Monday Project Link-Up: The Bank

This week at the Sisterhood, we looked at what types of activities, thoughts, etc add a deposit to our "bank". While I didn't run outside this week or have any scary interactions with the local wildlife, I did manage to add a few deposits (and learning experiences) to my bank.

When I think back on this week, I'm trying to find activities that have deposited into my bank. One stands out. I have been training for 4 weeks now with the c210k program. My training has involved a large amount of technology: my iPhone, c210k app, nike+, the treadmill. This week, technology has tried to do everything in its power to bite me in the butt and get me discouraged. Tech is a great thing...when it works! When it doesn't work it is frakin' frustrating. However, I have continued to run. I have no data from Sunday and Wednesday (9 miles and 2 hours total, thank you very much), but I kept running even when my crap wasn't working. I found I can run without music, although it is very, very, very, boring and I really don't need to know exactly how far I've run or what my pace was since it doesn't matter at this point. Thankfully, my run today was recorded without fail. It appears my tech issues are behind me (for the time being anyway).

• Deposit: I walked/ran 13.5 miles in 3 workouts this week, running 40% of the time. The tech isn't what matters, moving your @$$ is what matters.

I did not want to go to the gym tonight. The weather was terrible, I needed to pick the boy up from swimming at 4:15, have the girl to gymnastics at 4:30 (yep-she was late) and the gym I work out at is in the opposite direction. However, I really didn't want to have to get up tomorrow to do this week's final run and then try to do next week's run on Sunday, so I got my butt to the gym. I was starving but burpy from drinking a diet coke right before I got there (you're welcome) and when I unpacked my bad, I realized I forgot my favorite water bottle. Oh well. I needed to suck it up and drink out of the aluminum one I use during the day. Then, I was so hungry when I got home (after driving back across town to pick up K at her gym) that I completely SCARFED my dinner. Needless to say, the tummy isn't feeling too good at the moment.

• Deposit: I was busy but I still worked out. Schedules and schedule changes happen-suck it up


• Deposit: I learned what not to do before I run: don't drink pop. I also know not to eat a lot first, but maybe bringing a powerbar or some fruit to work to eat on the way to the gym might not be a bad idea.


• Deposit: I improvised, but also learned: don't try to run and drink out of an aluminum, open-mouth water bottle, you might lose a tooth, or at the very least dump water all over yourself.

All of my training so far has been on a treadmill. Western lower Michigan, 25-some miles from the lake, is entirely too cold and snowy for me to train outside yet. Case in point: this is the trail where I run during the nicer times of the year. Can you find it? Yeah, I can't either.

I would love to be one of those women who runs in the snow, but I'm not and don't really want to be. (I will and have run in the rain-don't like it, but I'll do it if I have to. It builds character.) I have a paranoia about falling. Silly, yes, but that's just me. How does this relate to filling my bank? I'm learning NOT to look at the treadmill next to me because it just ticks me off. Who cares that the 22 year old hot guy on the next treadmill is running at a 7 or 8 minute mile pace and I'm barely holding on (literally, I'm holding on to the treadmill) to a 10 min mile pace and only for 2 minutes at a time. It shouldn't matter.

• Deposit: I am steadily increasing my distance and stamina, on my terms. I've walked/run almost 50 miles since starting my c210k training! I'll get to that 6.2 when I get there and not a second sooner.

I'm glad Christie devised this little project for us this week. I honestly didn't think I'd come up with anything. I was wrong. My deposits might not be victories and may not have involved suicidal squirrels, but they are mine.

Spring Fling: Weigh-In 1

I had so much fun with the Shrinking Jeans Olympics and I even managed to win a couple medals. I never win anything, much less something related to sports. Way cool and a total ego boost if I do say so myself. I am so excited for this new challenge to start. Teams! I love teams! I can't wait to see what the sisterhood has planned for us this go-round :)

Now, on to the less than pleasantness:

If you read my True Confessions post this week, you know that I experimented with eating MORE to counteract the amount of exercise I've been doing since I gained weight last week after eating/exercising so well (weird concept, I know). Unfortunately, this may have backfired just a teensy-weensy bit. As of Sunday, I had gained over 2 lbs. Holy Guacamole! Apparently 1400 calories were a bit much after I had only been netting around 1000 or less for the past few weeks. I backed off to 1200 calories and I've lost almost all that I gained, but not quite.

My starting weight for this challenge is 155.2 (up .4 from last week). This still represents a 10.6 loss overall, so at least I don't have to give back my 10# button :)

Here's another number: Alterations for 3 pairs of dress pants: $51.00. Needing to have pants taken in: priceless!

So, bring on the team challenges, bring on the running (have I mentioned I'm training for my first 10K?), bring on the food logging. I am ready!

ps-did you know the Sisterhood is giving away 11 copies of the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred? Now you do. Go here to enter, but you better hurry because the contest ends today at midnight! You just can't have the copy I am going to win-it's mine :)

True Confession Tuesday: The Experiment Edition

Ok, so last week I was up a little bit (.8 lbs) and sorta freak out. I had been eating and working out with a vengeance and was shocked to see a gain. Looking back at my dailyplate calorie logs, it appeared I was possibly not eating enough to counterbalance all the exercise, so I decided to experiment with upping my net calories to around 1450.

Let me tell you, I think it was a HUGE mistake. By Sunday morning, I had gained another 2.2 lbs! Egads! Granted, a good portion of this might have been salt (or the two beers I had Saturday night to add calories when I wasn't hungry-yeah, I did that-this is true confessions, is it not????) Anyway, I readjusted and since Sunday I have worked to stay around 1200 net. We'll see what happens at weigh-in tomorrow, but I'm certainly not expecting a loss.

I follow a blog by a very funny man. He wrote a great post a week or so ago about how you never know how the scale ("Miss Fussbritches" to him) will treat you from week to week. It was what I needed to hear. Sometimes you do everything right and the scale treats you like crapola ("Epic Fail" as my son would say). Other weeks, you eat like crapola and you are somehow rewarded with a loss. I guess it is one of those mysteries we may never understand. Whatever happens tomorrow, I will brush myself off and get back to business. How about you?

Weigh-In Wednesday: Craptastic

If you don't like swearing, please don't read my post. You can close the browser-I won't be offended. Honestly.

Still here? Well, here goes...

I have been putting off writing this post all day because I just don't want to face it. I honestly don't understand my body at all. I have been steadily losing and I have been beyond good this week (see my True Confession post). However, I am up .8 fucking pounds to 154.8 this week!!!! WTF! This fucking sucks! Yeah, I'm pissed and don't feel like censoring myself like I usually do. (I normally don't want any of you to see the real me is potty mouthed and bitchy. Today I must not care.)

I cannot understand how I can be so good and work my ass off all week, to only GAIN weight. It doesn't make any sense. Here is my calorie log from Daily Plate for the past week. See if you can figure out where I went wrong:

2/11 consumed 1597, burned 143, net 1454
2/12 consumed 1072, burned 590, net 482 (missed dinner-had popcorn at movies instead)
2/13 consumed 1355, burned 336, net 1019
2/14 consumed 1700, burned 190, net 1510
2/15 consumed 1713, burned 553, net 1161
2/16 consumed 1395, burned 466, net 929

(Ok, big mistake-daughter just came into the room and found me crying as I write this post. She asked why I was crying and I told her. Way to pass on my body image issues to my 12 year old daughter. Sign me up for mother of the year.)

Daily Plate says I should get 1643 calories a day to lose 1.5 pounds a week. When I exercise, the calorie allotment goes up, so they are wanting me to "eat" those calories, too. Of the 6 days I posted here, I only felt like crap on the 482 net-calorie day (was really lightheaded, actually) but by the time we got home, it was really too late to eat. I haven't been hungry and one of the habits I'm trying to break is mindless snacking at the end of the day. Should I eat something if it looks like I still have calories left over, even if I'm not hungry? What the fuck is that going to do for me? I'm also sure I'm getting enough water since I'm running to the damn bathroom every hour. Also, if I drink more, that makes me not want to eat because I already feel full.

I thought maybe this gain was hormonal (which for me would be a minor miracle since Aunt Flo hasn't visited in over 5 years) but so far all I have are a few zits and several crying jags-nothing else is happening. Sorry, TMI, but I'm really trying to figure this shit out.

If you stuck with me, sorry for going off and for the potty mouth. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

True Confession Tuesday

It's True Confession Tuesday over at the Sisterhood and I'm feeling a need to confess.

This confession isn't going to be what you'd expect; however, since I've been very good (exceptional almost) this week. So, if you don't like to hear whining, bitching and moaning, you can close the browser now and walk away. Really, I won't be offended. You can go. Seriously. Go.

Ok, now that everyone has left, I can vent and swear to my heart's content. Here is my confession:

• I am really hating my body right now. It is betraying me. I know we just finished that whole "re-think your shrink" challenge, and for the most part I'm in a really good place mentally, but this week has really sucked. I weigh myself pretty much every morning (stupid, masochistic, whatever-it is what it is) and this week I have been UP .4 to 1 lb all fracking week! I can find no explanation for it and it pisses me off. This is not going to get me into the 140's dammit.
• I have been downright OUTSTANDING with logging my food (staying within my calories)and kicking it into high gear with the exercise. I'm into week 3 of my c210K training for God's sake! 30 freakin' miles in 2 1/2 weeks. I'm 1/2 way through the EA sports more workouts 6-week challenge. We didn't go out for Valentine's Day! I had one measly dark chocolate with almonds bar (which I accounted for). I'm going to float away if I drink one more glass of water.
• WTF!
• I repeat, WTF!

Seriously, I don't understand this. I have no idea what is going to happen with the scale for weigh-in tomorrow, but if I'm up, I'm going to be really depressed. I know I am making good changes, my clothes are getting looser, and I've committed to getting healthier. But, I really need to see those numbers go down.

Please, body, quit screwing with me.

Please.

That is all.

Re-Think Your Shrink: Final Monday Project Link-up

I can't believe it has been (almost) 7 weeks since the Re-Think Your Shrink challenge began. Have I changed my thinking with regards to my weightloss efforts? Let's see....

How did I do these past 7 weeks? Well, I did quite well in this challenge, thank you very much! I managed to lose 7.2 pounds and earned my 10 pound button (see it over on the left?). I've also been literally working my a** off :) I've been working out almost every day and started training for a 10K. Just in the past 2 weeks I've logged 20.56 miles on my Nike+. That's freakin' huge for me, people!

Did I discover my patterns/fall into old patterns/make new patterns? I've discovered that, for me, tracking what goes into my pie-hole makes all the difference in the world. I'm making myself accountable. I can go back to my logs at dailyplate and see if I've had too much in and/or not enough burning it off. The livestrong app I bought for my phone was one of the best couple bucks I've ever spent.

Did I do anything differently/get out of my comfort zone? For anyone who found my vlog, you know this is a resounding "YES". I am such a complete dork, but I had fun doing it. I've said when I hit the 20# loss mark, I'll do another one.

Have I re-thunk my shrunk? I think I have. I've always had the know-how and the basic tools to lose weight, but this time around, I have a great support system to cheer me on (or give me a kick in the keester if I need it). For that, I am eternally grateful.

Are there pictures? I hadn't planned on putting in "after" pictures because I'm really not to the "after" point yet and I don't think the weight loss really shows. However, the pants I put on a couple days ago prompted me to take a few new shots. (Now, bear in mind that I am taking these of myself, with a tripod, and I am in no way a decent photographer.) You can't really see it from the photos, but these pants are so baggy that I have to wear a belt and keep having to hike them up. All of my belts are also now to the tightest notch. I really don't want to buy new pants yet, because I hope to get quite a bit smaller, but I may have to invest in some new belts, or maybe a little bit of tailoring.

Here's the before:

Here are the after:

(I must appologize for the layout of this posting. I really need a blog upgrade!)

Re-Think Your Shrink: The Final Weigh-In

Holy Cats! How did 7 weeks go by so quickly? I can't believe we are at the end of this challenge already. Have I "Re-Thought My Shrink"? Let's see.

I started this challenge at 161.2 pounds. Today's weight: 154.0! That's 7.2 pounds down for this challenge (and 11.8 since I joined the sisterhood last summer at 165.8#). The 160's have left the building and I am on my way OUT of the 150's! Obviously, I must be doing something right. I really think I have "re-thought my shrink." I have decided to embrace technology and let it help me this time around. I love my online tracking tool Daily Plate (you can find it at www.livestrong.com or as an app through i-tunes). I've started using a Nike+ chip to track my runs and have started training for a 10K. (Now if I can only dig-out today to find a treadmill for today's run, I'll be a happy camper.) I've been working through the 6-week challenge on Wii EA Sports Active More Workouts on non-run days.

I haven't changed my eating habits that much, other than the tracking. I think the exercise and just making myself accountable have been the biggest changes during this challenge. I even managed to step outside my comfort zone and vlog for the first time when I reached the 10 pound mark. (Maybe there will even be a vlog 2.0 when I earn my 20 pound button.)

Thank you to all of the wonderful, beautiful, ladies I have "met" through this journey. From the bottom of my heart, I couldn't have accomplished this much without your love, humor, and rockin' support!

See you all in the Shrinking Jeans Olympics! Don't worry, Christie O, I'm not going anywhere!

Monday Project Link-Up: Doing Something Different

This week at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans we were asked to think outside the fitness box and try something we had never done before. Now, I really struggled with this because I've been at this exercise and weightloss thing for a long time and have tried pretty much everything available to me. I've done every class our gym has to offer, worked out to DVDs and the Wii. I've run, I've walked, I've done Zumba (not my cup of tea, btw). I've done Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, gone it on my own. I've run several 5K's. Needless to say, my options were looking pretty bleak.

Then I realized, pretty much everything I've done with exercise this week HAS incorportated something new. I'm using technology to train.

• I'm using the Nike+ sensor for the first time (love it!)
• I downloaded a Couch to 10K program onto my phone
• I'm training for a 10K

Since I wasn't sure if these would count since I have tried running in the past, I decided to do something completely crazy and outside my comfort zone. I did a vlog. I actually allowed myself to be videotaped while jumping around like an idiot during our Biggest Loser Last Chance Tworkout on Tuesday night. This is from a girl who rarely allows herself to be photographed, much less videotaped. About as far outside my comfort zone as I could go. I hit the 10 pound loss mark this week. Maybe this will be an every-10-pounds event.

Enjoy the laugh at my expense. I can take it.

Click here for the video.

Re-Think Your Shrink: Week 5 Weigh-In

I have been waiting to write this post for far too long. I've met my 1st goal!!!!!!!!! Check out my new button to the left. Did you see it???? I've finally lost 10 pounds! Can I get a "Woot-Woot"!

I am down 1.8 pounds this week to 155.6. This puts me at 5.6 pounds for the challenge and 10.2 pounds overall. I'm finally starting to see some real results and that has me pumped. Excuse me while I go do the happy dance.....

....ok, I'm back. I feel like I'm committing to some serious changes here and it is paying off. I even started training for a 10K this week. I downloaded a couch to 10K program onto my phone and did the first walk/run yesterday. I bought new running shoes but I'm still having some issues with my orthotics, so I'm hoping foot and knee problems don't sideline me before I even get started, but I'm working on it. I've also continued my EA Sports Active More Workouts 6-week challenge and I'm logging all my food and exercise online. It seems I've found the right combination of food and exercise and my net calories are staying in a range that is keeping the scale moving in the right direction. Plus, I have all these great ladies at the Sisterhood cheering me on. Thanks, girls! Any little bit to keep me accountable. Let's hope this trend continues.