KNH771's SparkPeople Blog

Keep on Marchin' On...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:27:04 EST

Well... The month isn't entirely over, but I think I can say that March has been a success. The changes at work have allowed me to begin focusing on myself a bit more, and I'm beginning to turn around that roughly 30 pound weight gain I suffered.

I know I keep saying this, but eventually, I hope to be able to tell you what all this work crap has been about. Right now, there's still pending litigation. My employer is providing free counseling right now, and I have been taking adv...

A Painful Reality Check

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:51:06 EST

A couple of weeks ago I posted about "suddenly" not fitting into my jeans. It was kind of a rude awakening for me. I weigh myself frequently, so I knew that I had gained weight over the last two years. I'd also recently done my measurements and seen the effect of sliding away from regular weight training. But attempting to slip on those jeans was the first time I just hadn't been able to get something on.

When I first started losing my 100+ pounds in 2007 I had a practice of re...

A Woman with a Plan

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:57:13 EST

Well, two weeks into March now, and I guess I have some good and some bad on the weight loss front.

March 2: 191.2
March 9: 187.2
March 16: 188.1

Still down from the starting point, but not exactly where I want to be.

One of my biggest problems is consistency. It's hard for me to get all of the bits and pieces together every day. I drink my water or I exercise. I lift or I stay within my calorie ranges. I stretch or I get enough sleep. It can ...

There's a Ninja in My House!

Sat, 9 Mar 2013 16:18:35 EST

So I'm one week into my "reset." The week has been far from perfect, but I'm back to tracking my food. I've cleaned out the pantry, gotten rid of the chips and such. My exercise still needs a lot of improvement, but I guess I'll take this one step at a time.

March 2: 191.2 lbs
March 9: 187.2 lbs

As for the Ninja, I've been looking for ways to increase the fruits and veggies in my diet...

Argh!!!

Fri, 1 Mar 2013 09:55:03 EST

*&$%@! Spark.

I just spent 45 minutes writing a blog, and Spark ate it. I could cry.

But I won't.

I'll try to replicate it somewhat...

And So It Begins...

Thanks to evyone who commented on the last blog. I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone who commented on my last blog, but I want to thank you all. I really appreciate everyone who takes time out of their busy day to offer some encouragement. It may not seem like much, but i...

Will You Cry a Little?

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:14:25 EST

29 For the first time in five years I went to put on a pair of jeans and couldn't get them on. I probably could have jiggled and squeezed, but I would have been totally uncomfortable. I had to buy a new (bigger) business suit for a meeting.

I've been watching the scale inch up for over a year, but this is the first real bang me over the head moment. My weight is out of control.

...

I wish, I wish

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:48:32 EST

I wish I could tell you all about the stuff at work right now... CRAAAZY!

*SIGH* 40

Anyway... I figured it was time for a new year update.

I'm up four pounds from the first of the year. Thing is, I can't really be too upset about it, because I had somehow managed to gain 10 pounds the first fourteen days of 2013, and now I'm moving back in the right direction.

I had set a mini-goal of 20lbs, which would get me back to the stable weig...

A Rough Start

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 11:46:51 EST

I can't decide if it's been a long first week of 2013 or if the year is already racing by...

My first week stats are disappointing. Aunt Flo is visiting and I'm up 5 lbs. for the week. I know it's temporary, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't disheartening. After hurting my back a week ago, I got sick this week. I haven't made it to the gym once.

I am working on increasing my hydration levels again. I'm trying to drink 16 oz. of water each morning before breakfast...

Shake Your Groove Thang

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 14:59:50 EST

One of my favorite Spark endorsed activities is Happy Dancing with the Done Girls team. For January, I've made a mini-resolution to turn up the music and dance around my home office for a few minutes every day.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of my happy dancing to K-Pop. Even if you haven't heard of the term "K-pop", you probably know what it is. Psy's "Gangnam Style" would fall into this category. I liked Gangnam Style for it's fifteen minutes of ubiquity, but a year from now...

I Need Some Advice

Thu, 3 Jan 2013 08:49:11 EST

Hello Sparkpeeps!

Hopefully your 2013 is going smoothly so far. Mine is off to a bit of a rocky start healthy-resolution-wise. Struggling to get back to weight training yet. Between tweaking my back and being sick earlier this week, I'm making more snail than turtle-like progress.

I still have 363 days though. 20

Anywhoos... I was hoping you might be able to make some recommendations for me. My heart rate monitor died last summer, and I've dec...

The Reckoning

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 11:45:45 EST

The new year is finally here! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to rock it.

I spent the last weekend cleaning out the pantry and fridge. All of the candy and junk food is gone. I have fruit and veggies in house. Gym clothes are clean and folded. The MP3 player is charged. It's a new beginning!

And let me tell you, I need myself a new beginning.

I've been open about my weig...

It's Just Around the Corner

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 09:43:47 EST

How come there isn't a whole collection of songs about starting a new year? If there were, I would listen to it today!

I don't know what it is about turning the page on the calendar, but I just love it. I love the possibility. A brand new 365 days stretching out before you waiting for you to take charge.

As you might guess, I'm a resolution girl. I don't really call them resolutions, but I'm not sure that the semantics matters. When the new year starts I like to set...

A Brand New Love Affair

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:03:53 EST

Hello Spark Peeps!

I knew that I'd been neglecting my blogs, but I didn't realize how much neglect was there. No posts in pretty much two months! I think that is a record for me.

This is the time of year when, if you're like me, you do a lot of reflection on the past year. Maybe you make some plans for the year just around the corner. I've been doing a lot of both.

It's pretty obvious to me that I need to make some life changes. I'm over-scheduled and o...

Are You Ready to RUMBLE?!?!?

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 08:49:30 EST

I don't care who you vote for, just do it. People have died for this right that so many Americans take for granted. If you don't go to the polls, you lose your right to complain later.

Here's a great, VERY BRIEF, couple of paragraphs on why you should vote if you're on the fence. The dynamics of apathy...
sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/201
2/11/why-vote-the-marketing-dynamics-o
f-...

I'm Baaack!

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 07:21:16 EST

Long time, no blog, eh?

I've been travelling a lot for work and blog posting doesn't go so well on the iPad.

A new month normally means new goals, but I'm going to keep my October goals for another few weeks. I was on the road and ended up eating out for almost all of my meals for three straight weeks. It completely erased my progress from earlier in the month. This month, I will pretty muc...

Lest you think I gave up already...

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 13:42:11 EST

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days. Kind of gave up on the daily blogging thing over the weekend. 2

Last week I did well on getting the calories back in control, but I didn't do as well with hydration, so I'm focusing on that this week. That's always harder for me when the weather cools off. Do any of you have that problem? When the sun is shining, sweat is an easy reminder to replenish, but when it's snowing and overcast I'm just not that motivated. Even when ...

Weekend, Where art thou?

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 17:15:19 EST

Saw this photo on pinterest and just had to share! 211

As predicted, the weather here has gotten much cooler. The high temp yesterday was in the 70s. When I got off work it was 51. By the time I got home it was in the 30s. It was in the 20s when I came in to work this morning, and it's supposed to snow tomorrow and saturday.

So much for fall! 465

The c...

Winter is Coming...

Wed, 3 Oct 2012 11:44:58 EST

I love Game of Thrones. 334 Bring on book 6 already!

One of the things that I have to do today is get outside and walk. There's a cold front coming in tonight and we're expecting our first hard freeze. Temps possibly dropping into the 20s overnight through the weekend, snow in the mountains... We never get much of a fall. The leaves start to turn, it snows, then they all turn black and dro...

...so here's the plan

Tue, 2 Oct 2012 15:27:10 EST

Yesterday, I started working on getting back to my "happy" stable weight. The goal is to lose 18 pounds before January 1.

I want to make sure that I don't overdo it right off the bat.

For October:

194 Drink 80 oz. of water a day

315 30 minutes of cardio each day

34 Strength training 3x/week

387 Food ...

A Broken Record

Mon, 1 Oct 2012 11:49:08 EST

I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged last!

Maybe it's because every time I blog lately it's been a repeat of the same thing. I'm struggling and having trouble getting back on track.

My weight is up three months in a row. I calculated my BMI this morning, and I am officially back in the obese category.

Right now, I'm working really hard on getting back on track. I've started by looking at my food journals. Generally, my calorie tota...

Wow. That Was Depressing.

Sun, 2 Sep 2012 17:21:47 EST

So I'm starting September two pounds higher than I started August. 39

And I can't even blame Aunt Flo.

I've got to figure out what mental black has me in stasis.

Last night I went out to dinner with some friends. All four of us have lost 100 pounds or more, and all four of us are struggling right now. It was an interesting conversation.

The one thing I think ...

The Temptation

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 11:17:51 EST

Over the last couple of weeks, I've come to grips with the fact that I've been slowly allowing my weight to creep back up. My 135 lb. weight loss is now 120 lbs. 15

That's just not acceptable. 28

So I'm looking at my life. Trying to figure out what areas I've been sloppy about. Where am I cheating? Where have I been lazy? What was it I used to do that I'm not doing anymore?

It's actually not hard.

287 1. I've be...

Born Round

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:14:24 EST

I just finished this book. It's a memoir by a former New York Times restaurant critic about his lifetime struggle with weight and how he "learned to love food just enough."

I was fascinated. I know that men get eating disorders too, but I'd never actually read an account of a man struggling with bulimia or taking drugs to lose weight. It was interesting to see the steps he took to lose weight, and th...

Scariness...

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:26:43 EST

Hello Sparkpeeps!

Life and work are still crazy here. I've taken on some new projects at the office and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed while I try to get a full understanding of the new job duties. Fitness and food are a little bit hit and miss, but I think it's more hit than miss. I finish my swim lessons this week and then I'm on my own. It was intimidating to start, but I'm so glad I did it! I'm still not comfortable in the deep end, but I know I can safely swim several laps...

An apology...

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 12:53:49 EST

I wanted to begin this blog with an apology. I've been trying to post here and there, but I haven't taken time to respond to and thank all of the people who've taken time to comment. I think I'm two weeks or more behind!

Work has been insane, and I've been traveling, and I haven't been online much. I'm actually afraid to check my email. I don't think I've checked it in over a week.

Last week I spent a lot of time in hotels and in cars driving around the state atten...

Jesus Gave Me a Smackdown!

Sun, 5 Aug 2012 11:30:22 EST

40 39 24 10 40 39 24 10

*Sigh*

You know, I'm always telling people not to focus just on the scale. Usually, I'm pointing out how other things, like how much more you can lift, or if it's easier to walk up the stairs, can give you a positive boost.

But I haven't been practicing what I preach. It's been all scale, all the time, and that has allowed me to slip.

I haven't...

Right in Front of My Face

Wed, 1 Aug 2012 14:06:45 EST

I've been at this whole "diet" thing a long time.

At least 28 years now.

And there are things that I KNOW work.

So how come I don't always do them?

The single most important thing that works for me is drinking water. A minimum of 80 oz. a day. I keep a little calendar where I track things like weight, exercise, hydration and other "fitness-y" things. Yesterday, when I got ready to turn the page for August, a fact about July slapped me in the fa...

Stumbling Toward the Finish

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 07:21:50 EST

Jeesh! Watching the Olympics yesterday, I was so glad that no one's really watching my successes and failures. Losing weight is hard, but can you imagine if you had to do it on the world stage? ("KNH771 was expected to finish well this week Bob, but what a disappointment. 40 Only half a pound!)

Photo by Gregory Bull

I felt awful for Jordyn Wieber. When she tried to rush to the locker ...

Only Six Left?!?

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:33:45 EST

Hello Spark Peeps!

Hope this week treated you well. I spent a few days fighting some kind of stomach bug. How is that when you're too sick to eat you always gain weight?!

Oh well, feeling better now, so things have got to look up. I haven't done the best job of tracking during July. I'm really going to have to work on it in August. I've got my spreadsheet ready and a timeline for posting to keep me accountable.

I've seriously been craving sugary sweets la...

Stuck on Repeat

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 12:00:56 EST

I'm so sickened by what happened in Aurora yesterday. It's awful when it happens anywhere, but it seems so much worse when it's in your backyard. My prayers go out the the families and friends of all who are affected by the tragedy.

I know I owe you a post about my first week of swimming lessons, but I think I'll save it for later.

I need a break from the darkness, so I thought I'd share something lighthearted today.

Bummer!

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:03:50 EST

First, let me begin by thanking you, the readers of my humble ramblings, for being so awesome.

Really.

Thanks.

I had a couple of people ask me about the continuing swimsuit/water exercise saga, so I thought it was probably worth a follow-up post...

This week, my friend and I dutifully went back to the pool, only to have a different teenage lifeguard inform us that the instructor was on vacation for two weeks and wouldn't be back until NEXT week.

Scale Freak Out!!

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:44:49 EST

One of the things that I think has been very important in maintaining the weight I've lost so far is the fact that I weigh frequently. Almost every day. It's not just to keep me honest, but it's also taught me a lot about how my body reacts to certain things - like sodium. It's not the only thing that I pay attention to. It's just one reading on the dashboard.

After four years, I'm accustomed to the periodic ups and downs, and I've learned enough that I know when to panic, and ...

Saved by the bell... oops, make that TORNADO!

Fri, 8 Jun 2012 10:56:35 EST

Yesterday was going to be the first time in decades that I'd been brave enough to don a swimsuit and go to a pool.

Despite a mild anxiety attack, I put on the suit and drove across town to the pool for class. My friend was running late, which didn't help.

So she got there, we checked out each other's suits, figured out an unnecessarily complicated locker system, and headed toward the pool. ...

Sometimes You Just Have to Take a Leap...

Thu, 7 Jun 2012 18:46:05 EST

Wow!

I knew it had been a while, but I didn't realize an entire month had passed since I blogged last.

I've just been very busy.

Anyhoo...

Tonight I'm going to do something I haven't done in 27 years...

go to a swimming pool!

My friend wants to start water aerobics/fitness classes and she didn't want to go alone, so she asked me to join her. Yesterd...

So Cool!

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:52:11 EST

I've always been fascinated by the science of weight loss and gain.

It is just amazing to me how much medical and scientific research is out there, and how little we (we being the dieting, weight loss wanting public) actually take the time to study and use the data.

Reading the history of dieting and weight loss research a few years ago completely changed my life. I'd been trying to lose weight for almost 30 years, and Rethinking Thin by Gina Kolata completely changed...

...And the Lord Made Freggies

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:43:50 EST

... and deemed them good!

image from www.whatkatieate.blogspot.com

I've been on processed food overload. Out of control sugar cravings.

Trying to get back on track this week.

Last week I managed to get my hydration back up to 100 oz. a day (still working on getting up to a gallon). This week I'm working on getting my fruits and veggies. To prepare I went ...

Why Black Women Are Fat

Mon, 7 May 2012 12:25:17 EST

My blog title is pulled from a New York Times op-ed piece that ran over the weekend. It was an article that has really stuck with me, and not in a good way.

One statistic I didn't know that was in the article is the fact that 4 out of 5 black/African-American women in the U.S. are clinically seriously overweight. That statistic floored me! It makes me SO sad!

Even worse was that the author of the article proposes that black women are morbidly obese because we WANT to ...

Just for Today - Day 2

Mon, 7 May 2012 09:33:23 EST

I guess picking daily goals instead of weekly ones was a good move! I struggled to get all of them done. I didn't get meals cooked ahead because the chicken I put in the fridge didn't thaw. I'll have to cook them tonight. Didn't get all of my water. No weights. I didn't get to bed early because I decided to stay up and watch the season premiere of Sherlock on PBS.

So it looks like we're going to ...

Just for Today...

Sun, 6 May 2012 09:39:46 EST

I've been struggling a bit with my wellness efforts the last few weeks, and it's time to really focus on getting back on track. I was thinking about some weekly goals, but I've decided to take this week in smaller chunks. Looking at the whole month or week just isn't working for me right now.

So, just for today my goals are:

1. Plan a menu for the week. Cook at least one dish that can be frozen for meals later 341

2. 45 minutes of cardio 3...

Trust Me. This is NOT How You Want to Wake Up...

Sat, 5 May 2012 08:23:29 EST
All week long I dreamed of a blissful Saturday morning. 102

One where I turned off the alarm clock, blackened the windows, and slept well into the daylight hours. 128

Alas, it was not to be. 24

Morning still dark, I woke up to screeching tires.

Followed by crushing glass and metal. A radio blaring Rihanna.

Followed by people screeching. "Call 911!"

Of course, because I was still half asleep, a...