I've seemed to wander my way onto the fitness brick road to Healthville. Though things are progressing slowly (after all these vegetables, I should be 40 pounds lighter!), I feel like I'm embracing my lifestyle changes.
I'm trying to consistently exercise at least 4 days per week- Monday after Spanish class, Wednesday after meetings, and a combo of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday depending on when I can get moving. It's hard to put other things aside, but I rationalize my hours at the gym as a "treat" for my body. Sometimes that line of thinking works and sometimes I mumble a curse in response. I even tried a new machine at the gym that looks like a spider and makes me sweat more than Brad Pitt circa Fight Club. I probably looked really stupid doing it because it requires a mastery of leg and arm swinging coordination, but at the end of my scheduled 30 minutes I was convinced that I had burned off something since my body was on fire.
I also finally figured out that healthy eaters have to be Tupperware queens. I've started slicing and dicing veggies and fruit for easy access, and I've been trying to plan meals so my weekdays are much smoother and I can avoid the "I'm tired, we should order out" mantra in my head after work. I spent all Saturday chopping up anything that was green and leafy, and I even got some "veggie saver" containers to replace the scummy old ones that look dirty and are slightly tinged pink from spaghetti sauce even though I've run them through the dishwasher a million times. I felt officially health-minded as I chopped and washed, and I pretended that I was on a healthy cooking show to make things more interesting ("so now you want to cut the celery here and here..."). So far, the scale has been kinda stuck; I'm hoping if I stick with my plan, it will start to move in the right direction. If not, veggie party at my house!
PS - Any topics you're dying to have me discuss? I'm running out of ideas and want to know what you'd like to hear...
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11 comments:
It sounds like you're trying to get your head around the idea that you are empowered to succeed, not deprived. I am working on my 'weight issues' and 'food issues' too, and I believe your mental and emotional state are as important as the calories you consume and burn. Every time you "do the next right thing" you move one step closer to victory. Keep it up! You're on the right track!!
Would love to know the name of the Spider Machine. Always looking for a machine to burn high calories in a short time as running kills my knees and IT band! Two thoughts. I am in the calories in calories burned camp. Got to do the things that make you sweat ad you've stated. I would suggest that 30 mins is so much better than nothing but probably not enough for an unstuck scale - unless you are barely eating - which doesnt work because your body thinks its starving and goes into shut down mode. I may have missed is in your earlier blogs but you should probably visit a nutritionist (just once) to discuss optimum calories in - breakdown and total number (with total number mattering most for weight loss and breakdown (carbs, protein, fat, etc mattering most for health). Get a heart rate monitor and program it for calorie burn and for just a few weeks, really monitor in calories in, calories burned. It is far from a perfect science so you can't get super crazy but you will be able to associate calories in/burned with your personal weight loss. A simpler idea would be to increase your workouts to 45 minutes being sure you are sweating like crazy, really breathing hard for 30 mins or more of the total 45. Now you have a warm up and cool down in 30 so the workout is probably 20 at the weight loss heart rate. Do that and count your calories. If you can't count them, don't eat the food. It's amazingly simple but it works. Just do both of those things for two weeks and your scale, I'd bet, will unstick! The previous comment is so right - do the next right thing and keep your chin up. To do calories in/calories burned you have to have a positive, can do, can conquer attitude. You are a wonderful, talented, beautiful woman. Go get it! PS - I am healthy for only the second time in my life and it is a challenge everyday to stay that way. It gets easier but not much. The payoff is being healthy and being able to run around after your kids without wanting to cry or take a nap!
Definitely sounds like the longevity of your workouts is your culprit. I used to go to the Y and do 30 minute workouts and I never lost weight. It wasn't until I was spending an hour (or close to it) that I started seeing results (I also increased my number of days to five). BTW, you need to get over your vegetable phobia. They don't have to be all that you eat so I don't understand the problem unless you've grown up NEVER eating them at all.
Time for an honest assessment of what is going on with your weight loss program. After 3 months you have lost maybe 12 pounds. This would be fine except you state you are stuck. Why are you stuck? You should not be stuck at this low weight loss. Here's what I suggest:
1. Get to the gym a minimum of 4 days, preferably 5 times a week. Gym is an all encompassing word - can be a run, the gym, the pool, a bike ride, etc. You state you are "trying" to get 4 days in. Stop trying, start doing. Each session must be a minimum of 60 minutes.
2. Nutrition - are you logging what you eat? Are you counting your calories? If not, why? Are you trying to starve yourself but not working out? That won't work.
3. Great suggestion on the HR monitor. Go buy one today. Get your HR up and keep it up during exercise. Train in zones.
4. Set a mid term (4-6 week) fitness goal and work towards it. Maybe it is running a mile, who knows. You have to do something.
5. Join a fitness group or take a regular class at the Y. This will hold you accountable to others.
You have got to buckle down on this. The reason you are running out of things to blog about is because you really haven't made the changes to lose the weight. I suspect when the changes take place you will have no trouble finding things to blog about. It's like you are at the door and keep knocking on it but won't turn the knob and go in.
Those fizzy things that clean dentures will clean those spaghetti stains off your tupperware.
Good for you for prepping your food. I do the exact same thing and it does wonders to be able to just grab the stuff right out of the fridge. I try and cook on Sunday nights the food for the week so all you have to do is come home and throw it in the oven or microwave.
I know when I was first losing weight I hated the idea of a full 30-60 minute walk, so I would break that walk down to 4 or 5 times a day to 10-15 minute power walks through out the day. It helped it not seem as daunting.
Keeping a food diary will help you a lot. There are plenty of apps that you can easily use if you have a smartphone. Also, watch your carbs and sugars, even peas and corn are loaded.
Best of luck!
When walking try adding some wrist or/and ankle weights for an extra burn
Hey Melissa,
I haven't read all of your post but this has worked the best for me.
1 Commit to two weekly things: A long walk/jog/run outside (start at an hour build to 2), and buying almost all of grocery list from vegetables and fruits at the grocery store or farmers market.
2 Try to eat a green smoothie every morning. 1 part dark green leafy vegetables with bananas, frozen blueberries, strawberries coconut, oil (a good fat) and ground flaxseed meal. They taste great
3 adding some crosstraining or short 2-3 mile interval runs 2x a week to your long walk will also make things easier
Try Zumba. If you want to get your heart rate up and sweat, Zumba is the thing. And it really is fun. Also, variety is the key with exercise...try alternating walking and bike riding with Zumba. Also, I agree with the suggestion that you keep a record of what you eat and total up the calories to be sure you are on track. It keeps you accountable to you.
What about the book you got with the new eating plan you were going to blog about. I have been waiting to hear about it. Even if you do not follow it completly, I would still like to know the name of the book and plan.
Good work on the prepping ahead with your tupperware containers. One less thing to stress about :)
Melissa,Please remember to check out the local farmers markets that will be opening soon. Lots of beautiful, fresh,local fruits and veggies to choose from and at decent prices. I also think this would make a great blog topic. Check out several throughout the season and let the readers know what you find.
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