Friday, January 26, 2007

Woo Hoo!!

I'm down 4.8 lbs. over the past 2 weeks! That makes me very happy. Too bad I was just re-losing the weight I lost during the Challenge, but I'll take it. I must have a more competitive nature than I thought. I know I'm competitive about a lot of things, but who know I would be competitive about weight loss as well? I did so well staying OP during the Challenge, but then right after Christmas, I lost the drive to stay on track.

Anyhoo, I got up at the crack of dawn this morning (5AM) to go to the gym. Actually, it wasn't even the crack of dawn because the sun hadn't risen yet. It was interesting; I'm not sure how much I like exercising that early in the morning. Plus, now I'm kind of tired and it's only 9:20 or so in the morning and I have a long day of legal research ahead of me. Boo.... On the upside, it wasn't very crowded, so it would probably would be easier to fit in my entire jogging session if I went in the morning instead of at night. It's really crowded right now at the gym in the evening due to New Years Resolutions; I figure by the middle of Feb. it will calm down because I think most people give up on their resolutions by then. In any case, I've completely lost my train of thought, so that's all for now!

Monday, January 22, 2007

1/2 Marathon Training & Weigh-In

Well, yesterday marked the end of my first official week of training for the 1/2 Marathon in May. It went alright. I didn't do the cross-training days like I was supposed to, mostly because by the time I got home from work and ran errands, it was late and I was tired. That is no excuse though. This week I'm going to do much better, I promise (to myself). I think I might try working out before I go to work instead of after work. Although I don't know how well that is going to work, because I would have to leave my house by 5:30am in order to have enough time to work out, shower and get to work by 9am. And technically, I'm supposed to be at work by 8-8:30am.

On the upside, I was able to jog 3 miles with no problem, so that made me happy. I think I'm going to jog-walk the 1/2 Marathon, not jog the whole way. The training schedule I'm using is for jog-walk. I think the cycle is jog 4 mins., walk 1 min. for the entire distance. We'll see.

As for WI, I didn't go this past week. I was supposed to help out with the concession stand at my little brother's wrestling meet, but instead, I stayed at my parents' house with my little sister while my parents both went to the meet (Mom to work the stand, she's in charge of it; Dad to watch Zach get smacked down, literally). That was my excitement.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

9 Healthy Habits of Weight Maintainers

Note: I got this in an email from my WW Leader and thought it was interesting.

There is a mountain of information available telling you how to lose weight. However there is precious little guidance telling you how to maintain your body weight.

So what are some habits that keep people lean? We all know someone who eats like a horse, but resembles a beanpole - however this is the exception rather than the rule. Most people who maintain their weight do so because they have implemented some positive habits.

1. They have pre-planned sessions of exercise. Incidental exercise is good, but in all honesty - it's not enough. People who maintain their weight have learnt to schedule dedicated times of exercise. Those times are not torture sessions, but times when they look forward to the stress-release and the positive feelings of well-being after the session.

2. They take an interest in nutrition. Most people that look after their bodies know exactly what they are putting into it. They know how to read food labels, and they understand what it means. They know the difference between processed foods and whole foods.

3. They eat mindfully. Eating mindfully means you are fully aware of how much you are eating. Everyone can get distracted, but the maintainer knows which situations make it difficult for them to eat mindfully (buffets, TVs, stress).

4. They go easy on fast food. I've seen people who scarf down cheeseburger after cheeseburger and yet maintain their weight... and then they grow out of their teens and into their late twenties and thirties and discover a bulging waistline. The maintainer knows that fast food consumption has to be carefully managed, and good choices must be made. They know the good choices because of #2.

5. They know how to vary their food intake. Some days you eat more, some less. Sometimes you have big meals, sometimes small. The maintainer knows that if you overeat, then you must balance that out - and that overindulgence is an occasional thing - not a daily habit.

6. They know when they've had enough. A common issue today is that people have lost track of when enough is enough. Whether due to hormonal imbalances, poor food choices, or behavioral issues - we don't seem to know when to stop eating. The weight maintainer has learned to follow cues from their stomach, and to stop eating before they are uncomfortably full. And even when they can't trust their belly - the maintainer knows what an appropriate portion size is.

7. They've learned that good things take time. Someone who maintains their weight knows that a crash diet will never have the long-term affects that they desire. They know that quick-fixes are not the answer; and that many things - including building fitness, losing fat, building muscle, take many months or even years of dedication.

8. They have learned new coping strategies that don't involve food or alcohol.

9. They have learned how to enjoy a healthy, balanced diet as part of a new lifestyle.

Source: diet-blog.com

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Up One

NOTE: I tried to post this on Jan. 12, but for some reason Blogger was being a pain in the arse.

I'm not too upset about my gain this week - I've been eating like a pig. Luckily it wasn't a bigger gain, otherwise I might not fit into the dress I bought for Broccoflower's wedding. I'm very excited about the dress; it was a fantastic deal. I got it off the clearance rack at TJ Maxx for $16.01. Yay! I'm also very excited for the wedding. It's going to be a blast.

I start my 1/2 Marathon training this coming week. It should be interesting. Last week, I finally returned to the gym after taking like an 11 week vacation. I'm suprised I didn't drop a lung on the treadmill. I also got my Garmin GPS Forerunner 301. I can't wait to use it for my first outdoor run. The thing measures my distance and heart rate and it has a "virtual partner" that will tell me whether I'm going too fast/slow for the pace I've set. It also does some other neat crap. I think I'm a little too excited about my nifty gadget.

Monday, January 01, 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope 2007 is going well for everyone so far, even if it is only 1 day in. This post is going to be devoted to my New Year's resolutions. I'm trying not to go too crazy, so that I don't set myself up for failure. But, just like everyone else, I feel like I need to set some goals for myself for the upcoming year.

Last year's resolutions were:
1. Return to high school weight by my birthday (but birthday was crossed out at some point and Christmas was inserted) - I'm still 42 lbs. from my HS weight...whooops.
2. Go to gym 5 times per week - Until about 11 weeks ago, I wasn't doing too poorly. Again, whoops.
3. Lower cholestorol - I will be making an appointment in a couple of weeks to see if my meds are working.
4. Get employed - I was semi-successful with this one. I have been employed in 4 different part-time jobs this past year.

Here is my initial list of 2007 Resolutions:
1. Reaffirm my commitment to losing weight AND continue losing weight. I ended 2006 18.3 lbs. lighter than I began it. It's not the most auspicious loss on record, but I hope for at least that amount of success in 2007.

2. Train for AND complete the Indy Mini-Marathon on May 5, 2007. Training begins tomorrow. Hopefully, I won't die on the treadmill :-). I have 123 days to whip myself into shape.

3. Get employed FULL-TIME. I needed to qualify this resolution for the upcoming year. I crave stability and a steady paycheck. I'm very tired of being poor and uncertain as to my employment status.

I'll probably amend or expand the list over the year. But for now, three things is all I can handle at once. Just for fun, I'm also going to include what my top 5 resolutions should be based on my astrological sign (Leo) according to MSN's Astrocenter Team. They are suprisingly appropriate, so I might keep them in mind. However, they also fall under the "Setting myself up for failure" category, which is why none are added to my official list. Without further ado:

Leo:(July 22 - August 22)
1) Serious? Yep. Lately, anyway. So first, resolve to enjoy life again.
2) Aim for romance, romance, and more romance, from June through September.
3) Choose one of those playmates and have a real, live relationship by November.
4) Turn your most-loved hobby into a part-time income, at least.
5) Make it the way you earn your daily bread by the time you hang the mistletoe.

Happy 2007 to everyone ~ "May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door."