Well, February turned out to be an okay month with an 8 pound weight loss. I think that 5 of those pounds came off within the same week... the other 3 inched their way off. I've lost 4 more pounds since the last day in February, though... so maybe March will be a bigger loss.
Sometimes it gets so frustrating when those slow weeks come along. I start to feel like I'm working my tail off and getting nowhere. Then, out of the blue, I'll lose several pounds overnight, it seems. Then I start to feel like maybe my hard work isn't for nothing.
My trainer has really started pushing me harder lately. More cardio, especially. I am up to doing an hour of cardio each session. It's hard, but if it's what I need to do to keep the weight moving off, I'll do it. Last Monday, the day before the weigh-in for the competition I'm in, my trainer had me strength train, do an hour on the elliptical machine... then he told me to go home, have dinner, rest for a little bit, then come back and do an hour in the treadmill! I thought he had lost his mind because I didn't think I could manage 2 hours of cardio, but I did it.
So, since yesterday was the day before a weigh-in, I tried the crazy 2 hours of cardio thing again. Only I decided to break it up a little more by getting up at 4:30am to do an hour before work. Then I did another hour after work. Today was weigh-in, and I thought that it wasn't going to be good since the scale at the gym had me stuck at the same weight all week. But, I stepped on the scale and it showed a 4.4 pound loss! I was so surprised that I made them weigh me again to make sure.
I bought two new shirts at Target last week... I was excited to fit into a size 20/22 stretch v-neck tee. I've also bought a pair of stretch jeans from a store that are a size 22. I haven't changed my stats to a size 22 jeans yet, though, because I want to fit into different brands in a size 22 before I consider myself there. But I sure do love wearing those jeans! :)
I'm going to keep chugging along... you do the same!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Oh my gosh, it's been a while...
I know it's been a while since my last post. But sometimes life and busy schedules get in the way of blogging. :)
So, I'm down to 278. It's been slow-going lately, but I really can't complain much when I'm down 122 pounds in less than 11 months. I am still in that weight loss competition I mentioned last time. My team isn't doing so hot... but some people aren't as committed as they said they were in the beginning. If there's anything I've learned on this weight loss journey, it's that you have to want it. Some of my teammates obviously don't want it. If you don't want it, it isn't going to happen no matter what other people say to you. There's something that clicked inside for me last April and I haven't looked back. I made a commitment to myself and I will never look back.
My losses for the competition haven't been too impressive lately. But, it's hard for me to compete with the people who are just starting out with their weight loss. My body used to lose 5-6 pounds in a week... it just can't do that all the time anymore. I haven't hit a plateau, because I am always having some kind of loss each week... even if it's 1/2 a pound. I should be more grateful for those little losses, but it's hard. I want to be under 200 pounds now. Not later, but NOW. Ugh. I'll get there eventually.
I don't have any recent progress pics to post. I think I might take some when I hit 275, which will be 125 lbs gone. That's a nice milestone to mark with progress pictures.
So, I'm down to 278. It's been slow-going lately, but I really can't complain much when I'm down 122 pounds in less than 11 months. I am still in that weight loss competition I mentioned last time. My team isn't doing so hot... but some people aren't as committed as they said they were in the beginning. If there's anything I've learned on this weight loss journey, it's that you have to want it. Some of my teammates obviously don't want it. If you don't want it, it isn't going to happen no matter what other people say to you. There's something that clicked inside for me last April and I haven't looked back. I made a commitment to myself and I will never look back.
My losses for the competition haven't been too impressive lately. But, it's hard for me to compete with the people who are just starting out with their weight loss. My body used to lose 5-6 pounds in a week... it just can't do that all the time anymore. I haven't hit a plateau, because I am always having some kind of loss each week... even if it's 1/2 a pound. I should be more grateful for those little losses, but it's hard. I want to be under 200 pounds now. Not later, but NOW. Ugh. I'll get there eventually.
I don't have any recent progress pics to post. I think I might take some when I hit 275, which will be 125 lbs gone. That's a nice milestone to mark with progress pictures.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Quick Update...
I know I haven't updated all month, but there isn't much to report on the weight loss front. The scale isn't moving! Well, it did dip down to 289 one day, but was back up to 290 the next day. It's frustrating, but I'm not letting it derail me.
One thing that I think it going to get the scale moving again is that my county is having a weight loss competition. The first weigh-in was last night. It's like a Biggest Loser type thing but you register with a team of 5. My trainer put together a team and I'm on it. So, I'm looking forward to shaking things up a bit... nothing like a little competition to motivate me! And there are cash prizes, so that's good motivation, too. I'm not sure how much money will be awarded because it depends on the number of teams who sign up. The competition lasts for 12 weeks and you pay $5.00 at each weekly weigh-in. If you miss a weigh-in, you owe an extra $5.00. And if you gain weight, you pay $1.00 per pound gained!
So, here's to working hard for the next 12 weeks!
One thing that I think it going to get the scale moving again is that my county is having a weight loss competition. The first weigh-in was last night. It's like a Biggest Loser type thing but you register with a team of 5. My trainer put together a team and I'm on it. So, I'm looking forward to shaking things up a bit... nothing like a little competition to motivate me! And there are cash prizes, so that's good motivation, too. I'm not sure how much money will be awarded because it depends on the number of teams who sign up. The competition lasts for 12 weeks and you pay $5.00 at each weekly weigh-in. If you miss a weigh-in, you owe an extra $5.00. And if you gain weight, you pay $1.00 per pound gained!
So, here's to working hard for the next 12 weeks!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Before/Current Picture...
Thank you to everyone who has commented on my progress lately. It's really encouraging for me to know that people are reading and are being inspired by what I've done. So many people are inspirations for me, so it's nice to inspire even one person.
Someone asked me about my height... I am short, 5'4". You wouldn't think that someone who is 5'4" and weighs 290 pounds would be able to fit into a size 24 women's jeans and a 2x shirt. But, for some reason, I am so much heavier on the scale than people think when they look at me. When I started working with my trainer and he weighed me for the first time and I was 400 pounds, he couldn't believe it. He said that he never would have thought that I was over 350. He says that it's most likely because I have a lot of muscle. But, I know I still have a lot of fat, too!
According to medical charts, for my height, my "healthy" weight range should be between 108 and 145 pounds. Yeah right! According to my trainer's fancy scale, I am carrying 133 pounds of muscle and 7 pounds of bone. That means that at 0% body fat, I would still weigh 140... the higher end of that "healthy" weight range. A healthy body fat percentage for women my age is 21%-33%. So, it's possible that I can weigh 200 pounds at the end of all this, and have 30% body fat, which is healthy. I think I'd look pretty good then! Of course I won't know until I get there. :)
I didn't mean to go off on a tangent... I was just trying to say that I can't really go by the medical weight charts for my height because my body composition doesn't seem to be in line with the "average" person's.
On to a progress pic!
Someone asked me about my height... I am short, 5'4". You wouldn't think that someone who is 5'4" and weighs 290 pounds would be able to fit into a size 24 women's jeans and a 2x shirt. But, for some reason, I am so much heavier on the scale than people think when they look at me. When I started working with my trainer and he weighed me for the first time and I was 400 pounds, he couldn't believe it. He said that he never would have thought that I was over 350. He says that it's most likely because I have a lot of muscle. But, I know I still have a lot of fat, too!
According to medical charts, for my height, my "healthy" weight range should be between 108 and 145 pounds. Yeah right! According to my trainer's fancy scale, I am carrying 133 pounds of muscle and 7 pounds of bone. That means that at 0% body fat, I would still weigh 140... the higher end of that "healthy" weight range. A healthy body fat percentage for women my age is 21%-33%. So, it's possible that I can weigh 200 pounds at the end of all this, and have 30% body fat, which is healthy. I think I'd look pretty good then! Of course I won't know until I get there. :)
I didn't mean to go off on a tangent... I was just trying to say that I can't really go by the medical weight charts for my height because my body composition doesn't seem to be in line with the "average" person's.
On to a progress pic!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Happy New Year!
Well, I'm a little early with the New Year wishes... but I probably won't remember to blog tomorrow, so the wishes are coming now. :)
December has been a good weight loss month for me. I lost 10 pounds in December! Who does that? Certainly has never been me before... I usually gain 10 pounds in December from all of the Christmas treats and goodies! But, my trainer gave me a challenge to lose 10 pounds this month and I actually did it. After a 7 pound loss in November, I was happy to be in the double digits this month... barely, but it still counts. :)
I can't believe I've lost 110 pounds in the last 9 months! It's not like me to stick with a healthy eating plan for this long... and it's definitely NOT like me to stick with exercise. But it feels really good to see the scale go down and see my jeans size shrink. The 24's that were tight last month are feeling really good now. I can't wait to buy a pair of jeans from the GAP, though! I've always thought of the GAP as the store for cute skinny girls. While I will probably never be "skinny" I will be healthy and I'll be rockin' the GAP jeans before I know it. :)
I think that 2008 is going to be a good year. :)
December has been a good weight loss month for me. I lost 10 pounds in December! Who does that? Certainly has never been me before... I usually gain 10 pounds in December from all of the Christmas treats and goodies! But, my trainer gave me a challenge to lose 10 pounds this month and I actually did it. After a 7 pound loss in November, I was happy to be in the double digits this month... barely, but it still counts. :)
I can't believe I've lost 110 pounds in the last 9 months! It's not like me to stick with a healthy eating plan for this long... and it's definitely NOT like me to stick with exercise. But it feels really good to see the scale go down and see my jeans size shrink. The 24's that were tight last month are feeling really good now. I can't wait to buy a pair of jeans from the GAP, though! I've always thought of the GAP as the store for cute skinny girls. While I will probably never be "skinny" I will be healthy and I'll be rockin' the GAP jeans before I know it. :)
I think that 2008 is going to be a good year. :)
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas!
Yesterday I had 12 people over for dinner. My husband's family has their big Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve, and this year we hosted. There were some no-no goodies around here, but I didn't have any. I roasted a wonderful turkey and made some stuffing out of whole wheat bread. So, I ate turkey, a little stuffing, green beans, and a salad. For dessert I skipped the pies and cookies and just had a few strawberries with a little bit of whipped cream and some sugar-free apple cider. I wanted some of the fluffy mashed potatoes, because I make some really good ones, but I refrained. I know that it's just one day, but I didn't want to have a repeat of what happened at Thanksgiving. I ate well and I went to bed at the end of the day feeling good and proud of myself.
Today is leftover turkey, which I love! :)
Merry Christmas, everyone! If you stay on plan, good for you! If you don't, that's okay... just make sure you are right back on tomorrow!
Today is leftover turkey, which I love! :)
Merry Christmas, everyone! If you stay on plan, good for you! If you don't, that's okay... just make sure you are right back on tomorrow!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Italian food... Are you kidding me?
So, the teachers in my grade level wanted to get together for an early dinner last week as our little grade-level-Christmas-celebration-whatever-thing. And they picked an italian restaurant. They wanted to get together at 4:00 on a Monday afternoon for dinner at an italian restaurant. They know that I'm dieting. I don't eat pasta! They know that I go to the gym practically every day after school, between 3:30-4:30. So, I wasn't happy about the thought of being in an italian restaurant during my normal exercise time. But, I felt like I had to go... so I knew that this would take quite a bit of self-control. I sort of looked at it as a personal challenge.
I packed my workout clothes in my car and had a plan to go to the gym immediately after the restaurant. This meant that I couldn't eat a full dinner meal and then expect to hoof it on the treadmill without throwing up on the equipment, which is really frowned upon at my gym. So, while everyone else ordered super delicious Italian meals, I had a small garden salad and lots and lots of water with lemon. Yes, I sat there at the table surrounded by plates of Sicilian pizza, chicken parmesan, fettuccine alfredo, baked ziti, and spaghetti and meatballs... and I ate my small little lettuce, cucumber, and tomato salad. And the never-ending baskets of hot, fresh, buttery, garlic knots were killing me. Absolutely killing me! But I drank more and more water and kept my thoughts on my goals. And I didn't touch any of that food.
Towards the end of the meal, one of the women I was with commented that I have much more restraint than she ever would in that situation. I told her that my goals are more important than any of that food. I left the restaurant in good spirits and went straight to the gym for 30 minutes on the treadmill. And it felt really great. It felt like I had accomplished a huge thing for myself that day. I realized that I can be in the same room... at the same table... with some of my favorite foods in the whole wide world... and that passing them up won't kill me. Who'da thunk it?
I packed my workout clothes in my car and had a plan to go to the gym immediately after the restaurant. This meant that I couldn't eat a full dinner meal and then expect to hoof it on the treadmill without throwing up on the equipment, which is really frowned upon at my gym. So, while everyone else ordered super delicious Italian meals, I had a small garden salad and lots and lots of water with lemon. Yes, I sat there at the table surrounded by plates of Sicilian pizza, chicken parmesan, fettuccine alfredo, baked ziti, and spaghetti and meatballs... and I ate my small little lettuce, cucumber, and tomato salad. And the never-ending baskets of hot, fresh, buttery, garlic knots were killing me. Absolutely killing me! But I drank more and more water and kept my thoughts on my goals. And I didn't touch any of that food.
Towards the end of the meal, one of the women I was with commented that I have much more restraint than she ever would in that situation. I told her that my goals are more important than any of that food. I left the restaurant in good spirits and went straight to the gym for 30 minutes on the treadmill. And it felt really great. It felt like I had accomplished a huge thing for myself that day. I realized that I can be in the same room... at the same table... with some of my favorite foods in the whole wide world... and that passing them up won't kill me. Who'da thunk it?
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
I'm a 2-hundred-something!
After hitting 300 the other day, I knew that my time weighing over 300 pounds was quickly coming to an end. It ended today! I wasn't going to weigh until Saturday, but something made me try it out today and I'm glad I did. 298.5!
When I went to enter my weight into the elliptical machine, I absentmindedly pressed the 3 as in 3-hundred-something. Then I remembered that no, I'm no longer a 3-hundred-something... I am a 2-hundred-something! Yay!
I think the last time I weighed under 300 pounds was at least 10 years ago. From this day on, I will do everything in my power to never weigh in the 300's again.
When I went to enter my weight into the elliptical machine, I absentmindedly pressed the 3 as in 3-hundred-something. Then I remembered that no, I'm no longer a 3-hundred-something... I am a 2-hundred-something! Yay!
I think the last time I weighed under 300 pounds was at least 10 years ago. From this day on, I will do everything in my power to never weigh in the 300's again.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
100 pounds gone!
I got on the scale this morning hoping, praying, to be under 300 pounds. The digital scale read 300.2... then dipped down to 299.9... then kept hopping between 300.2 and 299.9. I stood as still as I possibly could and the scale finally stopped bouncing and rested at 300 even. I found myself feeling really bummed about it. :( I didn't do so well on Thanksgiving and the scale was all the way up to 306 at the beginning of this week. So, I decided to be very disciplined with my eating this week and paid close attention to portions and water and everything. I really wanted to get under 300. So, I spent a minute feeling down over the weigh-in.
But, then I realized that weighing in at 300 means that I've officially lost 100 pounds. That's definitely nothing to be bummed out about! So, I started feeling a lot better once I realized that I'm the girl who has lost 100 pounds in exactly 8 months. Not a lot of people actually accomplish that, and I should be proud. And I am. :) I've lost a lot of inches, too... 8 inches off my bust, 10 inches off my waist, 5 inches from my hips, 7 inches from my thigh, and 5 inches from my upper arm.
My mom came to visit me today and she was really excited about my milestone loss. She wanted to take me to buy a new outfit to celebrate. I bought a pair of size 24 jeans! They have a slight stretch to them, which I know helps them fit. They aren't tight, but are definitely form-fitting... but, they slide on, button, and zip and I can breathe and sit comfortably, so I'm claiming it... I've gone from a 32 jean to a size 24. In 8 months!!
Here are my old jeans... it might be hard to tell, but they are filled with a lot of air now. And, yes, I know I have no head...
But, then I realized that weighing in at 300 means that I've officially lost 100 pounds. That's definitely nothing to be bummed out about! So, I started feeling a lot better once I realized that I'm the girl who has lost 100 pounds in exactly 8 months. Not a lot of people actually accomplish that, and I should be proud. And I am. :) I've lost a lot of inches, too... 8 inches off my bust, 10 inches off my waist, 5 inches from my hips, 7 inches from my thigh, and 5 inches from my upper arm.
My mom came to visit me today and she was really excited about my milestone loss. She wanted to take me to buy a new outfit to celebrate. I bought a pair of size 24 jeans! They have a slight stretch to them, which I know helps them fit. They aren't tight, but are definitely form-fitting... but, they slide on, button, and zip and I can breathe and sit comfortably, so I'm claiming it... I've gone from a 32 jean to a size 24. In 8 months!!
Here are my old jeans... it might be hard to tell, but they are filled with a lot of air now. And, yes, I know I have no head...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
How I'm Doing It...
Someone inquired in the comments about my typical day's food and exercise. So, I thought I'd post about what I do each day.
My diet is most like the South Beach diet. I avoid sugar and most highly processed foods. I don't eat potatoes or white bread or white rice. I also stay away from pasta except for the very, very occasional Dreamfields. I drink a minimum of 2 liters of water a day. I limit diet soda to 1 per day but I do drink Crystal Light. I also make sure to eat every 3 hours.
A typical day's menu looks like this:
Breakfast: I eat breakfast every single day. It's so much more important than most people realize. I usually have one of the following for breakfast:
My menus look a little different on the weekends because we might go out to eat. Whenever we go to restaurants, I usually end up getting some kind of salad with grilled chicken because I know it's a safe choice. Or I might get grilled chicken with steamed veggies.
Exercise: I think I exercise a lot. I never really stuck to an exercise routine during my previous weight loss attempts. No matter what anyone says, I truly feel like my exercise has been a huge reason I've been successful this time around. I'm a member of a 24-hour gym and I go 5 days a week. On 3 of the days, I do 30 minutes of strength training using free weights and machines. Then, I do 20 minutes of cardio... either on the treadmill or the elliptical machine. On the other 2 days I do cardio only and I try to do at least 30 minutes. Sometimes I will go to the local high school track instead of the gym once a week to do some walking/jogging on the track.
I am also blessed beyond belief to be working with a personal trainer at the gym. I train with him once a week. If it weren't for him, I honestly believe I would still weigh 400 pounds. He's my angel.
My diet is most like the South Beach diet. I avoid sugar and most highly processed foods. I don't eat potatoes or white bread or white rice. I also stay away from pasta except for the very, very occasional Dreamfields. I drink a minimum of 2 liters of water a day. I limit diet soda to 1 per day but I do drink Crystal Light. I also make sure to eat every 3 hours.
A typical day's menu looks like this:
Breakfast: I eat breakfast every single day. It's so much more important than most people realize. I usually have one of the following for breakfast:
- 2 eggs with turkey bacon
- 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal with 3 strawberries and light vanilla soy milk
- 3/4 cup Special K Protein Plus cereal with 3 strawberries and light vanilla soy milk
- South Beach High Protein cereal bar
- smoothie made with 1 c. light vanilla soy milk, 3 strawberries, yogurt, ice
- salad with grilled chicken and light ranch dressing (most days I have this)
- leftover meat from dinner with a side salad or veggie
- deli turkey on a Flat Out wrap with some cheese
- tuna with a little mayo on 2 Wasa crackers with raw veggies & light ranch
- South Beach Diet wrap kit (I buy these for when I have no time to make lunch)
- Dannon LightnFit Carb Control yogurt with 3-4 strawberries (not if I had strawberries at breakfast)
- Apple with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- celery with peanut butter
- string cheese or cheddar cheese with a few slices deli turkey
- 1 oz. almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts
- sugar free jello
- cottage cheese
- raw veggies with light ranch (broccoli, cucumbers, sugar snap peas)
My menus look a little different on the weekends because we might go out to eat. Whenever we go to restaurants, I usually end up getting some kind of salad with grilled chicken because I know it's a safe choice. Or I might get grilled chicken with steamed veggies.
Exercise: I think I exercise a lot. I never really stuck to an exercise routine during my previous weight loss attempts. No matter what anyone says, I truly feel like my exercise has been a huge reason I've been successful this time around. I'm a member of a 24-hour gym and I go 5 days a week. On 3 of the days, I do 30 minutes of strength training using free weights and machines. Then, I do 20 minutes of cardio... either on the treadmill or the elliptical machine. On the other 2 days I do cardio only and I try to do at least 30 minutes. Sometimes I will go to the local high school track instead of the gym once a week to do some walking/jogging on the track.
I am also blessed beyond belief to be working with a personal trainer at the gym. I train with him once a week. If it weren't for him, I honestly believe I would still weigh 400 pounds. He's my angel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)