I'm Back, with Scary & Exciting News!

Monday, October 15, 2012

So, I have taken a week off Spark and actually lost 3 lb!

My scary and exciting news is that my husband and I are going to try and get pregnant now. I am taking some time off school and we are going to start a family. I am super scared but excited, too. Wish me luck!

This means that I will no longer be dieting to lose weight. I am going to try and lose a bit here before we get pregnant, but I'll be gaining 20-30+ lb. (I hope the lower end, not 50+).

If anyone has any experiences to share on pregnancy, I'd appreciate it. I'm nervous!

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The 5% Fall Challenge.

Saturday, October 06, 2012

Today is of the fall 5% challenge. I weighed in at 157, having eaten fair food for the past two days. I am so ready to get back on track!

I walked for 25 minutes this morning, so off to good start!

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New leaf.

Thursday, October 04, 2012

I think I have finally turned a corner: I have started exercising. This week, I have exercise 3 or 4 days for at least 20 minutes. I just went for a walk. It was glorious to watch the dark turn to dawn. I walked very briskly for me, and even did a couple minutes of jogging! I have also lifted weights for the first time in a long time yesterday and today. Just 10 lb. dumbbells.

I am going to a greenhouse today and going to buy some hardy mums to plant around my porch! I love love love fall. The air smelled so good this morning, and it was beautiful with a thin fog floating in the air, making everything seem magical.

I am going to the fair tonight and my mom is invariably going to try and get me to eat something from there. Fair food is not healthy. However, I think I am going to eat a gyro. I looked it up in the tracker and it is 600-some calories. I fit it into my plan for the day. I am not going to get the cucumber sauce to save some calories in case that calorie count was wrong. I picked the one with the highest calories, though. I know those gyros with the cucumber sauce can really pack a calorie punch! Of course the sauce is *yogurt based...and they don't use light *yogurt! I am really looking forward to going, though. I will be going with my hub and my mom and step dad.

Hope you all have a great day!

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Excuses: A 5% Challenge Assignment

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Give 3 or 4 reasons and for each (reason/excuse on why my diets and exercise plans have not been well-executed in the past) write a strategy that will keep me on track for 8 weeks.

I read this on BEATLETOT's blog and decided it would behoove me to do it.

Diet
Excuse #1
"I am craving something sweet."
Strategy: Chew sugar-free gum. Buy the yummy dessert-flavored gums.

Excuse #2
"I am craving pizza/cheese sticks/pure fat."
Strategy: Eat a piece of cheese, not 10 mozzarella sticks! I am going to have to outlaw pizza entirely, because I can't eat it in moderation. The craving comes from that salt-fat phenomenon. When I eat salt and fat together, or sugar and fat together, I want more of both! It's like food crack.

Excuse #3
"We have nothing to eat that is on my diet."
Strategy: Be prepared to shop consciously at the grocery store. I need to focus on the periphery of the store, where the meats, fruits, vegetables, and *fresh* foods are.

Excuse #4
"I really want a drink."
Strategy: I need to get over this one. It is not a healthy way for me to manage stress. I have to remind myself that nothing (especially alcohol) tastes or feels as good as being at my goal weight will feel after all of this trying and starting over.

Excuse #5
"Free (insert calorie-dense snack or treat here)!"
Strategy: People at work make things all the time and bring cake and whatnot in constantly. It is almost daily that I face temptation. Just because it's free doesn't mean I should eat it.

Fitness

Excuse #1
"I'm tired and I don't feel like exercising."
Strategy: I'm committing to at least ten minutes of exercise per day. I can walk around the block (.5 miles) at least daily, and I want to make my goal to do 20-30 minutes of walking and exercise of any sort at least 5 days a week.

I use that excuse not to exercise almost daily. I have what is clinically known as "tired all the time" syndrome.

Anyway, that is the assignment and I am crediting BEATLETOT with the idea to write a blog about it. I have a lot more diet excuses than exercise excuses. I usually blow my diet before I don't exercise.

I hope you all are having a great October! I, for one, am taking charge of my life!

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Good Morning, October!

Monday, October 01, 2012

It is officially my favorite month of the whole year: October. Ah, yes. The month of perfect fall weather has started.

I am also officially on induction phase of the Atkins diet. I am going to do Induction for 2 weeks, and then go into phase 2 of Atkins. If I can make it this two weeks, I am going to be so proud of myself.

Eating at work is my main problem. They had family night at the nursing home last night and we all get free food afterwards. Namely cookies, cake, and meatballs. How do I overcome this?

I read a really great blog yesterday. It reminded me that I need to make specific goals instead of broad ones that I can manipulate to my advantage when I binge.

Goals for October
1. Eat within my calorie range for 2 weeks of Induction, and stay within it for the rest of the month! This is going to be a hard one.

2. Get 500 monthly fitness minutes. I have never made it all the way to 500 minutes, or if I have, it was only one time in the YEARS I have been on this website. Exercise is a bane to my existence. I know if I only can get started, I will enjoy it, and there will be benefits for me (ex. mood stabilizer, antidepressant, energy). So my goal is small, just get about 200 more fitness minutes in for the month. I should be able to do that walking 150 minutes a week (30 minutes 5 times a week).

3. Walk at least 5 times per week, even if it's just for a mile.

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