I cant believe how long its been since I have posted! These last few weeks have been SO busy. I am sorry for being a bad blogger and a bad reader. Juggling work and a wedding is way more time consuming that I could ever have imagined. Fortunately, my business is mostly due to fun things so I cant complain.
I can happily post that my weight is 144.8 so at least these few weeks havent been spent eating off track. I have attended a few parties and dinners out, but I have kept myself in check and have planned ahead, looked at calories online, and did the best that I could. My wedding dress is a huge motivation to keep my weight at this point so that is helping me. Any time I want to eat something I shouldnt, I just think of my dress and me in it on the actual day, and it keeps me in check.
My exercise is pretty on course as well. Things are really busy and its been a struggle just to get exercise in, but I have been averaging around 4 days a week which isnt bad at all. My best friend just got motivated to lose weight and is into walking, so I have been walking with her once a week and its been fun to get in exercise and be able to gossip and talk. Im glad I can help keep her motivated too. I know she is anxious about fitting in her bridesmaids dress, so that is a big motivation right there.
Work has been stressful and I have been putting in a lot of hours which makes me want to come home and stress eat, but I have been managing. Add that to the stress of the movin with my fiance (which is going well but still is difficult to adjust to sometimes), and I have felt like I want to just eat and eat, but I know where that gets me and I just have to push those thoughts aside and stick to what is best for me. Its hard because my fiance is always snacking and on things that are not healthy and having that kind of food in the house is a trigger for me, but I continue to eat what I know is healthy and I am sure with time I will be able to resist more easily.
Fun things coming up: my dress fitting tomorrow and my bridal shower next weekend! So excited - these are the fun times of being a bride.
Hope I remember to be a better blogger in the coming weeks.
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Friday, August 20, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Right way!
My positive thinking of being able to write about going the right way on the scale paid off. I just weighed in at a new low - 146.4! I am definitely happy that this week I didnt see a gain, and I am back down further away from 150.
I was a little nervous after last weekend since I went out to dinner with my fiance and his family and the restaurant that was selected had absolutely nothing that was healthy. There was chicken, but it was either fried or covered in cheese. Fish, again breaded or covered in some type of sauce that was unhealthy. I selected the healthiest dish I could find, filled up on salad, and I am glad that one meal didnt screw things up on the scale and I can feel decent about the choice I basically was forced to make. It happens to us all, we are invited out to eat and struggle to make choices and sometimes you can and sometimes you cant. It wasnt the first time Ive been in the position and I know it wont be the last and Im glad that I can just move on from it and that the scale doesnt punish me.
Ive been wanting to write about the Losing it with Jillian show since I have been reading mixed thoughts about it on different blogs. Ive watched the show, and while it isnt biggest loser and is definitely a way to promote her and her products, I think she is getting a lot of crap because she is so hard on people when I think thats exactly what they need. Now I may be biased because I like her and have all her dvds, but for the most part, I think there are 2 kinds of people. People who when pushed, can break through whatever block they have and move on or those who just give up. I realize this because as time has gone on, Ive realized that I am the kind of person who likes a challenge and so I really respect where she comes from. For example, my mom also has her 30 day shred that I myself have as well. The first few times I did that dvd, it was hard and I was tempted to give up. But I also realized that if I kept doing it, every time it would get a little easier. Thats exactly what happened and by the end of the 30 days, I was doing that dvd like it was my job and was so proud that I could keep up. Now my mom on the other hand gave up after 2 tries and had no desire to push herself to achieve more. I think a lot of times people do not realize what they are capable of, and sometimes if all it takes is a woman screaming in your face to push you to a point where you finally realize you can do it, then its worth it. Not everyone has that drive. Not everyone feels the way that i do - that you can work at something little by little instead of being intimidated. I am sure that is why losing weight and becoming healthier is harder for some than others. Im not saying it wasnt hard for me, but I had that drive and didnt let bumps in the road or others deter me. Its too bad not everyone is like that, but I do appreciate what Jillian is doing, whether it seems harsh or not, I get where she is coming from. Thats what I take away from the show anyways. Not the fluff or the money or the tears. That you can push yourself and achieve things you never realized you could if you dont give up.
I was a little nervous after last weekend since I went out to dinner with my fiance and his family and the restaurant that was selected had absolutely nothing that was healthy. There was chicken, but it was either fried or covered in cheese. Fish, again breaded or covered in some type of sauce that was unhealthy. I selected the healthiest dish I could find, filled up on salad, and I am glad that one meal didnt screw things up on the scale and I can feel decent about the choice I basically was forced to make. It happens to us all, we are invited out to eat and struggle to make choices and sometimes you can and sometimes you cant. It wasnt the first time Ive been in the position and I know it wont be the last and Im glad that I can just move on from it and that the scale doesnt punish me.
Ive been wanting to write about the Losing it with Jillian show since I have been reading mixed thoughts about it on different blogs. Ive watched the show, and while it isnt biggest loser and is definitely a way to promote her and her products, I think she is getting a lot of crap because she is so hard on people when I think thats exactly what they need. Now I may be biased because I like her and have all her dvds, but for the most part, I think there are 2 kinds of people. People who when pushed, can break through whatever block they have and move on or those who just give up. I realize this because as time has gone on, Ive realized that I am the kind of person who likes a challenge and so I really respect where she comes from. For example, my mom also has her 30 day shred that I myself have as well. The first few times I did that dvd, it was hard and I was tempted to give up. But I also realized that if I kept doing it, every time it would get a little easier. Thats exactly what happened and by the end of the 30 days, I was doing that dvd like it was my job and was so proud that I could keep up. Now my mom on the other hand gave up after 2 tries and had no desire to push herself to achieve more. I think a lot of times people do not realize what they are capable of, and sometimes if all it takes is a woman screaming in your face to push you to a point where you finally realize you can do it, then its worth it. Not everyone has that drive. Not everyone feels the way that i do - that you can work at something little by little instead of being intimidated. I am sure that is why losing weight and becoming healthier is harder for some than others. Im not saying it wasnt hard for me, but I had that drive and didnt let bumps in the road or others deter me. Its too bad not everyone is like that, but I do appreciate what Jillian is doing, whether it seems harsh or not, I get where she is coming from. Thats what I take away from the show anyways. Not the fluff or the money or the tears. That you can push yourself and achieve things you never realized you could if you dont give up.
Friday, May 21, 2010
About Time
I figured it was about time that I posted and actually have the time to do it lately. I love blogging and I hate when weeks pass by and I dont get on here to actually write. Mostly I write for myself but I definitely know that most of the people who read me probably dont anymore and I wouldnt blame them since I barely post anymore.
Anyways, obviously yes things have been really busy lately. Work is picking up to that completely crazy level it was at before, then my family came in for mothers day, and then last week I was busy with a 17 mile bike ride that i did on Saturday. It was awesome! I know that I work out 5 days a week but I was still a little nervous to do the 17 miles given I dont normally ride a bike when I work out, but I was really pleased that I did it without much trouble and could keep up with my fiance who rides daily (about 30 miles a day). It was really fun, and it was nice to be able to do that with my fiance and his family (his mom, dad, and cousin came too). I was happy too when I plugged in the numbers to see how many calories I burned and it was 500.
Weight is about the same - down .2 to 157.8 which is basically a maintain and is what Im trying to do. Last time I got to my goal I still felt like I could do more and wasnt really happy with where I was at. This time I feel much more settled and comfortable with how I look and feel. Part of me is curious if I could go further, but at the same time, Im not sure I really know what the point is. If Im happy and doing well here, then I should just keep doing what Im doing. Plus things have been so busy I dont think I could do much more to push it.
Things on the wedding front have been pretty good - we are at the point where most everything is done and we can just sit back and wait. Next weekend it will be a year that we have been engaged which is hard to believe. We are getting ready to move into our new apartment in about a month. I did have a horrible experience with a "shower" on mothers day though. I went to my grandmas and we were celebrating mothers day, my grandpas birthday, and my cousin's daughters birthday as well. Halfway through the day, my aunts, mom, and grandma came out with presents and said "surprise" indicating this was a surprise shower. I was upset not only because I hate surprises, but because none of my bridesmaids or matron were told about this, and my sister was completely left out and sat there feeling horrible that she knew nothing. I didnt have on my "special" shower dress that I bought, or have my camera. And then after I opened the gifts, that was it. Nothing - no games, nothing special. I cried the entire way driving home. Now I realize I may sound ungrateful or bitchy, but trust me, my unhappiness has nothing to do with not appreciating the thought. Its just that in my opinion (and my sisters as well), no thought was put into this. I have waited so long to be a bride and have worked really hard to do all the wedding planning and was looking forward to the fun things now, like my shower. only to find out that I dont even really get a shower. just 10 min spent on throwing gifts at me, trying to buy me off. I realize if its all my grandma could do, thats fine. but give me a corsage, a bride sash or something. Get all of the men out of the room, make me a special dessert. Is that too much to ask for? I guess it is. Maybe I just sound like a brideszilla, but it was absolutely horrible.
Enough of that. Here's a pic of my fabulous bike ride:
Friday, January 8, 2010
New Year
It is 2010! Happy New Year to everyone out there. Hopefully everyone has gotten the new year off to a great start. For some, this is just the beginning and I hope that if you are just starting out, you contine your healthy changes throughout the entire year. For others, we are just continuing our journey, and it does feel good that we already have plans in place and arent just jumping on the bandwagon because we ate too much over xmas and now feel pressured because of all the ads to do something.
I have started off the year well - Im down to 157 which I have not weighed since August. How is that for a good start huh!? I am pretty pleased with myself. Since my "experiment" where I tracked what I was eating in spark people, I made adjustments so that I was eating in the recommended range for calories, protein, fat, and carbs. I wasnt doing too bad before, but many days I was eating too few or too many calories, and I definitely did not get enough protein. This past week I have really focused on making sure I was getting enough of everything, and while I still need to work on those carbs (yes for some reason I have a hard time eating enough carbs), I guess my changes have been positive as I have finally seen some movement on the scale. I have also kept up with 5 workouts per week, alternating both of my Jillian workouts (trouble zones and metabolism boost). I feel pretty great actually. I know things will get crazy with work soon enough, but in the meantime, I am enjoying what Im doing and glad that I am finally seeing results. I feel optimistic and hopeful again that I might actually get to the goal I want this year (150), and least hopefully by the wedding. Last year I spent way too long in the rut I was in, just getting angry that I wasnt going anywhere. I wish i would have made an effort to get to the cause then, but sometimes life just gets in the way and all you can do is stick with what you know and at least it helps you maintain. 2010 is all about changes for me in just about every way, and Im glad I have started the year of just where I want to be at.
Yes we are drunk and wearing silly hats :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
The experiment - week 1 results
I seem to have some interesting results from my experiment. As I mentioned last week, I was going to eat as I normally do and track everything in spark people. I was suspicious that I was eating either too little or too much.
Happily I found out that I am eating slightly under but not that much under what is recommended (1400 calories). Not that eating too little is a good thing, but I guess its better than finding out you are eating too much. I also found out that I dont always eat enough protein, and I often do not eat enough carbs either. So that is all really good information to have and I plan to make some changes with what im eating to get more of both in my diet.
I also found that the creamer I use in my coffee just on weekends (use the office creamer while at work) is really high in calories and contributes a lot more than I was thinking it was, even with just 4 servings. So I cut back on that big time. I liked that I was able to see that and make changes accordingly.
I actually went from 159 to 157.6 last week which was pretty awesome, and then I had a sneaking suspicion that I have fallen victim to what many people do - they stop measuring and weighing their food, and they are actually eating more of it than they realize. I think the simple fact that I started doing that again really helped and my weight definitely reflected that. I would say that this was enough to get me on a roll again, but today I was back up to 159. I was disapointed by that as I have been diligently weighing and measuring everything thinking that was the culprit, but apparently not. Not that I plan on stopping, but I was hoping that was the culprit. I guess it could still be and I just am bloated today from TOM approaching or something else.
In any case, I feel a lot more knowledgeable than I was before about what im eating, and Im also glad to see that what I am eating is for the most part, the right thing. At least when I see that Im getting enough fat for example, I know that its the right kind of fat. Those were the mistakes I used to make a long time ago when I struggled to lose weight. I thought, as long as I eat X calories, X fat, X carbs, I will be fine. And I would fill those numbers with whatever I wanted and they were not healthy choices. Now I am eating the right foods and staying within the right ranges, and that feels good.
In the exercise department, I feel like I am kicking ass. I completed the Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred which feels amazing. I remember on Day 1, I struggled to get through it as it is a pretty good workout for a 25 min. workout. Now I have much better endurance and strength, and I moved on to her other 2 dvds which are Boosting Metabolism and Trouble Spots. Both are more difficult than the 30 day shred and I feel like that better prepared me to take on these beasts. I am sore all over from 2 days of both, but its a good feeling. I also got an early xmas present which was the Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for the Wi, and it is pretty awesome too. Not quite as good as some of the moves in the dvds using weights, but I did a ciruit on the game and it worked me out pretty good. I highly recommend it as I had heard negative things about the 2009 game, but much better things about this 2010 game and I have to agree.
Now I just need to hope all this hard work pays off and I start to see the changes that i want. If only it wasnt Christmas and facing all sorts of temptations over the next week while I am at home in PA. I always do the best I can and that will have to do while I am gone. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!
Happily I found out that I am eating slightly under but not that much under what is recommended (1400 calories). Not that eating too little is a good thing, but I guess its better than finding out you are eating too much. I also found out that I dont always eat enough protein, and I often do not eat enough carbs either. So that is all really good information to have and I plan to make some changes with what im eating to get more of both in my diet.
I also found that the creamer I use in my coffee just on weekends (use the office creamer while at work) is really high in calories and contributes a lot more than I was thinking it was, even with just 4 servings. So I cut back on that big time. I liked that I was able to see that and make changes accordingly.
I actually went from 159 to 157.6 last week which was pretty awesome, and then I had a sneaking suspicion that I have fallen victim to what many people do - they stop measuring and weighing their food, and they are actually eating more of it than they realize. I think the simple fact that I started doing that again really helped and my weight definitely reflected that. I would say that this was enough to get me on a roll again, but today I was back up to 159. I was disapointed by that as I have been diligently weighing and measuring everything thinking that was the culprit, but apparently not. Not that I plan on stopping, but I was hoping that was the culprit. I guess it could still be and I just am bloated today from TOM approaching or something else.
In any case, I feel a lot more knowledgeable than I was before about what im eating, and Im also glad to see that what I am eating is for the most part, the right thing. At least when I see that Im getting enough fat for example, I know that its the right kind of fat. Those were the mistakes I used to make a long time ago when I struggled to lose weight. I thought, as long as I eat X calories, X fat, X carbs, I will be fine. And I would fill those numbers with whatever I wanted and they were not healthy choices. Now I am eating the right foods and staying within the right ranges, and that feels good.
In the exercise department, I feel like I am kicking ass. I completed the Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred which feels amazing. I remember on Day 1, I struggled to get through it as it is a pretty good workout for a 25 min. workout. Now I have much better endurance and strength, and I moved on to her other 2 dvds which are Boosting Metabolism and Trouble Spots. Both are more difficult than the 30 day shred and I feel like that better prepared me to take on these beasts. I am sore all over from 2 days of both, but its a good feeling. I also got an early xmas present which was the Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for the Wi, and it is pretty awesome too. Not quite as good as some of the moves in the dvds using weights, but I did a ciruit on the game and it worked me out pretty good. I highly recommend it as I had heard negative things about the 2009 game, but much better things about this 2010 game and I have to agree.
Now I just need to hope all this hard work pays off and I start to see the changes that i want. If only it wasnt Christmas and facing all sorts of temptations over the next week while I am at home in PA. I always do the best I can and that will have to do while I am gone. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!
Monday, December 14, 2009
The experiment
Yes, Im still here. Man I have been busy the last month. So many thing happening at work (mostly bad), then there was Thanksgiving, now there's xmas coming up which means parties and gifts and gift wrapping etc. I feel like I never have time to just write. Part of it is that I feel like I am the same old thing to write - weights the same, exercising my butt off, nothings changing, blah blah blah. After a while, I know that there is nothing anyone can really say about that.
I have reached a point though where I need to figure out why Im not losing any more weight. Hence the title of this post - I have started to do an experiment this week. Since I do not count calories, rather eat x amount of protein, startch, veggies, etc., I was curious as to whether or not I was eating too much, or too little. Obviously either can affect weight loss, so I decided to find out exactly what I have been eating. So starting yesterday, I began tracking my food in sparkpeople, which is a site I used in the past when I was doing WW. I set a goal weight of 150 which is a 9 pound loss, and a target date of June 16th. The site indicated I should be eating 1460-1810 calories a day. I am not sure if this is pretty typical for someone of my height and weight, as well as activity level, to be eating to lose weight, but I trust the site, so Im going with it. I will report back at the end of the week to see if I am eating too much or too little a day. For this first "phase", I am not going to do anything differently than I have been, because I really want to see where I am at. Then next week (or likely the following week since next week is xmas), I will make adjustments based upon what I find out. If I am eating too much, I will cut back. If I am eating too little, I will eat more and eat more of the right kinds of food.
So far, I have found that I am eating slightly less or right at that 1460 calorie level. Interesting results so far, but it feels good to start to have some insight into this. The fact is, I work hard at this. I do eat right, and my exercise level has been great. I have been doing circuit training 5 days a week and while I feel great and my endurance has drastically increased, I dont notice any difference in my body and my weight hasnt changed. Something has to give. I know Im not a freak of nature, that there has to be a reason why nothing is changing. Its horribly frustrating, especially with my wedding 10 months away and I havent dropped a single pound or noticed any differences in my body. I need to know what is going on, and I guess this is a step in the right direction.
But Im here, Im still trying to post and I definitely am still reading. I hope everyone out there has a wonderful holiday next week for those who celebrate, and I hope the new year will be kind to everyone!
I have reached a point though where I need to figure out why Im not losing any more weight. Hence the title of this post - I have started to do an experiment this week. Since I do not count calories, rather eat x amount of protein, startch, veggies, etc., I was curious as to whether or not I was eating too much, or too little. Obviously either can affect weight loss, so I decided to find out exactly what I have been eating. So starting yesterday, I began tracking my food in sparkpeople, which is a site I used in the past when I was doing WW. I set a goal weight of 150 which is a 9 pound loss, and a target date of June 16th. The site indicated I should be eating 1460-1810 calories a day. I am not sure if this is pretty typical for someone of my height and weight, as well as activity level, to be eating to lose weight, but I trust the site, so Im going with it. I will report back at the end of the week to see if I am eating too much or too little a day. For this first "phase", I am not going to do anything differently than I have been, because I really want to see where I am at. Then next week (or likely the following week since next week is xmas), I will make adjustments based upon what I find out. If I am eating too much, I will cut back. If I am eating too little, I will eat more and eat more of the right kinds of food.
So far, I have found that I am eating slightly less or right at that 1460 calorie level. Interesting results so far, but it feels good to start to have some insight into this. The fact is, I work hard at this. I do eat right, and my exercise level has been great. I have been doing circuit training 5 days a week and while I feel great and my endurance has drastically increased, I dont notice any difference in my body and my weight hasnt changed. Something has to give. I know Im not a freak of nature, that there has to be a reason why nothing is changing. Its horribly frustrating, especially with my wedding 10 months away and I havent dropped a single pound or noticed any differences in my body. I need to know what is going on, and I guess this is a step in the right direction.
But Im here, Im still trying to post and I definitely am still reading. I hope everyone out there has a wonderful holiday next week for those who celebrate, and I hope the new year will be kind to everyone!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Still Busy
Just when I thought things slowed down, they got busy again at work and I lost all intentions of writing. But here I am again, hoping this is a slower week and that I can continue to post on a regular basis.
Im glad that things got busy at work again because it means there is work to do and I still have a job. I was put on a project and then taken off because I was so busy and you would think I would be happy that I would have less work to do, but it only caused me to worry even more about my job. To make matters worse, there was something screwed up in one of my databases which caused reports for my client to be incorrect, so now I wake up every day with this horrible feeling in my stomach that this error will cost me my job. It is a sorry state to be in because most people should go through their days feeling pretty ok with things, and I am constantly feeling ok and then suddenly feeling sick as I remember the situation I am in. Last week sucked, and I got like 2 days of exercise in. Better than nothing, but not what I wanted.
I did not have a very good weekend either in regards to food. Actually food was ok, it was the alcohol intake that was not. We went out to dinner with our closest friends who rarely get to come out due to their 5 year old, and I definitely drank away some of my stress. Not something I am proud of, especially after complaining to my friend and matron of honor about how the scale is not budging for me. Not that I do this all the time, but I have nothing to complain about when things like this happen. I guess I used to use food as a way to relieve stress and sometimes I still look for something else now that I dont turn to food anymore. Sometimes its nice to not have this chaos that is mealtime because at least I have one thing that is planned and structured and I know is healthy and good for me. So that is one positive in this post of negatives!
Im glad that things got busy at work again because it means there is work to do and I still have a job. I was put on a project and then taken off because I was so busy and you would think I would be happy that I would have less work to do, but it only caused me to worry even more about my job. To make matters worse, there was something screwed up in one of my databases which caused reports for my client to be incorrect, so now I wake up every day with this horrible feeling in my stomach that this error will cost me my job. It is a sorry state to be in because most people should go through their days feeling pretty ok with things, and I am constantly feeling ok and then suddenly feeling sick as I remember the situation I am in. Last week sucked, and I got like 2 days of exercise in. Better than nothing, but not what I wanted.
I did not have a very good weekend either in regards to food. Actually food was ok, it was the alcohol intake that was not. We went out to dinner with our closest friends who rarely get to come out due to their 5 year old, and I definitely drank away some of my stress. Not something I am proud of, especially after complaining to my friend and matron of honor about how the scale is not budging for me. Not that I do this all the time, but I have nothing to complain about when things like this happen. I guess I used to use food as a way to relieve stress and sometimes I still look for something else now that I dont turn to food anymore. Sometimes its nice to not have this chaos that is mealtime because at least I have one thing that is planned and structured and I know is healthy and good for me. So that is one positive in this post of negatives!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Returning to Normal
Things in my life are returning to a semi-normal state. The large project I was working on the last several months ended, and now I dont have to work a 12 hour day every day which feels great! Unfortunately layoffs are still looming, so its hard to enjoy having less work because I am afraid it makes me look like I am not needed, so I have to try and stay busy and work later than Id want just so Im not a target. The stress of that alone is horrible, but at least for now, I still have a job.
Exercise is returning again in frequency too. I started the Jillian Micheals 30 day Shred which I am loving and feel that it gives a pretty good quick workout. I am glad that I have been keeping up with exercise as mcuh as I could over the last few months and at least my weight didnt go to all hell. I am on the higher end of the spectrum than Id want to be, mostly ranging from 158-160, but at least I can say that I maintained throughout all these months. It would have been easy to turn to food to cope with everything going on, but I was able to stick to healthy foods and exercise when it was possible. I cant really dwell on what I might weigh if I had been able to be diligent the last few months, but I was barely getting by emotionally and physically some days, so Im proud of what I was able to do. I feel like I went through some horrible battle and at least I came out alive. Too bad I have a wedding dress arriving in a few months and I wanted a thinner body ready for that, but hopefully this 30 day shred will help with that. Im surprised that doing that for the last 3 weeks has not caused me to drop any weigh. While I dont play into claims much, the case of the dvd does indicate that it can lead to up to a 20 pound weight loss. While I wouldnt expect 20 pounds (or really even want that), it would be nice to see SOME results. I could try and convince myself I am gaining muscle, but I dont really believe that is true. So you can see, Im still the clueless frustrated girl I always was!
Im sorry that I havent posted much the last few months. Im afraid it caused me to lose a lot of readers and its really too bad because I really enjoy reading the comments of my regular readers and the support they give. Ive tried to keep up with my google reader as much as possible and hopefully now I can get back into reading and posting more often.
Exercise is returning again in frequency too. I started the Jillian Micheals 30 day Shred which I am loving and feel that it gives a pretty good quick workout. I am glad that I have been keeping up with exercise as mcuh as I could over the last few months and at least my weight didnt go to all hell. I am on the higher end of the spectrum than Id want to be, mostly ranging from 158-160, but at least I can say that I maintained throughout all these months. It would have been easy to turn to food to cope with everything going on, but I was able to stick to healthy foods and exercise when it was possible. I cant really dwell on what I might weigh if I had been able to be diligent the last few months, but I was barely getting by emotionally and physically some days, so Im proud of what I was able to do. I feel like I went through some horrible battle and at least I came out alive. Too bad I have a wedding dress arriving in a few months and I wanted a thinner body ready for that, but hopefully this 30 day shred will help with that. Im surprised that doing that for the last 3 weeks has not caused me to drop any weigh. While I dont play into claims much, the case of the dvd does indicate that it can lead to up to a 20 pound weight loss. While I wouldnt expect 20 pounds (or really even want that), it would be nice to see SOME results. I could try and convince myself I am gaining muscle, but I dont really believe that is true. So you can see, Im still the clueless frustrated girl I always was!
Im sorry that I havent posted much the last few months. Im afraid it caused me to lose a lot of readers and its really too bad because I really enjoy reading the comments of my regular readers and the support they give. Ive tried to keep up with my google reader as much as possible and hopefully now I can get back into reading and posting more often.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday quick one
Just a quick check in - I am back to my regularly scheduled weighins. Down .4 from Friday which is good, but still a bit high (159.4). Definitely nearing TOM territory though so Im guessing that is probably why I feel bloated and my weigh is higher. Why does it feel like it is always TOM?
Saturday after dinner my fiance and I went for an hour long walk which was really nice. It was quite cool out which is rare for August, so we figured it would be a good night for a walk. The wind was pretty crazy which is typical for Chicago, but it felt really cold and my face was numb from the windburn. We walked around in the fields near his house which involves a lot of up and down hills and picking your feet up through the brush so it was a pretty decent workout if you could call it that. But it was nice - definitely something I would like us to continue doing once we are married. We will be one of those couples you see walking every night hopefully.
Saturday after dinner my fiance and I went for an hour long walk which was really nice. It was quite cool out which is rare for August, so we figured it would be a good night for a walk. The wind was pretty crazy which is typical for Chicago, but it felt really cold and my face was numb from the windburn. We walked around in the fields near his house which involves a lot of up and down hills and picking your feet up through the brush so it was a pretty decent workout if you could call it that. But it was nice - definitely something I would like us to continue doing once we are married. We will be one of those couples you see walking every night hopefully.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Checking in
Didnt weigh myself today which is rare for me, but I really dont want to get upset over the scale. Im sure my weight is down, but I worry that Ill get on and still be unhappy because its not down enough. Eating has been on track and Ive worked out twice so far this week which is good. I skipped my workout on Monday because I worked 11 hrs and just wanted to crash on the couch. But I worked out yesterday which is usually my rest day so I think I made up for that.
Lately Im getting bored with the EA Active, so I think I need to try and switch it up or find something new. Im still exercising, but I dont feel into it. I dont like that feeling and Ive had to push myself just to do it. I find myself thinking of myself when I was a lot larger, or how I might look on my wedding day, and it motivates me. But I still need something new to keep me interested.
I watched "More to Love" again last night, and this will probably be the last time I can take that show. Besides the fact that it is just bad television, I truly think its wrong in that some of these women already feel that they are in love with this guy, but its only because he is the first person who has been nice to them and treated them well regardless of their weight. Thats not a reason to love someone - because they can stand you - and I dont see how this can be healthy for any of the girls. This guy is comfortable in his own skin, and I think he needs a girl who is the same. Im just tired of hearing these girls complain about how no one has loved them or how much their weight has held them back. I know its rough, I have lived it. But at the same time, I didnt try and let that hold me back, and I certainly was never that desperate that I would do whatever I could for the first person that showed me some kindness. What a sad show! I guess by watching it I would have a lot to write about, but I dont think I can take it anymore!
Lately Im getting bored with the EA Active, so I think I need to try and switch it up or find something new. Im still exercising, but I dont feel into it. I dont like that feeling and Ive had to push myself just to do it. I find myself thinking of myself when I was a lot larger, or how I might look on my wedding day, and it motivates me. But I still need something new to keep me interested.
I watched "More to Love" again last night, and this will probably be the last time I can take that show. Besides the fact that it is just bad television, I truly think its wrong in that some of these women already feel that they are in love with this guy, but its only because he is the first person who has been nice to them and treated them well regardless of their weight. Thats not a reason to love someone - because they can stand you - and I dont see how this can be healthy for any of the girls. This guy is comfortable in his own skin, and I think he needs a girl who is the same. Im just tired of hearing these girls complain about how no one has loved them or how much their weight has held them back. I know its rough, I have lived it. But at the same time, I didnt try and let that hold me back, and I certainly was never that desperate that I would do whatever I could for the first person that showed me some kindness. What a sad show! I guess by watching it I would have a lot to write about, but I dont think I can take it anymore!
Monday, June 29, 2009
100th Week
I hit my 100th week of eating healthy and losing weight. If you are the 100th customer in some stores, you win a prize. I guess my prize would be that after 100 weeks, I am still healthy and going strong and my healthy habits more a part of my life than ever.
Unfortunately I have to report that my weight is up 1.2 today and Im not really sure why. Nothing out of the ordinary this weekend was consumed and I got in my usual amount of exercise. Lately it seem like my weight has been a bit higher than it was and Im not sure why. I will have to try and figure that out and look back through past weeks. My stress level the past few weeks has been really high so I would imagine that probably plays a big part in how the scale reacts too.
I completed my 30 day challenge through the EA Active which is pretty awesome. It was a good challenge full of lots of types of exercises, so now I am just excited to take my measurements this weekend and really see some changes. I may even go back and do the challenge again at a harder level (I did it on medium) now that Ive completed it once.
Unfortunately I have to report that my weight is up 1.2 today and Im not really sure why. Nothing out of the ordinary this weekend was consumed and I got in my usual amount of exercise. Lately it seem like my weight has been a bit higher than it was and Im not sure why. I will have to try and figure that out and look back through past weeks. My stress level the past few weeks has been really high so I would imagine that probably plays a big part in how the scale reacts too.
I completed my 30 day challenge through the EA Active which is pretty awesome. It was a good challenge full of lots of types of exercises, so now I am just excited to take my measurements this weekend and really see some changes. I may even go back and do the challenge again at a harder level (I did it on medium) now that Ive completed it once.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Midweek update
Weight is down today, -.2, which isnt much but its something. Im at 157 so hopefully on Friday that means I see 156 again!
Im really loving the Active. I know I wrote about it last time, but Im 4 days in and I think it is really cool. I hope that at the end of the 30 day challenge Im doing in it, I do see some real results. The use of the resistance band definitely helps challenge me more so I think that is a good addition to my workout gear.
In wedding news, I think we decided on a church, so now we just need to go there and put down a deposit for the date and iron out the details. It came down to two churches, one that was cheaper but had a $200 marriage counseling thing you had to do, and the other was more expensive but still within budget, and you dont have to pay money for the few visits with the paster. I would rather my money go into a nicer church than counseling, so that helped make our minds up about that. Im excited now to set the date - hopefully we can get into the church soon and get our date!
Im really loving the Active. I know I wrote about it last time, but Im 4 days in and I think it is really cool. I hope that at the end of the 30 day challenge Im doing in it, I do see some real results. The use of the resistance band definitely helps challenge me more so I think that is a good addition to my workout gear.
In wedding news, I think we decided on a church, so now we just need to go there and put down a deposit for the date and iron out the details. It came down to two churches, one that was cheaper but had a $200 marriage counseling thing you had to do, and the other was more expensive but still within budget, and you dont have to pay money for the few visits with the paster. I would rather my money go into a nicer church than counseling, so that helped make our minds up about that. Im excited now to set the date - hopefully we can get into the church soon and get our date!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Measurements, Wedding update, EA Active Review
Before I get into my review of the Active, my weight is down .2 to 157.2 so thats something at least. Its not too often I start a week with my weight down, so Im happy that I can say that this week and hopefully be back down to 156 something by the week's end. Unfortunately my measurements were disapointing - i didnt lose anything in my left arm and waist, and very little in my hips, right arm, and legs. I am disapointed because I worked hard this past month and it sucks when there is little to show for it.
Talked to our parents this weekend and both offered to help pay for the wedding so that is good news. My parents havent committed to an amount, but my dad said he wanted me to have a nice wedding and understands what things cost and knows that some things may be less or more than we are expecting. Now we just need to find a place! There was a church that we were interested in and I called today to get the info. It is within budget, however you actually have to pay for the premarital counseling which Im not crazy about so I will see if my 2nd choice church doesnt have a fee like that so that I can save some money.
Now for the EA Active! I love it! I think it is everything that the Wii Fit is and then some. Not only do you log on and exercise, but you are also quizzed on your lifestyle behaviors such as how much water you drank, your veggie consumption, fast food consumption, sugar consumption, and other activities that you do outside of the game. You have the choice of many different types of exercises, but you can also do a 30 day challenge which is what I started to do so that I can be bathing suit ready in a month! I like the resistance band that comes with the game, however I am not crazy about the leg strap. I like how the game can monitor your movements with the leg strap and tells you if you are going too fast, squatting too low, etc. because your form is so important and that is something lacking in other fitness games Ive purchased for the Wii. But the leg strap does slide and even though I have tightened it as much as possible, it still does move. Other times it doesnt register me which I think is partly due to the fact that I am tall and most people's thighs are not as high up as mine so its thinking Im not squatting as low as I really am. Other than that, I dont have any other complaints about it. The sports are really neat - I love the tennis and baseball. I think the exercises are a good mix of cardio and strength (although I wish there was more cardio than just walking/running/circuits). You can also see how many calories you are burnining and there is a lot of positive reinforcement as you work out, journal, and win trophies. They set goals for you in terms of calories to burn in a week, hours to exercise in a month,etc. Overall, its a great "game" and I definitely recommend it to anyone who has a Wii!
Talked to our parents this weekend and both offered to help pay for the wedding so that is good news. My parents havent committed to an amount, but my dad said he wanted me to have a nice wedding and understands what things cost and knows that some things may be less or more than we are expecting. Now we just need to find a place! There was a church that we were interested in and I called today to get the info. It is within budget, however you actually have to pay for the premarital counseling which Im not crazy about so I will see if my 2nd choice church doesnt have a fee like that so that I can save some money.
Now for the EA Active! I love it! I think it is everything that the Wii Fit is and then some. Not only do you log on and exercise, but you are also quizzed on your lifestyle behaviors such as how much water you drank, your veggie consumption, fast food consumption, sugar consumption, and other activities that you do outside of the game. You have the choice of many different types of exercises, but you can also do a 30 day challenge which is what I started to do so that I can be bathing suit ready in a month! I like the resistance band that comes with the game, however I am not crazy about the leg strap. I like how the game can monitor your movements with the leg strap and tells you if you are going too fast, squatting too low, etc. because your form is so important and that is something lacking in other fitness games Ive purchased for the Wii. But the leg strap does slide and even though I have tightened it as much as possible, it still does move. Other times it doesnt register me which I think is partly due to the fact that I am tall and most people's thighs are not as high up as mine so its thinking Im not squatting as low as I really am. Other than that, I dont have any other complaints about it. The sports are really neat - I love the tennis and baseball. I think the exercises are a good mix of cardio and strength (although I wish there was more cardio than just walking/running/circuits). You can also see how many calories you are burnining and there is a lot of positive reinforcement as you work out, journal, and win trophies. They set goals for you in terms of calories to burn in a week, hours to exercise in a month,etc. Overall, its a great "game" and I definitely recommend it to anyone who has a Wii!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Its OK
First things first, I weighed in .8 up. but at 157.2, I'm not complaining. Even though I didnt really lose anything last month, I can say with certainty that I am seeing 159 and 158 less and less, and 156 and 157 a lot more.
I will admit that on Saturday, I was really really disapointed with my measurements. I didnt lose much and here are the results:
Right Arm: -.04
Left Arm: -.03
Waist: -.02
Hips: 0
Right thigh: 0
Left thigh:0
Didnt lose much anywhere and what I did lose is pretty miniscule. It was hard to see. Despite the fact that for the last month I have worked out 3-4 times a week rather than 5, I still thought I would see better results than that. My arms are looking pretty good and I guess this explains why the upper half of me went down a size. Now if I could just get the lower half to match.
But its all ok. I dont know why I feel that way, but I do. I think I am really starting to look at the bigger picture. When I look at how far I have come this year, I definitely have made strides in focusing less on what the scale says and more on how I feel. I feel pretty great actually. Maybe its the increased exercise that has lifted my moods and made me more accepting of my body, but I dont actually hate it right now. I came to terms with my weight at this point a while back when I realized it was just a number and that I could still change my body without changing the number on the scale. While its been slow, I have felt the benefits of exercise more than just with measurements or the scale. I feel good and I feel like I am finally taking care of myself the way I should be. Its not a bad place to be.
Along with this, I can feel my focus start to change. Not that I am falling off the wagon, but I dont feel so focused on weight and food all the time. Things in my life are starting to change - my boyfriend and I are looking at houses and engagement rings (!!!!), and I realize that now that I have my weight under control and its become a part of my life, I can focus on other things that I want. Im thinking that perhaps maintenance is something I might be ready for. It would be nice to get some more food in, but at the same time Im afraid to move into that phase when I feel ok where Im at. We will see. These are just some random thoughts Im having. In any case, I dont mind where Im at and thats the first time in a long time that I can say that.
I will admit that on Saturday, I was really really disapointed with my measurements. I didnt lose much and here are the results:
Right Arm: -.04
Left Arm: -.03
Waist: -.02
Hips: 0
Right thigh: 0
Left thigh:0
Didnt lose much anywhere and what I did lose is pretty miniscule. It was hard to see. Despite the fact that for the last month I have worked out 3-4 times a week rather than 5, I still thought I would see better results than that. My arms are looking pretty good and I guess this explains why the upper half of me went down a size. Now if I could just get the lower half to match.
But its all ok. I dont know why I feel that way, but I do. I think I am really starting to look at the bigger picture. When I look at how far I have come this year, I definitely have made strides in focusing less on what the scale says and more on how I feel. I feel pretty great actually. Maybe its the increased exercise that has lifted my moods and made me more accepting of my body, but I dont actually hate it right now. I came to terms with my weight at this point a while back when I realized it was just a number and that I could still change my body without changing the number on the scale. While its been slow, I have felt the benefits of exercise more than just with measurements or the scale. I feel good and I feel like I am finally taking care of myself the way I should be. Its not a bad place to be.
Along with this, I can feel my focus start to change. Not that I am falling off the wagon, but I dont feel so focused on weight and food all the time. Things in my life are starting to change - my boyfriend and I are looking at houses and engagement rings (!!!!), and I realize that now that I have my weight under control and its become a part of my life, I can focus on other things that I want. Im thinking that perhaps maintenance is something I might be ready for. It would be nice to get some more food in, but at the same time Im afraid to move into that phase when I feel ok where Im at. We will see. These are just some random thoughts Im having. In any case, I dont mind where Im at and thats the first time in a long time that I can say that.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Real Body
Well I am up .4 today for no apparent reason. Its kind of funny because I was actually feeling great this week, and thought I would see something good on the scale. Just to cover my bases, I was actually being super careful about everything that went in my mouth thinking that maybe Ive been missing something these past few weeks. Well apparently being super careful cost me .4.
Moving on though, I got a lot of great comments on my last post. I got a lot of advice about ignoring the scale, which is really the point I am at. I think some people still believe Im caught up in it, but my frustration stems from the fact that I did focus so much on my body rather than weight, and my body didnt respond either.
I got a lot of comments about the body that I think I want. Its interesting because what I used to want before and what I want now are different. Before I just wanted to be thin. I would look at thin waists and legs and stomachs and think, thats what I want. Now, the body that I visualize is strong. Its muscular. It may sound cheesy, but when i see a commercial for nike or under armour, all I want is a body like that. It may not be the thinnest body, but its toned and at top notch. That is what i would like to achieve.
Moving on though, I got a lot of great comments on my last post. I got a lot of advice about ignoring the scale, which is really the point I am at. I think some people still believe Im caught up in it, but my frustration stems from the fact that I did focus so much on my body rather than weight, and my body didnt respond either.
I got a lot of comments about the body that I think I want. Its interesting because what I used to want before and what I want now are different. Before I just wanted to be thin. I would look at thin waists and legs and stomachs and think, thats what I want. Now, the body that I visualize is strong. Its muscular. It may sound cheesy, but when i see a commercial for nike or under armour, all I want is a body like that. It may not be the thinnest body, but its toned and at top notch. That is what i would like to achieve.
I think its great that people think i do have that perfect body. The reality is, with clothes on, my body is not so bad. But with swimsuit and summer season approaching, more clothes come off and my untoned body really shows.
What I really want is to be able to wear shorts. To wear shorts and not sit down and have my thighs stick out. Even now wearing jeans when I sit down, my thighs look so huge and strain against the material. I want to be able to wear a bathing suit and not be all jiggly when I walk.
So I did something brave - I took pics of myself in my sports bra and shorts. This is me - the real me. To me when I see these pictures, i see the wide hips that is mostly just skin sitting there. I see from the side pics someone who needs to work on their stomach. Maybe its just me, but those are the places that need some work. Im not expecting to have no hips and a 6 pack, but those areas could be slimmer, and these are the parts to which I am referring to that I want to change.
Im cutting my head off in case this ever pops up in cyberland because this is probably the least amount of clothes I have ever had on in pictures Im showing others, but if those on the BL can do it, I guess I too:
So thats it - thats me. I know some people may say, god I would kill to have that body. And 50 pounds ago, I would probably have said the same thing. But Im working hard, and this isnt what I had envisioned. Its not whining, its just how I feel.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Friday Update
Happily reporting that I am back down to the 157. 157.6 to be precise. That is a 1.4 loss, so Im guess the steak has finally moved on its way!
157 lately seems to be my happy number, which is good in some ways but not so good in other ways. Its good because for a while, it seemed that I was stuck between 158-159. The not so good is that I havent been lower than 157 since Nov. At this rate, Ill lose the next 7 pounds in a few years! I really am not sure why things settled like this on the scale. Im doing so many good things, and feeling great. Im treating my body the way it should be treated, and I know that Im adding years to my life. On the Wii Fit I bought my initial fitness level from 32 down to 28, which is only 1 year older than my current age. My back problems have diminished the last month which I attribute to my increased activity level.
So Im feeling good, and its a bummer the scale doesnt quite reflect that all, but since I have moved beyond what the scale thinks, I am really looking forward to next weekend when I wil take my measurements to see if I have lost any inches. Im hoping so. I cant say I notice a huge difference in how my clothes look, but anything I will have lost will be much celebrated. I think I can handle a slow scale with the inches coming off. If the inches are not coming off and the scales not moving - I dont know what Ill do. I dont want to try and think about it, but Im nervous that thats what Ill see next week, and then feel hopeless. The focus on exercise has been great and I just hope its paid off.
157 lately seems to be my happy number, which is good in some ways but not so good in other ways. Its good because for a while, it seemed that I was stuck between 158-159. The not so good is that I havent been lower than 157 since Nov. At this rate, Ill lose the next 7 pounds in a few years! I really am not sure why things settled like this on the scale. Im doing so many good things, and feeling great. Im treating my body the way it should be treated, and I know that Im adding years to my life. On the Wii Fit I bought my initial fitness level from 32 down to 28, which is only 1 year older than my current age. My back problems have diminished the last month which I attribute to my increased activity level.
So Im feeling good, and its a bummer the scale doesnt quite reflect that all, but since I have moved beyond what the scale thinks, I am really looking forward to next weekend when I wil take my measurements to see if I have lost any inches. Im hoping so. I cant say I notice a huge difference in how my clothes look, but anything I will have lost will be much celebrated. I think I can handle a slow scale with the inches coming off. If the inches are not coming off and the scales not moving - I dont know what Ill do. I dont want to try and think about it, but Im nervous that thats what Ill see next week, and then feel hopeless. The focus on exercise has been great and I just hope its paid off.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Feeling Better
Physically I am not feeling better as I seem to have developed a cold over the past few days. Mentally though, I feel better and in a much better spot than I was the last few weeks.
Weight-wise, I am down to 159.2 so thats about .8 from last week, which isnt where I want to be, but I think I am at a spot now where I have realized that I want to focus more on toning up my body than just losing weight on the scale.
Maybe this is what I should have done in the first place upon meeting my goal at 160. I guess I thought that losing 10 more pounds would really tone me up nicely, but now Im understanding that exercise is whats going to do that. Its not so much the number - after some reflection I realized that I dont care so much about what exactly I weight, its more of how I look. There is nothing special about 150, and if I weigh what I weigh now and look toned, I would be happy with that. Its that thought that got me to realize that I have really been going after the wrong thing.
I plan on still trying to lose weight. It may be slow and it may speed up once my body gets used to this level of exercise. However, I really am just going to enjoy working out. I plan on buying a tape measure so I can start measuring myself to see if I am losing inches in the spots that I would like. In addition to the Wii Fit, I also bought My Fitness Coach for the Wii, and it is fantastic! Its like having a personal trainer but better, because you dont have to leave your house, and much cheaper since its only $30 bucks rather than much more for a real personal trainer. I highly recommend the game by the way for anyone who has a Wii. Maybe it is just my imagination but I do notice my arms becoming more muscular, and even though my weight is a bit higher than it was previously, the pants that were my "tight" pants seem to fit just as well as when I was down. I guess the tape measure will tell, but I do feel good and do feel refreshed after some weeks to really think about this.
Weight-wise, I am down to 159.2 so thats about .8 from last week, which isnt where I want to be, but I think I am at a spot now where I have realized that I want to focus more on toning up my body than just losing weight on the scale.
Maybe this is what I should have done in the first place upon meeting my goal at 160. I guess I thought that losing 10 more pounds would really tone me up nicely, but now Im understanding that exercise is whats going to do that. Its not so much the number - after some reflection I realized that I dont care so much about what exactly I weight, its more of how I look. There is nothing special about 150, and if I weigh what I weigh now and look toned, I would be happy with that. Its that thought that got me to realize that I have really been going after the wrong thing.
I plan on still trying to lose weight. It may be slow and it may speed up once my body gets used to this level of exercise. However, I really am just going to enjoy working out. I plan on buying a tape measure so I can start measuring myself to see if I am losing inches in the spots that I would like. In addition to the Wii Fit, I also bought My Fitness Coach for the Wii, and it is fantastic! Its like having a personal trainer but better, because you dont have to leave your house, and much cheaper since its only $30 bucks rather than much more for a real personal trainer. I highly recommend the game by the way for anyone who has a Wii. Maybe it is just my imagination but I do notice my arms becoming more muscular, and even though my weight is a bit higher than it was previously, the pants that were my "tight" pants seem to fit just as well as when I was down. I guess the tape measure will tell, but I do feel good and do feel refreshed after some weeks to really think about this.
Friday, January 9, 2009
I *heart* the Wii Fit
Weighin today went well - down .8 from Wednesday. Truthfully I am still disapointed it wasnt more since I am still finding it hard to believe that I am only down .2 from right after Christmas and DEFINITELY eating a lot healthier. Plus, my activity level is phenomenal right now.
I am severely addicted to the Wii Fit! I love it! I wasnt sure what to think before trying as I have heard how cool it was, but didnt ever dream that it as THIS cool. The main focus of the "game" is balance. When you first use it, it assess you and shows you where your center of balance is. I discovered just how off my balance is and this of course affects your posture and core. I tend to put more weight on the left side of my body. I think its very cool that it can do something like that. From there, you do a test which you can repeat as often as daily to see how you are improving. It gave me a good place for BMI, but my Fitness age was 40!!!! I was shocked that it was that high when I do some exercise at least every week.
There are strength exercises, yoga, aerobics, and balance games. In any game that you select, there is an area on the screen that shows where your center of balance is. This is where the strength of this game lies. Most people when they work out, they cannot see if they are holding themselves correctly and therefore do not get as good of a workout as if they knew if they were leaning to one side more or putting pressure on a side. Being able to see where your balance needs to be, you can really center yourself and do the exercises correctly. Yoga is by far my favorite and it is very challenging to keep your center of balance. The aerobics is really fun as well - the wii board can act as a step to do step aerobics. The more you do exercises, the more games and exercises you can unlock as well as more reps of a particular movement or a longer distance. You can also set new goals and see how well you do an exercise compared to the last time you did it.
While you are doing the exercises, it sometimes feels more like a game than anything else and you forget you are actually working out. But trust me - you feel it the next day. I was so sore the last week but its wonderful to know that you can get the benefits of exercise while really enjoying what you are doing.
Best of all - you can run! I am not a runner at all. I despise it. But I love it on this game. You actually run on a path following a person and this not only makes it feel like you are actually running somewhere else than your living room, but also helps that you are following someone so you can set your pace well. So the Wii Fit has actually got me running and THAT is something else.
I think its awesome how a video game platform has really done something like this. People think of video games and sitting on your butt all day, but this has taken what you think of as a video game to the next level. The whole game is so positive and interesting, and keeps you motivated by having to unlock games and such. I think its incredible and think this is really the new way of workout videos. I am addicted! Now if only I would lose some weight....
I am severely addicted to the Wii Fit! I love it! I wasnt sure what to think before trying as I have heard how cool it was, but didnt ever dream that it as THIS cool. The main focus of the "game" is balance. When you first use it, it assess you and shows you where your center of balance is. I discovered just how off my balance is and this of course affects your posture and core. I tend to put more weight on the left side of my body. I think its very cool that it can do something like that. From there, you do a test which you can repeat as often as daily to see how you are improving. It gave me a good place for BMI, but my Fitness age was 40!!!! I was shocked that it was that high when I do some exercise at least every week.
There are strength exercises, yoga, aerobics, and balance games. In any game that you select, there is an area on the screen that shows where your center of balance is. This is where the strength of this game lies. Most people when they work out, they cannot see if they are holding themselves correctly and therefore do not get as good of a workout as if they knew if they were leaning to one side more or putting pressure on a side. Being able to see where your balance needs to be, you can really center yourself and do the exercises correctly. Yoga is by far my favorite and it is very challenging to keep your center of balance. The aerobics is really fun as well - the wii board can act as a step to do step aerobics. The more you do exercises, the more games and exercises you can unlock as well as more reps of a particular movement or a longer distance. You can also set new goals and see how well you do an exercise compared to the last time you did it.
While you are doing the exercises, it sometimes feels more like a game than anything else and you forget you are actually working out. But trust me - you feel it the next day. I was so sore the last week but its wonderful to know that you can get the benefits of exercise while really enjoying what you are doing.
Best of all - you can run! I am not a runner at all. I despise it. But I love it on this game. You actually run on a path following a person and this not only makes it feel like you are actually running somewhere else than your living room, but also helps that you are following someone so you can set your pace well. So the Wii Fit has actually got me running and THAT is something else.
I think its awesome how a video game platform has really done something like this. People think of video games and sitting on your butt all day, but this has taken what you think of as a video game to the next level. The whole game is so positive and interesting, and keeps you motivated by having to unlock games and such. I think its incredible and think this is really the new way of workout videos. I am addicted! Now if only I would lose some weight....
Thursday, March 27, 2008
History of Exercise
Yes who thought I would write a post about exercise huh! But I was thinking about exercise the other day and how it always naturally played a part in my life. It wasnt until now, in my adult life, that it seems to be so hard to find the time. Cliche yes, but very true.
When I was younger, I was a swimmer. I looooved to swim and felt so natural in the water. My grandparents had a sailboat on a lake near our house and in the summer, I used to go to the lake and swim all day. Later on in high school, I ended up trying out for the swim team (didnt make it unfortunately), but was still very skilled and ended up helping the gym teacher teach the swimming class. It was just simply something I enjoyed.
I always disliked running though. I was never a runner. I am one of those people who doesnt have any arches in their feet, and it makes running painful and hard. I look like a duck, and was made fun of in gym class. Whenever we would play softball, no one would pick me because I could hit the ball, but never make it to first base because I was so slow. no one seemed to understand how hard it was! So running was never my thing.
Getting to college, suddenly there wasnt any gym class, but my campus was huge! I got so much exercise in walking around from one part of campus to the other. I made friends with some guys on the other side of campus and spend time walking to and from their dorm. I was getting in exercise without even thinking about it. Whenever I visited my boyfriend on the weekends (we were long distance the whole time I was away at school), one of our favorite things to do was go out at night on this trail near his house that was lit up with these lights and walk and talk. I was exercising without even thinking about it. I just did it, and enjoyed it.
It was about my sophmore year that exercise started becoming a "chore". or something that I had to work at. Sophmore year of college was when I started gaining weight. I was eating a lot of junk food, but then also eating so few calories my body was holding on to anything it could get (that is a WHOLE other story though). I hated how I looked, that nothing fit me right, and that my friends in the dorm were skinnier than me for once. I wasnt exercising, and I came home that summer unhappy with myself. I bought some "Hips and Thighs of Steel" video and did it religiously every night when I came home from work, really believing that I would go back to school in the fall with toned legs and thighs. But exercise doesnt do much when you dont eat right at all.
However, junior year I took Aerobics as a class for credits and LOVED it. we learned all about how our bodies work, and we tried different types of aerobics: kickboxing, step, something called "long and lean", and dance. When the class ended, I paid a membership to the fitness center to take all those classes. And I went for a while. Until I saw no results (again, eating the wrong food combats all hard work), and gave up. I got even heavier that year, and by my senior year of college (after a summer of working at a coffee shop and eating and drinking everything in sight), I was disgusted with myself. A friend started taking a spinning class and I joined her one night. I looooved it! I kept going until she kept bailing out on me. The fitness center wasnt close to my apartment (which was far off campus to begin with), and without her and her car, I stopped going as well. That was when I learned the importance of a GOOD fitness buddy.
At that point, I figured it was my senior year of college, I shold live it up. And I did, and by my graduation, I was 226 pounds. I hate looking at those pictures. That summer after graduation, I moved into my own apartment and worked at a plus size store where I felt ok being overweight, especially since I was the smallest person there. However, every time I looked in the mirror, I felt so horrible about myself. So I made the decision to join Curves. I liked the place a lot, and I felt comfortable there. It wasnt one of those gyms where I felt like everyone was thin and would judge me. However, after doing for a month or two, I got bored with the ciruit and how you couldnt deviate from what was there. I couldnt do the machines I felt like doing or for the length of time I wanted. So I quit. I had started WW around that time and though, hey I can do this without exercise.
And without exercise I was for a long time. I did briefly try going to the YMCA and use their machines, bu never felt comfortable there and their hours were never convenient for me. I quit there too. I hated exercise and felt that nothing was for me. Then over a year ago, I found yoga. It clicked with me and I felt connected to an exercise again. It didnt feel forced, it didnt feel hard to just come home and do it, it felt great. I kept that up for a while, but when WW started failing and I felt lost with my body and being healthy, I stopped it too briefly.
And that is basically where I was until a month ago when I jumped back into this whole thing. My time is limited thats for sure with work. And there are still some things, like running, that I wont do, because I know I dont like. But I have found exercise that I enjoy and I realize that is what it is all about. If you have read all the way through this (long i know!), then you can see I have tried a lot of things, but not since I was younger have I really ENJOYED exercising, or has it been natural. Now I have found a few things that I do enjoy: yoga, pilates, biggest loser dvd (where I can customize what I feel like doing and I like that). I even found a pilates dvd that does the positions to indie rock music (which is my fav type of music), and I love it that it is fun and enjoyable to me.
Its not the same as it was when i was a kid running outside playing "steal the flag" or swimming in the pool, but I am finally finding something that I can do when I find time in my busy life.
When I was younger, I was a swimmer. I looooved to swim and felt so natural in the water. My grandparents had a sailboat on a lake near our house and in the summer, I used to go to the lake and swim all day. Later on in high school, I ended up trying out for the swim team (didnt make it unfortunately), but was still very skilled and ended up helping the gym teacher teach the swimming class. It was just simply something I enjoyed.
I always disliked running though. I was never a runner. I am one of those people who doesnt have any arches in their feet, and it makes running painful and hard. I look like a duck, and was made fun of in gym class. Whenever we would play softball, no one would pick me because I could hit the ball, but never make it to first base because I was so slow. no one seemed to understand how hard it was! So running was never my thing.
Getting to college, suddenly there wasnt any gym class, but my campus was huge! I got so much exercise in walking around from one part of campus to the other. I made friends with some guys on the other side of campus and spend time walking to and from their dorm. I was getting in exercise without even thinking about it. Whenever I visited my boyfriend on the weekends (we were long distance the whole time I was away at school), one of our favorite things to do was go out at night on this trail near his house that was lit up with these lights and walk and talk. I was exercising without even thinking about it. I just did it, and enjoyed it.
It was about my sophmore year that exercise started becoming a "chore". or something that I had to work at. Sophmore year of college was when I started gaining weight. I was eating a lot of junk food, but then also eating so few calories my body was holding on to anything it could get (that is a WHOLE other story though). I hated how I looked, that nothing fit me right, and that my friends in the dorm were skinnier than me for once. I wasnt exercising, and I came home that summer unhappy with myself. I bought some "Hips and Thighs of Steel" video and did it religiously every night when I came home from work, really believing that I would go back to school in the fall with toned legs and thighs. But exercise doesnt do much when you dont eat right at all.
However, junior year I took Aerobics as a class for credits and LOVED it. we learned all about how our bodies work, and we tried different types of aerobics: kickboxing, step, something called "long and lean", and dance. When the class ended, I paid a membership to the fitness center to take all those classes. And I went for a while. Until I saw no results (again, eating the wrong food combats all hard work), and gave up. I got even heavier that year, and by my senior year of college (after a summer of working at a coffee shop and eating and drinking everything in sight), I was disgusted with myself. A friend started taking a spinning class and I joined her one night. I looooved it! I kept going until she kept bailing out on me. The fitness center wasnt close to my apartment (which was far off campus to begin with), and without her and her car, I stopped going as well. That was when I learned the importance of a GOOD fitness buddy.
At that point, I figured it was my senior year of college, I shold live it up. And I did, and by my graduation, I was 226 pounds. I hate looking at those pictures. That summer after graduation, I moved into my own apartment and worked at a plus size store where I felt ok being overweight, especially since I was the smallest person there. However, every time I looked in the mirror, I felt so horrible about myself. So I made the decision to join Curves. I liked the place a lot, and I felt comfortable there. It wasnt one of those gyms where I felt like everyone was thin and would judge me. However, after doing for a month or two, I got bored with the ciruit and how you couldnt deviate from what was there. I couldnt do the machines I felt like doing or for the length of time I wanted. So I quit. I had started WW around that time and though, hey I can do this without exercise.
And without exercise I was for a long time. I did briefly try going to the YMCA and use their machines, bu never felt comfortable there and their hours were never convenient for me. I quit there too. I hated exercise and felt that nothing was for me. Then over a year ago, I found yoga. It clicked with me and I felt connected to an exercise again. It didnt feel forced, it didnt feel hard to just come home and do it, it felt great. I kept that up for a while, but when WW started failing and I felt lost with my body and being healthy, I stopped it too briefly.
And that is basically where I was until a month ago when I jumped back into this whole thing. My time is limited thats for sure with work. And there are still some things, like running, that I wont do, because I know I dont like. But I have found exercise that I enjoy and I realize that is what it is all about. If you have read all the way through this (long i know!), then you can see I have tried a lot of things, but not since I was younger have I really ENJOYED exercising, or has it been natural. Now I have found a few things that I do enjoy: yoga, pilates, biggest loser dvd (where I can customize what I feel like doing and I like that). I even found a pilates dvd that does the positions to indie rock music (which is my fav type of music), and I love it that it is fun and enjoyable to me.
Its not the same as it was when i was a kid running outside playing "steal the flag" or swimming in the pool, but I am finally finding something that I can do when I find time in my busy life.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Pilates Session 1
Well yesterday I did my first session of Pilates. Overall I really enjoyed it.
There were a few exercises that I could not really do or feel comfortable doing as a result of breaking my tailbone last year. Some of the positions called for balancing on you tailbone, or rocking back and forth on it and if anyone else has broke your tailbone, you know how it never really heals and is still painful to sit on.
I feel really sore today but it's a good sore as I know that I probably got some good benefits from doing it yesterday. I think I had expected it to be more similar to yoga and it really wasnt. I feel the most connection to yoga and will probably still do that as my primary exercise, however I definitely think I can see some good results doing Pilates as well.
The instructor on the video said that you can change your body in 30 sessions, so I am going to try and keep track of how many sessions I do and evaluate the differences in myself by the time I get there. I figure if I can do at least one session a week at a minium, in 30 weeks I should see some pretty drastic differences in myself.
There were a few exercises that I could not really do or feel comfortable doing as a result of breaking my tailbone last year. Some of the positions called for balancing on you tailbone, or rocking back and forth on it and if anyone else has broke your tailbone, you know how it never really heals and is still painful to sit on.
I feel really sore today but it's a good sore as I know that I probably got some good benefits from doing it yesterday. I think I had expected it to be more similar to yoga and it really wasnt. I feel the most connection to yoga and will probably still do that as my primary exercise, however I definitely think I can see some good results doing Pilates as well.
The instructor on the video said that you can change your body in 30 sessions, so I am going to try and keep track of how many sessions I do and evaluate the differences in myself by the time I get there. I figure if I can do at least one session a week at a minium, in 30 weeks I should see some pretty drastic differences in myself.
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