You guys... WTF is going on?
Friday:
- Vitamins and calcium: Check
- Water: 126oz.
- Protein: 70 grams.
- Calories: 1,090 calories.
- Exercise: I ran/walked outside in the drizzling rain. I did 3.66 miles total, 2.25 miles running.
Saturday:
- Vitamins and calcium: Check
- Water: 108oz.
- Protein: 92 grams.
- Calories: 1,006 calories.
- Exercise: I did the 9:30am Body Pump class (after being awakened by the marching band outside of my window at 7:30am, no joke) and followed that with the 10:45am Zumba class.
Sunday:
- Vitamins and calcium: Check
- Water: 108oz.
- Protein: 104 grams.
- Calories: 1,160 calories.
- Exercise: I ran/walked outside in the drizzling rain (it rained all weekend and the weather was nice and cool). I did 4.56 miles total, 2.5 miles running.
Today? I'm down ONE POUND from last week.
I'm really disappointed. I exercised for almost 10 hours last week - I ran 13.1 miles! I ate 7,539 calories and 584 grams of protein - this is the first time since getting my band that I've actually felt like I was seriously dieting. I drank 794 ounces of water and I took my vitamins and calcium every day.
What am I doing wrong???
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Checking In, Friday Update
So how did I do yesterday?
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 100oz.
- Protein: I got 78 grams.
- Calories: 1,028 calories and it was a STRUGGLE. I did not want to eat the chicken that I had for dinner after the gym. I just didn't want it at all. I wasn't hungry, not even a little bit, and it felt so wrong forcing myself to eat. I need to find some more calorie- and protein-dense foods. I hear that low-sodium parmesan cheese has quite a bit of protein, so I may have to do some investigating into that. Also, I'm thinking I may need to reexamine protein shakes. It's just, with the shakes that I tried in the past, I hated the smell and the texture. I don't like the smell of whey protein. Ugh. Are there any shakes you guys really like that don't smell gross?
- Exercise: I ran less than a mile on the treadmill - I got so bored. So then I cranked it up to an 8.0 incline and walked. Then I finished on the bike. I exercised for an hour total (plus the hour at Body Pump), but I felt schizophrenic while doing it - I couldn't focus or get into a groove, and I was just so bored. I'm for sure going to run outside today in the hope that it'll keep me engaged.
In other news:
- I phone interviewed with two companies yesterday - one that's my dream job and one that would be exactly what I do right now. The interview with my dream job went *extremely* well - my interviewer said that I was "highly qualified" and that she was going to "highly recommend" moving me to the next step in the process. *SQUEE* I should know more by this time next week. The interview with the other job went okay, but I was really turned off by the interviewer, who called me 10 minutes late and told me that he only had 20 minutes to talk instead of the previously agreed upon hour (he would be my boss, so this didn't inspire a lot of confidence). He then described a corporate culture that sounded exactly like what I currently work in. And the role is exactly the same. I mean, exactly. So I think I'm taking myself out of the running for that position, as I have no interest in moving halfway across the country (again) for a job that turns out to be a disappointment (again). In the meantime, while waiting to hear back from my dream job, I'm going to keep on applying for other positions.
- Work is cray cray today. But you know what? I don't care, because it's Friday, it's cool outside and I'm wearing my size 14 jeans. Mmmmmmhmmmm. Snap.
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 100oz.
- Protein: I got 78 grams.
- Calories: 1,028 calories and it was a STRUGGLE. I did not want to eat the chicken that I had for dinner after the gym. I just didn't want it at all. I wasn't hungry, not even a little bit, and it felt so wrong forcing myself to eat. I need to find some more calorie- and protein-dense foods. I hear that low-sodium parmesan cheese has quite a bit of protein, so I may have to do some investigating into that. Also, I'm thinking I may need to reexamine protein shakes. It's just, with the shakes that I tried in the past, I hated the smell and the texture. I don't like the smell of whey protein. Ugh. Are there any shakes you guys really like that don't smell gross?
- Exercise: I ran less than a mile on the treadmill - I got so bored. So then I cranked it up to an 8.0 incline and walked. Then I finished on the bike. I exercised for an hour total (plus the hour at Body Pump), but I felt schizophrenic while doing it - I couldn't focus or get into a groove, and I was just so bored. I'm for sure going to run outside today in the hope that it'll keep me engaged.
In other news:
- I phone interviewed with two companies yesterday - one that's my dream job and one that would be exactly what I do right now. The interview with my dream job went *extremely* well - my interviewer said that I was "highly qualified" and that she was going to "highly recommend" moving me to the next step in the process. *SQUEE* I should know more by this time next week. The interview with the other job went okay, but I was really turned off by the interviewer, who called me 10 minutes late and told me that he only had 20 minutes to talk instead of the previously agreed upon hour (he would be my boss, so this didn't inspire a lot of confidence). He then described a corporate culture that sounded exactly like what I currently work in. And the role is exactly the same. I mean, exactly. So I think I'm taking myself out of the running for that position, as I have no interest in moving halfway across the country (again) for a job that turns out to be a disappointment (again). In the meantime, while waiting to hear back from my dream job, I'm going to keep on applying for other positions.
- Work is cray cray today. But you know what? I don't care, because it's Friday, it's cool outside and I'm wearing my size 14 jeans. Mmmmmmhmmmm. Snap.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
TTT: Checking In Edition
1. So how did I do yesterday?
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 108oz.
- Protein: I got 80 grams.
- Calories: 1,045 calories. I had four eggs yesterday. Should I be worried about my cholesterol?
- Exercise: I did 30 minutes on the treadmill - one mile running, then 10 minutes walking at 3.5 speed on a huge (7.0) incline. Then I got bored (story of my life) and switched to the elliptical, where I did 30 minutes at 7 resistance.
2. I had a hard time at the gym yesterday. See, my wife puts the protein bars in the fridge. I grabbed one on the way out the door to the gym, because I'd forgotten to take it to work with me earlier in the day. It was caramel, and it was cold. Long story short, I got stuck on it. I didn't PB, but I did have that sensation of a rock sitting in the middle of my chest while I was running on the treadmill. Working out while stuck is no fun.
3. Does anyone take Body Combat classes? There's a class right after my Body Pump class tonight, so I'm entertaining the thought of taking it, but I'm not certain what it's all about and whether it will be difficult (ie, require a great deal of coordination). The problem with my workouts lately is that I get so damn bored. Maybe I'll run outside after Body Combat...
4. My two phone interviews are today. I spent several hours last night and another hour this morning preparing. Wish me luck!
5. I'm so ready for a new job. I just worry about selling my house if I find a job that requires relocating. I'm probably putting the cart before the horse here, but I do worry...
6. Do you believe that there are people in this world that you are destined to never get along with? My boss is one of those people for me. I don't have anything against her as a person, but our personalities are diametrically opposed. We're just never going to see eye-to-eye. And she makes me feel like I'm a crazy person when she talks to me. It's a stressful relationship.
7. One of my co-workers told me that he went to the bathroom in our office and sat down on the toilet (yeah, we're apparently so close that he's comfortable telling me about his poops) and a roach came crawling out of the drain next to the toilet. Ever since, I've been freaked out about the bathroom.
8. See #1, re: I drank 108oz. of water yesterday. I spend a LOT of time in the bathroom...
9. The wife is going to be out of town this weekend (she's going home to help plan her deadbeat sister's wedding). I am going to spend the time cleaning out our closets and dressers. I am actually looking forward to this.
10. I haven't weighed since Tuesday. This is a huge victory for me, as I am generally a total scale whore. I'm going to try not to weigh until Monday. Can I do that? (Probably not.)
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 108oz.
- Protein: I got 80 grams.
- Calories: 1,045 calories. I had four eggs yesterday. Should I be worried about my cholesterol?
- Exercise: I did 30 minutes on the treadmill - one mile running, then 10 minutes walking at 3.5 speed on a huge (7.0) incline. Then I got bored (story of my life) and switched to the elliptical, where I did 30 minutes at 7 resistance.
2. I had a hard time at the gym yesterday. See, my wife puts the protein bars in the fridge. I grabbed one on the way out the door to the gym, because I'd forgotten to take it to work with me earlier in the day. It was caramel, and it was cold. Long story short, I got stuck on it. I didn't PB, but I did have that sensation of a rock sitting in the middle of my chest while I was running on the treadmill. Working out while stuck is no fun.
3. Does anyone take Body Combat classes? There's a class right after my Body Pump class tonight, so I'm entertaining the thought of taking it, but I'm not certain what it's all about and whether it will be difficult (ie, require a great deal of coordination). The problem with my workouts lately is that I get so damn bored. Maybe I'll run outside after Body Combat...
4. My two phone interviews are today. I spent several hours last night and another hour this morning preparing. Wish me luck!
5. I'm so ready for a new job. I just worry about selling my house if I find a job that requires relocating. I'm probably putting the cart before the horse here, but I do worry...
6. Do you believe that there are people in this world that you are destined to never get along with? My boss is one of those people for me. I don't have anything against her as a person, but our personalities are diametrically opposed. We're just never going to see eye-to-eye. And she makes me feel like I'm a crazy person when she talks to me. It's a stressful relationship.
7. One of my co-workers told me that he went to the bathroom in our office and sat down on the toilet (yeah, we're apparently so close that he's comfortable telling me about his poops) and a roach came crawling out of the drain next to the toilet. Ever since, I've been freaked out about the bathroom.
8. See #1, re: I drank 108oz. of water yesterday. I spend a LOT of time in the bathroom...
9. The wife is going to be out of town this weekend (she's going home to help plan her deadbeat sister's wedding). I am going to spend the time cleaning out our closets and dressers. I am actually looking forward to this.
10. I haven't weighed since Tuesday. This is a huge victory for me, as I am generally a total scale whore. I'm going to try not to weigh until Monday. Can I do that? (Probably not.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Checking In, Day 2
So, how did I do yesterday?
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 100oz. I wasn't nearly as thirsty yesterday as I was on Monday, but I got through 36oz. at Body Pump alone.
- Protein: I got 76 grams.
- Calories: 1,105 calories. I ate mostly the same things as Monday, but I subbed in an egg for the shrimp I had and I managed to sneak in a popsicle (mmmm, popsicles).
- Exercise: I got to the gym a little later than I would have liked, owing to the wife getting home later than expected from work. So I only had 45 minutes to do my thing before Body Pump. So I walked .25 miles, then ran 2.25 miles, then walked another mile. After my longer run on Monday, my body really didn't want to participate yesterday, and the first mile of running was really, really hard. But I hung in there, and it got better (marginally). Then I went to Body Pump. I still love it!
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 100oz. I wasn't nearly as thirsty yesterday as I was on Monday, but I got through 36oz. at Body Pump alone.
- Protein: I got 76 grams.
- Calories: 1,105 calories. I ate mostly the same things as Monday, but I subbed in an egg for the shrimp I had and I managed to sneak in a popsicle (mmmm, popsicles).
- Exercise: I got to the gym a little later than I would have liked, owing to the wife getting home later than expected from work. So I only had 45 minutes to do my thing before Body Pump. So I walked .25 miles, then ran 2.25 miles, then walked another mile. After my longer run on Monday, my body really didn't want to participate yesterday, and the first mile of running was really, really hard. But I hung in there, and it got better (marginally). Then I went to Body Pump. I still love it!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Checking In, Day 1
How did I do yesterday? Let's see:
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 144oz. I was very, very thirsty at the end of the day - I think I drank 36oz. in half an hour at 9pm. I had to pee like nobody's business when I woke up this morning.
- Protein: I got 83 grams.
- Calories: 1,105 calories. I didn't eat any junk. But my dinner was very odd and too much food - 520 calories just from dinner. I'm going to try spreading my calories throughout the day a little more.
- Exercise: I walked .25 miles, then ran a 5k, then I had to pee. After my bathroom break, I walked another .25 miles and then ran the last mile. So, in an hour, I ran 4.1 miles and walked .5 miles. I feel pretty damn good about this.
And these positive changes seem to be affecting my attitude as well, at least where work is concerned. I still hate my job, but I think at this point I'm really starting to see the ridiculousness inherent in the situation, and so I spend a lot of time laughing that I would have previously spent crying. And even better, changing my attitude seems to be changing my karmic situation, as I've gotten two phone interviews scheduled for this week with really reputable (you've heard of them!) companies doing something much closer to what I ultimately want to be doing.
- Vitamins and calcium: I took them mid-morning yesterday.
- Water: I drank 144oz. I was very, very thirsty at the end of the day - I think I drank 36oz. in half an hour at 9pm. I had to pee like nobody's business when I woke up this morning.
- Protein: I got 83 grams.
- Calories: 1,105 calories. I didn't eat any junk. But my dinner was very odd and too much food - 520 calories just from dinner. I'm going to try spreading my calories throughout the day a little more.
- Exercise: I walked .25 miles, then ran a 5k, then I had to pee. After my bathroom break, I walked another .25 miles and then ran the last mile. So, in an hour, I ran 4.1 miles and walked .5 miles. I feel pretty damn good about this.
And these positive changes seem to be affecting my attitude as well, at least where work is concerned. I still hate my job, but I think at this point I'm really starting to see the ridiculousness inherent in the situation, and so I spend a lot of time laughing that I would have previously spent crying. And even better, changing my attitude seems to be changing my karmic situation, as I've gotten two phone interviews scheduled for this week with really reputable (you've heard of them!) companies doing something much closer to what I ultimately want to be doing.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Holding Steady...
Here's the headline: I didn't lose any weight last week. I didn't gain, but I didn't lose.
Let's look at what I did well this week and what I could improve on:
Where I did well
- I did not go over my daily calorie limit on any day this week. This included a dinner out with friends at an Italian restaurant.
- I ran 11.5 miles. I walked 5.85 miles. I did 2 hours of Body Pump, 30 minutes of kickboxing and this 40 minute weight circuit (I love Jackie).
- On Saturday, I ran 3.25 miles on the treadmill without stopping. Last night, I ran 1.75 miles outside.
Where I could improve
- I only ate about 6,000 calories. This number should be more like 7,000 at least if I'm trying to build muscle and tone.
- I only ate 231 grams of protein. This number should be more like 490 at a minimum.
- I only did two-a-days on Tuesday and Saturday. I only did 4 hours and 17 minutes of cardio. This number should be closer to 6 hours.
- I didn't drink enough water. I should be getting 100 oz. every day.
- I didn't take my vitamins and calcium every day.
How I'm going to course correct
- I'm going to take my vitamins and calcium every day. When I bring them to work with me, I take them consistently. When I don't, I don't. So I packed them up into a little container this morning - enough for a week - and now they're sitting in a prominent position on my desk.
- I'm going to drink at least 100 oz. of water and log it. When I log my water, I usually manage to drink 100 oz. I've already had 24 oz. this morning.
- I'm going to get at least 70 grams of protein every day. I need to start eating breakfast again - when I was making myself an omelet every morning, I was doing better on this front. Tonight, I will go buy eggs and get back on the omelet train. For now, I will have a protein bar.
- I will eat at least 1,000 calories a day. I struggle with this, because I have a difficult time eating when I'm not hungry. My last fill got me very, very close to the green zone - I am almost never hungry. As a result, I had a couple of sub-800 calorie days last week, and I know that's not good with as much as I exercise.
- I have scheduled my workouts for the week:
Monday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Tuesday: 6pm, Body Pump; 7pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Wednesday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Thursday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill; 7pm, 60 minutes Body Pump
Friday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Saturday: 9am, 60 minutes treadmill, 45 minutes with Jackie
Sunday: 6pm, 3 mile outdoor walk/run
This will put me at 6.75 hours of cardio and three toning sessions, which is closer to where I want to be, activity-wise.
- I'm going to update my blog with how I'm doing on these every weekday this week so that I can hold myself accountable.
I'm also working on some more concrete goals for myself, as up until now I've just had kind of vague things that I've been aiming for, like "lose weight" and "work out more." I think having SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals will really help me work toward something, rather than just working hard with no real goal in sight.
Goals
- I want to be in Onederland by Christmas. That's 15 weeks from now. I have 30 pounds to go to get there. An average of 2 pounds per week seems realistic to me.
- I want to be able to consistently run (without stopping) a 5k outside by Christmas. I can do it on the treadmill now, but I want to be able to do it outside. As the weather gets cooler, I'm going to transition my indoor runs outside.
- This is a more difficult goal, because I can never be sure what size I'll wear at what weight, but I want to be a size 12 by Christmas. On Saturday, I tried on, fit perfectly into and thus bought size 14 jeans from Target. 14 is the smallest size I have ever been in my adult life - I was here for the blink of an eye about 3 years ago. I have never been a size 12. On average, I lose a size every 15 pounds or so, so a 12 by Christmas should be attainable.
I have decided that if I can reach all three goals, I am going to reward myself with this for Christmas.
There's no way I'm not getting there. That watch will be mine. Oh, yes.
Let's look at what I did well this week and what I could improve on:
Where I did well
- I did not go over my daily calorie limit on any day this week. This included a dinner out with friends at an Italian restaurant.
- I ran 11.5 miles. I walked 5.85 miles. I did 2 hours of Body Pump, 30 minutes of kickboxing and this 40 minute weight circuit (I love Jackie).
- On Saturday, I ran 3.25 miles on the treadmill without stopping. Last night, I ran 1.75 miles outside.
Where I could improve
- I only ate about 6,000 calories. This number should be more like 7,000 at least if I'm trying to build muscle and tone.
- I only ate 231 grams of protein. This number should be more like 490 at a minimum.
- I only did two-a-days on Tuesday and Saturday. I only did 4 hours and 17 minutes of cardio. This number should be closer to 6 hours.
- I didn't drink enough water. I should be getting 100 oz. every day.
- I didn't take my vitamins and calcium every day.
How I'm going to course correct
- I'm going to take my vitamins and calcium every day. When I bring them to work with me, I take them consistently. When I don't, I don't. So I packed them up into a little container this morning - enough for a week - and now they're sitting in a prominent position on my desk.
- I'm going to drink at least 100 oz. of water and log it. When I log my water, I usually manage to drink 100 oz. I've already had 24 oz. this morning.
- I'm going to get at least 70 grams of protein every day. I need to start eating breakfast again - when I was making myself an omelet every morning, I was doing better on this front. Tonight, I will go buy eggs and get back on the omelet train. For now, I will have a protein bar.
- I will eat at least 1,000 calories a day. I struggle with this, because I have a difficult time eating when I'm not hungry. My last fill got me very, very close to the green zone - I am almost never hungry. As a result, I had a couple of sub-800 calorie days last week, and I know that's not good with as much as I exercise.
- I have scheduled my workouts for the week:
Monday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Tuesday: 6pm, Body Pump; 7pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Wednesday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Thursday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill; 7pm, 60 minutes Body Pump
Friday: 6pm, 60 minutes treadmill
Saturday: 9am, 60 minutes treadmill, 45 minutes with Jackie
Sunday: 6pm, 3 mile outdoor walk/run
This will put me at 6.75 hours of cardio and three toning sessions, which is closer to where I want to be, activity-wise.
- I'm going to update my blog with how I'm doing on these every weekday this week so that I can hold myself accountable.
I'm also working on some more concrete goals for myself, as up until now I've just had kind of vague things that I've been aiming for, like "lose weight" and "work out more." I think having SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals will really help me work toward something, rather than just working hard with no real goal in sight.
Goals
- I want to be in Onederland by Christmas. That's 15 weeks from now. I have 30 pounds to go to get there. An average of 2 pounds per week seems realistic to me.
- I want to be able to consistently run (without stopping) a 5k outside by Christmas. I can do it on the treadmill now, but I want to be able to do it outside. As the weather gets cooler, I'm going to transition my indoor runs outside.
- This is a more difficult goal, because I can never be sure what size I'll wear at what weight, but I want to be a size 12 by Christmas. On Saturday, I tried on, fit perfectly into and thus bought size 14 jeans from Target. 14 is the smallest size I have ever been in my adult life - I was here for the blink of an eye about 3 years ago. I have never been a size 12. On average, I lose a size every 15 pounds or so, so a 12 by Christmas should be attainable.
I have decided that if I can reach all three goals, I am going to reward myself with this for Christmas.
There's no way I'm not getting there. That watch will be mine. Oh, yes.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
TTT: The band isn't magic...
1. I finally did a sub-40 minute 5k last night:
I'm still not fast (more of a jog than a run, really, though at times it feels like sprinting to me), but at least I know I could finish a 5k before they started to tear down the course.
2. Body pump tonight. I'm actually looking forward to it!
3. I had my fifth fill yesterday. Hello, restriction! I can feel my imitation Crystal Light going down ever so slowly this morning...
4. Here's the thing I hate about getting fills: the waiting room. I find it's always crowded with a bunch of people whining about how the band isn't working for them. What I overheard yesterday:
"I should have gotten the sleeve. My friend had the sleeve and she's lost a ton of weight. I haven't lost anything. *takes big gulp of sweet tea out of extra large Panda Express cup* And I work out for 20 minutes on Tuesday nights, too! I wish they'd told me I wouldn't lose any weight."
*sigh* I kind of want to get little cards printed that say, "The band isn't magic. It only works if you work it." that I could hand out at moments like that.
5. The traditional stop at Trader Joe's after my fill happened yesterday, so I come bearing another product recommendation:
These are delicious - rich and dark chocolately, and only 70 calories for 22 pieces. Except that by 11 pieces I'm kind of overwhelmed by the richness and I can put them away. So 35 calories for a me-sized serving!
And they have the added bonus of being dark chocolate and espresso, which are both things that the wife hates.
6. I have to buy candy that the wife hates because if I buy candy that the wife likes, I won't get to eat any of it. A few weeks ago, I bought a bag of individual packs of M&Ms, thinking that I could have a pack (70 calories) every once in a while as a treat. Over the weekend, I went looking for the M&Ms for my first "treat" and found only the empty bag. She'd eaten the entire thing before I even had one M&M. So low-cal candy that she hates is crucial in my house.
7. She also hates cinnamon imperials:
So those are safe around the house as well.
8. Lest you think that I only eat crap, I have one more product recommendation:
I really like tzatziki sauce, which is odd because I don't like yogurt or cucumber. The Trader Joe's tzatziki is delish and low-cal - 30 calories per 2 tbsp serving. I dipped grilled chicken in it for dinner last night.
9. When I was a kid, my father was a runner (a triathlete, actually). He used to take me to the high school track with him and make me run - he would pretend that we were at a track meet and we would run relays and such. My father is now almost 70 and hasn't run in years, though he still works out every day on his NordicTrack. I have challenged him to an 800m race when I go home for Christmas. I think I may actually be able to beat him this time, with some training! (Though I'm not sure there's a lot of pride in besting a 70-year-old with bad knees...)
10. At this particular juncture in my weight loss journey, I'm glad that I live in a warm climate and that the majority of work clothes I own are dresses. Most of the dresses that I was wearing 86 pounds ago still fit me (although they fit me completely differently) so I haven't had to refresh my work wardrobe yet. I have been through three pairs of jeans, though, and I'm about to need a fourth. Not that I'm complaining!
I'm still not fast (more of a jog than a run, really, though at times it feels like sprinting to me), but at least I know I could finish a 5k before they started to tear down the course.
2. Body pump tonight. I'm actually looking forward to it!
3. I had my fifth fill yesterday. Hello, restriction! I can feel my imitation Crystal Light going down ever so slowly this morning...
4. Here's the thing I hate about getting fills: the waiting room. I find it's always crowded with a bunch of people whining about how the band isn't working for them. What I overheard yesterday:
"I should have gotten the sleeve. My friend had the sleeve and she's lost a ton of weight. I haven't lost anything. *takes big gulp of sweet tea out of extra large Panda Express cup* And I work out for 20 minutes on Tuesday nights, too! I wish they'd told me I wouldn't lose any weight."
*sigh* I kind of want to get little cards printed that say, "The band isn't magic. It only works if you work it." that I could hand out at moments like that.
5. The traditional stop at Trader Joe's after my fill happened yesterday, so I come bearing another product recommendation:
And they have the added bonus of being dark chocolate and espresso, which are both things that the wife hates.
6. I have to buy candy that the wife hates because if I buy candy that the wife likes, I won't get to eat any of it. A few weeks ago, I bought a bag of individual packs of M&Ms, thinking that I could have a pack (70 calories) every once in a while as a treat. Over the weekend, I went looking for the M&Ms for my first "treat" and found only the empty bag. She'd eaten the entire thing before I even had one M&M. So low-cal candy that she hates is crucial in my house.
7. She also hates cinnamon imperials:
8. Lest you think that I only eat crap, I have one more product recommendation:
I really like tzatziki sauce, which is odd because I don't like yogurt or cucumber. The Trader Joe's tzatziki is delish and low-cal - 30 calories per 2 tbsp serving. I dipped grilled chicken in it for dinner last night.
9. When I was a kid, my father was a runner (a triathlete, actually). He used to take me to the high school track with him and make me run - he would pretend that we were at a track meet and we would run relays and such. My father is now almost 70 and hasn't run in years, though he still works out every day on his NordicTrack. I have challenged him to an 800m race when I go home for Christmas. I think I may actually be able to beat him this time, with some training! (Though I'm not sure there's a lot of pride in besting a 70-year-old with bad knees...)
10. At this particular juncture in my weight loss journey, I'm glad that I live in a warm climate and that the majority of work clothes I own are dresses. Most of the dresses that I was wearing 86 pounds ago still fit me (although they fit me completely differently) so I haven't had to refresh my work wardrobe yet. I have been through three pairs of jeans, though, and I'm about to need a fourth. Not that I'm complaining!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
New underpants!
So, I got new underwear this weekend, because my saggy panties weren't working for anyone - every time I worked out, I'd get wedgie after wedgie. Not cute. Because I haven't updated my underpants since my surgery, I went from a size 10 to a size 7 in one fell swoop. When I first looked at the size 7 panties, I thought, "there's no way I can even fit one thigh into those things." And yet - They fit fine. I'm wearing them today. No more saggy panties!
As for the job situation, it's actually gotten worse, which I didn't think was possible. But, I'm going to turn this into a positive: On Saturday, on the way to the gym, my wife started talking about "home" - back east. It got me really down. We got to the gym, I got on the treadmill, and I was still feeling horrible - I was on the verge of tears. But I thought to myself, "You can't cry at the gym." So instead, I ran. I ended up running 2-1/2 miles (quarter mile walk, mile run, quarter mile walk, mile run, quarter mile walk, half mile run). It was one of the best workouts I've had.
Of course, the next day I had to try running outside. And I nearly died. It felt like I was actually moving backwards. It barely felt like running - it felt like moving in slow motion through molasses. Ugly. I only managed to run half a mile consecutively, plus two quarters that were split up by walking.
Apparently, I need to take the incline up on the treadmill. And I need to add the occasional outdoor running workout to my routine.
As for the job situation, it's actually gotten worse, which I didn't think was possible. But, I'm going to turn this into a positive: On Saturday, on the way to the gym, my wife started talking about "home" - back east. It got me really down. We got to the gym, I got on the treadmill, and I was still feeling horrible - I was on the verge of tears. But I thought to myself, "You can't cry at the gym." So instead, I ran. I ended up running 2-1/2 miles (quarter mile walk, mile run, quarter mile walk, mile run, quarter mile walk, half mile run). It was one of the best workouts I've had.
Of course, the next day I had to try running outside. And I nearly died. It felt like I was actually moving backwards. It barely felt like running - it felt like moving in slow motion through molasses. Ugly. I only managed to run half a mile consecutively, plus two quarters that were split up by walking.
Apparently, I need to take the incline up on the treadmill. And I need to add the occasional outdoor running workout to my routine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)