New Measurements...not much change...

Bust: 39
Waist: 34.5
Hips: 44 ish

I haven't weighed myself in a while ... kinda scared to do that ... the past couple months have been very light on the gym-going.  My knee is all messed up, and I don't have a gym partner anymore ... sigh.  It's gonna be really hard to get down to size 10 by May.  I'm 2 sizes away and have 5.5 months.  I'm losing motivation and momentum.  I'm gonna go ride the bike and pout.

Update

191.6 ... measurements are pretty much the same ... 44 on the hips instead of 45.  Off to the gym again.

Wednesday Morning Weigh-in (11/3/10)

192.6 ... down a couple more pounds!  This is so crazy because I haven't been to the gym in over a week and a half!  A trainer friend told me to work more on my diet and less on intense exercise.  No carbs after 6 pm ... and protein with every meal ... sounds crazy-ish...but I shall try this approach.  I ALMOST met my October goal, which was to get down to 190 or 189.  I hope to break into the 180's in November :)

BACK TO THE GYM TODAY...CRAMPS OR NO CRAMPS!!!

A New Approach

This month my weight has increased instead of decreasing OI!  So, I called up my personal trainer friend for some advice.  His main advice to me was to stop eating carbs after 6 pm.  Now, having tried both the Atkins and Paleo diets, I am a bit leary.  Anyhoot, I figured I'd give his way a try for a few weeks...can't hurt I suppose.  No carbs after 6 pm ... siiiiiiiiiiigh ... time for some meal ideas research.  He's supposed to go to the gym with me and give me pointers, but we will see if he's able to make time for that.  He says that all of the classes I've been doing are too much.  Imagine that...me doing TOO MUCH exercise.  I'm taking this week off to give my knee a rest and will start anew on Monday.

Measurements Update (10/23/10)

My weight is pretty much staying the same, but here are my measurements:

Bust - 40.5
Waist - 35
Hips - 45

Weigh In - 10/12/10

I was down to 194 this morning.  I hope to be below 190 at the end of October :D

*** UPDATE ***

I meant to post this the morning after the last post... I weighed myself the next morning and was down to 196.2 ... which is about 13 pounds down from where I started... I dunno if I gained any back this weekend, but I probably won't weigh again until next week....I need to get a handle on my weekends, but I just want to get out of the house so badly that I end up eating junk :(

Slowly But Surely

In the past month and a half I've lost about 11 pounds.  It came off quickly at first, but for the past couple weeks it has held steady at one number.  BUT, I finally dropped below 200, which was my initial goal.  My next goal is to get below 190.  I had hoped to lose 3 pounds this week, but the scale isn't cooperating.  I've eaten pretty light this week and worked out extra...GRRR!  Anyway, the week isn't over yet.  Here are the current stats:

198.6 pounds
Bust: 42
Waist: 36
Hips: 45

Lazy Update

I'm down almost 10 lbs.  Finally going to the gym on the regular ... 3 to 5 times a week ... it's hard, but I hope it will continue to pay off.

28 Weeks Till My Birthday

There are about 28 weeks left until my birthday ... if I can manage to lose about 2 pounds a week until that date, then I will be at my first goal.  We'll call the week of the 21st "Week 1" ... All systems are GO.

Buddha Belly Sigh

I've done nothing this week to help my situation...just been cranky and mopey.  I really stink when it comes to getting motivated to go to the gym or exercise in general.  It really helped when Jamie was going with me.  Now, if I go, I'm all on my own.  I must say that it is much easier to sit on the couch and eat crap than to actually try to eat healthy and exercise ... I mean, come on, that would take EFFORT.  All my self loathing really doesn't help, but I am what I am and that's all that I am.  Can Jillian Michaels come yell at me everyday, please?  I keep having that "I'll start tomorrow" mentality which leads to never starting at all.  One day last week I managed to carry my happy butt to the gym, but that was only because I was so angry with my job that I wanted to run the frustration out.

Now I've become so defeated feeling that I don't even want to try.  Like I've told Jamie before (whether this sounds weak or not) I just CANNOT do this on my own ... I lack motivation and will power.  I've considered trying a program of sorts (i.e. Weight Watchers), but I know I'd probably just flake on it like I do everything else.   I know HOW to do things right ... It's just that I don't ever feel like putting forth the effort ... I mostly just feel down and depressed.  I considered getting a nice vegetarian cookbook with simple recipes and cooking every night.  Jamie said he'd be on board with it...but I dunno if he means it.  The boy likes meat.  We both get mopey and lazy and just end up going out to eat sometimes.

I've been struggling with this weight for a looooooong time, and I'm just SO ready to be rid of it...It's all I think about CONSTANTLY.  I come up with good plans in my head to lose the weight, but I never fully finish what I start.  My latest idea was to jog 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes and also do some sort of resistance training 2 days a week.  I also decided to switch to a more vegetarian type diet since I'm not a huge meat eater.  Sounds good in theory ... but I dunno if I will ever follow through.

You'd think with all the extra time I've had since April that I would have made some headway, but NO ... I'm exactly where I was before.  I just can't seem to sleep at night which leads to sleeping late everyday, and it becomes a vicious cycle.  I was trying to set my alarms for 9 ish and do the gym and pool before work ... never made it ... I'm just SO frustrated ... GRRRRRRRRRRRR ... Somebody please come shake me!

I need to make a plan of attack again.  My whole weight loss poster was a bust.  Our end date is July 4th for that, and we were supposed to have lost at least 30 pounds.  NOPE!  I wonder if I should start my food journal back up...What should be my weight loss goal? OR Should I go by pants sizes again?  I'd like to say that I want to lose 50 pounds by my birthday ... Is that irrational?  50 pounds over the next 6 months... that's 8.3 pounds a month ... which is about 2 pounds a week ... that actually sounds TOTALLY doable.  This means I'll actually have to figure out an exercise program ... and the food thing ... I shall go to the bookstore tomorrow and find my vegetarian bible.

Okay, I'm starting to feel more positive .... when I was trying, I was losing 2-4 pounds a week ... Let's go ahead and commit to revamping the diet and getting regular exercise ... even if I go alone.  HANDS IN ... 1 2 3 GO TEAM! .... or just GO ME!

EVERYBODY LIMBO!!!

I am so sick and tired of my life being in limbo.  It's like I'm always waiting for something to come through, so I can get serious about this whole weightloss shinanigans.  The economy can kiss my donkey!!  I just want us to get settled for Pete's sake!!!!!!!!!!  I feel like I can't ever get comfortable because we are always waiting for this job that MIGHT come through.  Pleeeeeeeeeease just let this one come through ... I'm begging ... I just want to get settled back into a normal routine where the only thing I have to worry about and focus on is dropping this 50 freakin pounds I've been battling with for the past couple years.  I DO NOT want to leave 2010 weighing the same or more than I started it with.  There's no reason for it to not be down.  Right now my head is just swimming with so many "what if's" that I cannot focus on weightloss ... I mean ... I can barely sleep at night lately.  I'm just so frustrated and so tired of waiting to start living my life.  My patience is wearing thin my friend...I just wish my body would do the same *rimshot*

Activities

Went for a 2 mile walk/jog on Tuesday and went for an hour swim today.  Trying to stay active.

I'll get you next time fat, NEEEEEEEXT TIIIIIME!!!!

Since April my life has been an absolute whirlwind.  I just don't know if I'll ever rid myself of this extra 50 pounds I'm carrying around.  It's easy to plan things out in your head of how you are going to do better, but executing those plans is quite another story.  Since April I've been cut to part time at my job and had 2 parents in the hospital (one was Jamie's dad...the other was my dad).  To say the least I've been stressed out and maybe a bit depressed, so weightloss was put on the back burner AGAIN.  I've pretty much stayed at the same weight the whole time ... going up and down by a few pounds constantly ... I've been walk/jogging here and there, but not on any regular basis like I should.  I really don't know what to do at this point.  I guess all I can do is try my best.  It's just one extra stress that I don't really want to deal with right now ... Le Sigh ... Can somebody lose weight FOR me? Please?

Day 92 - First Sunday Weigh In

We weighed in this morning, and I lost 3 pounds this week!  WOOHOO!  Maybe the scale is not as evil as once thought.  Gotta keep the momentum going though ... for the next 15 weeks ... July 4th is the first goal date we've set up :D

DAY 90!!!! - A Leisurely Stroll

We went to the mountain as planned...it was SO nice.  Saw tons of deer and jogged a little :)  I'd like to do it more often!  Tomorrow is a jog day...wish me luck!  OH...and I made a weight loss chart for me and Jamie since I bought a digital scale yesterday...15 weeks...the short term goal date is JULY 4TH! 

Day 89 - Run Like You Stole Something

Walk/jogged today ... about 2.5 miles in 35 ish minutes.  I went and bought a scale also ... I even stepped on it when I got home ... FRIGHTENING!! I'm gonna make a chart for me and Jamie to track any loss.  Weigh ins are on Sundays if you want to come over and join in on the fun...HA!  We're gonna walk up Kennesaw Mountain tomorrow :)

Day 88 - She's Building Speed Folks

I'm slowly getting this train wreck back on track.  We restarted our jogging program this week.  If all goes as planned I should be jogging 30 minutes straight in the next several weeks ... by several I mean 8-12.  CHUGA CHUGA CHOO CHOO  Anyhoot, food is getting back on track as we are getting settled down in our new apartment.  We had dinner with Jamie's parents tonight as they were leaving town, but I promise I'll try to be good the rest of the week...believe me?  Maybe I should stop TRYING and just start DOING.  That is easier said than done though.  My willpower and motivation have and will always be my downfall.  Those are definitely 2 difficult things to overcome.  But, hey, if I can give up soda, anything is possible...right?  Been soda sober for almost 5 months now.  Hasn't seemed to help me lose an ounce of weight, but I know it is better to not have it.  YADA YADA YADA BLAH BLAH BLAH GOODNIGHT!

Day 84 - Down in the Dumps :(

Well, I had my review at work today, and it really brought me down ... way down.  So, when I got home I opted for the required "self pity nap."  Today was going to be a walk day for us, but Jamie didn't wake me up like he was supposed to.  Anyway, we walk/jogged yesterday and will tomorrow.  There are plans for a walk on Saturday.  I didn't get to go home for lunch since my review lasted 2 hours, so I got a small thing from Zaxby's ... which made me feel sick to my stomach ... awesome ... grease ... bleh.  I guess I will not be on the internet for a while at work since someone ratted me out ... gotta love the way you can trust your coworkers.

Day 82 - OH MY SHEESH, Y'ALL!

This move has taken a lot more of my time than I expected.  At least I'm back to eating at home and not eating out this week.  After last week's foodfest, my pants are a wee bit snug.  At the beginning of this year I had NO IDEA how hard this was going to be...Here I am 82 days in, and I have not lost a single pants size.  It's RE-DONKEY-LOUS!!  I'm starting to think that will-power and motivation are imaginary things that my brain cannot grasp.  BLARG!  Now Jamie has set a goal date of June 1st to be down in weight, but he hasn't done anything either!  I feel like I'm trying to win a drag race with no wheels on the car.  Lawdy, lawdy, lawdy ... I would just throw my hands up in defeat, but I REALLY wanna wear my new bathing suit ... Well, I want to wear it and not have small children scream in fear... I'm going to get Jamie to give me the grand tour of the new gym ... I can't decide if I want to try to start back while I have all this moving to do, or if I should just wait till that job is done.  I've lost a pants size in a month before, so I know I'm capable.  I've gotta work on my sleep schedule, so I don't feel exhausted all the time ... I shall complain some more later! K Thnx!

Day 77 - Diet Disaster

Jamie and I have been moving stuff over to the new place bit by bit, so I have not made it to the gym but I have been physically active at least.  Food this week has just been a stinkin' joke.  We decided to not buy anymore food until we are fully moved on Sunday which means eating out A LOT!!  Oh my word ... I just feel horrible!  BLEH!  Anyway, I've decided to go back to my ole safe diet from days past of Lean Cuisines and salad.  I may try the Kashi meals...but same difference.  I'm not sure what to do for lunch, but it'll probably be sandwich-like.  Good news is that there are now CHOCOLATE Cheerios which are apparently as good for you as the original ... I may have to try those out.  Jamie claims he has some 30 day workout thing he's gonna put me on next week...we'll see...I haven't seen the new gym yet.  Anyway, I'm all about starting on a Monday or the 1st of a month or IN THIS CASE the first day of Spring... I'm one of those "I'll start tomorrow" people.  Jeez I frustrate me!!!  Just let me get through this move, and we'll see what kind of damage I can do to this fluff. GRRR!

Day 73 - Can I get a Do Over??

I think I'm going to try to watch my calories more closely and spend 30 mins in the gym as many days as I can...BUT I'm about to start moving...SO we'll see how consistent I can stay.

Day 70 - LOST

No, not the TV show ... just me in general.  I've had a horrible week emotionally, and it has been reflected in my eating and lack of exercise.  I was thinking earlier, "Why do I even bother to create challenges for myself?"... The 30 day challenge I made for myself was a joke.  I haven't done Spartacus once this month, and I've only jogged twice.  I guess I'm wanting something for nothing.  I'm feeling like a loser right now, but I guess I can't give up.  I'd like to say I know when I'll be getting back on the horse, but right now I just do not care.  First, I thought we were going to get to move back home...that's not happening anytime soon.  Now, we may move to another apartment.  Making myself go to the gym is next to impossible.  I hate going...I hate struggling to breathe...I hate getting shin splints.  I guess that tells ya why there are so many fat people in the US ... it is much more enjoyable to eat what you want and lie around ... I don't know how to get to the mindset where I prefer a salad to a burrito ... where I don't feel good UNLESS I exercise.  My motivation is nowhere to be found at this point...and I don't know how to get it back...but I have to figure it out....

Day 60 - The Struggle Continues

Well, my pants size has not changed a bit in the past 60 days, but my eating habits have not been on par everyday either.  I was exercising and dieting sporadically.  I guess that is not the most effective method.  OKAY.  That being said...I have about 60 more days until summer starts creeping up on me...I think my challenge for the next 30 days is to exercise everyday during the work week as follows:

MON - 30 mins jogging
TUES - Spartacus
WED - 30 mins jogging
THURS - Spartacus
FRI - 30 mins jogging

This is what I did last week minus the Friday jog since we drove home for the weekend.  Jamie found a jogging program that sounds a little more my speed than the Couch to 5k.  I'll post it below:

Week 1: Run 2 min, walk 3 min; repeat 6 times

Week 2: Run 3 min, walk 3 min; repeat 5 times
Week 3: Run 5 min, walk 2 min; repeat 4 times
Week 4: Run 7 min, walk 3 min; repeat 3 times
Week 5: Run 8 min, walk 2 min; repeat 3 times
Week 6: Run 9 min, walk 1 min; repeat 3 times
Week 7: Run 30 minutes

I'd be amazed if I made it to jogging for 30 minutes straight by May ... but I'm going to try ...

Food has been a huge stumbling block for me once again.  I do fairly well during the week, but I tend to go buck wild from Friday night to Sunday night.  I need to get this under control again.  I've gone back to logging my food on LIVESTRONG because the handwritten thing was too easy to forget.  And it is way easier to track calories on the website.  We're going to the grocery store tonight, so I'm going to try to come up with some new ideas for breakfast and such.  I feel like I'm starting all over again...but I'm not...I'm just taking it to the next level.

Day 56 - This is HARD!

Why is this so haaaaaaaaaaaaaard?!?!  I'm starting to think some people were just meant to be fluffy :(  Here I am almost 2 months in and hardly anything has changed.  My pants are VERY slightly looser, and my coat buttons a wee bit easier...but it just isn't enough to get me excited.  It's about to be March...one month closer to summer...and I'm feeling really frustrated.  I need to go live way out in the boonies where it is very inconvenient to go out to eat.  I think that is part of my downfall...eating out too much.  And it is weeks like this where I get the most negative on myself because Jamie and I didn't go grocery shopping, so I've been eating out almost everyday.  GRRR!  Every month I say "THIS is going to be the month where I do everything right...eat right...exercise right..."  and then, real life gets in the way.  It seems like there is always SOMETHING that causes me to screw up.  I'm so cranky about this junk right now :(  I need to do something this month coming up that will kickstart things ... get me feeling more motivated.... I need to see some numbers change to feel good about the work I'm doing....time for some research....30 day challenge...here i come!

Day 54 - Working Out at Home

Well, I once again had good intentions, but things went awry.  Today was my Spartacus day...but when I got home I didn't go to the gym right away...BAD PLAN!  So, Jamie and I ended up running to Subway and watching American Idol...THEN, at like 10:45 pm, I finally pulled myself away from the tv and computer, and I did a modified version of the workout in the apartment.  Instead doing 60 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest, I just did 10 of each exercise.  I did 3 sets.  I'm pretty sweaty, so it was a good workout.  It probably wasn't AS hard as the regular thing, but I think it was a fairly good substitute, and it took half the time.  So, I've made it 2 days straight of working out.  MWF are supposed to be cardio days, and TR are Spartacus days.  I now have a friend doing cardio with me...long-distance of course...but we agreed to keep each other accountable.  Yay!

I haven't been doing my food diary online like I should, so I was thinking about going back to the ole pencil and paper technique.  Today I was totally naughty.  I had a cookie with my Subway meal, AND I had a piece of a candybar.  At least I didn't eat the WHOLE candybar...right?  RIGHT!  So...as they say...ONWARD AND UPWARD!  ...and for some reason I just had the urge to shout TALLY HO! like a pirate... must be delirium setting in...

We're going home this weekend, so that might be challenging as far as food and such.  Which just reminded me that I won't get to workout on Friday like I planned :(  Well, 4 days of exercise is pretty darn good anyway...so I BETTER do all 4...EEK!

OH...and my left knee has started acting up AGAIN!  I swear I would like to shake that Crossfit trainer...that is how I hurt my knee to start with...I shouldn't have been doing some of that stuff...when I look back, I realize it was too advanced for me...I hope my knee heals...PLEASE?!?!

...I forgot to mention the Tall Cinnamon Dulce Latte I had at lunch...FORGIVE ME, PLEEEEEASE!! hehe...

Day 51 - Youtubin'

I just posted a 2nd video to my youtube channel.  I kept waiting and waiting for Jamie to get with me to make a video, but it never happened.  SOOO, I just made one by myself.  The name of my weight loss channel is TheFluffyNuggets...teehee.  I was just reading this WebMD article about the best weight loss exercises, and one of the experts had a quote that I wanted to remember:

"It's so much easier not to eat calories than to burn them off."
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-lose-weight

That is so true...but easier said than done! haha.  The article said the best thing for weight loss was cardio...I get a different answer to my question everytime I read a new source...ARG!

Day 50 - Fat and Unhappy

Jamie and I went out to lunch and had nachos...I feel physically sick now...bleh!  I skipped breakfast then overate at lunch, and now I'm paying for it.  Oh, and the junk food made me feel horrible about myself in general....SO when I get home I'm going to the gym ASAP!  I also saw a picture of me from last month that was just posted on facebook, and it just looks awful.  Granted I was kinda leaning over...but I could see my belly pooch, and I DID NOT like it...I immediatley UNtagged myself from the picture on facebook.  Anyway,  I can't wish it away, so I guess I'll keep trying the old fashioned way.  It just seems like slow going.  I mean it's been 50 days, and I feel like I've seen very little change.  My pants are a bit looser, so I guess that is something to be happy about...AND my coat is buttoning easier.  I just have to come to grips with the fact that I'm not where i want to be RIGHT NOW...nor will I be when day 60 rolls around.  Moving on...I talked to Jamie about weighing myself, and after he heard my worries, he suggest that I not...since I don't view the number as motivation...it's more of a demotivator for me...when I see a high number, I just wanna give up right away.  So, no weighing for me.  My pants will tell me when I'm where I want to be ... YES, my pants talk to me.

My Sentiments Exactly

see more dog and puppy pictures

Day 48 - Chubby Bunny Confusion (14/16)

I found this article that describes everything that I think caused me to gain all my weight:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/best-way-to-lose-weight

I'm starting to consider weighing myself, but I'm scared it will hinder rather than help.  I'm going to read some more opinions about weighing in and make an informed decision.  While this article suggests weighing in often, I've had a personal trainer tell me that only fighters should weigh in.  He actually removed the scale from the women's locker room at the gym because he saw too many women going in the bathroom proud of their accomplishments, and then coming out in tears or looking depressed.  I'm torn because on one hand I want to keep track of my success, but on the other hand I don't want to get discouraged if I don't see losses.  Maybe not knowing is just living in denial.  Maybe knowing will make me obsess too much about a number.  It's a tough call.  What's a chubby bunny to do?


see more dog and puppy pictures

Day 47 - De Agony of De Feet (14/16)

Jamie and I walked to Kennesaw Mountain on Sunday with Bailey.  It's at least 3 miles there and 3 miles back....so after a 6 mile walk...MY FEET ARE KILLING ME!!  And, being the graceful moose that I am, I managed to roll my ankle and strain a muscle in my leg.  Anyway, I made it through all 3 rounds of the Spartacus workout last night, but I think I'm going to have to take tonight off cuz it hurts to walk (from the strained muscle).  I wanted to start going 5 or 6 days a week, but that has yet to work out.  I'll go on Wednesday and Friday, but I don't know if I'll have it in me to do more than that.  My body is absolutely exhausted.  I was once again struggling to drag myself out of bed this morning.  I feel like I could just sleep and sleep and sleep.  In fact, on Saturday I pretty much did that.  Jamie woke me up around 9:30 am and brought breakfast home after he got off work.  Then, around 11 am-ish he decided to go take a nap to be prepared for our V-day date.  I proceeded to fall asleep on the couch for the next 7 hours.  OH MY GAWD!  Who does that??  And it was a deep sleep ... not a nappy sleep...I feel like I could probably do that everyday...I'm just ZAPPED.  I'm eating okay...and I'm exercising...I don't know why I'm SO TIRED...ALL THE TIME!!  Moving on...my calorie count was around 1400 yesterday.  I'm trying out those Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers for lunch this week.  They were BOGO at Publix.  They're pretty good...nothing to write home about, but they fill the empty void in my stomach...well, that and a salad... The weekends are still a little rocky for me as far as food goes.  We had Mexican on Friday night...a chicken biscuit on Saturday morning....Sushi on Saturday night....a slice of pizza and a salad for lunch on Sunday...and that was the most eating out I think we've done in the past couple weeks.  We went a little hog wild for some reason.  BUT, we did WALK to the square to get the slice of pizza...AND we did WALK to the mountain and back after a weekend of indulgence.   Oh...I forgot to mention the candy bar I had, but I don't feel so guilty about that since I don't just eat those things everyday...my calories were probably high over the weekend...but not as much as they used to be...It's a process/journey...I think journey sounds kind of corny at this point...but whatever.  I feel like a recovering alcoholic when I say this, but I haven't had a soda in over 2 months...who's proud?? I'm proud!! Woot Woot!  Although, it hasn't seemed to make a huge difference so far...I'm sure it will pay off in the long run... FIN!

Day 42 - Moment of Weakness (14/16)

Oh jeez...I messed up...I let my craving get the best of me.  Jamie wanted Zaxby's ... we went there on my lunch break ... and I got a Big Zax Snack ... THERE ... I SAID IT ... I'm weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaak.... BUT, that said, I must move on and just try to do better.  I'm not perfect...I'm gonna have slip ups...I just have to accept that.  Moving on...I was reading something today that said in order to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, you need to do strength training 3-5 times a week and cardio at least 5 times...WOWZA!!  I've been going to the gym 3 times PERIOD ... and that is on a good week!!  I'm a month and a  half in and I haven't seen as much change as I would have liked, and I think it is because I'm not as dedicated as I sound.  My food situation is okay during the week ... a bit questionable on the weekends.  My gym situation is apparently tame compared to what it should be.  I need to step it up, but I'm such a weenie!  I am going to the gym tonight to do the Spartacus workout again, but I was thinking about it last night ... it is still possible for me to get all my workouts in for the week if I TRY.  It would look something like this:

Monday - nada
Tuesday - Spartacus
Wednesday - nada
Thursday - Spartacus
Friday - Jogging
Saturday - Spartacus
Sunday - Jogging

OK...so that is not 5 days of cardio ... but it IS 3 days of strength training ... and the Spartacus workout is supposed to be sort of a cardio workout also...If I can just find an hour or so everyday for the rest of the week, then I'm golden.  Cross your fingers ... All I can do is try.  I have plenty of excuses this weekend to NOT do anything.  (i.e. - It's Valentine's weekend. -OR-  My husband's parents are coming up...I HAVE TO CLEAN!!!)  Oh dear ... Heaven help me!

Day 41 - Hips Don't Lie (14/16)

I did the Spartacus workout again last night, and my hips hate me now.  It seemed a bit easier yesterday though.  I had to use the 10 pound weights cuz some skinny beeeeches had taken the 8's.  Everytime I turned around one of those chicks was literally lying down.  If you are gonna rest when you come to the gym..don't come...Thanks!  I can't stand those chicks that just come to the gym to basically show people how pretty they look in tight gym clothes...I should really create a new word for those chicks...I already call regular skinny chicks "SKITCHES"...sooooo.....nah...that's all I've got for now....stupid skitches.  Anyhoot, I managed to find a tiny spot to workout in....so whatever.  I strive to someday be a skinny beeotch myself...at this rate it's gonna take a few years...SHEESH!  Welcome back to Negative Town.  I'm gonna keep going...but I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT...HARUMPH!

Day 40 - Chocolate Devil!! (14/16 ... not as snug)

The past few days have been chocolate covered days.  Jamie bought some dark chocolate for me on Saturday...upon my request...and I just had some chocolate turtles from the grocery store.  OH, and I've had 2 energy drinks this week and 2 giant cans of Xing Sweet Tea ... nectar of the gods...haha.  So, I need to slow my roll on all that sugar.  On the up side, my pants are ever so slightly less tight...I'm not going to say they are loose, but they are definitely not cutting off my circulation anymore.  Tonight will be another attempt at the Spartacus workout...on my own this time :(  It's so much easier with a workout buddy.  I haven't been tracking my food very well the past few days, but I'm fairly certain I've been within my range.  I haven't really been eating a ton or anything.  I guess I'm learning to control my portions a little better.  We did have a frozen pizza on Sunday, but I only had one slice.  My appetite has been a bit lacking...except when it comes to sugary things.  So, I don't want to backslide, therefore I must get my booty into the gym more.  I am full of good excuses to NOT exercise though!  I gave myself a pass from the gym yesterday since I was running on 4 hours of sleep.  I didn't think it would do me much good to go in there exhausted from the get go.  Tomorrow I'll have a regular packed lunch again instead of the pasta salad I've had the past 2 days...bleck...no more pasta salad.  Luckily, I made it myself, so it only had light italian dressing in it with a bit of reduced fat feta cheese and black olives.  Tomorrow I'll be back to sammiches and carrots.  Why does the gym have to be such a daunting task...whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??????????

Tangy Roast Beef Sandwich

Tangy Roast Beef Sandwich

Day 34 - I have a muscle where?! (14/16)

My muscles are still screaming at me from Monday's workout, and I have to try to do it again today... OH MY!!!  I'm hoping that doing it again will help losen these sore muscles up.  My hips and thighs are killing me!  I feel like an old lady everytime I try to get up out of my chair.  Let's just say that I haven't been leaving my desk much the past couple of days ... only for necessary trips like the bathroom or water refills ... I've been pretty good with my calories this week even though I made a Chicken Ring for dinner on Monday and ate the leftovers last night.  It sounds weird, but it is really tasty ... kind of like chicken pot pie but made with crescent rolls laid out in a ring on a pizza pan ... I saved the recipe since it was pretty good and pretty cheap :)  I didn't do anything when I got home yesterday.  I walked in, fed my face, and napped on the couch off and on until bedtime.  Let's see if I can force myself to workout today!

Day 32 - THIS IS SPARTA!!!! (14/16)

Before dinner I was just under 1500 calories, so I'm not sure what I ended at.  I made a Chicken Ring for dinner ... i guess the only really fatty things about it were the cheese and the crescent rolls ... it was pretty tasty.  I'm not stressin' on it though.  Jamie and I did the Spartacus workout ... OH MY!  Here's what that consists of:

3 Rounds of the following doing each exercise for 60 seconds with 15 seconds rest:

Goblet Squats
Mountain Climber
Single Arm Dumbbell Swing
T-Pushups
Split Jump
Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell Side Lunge and Touch
Pushup Position Row
Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation
Dumbbell Push Press

It was tough, but I got through it with some modifications :)

Day 28 - Weight Loss Seminar (14/16)

No gym today, but I kept my calories on track.  Jamie said he was gonna put me through another workout tomorrow...woowee...i'm scared!  When I got home today, he was waiting for me with a boatload of information he had researched about my true calorie needs and such.  Boy oh boy did I get lectured for a good hour or so ... I'm glad he's excited about helping me though :)  According to all the research and calculations he did, I was eating about 200 to 300 less calories than I should've been.  Sounds like good news to me.  I'm going to try to work in some more food here and there, so I won't feel so hungry all the time.  It's a process...this whole dang weight loss thing is a loooooooooong, haaaaaaaaaaard process ... some people call it a journey ... I can see why, and I must say that the first mile of the journey seems to be the hardest...once I catch my stride, I hope it will be smoothe sailing!

Bagel Sammich Recipe

Click This:  Bagel Yum Yum's

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Day 27 - Pooped Puppy (14/16)

Jamie took me down to the gym and punished me for complaining about my lack of weightloss this month.  I called him at lunch today and went on and on about how I wasn't losing weight, so he worked up a new workout for me that whipped my booty.  I'm currently typing this under the influence of ibuprofen...I can't be held accountable for what I might say.  It was seriously tough though.  I managed to keep my calories down today.  It was under 1300 before I stuffed some Snyder's pretzels in my face a few minutes ago.  Regardless, I still kept it under my limit.  I found a website that has some healthy recipes that sounded good, so I might try to link it on here at some point.  Let me just type out the workout I did for future reference.

Elliptical for 20 minutes starting on level 12 and decreasing only if needed.
The following is done 3 to 4 times through:
20 Leg Press with a Shoulder Press
20 Lat Pulldowns
20 Box Jumps
20 Bench Press
20 Leg Lowers

Thanks to Jamie for whipping my whiney butt into shape ... or starting the process of whipping it into shape :)

Random goofy picture of me and Jamie:

Day 26 - Guilty Pleasures (14/16)

I do pretty good with food all day until I get home.  We've just been having regular ole chow at the house...like tacos, hotdogs, sloppy joes...etc.  Unfortunately, all that stuff is high calorie and not that great for me.  We have been using ground turkey instead of beef.  I think I'm going to drive myself nuts with this weightloss effort.  Grrrr...it's just not fair!!! Boo Hissssssss!

I did make it to the gym last night and will be back tomorrow.  I wrestled with the idea of going tonight ... but I'm still warming up to this whole exercise thing...baby steps....

Day 25 - Bad Habits Die Hard (14/16)

The good news is that I still have not had a soda since December 10th, and I really don't crave them that much...The bad news is that Jamie and I have slowly been backsliding when it comes to our eating out.  We went out Thursday last week for lunch ... Friday for dinner ... Saturday for dinner ... Sunday for Breakfast and Dinner.  We really need to reign that in again.  I've been asked to go out with my coworkers for lunch today, and I'm torn on whether I should or not.  It'll probably be a last minute decision.  Anywho, I brought soup and a sandwich in my lunch everyday last week, and I think the sodium was causing me to retain water.  By Friday I felt like I was going to explode, and my rings/clothes were SO tight.  So this introduces a new dilemma ... What do I bring for lunch??  I really want to watch the sodium intake. 

I only made it to the gym twice last week, and I feel like a total loser.  I've made a lot of changes this month, but the gym is the one I think I'm struggling with the most.  My main issue is just feeling exhausted when I get home from work.  I really don't know why I'm so tired ... all I do is sit at a desk all day.  I probably need more sleep on a consistant basis.  Lately I've been up until 11 or 12, and I get up at 6:45 ish.  I want to have energy, but maybe that is just part of getting in shape.  I had good intentions on going to the gym on Friday, but Jamie said he would go with me ... AND I fell asleep waiting for him to wake up ... I woke up at 11 pm ish.  SEE!!  All I ever want to do is sleep :(  Altogether, this was a Lazy McFatterson weekend.  My pants are just as tight as they were on day 1.  I'm going to have to get more serious if I want results in a few months.

Day 21 - Highs and Lows (14/16)

I went about 200 Calories over my limit today.  I just can't seem to stay consistent with the number.  A lot of days I'm close to my limit but generally stay just below it.  Yesterday I somehow managed to only have 900 calories, and then when livestrong subtracted out my 'calories burned' from my workout, it ended up being like 400.  AHHH!  But today I'm at 1700 ish and am not going to the gym ... I'm going Mon, Wed, and Fri for the time being ... until I get more in the habit and get my body more conditioned ... Part of my high calorie count today was because we went and had sushi at lunch, so I had to guess at the calories...I may have overestimated...but I just don't know...I mean...It's mostly rice...ya know...Anyway, I'll just keep trying to keep the calories down and mostly eat at home...oh AND exercise....sheesh...I think that is the hardest part...I don't like pain :(

Day 20 - I have butt muscles?!? (14/16)

OH MY GAH!  I was at the gym for over an hour, and I was not fiddle fartin' around.  I was actually moving the whole time, and now my booty muscles are sooooore...OWIE!  Jamie helped me put a workout together based on stuff he showed me on Monday.  He's my Helpy Helperton :)  Anywho, I did the workout and 30 minutes of cardio, which consisted of the elliptical, treadmill, and bike.  It wasn't my plan to use all three, but for some reason I just could not stay on one machine for more than 10 minutes.  My calves started cramping up and such.  I should probably stretch beforehand, but don't kid yourself ... HA ... That'll never happen.  I am not a stretchy type person.  I was trying to logon to livestrong.com, but I can't get in for some reason.  I have some things I NEED to record...LIKE NOW!!

Jamie and I were checking out 24 hour gyms in our area for when we move.  There seems to be a really nice one up in Woodstock.  It has 3 stinkin' pools, a giant hot tub, and a rock wall...oh...and that worky outy type stuff too.  They have Zumba classes too, which is something I might like to try eventually.  Our lease is up at the end of April, but at this point, I have no clue where we might end up moving.  It's all up in the air until March-ish.

I'm going to lie on the couch like a blob of Jell-O now ... cuz that's what I feel like for sure!

Day 19 - Jabba (14/16)

Feeling kinda blobby today...blah.  I'm going to the gym tomorrow and Friday.  I figure that I better get dedicated to 3 days before I try 5.  We had burritos for dinner ... Jamie cooked ... used ground turkey.  They were good :) I went like 200 calories over my limit, but I'm not going to panic.  I'm so sleepy. GOODNIGHT!

*Side Note*

I'm feeling really bad about myself today :( My pants are still too tight...kinda makes ya feel hopeless...like it will never change...or it will never change enough to make me happy. I wish this wasn't so hard. SIGH

Day 18 - Slacker! (14/16)

I became a big ole slacker at the end of last week. It all started Wednesday after my workout. I told Jamie about what a hard time I'd had just trying to make it on the treadmill (walking). He said my muscles were probably just tired and that I should take Thursday off. This apparently translated to GAME OVER for the week in my mind. I had good intentions on Friday, but when I got home Jamie had that "I need Mexican food" gleam in his eye. So, we went out to dinner, and I stuffed myself ...which I might add did not take as much food this time. Anyhoot, when I got home I didn't want to do anything be lie on the couch and grumble about how my stomach hurt. And just forget Saturday and Sunday...sheesh...working out on those days is just not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe 5 days a week was a bit ambitious to start with. I DID make it 3 days last week, which is better than nothing at all ... right?!?! RIGHT! Let's not even talk about the food sins I committed between Friday and Sunday...EEK! Last night I created a youtube channel called "TheFluffyNuggets" for Jamie and I to Vlog on ... We'll see if that happens since I couldn't get my first video to load. I will have to investigate to figure out what was going wrong. I got lazy altogether last Thursday through Sunday ... I didn't track my calories or blog one bit, but today I'm back to it. This morning I made myself my usual 2 packets of oatmeal, and it proved to be too much. I'm going to have to scale it back to 1 I think ... it may just be this Hazelnut Latte flavor that is the problem ... it's a bit overwhelming. Well, let's get back on track and stay there! Jamie is going to work out a strength training routine for me today, and I will continue to work on my cardio. My goal is to go at least 3 times this week ... anything more will just be icing on the cake. FIN!

Day 13 - Wake Up! (14/16)

My leggies are so tired...not really sore...but tired. I would not have argued if I were told to stay in bed til noon today, but I'm capable of sleeping til noon almost any given day. I guess it's just my nature to be a night owl and NOT a morning person. Unfortunately, most jobs begin at 8 am like mine...snooooooooore...I wonder if this exercise stuff will eventually give me more energy...it's supposed to. Last night I did more treadmill and elliptical. I haven't really started changing it up yet. I really want to try to get my cardio up to par, but I guess I'm going to add some squats and pushups and such. That can be next week's goal...I already have one for this week. So far I've made it everyday this week, but it's only Wednesday. It's tough, but I'm trying! Each time I get on the treadmill I try to jog a little bit ... even if it's just 1 minute or 2 minutes. I know I'll work myself back up to where I used to be and beyond, but it's going to be slow going probably. The treadmill has never been this challenging in my life. The food is going okay. Livestrong.com tells me that I'm taking in a lot of sugar, but I guess that is from the oatmeal and the fruit because the drinks and puddings I eat are generally sugar free. I don't want to get too drastic with my diet. I want it to be realistic and something I can live with.

Day 12 - Queue the World's Smallest Violin (14/16)

Man! I have had such a headache and been so sleepy all day! I keep nodding off at my desk...well, more like head bobbing. I've been keeping my livestrong.com account up to date with my food and exercise entries, and I've been trying to post on here almost everyday. Now...if only getting to the gym were just a click away...sigh. The gym thing is such a struggle for me. I'd much rather lie on the couch, eat my dinner, watch American Idol, and pass out. JEN'S A SLEEPY GIRL!! I always stay up later than I really should. I seem to find something every night that I want to keep watching or playing with on the internet. DARN YOU "OPERATION REPO" and FARMVILLE!!! If I were as diligent with my weight loss as I am with my Farmville, then I'd be a FOX! But alas...I am not...YET! I'm not giving up yet. It is just slow going at the moment since I've been out of the game for several months. Cardio used to be a breeze to me, but now I struggle to complete 30 minutes...and I am REALLY trying. I bet I could run faster if I had someone stand behind me with a caddle prod. GET ALONG LITTLE JENNY!! YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAW!!!!

Day 11 - Gym Week (14/16)

This week my goal is to go to the gym for 30 mintues EVERYDAY. My plan is to try to go right after work, so I don't have a chance to get lazy on the couch. If I get it over with before 6 o'clock, then I won't miss a bit of American Idol, Supernatural, or Vampire Diaries...right? RIGHT! The hardest part is making myself go. It's all well and good to say it, but it is quite another task to DO IT. Today marks the one month anniversary that Soda and I have been separated. If I can do that, then I can do the gym thing for sure. I'm learning to make habits of things. I can't say I haven't considered having a soda in the past month. I was even tempted this past weekend at the movie theater. BUT, I didn't get my typical bucket-o-cola...I thought about how hard I'd worked to get this far, and I just said no. I did NOT say no to a tasty snack at the theater. Yes, those gummi sharks and M&M's never had a chance. I guess the calories I saved by not drinking a coke were made up for. Oh well ... I still gotta have some fun ... right?!?! DON'T JUDGE ME!!! AHHHHHH! hehehe... We DID end up going out with friends to dinner on Friday night, but we DID make it an entire week without eating out up until that point...so some kudos are deserved. I ate a greek gyro and some fries, and I DID NOT count how many calories beforehand. I made my zuchinni pasta on Saturday night, and the only thing we ate yesterday was a Digiorno pizza (which was not very tasty). The weekend was a little bit more junky than the week, but not to the extreme that it had been. I guess the gyro, fries, and pizza were my only sins ... oh ... and the movie candy. It's a process...I'm working on it...At least I'm starting to feel better about things. I just CANNOT give up and go back to my old ways!

Day 7 - Same Ole, Same Ole (14/16)

There is not much to update today. I've eaten the same meals as usual. I plan on going to the gym tonight. I didn't go last night because I was being lazy. I played on the computer and washed the dog instead...WAHOOO! I've not had that starving feeling like during previous diet attempts. Although, I do find myself constantly looking for a snack at the house. I'm not dying to have a snack, but it would make me happier...hehe. My pants are still cutting off the circulation to my lower body ...not literally... but, man, they are TIGHT. Week ONE is coming to a close. I'm hoping it will become second nature shortly...especially the gym part...

Day 6 - Kickin' it Old School (14/16)

I actually made it to the gym last night! Spent 30 minutes listening to my old N'SYNC cd on my MP3 player while on the elliptical since some Butt Face wouldn't get off the only functional treadmill. Seriously, the dude was STILL running when I left the gym. Anyhoot, it was not easy ... it used to be a breeze to go 30 minutes on the elliptical...hopefully it will be again sometime soon. Had a salad last night for dinner. I don't mind that so much since I don't have to cook. I may go to the gym tonight or tomorrow night or BOTH. Just depends on how I feel when I get home. I'm almost to the 1 month marker of my "no soda" quest. I had the urge today for the first time in a couple weeks because I was SO thirsty when I woke up. I chugged water instead. It's not quite as flavorful, but it also does not burn my stomach. The meal plan is pretty much the same for today and the rest of the week. I may cook some different things on the weekend. We are STILL not eating out. I'm hoping we can stick to that. We agreed that we could go ONCE a month. We shall see in time...

Day 5 - It's TOO SOON! (14/16)

It's too soon for me to be slipping up already. Jeez. The food situation is fine. I've been staying between 1300 - 1500 calories a day, BUT the gym situation is not great yet. Maybe I'm trying to do too much at once. I missed yesterday because I went home and planted myself on the couch and quickly fell asleep for the next 6 HOURS!!! I'll let it go this time since I know I was exhausted from lack of sleep the night before, BUT TODAY there are no excuses. I'm gonna carry my cubby bunny butt down to the gym, and hop on the elliptical for at least 20 minutes and the treadmill at least 10 minutes. I may only go 3 times this week, but my goal is to go everyday during the week and have weekends off. I think I COULD go everyday for the rest of this week, but I'm afraid of burning myself out with too much too soon. A couple months ago, I started the Couch to 5k program and injured myself within the first two weeks. I think I'll have to work my way up to that program. I DO NOT want another shin splint...OUCH! I guess nobody said that this wasn't going to be a struggle.

Day 4 - Counting Calories (14/16)

If I eat just what I've planned for the day, then I'll only be at 1100 calories...and that is a high estimate. I seriously am NOT trying to starve myself. Time for a list:

Instant Oatmeal
Apple
Turkey/Whole Wheat Sandwich
Carrots & Dip
Pudding Cup
Banana
Greek Salad (dinner) (**UPDATE** - I had a cheese quesadilla instead of a salad courtesy of my husband ... so that took me up to about 1300 calories for the day)

I have some stuff to snack on at home if need be. I definitely don't want to send my body into starvation mode because that'll just make things worse. I used the Live Strong website to track my calories. http://www.livestrong.com/profile/jendazzle83/ The "MyPlate" section lets you search for foods by type or brand name. Nice! I don't know how much I'll use this, but it is nice to have around for a reference.

I've been feeling really blobby all day. My clothes are super tight, and it makes me SO uncomfortable (physically and emotionally). We are just at the beginning, so it's too soon for my standard negative attituded. The plan is to head to the gym tonight. Although, I'm almost certain I'll need a nap first since I'm going on about 4.5 hours of sleep. The holiday got my sleep schedule all funked up.

DAY 1 - It's the new year (14/16)

It's day 1! We're going to head to the grocery store and buy healthy stuff! We're also going to the gym at some point since I'm off today. Here we go...I hope to report some sort of results in the next month or two.