Intentions: Great! Implementation: Not So Much...

I'm sorry I was MIA in Bloggersville this week. It's been really busy and a little crazy.

We threw a surprise birthday party for one of our troupe mates on Monday (Big Number birthday) and so I didn't get home until pretty late. There wasn't much there in the way of snacks, which was good, and I had saved room for cake. :)




(No, this isn't the cake we had on Monday, but doesn't it look good?)

So then Tuesday was a dance class (I was able to dance barefoot again - my blisters are MUCH better!) and Thursday was the two dance classes I teach. I had been planning on getting out for a good walk on Wednesday, but Something Came Up. Or Went Down, depending on how you look at it: Our refrigerator commited seppuku.

The hubster was sitting in the family room Wednesday morning, and he heard some popping and crackling from the kitchen. Then he started smelling melting plastic. He quickly ran and flipped the breaker (and opened all the windows) and unplugged the fridge. So we need a new fridge. Wednesday we spent moving food in to coolers and figuring out what we wanted to do about getting a new one. (The hubster takes buying big ticket items Very Seriously, and does tons of research to be sure he's happy with the purchase.) He finally found one, and we ordered it yesterdayr - it should be delivered at the end of next week. Such fun... In the mean time, we're going to dig through the garage to find the 2 little (dorm-sized) fridges buried in there somewhere, and get them going.

And on top of that fun, I've been dealing with Aunt Flo this week, and she's visiting with a vengeance. Much harder and heavier than usual. (TMI alert) I'm one of the "lucky" ones that gets diarrhea during my heavy days. Whee. Started on Monday and didn't start easing up until Thursday night, really. And it's still going. And yet I still managed to lose 1.25 pounds this week!

I didn't do this go-to-bed-early-get-up-early thing I was planning on this week - I'm going to renew that goal for next week.

Have a good weekend, all!

-als

So Far So Good...

As of Friday I'd lost 1.75 pounds, and as of this morning, I'm at the same weight. Which is really good for me, considering I was at a buffet (Sweet Tomatoes, so lots of healthy options) on Friday night, and celebrated my Dad's birthday last night. Weekends are always the hardest for me, in terms of staying on track, so while I could've done better (there was exercise planned that didn't happen) I could've done a lot worse, too. So. I haven't derailed yet. On to week two! :)

I need to focus on getting to bed earlier so I can get more sleep, first of all, and so I can get up earlier and see about exercising in the mornings before work. That's going to be another goal for week two, along with staying on track. Have a good week, all!

I CAN'T DANCE IN SOCKS!

At least not on a good hardwood dance floor, that is! It's great with dance shoes, or how I usually dance: in bare feet, but it's waaaaaay too slippery with the socks. I got most of the way through the first class with them on before I just couldn't stand it any more and tore them off. The tape I put on the blisters (which are doing better) held up pretty well, with me being careful. I felt bad that I couldn't give my students my best effort, but the classes went well in spite of my foot, and my students were forgiving, thank goodness!

So today was okay. Obviously I couldn't dance as hard as I usually do on Thursdays, but I did dance harder on Tuesday than I usually do, so I guess it balanced out. Intake-wise, I did pretty well, too. I was a bit low - 1276 calories before factoring in the dancing, but that will help to balance out my intake from yesterday. I didn't get as much fluid as I'd like, though: only 64 oz., including my G2. (FYI: I never count my 16 oz. daily coffee in my fluid count since I drink it with a bunch of creamer. I do count it in my calorie count, though!)

G'night, all - we'll see what tomorrow brings!

RELIEF!!!

I just found this stuff this afternoon:




It's basically just a roll of cushiony tape - a band-aid without the pad. Wrapped my blistered toe in it, and it's helping TREMENDOUSLY!!! Tried it on my other blisters, and the only one it's not really helping is the one on my heel. Otherwise -- OH the relief!!!

Another Good Day Yesterday! For The Most Part...

Yesterday was another good day, although it wouldn't have been if I hadn't gone for an hour-long walk last night. My net calories came to 1851 after the exercise, which is very close to but still under my calorie limit for the day. And I had 96 oz. of fluid, including my G2.

The walk was good and I'm not too sore today. Yay, me! I almost didn't go out since it was kind of late, and if I do that again, I'll be sure to bring a flashlight with me! And what did I get for my effort, besides a sense of accomplishment? Blisters on the bottom of my foot. Yeah - joy. The one on my heel isn't as annoying as the one right where my toes meet the ball of my foot. And another one on the side of my middle toe. And they're all on the same foot. Whee. :P

I'm just worried about how the blisters are going to affect me at my dance classes tonight. It's not like I can skip them, seeing as I'm the teacher and all... I don't usually dance in socks, but I might have to tonight, after I slather my feet in vaseline to prevent more rubbing. Should be ...interesting. Wish me luck!

Inspiration

ETA: Found this picture here.

Another Good Day Yesterday!

Although I was reminded of the drawback of drinking a lot of water... :}

I drank about 96 oz. of liquid if I count my G2 Gatorade, had my Dance Classes last night where I danced pretty hard, and took in 1927 calories, which according to My Plate put me at 1221 net calories for the day with the exercise.

(edit: corrected calorie numbers)

Hopefully today will go as well! :)

GOTCHA!!!

Using a trail of chocolate, potato chips and other junk food (yeah, I know...), I lured it in to my trap and then GRABBED AHOLD WITH BOTH HANDS! I then pinned it with my best wrestling hold (And the only wrestling I've done is with my twin brother and my weight) and secured it as quickly as I could with a hammer and nails, glue gun, stapler, screwdriver, and lots of rope. And I'm sitting on it.

Yes, I've got my motivation back. For now. I mean it feels pretty secure at this point, but I've had a lot of false starts recently, so I'm not willing to bet on how long it's going to last, at this point. :P AND so I'm just going to take it one day, meal, step, pedal, shimmy, choice, temptation at a time. As I should've been doing all along. *Sigh...*

But today was a good day. I got up early enough to take a brisk half-hour 1.99 mile walk before work, and logged all my calories on My Plate, which came to 1576 net calories for the day. I drank more water than I have been recently, but not as much as I'd like. So overall, today has been a success! One day down - on to tomorrow!

Can I Please Have my Motivation Back...?

I have a problem right now:  I don’t care.  I’m at the “How the hell did I do it – how in the world was it ever EASY for me?!” point.  Because it has been easy in the past to keep track of what I’m eating and eat well, and drink my water and do the exercise, but that’s not where I am right now.  Right now I’m not really happy with myself, but I just don’t have the motivation or energy to get off my duff and make the changes I need to make.  I just don’t care right now, not even enough to be really mad at myself.

Ye gads, I sound pathetic!  I’ve used the excuse of being tired, the excuse of not feeling well, the excuse of being slammed at work and not having enough time, the excuse of my bike needing some repair, not to mention the excuse of “well the Hubster is cooking for me tonight, so I have to eat what he’s fixing.”  (What he usually makes is not entirely unhealthy, but it’s not the best choice I could make…)  And there may be some depression settling in, which would MORE THAN LIKELY be relieved by my actually getting out and moving around! 

The Hubster fixed my bike last night, so I won’t have that excuse any more, and I’ve got a perfectly good (new!) pair of running shoes if/when I start doing the Couch to 5K running program again (Having been inspired quite a bit by ORShadow…)  And in terms of eating, which is my main problem now? (not to mention drinking my calories)  I think I’m going to have to pretty much ignore what the Hubster’s doing (he’s on his own journey and doing very well…) and just do my own thing.  Maybe we can eat together on the weekend, but I need to focus on myself, and not feel obligated to eat what he prepares.  For all he likes to “kick me out of his kitchen” so he can be the cook, he’s just going to have to deal with me cooking for myself. As much as he loves me, he’s not going to make this journey for me (or make it easy for me…) so I’m going to have to do it myself.

So I apologize for being flaky and not posting for a long time.  It’s hard to post about not wanting to post, or not being in the “healthy living” mindset on a blog that’s supposed to be about losing weight.  I’m still not feeling it yet, but I’m getting back there.  Slowly.

Back In The Saddle!

As you might have noticed, I’ve done some remodeling around here. :)  I’ve ignored this Blog and my weight-loss efforts for so long that I’m just going to press the reset button. I’ve been off the wagon for about 2 and a half months, and I’ve gained back a lot more than I wanted. I’m not all the way back to the beginning though, thank goodness, but I’m starting to dislike myself again, and I don’t want to any further down THAT path! I’m ready to get back on track. I think that the best way for me to start moving forward (downward) again is to consider this a fresh start (including some new paint and reupholstered furniture in this corner of teh Interwebs), and set the past aside. Onward!

So I did it – I got back on my bike over the weekend. Yay, me! We have it set back up on the Trainer, and I rode 17 miles on Saturday and 25 miles on Sunday. My legs were only a little sore this morning, so I don’t think I completely lost all the benefit of the training I did for my Big Ride, even though that was a couple of months ago. My crotch on the other hand… Yeah, I need to build my Bike-Butt back up again. That will teach me to set it aside for so long…! :P

What’s really helping is the iPad The Hubster got for me as an early Birthday present/reward for completing my Big Ride. :D When we got the Trainer, we got a book rest that just attaches to the handles of the bike. It was a good place to rest the remote and my snacks (wasn’t really so good for holding books) for my longer rides while I was training the last time. Now it’s my iPad Holder. :D I can stream Netflix (and with my earphones, I don’t have to worry about bothering The Hubster with the volume!), read on the Kindle App, or even just surf the Web while I’m riding. I love it!!!

I still need to focus on eating better and drinking the water (and SLEEP!!!), but the exercising is making me crave the water and the healthier food. So I’m headed back in the right direction again, finally! Wish me strength…

Hanging On By My Fingernails

Do you remember the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when the car has gone over the cliff with our hero in it, and everyone is looking over the edge in disbelief and mourning?  Then they all turn away with heads bowed and hats in hand and tears in their eyes to continue on their way, not knowing that Indiana has bailed out of the car, and is clinging to the side of the cliff and is climbing back up? 

Yeah, that’s where feel like I am in this journey.  Clinging to the side of the cliff, and trying as hard as I can to not slip any further, as the face of the cliff crumbles around my hand-and toe-holds.  Actually, I feel more like this, only without the rope:

I had finally gotten back on track last week, and was doing pretty well, and then I got hit with a stomach virus that started Thursday night and lasted until Sunday.  I was on crackers and Ginger Ale for 3 and a half days, and I think I lost control again after that with the relief of being able to eat Real Food.  I’ve lost (gained?) almost all the gains (losses?) I’ve made so far, ever since I “relaxed” after my big bike ride to the coast.  I haven’t checked a scale in a while, but I know it will be ugly.  *Sigh…* 

I need to focus on getting back in control – back to the healthy eating, back to the cycling/exercising in general, back to the water, back to going to bed at a decent time.  That last one is the only thing (so far) I’ve been having success with this week. 

I had my Dance Classes tonight, then tomorrow night I’m going to see a musical with some friends, and then the Hubster and I are taking a road trip this weekend to go see my niece in a play.  I’ll try to be as careful, food-wise, as I can this weekend, and then Sunday when we get back, I’ll see about doing some Meal Planning, so I can be more careful next week.  I WILL get back on track!

Wish me willpower!  :P

Test Blog Post

Trying this again -- Checking to see how this Mail2Blogger thing works

 

 

RESTING ON MY LAURELS (and sliding off of them…)

Hoo boy, is it dusty in here!!!  *Opens up some windows for some fresh air and goes hunting for the cleaning supplies*  Well.  That just proves that it’s WAYYYY too easy to fall out of new habits like tracking food/exercise, and blogging…  *Sigh…*  But I will write about that later.  First, though, let me say “thank you” to Katie J and FAB who were worried because I haven’t written in a while, and sent me e-mails asking if I was okay.  I had forgotten that Blogville can be a community, and had assumed that I wouldn’t be missed…  It was nice to be proven wrong.  :}

So before I talk about how I fell off the exercise/tracking/blogging wagon, I’m going to talk about the good stuff and tell you about the Big Bike Ride I did on May 19th, and share some pictures.  :D

I trained long and hard, and rode 55 miles on The Day!  I had a great time, enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and will definitely do it again in the future.  The Hubster is even considering doing it with me next year – we’ll both to the full 100 miles – or at least train for it!  :D

I do have some battle scars to show for my training...  I had gotten used to the “clipless” shoes on the trainer, and then realized 3 days before the ride that I REALLY needed to take the bike outside and get used to using them on the road.  It’s a good thing I did – I got my falls out of the way before it happened in front of 3000 experienced riders…  :P  The first time was on to grass in our front yard, and the second time was in a cul-de-sac where I'd stopped for a break, and was trying to get going again.  I fell in to a bush and my helmet got stuck on the branches for a few seconds...  (I still hope that doesn't pop up on YouTube at any point in time...) The third time I fell over on to my left, and hit the cement with my elbow. 



This is my left elbow, not a knee...  This was taken about a day and a half after my fall.  It's not the best picture, but you can kind of see where the bruise is starting, around the lump... 


  It’s a good thing I was wearing long sleeves, or my scrape (singular) would've been a lot worse…  And, the handlebar gave me a beautiful lump and bruise on my thigh, and the cross bar on the bike caught me really good high up on my right inner thigh.  Yeah - ouch.

But let me tell you, the training I did really paid off.  By the time the morning of The Ride came around, I had put just over 500 miles on the bike.  Yes, I was achy that Saturday night, but after a good, hot shower and a good night’s sleep, I was absolutely fine the next day.  I really wasn’t sore at all, although I was aware of my thighs just a little bit when I went up or down stairs.  Otherwise, I was Just Fine!  Surprised the crap out of me!   :D  After the ride when I was sharing stories with another rider, I mentioned how long I’d trained, and he said “you get out of it what you put in to it.”  I really think I need to make that a mantra…  :)

Here’s a picture of me crossing the finish line:



Here’s a picture of me in the classic Reach The Beach pose:

I had a great time, and I'll do it again next year.  But it was way too easy to get out of the habit of tracking my food and eating carefully because I was exercising so hard that my calorie deficit was REALLY high.  While I was training, that is.  And then I took some time away from the bike, but didn’t get back to tracking and eating mindfully.  Yeah, I really lost my momentum...  And after that, I had a Belly dancing competition to get ready for (which was the weekend of June 11 – 12) and then I went out of town to the Hubster’s aunt’s house.  It was a great time, but it was definitely a “vacation.”  I still haven’t weighed myself since we got back last night...

I’m going to work on getting back on track this week and then weigh myself on Friday and see what the damage was.  I will mostly be dancing for exercise this week – I will be going back to Tuesday classes after missing a term,  and of course, teaching on Thursdays.  And this Wednesday, I will be performing.  So I will be getting back in to it!  :D  And the Hubster is taking my bike in on Wednesday for a tune-up (well needed) and then I will try and get back on it this weekend.  I had a dream about riding last night – I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something…  ;)

LESSONS LEARNED TRAINING FOR BIKE RIDE:

• Cold Cream will clean bicycle grease off skin quite nicely
• Cycling gloves aren’t just for padding on your hands – they’re also to wick away sweat so your hands don’t slip off the handles.
• Cycling shorts/pants with padding are a MUST!
• Long sleeves will give a bit of protection against road rash – but only a bit…
• Chapstick/Blistex is a must (preferably with SPF) – lips get dry fast when riding outside.
• Riding for 20 miles and dancing for 2 hours on the same day is not the best idea – even when separated by a full day of work. The legs start hurting much more quickly...
• Even when it’s overcast, fair skin still burns so water/sweat resistant sunscreen is required.
• Riding on a trainer has its benefits, but it still is quite different than riding on the road…
• When someone tells me (in frustration) I’m as stubborn as my Dad, my instinctive reaction (unfortunately) is to dig my heels in even further...
• I like jogging (when I’m actually doing it) and I like biking, and I really like going fast.  This urge is easier to satisfy a bike, rather than on two feet. (and it’s less dangerous than it is to satisfy in a car...)

So I'm back again!  As I said above, I'll be getting back on track this week and will weigh myself on Friday and see how far off track I went.  Have a good night, everyone!   

Quick Update

Hi, all!  I won't have much time in the next couple of weeks to do any posting, or keeping up with anyone else's blogs out there in cyberspace.  So I apologize in advance for my silence.  Work will be very busy for the next couple (at least) of weeks, and I'll be spending a lot of time on my bike.  But I've been doing pretty well this week, and plan to keep on keepin' on.  :}

I REACHED 20 lbs TOTAL LOST ON FRIDAY!!!  Yay, me!   I'm planning on staying track, and we'll see what happens next Friday.  The biking is really helping, as long as I can keep the balance with my eating...

I've been doing really well on my bike riding - I did 32 miles on the trainer yesterday (ouch...) which brought it to a total of 92.2 miles for the week  Here's a picture of my bike set up on the trainer:

I printed up my a calendar of my upcoming events, as well as a schedule for training for 55, 80 AND 100 miles, and posted them by the calendar and the bike set-up:

The grid on the left is my schedule, as well as how I keep track of my mileage per day.

This is a grid of the mileage I'll need to ride to train for 55, 80 or 100 miles.

We'll see if I stick with riding 55 miles or 80 on May 21st.  (I definitely know I'm not up for 100 miles at this point...)  I'm aiming for the 80 miles, but we'll see if life limits me to 55.  Either way, it will be a big accomplishment for me!

So I apologize in advance for my forthcoming silence -- keep on keepin' on, everyone!  That's what I'll be trying to do!  I'll post when I can, but if you don't see anything until after May 21st, don't worry -- I'm just trying to stay on top of everything that's happening in the rest of my life.  *Sigh...*  Wish me luck!!!

Ouch...

Hi, all!  I've started training for my Big Ride on May 21st, and my butt still has to adjust to being on a bike for so long...  I've got a pair of biking shorts with padding, and they're helping, but still.  I've heard it will take about 2 weeks worth of riding to get to that point...  Yeah.  It's a good thing I've got a good chair at work...  :P

Last week I rode  28.5 miles in total - good place to START.  Then I worked out a training plan and realized I need to step it up...  Yesterday I rode 13.5 miles, and then today when I was only planning on riding for 15 miles, but I missed the turn I'd planned on, and wound up riding 18.8 miles.  Yeah, we'll see how I feel tomorrow...

It will be nice when we finally make the space to set the trainer up so I don't have to worry about riding in the dark...  I got home tonight after riding down a road that was further out in the country than I realized when I set out -- no street lights on a curvy road.  Yeah, not that smart.  I was wearing an orange coat and had my lights and my helmet on, and I got home just fine, but when I told the Hubster where I'd gone, he made me promise not to take that route again unless it's the middle of the day.  *sheepish grin...*

Needless to say, most of my free time will be taken up with training, so I don't know how often I'll be posting between now and The Ride - fair warning!

G'Night, all!

Friday Weigh-In!

Down by another half pound.  Hey, it's a loss - I'll take it!  It probably would've been more of a loss if I hadn't had such a bad few days (food-wise) last weekend, but it probably would've been less (or even a gain) if I hadn't seriously started riding my bike this past week...

The Hubster and I went out tonight after work and got a Trainer for our bikes - yay!  Once it's set up, I will take and post a picture.  I also got some cycling shorts (my crotch will thank me...) and while I'm glad I have them, it might be a while before I wear them outside...  Yeah, my vanity rears its head.  :P  I also got a cyclocomputer that will work on the trainer as well, so I get an accurate idea of how many miles I'm putting on the thing.

The Hubster also had a (great!) idea of where to set the trainer up -- we'll be shuffling things around in our main room so I can still interact with him and/or watch TV while I'm riding.  HIS idea - he understands that I'll be spending a lot of time on the thing, and that way neither of us will feel like I'm shutting him out of my life while I'm training.  He ALSO got a Book Caddy for me so I can even read while I'm riding!  Have I mentioned how supportive he's being?  ;)

We didn't get shoes or pedals - turns out we still have some research to do before we get shoes and pedals. Those are next on the list! (Thank goodness for sales and gift cards...)

On the Downward Slide!

I hope everyone had a good Hump Day - yay,  the momentum is picking up towards the weekend!!!
I had a good day today, but I'm surprised -- I wasn't as sore today as I expected to be after riding yesterday!  My glutes were a bit sore, and of course I have my bike-butt to deal with.  And despite that, I got back on the bike tonight!!  (Oh, I gotta get me some of those biking shorts/pants that have some cushioning in the crotch - ouch...)  But I did it anyway, and I rode for another 8.2 miles today.  Yay, me!

I also discovered a really cool site where I can figure out the mileage of the route I took, in the absence of a cycleocomputer (which will change this weekend):  GMap Pedometer.  It's pretty easy to use, too.  Zoom in to your local area and find your starting point, and click on Start Recording on the left.  Then just double-click along the route you took/are taking and it will calculate your mileage.  Pretty slick! 

I took in 1408 calories and 112 oz. water, in addition to my usual coffee, and rode for 40 minutes.  Pretty good day, but my butt will appreciate the break from riding tomorrow - I do have my dance classes to teach!  :D

G'night, all!

Building Up The Bike Butt...

I dusted the bike off and pumped the tires up and actually took it out for a spin tonight before I had the chance to piddle away the opportunity - Yay, me! 

I wound up going 8.9 miles (approximately - we'll be picking up an odometer this weekend, too...) before it got too dark for me.  I know I'll be feeling it tomorrow...  And that's a good thing!  I definitely need to get started on this training thing...!  I'm going to train as hard as I can, as if I was aiming to do the whole 100 miles, and then see how I feel when the day approaches.  Who knows - I might wind up starting at the 80-mile start instead of the 55 I'm signed up for now! 

And the Hubster is being very supportive.  He found an article in a Cycling magazine he's subscribed to that includes an 8-week plan to train for a 100-mile ride, and pointed it out to me.  Considering the ride is 7 and a half weeks away (EEK!!!) I've got some riding to do...!

I took in 1556 calories and 116 oz. water, including my usual coffee, and rode my bike for about 40 minutes.  And now I need to get some sleep!

G'Night, all!

Hey - Where'd My Weekend Go?!

I hope everyone had a good Weekend and a good Monday.  Mine was a lackluster weekend -- the joys of Being Female were in full force both Saturday and Sunday - Bleh.  I didn't make it out for any exercising, but I can say that I could've done a lot worse, food-wise, than I did.  Although I could've done a lot better, too...  :P

I walked to get my lunch again today, and filled in for another dance teacher who was out of town.  I took in 140 oz. fluids and 1820 calories.  Which, according to Livestrong, still put me under my calorie limit for the day when the exercise is taken in to account.  I'm going to focus on walking/wogging this week (and of course dancing in class on Thursday) and then after this weekend, I'll be getting on my bike!

There's a sale this weekend at the Bike Shop we go to, so the Hubster and I are going to go over and get me cycling shoes and pedals, and a Bike Trainer that we can both share (since we've got the same style of bike), which will let us in essence turn our bikes in to stationary bikes.  Pretty cool, and it will let me eliminate the weather as an excuse train whenever I can find the time! 

G'Night, all!

You Asked For It...!

A couple of years ago (I think it was in the Spring or Summer of '09, but I'm not really sure), some of the Dancers in our area recorded a show for Cable Access to illustrate some of the different styles of Danse du Ventre,  Or Oriental Dance, or Raqs Sharqi - most commonly known as Belly Dancing.  I found out a couple of days ago that someone had broken down the segments and posted each of them on YouTube.  So because you asked for it (and until I can find the recording I have of me soloing) here are a couple of videos in which I dance with my troupes.  I wasn't keeping track of my weight at the time, but it was more than I was comfortable with, even though it was less than I weigh today (although I'm not sure by how much...)    Enjoy!

This is an example of the American Tribal style -- or at least the first song is.  The second song is something fun we put together for our Teacher for her Birthday - there are a lot of "Don't Ever Do This While Dancing" moves we put in on purpose.  :D  I'm the one with the blue feather in my head dress.

And here is a performance of my other troupe, in a style that's called "folkloric."  Yes, there are swords, yes they are real, no they're not sharp, and yes we're dancing with them on our heads with no adhesives or fasteners.  Really.  :D  I'm the one in dark blue -- yes, the one in front. 

The Hubster hates the fact that we're not smiling in this performance, but that was an artistic choice of the director - we were told to have serious faces.  So we do, even if Hubs thinks it makes us look scared...

And yes, I will post video of my solo (to a live band) as soon as I find it.  :D

Friday Weigh-In!

I've lost another 1.5 pounds - Yay, me!  I finally am in to an area on the scale I haven't seen in a while.  I am down a total of 18 pounds* so far, and I finally feel like this isn't a false start, like all the other times I've tried.  (Since I regained it all, that is...)  Maybe I should take some progress pics and post them, once I hit 20 lbs gone.  That's only 2 pounds away, and at an average of almost a pound a week (since I started tracking on Nov. 12) I should be posting them in 2 weeks.  :)

*Officially, that is -- I think I'd already lost up to 5 pounds by the time I started officially tracking.  But I'll leave it at what's on the record, since I'm being official, and all! 

Have a good weekend, all - stay strong!

 

Happy Wednesday

The Hubster took my bike in to the shop and had it tuned up for me - which means I have no excuse to put it off any more can get serious about training for my 55-mile bike ride on May 21st.  Thank you, Hubster!!! 

I'm getting excited (and nervous) about this Event -- I've met my fundraising goal (thanks to some VERY generous people - I'm touched, and a little humbled) and the weather is starting to get better, so I'm almost ready to get to riding.  I need to get some good biking shoes - and the pedals they work with, of course.  I know they will be pricey, but I also know they'll be worth it.  (And I need to get some biking shorts/pants -- gotta protect the tail bone and lady bits as much as possible...)

The Hubster is still worried that I might have bitten off more than I can chew.  I understand his concern but I think he might be "...erring on the side of caution" on my behalf.  I know he'll support me -- he's willing to make sure I have the equipment I need, and he'll be my transportation on The Day, and I know he will be cheering me on at the finish line.  And today he said he'll do the ride next year with me - and he'll do the 100 miles, since he'll have the time to train for it between now and then - yay!  So I have to admit that I get a little frustrated when he voices his scepticism concern.  *Sigh...*  I'm sure it will be harder than I'm expecting right now, but I don't really think it will be as hard as he thinks it will be.  I'm sure it will be somewhere in the painful middle, but I'll get through it - one way or another!

Decent day today, although we did go out for dinner to our Mexican spot, and I did succumb to the chips and a Mango margarita.  I ordered the Fajitas, and noticed a note on the menu that they would substitute steamed veggies in place of the fried onions and peppers.  It was pretty darn good!  No exercise besides tromping around Costco, and I did get plenty of water.

Dance classes start up again for me tomorrow - Yay!

Effort...

I had decent self control in terms of intake over the weekend, but not in terms of exercising.  It's the whole momentum thing again...  And we got new furniture this weekend, so it was SO easy to give in to the temptation of staying curled up in the new recliner or stretched out on the new couch instead of getting out to wog or get on the elliptical or put in an exersize tape.  Pfff -- that would've taken effort! 

I did make the effort to bake my spaghetti squash tonight, so it's ready to go for lunches.  And I also did something I haven't done in a while - I walked to get my lunch today instead of driving.  I always forget that it's not as far as I think it is, and it's definitely walk-able in a lunch hour with some time left over to actually eat!  Good for me!  Although I did still get sweaty and a little pink by the time I got back to the office -- which is another excuse I usually use to talk myself out of doing it... 

 I took in 1235 calories today, and 112 oz. water, in addition to my usual coffee.  And a short walk at work and rehearsal - pretty good, for a Monday!

G'Night, all!

Still Here...

I'm still alive, and I'm still working on this journey.  I haven't been as focused this week as I would've liked - especially at the beginning of the week. The trip for the 40th birthday celebration went pretty well, although there were a lot of people there with colds and someone with the flu.  My week got better, intake-wise, by Tuesday, and then on Wednesday my Troupe and I brought a surprise birthday party to a friend we haven't seen for a while. We ambushed the victim Birthday Girl armed with gifts, snackies and a cake - she had no clue.  The look on her face was beautiful and priceless -- so worth it! I did indulge a bit, but I could've done a lot worse than I did. 

I did no exercising this week, except for at rehearsal on Monday.  It was Spring Break, so there were no classes - those start up again next week.  And I actually wound up staying home from work on Tuesday - I was wiped out from the weekend, and I think I was fighting off one of the bugs that was going around on the weekend.  Successfully, thank goodness, but that killed my motivation for exercising.  I've got to get back to it - especially my bike riding, if I don't want to kill myself on May 21st...!

So considering the week I had, I'm actually a bit astonished that I actually lost half a pound.  I'll take it, though!

Have a great weekend, all!

Friday Weigh-In!

One more pound gone!  I'm glad that I'm seeing continuing progress, but it would be so nice if I could see the nice dramatic jumps you see on shows like Biggest Loser.  I have to keep in mind that those people are isolated and sequestered while they work on weight loss, and that's the only thing they have to focus on.  Not that I'd ever try out to be on the show or anything like that -- I'm not that masochistic!  Not to mention that I have to pay the bills somehow...  ;}  Slow and steady, slow and steady...  Not a sprint but a marathon...

I'm going to spend time out of town this weekend, celebrating the 40th birthday of a good friend from high school.  I will try to enjoy the festivities while remaining focused on making healthy choices and not losing control.  Have a good weekend, all!

This is my 101st post!

I didn't realize at the time that my last post was my 100th, or I would've mentioned it...  :}

Didn't have enough time to get pictures of me in my costume last night - I was running late, and barely managed to make it to the show in time.  Barely... But it was a really fun show.  Great group of dancers - I was honored to be in the same lineup with them. AND I was glad that I wound up going first, so I didn't have to follow any of them!

And today was a good day, although I was tired after the late night...  I had a really good day today - took in 1466 calories and 136 oz. fluid, along with my usual coffee.  And my classes tonight were the last for the term, so I was a bit bouncier than normal...  I would say I was dancing hard for about an hour and 40 minutes between the two classes.  And because it was the final class, I got to dress up - I was wearing harem pants, 2 skirts, a long, heavy hip belt, so I was very well insulated ON TOP of my natural "insulation."  I was a bigger ball of sweat than normal by the time the evening was done...

There's a one-week break, and then classes start up again for Spring Term.  I've decided that I'm not going to do the Tuesday classes next term, for a few reasons.  I finally realized that I owe it to myself (and to the Hubster) to take something off my plate -- it's rather full right now.  Especially since I do need to start training for the Reach the Beach bike ride in May that I signed up for.  I really don't want to kill myself while trying to do it!  And maybe I'll be able to catch up a little bit on my sleep!  Speaking of which...

G'night, all!

Deflating...

I will have to have my costume taken in, both the hip belt and the bra top.  Yaay! (Except for the hassle of having to have it adjusted -- but I'm willing to deal with that!) 

I wore my Cabaret costume (this isn't it, but it's kind of close) to class tonight, both because it was the Final Class of the Term (this is when the teachers wear whatever costuming we want to - the rest of the term we have to make sure our legs aren't hidden by skirts so the students can see what our legs are doing...) and because I'm performing tomorrow night.  I realized I've got noticeable gappage on the sides of the bra top.  (There's plenty of other material there with the choli top I usually wear, so it's nowhere near indecent - it's not THAT kind of dancing!)  I will just need to get it fixed adjusted so I feel secure when I dance in it.  But it's true - I am deflating...

And my hip belt will need to be taken in again.  Yay!  I wear a skirt AND harem pants under the hip belt when I perform, so again - it's never indecent. I don't have pictures of me in the costume I perform in these days, or I'd post one.  I'll try to remember to take one tomorrow for you all.  And I'm still looking for the video of one of my performances I'm going to (try to) post for those of you who have mentioned wanting to see me dance.

Okay.  I took in 1412 calories today, and 116 oz. water, along with my usual coffee.  I feel like I danced for about an hour out of the two hours in the class, so it was a good day.  And I have a performance tomorrow (well, "today" by the time this is posted... *wince* I gotta work on that...)

G'night, all!

And So Began Yet Another Week...

Hope everyone had a good Monday! 

I was able to make it through Saturday’s celebration okay – what “helped” was that we got over there late because I wasn’t feeling well. (Yay, coffee on a mostly-empty stomach… *eyeroll*)  But it was good to see people I hadn’t seen in a while!  There was, of course, a lot of food left over (I have mentioned that mine’s a mostly-Greek family, haven’t I…?) and my Mom didn’t just try to send food home with us – she actually BROUGHT OVER leftovers for us yesterday!  *Sigh*  Thanks, Mom… :}  Luckily I was able to share a lot of it with a friend and her family, so it wasn't around here to tempt me!

One of the things the Hubster was quite happy talking about at the party was his own Weight Loss journey. (He did break through a major milestone on Friday – Yay, Hubs!  And my family was quite congratulatory - rightly so!)  and he felt perfectly comfortable spouting out his starting weight as well as his current weight.*   I, on the other hand, have a very hard time talking about the fact that I’m working on losing weight (in real life - obviously not here..) with pretty much anyone.

*I’m not going to mention his numbers – that’s his journey and his story to tell, if he ever decides to do so.  But if he ever decides to start a Blog of his own, you know I’ll happily link to it! :D

If someone were to notice my weight loss (especially a family member – ESPECIALLY my Mom) and comment on it, I would probably just talk about  working on getting healthier, and maybe the amount I’d lost, but not the hard numbers.  I don’t think I’d EVER be comfortable to sharing my hard numbers with anyone but a VERY small handful of people.  (And I don’t think I could EVER tell it to anyone in my family, unless it was absolutely necessary. More than likely because I can’t remember a time growing up when my weight wasn’t an issue for me. And for them…) Even on this Blog, I tend to avoid the actual numbers I’m seeing on my scale, and stick with mentioning just the amount lost. The Hubster, on the other hand, has no problem talking about his Weight Loss journey with others.  I don’t know if that’s a guy/girl thing, or if it’s because of all the time I spent struggling with my weight while I was growing up.

So today I took in 1291 calories and 112 oz. water along with my usual coffee, and had fun at rehearsal tonight. Didn’t do any more exercising than that – I’m still trying to adjust to “springing ahead" yesterday. :P And with that I need to get myself to bed…

G’Night, all!

Friday Weigh-In!

Before I say anything else, I have to say that my heart is aching for everyone in Japan and around the world who was impacted by the Earthquakes and Tsunamis.  Horrible, terrible devastation.  I'm just thanking my lucky stars that my friends and family are all in locations that are nowhere near the destruction.  I'm sending thoughts and prayers to everyone affected.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. I lost 1.5 pounds this week - yaay!  Now I just need to stay strong through the weekend and keep the momentum going so I can see the number on the scale continue to go down.

It might be a bit of a challenge to stay on track this weekend, tomorrow especially.  Tomorrow is my Mom's birthday, and we're going over there to celebrate in the afternoon.  It's some kind of Open House format (not our usual method of celebrating Birthdays, but I didn't plan this one, so...) and my Godmother will be bringing a lot of food.  To clearly illustrate why I'm somewhat worried about the celebration foodwise, I think all I need to say is that she's Greek and LOVES to cook.  Yeah, I didn't think I needed to say any more...  :}  I'm going to try hard to get out and exercise tomorrow morning, but my track record for doing that on the weekend is atrocious.  But I will give it another try!  And I will be careful in what I choose to put on my plate, and I will NOT hover in the area where the food is.

Have a good weekend, everyone - stay strong!  :D

Flat Ass!!!

My pants were loose today.  I wore a pair of slacks that I haven’t worn in a while, and it just felt funny!  They weren't in danger of falling down, but I could feel the waistband shift around with each step I took when I walked, and it was such strange sensation...  Also, they’re of a style that I’m not sure looks that good any more, as baggy as they were on me. Woo…? 

And I also got a reminder that I carry my weight mostly on the front of my body, and that my butt will be mostly nonexistent when I reach my goal.  Yes, I will suffer from Flat Ass Syndrome.  How can I be looking forward to hard chairs being a literal pain in the ass?!  But of course, I am...  :)  I took some pictures, but they didn't turn out at all.  (Do you know how hard it is to take pictures of your own butt -- even with a mirror?!)

I took in 1362 calories and only 84 oz. water (along with my usual coffee) but I didn't get any exercise today.  I was planning on it, but with everything had to do tonight, I didn't get home early enough.  I will tomorrow, though!

G'night, all!

Footwear

I need new shoes. Both for work and for exercising.  I’m lucky enough to work in an office with a “Casual” dress code (don't roll your eyes at me - I already said I know I'm lucky!), which means I can (and usually do) wear sneakers (and jeans) to work.  VERY comfy, but not very professional looking...  And that also means I need to plan ahead for when I have to go to other locations so I can dress appropriately (business casual) on those days. So I just need to go out and get some shoes that are as comfy as my sneakers without looking like them. *sigh*  But that means I’ll need to (dun dun duunnnnn) go shopping! Eeek!

And I’ve been wearing this pair of sneakers long enough that I don’t really think they’ll stand up to too much more walking (for exercise), let alone wogging!  So I need to get new walking/running shoes.  (I haven’t found shoes specifically designed for wogging yet – I wonder if there’s a market for those…?)  Why do (good) exercise shoes have to be so expensive?!

I had a pretty good weekend, food and water-wise, but not exercise-wise.  It turned in to a napping-on-the-couch weekend.  Which was very nice, but didn’t burn many calories… :}  But I was vigilant about my intake, so the sneak-peek I took of the scale yesterday was heartening.  And since Aunt Flo has packed her bags and is on her way outta here, I have high (low?) hopes for this Friday’s weigh-in.

Good day today -- took in 1454 calories and 104 oz. water, along with my usual coffee.  I also did Level 1 of the 30-day Shred when I got home from rehearsal tonight (where we didn't move as much as I would've liked) so Yay me!

G'night, all!

Friday Weigh In!

I think I panicked this week.  I felt myself falling in to the habits that got me in trouble in the first place, and realized that if I didn't turn it around right away I could easily find myself back where I began - and I would've hated myself for doing it again.  Hated. Myself.  Especially after putting it out there for the world to see in this Blog (what was I thinking?!) so I REALLY wanted to make sure I got back on track and back on my way.  And to those of you who somehow find me interesting enough to keep coming back have been following me, thank you for making this blog an effective tool for me, as I'd hoped it would be, and helping me get back on track.  And I must not have gone as far off track as it felt like I had -- somehow I lost a pound this week! 

I had my usual weekly breakfast, lunch, water and afternoon snack, and I am relaxing a bit tonight.  I will be vigilant this weekend, and my goal is to Do The Exercising.  Both Saturday and Sunday.  Have a good weekend, everyone!

Lesson From The Weekend (And Another Good Day!)

Another thing I learned from this weekend: when it comes to small candies in large bags (example: M&Ms, Cadbury Mini Eggs, etc.) I can't eat "just a couple" without having a few more.  And then some more.  And then some more, and...  well, you get the picture.  The Hubster (who has been making better food choices and losing weight himself - yay!)  has enough self control and willpower to eat just a few of them and then stop, but I'm just  not there yet.  If I don't have the first couple/few, then I won't want more of them, so they are just going to stay in the bag for now.  That way my taste buds don't override my brain again...

I had a good Wednesday today!  I took in 1353 calories and 136 oz. fluid along with my usual coffee, and did Level 2 of Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred, AND got on the Elliptical for 32 minutes tonight!  Yay, me!  And I cooked up a pound of ground turkey breast to have on hand and ready to add to my salads or scrambled eggs or whatever - I think I'll try tossing some in to my Spaghetti Squash for lunch tomorrow.

Okay - it's time for me to hustle myself up to bed.  G'night, all!

Back On My Feet and Dusting Myself Off

Another good day today.  Yaay!  I took in 1309 calories and 128 oz. fluid (in addition to my usual coffee), and I went to my Tuesday dance classes.  We did a lot of standing around and talking, so I'm going to say I danced for a total of an hour - and not very intensely.  But it was a fun evening!

Agh!  No time for a longer post - I need to go to bed...  G'night, all!

Faceplant

Yeah, I wasn't as successful as I'd planned to be over the weekend.  (hangs head in shame...)  I guess I wasn't as far out of WTHville as I'd thought I was.  Cursed Dark Chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs* and their beguiling siren song...!  And Sunday was full of temptations that I gave in to as well...  So I'm back to taking one day at a time, which is where I need to be - no more sweeping declarations. 

*Easter candy is evil...

The sentiment from my last post is still there, but I just need to match my actions to my words.  Which I did today, and plan to continue doing -- one day at a time.  Always one day at a time.  And I have been reminded that I REALLY need to be vigilant over the weekends... 

So.  I took in 1407 calories today and 116 oz. water, including my usual coffee.  Not much in the way of exercise - I went to rehearsal, but wasn't very energetic due to the remnants of a migraine.  Yay, Aunt Flo's unwelcome sidekick...  :P

G'night, all -- here's to another successful day tomorrow!

I'm Back!

Hi, all!  I'm sorry I've been absent for a few days.  I had  some depression going on.  I was blue - just down in general and tired all week (there might have been some monthly hormones involved) and I wound up in What-The-Hellville in terms of my eating and exercising before I knew it.  And we had (and are having) really cold weather this week - not typical for this neck of the woods - and all I wanted to do was curl up in a blanket on the couch and stay warm.  Salty snacks are my downfall at these times.  And after (or with) a couple of glasses of wine?  Yeah, the control went out the window for a while.

I think what also nudged me over the edge was how I felt in dance class on Tuesday.  I decided to wear a hip belt that I haven't worn in a while.  It went around my hips just fine, but I just couldn't settle on a way to wear it in a way that didn't make me feel huge.  And since I am one of the assistants on Tuesdays, I couldn't exactly hide in the back of the room...  And it didn't help that the Teacher kept staring at my hips - totally made me feel even more fat. and even more self-conscious about it. Yes, people are supposed to look at my hips when I'm belly dancing, especially when I'm in front of a class as a teacher, but it just felt like she was looking at my rolls of fat instead of what my hips were doing at the time.  (To be fair, she was talking with/listening to another assistant at the time, and might have just been zoning out and my hips were an easy resting spot for her eyes, but that didn't change how I felt at the time...)    

And then on Wednesday, the Hubster mentioned something that hit me.  He said that one of his closest friends (a man I respect a great deal) had told him that he could tell I'd lost a lot of weight!  It was the right comment at the right time to kick me in the ass and realize that I don't want to stay in What-The-Hellville.  I don't want to have people notice my progress and then see me backslide.  Again.  Just another fat person with no willpower or self control.  I don't want to do that again and be disgusted with myself - AGAIN!!!  I really don't like being that person!!!  And I won't be that person!  Not again. 

So I got back on track on Thursday.  And then I got on the scale yesterday morning, bracing myself for impact -  and somehow I hadn't done as much damage as I should have!  I was up, yes, but only by half a pound.  I must not have gone as out of control as it felt like I had - but I'm so glad I got the jolt I needed before it went any further. 

So - on to the weekend.  We're Gaming tonight, and I've got my gum in my purse and some strength in my spine.  I'm going to hold on to my newly rediscovered will and just focus on have fun interacting with my friends, rather than indulging in the snacks. 

Have a good weekend, all -- stay strong!

Quick Check In

Was doing fine for most of the day, but then we went out for Mexican after doing some furniture shopping. (Finally!)  I did order Fajitas instead of my usual combo platter, but I had more of the beans and rice than I planned on, as well as a margarita and the guacamole (mmmm, avocado...)  No exercise, but I did  get in 104 oz. water, so at least I did that much right today.

My legs were sore from yesterday, but not as bad as it could've been.  I think the amount of water I'm taking in has helped with that as well.  Yay!

I'm going to keep it short so I can get to bed.  I need to get better about going to bed at a reasonable time...  I know, I know - you've heard it before...   ;}

G'night, all!

*Insert Catchy Title Here*

Had a good weekend - didn't do much tracking of calories, but I made mostly decent choices.  And I didn't drink anywhere near as much water on Friday, and I could definitely tell that I've gotten used to drinking more of it - I was definitely thirsty Friday night, and my lips were dry.  Surprised me!

Today (Sunday) I had a performance with my troupe, which was a lot of fun,  AND before that, I went out out wogging* for the first time in a long time.  I was out for 30 minutes and jogged for about 15 of those!   (NOT straight - I'm nowhere near there, yet!  I alternated about 5 min. walking with 5 min. jogging.)  And my wind was better than I 'd thought it would be, and my feet didn't hurt afterwards, either - yay!  Felt great!  I just hope I didn't overdo it TOO much and wind up in pain tomorrow or Tuesday...  I've done that a few times. Not fun.  But it really felt good to be outside and moving!  I'd forgotten that I really enjoy jogging -- once I'm doing it...   I really have to remember that in the mornings when I've planned on getting up before work to exercise but the warmth and comfort of the bed is far too seductive to resist.  Maybe that will help motivate me to actually drag myself out of bed and do it...

*Wogging - alternating between walking and jogging

Have a great Monday and good week, all!

Friday Weigh In

Well, I was right -  I'm up 3 pounds for the week.  Not too surprising, and I know I'll be getting them back off soon enough.  I just didn't realize I had at least 3 pounds worth of CRAP in me!  (At least I'm not full of it... although I'm sure some people would disagree with me about that!)

I did measure myself, and I've lost about half a pound from all over since the last time I measured, so that helped assuage the disappointment of the scale - yay, me!

Have a good weekend, all - I'm going to relax and enjoy the rest of my evening.  I've got plans to get on the elliptical or do a video tomorrow, and then I have a performance on Sunday.  It should be a good weekend!

Pardon Me, Was My Cheekbone Showing?

Or was that just a trick of the lighting?  And I swear I caught sight of indentations in my sides yesterday at work, which leads to believe that my WAIST actually made a rare appearance!  Alas, I fear the scale will give me the finger prove uncooperative tomorrow morning.  (It's been giving me hints throughout the week...) So I'll definitely be pulling out the measuring tape tomorrow morning as well.

I've been trying to keep in mind the circumstances that led up to my dramatic drop last week, so I could keep from being disappointed if I had a gain this week.  I'm trying!  It was just SO exiting to see, and it made me feel so good about my progress.  *Sigh...*  Not that I'm not making progress -- I know I am, I just...  have to remember that there's more to getting healthy than just the number on the scale.  So we'll see what tomorrow brings.

I took in 1316 calories and 136 oz. fluid, and danced for about an hour and 40 minutes between the two classes tonight, and now it's time for bed.  G'night, all!

Good day!

I wound up having a pretty good day today, although part of my plan was to get up and exercise before work -- well, that didn't happen.  I just didn't want to get out of bed and face the day...   :P

And it was snowing this morning!  Alas, by the time I went in to work there was only some left on the lawns.  Good for driving, sad for my inner child.  :(

I came home early so the Hubster could take the car - he had an appointment, and we only have one car. He did invite me to come with him and then said go to our favorite Mexican place for dinner (he suggested I could get the fajitas, which would be a decent selection if I stick with just the meat and veggies) but I had been looking forward to having the house to myself for a little while.  So I did Phase 2 of the 30 Day Shred, AND got on the Elliptical for 48 minutes.  So it was a good day! 

I took in 1302 calories and 168 oz. fluid today, as well as my usual coffee.  Yah, I know that's a lot of fluid - felt like I was floating away!

Okay, gotta go to bed now.  G'night, all! 

Toast!

The Hubster has some toast going to go with his dinner, and it smells so goooood...  And I do love bread...  But I've already had my dinner, so I'm resisting. 

*Sigh...*  For some reason, I've got more hunger going on this week than I did last week...   My calories are about the same this week as they were last week about this time.  I wonder if it was just the stress I was dealing with at work that made the difference (although that didn't really hit until Wednesday) or if what I ate over the weekend primed my stomach to want more than I've been giving it recently.  I've been drinking plenty of water, so I know it's not thirst!

I'm just hoping that I'm able to keep that 5 lbs from last week off.  I have to admit that I sneak on to the scale quite a bit in between my Friday weigh-ins (yes, probably quite a bit more than I should) and I did see a gain from the weekend that I'm trying to erase.  *grimace*

Any way.  I took in 1288 calories today, and 136 oz. water, not to mention my usual coffee.  And it only felt like about an hour's worth of dancing between the two classes tonight.  And I'd better take myself to bed now.

G'night, all!

(Edited to add a title, even though it's not an exciting one)

Happy Healthy Valentine's Day!

After much anticipation (I received it on Friday) I opened my package from Kenz and Janna's Healthy Valentine's Exchange today, and I think it's the best Valentine I've ever received!  (Hubster and I don't really celebrate the holiday, since we usually do things for each other throughout the year...)  Thank you so much, Michelle -- I love it!  

These are some really cool vanilla scented soap petals!  I can totally imagine sprinkling these in to a bath and luxuriating:

And this beautiful, hand decorated and painted box - purples, greens and blues, with sparkles!  How cool is this?!

And inside, I found this very cute pin:



...these really neat soaps (I think they're hand-made as well, and I love the color!)...

...this beautiful necklace and ring...

 ...and this fantastic barrette!  This picture doesn't do justice to the blues and purples in the flower - I love it, and I'll probably wind up wearing it to dance class tomorrow!

Thank you again, Michelle -- I can definitely tell you love this holiday!  And I really think I got the better end of this exchange...!

Quick Monday recap: 1235 calories and 126 oz. water in, with dancing at rehearsal - not too much sweating, but lots of arm work...  I didn't do THAT bad over the weekend, but I didn't do that well, either  -- it's good to be back on track!

Loss!!!

I saw a VERY exciting number on the scale this morning! Although it is almost probable that there will be a gain next week to make up for it.  I mean, of COURSE  I'll try to make sure that doesn't happen, but... Well.  You see, this loss was brought to you by...  an Empty Colon! *Applause*  And now a word from our sponsor!  (Okay, maybe not...) 

And now, without further ado (or buildup) here's what I saw on the scale this morning:

-5

Yes, a 5 pound loss!  In a week!!!  (Can you see why I've been adding all the qualifiers?)  That's a HUGE number for me, and it's highly unusual. I mean, yes, I am doing some things differently this time around, especially all the water (and the blogging, which is turning in to a great tool), but I do think the loss is mostly due to all my intestinal issues this week.  :P  I am going to post it and put it on my tickers, though, because it was what I saw on the scale this morning, but you know I have to keep my feet are nailed to the ground.  That way I won't wind up sorely disappointed next week. 

From previous weight-loss attempts, a 2 pound loss in a week would make for a GREAT week's loss!  So this 5 pound drop actually feels kind of weird, because it's so unusual...  I'm just going to have to wait until next week to see where I really am, weight-wise. 

Now, just to give it feet-nailed-to-the-ground perspective, I wound up with a reality check last night.  For kicks and giggles, I tried on a costume piece that was only a bit snug the last time I wore it (which was a while ago) aaaaand I'm not even close to being able to button it up again yet.  *Sigh...*  Still a long way to go.

And now, on to the weekend.  Finally!!! 

I've got a rehearsal tomorrow (my troupe has a performance on the 20th) and then the Hubster and I are going out to a VERY nice dinner tomorrow night with a couple of very good friends.  It will be expensive, it will be yummy, and it will be a great evening.  My plan is to go to the rec center after rehearsal to use an  exercise machine or two so I'll  be able to relax and really enjoy tomorrow night. And then I will focus on SAVORING whatever it is I order tomorrow night.  And I won't hesitate to ask for a take-home box when I feel I'm full.

Have a great weekend, everyone!  Relax, rest, and enjoy!   :D

Appetite Suppressants

Two highly effective ones?  Having intestinal issues, and being in the middle of a shit storm at work.  And dealing with both of them at the same time?  Yah.  That's been my day today.

And I couldn't stay home from dance classes to relax and recover tonight, seeing as how I am the teacher and all...  They were fun classes, and they turned my mood around, but I felt (and looked) pale by the end of both of them.  I'm really looking forward to the weekend...

I took in 1286 calories and 136 oz. water, in addition to my usual coffee.  Amd I think I'll actually get some sleep tonight.  That is, as long as I don't get distracted on my way to bed...  (Tip o' the hat towards Mrs. D)

G'night all!

Soft Pretzels...

*drool...*

I just thought that might get your attention.  ;D  Hubster and I are watching our recording of Top Chef*, and they mentioned soft pretzels, so we started talking about how much we love them...  *sigh.*  Boy is it a good thing that we don't know of anywhere close by  where we can get them quickly and easily...!

*I'd call it self torture if I had more time do a lot of cooking.  But since I don't, I'll just call it food porn...


Hubster had a routine follow-up PET scan and MRI today.  I'm expecting it to be clean, and it's not too worrisome since the last two scans have been clean, but it's another reminder that the chance still lurks that IT will come back for a third time.  Very small chance, but that's what we thought when we conquered it for the first time.  That and a frustrating day at work (and I'm not looking forward to tomorrow...) made for a STRONG temptation to dive in to a large glass of wine or two.  But I've been keeping my progress in mind, and the fact that I don't want to start backsliding right after hitting my last goal, and I've been good today.  Except for skipping the exercise I was planning on tonight.

Decent day food- and water-wise today.  Took in 1330 calories, and about 116 oz. water, as well as my usual coffee. Now to bed and to get some sleep, and hopefully tomorrow will turn out okay.

G'night, all!

Sleep...?

I was just wiped out today.  Didn't get to bed at a decent time last night (Quiet, you there in the corner - I heard that "what else is new?"!) so I was tired all day.  And it was a long day at work, so I wound up coming home and not going to my dance classes tonight -- I just didn't have the energy.   (And I was able to get a bit of cuddle time in with the Hubster as well, so it was a very nice, relaxing evening.)  I'll get on the elliptical or something tomorrow to make up for getting no exercise today.

 I took in 1154 calories today, and 112 oz. water, as well as my usual coffee. And now I am going to sign off and go to bed so I can try to chase down and catch this mythical "good night's sleep" people seem to be so fond of.  So in other words, I'm going unicorn hunting...  :P

G'night, all!

Weekend Recap, and Decent Monday

I ate... okay over the weekend.  Not really bad, but I could've definitely done better - it was the salty snacks that really did me in, especially while Gaming on Saturday.  There were Raisinettes and Whoppers there, which are among the better choices for sweets, and they don't usually tempt me.  Although I did eat more Whoppers than I probably should have...  And I did have the gum I brought with me to prevent temptation -- it helped quite a bit, but I was reminded of why I stopped chewing it on a regular basis. 

And the hostess had gotten some Bacon Popcorn to try, for the novelty factor -- yes, Bacon Popcorn.  And you know what?  It's pretty darn tasty!  And I think I saw that it's only 40 calories for one cup!  Not sure about other nutritional info, and I'm sure the sodium content is through the roof...  I can definitely see it as an occasional snack!  :D

Sunday continued with the salty snack theme.  We stayed home for the Super Bowl and the Hubster didn't get out to get the snacks he had wanted (which was something of a blessing, actually...) so the temptations on hand were Sundried Tomato and Basil Wheat Thins, as well as both raw and Smokehouse Almonds.  Again, not awful snacks, but I had a lot more of them than I should have.  That and the rest of the Teriyaki for dinner made for a sodium fun-fest of a weekend!  *eyeroll at self*

Today turned out better -- back on track.  I took in 1483 calories, and 120 oz. water, as well as my usual coffee.  I had rehearsal (gentle dancing for about a total of 40 minutes) and then I got home and did Level 1 of the 30 Day Shred DVD for the first time.  I was pink-faced and a sweaty after the 25 minute workout was done, but after the No More Trouble Zones DVD kicked my ass last week, this one (at least at level 1) wasn't too bad.  The previews of levels 2 and 3 (especially 3) look like they will be more of a challenge, for sure, though...

Time for bed -- G'night, all!

 

GOOOOOOOOAALLL!!!!!

I lost 1.5 pounds this week, which brings me exactly to meeting my short-term goal!  11 (official) pounds total shimmied away so far!  Yaaay!!!

I'm going to set my next short term goal to 15 lbs (after enjoying seeing it at the end point for a few minutes) so that by the time I hit my next short term goal, I will have lost 25!  Okay, 26, but if I aim for another 15 instead of 14 I will have the psychological victory of reaching another 5-lb. mark on the scale, rather than being one-off.  *Shrug*  Whatever works!  :}

I'm looking forward to our next Gaming afternoon tomorrow - it's always a lot of fun!  I got a pack of gum today, and it's already in my purse, ready to go, so hopefully the snacking situation won't be such a challenge.  Here's hoping!  I'm going to try to get in some exercise in the morning, but I don't know if I'll actually get to it.  Aunt Flo came a-visiting today, and she frequently brings her bastard daughter Mig Raine with her.  And she can be a REAL bitch...  :P 

I did good on my water today - 110 oz, in addition to half of my usual coffee.  I had added some sugar-free caramel syrup in celebration of it being Friday, and I wound up putting too much in -- Bleah.  Couldn't drink it all, but I still was tired and wanted more caffeine, so I got myself a 16-oz. Soy mocha with an extra shot of espresso.  Definitely made up for the bad cup!  :D  I didn't count calories this evening, but dinner was Teriyaki, and I had a lot left over, so I feel pretty good about the day, food-wise. 

Time to do a little catching-up on everyone else's blogs, and enjoy the fire my Honey is building.  G'Night all, and have a good weekend!

Quick Check-In

Long day today....  Fun show last night!  Some day I'll post a vid of me dancing - something I haven't done yet, Ninja.  ;)  Fat ladies singing have NOTHING on this fat lady dancing!!  ;}

Took in 1451 calories and 136 oz. fluid (including Gatorade G2; not including coffee) and did some good dancing in my classes tonight. 

Weigh-in tomorrow - we'll see what happens...! 

G'night, all!

Happy First of February!

Today was a pretty good day, although I didn't move as much as I wanted to, even with 2 dance classes!  The beginning class was about what I expected, activity-wise, but in the second class, I didn't do anywhere near as much dancing as I expected/wanted to, due to... well, due to me standing around and talking, instead of dancing.  *blush...*  Well, a really close friend I haven't seen in a LONG time came to class, so I was catching up with her for a bit, and then I wound up talking with my brother and sister-in-law for a while -- I called to ask them a question and then we had to spend some time catching up. (I love them dearly, but I don't really keep up with them or talk with them anywhere near enough.) And then all of a sudden, class was almost over.  *Sigh...*  Some days are like that.  Um...  I got a good workout of my cheeks and jaw from smiling and talking so much -- does that count...?

And I did it -- I bit the bullet. I went ahead and signed up for the Bike Ride I mentioned here... wow, that was almost a month ago!  I've obviously been considering it for a while...  I decided to go for the 55-mile start, so I'm not overreaching.  I'm going to have to build up my bike-butt!  And this will probably also give me incentive to finally figure a plan to bike to work - and then actually do it!  Once we get further in to Spring, and have more light in the day...  :} 

I took in 1389 calories and 113 oz. water, in addition to my usual coffee today.

Okay, I need to scooch off to bed.  I've got a performance tomorrow night (all right, technically "tonight"), so I'm not sure if I'll be checking in tomorrow later today or not.  Have a great day - stay safe and warm everyone, especially if you're in an area that is getting all that snow!

The Bra Must Go!

Why do bra-makers automatically assume that ladies who are generously endowed PREFER to have their bosoms made less of?!

Wearing this bra for the first time today, I realized that I don’t like how it makes my bust look.  It’s plenty comfortable (which can be hard to find at my size) but it makes me look like I’m about 2 cup sizes smaller than I really am, and it isn’t even labeled a “minimizer!”  Now before you say anything, the reason I can get away with such large bresticles is that the rest of my body is “proportionately” large, so they don’t look TOO outrageously huge.  (Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the good genes...) This bra manages to camouflage the girls so instead of looking proportional, I just look like a standard pear. UNLIKE!  I want to go back to my usual, which is a pear with a pair of cherries at the top.   I know, I should’ve taken more time when I was picking it out, but it really is comfortable, and I thought it would look better under my clothes then it does.  So the bra must go. Back.  It’s a good thing I still have the receipt and tags.  *sigh…*  I hate bra shopping!!!!

Today was a pretty good day, actually...  I took in 1318 calories and about 128 oz. H20 (in addition to my usual coffee).  I also had rehearsal (not too intense) for about an hour, and after I got home, I decided to get on the Eliptical for 48 minutes.  It felt great!  Boy was I dripping, and red-faced.  :D


Okay - time for me to go to bed.  G'Night, all - stay strong!

(Post edited for visibility)

I Did It! (Includes a Review of Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones)

This is the first Saturday in a long time that I've actually taken the time to do some exercising - Yay, me!  I very nearly didn't, but I didn't want to disappoint myself again.  So I did my new Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones DVD.  (The 30 Day Shred DVD hasn't arrived yet.) I really wasn't sure what to expect, except that it would kick my butt. 

I have to admit, I don't watch Biggest Loser, although I have seen enough episodes and commercials to know who Jillian is.  My impression of her (as a non-watcher, remember) is that she's a hard woman who doesn't have much sympathy for others.  The only reason I bought this DVD is because it came at such a good price when I ordered it with 30 Day Shred and 6 Week Six-Pack, and I was mainly interested in 30 Day Shred because of all the great reviews of it I'd been reading.

It's a really good workout!  The moves are clearly demonstrated, and except for the warm-up at the beginning, it's a pretty low-impact, although there are a lot of squat variations, which might be hard on problem knees.  I did have to pause to rest several times during the workout, and even when I get to the point where I can keep going throughout the whole thing, I will STILL have a ways to go before I could consider the thing "easy."  (Yeah, I don't really think that will ever happen, either...)

And Jillian is a good instructor!  She's down-to-earth, and will say things like "I don't like this exercise, but I love the results, so I do it anyway," which is refreshing.  In this DVD, she seems a lot more down-to-earth and approachable than I expected her to be - I thought she'd be more of a Drill-Sargent than she was. 

I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow -- which is a good thing!  :D