrip commute.
Calories: 1268
Yo-Yo
I have not decided if I will keep it up, but I am still weighing myself every day. This morning it was back down again. I wish weightloss was made easy, and by that I do not mean 'take a pill and magically wake up with my perfect body', I mean that I had a actual plan that if I did exactly that, I know it would work.
Sure, many diets are just fad diets....but there is also a lot of actual scientific studies that show many different things about losing weight. On Biggest Loser severely obese people can lose many pounds a week through a low-calorie diet and 4 hours of exercise a day. Many others follow a point system (tied to calories). Some say calories in, calories out, sinple equation. Yet there are others who say it has SO much more to do with diet than exercise (80-20 is a figure I hear a lot). Then there's the whole concern about eating too few calories that your body will go into 'starvation' mode and thwart all your efforts.
Which really stinks for me because I have always been an athlete. I can do cardio for days. And I have, in the last few years, gotten slightly better (on and off) about the weights. But it has always been the food that was my issue. I may blog about my food issues later, but for now I don't want to write a novel tonight.
Though, I am writing this at night, and I think that will help. One - I will stop doing it in the morning instead of work. If I do this at night, it will keep me far more mindful of my evening eating and - especially - drinking. I have gotten very bad about drinking. Wine is cheap and good in CA. And at the end of the day when I am tired and just want to watch TV, it has gotten way too easy to just always have a glass of wine. And then, I'll be down to having just a glass left in the bottle and I think "well, I might as well just finish it off."
It's terrible. So, between SparkPeople and this blog in the evenings...perhaps tonight will now be my only drink for the evening.
As an aside, even though I usually put the wine into SparkPeople, until tonight, I had NEVER actually measured out a 'glass', 3.5 ounces by their calculation. Let me tell you, the amount I used to drink and count as 1 glass used to be far, far more than that. Reality has set in.
It's a learning process.
Weight: 153
Physical Activity: 4-mile round-trip commute on bike, 2-miles of walking the dog, 5-mile run (45 minutes)
Calories: 1350
Sure, many diets are just fad diets....but there is also a lot of actual scientific studies that show many different things about losing weight. On Biggest Loser severely obese people can lose many pounds a week through a low-calorie diet and 4 hours of exercise a day. Many others follow a point system (tied to calories). Some say calories in, calories out, sinple equation. Yet there are others who say it has SO much more to do with diet than exercise (80-20 is a figure I hear a lot). Then there's the whole concern about eating too few calories that your body will go into 'starvation' mode and thwart all your efforts.
Which really stinks for me because I have always been an athlete. I can do cardio for days. And I have, in the last few years, gotten slightly better (on and off) about the weights. But it has always been the food that was my issue. I may blog about my food issues later, but for now I don't want to write a novel tonight.
Though, I am writing this at night, and I think that will help. One - I will stop doing it in the morning instead of work. If I do this at night, it will keep me far more mindful of my evening eating and - especially - drinking. I have gotten very bad about drinking. Wine is cheap and good in CA. And at the end of the day when I am tired and just want to watch TV, it has gotten way too easy to just always have a glass of wine. And then, I'll be down to having just a glass left in the bottle and I think "well, I might as well just finish it off."
It's terrible. So, between SparkPeople and this blog in the evenings...perhaps tonight will now be my only drink for the evening.
As an aside, even though I usually put the wine into SparkPeople, until tonight, I had NEVER actually measured out a 'glass', 3.5 ounces by their calculation. Let me tell you, the amount I used to drink and count as 1 glass used to be far, far more than that. Reality has set in.
It's a learning process.
Weight: 153
Physical Activity: 4-mile round-trip commute on bike, 2-miles of walking the dog, 5-mile run (45 minutes)
Calories: 1350
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Weighty decisions
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I am starting to think that a daily weigh-in was a BAD idea, because it can just ruin me mentally. Yesterday the scale said 153, up a little, but I chalked it up to my 'free' day Sunday. But then today, UGH, it said 155. I know the body has natural weight swings, but to go from 151 to 155 in just a few days??? That never happens the OTHER way.
And I started this project last Friday and so, if I were going to lose 2 pounds a week, I would weigh 149 in 3 days. Hmmmm....not going to happen. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G.
Part of my other challenge was things like last night.....a party. I tracked my food in SparkPeople up until the party, and had a 500-calorie cushion. And I did a pretty good job of restraining myself at the party, but there was no measuring...and it was foreign food, so I am not even 100% sure what I ate. I was going to treat myself to a donut that was brought, took one bite and threw the rest out...it was terrible. There was also no alcohol served at the party. I did make myself one rum and coke zero when I got home....but I only drank half. I just was really not in the mood. Which makes me happy, in a way. I think the evening drinks are really, really killing me. Not only in calories overall, but in my loss of inhibition. We were up late Sunday watching football and after a few drinks, I wanted Pirate's Booty, and ate a bunch. BAD.
So my plan is to cut out the week-night drinking....allowing myself no more than 1 drink if I really do want one, and it still has to come in under my calorie count.
My other challenge at the moment is that apparently, at some point on Sunday, I got a mild sprain in my ankle. I am wearing a brace, but it is a little inhibitive. Grrrrrr. I hope it does not last long.
I have made a few positive decisions though. #1 - 20 minutes of house work a night. Keeps me off the couch and moving. #2 - Making an effort to move more at work. I even found a website with short workout videos....some of which I can do right in my office.
Finally, I am UBER excited about Biggest Loser starting again. Some of the drama and behind the scenes stuff drives me nuts and I wish they would share a lot more about their cooking and eating and workouts......but I just love watching the weekly transformations. Motivational!
Monday
Weight: 153
Exercise: 40 minutes running/walking with the dog. 5-miles total commute on my bike (this is not done at a cardio pace.) 1 mile walk to and from party.
Calories: 900 before the party
Tuesday
Weight: 155
Exercise: 4 miles of walking with the dog (total, not at a fast pace), 5-miles round-trip commute on bike, 20-minutes cardio weights, 15 minutes on ellptical.
Calories: 1330
I am starting to think that a daily weigh-in was a BAD idea, because it can just ruin me mentally. Yesterday the scale said 153, up a little, but I chalked it up to my 'free' day Sunday. But then today, UGH, it said 155. I know the body has natural weight swings, but to go from 151 to 155 in just a few days??? That never happens the OTHER way.
And I started this project last Friday and so, if I were going to lose 2 pounds a week, I would weigh 149 in 3 days. Hmmmm....not going to happen. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G.
Part of my other challenge was things like last night.....a party. I tracked my food in SparkPeople up until the party, and had a 500-calorie cushion. And I did a pretty good job of restraining myself at the party, but there was no measuring...and it was foreign food, so I am not even 100% sure what I ate. I was going to treat myself to a donut that was brought, took one bite and threw the rest out...it was terrible. There was also no alcohol served at the party. I did make myself one rum and coke zero when I got home....but I only drank half. I just was really not in the mood. Which makes me happy, in a way. I think the evening drinks are really, really killing me. Not only in calories overall, but in my loss of inhibition. We were up late Sunday watching football and after a few drinks, I wanted Pirate's Booty, and ate a bunch. BAD.
So my plan is to cut out the week-night drinking....allowing myself no more than 1 drink if I really do want one, and it still has to come in under my calorie count.
My other challenge at the moment is that apparently, at some point on Sunday, I got a mild sprain in my ankle. I am wearing a brace, but it is a little inhibitive. Grrrrrr. I hope it does not last long.
I have made a few positive decisions though. #1 - 20 minutes of house work a night. Keeps me off the couch and moving. #2 - Making an effort to move more at work. I even found a website with short workout videos....some of which I can do right in my office.
Finally, I am UBER excited about Biggest Loser starting again. Some of the drama and behind the scenes stuff drives me nuts and I wish they would share a lot more about their cooking and eating and workouts......but I just love watching the weekly transformations. Motivational!
Monday
Weight: 153
Exercise: 40 minutes running/walking with the dog. 5-miles total commute on my bike (this is not done at a cardio pace.) 1 mile walk to and from party.
Calories: 900 before the party
Tuesday
Weight: 155
Exercise: 4 miles of walking with the dog (total, not at a fast pace), 5-miles round-trip commute on bike, 20-minutes cardio weights, 15 minutes on ellptical.
Calories: 1330
Sunday, September 14, 2008
First Free Day
Today we were going to California Adventure theme park. I knew it was coming so I gave myself a free day (I will have no more than one a week - where I don't have to worry about counting calories). We walked all over the place today, that was my 'workout'.
I actually did better than I expected. We had originally planned to go down early and stay through watching the fireworks at Disneyland. But by 5 p.m. we had ridden all the rides we really wanted to, and staying another 4 hours did not really excite us. But since our original plan would have had us eating in the park twice (plus ice cream!), I had a light breakfast and then brought some hard-boiled eggs and a Zone bar for lunch. We did have popcorn. Since we left to come home, I did not have anything laid out for dinner, so we had to stop and get take-out. Since this was my cheat day I decided to get shrimp fried rice....it was the least oily fried rice I have ever had. I am not saying that it was actually healthy....but it was better than most fried rice I could have had. I have had a few Oreo cookies, and one drink. But I'm pretty happy compared to what it could have been.
Weight: 151
Exercise: Walking all over California Adventure
Calories: unknown because it was my cheat day for the week.
I actually did better than I expected. We had originally planned to go down early and stay through watching the fireworks at Disneyland. But by 5 p.m. we had ridden all the rides we really wanted to, and staying another 4 hours did not really excite us. But since our original plan would have had us eating in the park twice (plus ice cream!), I had a light breakfast and then brought some hard-boiled eggs and a Zone bar for lunch. We did have popcorn. Since we left to come home, I did not have anything laid out for dinner, so we had to stop and get take-out. Since this was my cheat day I decided to get shrimp fried rice....it was the least oily fried rice I have ever had. I am not saying that it was actually healthy....but it was better than most fried rice I could have had. I have had a few Oreo cookies, and one drink. But I'm pretty happy compared to what it could have been.
Weight: 151
Exercise: Walking all over California Adventure
Calories: unknown because it was my cheat day for the week.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Change in Plans
So yesterday's calorie total is no longer accurate. Richard had a stressful day at work and decided he wanted to go out for Mexican. He told me this before I had eaten lunch, so I cut out the salad with dressing to save some calories. We hung out at the house after work and then he got involved in installing more movies on our new Apple TV and then decided he just wanted to order chinese. So I got the steam chicken and broccoli with brown rice, which was not tasty at all. I'm not sure how it all evened out.
The worse thing, though, was that I had alotted myself 2 mixed drinks (Rum and Coke Zero) and I ended up drinking 4. We have a bad habit getting settled in front of a movie or DVRd program and just drinking. I need to get out of the mode of 'well, I'll be up for another hour watching this program, I'll have enough drink.' I didn't even finish the last one....obviously I didn't want it, it was just reflex to have it.
The good thing though is I had 2 small voctories yesterday. 1 - there were cookies in the kitchen at work for everyone and I recognized that they were completely not worth the calories I would have had. 2 - and the bigger one - I did not eat anything after dinner last night. Especially when I am drinking, I lose my inhibitions often and end up grabbing some chocolate chips to satisfy my sweet tooth or, recently, Pirates Booty. This snack isn't bad as far as salty snacks go if you keep it in the serving size. But give me a bag and I will sit on the couch and mindlessly eat it. But last night I did not!
Tomorrow is going to have to be my cheat day because we are going to California Adventure and so I won't have much control over my food choices or a truly accurate way to know how much I am eating. The good news is that I'll be walking around all day!
I weighed myself first thing this morning before changing to walk the dog. This is when I will try to weigh myself from now on....I have not always been consistent about the timing on that.
I got a good walk in this morning. Vega is not always good about allowing me to just walk at a good clip....she usually does way to much stopping and smelling. But I now do lunges while she is stopped. I also did a weight routine at home a la 30-Day Shred. The philosophy behind the Shred is combining weight moves and doing them one after another to get the heart rate up and burn a lot of calories. It also puts cardio segments in to kick the heart rate up. I'll do the actual segments sometimes on my OnDemand cable....but I want to watch football and I need variety in my workouts.
Exercise: 40-minute walk with the dog in morning, 30 minutes of weights
Calories: 1,452
The worse thing, though, was that I had alotted myself 2 mixed drinks (Rum and Coke Zero) and I ended up drinking 4. We have a bad habit getting settled in front of a movie or DVRd program and just drinking. I need to get out of the mode of 'well, I'll be up for another hour watching this program, I'll have enough drink.' I didn't even finish the last one....obviously I didn't want it, it was just reflex to have it.
The good thing though is I had 2 small voctories yesterday. 1 - there were cookies in the kitchen at work for everyone and I recognized that they were completely not worth the calories I would have had. 2 - and the bigger one - I did not eat anything after dinner last night. Especially when I am drinking, I lose my inhibitions often and end up grabbing some chocolate chips to satisfy my sweet tooth or, recently, Pirates Booty. This snack isn't bad as far as salty snacks go if you keep it in the serving size. But give me a bag and I will sit on the couch and mindlessly eat it. But last night I did not!
Tomorrow is going to have to be my cheat day because we are going to California Adventure and so I won't have much control over my food choices or a truly accurate way to know how much I am eating. The good news is that I'll be walking around all day!
I weighed myself first thing this morning before changing to walk the dog. This is when I will try to weigh myself from now on....I have not always been consistent about the timing on that.
I got a good walk in this morning. Vega is not always good about allowing me to just walk at a good clip....she usually does way to much stopping and smelling. But I now do lunges while she is stopped. I also did a weight routine at home a la 30-Day Shred. The philosophy behind the Shred is combining weight moves and doing them one after another to get the heart rate up and burn a lot of calories. It also puts cardio segments in to kick the heart rate up. I'll do the actual segments sometimes on my OnDemand cable....but I want to watch football and I need variety in my workouts.
I did something great and then followed-up with a screw up. We walked over to a few stores to run some errands, and one of the things I did was pick up some Oreo cookies because I want to make some homemade cookies 'n cream ice cream. I was putting the cookies in some tupperware, and I ate 4. For no reason. Well, I wanted them, but still, it was mindless. 260 calories. Unbelievable. Stupid.
So, no tortilla chips or drinking for me tonight at dinner. But these are the tradeoffs. I'd better learn from this.
Weight: 152Exercise: 40-minute walk with the dog in morning, 30 minutes of weights
Calories: 1,452
Friday, September 12, 2008
Day 1
8 weeks from today I leave for Washington, DC to go home to visit friends and family. I have 16 pounds I would like to lose, so it seems like a good goal date to work towards.
2 pounds a week is ambitious, I know. I do the workouts for it. My biggest problem is my eating, so perhaps this will finally keep me honest....here it is...out for everyone to see. (Well, those of you I tell about it!)
My biggest challenges are drinking in the evening. Wine is cheap here in CA and last night I had way more than I should have....even though the alcohol content must not have been enough to go to my head, because a bottle and a glass should have left me drunk, but I barely felt anything. But that is HARDLY a reason to have all that. So it must stop.
As must my issue of not stopping when I am full. Leftovers are my friend! Portion control. VERY much an issue and very important. I can survive on less. I am armed with my measuring cups and my food scale, I can do this.
I am going to seriously scale back on the meat. It will be cheaper and healthier.
My target calories for the day is 1400, as tracked on Sparkpeople, allowing for a little overage but not up to 1500, and hopefully some days that are under. I will also allow myself no more than 1 cheat day a week, when I don't count. I may have to adjust my calories if I hit a plateau....figuring out calories combined with exercise has never been very easy for me.
Today's weight: 151
Today's physical activity: 1-mile run with dog (and occasional jogging in place while dog does...well...), 2-mile run to work, 2-mile walk with dog, 2-mile walk home from work.
Today's calorie intake: 1,438
2 pounds a week is ambitious, I know. I do the workouts for it. My biggest problem is my eating, so perhaps this will finally keep me honest....here it is...out for everyone to see. (Well, those of you I tell about it!)
My biggest challenges are drinking in the evening. Wine is cheap here in CA and last night I had way more than I should have....even though the alcohol content must not have been enough to go to my head, because a bottle and a glass should have left me drunk, but I barely felt anything. But that is HARDLY a reason to have all that. So it must stop.
As must my issue of not stopping when I am full. Leftovers are my friend! Portion control. VERY much an issue and very important. I can survive on less. I am armed with my measuring cups and my food scale, I can do this.
I am going to seriously scale back on the meat. It will be cheaper and healthier.
My target calories for the day is 1400, as tracked on Sparkpeople, allowing for a little overage but not up to 1500, and hopefully some days that are under. I will also allow myself no more than 1 cheat day a week, when I don't count. I may have to adjust my calories if I hit a plateau....figuring out calories combined with exercise has never been very easy for me.
Today's weight: 151
Today's physical activity: 1-mile run with dog (and occasional jogging in place while dog does...well...), 2-mile run to work, 2-mile walk with dog, 2-mile walk home from work.
Today's calorie intake: 1,438
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