Today's Workout:
Warmup Hip Stretch
30 min Treadmill Walk
Hip Abductors - 2 sets 10 reps each leg
Bridges - 10 reps with 5 sec hold
Side Lunges - 10 reps each leg
Modified Planks - 3 reps held for 25 sec
Modified Side Plans - 2 sets 5 reps with 5 sec hold
Stretch
I worked from home today which enabled me to make up for oversleeping by not commuting the rest of the way to work. Woohoo! I was thrilled to get my exercise in. And I feel pretty good about it. The walking was a nice change of pace from the elliptical and arc trainer. Strangely, walking at a higher inclination was a lot more comfortable than walking at no incline.
Today was also my first weigh in for weight watchers. I'm not going to be sharing my weigh-in each week here. I'm still trying to focus on my monthly progress, even though WW requires you to weigh in weekly. One thing I have learned in the 2 days I've been following the program... I snack a lot. More than I realized. I remember learning this about myself the last time I was in the program. You'd think I'd remember that, but it came as a surprise. That will be the first behavior change I tackle, I guess. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
New Direction
I joined Weight Watchers.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet. I've gone and signed up for a 3 month membership. About 7 years ago, I had moderate success with their program. I lost about 30 pounds before giving up. I simply couldn't adjust to the reduced daily points when I went reached 220 pounds. I started an exercise program to attempt to earn more points towards food. That resulted in the injury I'm in PT to deal with now. Please don't misunderstand me. WW is by no means responsible for me getting hurt. I just found it unmaintainable once I got to a certain point. I grew frustrated and I quit.
So why have I gone back?
The program worked. I lost weight reliably every week. Until I didn't. The tracking software really is the best out there. I haven't found a site with a more comprehensive included list of food or better interface. There's even an app for my phone. Plus it is a common approach used by thousands of women (and a couple men) to lose and maintain weight. All those people make up a pretty solid support system.
And how is it going to be different this time?
My plan is to use WW to understand what I'm eating and what I should be eating. While no diet is perfect for everyone, they offer a good guide for what to eat and how much of it to eat. I remember learning about portion sizes the first time through the program and how much that changed what I was eating. Also the low point values of vegetables and fruits made them so much more appealing.
Starting this journey, I didn't want it to be about the food. But to not deal with the food is disingenuous. I have a problem with food. That problem could be rooted in a lot of different places, but you don't get to be 100 pounds over weight with out having a problem with food. Working out is a great way to burn off extra calories and improve your overall health, but, without monitoring what goes in, I'm not going to achieve my goals.
And I really want to achieve my goal.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet. I've gone and signed up for a 3 month membership. About 7 years ago, I had moderate success with their program. I lost about 30 pounds before giving up. I simply couldn't adjust to the reduced daily points when I went reached 220 pounds. I started an exercise program to attempt to earn more points towards food. That resulted in the injury I'm in PT to deal with now. Please don't misunderstand me. WW is by no means responsible for me getting hurt. I just found it unmaintainable once I got to a certain point. I grew frustrated and I quit.
So why have I gone back?
The program worked. I lost weight reliably every week. Until I didn't. The tracking software really is the best out there. I haven't found a site with a more comprehensive included list of food or better interface. There's even an app for my phone. Plus it is a common approach used by thousands of women (and a couple men) to lose and maintain weight. All those people make up a pretty solid support system.
And how is it going to be different this time?
My plan is to use WW to understand what I'm eating and what I should be eating. While no diet is perfect for everyone, they offer a good guide for what to eat and how much of it to eat. I remember learning about portion sizes the first time through the program and how much that changed what I was eating. Also the low point values of vegetables and fruits made them so much more appealing.
Starting this journey, I didn't want it to be about the food. But to not deal with the food is disingenuous. I have a problem with food. That problem could be rooted in a lot of different places, but you don't get to be 100 pounds over weight with out having a problem with food. Working out is a great way to burn off extra calories and improve your overall health, but, without monitoring what goes in, I'm not going to achieve my goals.
And I really want to achieve my goal.
Workout 120306: Getting By
Today's workout:
17 min Arc Trainer workout (on whatever level pushing the Quick Start button puts you at)
5 min Stretching
I am so very proud of myself for getting up and into the gym. Having said last week that I didn't break my habit... This week I can say that I did. And I must now get myself going again. While I didn't get in my preferred 45 min workout today. I went to the gym! I made it! I did it!
One day at a time, right?
This week is a little strange. I had to schedule a bunch more PT appointments, but I didn't schedule them in time. For this reason, I have a gap. No PT again until March 14th. In the meantime, I get this week and the beginning of next to see how I do on my own. It's a good opportunity. Let's hope I get a little more time in the gym than I did today and I can pick up my workouts without pain. That would be wonderful progress!
Also, this being my first workout of March, I weighed myself. 239 pounds. I feel a little grr over that, but not so much that I'm discouraged. More of a grr that I have slacked off and no lost weight is a result. March will be better as I'm going to get my routine back. I'm also still working out my goals (and the rewards for meeting them) for the coming months. Lots of thinking leading to lots of doing. :)
17 min Arc Trainer workout (on whatever level pushing the Quick Start button puts you at)
5 min Stretching
I am so very proud of myself for getting up and into the gym. Having said last week that I didn't break my habit... This week I can say that I did. And I must now get myself going again. While I didn't get in my preferred 45 min workout today. I went to the gym! I made it! I did it!
One day at a time, right?
This week is a little strange. I had to schedule a bunch more PT appointments, but I didn't schedule them in time. For this reason, I have a gap. No PT again until March 14th. In the meantime, I get this week and the beginning of next to see how I do on my own. It's a good opportunity. Let's hope I get a little more time in the gym than I did today and I can pick up my workouts without pain. That would be wonderful progress!
Also, this being my first workout of March, I weighed myself. 239 pounds. I feel a little grr over that, but not so much that I'm discouraged. More of a grr that I have slacked off and no lost weight is a result. March will be better as I'm going to get my routine back. I'm also still working out my goals (and the rewards for meeting them) for the coming months. Lots of thinking leading to lots of doing. :)
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Workout 120228: Attitude Adjustment.
Today workout:
Hip Warmup Stretches
28 min Treadmill (top speed 3.2 mph; total dist 1.3 mi)
Hip Abductors - 20 each leg with a 30 sec hold on the 10th lift
Bridges - 10 reps with a 5 sec hold
Butt Muscle Stretch
IT Band Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
This morning was about as close to perfect and I could hope for. I woke up on time at 4:50am. I packed lunches and made it out the door without any toddler interference. Arriving at the gym by 5:30am, I walked on the treadmill until 6am. At 6am I headed downstairs to do my PT exercises and stretch. At 6:15am, I headed to the showers. By 6:45am, I was in my car headed to work. On time!!! It really does make a difference getting up in the morning on time. I just need to get better at it.
As I was walking this morning, I thought about my running goal. I have really been down about not meeting that goal. REALLY DOWN. The demotivating kind of down that makes it hard to get out of bed and do anything. Some might say depressed. I want my body to be better and I want it to be better now. But I can't have that. It's something I have to accept and deal with. NOW.
So as of today, I am through with that goal. I completed a 5K. I know I can do that. I have independent verification proving that I can do that. Goal met. I made that goal while trying to find an intermediate step in my 100 pound journey. Looking at 100 pounds as a goal is too much. It's too long and too hard. I need another goal. A smaller goal which still gets me in the right direction.
I don't know what that is yet. I'm going to workout 5 days this week, either in the gym or at PT. When my brain is idle I'm going to think on what I'm doing and come up with something. Some motivating goal to get me through the next 2 months or so. I'm thankful I have this time. I'm hopeful that I can get better and reach my longer term goals. I love that I've got this challenge to overcome. This is something I can do.
Hip Warmup Stretches
28 min Treadmill (top speed 3.2 mph; total dist 1.3 mi)
Hip Abductors - 20 each leg with a 30 sec hold on the 10th lift
Bridges - 10 reps with a 5 sec hold
Butt Muscle Stretch
IT Band Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
This morning was about as close to perfect and I could hope for. I woke up on time at 4:50am. I packed lunches and made it out the door without any toddler interference. Arriving at the gym by 5:30am, I walked on the treadmill until 6am. At 6am I headed downstairs to do my PT exercises and stretch. At 6:15am, I headed to the showers. By 6:45am, I was in my car headed to work. On time!!! It really does make a difference getting up in the morning on time. I just need to get better at it.
As I was walking this morning, I thought about my running goal. I have really been down about not meeting that goal. REALLY DOWN. The demotivating kind of down that makes it hard to get out of bed and do anything. Some might say depressed. I want my body to be better and I want it to be better now. But I can't have that. It's something I have to accept and deal with. NOW.
So as of today, I am through with that goal. I completed a 5K. I know I can do that. I have independent verification proving that I can do that. Goal met. I made that goal while trying to find an intermediate step in my 100 pound journey. Looking at 100 pounds as a goal is too much. It's too long and too hard. I need another goal. A smaller goal which still gets me in the right direction.
I don't know what that is yet. I'm going to workout 5 days this week, either in the gym or at PT. When my brain is idle I'm going to think on what I'm doing and come up with something. Some motivating goal to get me through the next 2 months or so. I'm thankful I have this time. I'm hopeful that I can get better and reach my longer term goals. I love that I've got this challenge to overcome. This is something I can do.
PT: Day 11
Yes. I'm skipping Day 10. It was a bad day for me. My attitude was bad and it took me a couple of days to recover from PT Day 10. Summary of the day - I have 6 more weeks of physical therapy in front of me.
Workout on Day 11:
6min Elliptical Warmup on level 3
Hip Rollout and Butt Muscle Massage
Butt Muscle Stretch
Modified Side Plank - 15 Reps
Backward Lunges - 10 reps each leg
Side Lunges* - 10 reps each side
Side Steps - 75in each direction
Swiss Ball Bridges - 10 reps with 5 sec hold
Kneeling Leg/Arm Extension - 10 Reps each leg
Leg Extension - 20 reps each leg
Cage Stretch
*Side Lunges are done by placing the feet 2 - 3 feet apart with the heel of one foot level with the toe of the other foot. Then lean onto the forward leg. Hold for 5 secs. Push back up through the foot of the bent leg.
The hardest part about all these exercises is figuring out what muscles I should be using. I can perform all of them incorrectly. The frustrating part is recognizing that I am doing something incorrectly and learning how to correct it. Yesterday it was the Lunges. Last week it was the Side Steps. The week before, Leg Extension. Which, by the way, are going to be called Leg Kickbacks from now on. That is what the physical therapist is calling them, so I'm going to latch onto the terminology.
Workout on Day 11:
6min Elliptical Warmup on level 3
Hip Rollout and Butt Muscle Massage
Butt Muscle Stretch
Modified Side Plank - 15 Reps
Backward Lunges - 10 reps each leg
Side Lunges* - 10 reps each side
Side Steps - 75in each direction
Swiss Ball Bridges - 10 reps with 5 sec hold
Kneeling Leg/Arm Extension - 10 Reps each leg
Leg Extension - 20 reps each leg
Cage Stretch
*Side Lunges are done by placing the feet 2 - 3 feet apart with the heel of one foot level with the toe of the other foot. Then lean onto the forward leg. Hold for 5 secs. Push back up through the foot of the bent leg.
The hardest part about all these exercises is figuring out what muscles I should be using. I can perform all of them incorrectly. The frustrating part is recognizing that I am doing something incorrectly and learning how to correct it. Yesterday it was the Lunges. Last week it was the Side Steps. The week before, Leg Extension. Which, by the way, are going to be called Leg Kickbacks from now on. That is what the physical therapist is calling them, so I'm going to latch onto the terminology.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Why 100 Pounds
Ever since I posted my goal of losing 100 pounds, I've wanted to follow it with a post about why 100 pounds. Or maybe what 100 pounds means to me. They are to different questions and I have been able to decide which one deserves attention first. I am prone to analysis paralysis and the area of weight loss is no exception. Tackling these questions, one at a time, will hopefully lead me down the road to a healthy, well-balanced, skinny me. So now for the question.
Why 100 pounds?
The facts are that I am a 5 foot 5 inch woman in my thirties. My healthy weight range is 120 - 150 pounds. With a start weight of 240 pounds, losing 100 pounds is a reasonable and healthy goal.
It is also a shocking goal. I need something shocking to get me moving. I'd rather the reality of 100 pounds shock me into action than a heart attack or diabetes. I have high cholesterol. Heart Disease and Diabetes run in my family. But my parents and grandparents worked active, physical jobs. Their weight didn't begin to be an issue until they moved into more sedentary management positions. My weight was first addressed as an issue in Middle School.
When I was 11 years old, I remember hearing that I had high cholesterol. I wasn't an obese child. My parents were healthy, but family history on both sides showed reason for concern. We changed our diets, limiting eggs and beef, eating lots of fish, swapping out butter for vegetable oil and whole milk for 1%. The dietary change was really irrelevant to me (I liked seafood and never had a taste for butter), but I became aware that I was different and possibly not quite right. That was the beginning of my weight issues. There is no blame; I just recall that being the time period when I went from being a naive happy little kid to knowing about stuff that naive happy healthy little kids just don't know about. And I began to struggle with my weight.
By the time I was 22, I was 100 pounds overweight. I can't tell you when it happened. I quite honestly only noticed it happening peripherally. At this point, I graduated college, got my first job and felt I like I was an adult. I have been approximately this size since then, my entire adult life. How would my life have been different if I hadn't gained the weight? I wasn't idly munching chips for 11 years. I studied and loved and experienced and succeeded. I have succeeded at this weight.
Which brings me back around to the question. Why 100 pounds?
I want to be healthy. At 100 pounds above my ideal weight range, doctors look at my through an obese filter. Many, but thankfully not all, of them can't or won't help me with problems unrelated to my weight because EVERYTHING is linked to my weight. I spent 6 years in pain before finding the right combination of doctors to understand that the pain in my legs was treatable at my PRESENT size. In the process of finding those doctors, gastric bypass was offered multiple times, arthritis was diagnosed without reason, and I was simply written off. Regardless of all tests and symptoms, both of my pregnancies were considered high risk because of my weight. I want to remove this one unhealthy characteristic of me. Then the medical industry to be able to treat me based on my symptoms, not on my size.
The 100 is a bit of a magic number. It is 3 digits which makes it much more impressive than 99. Honestly, if I lose 99 pounds, will I be disappointed? Hell no! If I lose 100 will I just stop? I hope not. If I lose 100 pounds, I will be solidly within my weight range for my age. I will have overcome the stigma of being 100 pounds overweight. I will have proven to the world that I am not lazy. I will have proven to myself that I can. And for the first time I will just be an adult. No weight-related adjectives needed.
Why 100 pounds?
The facts are that I am a 5 foot 5 inch woman in my thirties. My healthy weight range is 120 - 150 pounds. With a start weight of 240 pounds, losing 100 pounds is a reasonable and healthy goal.
It is also a shocking goal. I need something shocking to get me moving. I'd rather the reality of 100 pounds shock me into action than a heart attack or diabetes. I have high cholesterol. Heart Disease and Diabetes run in my family. But my parents and grandparents worked active, physical jobs. Their weight didn't begin to be an issue until they moved into more sedentary management positions. My weight was first addressed as an issue in Middle School.
When I was 11 years old, I remember hearing that I had high cholesterol. I wasn't an obese child. My parents were healthy, but family history on both sides showed reason for concern. We changed our diets, limiting eggs and beef, eating lots of fish, swapping out butter for vegetable oil and whole milk for 1%. The dietary change was really irrelevant to me (I liked seafood and never had a taste for butter), but I became aware that I was different and possibly not quite right. That was the beginning of my weight issues. There is no blame; I just recall that being the time period when I went from being a naive happy little kid to knowing about stuff that naive happy healthy little kids just don't know about. And I began to struggle with my weight.
By the time I was 22, I was 100 pounds overweight. I can't tell you when it happened. I quite honestly only noticed it happening peripherally. At this point, I graduated college, got my first job and felt I like I was an adult. I have been approximately this size since then, my entire adult life. How would my life have been different if I hadn't gained the weight? I wasn't idly munching chips for 11 years. I studied and loved and experienced and succeeded. I have succeeded at this weight.
Which brings me back around to the question. Why 100 pounds?
I want to be healthy. At 100 pounds above my ideal weight range, doctors look at my through an obese filter. Many, but thankfully not all, of them can't or won't help me with problems unrelated to my weight because EVERYTHING is linked to my weight. I spent 6 years in pain before finding the right combination of doctors to understand that the pain in my legs was treatable at my PRESENT size. In the process of finding those doctors, gastric bypass was offered multiple times, arthritis was diagnosed without reason, and I was simply written off. Regardless of all tests and symptoms, both of my pregnancies were considered high risk because of my weight. I want to remove this one unhealthy characteristic of me. Then the medical industry to be able to treat me based on my symptoms, not on my size.
The 100 is a bit of a magic number. It is 3 digits which makes it much more impressive than 99. Honestly, if I lose 99 pounds, will I be disappointed? Hell no! If I lose 100 will I just stop? I hope not. If I lose 100 pounds, I will be solidly within my weight range for my age. I will have overcome the stigma of being 100 pounds overweight. I will have proven to the world that I am not lazy. I will have proven to myself that I can. And for the first time I will just be an adult. No weight-related adjectives needed.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
PT: Day 9
Monday's workout:
6min Elliptical Warmup on level 3
Side Steps - 75in each direction
Hip Rollout and Butt Muscle Massage
Butt Muscle Stretch
Swiss Ball Bridges - 15 reps with 5 sec hold
Modified Side Plank - 15 Reps
My shoulder has been getting upset by this exercise. Next time I'm to make sure that my shoulder blades are pulled back while I'm performing it.
Bosu Squats - 20 reps with 5 sec hold
Leg Extension - 20 reps each leg
Cage Stretch
One Legged Squat and Place - 10 cones so 20 squats per leg
Backward Lunges - 10 reps each leg
Step back into a lunge. Then using only the front leg stand back up again. This works the gluts.
Kneeling Leg/Arm Extension - 10 Reps each leg
The Kneeling Leg Extension was modified this week to extend the arm forward opposite the leg being extended. It's HARD. And I still have to keep the bar balanced on my back.
This week's workout was hard. For the first time in a month my knee actually hurt. And it is continuing to hurt today. I'm a little concerned, but I know how to take care of a hurt knee and I'll do that until Wednesday when I get to go in and figure out more.
Additionally, my coccyx is still hurting. It is strange in that I feel it all the time now. I suspect that some of this is my own awareness. Apparently the Butt Muscle Massage should be helping this. I'm not really sure yet, but I'm happy to try. At least it did feel better for the hour or two after my PT appointment. I'm glad to get what relief I can.
6min Elliptical Warmup on level 3
Side Steps - 75in each direction
Hip Rollout and Butt Muscle Massage
Butt Muscle Stretch
Swiss Ball Bridges - 15 reps with 5 sec hold
Modified Side Plank - 15 Reps
My shoulder has been getting upset by this exercise. Next time I'm to make sure that my shoulder blades are pulled back while I'm performing it.
Bosu Squats - 20 reps with 5 sec hold
Leg Extension - 20 reps each leg
Cage Stretch
One Legged Squat and Place - 10 cones so 20 squats per leg
Backward Lunges - 10 reps each leg
Step back into a lunge. Then using only the front leg stand back up again. This works the gluts.
Kneeling Leg/Arm Extension - 10 Reps each leg
The Kneeling Leg Extension was modified this week to extend the arm forward opposite the leg being extended. It's HARD. And I still have to keep the bar balanced on my back.
This week's workout was hard. For the first time in a month my knee actually hurt. And it is continuing to hurt today. I'm a little concerned, but I know how to take care of a hurt knee and I'll do that until Wednesday when I get to go in and figure out more.
Additionally, my coccyx is still hurting. It is strange in that I feel it all the time now. I suspect that some of this is my own awareness. Apparently the Butt Muscle Massage should be helping this. I'm not really sure yet, but I'm happy to try. At least it did feel better for the hour or two after my PT appointment. I'm glad to get what relief I can.
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