Seriously, everywhere I go, I hear about the jackpot. In my car on the way to work I see the signs for the jackpot. Then, I get to work and it's announced that the jackpot has gone up.
$640 million dollars for the Mega Millions.
That's a lot of money. Everyone at work is all abuzz at the possibilities. We put in a group pool when it gets this big - so we like to sit around and talk about how we're all going to quit. A girl can dream can't she?
I was talking w/ one of our editors and we both said that if we won, our new job would be working out and getting healthy full time. Think Biggest Loser. Living and breathing your fitness. On one hand that would be awesome. Imagine, no time constraints or anything. This morning I had to wake up an hour and a half early so I could get in my workout because I have plans after work. It was horrible. Not the workout, the getting up part. I did Legs and Back by the way. So I guess when I win the lottery I won't have to do that anymore. Right? But I guess I should really just congratulate myself on putting my workout first.
Yesterday was YogaX day. I didn't do the workout. I worked late, got home late, and the truth of the matter is, I was tired and I hate that workout. So, I skipped it. I don't feel particularly guilty because I can't allow myself to do that. I don't want to have a perfectionist mindset because in the past that has only been a disservice to myself. You know, you eat perfect, workout perfect, do EVERYTHING perfect and then you have ONE bad moment and it makes you want to give up. Not what I want. So a trainer suggested I let myself have a 80/20 mindset. I strive for perfection (ALWAYS) but I'm setting my goals at 80/20. So at LEAST 80% of the time I make sure to eat perfectly and get my workouts in. And the other 20% is there in case, you know, life happens. I don't strive for 80 - I strive for 100, but I give myself leeway.
Also, did I mention how much I hate YogaX? :)
Speaking of a trainer. I got advice on how to use that body fat monitor. He suggested to use it when I do my weigh-ins. You know, first thing, after using the restroom and without clothes. He said they are not the most accurate things in the world but if I am consistent with when and how I take the reading, I'll at least see a trend. When I took my initial reading it was before bedtime so I took it in the morning and will use that as my newest starting point to remain consistent. New original reading 36.5% I'll just have to assume the first week was a wash for my body fat % reading and use this number from here on out.
He also suggested I move my weigh in day. Currently it's on Monday. He said to make it Thursday or Friday. He said making it one of those days will give a more realistic reading because most people follow their normal routines Monday - Friday and perhaps splurge on the weekend which can cause a significant increase on the scale the following day. And since my cheat meal is usually on Saturday or Sunday I decided to take his advice. I'm shooting for Friday.
Which is today: +0.9 pounds (overall since starting P90x: +1.9)
Hmmmm. Yup, that's the whole story. I don't particularly feel like that's indicative of the work I've put in both eating and exercising wise and I know I've lost inches already so I'm giving it another week before I tweak anything.
I forgot to take my measurements so I'll do that and report back later.
Today's Menu (not the best cause I'm out of groceries!):
B: Protein Shake (whey)
S: PR Bar
L: Romaine + Carrots + Cottage Cheese + Grapes + Almonds + Dressing
D: Out w/ Co-Workers
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Steady Weight and Chocolate Milk
You know how people tell you something like "oh, don't pay any attention to what the scale says day to day, cause, you know, the whole fluctuation thing"
And while you know that is 100% true, you even know the science behind it, you can't help but do it anyway?
I got on the scale this morning and despite having not only kicked ass on my diet and exercise but having met my calorie deficit for every day AND waking up each morning feeling firmer, hungrier and just lighter, the scale hasn't budged. At all. In fact, the only direction it has gone is up.
So I went over the check list of possible reasons:
1. Have you recently started a new exercise program?
Why, yes I have.
2. Have you recently added strength training?
Yes, tons!
3. Are your muscles sore?
All the freakin' time.
4. Did you know that muscle soreness causes water retention?
Yes, I did know that but I don't care.
and finally
5. Have you read about 100 different people's own personal stories about this program and didn't they almost ALL say that during the first few weeks they either broke even or gained weight on the scale and THEN it started moving big time?
UGH ... yes. Fine. I'll keep going.
Oddly enough, all that made me feel better.
Now lets talk about Chocolate Milk.
As you can imagine there are a lot of protein shakes and stuff that you can buy from Team Beach Body while doing P90x. One of them is $120 for a 30 day supply. I think that's ridiculous so I looked around for an alternative. The one thing I know I should do is have some sort of protein thing after a strenuous workout. They specifically wanted you to drink something w/ a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein and I kept seeing people suggest chocolate milk. So I thought, why not. It's way cheaper than protein powder, it's more delicious than the powder and it supposedly will get the job done. So, I bought some low fat chocolate milk to drink.
And it's a nice little reward after my workouts - so bonus there.
Today's menu:
B: PR Bar (running late this morning) + Coffee
S: Turkey Jerky
L: Shrimp Caesar Salad + Chopped Veggies
S: Cottage Cheese + Grapes
D: Sirloin Tips + Creamed Spinach + Sweet Potato (hopefully - I was too tired last night to make it for dinner so hopefully I will get to it tonight)
And while you know that is 100% true, you even know the science behind it, you can't help but do it anyway?
I got on the scale this morning and despite having not only kicked ass on my diet and exercise but having met my calorie deficit for every day AND waking up each morning feeling firmer, hungrier and just lighter, the scale hasn't budged. At all. In fact, the only direction it has gone is up.
So I went over the check list of possible reasons:
1. Have you recently started a new exercise program?
Why, yes I have.
2. Have you recently added strength training?
Yes, tons!
3. Are your muscles sore?
All the freakin' time.
4. Did you know that muscle soreness causes water retention?
Yes, I did know that but I don't care.
and finally
5. Have you read about 100 different people's own personal stories about this program and didn't they almost ALL say that during the first few weeks they either broke even or gained weight on the scale and THEN it started moving big time?
UGH ... yes. Fine. I'll keep going.
Oddly enough, all that made me feel better.
Now lets talk about Chocolate Milk.
As you can imagine there are a lot of protein shakes and stuff that you can buy from Team Beach Body while doing P90x. One of them is $120 for a 30 day supply. I think that's ridiculous so I looked around for an alternative. The one thing I know I should do is have some sort of protein thing after a strenuous workout. They specifically wanted you to drink something w/ a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein and I kept seeing people suggest chocolate milk. So I thought, why not. It's way cheaper than protein powder, it's more delicious than the powder and it supposedly will get the job done. So, I bought some low fat chocolate milk to drink.
And it's a nice little reward after my workouts - so bonus there.
Today's menu:
B: PR Bar (running late this morning) + Coffee
S: Turkey Jerky
L: Shrimp Caesar Salad + Chopped Veggies
S: Cottage Cheese + Grapes
D: Sirloin Tips + Creamed Spinach + Sweet Potato (hopefully - I was too tired last night to make it for dinner so hopefully I will get to it tonight)
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Inches and Body Fat %
I measured myself last night and it looks as if I have lost some inches. Most noticeably in my bust and arms. I'm really excited about that too. My arm has about a 0.5 inch gone and my bust is about an inch! I mean, if I'm going to be in this much pain (yes, I'm STILL sore) then I've got to get something in return. I was so excited about the loss that I added a few more spots. I originally only measured my bust, natural waist, upper arm and upper thigh. So last night I added neck, rib cage, belly button and hips to the list. I mean why not? If there's a change I want to see it on paper. I'm thinking this will be great motivation for those dark moments.
I also took my body fat % - I'm still trying to figure out the best time to take it but I came in at 35.9% which is 0.7% less than last week. Honestly, I need to do some more research on how EXACTLY to use it because I remember taking it later and it was even lower. I know you have to time it with food and water and using the restroom so hopefully I can figure more out this week.
The workouts are still happening. Last night was Core Synergistics and I'm happy to say I completed the whole thing. I had to walk it out a couple of times but I finished and that was a great feeling. Tonight is Cardio X.
As for the other half of the equation (my diet), I'm really feeling good about it. The more I read about P90x the more it is glaringly obvious that what you eat is probably way more important than the workouts. I read a blog post about a guy who had purchased the program but due to some sort of constraint, he couldn't actually start the workouts. So, he followed the diet and ended up losing 40 pounds just by overhauling the way he ate. Now, he didn't write about what kind of diet he had to begin with - I mean, he could have been living on McDonald's his whole life, but still, that's pretty impressive.
I'm on my second week of pretty closely following the recommendations, not only of this particular program but pretty much everywhere (you know, more veggies, lean protein, whole grains and less processed food), and I can tell you, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I have learned new ways to eat vegetables that have completely changed what I crave.
Right now, I'm eating roasted chicken, sauteed mushrooms with thyme, roasted carrots and green beans. And I just used simple herbs and even butter to enhance things and honestly, it's so delicious.
Today's menu:
B: Egg + Cheese + LC tortilla
S: Cottage Cheese + Grapes
L: Chicken + Carrots + Mushrooms + Green Beans
S: Almonds
D: Sirloin Tips + Creamed Spinach + Sweet Potato (i think)
I also took my body fat % - I'm still trying to figure out the best time to take it but I came in at 35.9% which is 0.7% less than last week. Honestly, I need to do some more research on how EXACTLY to use it because I remember taking it later and it was even lower. I know you have to time it with food and water and using the restroom so hopefully I can figure more out this week.
The workouts are still happening. Last night was Core Synergistics and I'm happy to say I completed the whole thing. I had to walk it out a couple of times but I finished and that was a great feeling. Tonight is Cardio X.
As for the other half of the equation (my diet), I'm really feeling good about it. The more I read about P90x the more it is glaringly obvious that what you eat is probably way more important than the workouts. I read a blog post about a guy who had purchased the program but due to some sort of constraint, he couldn't actually start the workouts. So, he followed the diet and ended up losing 40 pounds just by overhauling the way he ate. Now, he didn't write about what kind of diet he had to begin with - I mean, he could have been living on McDonald's his whole life, but still, that's pretty impressive.
I'm on my second week of pretty closely following the recommendations, not only of this particular program but pretty much everywhere (you know, more veggies, lean protein, whole grains and less processed food), and I can tell you, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I have learned new ways to eat vegetables that have completely changed what I crave.
Right now, I'm eating roasted chicken, sauteed mushrooms with thyme, roasted carrots and green beans. And I just used simple herbs and even butter to enhance things and honestly, it's so delicious.
Today's menu:
B: Egg + Cheese + LC tortilla
S: Cottage Cheese + Grapes
L: Chicken + Carrots + Mushrooms + Green Beans
S: Almonds
D: Sirloin Tips + Creamed Spinach + Sweet Potato (i think)
Monday, March 26, 2012
P90x: Week 1 Complete
I finished week #1. It was tough. I wasn't even completing the entire workouts and it was tough. Yesterday's workout had pullups. Lots and lots of pullups. And even though I had to use a chair and my legs to assist me in finishing the pullups, I felt completely badass.
1 week down, 12 to go.
I feel stronger for sure but that could be because most of my body parts are swollen and sore right now so they feel extra tight. I got on the scale this morning and it says I'm up like 4 pounds but I know that's not the case as I had a high sodium dinner last night. Take that combined with my sore muscles and you'll get a gain every time. And if you go by what the scale said a day prior, then I would be around 2.5 pounds DOWN. See the problem? So, I'm not really looking at the scale for weight loss until I get a couple of weeks under my belt to see a trend.
I will, however, be measuring myself tonight before my workout so maybe there will be something there? I mean, it's only been a week, do you see results that fast? I haven't really ever followed measurements before. We'll see. Oh yes, and I will do my body fat % as well.
My pants still fit great so that's a good sign.
Last night I did my cheat meal for the week. My bf and I are doing one cheat meal a week. Just a meal, not a day. We ordered Italian food. I had gnocchi and honestly, it was just good not great. It did, however, affect me more than usual. It made me feel like I had eaten bricks for dinner. I still felt full when I woke up this morning. I hate that feeling.
I'm pleased with how I did last week. I made great food choices but there is definitely room for improvement. I'm going to focus on tightening up my calories this week. Meaning, staying closer to my set goal for the day (1500). And hopefully this next week will be a better indicator of how my body is reacting to all of this.
Today's menu:
B: PR Bar
S: Cottage Cheese and Grapes
L: Roasted chicken + Romaine + Chopped Veggies + Dressing
S: Almonds
D: Roasted Chicken + Sauteed Mushrooms + Creamed Spinach + Roasted Carrots (i think)
1 week down, 12 to go.
I feel stronger for sure but that could be because most of my body parts are swollen and sore right now so they feel extra tight. I got on the scale this morning and it says I'm up like 4 pounds but I know that's not the case as I had a high sodium dinner last night. Take that combined with my sore muscles and you'll get a gain every time. And if you go by what the scale said a day prior, then I would be around 2.5 pounds DOWN. See the problem? So, I'm not really looking at the scale for weight loss until I get a couple of weeks under my belt to see a trend.
I will, however, be measuring myself tonight before my workout so maybe there will be something there? I mean, it's only been a week, do you see results that fast? I haven't really ever followed measurements before. We'll see. Oh yes, and I will do my body fat % as well.
My pants still fit great so that's a good sign.
Last night I did my cheat meal for the week. My bf and I are doing one cheat meal a week. Just a meal, not a day. We ordered Italian food. I had gnocchi and honestly, it was just good not great. It did, however, affect me more than usual. It made me feel like I had eaten bricks for dinner. I still felt full when I woke up this morning. I hate that feeling.
I'm pleased with how I did last week. I made great food choices but there is definitely room for improvement. I'm going to focus on tightening up my calories this week. Meaning, staying closer to my set goal for the day (1500). And hopefully this next week will be a better indicator of how my body is reacting to all of this.
Today's menu:
B: PR Bar
S: Cottage Cheese and Grapes
L: Roasted chicken + Romaine + Chopped Veggies + Dressing
S: Almonds
D: Roasted Chicken + Sauteed Mushrooms + Creamed Spinach + Roasted Carrots (i think)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
P90x Day 4
I did the yoga routine last night. I've tried yoga DVDs before and have never enjoyed them. Don't really know why. I do like pilates so I figured I would be naturally drawn to yoga but that has never been the case. My body does not like to do yoga. Probably because I'm not good at it and I have a naturally difficult time doing things that I'm not good at. Yes, I know the more you do something the better you get, but the perfectionist in me hates not being able to do it perfectly the first time.
I did the yoga routine last night. It's clocked at 1 1/2 hours. That's a long workout. I made it through 30 minutes. One of the roughest 30 minutes of my life. I felt awkward, I was in pain, I was uncomfortable, I couldn't do it and therefore, I hated it. I disliked it so much that I paused the workout ten minutes in and actually googled "I can't do p90x yoga". I think I was looking to the internet to give me a get out of yoga card.
And I found lots of people who shared the same sentiments. However, they went on to add "that's how I felt when I first started too". Then, they listed all the benefits and how it just took time to learn to appreciate it and how it helped them improve and how they realized they hated it because their bodies weren't used to it. And those reasons were enough to get me to push play and give it my all. I made it to 30 minutes and I was proud of finishing that. I DO want to get better at yoga. I DO want this program to make me stronger and I realized the only way to do that is to keep trying.
So try I will.
Also, I don't want to jump the gun here but I feel pretty good. I'm down a few pounds -- don't take too much stock in that, I gained a few pounds last week due to my sickness so I was expecting major scale fluctuation this week to get me back to normal so I feel sure that's a big part of that. But besides that, I feel a little firmer, especially in my stomach and thigh regions. In other good news, the soreness has majorly subsided with only twinges of it remaining.
Tonight is Shoulders and Arms + Ab Ripper.
Today's menu:
B: 2 eggs + 1 egg white + coffee + creamer
S: Cottage Cheese + Strawberries
L: Shrimp Caesar Salad
S: Almonds
D: Going out to eat (EEEK!)
Also - check out these ratios for the day so far:
Protein: 40%
Carbs: 14%
Fat: 46%
Not perfect but much closer :)
I did the yoga routine last night. It's clocked at 1 1/2 hours. That's a long workout. I made it through 30 minutes. One of the roughest 30 minutes of my life. I felt awkward, I was in pain, I was uncomfortable, I couldn't do it and therefore, I hated it. I disliked it so much that I paused the workout ten minutes in and actually googled "I can't do p90x yoga". I think I was looking to the internet to give me a get out of yoga card.
And I found lots of people who shared the same sentiments. However, they went on to add "that's how I felt when I first started too". Then, they listed all the benefits and how it just took time to learn to appreciate it and how it helped them improve and how they realized they hated it because their bodies weren't used to it. And those reasons were enough to get me to push play and give it my all. I made it to 30 minutes and I was proud of finishing that. I DO want to get better at yoga. I DO want this program to make me stronger and I realized the only way to do that is to keep trying.
So try I will.
Also, I don't want to jump the gun here but I feel pretty good. I'm down a few pounds -- don't take too much stock in that, I gained a few pounds last week due to my sickness so I was expecting major scale fluctuation this week to get me back to normal so I feel sure that's a big part of that. But besides that, I feel a little firmer, especially in my stomach and thigh regions. In other good news, the soreness has majorly subsided with only twinges of it remaining.
Tonight is Shoulders and Arms + Ab Ripper.
Today's menu:
B: 2 eggs + 1 egg white + coffee + creamer
S: Cottage Cheese + Strawberries
L: Shrimp Caesar Salad
S: Almonds
D: Going out to eat (EEEK!)
Also - check out these ratios for the day so far:
Protein: 40%
Carbs: 14%
Fat: 46%
Not perfect but much closer :)
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
P90x and soreness
Wow. I am officially on Day 3 and the soreness has set in. I am not in bad shape. I'm actually an in shape overweight person if that makes sense, but boy is this program kicking some butt. If I tried to do just one of these workouts full on, hardcore with everything I had, I would probably die. No lie. I'm having a particularly bad time w/ my legs. Hamstrings and whatnot. So that means walking, sitting and all of those time movements are quite painful. My boyfriend was nice enough to massage my legs for me last night and provide some advil and that helped SO MUCH, so today is actually better than yesterday. But it still hurts.
I think I'm pretty much prepared for this journey except for the pull up bar that I will be buying this weekend. We both need it and they aren't that expensive so I'm a little excited to get it. I'll be honest, the last time I did an unassisted pull up was probably in the 4th grade when I got my ribbon for 3 pullups in gym class. I told my boyfriend last night that I want to walk away from this 90 days with the ability to just do one. I think that would be an amazing feeling.
Tonight is Yoga X. I'll let you know how it goes.
Today's menu:
B: Oatmeal + Maple Syrup, Coffee + Creamer
S: PR Bar
L: Egg Salad + Romaine + Green Peppers + Carrots + Cucumbers + Dressing + Colby Cheese
S: Almonds + Strawberries
D: Garlic Shrimp + Whole Wheat Pasta + Some Kind of Veggie (I think)
I think I'm pretty much prepared for this journey except for the pull up bar that I will be buying this weekend. We both need it and they aren't that expensive so I'm a little excited to get it. I'll be honest, the last time I did an unassisted pull up was probably in the 4th grade when I got my ribbon for 3 pullups in gym class. I told my boyfriend last night that I want to walk away from this 90 days with the ability to just do one. I think that would be an amazing feeling.
Tonight is Yoga X. I'll let you know how it goes.
Today's menu:
B: Oatmeal + Maple Syrup, Coffee + Creamer
S: PR Bar
L: Egg Salad + Romaine + Green Peppers + Carrots + Cucumbers + Dressing + Colby Cheese
S: Almonds + Strawberries
D: Garlic Shrimp + Whole Wheat Pasta + Some Kind of Veggie (I think)
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Recovery and P90x
I'm not 100% but I'm far, far better off than I was this time last week. I stayed in bed until Saturday and then slowly made my way back into the world.
Great way to spend a vacation huh?
I don't know what I had, but it was horrendous. I did, however, manage to get that second interview after all. The unfortunate part was that I had to go while sick. I mustered every ounce of strength I had and got through it. A two hour interview no less. It wasn't my best performance but I was so happy to have the opportunity I didn't care. Now it's just wait and see.
Also, while I was recuperating, plans were made, challenges suggested, gauntlets thrown .. you know the routine. My boyfriend got P90x. Yeah, you see where this is going. He wants me to join him on this venture and maybe I was delusional from the sickness, but I accepted.
Yesterday was my first day. I meant to post but it was my first day back at work AND out of bed so I was overly busy and completely exhausted. I know my first few days of doing this are going to be lackluster but I'm going to give it everything I have without pushing myself too hard due to being sick last week. We didn't make any bets or anything because honestly, if we stick to it, the end result should be our rewards. And I'll be honest, I'm kind of scared. In a good way I guess. But he really, really wants to get back into shape (he started a new job awhile ago and you know how schedules change and life happens) and I want to do everything I can to encourage him. Also, it'll be good for the both of us.
He will be performing the Classic schedule and I will be performing the Lean schedule. Yeah, I didn't know there were two different types either. Basically the lean is more cardio intense. March 19th was Day 1. I took my body fat, measurements and weighed myself so I'll be posting those as I go along. Tonight I am going to take a picture because I forgot to do that yesterday. Maybe I can coerce him to let me take pictures of him too. Other than that, it's just working out and majorly tightening up on nutrition.
The program has 3 different phases of nutrition and honestly, they're tough. Right now, I'm supposed to be eating 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat. I don't know if you've ever tracked your macros before but this one is quite intensive. It's called the fat shredder phase I believe. I didn't hit it yesterday but I was pretty close. I'll be easing my way into the nutrition portion because all of this all at once might very well overload my circuits.
Today's menu:
B: oatmeal + 100% maple syrup, coffee + creamer
S: LF cottage cheese + strawberries
L: roasted carrots + green beans + stuffing + seared flank steak
S: almonds + chocolate milk
D: sushi (i think)
macros so far: 45% carbs , 34% fat, 21% protein -- needs a little work
Great way to spend a vacation huh?
I don't know what I had, but it was horrendous. I did, however, manage to get that second interview after all. The unfortunate part was that I had to go while sick. I mustered every ounce of strength I had and got through it. A two hour interview no less. It wasn't my best performance but I was so happy to have the opportunity I didn't care. Now it's just wait and see.
Also, while I was recuperating, plans were made, challenges suggested, gauntlets thrown .. you know the routine. My boyfriend got P90x. Yeah, you see where this is going. He wants me to join him on this venture and maybe I was delusional from the sickness, but I accepted.
Yesterday was my first day. I meant to post but it was my first day back at work AND out of bed so I was overly busy and completely exhausted. I know my first few days of doing this are going to be lackluster but I'm going to give it everything I have without pushing myself too hard due to being sick last week. We didn't make any bets or anything because honestly, if we stick to it, the end result should be our rewards. And I'll be honest, I'm kind of scared. In a good way I guess. But he really, really wants to get back into shape (he started a new job awhile ago and you know how schedules change and life happens) and I want to do everything I can to encourage him. Also, it'll be good for the both of us.
He will be performing the Classic schedule and I will be performing the Lean schedule. Yeah, I didn't know there were two different types either. Basically the lean is more cardio intense. March 19th was Day 1. I took my body fat, measurements and weighed myself so I'll be posting those as I go along. Tonight I am going to take a picture because I forgot to do that yesterday. Maybe I can coerce him to let me take pictures of him too. Other than that, it's just working out and majorly tightening up on nutrition.
The program has 3 different phases of nutrition and honestly, they're tough. Right now, I'm supposed to be eating 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat. I don't know if you've ever tracked your macros before but this one is quite intensive. It's called the fat shredder phase I believe. I didn't hit it yesterday but I was pretty close. I'll be easing my way into the nutrition portion because all of this all at once might very well overload my circuits.
Today's menu:
B: oatmeal + 100% maple syrup, coffee + creamer
S: LF cottage cheese + strawberries
L: roasted carrots + green beans + stuffing + seared flank steak
S: almonds + chocolate milk
D: sushi (i think)
macros so far: 45% carbs , 34% fat, 21% protein -- needs a little work
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Plans
My week of weight loss was set to begin yesterday but I guess my body had other plans. I woke up on Saturday not feeling well and by lunch time I had what was clearly the flu. I have been bed ridden for four days and it's not been fun at all. And on my vacation no less! And to make matters worse, the interview that I was set up for never happened. I don't know what happened but out of nowhere it disappeared.
Truly it has been a horrific week. I hate that I'm sick but honestly, if I were well I think I would be incredibly distraught and stricken over this job thing. But I can't concentrate on anything other than trying to get well because I haven't been this sick in so long. So in a weird way I'm thankful for that distraction. Also, I can't imagine what kind of impression I would have made in the shape I'm in.
Anyway, just wanted to jump on here and let you know that my week is NOT going as I have planned. Never in a million years did I imagine this week would turn out this way. Hopefully I will wake up tomorrow feeling somewhat better.
Until then, I'm going back to bed.
Truly it has been a horrific week. I hate that I'm sick but honestly, if I were well I think I would be incredibly distraught and stricken over this job thing. But I can't concentrate on anything other than trying to get well because I haven't been this sick in so long. So in a weird way I'm thankful for that distraction. Also, I can't imagine what kind of impression I would have made in the shape I'm in.
Anyway, just wanted to jump on here and let you know that my week is NOT going as I have planned. Never in a million years did I imagine this week would turn out this way. Hopefully I will wake up tomorrow feeling somewhat better.
Until then, I'm going back to bed.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Celebration Smorgasboard and Body Fat
I got home from work yesterday to find some good news. I got a call back for my second interview!
And the icing on the cake is that it's going to be next week which helps greatly as I have the week off. There's nothing worse than trying to find time in your work day to go out on interviews.
So, we ordered from my favorite Italian restaurant (of course) in celebration! I had a little of my favorites and then I had some more :) It was both amazing and crazy filling. I even woke up this morning and was full. Come to think of it, it's 11 am and I'm still full. In any case, I'm very excited and hope next week goes well!
A couple of months ago I bought a hand-held body fat monitor. Ok, I'll be honest, a couple of months ago I bought a hand-held body fat monitor and then I placed it out of my sight and totally forgot I had it. I've been reading online the best way to use it and so last night I took my first, real reading. The results were not so good. I'm not going to take this reading as set in stone as I want to take a few more because they're varying wildly but my first reading was 36.6%. I will take a few more using the guidelines I found and hopefully they will all be somewhat similar and then I will tell you my official reading. I'll be taking weekly readings with my weigh-ins now so I can hopefully see progress with both.
And as you can see from the chart below, I definitely need to get that number down into the average category
And for fun reference - here are some ranges for different athletes. I wouldn't mind looking like a swimmer or tennis player. I guess I have my work cut out for me.
Today's Menu:
B: none (rough, rough morning)
L: Italian Salad, Romaine, String Cheese, Turkey
D:
And the icing on the cake is that it's going to be next week which helps greatly as I have the week off. There's nothing worse than trying to find time in your work day to go out on interviews.
So, we ordered from my favorite Italian restaurant (of course) in celebration! I had a little of my favorites and then I had some more :) It was both amazing and crazy filling. I even woke up this morning and was full. Come to think of it, it's 11 am and I'm still full. In any case, I'm very excited and hope next week goes well!
A couple of months ago I bought a hand-held body fat monitor. Ok, I'll be honest, a couple of months ago I bought a hand-held body fat monitor and then I placed it out of my sight and totally forgot I had it. I've been reading online the best way to use it and so last night I took my first, real reading. The results were not so good. I'm not going to take this reading as set in stone as I want to take a few more because they're varying wildly but my first reading was 36.6%. I will take a few more using the guidelines I found and hopefully they will all be somewhat similar and then I will tell you my official reading. I'll be taking weekly readings with my weigh-ins now so I can hopefully see progress with both.
And as you can see from the chart below, I definitely need to get that number down into the average category
And for fun reference - here are some ranges for different athletes. I wouldn't mind looking like a swimmer or tennis player. I guess I have my work cut out for me.
Today's Menu:
B: none (rough, rough morning)
L: Italian Salad, Romaine, String Cheese, Turkey
D:
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Week of Weight Loss
Today turned out to be very exciting. I got a call back from the recruiter I met with last week. We discussed money a little bit and I made the decision to move forward with the job interview. It's not as much as I was hoping but it's more than I'm making now. Not to mention that I'll be starting off at a salary that will continue to rise.
Very exciting!
Also, it occurred to me today that I have yet to take any vacation time at my current job. I get over 3 weeks vacation every year and I'm 6 months in (my anniversary roll over date is OCT) and am FEELING IT. I've been anxious at work lately and that is usually due to needing a break from work. So I will be taking all of next week off.
And since money is tight in my household right now, I'll be vacationing at home. Therefore, I have decided to use my vacation to focus on weight loss. I'll be working out, eating right and trying to lose as much weight as possible for that week. In a typical week, it's pretty hard to get in major workouts and plan for all eating but with my vacation, I'm just going to pretend like I'm at a weight loss spa or something. I'll be blogging every day and hopefully once I return to work, I will be a few pounds lighter :)
That's not til next week but I'm excited already :)
Very exciting!
Also, it occurred to me today that I have yet to take any vacation time at my current job. I get over 3 weeks vacation every year and I'm 6 months in (my anniversary roll over date is OCT) and am FEELING IT. I've been anxious at work lately and that is usually due to needing a break from work. So I will be taking all of next week off.
And since money is tight in my household right now, I'll be vacationing at home. Therefore, I have decided to use my vacation to focus on weight loss. I'll be working out, eating right and trying to lose as much weight as possible for that week. In a typical week, it's pretty hard to get in major workouts and plan for all eating but with my vacation, I'm just going to pretend like I'm at a weight loss spa or something. I'll be blogging every day and hopefully once I return to work, I will be a few pounds lighter :)
That's not til next week but I'm excited already :)
Scale Fluctuations
I'm pretty sure there's nothing worse than scale fluctuations. I'm aware of how fickle the body is and how it can vary by huge amounts from one day to the next, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
I actually haven't encountered that today I'm just making an observation. I have been going thru my progress over the last 3 months and have noticed how sometimes the scale just doesn't match to what I'm doing and how that is completely frustrating. I know you're not supposed to look at the scale but come on. Also, I just think I'm in a bad mood today ;)
I made the spaghetti pizza last night and I have to admit it was one of the tastiest things I've had in a long time, and I enjoyed every last bite! The portion I made is way too big so I'll probably be pushing it off on my boyfriend but still, I'm glad I made it. Truly a nice treat.
Today is already shaping up to be a less than stellar day. Yesterday it was 80 and sunny and beautiful. Today it's barely 50, overcast, and hideous. Amazing how the weather can affect your entire day. I overslept because it was too cold to get out of bed so I didn't have time to make my breakfast so I went to Starbucks and may I say - their spinach and feta breakfast wrap is quite tasty. Also, it's only 280 calories. Not bad at all.
Anyway - today's plan:
Is to hope the rain holds off so I can go on a lunch walk - if it doesn't, I'll be visiting my gym for the first time in who knows how long.
To eat what I have planned (which happens to include another night with my spaghetti pizza so I'm looking forward to that).
To do strength training when I get home from work (maybe, I don't know, I'm hoping ? )
B: Starbucks latte, spinach feta wrap
L: tuna salad, Italian salad, romaine
D: Spaghetti Pizza
I actually haven't encountered that today I'm just making an observation. I have been going thru my progress over the last 3 months and have noticed how sometimes the scale just doesn't match to what I'm doing and how that is completely frustrating. I know you're not supposed to look at the scale but come on. Also, I just think I'm in a bad mood today ;)
I made the spaghetti pizza last night and I have to admit it was one of the tastiest things I've had in a long time, and I enjoyed every last bite! The portion I made is way too big so I'll probably be pushing it off on my boyfriend but still, I'm glad I made it. Truly a nice treat.
Today is already shaping up to be a less than stellar day. Yesterday it was 80 and sunny and beautiful. Today it's barely 50, overcast, and hideous. Amazing how the weather can affect your entire day. I overslept because it was too cold to get out of bed so I didn't have time to make my breakfast so I went to Starbucks and may I say - their spinach and feta breakfast wrap is quite tasty. Also, it's only 280 calories. Not bad at all.
Anyway - today's plan:
Is to hope the rain holds off so I can go on a lunch walk - if it doesn't, I'll be visiting my gym for the first time in who knows how long.
To eat what I have planned (which happens to include another night with my spaghetti pizza so I'm looking forward to that).
To do strength training when I get home from work (maybe, I don't know, I'm hoping ? )
B: Starbucks latte, spinach feta wrap
L: tuna salad, Italian salad, romaine
D: Spaghetti Pizza
Monday, March 5, 2012
Monday Weigh In
I had a very uneventful weekend. It was in the 80s, sunny and beautiful out but I was determined to finish cleaning my apartment. You know, one of those semi-spring cleaning deals. I take these very seriously. I'm pleased to say that my apartment looks amazing. I even cleaned the ceiling fan blades. For whatever reason, this always makes me happy.
Also, I'm a little low on cash so I was trying to be good and any venture outdoors inevitably leads to me spending money that I don't have :)
All in all, it was a lovely, kind of relaxing (despite all the cleaning), weekend. And on this fine Monday morning I'm pleased to report that I have lost another 0.6 pounds!!
YEAH!!
That puts me to a total loss of 5.7 pounds since mid December. I'm actually very pleased with that. I am just DYING to get to 10 pounds but slow and steady right? I do have a hard time with the slow moving progress considering I am being diligent and proactive with my eating and exercise, but, I just have to remind myself to look at the big picture. I mean, if I continue on this path, then feasibly by the end of the year I could be 20 some pounds down. Yeah, that sounds much better than saying 0.6 pounds :)
And in case anyone is wondering (because I always am when I read other people's blogs) ...
This past week I averaged a daily deficit of 445 calories thru both diet and exercise. I'd like to get that number to 500 a day to pull a one pound loss but I'm not going to force anything. Also, I'm going to start the pep talks with strength training. I really need to keep the muscle mass that I have otherwise my metabolism might suffer. UGH. Man, I love to whine about strength training.
Today's menu:
B: Protein Shake
S: pre workout bar (they're called PR Bars and I LOVE THESE)
L: Not Pasta Salad (sans pasta - it's just cucumber, carrots, and red pepper diced and tossed with some light Italian dressing with a few colby cheese cubes thrown in) - tossed with shredded Romaine with tuna salad on the side
D:
for dinner I think I am going to indulge my inner child. I'm going to make Spaghetti Pizza! How awesome does that sound? Seriously, this week I just wanted to make something that satisfied some cravings I've been having.
So, I found an easy recipe, exchanged a FEW things to make it a little lighter (low sugar pasta sauce, added some veggies - you get the picture) but overall I'm just going to go for it.
It'll be a nice treat.
Also, I'm a little low on cash so I was trying to be good and any venture outdoors inevitably leads to me spending money that I don't have :)
All in all, it was a lovely, kind of relaxing (despite all the cleaning), weekend. And on this fine Monday morning I'm pleased to report that I have lost another 0.6 pounds!!
YEAH!!
That puts me to a total loss of 5.7 pounds since mid December. I'm actually very pleased with that. I am just DYING to get to 10 pounds but slow and steady right? I do have a hard time with the slow moving progress considering I am being diligent and proactive with my eating and exercise, but, I just have to remind myself to look at the big picture. I mean, if I continue on this path, then feasibly by the end of the year I could be 20 some pounds down. Yeah, that sounds much better than saying 0.6 pounds :)
And in case anyone is wondering (because I always am when I read other people's blogs) ...
This past week I averaged a daily deficit of 445 calories thru both diet and exercise. I'd like to get that number to 500 a day to pull a one pound loss but I'm not going to force anything. Also, I'm going to start the pep talks with strength training. I really need to keep the muscle mass that I have otherwise my metabolism might suffer. UGH. Man, I love to whine about strength training.
Today's menu:
B: Protein Shake
S: pre workout bar (they're called PR Bars and I LOVE THESE)
L: Not Pasta Salad (sans pasta - it's just cucumber, carrots, and red pepper diced and tossed with some light Italian dressing with a few colby cheese cubes thrown in) - tossed with shredded Romaine with tuna salad on the side
D:
for dinner I think I am going to indulge my inner child. I'm going to make Spaghetti Pizza! How awesome does that sound? Seriously, this week I just wanted to make something that satisfied some cravings I've been having.
So, I found an easy recipe, exchanged a FEW things to make it a little lighter (low sugar pasta sauce, added some veggies - you get the picture) but overall I'm just going to go for it.
It'll be a nice treat.
Friday, March 2, 2012
I Need Sleep
It's true. I'm not getting enough shut eye. Oddly enough, when I don't get enough sleep, I'm actually chipper in the morning.
Crazy chipper. Like, if it were someone else in my office, I'd probably slap them.
And though I'm chipper, it doesn't actually mean I'm in my right mind.
So, due to this lack of sleep, I had a rough start to my morning. It was odd the way it worked out. Though I slept badly, I woke up way earlier than I had to. I had plenty of time to get ready, make my breakfast protein shake, pack my lunch AND get out of the door on time.
Pretty good start right?
WRONG
That's when things started falling apart.
I forgot to take my protein shake with me. First ugh. So, once I got to work I decided to walk next door to Starbucks to get a skinny vanilla latte in its stead. Ok, so I'm kind of back on track. Then, I sit at my desk and begin my morning ritual of starting my work day. Things are still ok. However, for whatever reason, the skinny vanilla latte is just not cutting it today. My email goes off. It's the receptionist letting us know there are bagels AND donuts in the kitchen. This is usually not a problem for me but today I'm just starving. Second ugh. I go to the kitchen ONLY to get a bagel. But while I'm toasting my bagel I end up eating an ENTIRE donut. Third UGH! It kind of just snuck up on me - I didn't even know I was doing it. It was as if the room went black and when I finally came to, I was licking the frosting from my fingers. So, I take my bagel and run back to my desk. I eat half of it before I force myself to stop and survey the damage (ie: logging the calories). The damage tells me not to touch the other half of my bagel because I have had plenty. FOURTH UGH! Then, it started happening. I felt horrific. I was on a sugar high and I wanted nothing more than to get off of it. Once it finally wears off, I'm left feeling like I have a brick sitting in my stomach. It was the worst feeling. My body is revolting against me and my food decisions. I sit and moan at my desk for what felt like hours. I even order my assistant to make it his job, NAY his DUTY, to not allow me to eat any more donuts EVER. The feeling continues .. UGH UGH UGH!!!
Finally, after a few hours, it passes.
It was a rough morning. I finally got back on track with the foods I had packed for myself, but I'll be honest, I got myself into a little pickle eating those high calorie foods. Which means I'm going to have to be extra cautious with dinner which isn't too fun on Friday evenings.
Why donuts WHY?
Anyway, the point of the story is I need to sleep. Because when I sleep, I make better decisions. And when I make better decisions, I don't eat the donuts!!
Crazy chipper. Like, if it were someone else in my office, I'd probably slap them.
And though I'm chipper, it doesn't actually mean I'm in my right mind.
So, due to this lack of sleep, I had a rough start to my morning. It was odd the way it worked out. Though I slept badly, I woke up way earlier than I had to. I had plenty of time to get ready, make my breakfast protein shake, pack my lunch AND get out of the door on time.
Pretty good start right?
WRONG
That's when things started falling apart.
I forgot to take my protein shake with me. First ugh. So, once I got to work I decided to walk next door to Starbucks to get a skinny vanilla latte in its stead. Ok, so I'm kind of back on track. Then, I sit at my desk and begin my morning ritual of starting my work day. Things are still ok. However, for whatever reason, the skinny vanilla latte is just not cutting it today. My email goes off. It's the receptionist letting us know there are bagels AND donuts in the kitchen. This is usually not a problem for me but today I'm just starving. Second ugh. I go to the kitchen ONLY to get a bagel. But while I'm toasting my bagel I end up eating an ENTIRE donut. Third UGH! It kind of just snuck up on me - I didn't even know I was doing it. It was as if the room went black and when I finally came to, I was licking the frosting from my fingers. So, I take my bagel and run back to my desk. I eat half of it before I force myself to stop and survey the damage (ie: logging the calories). The damage tells me not to touch the other half of my bagel because I have had plenty. FOURTH UGH! Then, it started happening. I felt horrific. I was on a sugar high and I wanted nothing more than to get off of it. Once it finally wears off, I'm left feeling like I have a brick sitting in my stomach. It was the worst feeling. My body is revolting against me and my food decisions. I sit and moan at my desk for what felt like hours. I even order my assistant to make it his job, NAY his DUTY, to not allow me to eat any more donuts EVER. The feeling continues .. UGH UGH UGH!!!
Finally, after a few hours, it passes.
It was a rough morning. I finally got back on track with the foods I had packed for myself, but I'll be honest, I got myself into a little pickle eating those high calorie foods. Which means I'm going to have to be extra cautious with dinner which isn't too fun on Friday evenings.
Why donuts WHY?
Anyway, the point of the story is I need to sleep. Because when I sleep, I make better decisions. And when I make better decisions, I don't eat the donuts!!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Stress Management
Today is March 1st and I weighed in this morning and I posted my lowest weight to date. So, that officially means that February comes to a close with a 0.5 lb weight loss overall for the month - but what impresses me the most is that since February 17th I've lost 1.5 pounds! Trust me, that's quite an accomplishment for this girl.
In addition to my fancy new low weight, I am also in the middle of a potential new job opportunity. I had my first interview on Tuesday and now I'm just waiting for the phone call that will mean the next step. I bring this up because man, is this ever stressful. The job has so much potential so I'm very on edge about this. And like so many people out there, I sometimes soothe stress with eating. But, I'd like to brag a little about how I'm trying to be more aware of this obstacle and I'm using a lot of self-talk to help overcome it (yes, this is one of the tools I wrote down in my long writing session that I talked about in my last post).
How do I do this? Well, for example, I like to call my best friend and exclaim to her excitedly how I have received the job offer and how they've offered me a 50% raise. Ok, so it's not exactly that but I did do that just for laughs and it's incredibly close to what I actually do. Take for instance this morning, I woke up early to get in an extra walk this week and while I was outside I chose to repeat some of my goals:
I have the job offer I want.
I have the salary offer I want.
I have the body I want.
I have control over my eating.
I am happy.
Those are just a few. I always say them in the present tense because I read somewhere that your subconscious actually only understands present tense. Now, whether or not this is true I don't know, but I figure why not? I also make them short, precise statements because it also said that it's more effective to make the statements direct and to the point.
Now, whether or not my statements spring my subconscious into action, I don't know, but they have been helping me maneuver this stressful moment in my life. The statements about the job help to remind me of what I really want. I mean, I LOVE the job I have. I get paid well, I've been there a long time, I have great perks and I have GREAT job security. BUT, I'm over qualified. I've outgrown my position and I've become complacent about that next step because staying is easier. I know in the future that I want more advancement and in order to get that I need to go somewhere else. And you know what, change is scary. Especially a job change in this wonderful economy. So these little statements help remind me of what I ultimately want. I do want a bigger job with bigger money and bigger responsibility and the only way to get that is with action. So basically I'm reminding myself to be proactive. The same is true for the statements about my weight. I'm not going to wake up tomorrow morning and discover I've lost 40 pounds overnight. In order for that to happen, I have to constantly be mindful of my goals and remember that I'll only reach my goals if I put forth the effort.
And for whatever reason, this little thing I do helps keep things in perspective and makes me feel a little better. Does it get rid of the stress completely? Goodness no, but honestly, it does help. And I need all the help I can get.
Today's Menu:
B: 2 eggs, 1 egg white scrambled with 2 pieces of pumpernickel bread, coffee
L: tuna salad
D:
For dinner I think I might have some gnocchi with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. If you've never had this wonderful dish, go get some right now.
In addition to my fancy new low weight, I am also in the middle of a potential new job opportunity. I had my first interview on Tuesday and now I'm just waiting for the phone call that will mean the next step. I bring this up because man, is this ever stressful. The job has so much potential so I'm very on edge about this. And like so many people out there, I sometimes soothe stress with eating. But, I'd like to brag a little about how I'm trying to be more aware of this obstacle and I'm using a lot of self-talk to help overcome it (yes, this is one of the tools I wrote down in my long writing session that I talked about in my last post).
How do I do this? Well, for example, I like to call my best friend and exclaim to her excitedly how I have received the job offer and how they've offered me a 50% raise. Ok, so it's not exactly that but I did do that just for laughs and it's incredibly close to what I actually do. Take for instance this morning, I woke up early to get in an extra walk this week and while I was outside I chose to repeat some of my goals:
I have the job offer I want.
I have the salary offer I want.
I have the body I want.
I have control over my eating.
I am happy.
Those are just a few. I always say them in the present tense because I read somewhere that your subconscious actually only understands present tense. Now, whether or not this is true I don't know, but I figure why not? I also make them short, precise statements because it also said that it's more effective to make the statements direct and to the point.
Now, whether or not my statements spring my subconscious into action, I don't know, but they have been helping me maneuver this stressful moment in my life. The statements about the job help to remind me of what I really want. I mean, I LOVE the job I have. I get paid well, I've been there a long time, I have great perks and I have GREAT job security. BUT, I'm over qualified. I've outgrown my position and I've become complacent about that next step because staying is easier. I know in the future that I want more advancement and in order to get that I need to go somewhere else. And you know what, change is scary. Especially a job change in this wonderful economy. So these little statements help remind me of what I ultimately want. I do want a bigger job with bigger money and bigger responsibility and the only way to get that is with action. So basically I'm reminding myself to be proactive. The same is true for the statements about my weight. I'm not going to wake up tomorrow morning and discover I've lost 40 pounds overnight. In order for that to happen, I have to constantly be mindful of my goals and remember that I'll only reach my goals if I put forth the effort.
And for whatever reason, this little thing I do helps keep things in perspective and makes me feel a little better. Does it get rid of the stress completely? Goodness no, but honestly, it does help. And I need all the help I can get.
Today's Menu:
B: 2 eggs, 1 egg white scrambled with 2 pieces of pumpernickel bread, coffee
L: tuna salad
D:
For dinner I think I might have some gnocchi with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. If you've never had this wonderful dish, go get some right now.
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