I have added my email to my profile. This way you can email me any questions you have but don't want echoing throughout blogworld. I love to come up with creative ways to combat weight loss problems. I also love hearing that what I struggle with others do too. Our pant sizes might be different but we are all more alike than we think!
Keep up all your hard work, it is making a difference!
Sunday
Thursday
My Routine
I get asked so often about my exercise routine that I am just going to spell in out for everyone. I am always reluctant to share because everyone is in a different place. I have worked for a year and a half to get to this place which is funny when you see what I do. I have one rule for exercise and that is to take it easy (or "raker reasy cluck cluck" says Gus the mouse in Cinderella).
I started with 20 minutes on the elliptical at 2 intensity and then, every so often, I would think "I bet I can kick it up a notch" and I would. I never really pushed myself I always welcomed the change or the challenge. I read that you need to be drenched in sweat to really have worked out but I disagree. I hope to one day get to that point but for now I try to avoid sweat at all costs.
So here goes...
My elliptical has several measurements that I keep track of. They are distance, calories burned, fat calories burned and time.
I get on the elliptical at an 8 intensity (my hardest is 10) and go until the distance reads .10 of a mile then I pedal backwards until it reads .15 then pedal forward, .20 backwards again until I reach 1/4 of a mile (.25). I check my calories and should be close to about 185 and my time at least 11 minutes. If I need more time I know that I have gone a little faster that day which usually is a good sign. If I am over 11 minutes I know that I am dragging a little.
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I get off, get some 5 pound weights and do 3 sets of 15. I have 4 different arm exercises I do. Sometimes when the days are hard I may mix it up or count backwards - anything to get it done. Most days I am dancing between sets feeling good.
I then get back on the elliptical and go forward until I am at .05 of a mile. Then I pedal backwards until .10 of a mile. I then change to calories burned. I should be at about 75ish and I go until I have burned 125 calories (my numbers have all cleared out while I am using my weights). I change and follow fat calories and am at about 40. I keep going until I reach 55 fat calories burned and then I check my time and go until I reach 11 minutes.
I again grab my weights and do three more sets of fifteen. I do arm exercises but they require more use of my abs.
That is it! On Wednesday and Saturday I just do the elliptical. It is a rare week that I am able to have a perfect week. A goal I hope to achieve is to wake up earlier when I need to be somewhere and still get a workout in but for now I just skip. Overall I get at least five workouts in a week and I don't consider it a burden at all. Sure there are the days I HATE it but they are the exception. My secret would have to be smaller goals. If I had to just stare at a clock and get my 22 minutes in I would HATE it a whole lot more.
Get moving and making those goals!!
I started with 20 minutes on the elliptical at 2 intensity and then, every so often, I would think "I bet I can kick it up a notch" and I would. I never really pushed myself I always welcomed the change or the challenge. I read that you need to be drenched in sweat to really have worked out but I disagree. I hope to one day get to that point but for now I try to avoid sweat at all costs.
So here goes...
My elliptical has several measurements that I keep track of. They are distance, calories burned, fat calories burned and time.
I get on the elliptical at an 8 intensity (my hardest is 10) and go until the distance reads .10 of a mile then I pedal backwards until it reads .15 then pedal forward, .20 backwards again until I reach 1/4 of a mile (.25). I check my calories and should be close to about 185 and my time at least 11 minutes. If I need more time I know that I have gone a little faster that day which usually is a good sign. If I am over 11 minutes I know that I am dragging a little.
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I get off, get some 5 pound weights and do 3 sets of 15. I have 4 different arm exercises I do. Sometimes when the days are hard I may mix it up or count backwards - anything to get it done. Most days I am dancing between sets feeling good.
I then get back on the elliptical and go forward until I am at .05 of a mile. Then I pedal backwards until .10 of a mile. I then change to calories burned. I should be at about 75ish and I go until I have burned 125 calories (my numbers have all cleared out while I am using my weights). I change and follow fat calories and am at about 40. I keep going until I reach 55 fat calories burned and then I check my time and go until I reach 11 minutes.
I again grab my weights and do three more sets of fifteen. I do arm exercises but they require more use of my abs.
That is it! On Wednesday and Saturday I just do the elliptical. It is a rare week that I am able to have a perfect week. A goal I hope to achieve is to wake up earlier when I need to be somewhere and still get a workout in but for now I just skip. Overall I get at least five workouts in a week and I don't consider it a burden at all. Sure there are the days I HATE it but they are the exception. My secret would have to be smaller goals. If I had to just stare at a clock and get my 22 minutes in I would HATE it a whole lot more.
Get moving and making those goals!!
Tuesday
Just say YUP!
If you are going to be "skinny" here are seven lucky truths about what it will take.
1. You will have to exercise - pretty much everyday.
2. You will not be able to eat out as often as you would like.
3. You will have to pay attention to everything that goes into your mouth.
4. You will have to read labels.
5. You will have to refuse to eat and drink some things that taste good.
6. You will need to watch what you eat for the rest of your life.
7. You might, at one time or another, long to just give up.
To some of you this list brings emotions. If this is the case, study this list for a few days and ponder it until you can identify what emotions you are feeling and why. You don't have to change a thing but when you understand "I am afraid to read labels because I don't want the guilt that comes with knowing" or "I am afraid of committing to exercise because I am afraid of missing and feeling like a failure". When you understand what is really stopping you, you can begin to make a plan that works with those emotions. This is not supposed to be punishment or torture.
I look at this list and say... "yup". I am not afraid of doing what it takes to be thin. It is not as horrible as it sounds. The payoff outweighs the cost without question. The real trick is not to eat less and to exercise more but to get to the place where the list only gets a "yup" out of you. This is hard work. It takes time and a lot of meditation but it is possible for all. Every diet and exercise machine has success stories but there is not one success story without an aha moment. That is what I am trying to produce for you here.
To help you along I wanted to illustrate how things sound a lot worse than they really are. I had this picture in my mind. A young girl has been sat down and she is being told what it will take to be an attractive adult women. It sounds daunting yet we have just made these tasks part of our lives. We say "yup, that is about what it is like!"
1. You will have to shower on a regular basis, brush your teeth everyday, comb your hair and look half decent at least half of the time. Getting rid of unwanted hair will seem like a full time job.
2. You will have to plan and shop for every meal. Gone are the days when you hear "dinner's ready".
3. You will have certain household duties that will have to be done everyday - again and again and again.
4. You will spend a large amount of the money you earn on make-up, haircare products, trips to the salon, jewelry, underclothing, purses, shoes, tampons, skin care products, nail polish and perfume.
You will only get to spend a small portion of your hard earned money on things that you just want.
5. You will not feel comfortable in your clothing and shoes the majority of each day.
6. You will be sucking in your stomach for the better part of your life.
7. You will feel like a truck hit you and you have had an accident in your pants for a few days every single month like clockwork and will still be expected to continue with life as if nothing is wrong.
On paper we look crazy for signing on to this lifestyle. Living a thin life is much easier - believe me. Do the real work and get to the aha!
1. You will have to exercise - pretty much everyday.
2. You will not be able to eat out as often as you would like.
3. You will have to pay attention to everything that goes into your mouth.
4. You will have to read labels.
5. You will have to refuse to eat and drink some things that taste good.
6. You will need to watch what you eat for the rest of your life.
7. You might, at one time or another, long to just give up.
To some of you this list brings emotions. If this is the case, study this list for a few days and ponder it until you can identify what emotions you are feeling and why. You don't have to change a thing but when you understand "I am afraid to read labels because I don't want the guilt that comes with knowing" or "I am afraid of committing to exercise because I am afraid of missing and feeling like a failure". When you understand what is really stopping you, you can begin to make a plan that works with those emotions. This is not supposed to be punishment or torture.
I look at this list and say... "yup". I am not afraid of doing what it takes to be thin. It is not as horrible as it sounds. The payoff outweighs the cost without question. The real trick is not to eat less and to exercise more but to get to the place where the list only gets a "yup" out of you. This is hard work. It takes time and a lot of meditation but it is possible for all. Every diet and exercise machine has success stories but there is not one success story without an aha moment. That is what I am trying to produce for you here.
To help you along I wanted to illustrate how things sound a lot worse than they really are. I had this picture in my mind. A young girl has been sat down and she is being told what it will take to be an attractive adult women. It sounds daunting yet we have just made these tasks part of our lives. We say "yup, that is about what it is like!"
1. You will have to shower on a regular basis, brush your teeth everyday, comb your hair and look half decent at least half of the time. Getting rid of unwanted hair will seem like a full time job.
2. You will have to plan and shop for every meal. Gone are the days when you hear "dinner's ready".
3. You will have certain household duties that will have to be done everyday - again and again and again.
4. You will spend a large amount of the money you earn on make-up, haircare products, trips to the salon, jewelry, underclothing, purses, shoes, tampons, skin care products, nail polish and perfume.
You will only get to spend a small portion of your hard earned money on things that you just want.
5. You will not feel comfortable in your clothing and shoes the majority of each day.
6. You will be sucking in your stomach for the better part of your life.
7. You will feel like a truck hit you and you have had an accident in your pants for a few days every single month like clockwork and will still be expected to continue with life as if nothing is wrong.
On paper we look crazy for signing on to this lifestyle. Living a thin life is much easier - believe me. Do the real work and get to the aha!
Monday
Detox
Today I am feeling better about the whole thing. I am in official detox mode. The first couple of days after the holidays were hard. I just wanted party food. Yesterday I did eat chocolate chip cookies for dinner but I got that whole thing out of my system so that today only good food sounded good. For dinner we had a crustless spinach quiche with mixed greens and a lemon vinaigrette. For dessert I had a cup of hot cocoa and my insides are thanking me.
Friday
Don't Panic...Stick With The Facts
Phew, we made it through the holidays. None of us came out of it unscathed but that is all under the bridge at this point. The best thing we can do is to move on and get down to business. The worst thing we can do is to panic and lose confidence in ourselves. Here are a few facts to think about.
I have told this story before but to recap for new comers...
Back in the summer I was under a tremendous amount of stress. All the stars were unaligned and it was a brutal time. I put on about 3-5 pounds without really trying. I vacationed a couple of times but MFP didn't look horrible. I swallowed some pride and tried to start the process of losing again (this was my first weight gain in over a year). I figured I would add a couple of minutes to my exercise and up my intensity "just to get there a little faster". I figured within three weeks I should be back down and life would go on. I admit I was a kind of excited to have a challenge again - totally sure of myself. But, after three weeks things had not budged and I started to panic. I spent some time thinking that my body was just correcting itself and this couple of pounds was just where my body wanted to stay. I remember one day on the elliptical thinking "what am I doing? I am panicking". I took a leap of faith and went back to what I knew worked. I backed off the intensity and cut a minute out of my routine. It was hard at first, it felt like I was moving at a snails pace. After a couple of weeks the scale was lower than it had been in months and after a couple more weeks I realized I had increased right back to my more intense longer workout without even thinking. This was a big learning moment for me. The workout and diet was the same but the difference on the scale was made only with a positive attitude as apposed to a place of insecurity. My victory could not be validated on paper. A+B wasn't C...this time.
Fact one: Fear, insecurity, panic, self loathing are the most fattening things you can put in your body.
This year we did a lot of at-home celebrating. We ate turkey, ham, rolls, pie and candy and treats galore! (it was wonderful). I didn't always log, not because I didn't want to see but because I knew I was at least breaking even and didn't want to log in the forty or so things I had just eaten. I knew I would probably gain a couple of pounds but that was ok. As I do the math now, I see that I could have added 250 calories over my break-even point each day and in the four week holiday season I would have only gained two pounds. What was interesting is my December 23rd check in had me at an all time low at the end of a steady decrease. How could anyone lose weight during the holidays? Praise the heavens it was me!
Fact two: Staying in control of your head is the best diet on the planet.
Back to the yummy food, here are some interesting scenarios. For you to have gained one pound at Thanksgiving you would have to have eaten just under a whole pecan pie at 480 calories a slice or it's equivalent. At Christmas you would have had to eaten almost one and one half hams to equal a pound of weight (3500 calories). And, although much more doable you would have to have eaten almost ten pieces of fudge. This is all in addition to your daily calories including the calories you are cutting each day or your break-even calories. I hope you are feeling a little better about yourself. (have to have...just needed to add one more:P)
My December 28th check in was two pounds higher and another two showed up later in the week. I know I did not eat an extra 14,000 calories in a little over a week so I am not going to panic. Life has been crazy and so has my diet but it has all been worth the celebration!
Fact three: You didn't do as bad as you thought!
So, how does fact three equate with your scale? I would bet money on fact one and two being the biggest factor as well as the truth that celebration food is usually high in salt and sugar and both can cause your body to retain water. A liter of water is over two pounds and I am sure I have peed a liter in one day. (ironically, drinking more water will help) Not to mention that during our holidays some of our water drinking gets replaced with not-so-hydrating type drinks (at least this is true for me).
Fact Four: Everything is going to be okay and twenty-ten is going to be the best year ever!!! But, only you can make it so.
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