For the Love of Me

and back on tumblr.

I haven’t posted well over the last few weeks, which very much mirrors my weight loss efforts over the past few weeks. But I’m back in the saddle.

On Monday night I did the elliptical for 30 min and weights. It was my first time in the gym since before my wreck in early October and my first time on the elliptical since May. Ouch.

It wasn’t that bad though. My hips were a little sore but other than that it went pretty well. I’m back tonight for more weights before church and I will hit the elliptical again on Friday. I ordered a new swimsuit and am trying to wait on that to come in before I get back in the pool. The one I was wearing was simply not meant for active wear…and it’s getting obvious.

Anyway, it felt great to be back in the gym!

So I finally sucked it up and got on the scales….and I am crazy excited!!

Starting weight: 280
Last week: 272.4
This week: 272.2
Loss this week: .2
Tumblr loss: 7.8 lbs

I can’t believe I lost anything! I guess it has been a few days since traveling madness so my system has probably gotten back to normal but I was still expecting to be up. So I am very excited.

Also, meets my first BMI goal. I can’t write the number because it literally makes me nauseous but it is an achievement for sure! Now to survive Thanksgiving…and get back to the gym.

Mine is gone and I need to find it again. I haven’t been on the scales in 2 weeks because I know I have gained and I don’t want to face it. I haven’t been to the gym in over a month. First my car accident, then as I recovered from that soreness I got crazy busy at work, then things at work calmed down and I left for a conference, then I got back and went out of town to see the family. On Thursday night as I packed for the weekend I also packed my swim gym bag so I would be prepared to go tonight. Of course I fell in the parking lot on Friday and sprained (maybe?) my ankle and after mimicking the kicking motion at home this morning I don’t think I will be able to swim.

I’m so mad at my stupid feet and my stupid eating. Get it together!

I’m currently at a work conference and had to fly to get here. I’m guessing I’m the same as some of you in that while I love to travel, the flight to get somewhere is always a source of anxiety. The tiny seats, sitting next to a stranger and taking up their space, the desperate hope for an aisle seat so I don’t have to climb over poeple and I can spill over into the aisle instead of the poor guy beside me and the dreaded seat belt extender make me crazy for days before a flight. It’s really been a battle of wills over time to not let this stop me from going places.

Over the last few years as I have gotten to a point that I needed the seat belt extender, I have perfected the ask. As soon as I walk through the door of the plain my eyes immediately find the nearest flight attendant that I can ask and also not be overheard by other passengers. I find the perfect balance between loud enough for them to not have to ask me to repeat it but soft enough that others around me can’t hear. I put a smile on my face to mask shame and ward off pity. I put it in my pocket so others don’t see me struggling down the aisle with it in my hand and I connect it the minute I get to my seat so I can buckle it nonchalantly once I get settled (of course that means getting anything out of my carry-on that I could possibly need before hand so I don’t have to bend over and struggle to reach things under my seat). And then I leave it at my seat so people don’t see me returning it, praying the the flight attendant won’t remember me and ask me for it when I get off the plane. If, when I ask for the extender, the attendant politely asks for my seat assignment and tells me she will bring it to me, panic runs through me. What if she forgets and I have to push the button and ask for it where everyone around me can hear? What if they ask over the loudspeaker who needed one? Oh the horror!

Well yesterday, that’s what happened. I did my normal ask when I first got on the plane, she asked for my seat number and said she would bring it to me. I got to my seat, got out my pillow, book, ipod, water, chapstick, magazine, lotion……and then put my carry-on under my seat. And I waited. No extender. Waited. Still no extender. I started to get nervous. At the last moment I decided I should try to make the regular seat belt work before I had to ask a second time.

And guess what? It fit! Without too much trouble! Don’t get me wrong…it was snug…but it fit! No extender needed! It’s the first time I’ve tried without one about a year and it fit! I can’t wait to get back on the plane on Tuesday and walk past the flight attendant with just a smile!

It’s the small victories that count. No?

I forgot to post last week and I was traveling yesterday so this weigh-in is way late. But it’s not all bad!

Starting weight: 280
Last week: 273.2
This week: 272.4
Loss this week: .8
Tumblr loss: 7.6 lbs

So I’m not making any huge strides in my weight loss. No 5 pound weeks or anything. But it’s slow and steady, which is what I really believe is the only way to do it permanently. Slowly changing my lifestyle and working within the restrictions life places on me. No pouting here.

1. Begin regular morning workouts - core strengthening until I am cleared for walking or step aerobics. (Carry over from October)
2. Move up one plate on all of my weight machines - which includes getting back to the gym! (Carry over from October)
3. Break my morning snooze habit.
4. Practice and choose some delicious, healthy recipes to take to family Thanksgiving.
5. Spend more time on tumblr encouraging others.

I’m trying to stick to 5 goals each month (any more and I will probably forget them!). I am also going to try to check in on goals maybe every week, definitely every 2 weeks. This might hold me more accountable than once a month.

It’s not quite the end of the month, but I probably won’t make any progress on the goals over the weekend. I might as well check things off now!

1. Resume my early morning Wii workouts (carry over from September). Dr. still doesn’t want me doing any impact on my foot. So it’s a no-go on wii step aerobics but I have tried to do some strength exercises in the mornings. It’s been a rough month for sleep so I definitely haven’t made it every morning. I will call this a semi-accomplishment and carry it over to November.
2. Move up one plate on all of my weight machines. To be completely honest, I haven’t been to the gym in 2.5 weeks. With the car accident and crazy work schedule I haven’t been able to make myself go. I can’t believe October went by so fast!
3. Swim 1/2 mile with no rest. Done! After I met with a swim coach my progress on swimming improved pretty quickly. So even though I haven’t been in 2.5 weeks, I was able to meet this goal pretty early in the month!
4. Find 3 new simple and delicious ways to eat veggies. Eh…kinda. I’ve added carrots and guacamole to my snack rotation so that’s one. I’ve been brainstorming but can’t come up with anything else. Ideas?
5. Limit to only one dinner each week that includes pasta or rice. Done! The husband isn’t a huge fan of this one but he’s coming around. It’s a challenge for me to come up with interesting sides but it’s been fun.

Overall, not too bad. With the craziness that was this month I’m proud of what I accomplished. I’ve got some good goals coming up for November!

literally tastes like pecan pie! I’ve been sampling several flavors over the past few weeks and this may be my favorite. I am amazed at what they can do with dates.

It tastes so much like pecan pie that I might throw some in a pie plate and take it to thanksgiving. Maybe not. But it would probably work.

I forgot to weigh…will report back tomorrow.

The husband and I stopped to eat during our drive back to Alabama from Tennessee last night. I am a little tired of Subway and sandwiches in general (haven’t had time for much cooking in the past couple of weeks). So, chose Ruby Tuesdays, one of the only options at the exit.

As I was looking over the menu I noticed that a few menu options are listed as “fit & trim” with the calorie counts beside them. Most of the entrees that were labeled as fit & trim were over 550 calories and included white cheddar mashed potatoes. While I applaud them for making an effort to identify healthier options, it just made me wonder how many calories were in the other meals (that I have eaten many times before without a second thought).

It also made me think about the healthy labels that are slapped onto foods that are still high in sugar or fats or have no nutritional value. Or when we only look at one category on the nutrition chart and pay no attention to the others.

When I was in high school every now and then I would make a lame, half-assed attempt at dieting. One of the things I ate pretty religiously then (dieting or not) were those gummi peach rings you get at the gas station. When my mom would say something about me eating them so much I would proudly respond that they had no fat! If it doesn’t have fat it must be fine!

What food traps have you fallen into (either recently or in your much younger, more naive days)?