ready2bskinE

So this week is about 1/2 over. I stepped on the scale this morning to see how I’ve been doing… I’ve kept track of my calories and completed my workouts every day so far, although Monday night I finished off my husband’s bowl of cheese dip.  I felt pretty about that, BUT then I told myself, at least I didn’t fix my own bowl and eat the whole thing alongside him!  :)  Which is progress.

So this morning I’m down to 127.6.  That’s just 1 lb since Saturday, but I still have another 1/2 to this week.  I’m excited and determined to make the best of it!!!

Like I said last time, I do feel more “jiggly” at this weight than I did last time around, but in a way, that just makes me feel more hopeful that I can get more weight off. I’m slowly getting back to the weights and push ups (I can do 20 push ups in a row!!  And my old buddies might remember me talking about my complete lack of upper body strength a while back, so that is progress too! lol)  Still having a hard time working out my cardio sessions– I MISS RUNNING!! But it’s *so cold* in the mornings, my joints are stiff when I wake up, etc… Just easier to hit the step or do stuff in the house like jumping jacks, jump rope, videos, etc.  Easier, but nowhere near as enjoyable as a sunrise jog on a beautiful, warm morning…. Ah, don’t want to wish away my fall and winter, but I’ll be happy to have Spring back!! 

Anyway, just wanted to log my progress.  I’m still very determined to reach 120 by Christmas, and I just decided it’s going to be a FIRM 120… Not this jiggly looking stuff I got going on right now. 

Don’t have much time to post… The kids are being “needy” today. lol  Just wanted to report that I’m down from 131.8 to 128.6, so that’s a tiny bit over 3 lbs down.  Hooray!! I’m fairly positive that quite a bit of the weight lost was water weight, and I still feel a lot more “jiggly” than I did last time I was at this weight, BUT…. progress is progress and building momentum and a positive attitude means just as much as anything else. 

*big sigh*  I’ve been terrible lately!! I feel like, all I keep doing is saying what I’m *going* to do, as in future tense, then I just let all my opportunities to do the best/healthy thing slip right past me.  I have a million excuses for everything, and it’s to the point that I’m even sick of hearing them myself!  I got that one run in, and it felt good… A short, two mile run, but no foot or leg pain.  So why didn’t I go out again the next day?  Basically, it boils down to sheer laziness.

I’ve been lazy about everything lately!  Except counting my calories… No, I’ve been doing that 6 days a week, and let me tell you, it’s not pretty.  I’ll have a few good days where I’m right at 1500, then it’s like WHOA!! Calorie explosion!  :(  Like yesterday… All I did was EAT!  Like I couldn’t stop stuffing my face.  I had close to 2600 calories!! Technically, that’s enough for two days!  Especially since my workout attempt was feeble, at best.  I did some lunges, squats, and pushups, a couple of minutes in plank position and called it a day.  So that didn’t burn any calories.

My weight is up, just as I knew it would be.  I didn’t even weigh in for my team this weekend because I was just like, What’s the point??  All I ever do is gain and lose the same freaking weight…  As of this morning, after yesterday’s gorge-fest, I’m officially up to 131.8!!  I’ve been avoiding Buddy Slim because I feel like a complete failure. 

But yesterday, my new issue of Shape came in the mail, and of course it’s helping me get some of my motivation back.  I read some diet tips, and a few of them struck a chord with me, so I thought I’d share them.  I’m *hoping* that putting these into practice will help me rearrange my eating patterns and keep my weight from ballooning further.

The article is called Eat Like a Happy Person and I’m just going to paraphrase, because it’s pretty long.

In her new book, Eat Your Way to Happiness, Shape advisory board member Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., explains how munching on the right foods a the right time can boost your mood and energy, improve concentration, control cravings, and keep you slim.

1. Pick real foods. To be your best, you have to cut back on processed foods.  In a UCLA study, people showed improvements in memory and mental function within just two weeks of eating healthier.  But you don’t have to be perfect; if 75% of what you eat is “real”, you can play with the other 25% to work in favorite treats.

2. Power up breakfast.  During the night, your body depletes its stores of glycogen; to correct that deficit, your brain releases a chemical called neuropeptide Y at the crack of dawn.  Its sole purpose is to get you to eat carbs.  Carbohydrates refuel your brain so you think more clearly and help you start the day off calm.  Your best bets are oatmeal, whole-grain cold cereal, whole wheat toast or waffles, and fresh fruit, but whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast.  Even if you have a good lunch, you’ll never regain the energy and brain power you would have had if you had take five minutes to eat in the morning.

3. Have some fat at lunch.  (This is the one *I* need to remember!)  The brain’s production of an appetite stimulating chemical called galanin naturally rises midday.  Galanin triggers fat cravings, so you want to satisfy them in a healthy way. Overly fatty foods-like a cheeseburger and fries-will send galanin production into overdrive and cause increased fat cravings; instead, add avocado to your sandwich or salad in place of cheese, eat a few nuts or olives rather than chips, or have a small piece of dark chocolate instead of cookies for dessert.

4. Eat a light dinner.  Eat early so you have time to digest before bed, and have a lowfat dinner that contains 500 to 700 calories, max.

5. Snack before bed.  (Shocked to learn this is OK!! lol)  An all carb snack about an hour before you turn in can up your serotonin levels, which has a calming effect on your body. You’ll sleep more soundly, which is crucial for a happier mind-set, maximum energy, and weight control.  It takes just 30 grams of high quality carbs to get a serotonin boost-a whole wheat English muffin with a little jam, five graham crackers, or nine Triscuits.

6. Sprinkle in superfoods.  What makes a food super? It must supply mega nutrients for minimal calories so you get a whopping dose of waist-slimming fiber and mood-boosting vitamins.  And it has to be loaded with antioxidants, nutrients that protect the brain from free radicals that otherwise speed aging, slow memory, and dampen your spirits.  Nearly all brightly colored fruits and veggies fit the bill-like berries, dark, leafy greens, magoes, citrus fruit, and carrots, as do nuts, beans and whole grains.  Fish counts too, because it supplies your brain cells with Omega-3 fatty acids they need to stay supple, which makes them better at absorbing nutrients, passing messages to and from the rest of your body, and getting rid of toxins-functions important for mood and memory.

These are things I knew on a surface level, but I liked the article because it went into detail about WHY these things are good for you.  Me personally, I’m more likely to do something if I understand why I’m doing it, as opposed to just doing it “because I should.”    So I feel like my spirits have been lifted slightly, even though I have the same 5 lbs to lose before I’m back to where I was (well, actually, closer to 7!)  but I am still sure I can reach 120 by Christmas.

I’m apparently not very good at following through when I talk about what I’m GOING to do, so I’m just going to go and do my best, and hopefully I’ll have some good news to report later, when I talk about what I HAVE done. 

Well, the title says it all.  I’ve been eating like a pig and doing the bare minimum when it comes to exercise.  I really think I’ve gained about 5 lbs in the last week, if that’s possible.  My clothes even feel tighter! How is it freaking possible to gain so much weight in one week, when it takes me a month and a half to lose that much??  LOL

Going out for my first run in FOREVER tomorrow morning.  I’m really excited about that!!  Hopefully it’ll spark that love of exercise again and kick this cool weather laziness out the door for good.    My husband was like, “Why don’t you just relax??  Gain 10 lbs like everyone else and lose it after New Year’s!”  LMAO   But I told him, I’m asking for new CLOTHES for Christmas, and I want them to be in a tiny new size!    So that’s my motivation.  I’ve been eating better the last couple of days, counting calories again, keeping it under 1500…  So with getting back to my intense workouts tomorrow, hopefully I’ll have a cap on this gain and be on track to getting things back under control.  120 here I come… I will see 120 before Christmas!! 

Just wondering how many of you are planning on getting this vaccine? It worries me, because I work part time in a day care, where if it’s going around, you’re gonna catch it there. I don’t want to bring it home, since I have a 2 year old and a 3 year old of my own who do NOT go to day care, and really don’t have any exposure at all to other kids unless I take them to Sunday School.  So I’m wondering if I should get the vaccine, and if I should get it for my kids. Is it a weakened or a dead virus?  I just don’t want to risk them getting super-sick!  Plus it makes me nervous, because I’m not sure how safe the vaccination is.  Just wanting to hear some other people’s thoughts on this subject….

I have several cute dressy outfits that I bought when I started feeling “small” and they’re now way too big. The pants barely stay up and are way too baggy in the butt and hips even with a belt, and the shirts, well… They didn’t show cleavage when I bought them, but now a couple of them have to constantly be pulled on to keep the bra from peeking out!  :o  I know I need to get rid of them, but the shirts are mediums and the pants are size 8’s.  Not “big” at all… And I keep thinking, if I gain of couple of lbs back over the holidays, I could very well be back to fitting them again.  I guess I’m afraid to give them away, because I’m paranoid I’ll gain weight and won’t have anything cute to wear. And with money being kinda tight right now, I guess I’m worried about it more, because I know I won’t be able to just rush out and buy cute new clothes, ESPECIALLY after having just given stuff away.  (Kind of a make your bed, you lie in it kinda thing…)

So what do you guys do??  Do you give away the clothes as soon as they’re too big?  When they start looking really bad on you??  Or do you hang on to things way too long (like me) in a paranoid type way, afraid you’ll “get fat” again??  I think I might just go ahead and get rid of them, and use it as motivation to stay thin through the holidays…. *deep breath* It’s a scary thought though!

I feel like I’ve been so lazy for so long!!  Once I made up my mind that I had to rest my injured foot, I sank into a very deep funk and just let myself go.  Thankfully and miraculously, I was able to maintain my weight, but I know I have to get back on track or there is a gain waiting for me on the horizon.  One of my friends was telling me Whatever… You’re small already. I was like, Yeah, but since I’m “small” a simple 5 lb gain will make NONE of my clothes fit and I’ll be in sweat pants for 3 or 4 weeks while I work it back off. I do NOT want to go there!

So anyway, I’m super thankful that none of my laziness or lack of self control with food has resulted in an insurmountable weight gain, and I’m ready to get back in the saddle and workout!  I’m going to start off slowly with the cardio… Very low impact.  But as far as weights and conditioning, I’m ready to give it hell!    I’m going to start off with lighter weights and higher reps, and work my way back up to heavier weights.  I really can’t risk another injury this close to all the food holidays… Halloween candy snatching from the kids’ pails… Thanksgiving Day visiting and eating with any relative and friend who will have us over…. and of course, all the weeks leading up to Christmas, getting together with loved ones, weekends spent shopping from sunrise to sunset (eating out a lot) etc… I need to be able to workout!  I don’t plan on making a pig of myself, but I do plan on enjoying myself and my family, focusing on good conversations infinitely more than the calorie content of what’s being served.    I’m so excited….  Can you tell?  ;)  It’s just, everyone’s always so happy around the holidays, and since it’s cold and wintery, there’s nothing much else to do but spend time with the family; and I love every minute of it!

I just know myself, and since restraint is not my strong suit, I need to be able to work off the calorie surplus that’s sure to be coming my way. 

I’m NOT excited to be back to counting calories, but I know it’s necessary to get on track.  I’m really surprised I haven’t gained a ton of weight over the past several days, but the scale doesn’t lie….  I “feel” fatter though, but that may just be a result of how I perceive myself and my recent actions. (Or lack of action!! lol)  Hopefully a week or two back in good form will get my self confidence back where it needs to be. 

So my plan, starting today (I was hesitant to start in the middle of the week, but hey, there’s no time like the present!) is to do a daily 45 minute fast walk, 20-30 minutes of low impact step (depending on how my foot feels) and pick my weights up every single time I get a chance.  (While watching TV, cooking, etc, in addition to structured workout time.)  I always feel like I’m really doing my best when I stand in front of the TV and do squats and lunges instead of sitting on the couch eating popcorn with my husband.  lol  Or when I do shoulder presses in between stirring dinner instead of whatever else….  Keeps me focused.    (I’m sure I look like a dork though, but hey,  it works! lol)

So hopefully my weigh in this week will be ok, though I’m not hoping for more than a maintain this first week.  My water intake has been low too, so increasing it back to where it needs to be might show a gain on the scale the first couple of days; I’m not worried about it, just hoping to be back to losing next week!

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to encourage me and support me while I was in my funk.  It really means a lot to me to have the support of great people like you!!  I definitely feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful group.

I feel like I’m on the road to getting fat again, and I do NOT like it.  I’m sad. Just down.  Can’t do any type of impact workouts; BORING.  Not burning enough calories.  I know I need to cut my cal intake back to like BMR, but it’s so HARD to go from working out hard and eating lots of good food to working out NONE and being hungry all the time.  :(   So of course I’m over eating.  Both out of frustration/stress and hunger.  I just feel like screaming.  It’s NOT FAIR!!!

Okay, tantrum over.  :)  But seriously, I have to get it together SOON or I’m gonna be gaining some serious weight. I feel lost right now…. I need a clear cut path back to my goal!