Pat on My Own Back

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

I just wanted to take a moment out to give myself a little praise. I really think I am getting there...working my way toward the ultimate goal of a permanent healthy lifestyle and healthy body. I have been learning all about myself and putting that knowledge to good use. I may slip up sometimes but I keep getting back on track, and even though I'd like to weigh less, my weight right now is healthy and looks good and is so much less than I ever weighed before I started this journey in 1/07. I know that eating the right amount of all my nutrients every day, and getting frequent exercise, is making me so much healthier for now and for my future. I am proud!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KELLYCAN1 7/25/2007 3:01PM

Susan, You are doing an awesome job working at maintaining, every post I can see you learning-learning-learning. Your candidness is an inspiration and helps the rest of us. Thanks for being so open, you are truly a great person! Kelly Report Inappropriate Comment

ROLOHA 7/24/2007 9:01PM

Susan - if I were there I'd pat you on the back too!!! You've done great at getting where you are....maintenance is another stage of the journey and you're doing really well here too. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the team...I know you inspire others each time you share! Robin Report Inappropriate Comment

AFICIONADA 7/24/2007 8:15PM

Congratulations! You deserve a pat on the back! It's hard to look back and realize just how much we've accomplished, so way to go! Good luck on continuing towards your goal. :) -Yvonne Report Inappropriate Comment

Tips to Self

Monday, July 23, 2007

1. Make it simple, easy, and pain-free to follow the plan, and the plan will be followed. That means skipping the tedious extras like calculating points, tracking water, tracking exercise. I need to count calories, but I will drink and exercise even without tracking, so why take the extra time?
2. When I think I can't track, go for simpler meals - even a frozen meal once in a while. Place a priority on tracking.
3. When I REALLY can't track or need a break from tracking, still remember to eat like a thin person - when I'm done you should still be able to tell what I was eating because I haven't polished away every last crumb (this one is seriously hard for me, but my thin boyfriend eats this way without even thinking about it). I should only be eating when I'm truly hungry - when delaying, having some water or gum haven't helped, OR when I'm about to need the energy for a workout, BUT I also need to stop when I've had a reasonable portion. I might still think I'm hungry, but 20 minutes later I'll feel fine.

I think that eventually I might want to try mini-goals toward my ultimate goal of maintaining my weight by eating intuitively. I should blog about goals for this weekend... I'm going to be on vacation, and was planning on taking a break from tracking, which I will, but I should probably use the weekend to practice intuitive eating!!! More on that later.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LADYBU6205_1969 7/25/2007 7:14PM

Ever since finding your page a few days ago, you Tip #1 has really been on my mind. I think of it all the time. I think that I too should adopt your tip as one for me to follow. I have found that dieting itself has not been hard, wokring out has not been hard, but all the extra work... trying to keep up with how many bottles of water I took to work, what I packed in my lunch bag, how many minutes I worked out... I am more emotionally exhaused than I am physically exhausted. I was finding... and to a point, still am... that since joining SP, I want to see how many points I can earn... how many articles I can read, how many posts I can read, etc... sure, they are great motivators, but it takes time away from actually working out... So, I think that I too need to quit worrying about points, how much water, how many minutes I work out, how many hours of sleep I got... I'm going to drink water every day, I'm going to sleep every night, I'm going to work out (though, I need to get back into a routine... I keep coming home just to fall asleep on the couch instead of working out so it seems)... Maybe if I do as you, I will be a bit more motivated to go to the gym, go for a walk, or actually want to be physically active. I'm just been so drained lately trying to do too much... Thanks for this post! I think of all the posts I have read, this one is the one that struck me the most... it helped me to pinpoint, just what I need to get myself back on track... Thanks Again. Lisa Report Inappropriate Comment

LACYLOU85 7/24/2007 10:13AM

Hey Susan. Great tips. Thanks for taking me on as your challenge! I think it will definitely motivate me to have a "coach" along the way. And I hope it motivates you because you don't want to be the "do as I say not as I do" girl! I don't have any specific rules to get down to 150 in the next 8 weeks. I'm trying to keep my calories under 1350 during the week and under 1650 on the weekend. Exercise-wise, I'm doing the Couch 2 5 K. I don't think you did that program when you first started running. I think you just dove right in, right? That's another reason I'd love you to coach me. You're a runner and soo want to be one. So I'm running 3 times a week (about 30 minutes each time) and doing my Turbo Jam DVD 2 times a week (50 minutes each time). Do you think that's enough? Also, do you think I should be more specific with what I'm eating? Like not only keep the calories at a certain amount, but cut anything out or eat more of something? What were you eating when you were losing weight? As far as clothes sizes. I was a 12 in the 170's and upper half of 160's. Around 164, I started wearing some 10's and now I'm in all 10's. I can't wait to be in the single digits! Oh and as far as the 1 pound gain... I usually gain MUCH more if I binge but I wasn't being totally bad. Just a little off (i.e I usually stay very strict M-F and slack on the weekends, well, I was letting the slack run into my weeks). Thanks so much for your help. You're so motivating! Report Inappropriate Comment

FITMYJEANS 7/23/2007 6:57PM

Great tips - thanks for sharing. Report Inappropriate Comment

Wellness Ladder

Sunday, July 22, 2007

I'm on Day 5 of my challenge (which I'd been referring to as an 8-day challenge but now realize it's actually 9 days - duh). I'm at 140.2 today, which is down 1 from yesterday, but on a different scale so hard to compare for sure. Very very close to the 130s. I'm going to reweigh myself after I write this blog entry (obsessive, true) and maybe I'll see that happy number. Jess' scale is very sensitive to slight changes.

I have been doing really well following my program, eating delicious and healthy food at around 1,275 calories a day, and feeling good MOST of the time. I just had two episodes of feeling grouchy/hungry yesterday - one was when I felt too hungry to paint my bedroom, and the other was around 10:30 at night and when I got into bed I was fine. But the episodes were enough to remind me why I can't stay this low on calories for the long term. Oh, and also I felt very low-blood-sugar-y after 30 minutes on the gauntlet, too.

I'd like to share my thoughts about why wellness is like a ladder. By "wellness," I'm referring to all this stuff - weight management, fitness, looking lean and toned. It's a very long ladder, and where you are right now you can't clearly see either end. Have a day (or even just a moment) of positive wellness and you move up a rung. Do something unhealthy and you move down. That part is obvious. But what I'm trying to get across is that when you fall off your program, you only move down toward the unhealthy bottom of the ladder one rung at a time. Get back to it, and you're not starting from the bottom all over again. It won't take too long to move yourself up to where you were, one rung at a time.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I had achieved an all-time high level of wellness for myself in April/May, but started to move down rungs throughout June and early July. Now, though, I'm moving back up the ladder and since I'm starting in the middle instead of at the bottom, I've quickly regained almost all my ground.

I'm going to go try weighing myself in one more time, then I'll be done for the day. Will be back with results in a moment..

140.0. Guess the big drop in weight decade will have to wait another day. Still, not bad, that's another 1.2 from yesterday. (I know losing fast isn't ideal. But this is weight that I PUT ON ridiculously fast, too.)

  

Addendum to Last Blog - An Idea

Saturday, July 21, 2007

That list I wrote for ways to thrill myself that don't involve either losing weight or having food binges? I have another, really good idea for that list. I was thinking to myself, "What about SparkPeople? I will need to stay actively involved to keep myself motivated to eat right and exercise." So... I could pair up with a newbie, and vicariously get all excited about THEIR weightloss! They might appreciate my experience - if I can find someone who thought they couldn't get thin (like I used to) and convince them that they CAN, because (this is a cliche bu true) if I can, anybody can. And we can give each other support and both celebrate as they lose their weight. I get all excited thinking about it.

OK, Jess is getting mad because I'm sparking instead of eating breakfast, and we have a lot to do today! Bye!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DARLPN 7/25/2007 6:44PM

what did you weigh before you started this program. i could use your help also, as times i dont think i will get there.need alot of help i do go to ww.but have maintained a couple times along with only losing a lb.i guess i should be gratful and i am. just would like to lose a little more a week. Report Inappropriate Comment

LACYLOU85 7/23/2007 8:46AM

OHHH. I want to be your test experiment!!! If it could bring your losses my way, bring it on!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

Day 4!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Day 1: 148.0
Day 2: 145.8 (loss of 2.2 lbs)
Day 3: 142.6 (loss of 3.2 lbs)
Day 4: 141.2!! (loss of 1.4 lbs)

I am looking much better and feeling much better. Do you know how cool it is to not have to suck it in and still not have it hanging over? (Now the only reason to suck it in is to firm my abs, see the article I posted below!)

But I am starting to notice a problem. I realized I get a thrill out of losing weight quickly, and this is not cool. I don't exactly binge eat JUST to then later see my weight drop 7 pounds in 4 days, but I do recall thinking the night before I started my challenge, "Should I really work out tonight? If I do, I might not have my highest possible 'starting weight' tomorrow morning." I worked out anyway, but do you get what I'm talking about here? Is my TRUE goal to be thin/fit/healthy and stay that way, or is it subconsciously about seeig fast success on the scale?!?

You know what the thing about maintanence is, though. You DON'T see numbers dropping on the scale. Success is measured by keeping the numbers exactly the same! How boring! And I have to do this forever in order to keep my weight off?!?

I know the answer is obvious. If I'm thrilled by my own success (and who isn't) maintanence needs to be about seeing success in other areas, not the scale. I do need to keep weighing myself and being sure I'm staying within my range, but I have to find ways to thrill myself in other ways. Not the scale, and, of course, not food either. Here are some ideas:
*Become a better runner, do more races.
*Get really good at biking, strength traning, roller blading, etc.
*Make my condo really gorgeous.
*Ditto my wardrobe - in heavenly size 4s, 6s, and 8s.
*Focus on being a fantastic teacher.

I can do all these things for thrills, and just take a few minutes out of each day to plan and prepare the next day's food so that I stay on my plan. I think that's the long term solution. I really do.

But for now, I'm halfway done with my challenge and starting to look very bikini-ready!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo. :)