A week of tracking my diet and I'm feeling good. I made some decent decisions and remembered to write everything down that I ate. I can already see that the weekends are going to be the hardest. I have a difficult time pulling out my notebook and writing down what I'm eating around other people. And on the weekends I'm pretty much always around other people.
Last Thursday, I had a rough evening. I got through my PT session with no problems, but as I walked to the car I could tell something was wrong. I was shaky and skittish. I needed food. I determined that chocolate milk would do the trick and headed out in my car. I stopped at the first grocery store and there were no individual sized drinks. Not quite comfortable doing so, I packed myself back into my car and headed towards home.
Thankfully there was a 7-Eleven on the drive home. I went in and got some self-prescribed chocolate milk and downed it. I felt so much better. I picked up my girls and headed home for dinner. The cycle of shakiness continued through the evening. I'd get shaky, eat something and it would go away. I was feeling rough and not really sure why.
Prior to PT, I'd eaten 911 calories for the day. By the end of the day, I'd eaten 1391. I counted and then fell asleep for the night.
This week my goal is to start tracking calories. I joined SparkPeople again (dublythe) and determined my base calories. Each day I should be consuming 1520 - 1870 calories. I'm still going to keep my paper journal. I find the searching for things to enter when I already know the numbers to be tedious and a time waste. However, SparkPeople is good for helping me look up the value for things that I don't know. It also can offer me more insight into other nutritional information I'm not tracking by hand.
I'm glad to have a direction. Hopefully it is the right one. I'd certainly like to avoid any more days like Thursday. Of course, I am not looking forward to the day when all I really want in the world is a big unhealthy plate of nachos. Seeing those calories is a definite deterrent!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Workout 120514: Out of Gas
Monday's Workout:
25 min Arc Trainer (Interval Level 3)
5 min Treadmill Cool down
Hip Abductors - 2 Sets 15 Reps
Bridges - 10 Reps w/ no Hold and 10 Reps w/ 10 sec Hold
Bird Dogs - 10 reps each side
Reverse Curl - 10 Reps
Stretch
This past week has been the week of sore. Following my PT session on Monday, I was sore. That lasted until a couple hours before my PT session on Thursday. I wasn't quite as sore on Friday as I was on Tuesday, but then I child wrangled on Saturday and gardened on Sunday. Thankfully PT is not until Tuesday this week.
Today's workout felt good, but my heart wasn't in it by the end. I ran out of steam. I'm still working on determining a good breakfast snack to have before my workouts. I ate oatmeal when I got to work and that really hit the spot. But I'm thinking the flagging energy after 30 minutes might have something to do with eating half a granola bar for breakfast. Maybe I'll grab a few protein bars and try those first thing in the morning.
25 min Arc Trainer (Interval Level 3)
5 min Treadmill Cool down
Hip Abductors - 2 Sets 15 Reps
Bridges - 10 Reps w/ no Hold and 10 Reps w/ 10 sec Hold
Bird Dogs - 10 reps each side
Reverse Curl - 10 Reps
Stretch
This past week has been the week of sore. Following my PT session on Monday, I was sore. That lasted until a couple hours before my PT session on Thursday. I wasn't quite as sore on Friday as I was on Tuesday, but then I child wrangled on Saturday and gardened on Sunday. Thankfully PT is not until Tuesday this week.
Today's workout felt good, but my heart wasn't in it by the end. I ran out of steam. I'm still working on determining a good breakfast snack to have before my workouts. I ate oatmeal when I got to work and that really hit the spot. But I'm thinking the flagging energy after 30 minutes might have something to do with eating half a granola bar for breakfast. Maybe I'll grab a few protein bars and try those first thing in the morning.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Workout 120509: Relief
Wednesday's Workout:
30 min Treadmill Walk (1.5 mi - Hill level 5)
Hip Abductors (2 sets 15 reps each side)
Bridges (5 reps with 15 sec hold - OW)
Bird Dogs (10 reps each side - No stick)
Reverse Curl (15 reps)
Stretch
This morning felt good. I was worried that I was going to peter out; I've been feeling a little tired this week. But a few minutes into my treadmill walk and I started perking up. It helps that there was good music on Pandora. I can never remember exactly what I've listened to, but I was bopping along this morning and it felt good.
Also, being Wednesday, I weighed myself. I'm still only sharing on a monthly basis; but, having kicked WW to the curb, I feel the need to monitor more closely. I don't want to undo the work that I've done. The verdict? I've maintained! This is GREAT news to me! With attempting to make good food choices and writing down what I've consumed, I've maintained. I'm good with that while I'm trying to figure out a new plan of attack. Yeah me!
Tonight I'm attempting to make it back to yoga as well. Prior to having kids, I used to take at least one Yoga class each week. I miss them. But I've always taken the classes in the evenings. We'll see if I can get back into the habit. Starts with making it to one class. *sigh* As much as getting up at 4:45am to get to the gym sucks, it is a lot easier for me than going to the gym for a 7:30pm class.
Wish me luck!
30 min Treadmill Walk (1.5 mi - Hill level 5)
Hip Abductors (2 sets 15 reps each side)
Bridges (5 reps with 15 sec hold - OW)
Bird Dogs (10 reps each side - No stick)
Reverse Curl (15 reps)
Stretch
This morning felt good. I was worried that I was going to peter out; I've been feeling a little tired this week. But a few minutes into my treadmill walk and I started perking up. It helps that there was good music on Pandora. I can never remember exactly what I've listened to, but I was bopping along this morning and it felt good.
Also, being Wednesday, I weighed myself. I'm still only sharing on a monthly basis; but, having kicked WW to the curb, I feel the need to monitor more closely. I don't want to undo the work that I've done. The verdict? I've maintained! This is GREAT news to me! With attempting to make good food choices and writing down what I've consumed, I've maintained. I'm good with that while I'm trying to figure out a new plan of attack. Yeah me!
Tonight I'm attempting to make it back to yoga as well. Prior to having kids, I used to take at least one Yoga class each week. I miss them. But I've always taken the classes in the evenings. We'll see if I can get back into the habit. Starts with making it to one class. *sigh* As much as getting up at 4:45am to get to the gym sucks, it is a lot easier for me than going to the gym for a 7:30pm class.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
PT: Day 25
Monday's work over:
6 min Elliptical - Level 4
Monster Walk with Band (black)
Side Steps with Band (moved up to the black band for side steps - ow!)
Assisted Squats - 10 reps (12 pounds of assistance)
Bosu Planks - 3 reps for 15 sec
Slightly-Less-Modified (SLM) Side Planks - 2 reps each side for 15 sec
The Superman - 20 reps each side
Cage Stretch
This all looks a new and interesting, right? It's been two full weeks since I wrote up one of my PT sessions. Long overdue! The sessions have been challenging, but I'm making progress quickly. I guess that is why my therapist feels the need to continue challenging me. *sigh*
Recent additions to the routine include:
Easily the hardest thing I'm doing is the Assisted Squats. I started out doing them with 40 pounds of assistance and am down to 12 pounds. The hardest part for me is releasing my tail bone so I can hold proper form while still being able to get back up. My understanding is that my gluts are still too weak to perform squats properly. That will be my graduation test. Do a set of squats in proper form without assistance. Then I can be on my own.
You caught that, right? I'm 12 pounds of assistance away from being released from physical therapy. Wow.
6 min Elliptical - Level 4
Monster Walk with Band (black)
Side Steps with Band (moved up to the black band for side steps - ow!)
Assisted Squats - 10 reps (12 pounds of assistance)
Bosu Planks - 3 reps for 15 sec
Slightly-Less-Modified (SLM) Side Planks - 2 reps each side for 15 sec
The Superman - 20 reps each side
Cage Stretch
This all looks a new and interesting, right? It's been two full weeks since I wrote up one of my PT sessions. Long overdue! The sessions have been challenging, but I'm making progress quickly. I guess that is why my therapist feels the need to continue challenging me. *sigh*
Recent additions to the routine include:
Monster Walk with Band - the band goes around my ankles like it does in the Side Steps. Then I bend my knees and stomp down the track with my feet at least hip width apart and never straightening my legs. It's hard, but fun. Sometimes I growl.
The Superman - I made up the name for this one. I stand facing a counter with one foot bent, toes resting on a Swiss Ball behind me. Then I bent the knee supporting my weight and lower. The leg on the ball stretches back, rolling the ball with it. I put my weight in my heel to stand back up again. This is possibly my favorite exercise. It is tough but the stretch in my hips feels fantastic.
Easily the hardest thing I'm doing is the Assisted Squats. I started out doing them with 40 pounds of assistance and am down to 12 pounds. The hardest part for me is releasing my tail bone so I can hold proper form while still being able to get back up. My understanding is that my gluts are still too weak to perform squats properly. That will be my graduation test. Do a set of squats in proper form without assistance. Then I can be on my own.
You caught that, right? I'm 12 pounds of assistance away from being released from physical therapy. Wow.
Where to Now?
Over the past week, I made my decision to kick Weight Watchers to the curb. As shown over the past two months, the program can lead to positive results. However, I've done WW before. Having followed the program for almost a year last time, I'd begun manipulating the program. I found that those habits picked up right where they'd left off this time. Versus fighting with myself to use the program as intended, I'm going to seek out another way. But I don't regret going back in the least! The biggest thing I've learned from rejoining is that bad habits return when you aren't watching.
My present bad habits include:
So what does that mean for my weight loss plan? It means I have to develop a plan of attack.
I've already developed the good habit of working out 4 times each week. That is not changing. PT twice a week; gym workouts twice a week. Take the stairs at work. For the time being, I'm deeming that enough activity each week. Adding on bonus hours of walking on the weekends is... well... bonus.
On the food front, I'm starting at the beginning. I've purchased a cute little notebook with blank lined pages and pretty flowers on the cover to carry around with me. In it, I'm going to
Everything I eat starting today goes into my shiny new notebook. Bonus points will be awarded for measuring the quantity of food consumed, noting moods or struggles during the day or including calorie counts. But the main focus is to simply write everything down. In doing this I hope to create a habit of noting the food consumed while it is in front of me and before it is only a memory. I also firmly believe that the act of writing it down curbs cravings and keeps me honest.
Each week I'll be building on what I learned in the previous weeks. I can't lay out the plan now, because I don't know what I'm going to learn yet. I have a few ideas and as more develop I'll be noting them in my little book. My general plan right now is to develop a calorie counting method that works for me, hone in on problem areas, learn ways to cope with them and eventually define a lifestyle formula for myself to continue my weight loss.
I'm a little worried that I'm reinventing the wheel, but isn't that how every successful weight loss story goes? "This is what worked for me." I've learned a lot from the programs I've tried. None of them have fit my life very well. Or maybe portions of my life just aren't ready to be changed? I might just be on to something there.
My present bad habits include:
- Snacking after dinner. I eat my dinner every night and then proceed to continue eating long after the dinner hours has ended. I don't sit down and eat a pint of ice cream. Instead, I grab something small every 20 - 30 minutes and just nibble for the rest of the night. Writing down my nibbles showed that I consume another whole meal between dinner and bedtime most nights.
- Eyeballing portions. It's one thing to make good food choices, but without portion control even the good foods can become unhealthy. I guesstimate a lot more than I measure. This is handy when you are cooking in a hurry; not so good when trying to determine how many calories you've eaten.
- Skipping the water. When I eat out, I need water refills constantly. However, I often get side tracked on the way to refill my glass or let it sit for hours untouched at my desk during the day. If I have a cup of coffee to nurse I drink even less water. And in the evenings I can barely find the time to eat my dinner, much less finish a beverage.
- Cheese. My husband actually pointed this one out to me a few months ago. Even so I didn't realize the impact cheese was having on my diet. I've been including cheese in almost every major meal, particularly my vegetarian dishes.
So what does that mean for my weight loss plan? It means I have to develop a plan of attack.
I've already developed the good habit of working out 4 times each week. That is not changing. PT twice a week; gym workouts twice a week. Take the stairs at work. For the time being, I'm deeming that enough activity each week. Adding on bonus hours of walking on the weekends is... well... bonus.
On the food front, I'm starting at the beginning. I've purchased a cute little notebook with blank lined pages and pretty flowers on the cover to carry around with me. In it, I'm going to
Write down what I eat.
Everything I eat starting today goes into my shiny new notebook. Bonus points will be awarded for measuring the quantity of food consumed, noting moods or struggles during the day or including calorie counts. But the main focus is to simply write everything down. In doing this I hope to create a habit of noting the food consumed while it is in front of me and before it is only a memory. I also firmly believe that the act of writing it down curbs cravings and keeps me honest.
Each week I'll be building on what I learned in the previous weeks. I can't lay out the plan now, because I don't know what I'm going to learn yet. I have a few ideas and as more develop I'll be noting them in my little book. My general plan right now is to develop a calorie counting method that works for me, hone in on problem areas, learn ways to cope with them and eventually define a lifestyle formula for myself to continue my weight loss.
I'm a little worried that I'm reinventing the wheel, but isn't that how every successful weight loss story goes? "This is what worked for me." I've learned a lot from the programs I've tried. None of them have fit my life very well. Or maybe portions of my life just aren't ready to be changed? I might just be on to something there.
Monday, May 7, 2012
How Much a Number Can Mean
There's a piece of news that I've been keeping to myself. Mostly due to all the offline introspection going on, but also... I'm proud of it. This month's weight-in results?
I am 10 pounds down from my start weight in January! This is 10 % of my overall goal! I'm just a little thrilled. *grin* I'm happy to be seeing progress and I'm hoping that I'll get to continue seeing it. Just so you have an idea of where I've been for the past week, here's more on what this number means to me.
The last time I weighed in at 230, I had a tiny baby in my arms. My second baby was 6 weeks old. When I found out I was pregnant with her, I weighed 245 lbs. I'd had a c-section with my first child and was terrified to go through that process again. I knew it would be worth it to have a healthy baby, but I was out-of-my-mind scared. I blamed the c-section for the depression which followed the birth of my first baby. Recovery was slow and painful and scary for me. Thinking of going through all that again with the addition of a toddler was mind-numbing.
I'm not sure my doctors ever fully understood the depth of my fear. But they did present me with a way out. A VBAC. I could have my second child naturally if nothing went wrong. I had to have a completely uneventful pregnancy AND I had to gain minimal weight. The sheer fact that I weighted 245 lbs at 8 weeks pregnant made me high risk; it didn't matter than my first pregnancy contained no weight-related complications (my c-section was required due to my first baby being in a breech position). Adding to my weight was the previous surgery. The doctors would accept no additional risk factors.
Fear is motivating. I went home from that first appointment determined to make this work. I made a plan. I joined BabyFit - Spark People's pregnancy accommodations. Using their exercise suggestions (which appeared to have actual pregnant women performing the exercises), I planned out a workout for 5 days a week. I did strength training MWF and walked for 30 minutes on TuTh. I also abandoned my habit-forming French Fry Fridays I'd adopted during my first pregnancy. These changes, constant monitoring by my OB and obsessive worrying on my part resulted in a 12 pound gain for my entire pregnancy.
For the first time in my health life, I felt powerful and successful. Move the body and monitor the food to get the results you seek. It was empowering and just what I needed to conquer my fears upon finding out I was pregnant a second time. During those months, I truly believed "You can do this!" and I did. It was terrific. And at my 6 week check up, my hard work was validated. I was 15 pounds lighter that I was at the start of the pregnancy. And I had two beautiful babies. Life was absolutely wonderful.
So this past week, I returned to that place. The place where I felt accomplished and powerful. I'd achieved my goals and felt terrific. I'm feeling a little more of that these days. Life is still wonder filled. And I can accomplish goals just as I did 2 years ago. I make a plan. I execute the plan. I find the results I seek.
Next up? More on the plan.
230
I am 10 pounds down from my start weight in January! This is 10 % of my overall goal! I'm just a little thrilled. *grin* I'm happy to be seeing progress and I'm hoping that I'll get to continue seeing it. Just so you have an idea of where I've been for the past week, here's more on what this number means to me.
The last time I weighed in at 230, I had a tiny baby in my arms. My second baby was 6 weeks old. When I found out I was pregnant with her, I weighed 245 lbs. I'd had a c-section with my first child and was terrified to go through that process again. I knew it would be worth it to have a healthy baby, but I was out-of-my-mind scared. I blamed the c-section for the depression which followed the birth of my first baby. Recovery was slow and painful and scary for me. Thinking of going through all that again with the addition of a toddler was mind-numbing.
I'm not sure my doctors ever fully understood the depth of my fear. But they did present me with a way out. A VBAC. I could have my second child naturally if nothing went wrong. I had to have a completely uneventful pregnancy AND I had to gain minimal weight. The sheer fact that I weighted 245 lbs at 8 weeks pregnant made me high risk; it didn't matter than my first pregnancy contained no weight-related complications (my c-section was required due to my first baby being in a breech position). Adding to my weight was the previous surgery. The doctors would accept no additional risk factors.
Fear is motivating. I went home from that first appointment determined to make this work. I made a plan. I joined BabyFit - Spark People's pregnancy accommodations. Using their exercise suggestions (which appeared to have actual pregnant women performing the exercises), I planned out a workout for 5 days a week. I did strength training MWF and walked for 30 minutes on TuTh. I also abandoned my habit-forming French Fry Fridays I'd adopted during my first pregnancy. These changes, constant monitoring by my OB and obsessive worrying on my part resulted in a 12 pound gain for my entire pregnancy.
For the first time in my health life, I felt powerful and successful. Move the body and monitor the food to get the results you seek. It was empowering and just what I needed to conquer my fears upon finding out I was pregnant a second time. During those months, I truly believed "You can do this!" and I did. It was terrific. And at my 6 week check up, my hard work was validated. I was 15 pounds lighter that I was at the start of the pregnancy. And I had two beautiful babies. Life was absolutely wonderful.
So this past week, I returned to that place. The place where I felt accomplished and powerful. I'd achieved my goals and felt terrific. I'm feeling a little more of that these days. Life is still wonder filled. And I can accomplish goals just as I did 2 years ago. I make a plan. I execute the plan. I find the results I seek.
Next up? More on the plan.
Workout 120507: Time Off
Monday's Workout:
10 min Treadmill Warmup
3 min Rowing Machine (2 1:30min legs)
15 min Elliptical
Hip Abductors (10 Reps 3 Sets each leg)
Bridges (10 Reps with 5 sec hold)
Stretch (Aaahhhh)
This morning I felt good. The good feeling is coming from a full life being worked hard to meet my goals. I like it! My body is feeling reasonably good right now. I reserve great for when I no longer need physical therapy. My diet is decent and, for this weekend, I just allowed myself to eat what I wanted. I feel as though I made some good decisions, but I can also see that I need to track my food intake if I'm going to succeed in the long run. Snack sneak up on you so quickly!
This weekend's break was rejuvenating. I needed it. But now I'm back to work. You know what? It also feels good to have work to do.
10 min Treadmill Warmup
3 min Rowing Machine (2 1:30min legs)
15 min Elliptical
Hip Abductors (10 Reps 3 Sets each leg)
Bridges (10 Reps with 5 sec hold)
Stretch (Aaahhhh)
This morning I felt good. The good feeling is coming from a full life being worked hard to meet my goals. I like it! My body is feeling reasonably good right now. I reserve great for when I no longer need physical therapy. My diet is decent and, for this weekend, I just allowed myself to eat what I wanted. I feel as though I made some good decisions, but I can also see that I need to track my food intake if I'm going to succeed in the long run. Snack sneak up on you so quickly!
This weekend's break was rejuvenating. I needed it. But now I'm back to work. You know what? It also feels good to have work to do.
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