Decided to get back to my blog with some new goals:
1. To lose 15 pounds by May 1st.
2. Run a 10 K in 55 minutes.
3. Track my calorie input and output everyday but Sunday.
I have decided that I can not possibly reach my goals without tracking my caloric intake. There is no way to know if I am burning enough to lose weight unless I keep track--it's jus the cold, hard truth!
In order to get my eating under control, I have decided to eat EVERY 2 HOURS until 6 p.m. That way, I will never be hungry and I will consistently be feeding my metabolism so my body doesn't go into starvation mode. I will be tracking my progress here everyday. I will be calling it the 2 hour experiment.
Since October, I have lost 15 pounds. My current weight is:
143.8 POUNDS
My goal weight is 128 lbs.
I've decided that it is essential for me to consistently keep this blog. I will do my best!
I wanted to remind myself in this post that I do not need to eat what everyone else is having at the dinner table. The important thing is to eat something healthy (even if it's not the same as what everyone else is having) and enjoy the company of the family.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
DAY 46
I have really started looking forward to Mondays which is odd--I know. I am now to the point where waking up early is no big deal anymore and I enjoy going to my morning classes. I can't tell you what a difference it has made to exercise in a class. I don't think EVERY class would have the same positive result, but Kevin's classes are perfect for me. The class is a small group of people--most of whom I know pretty well now. We are like a little community and it is so great to have some social interaction every day; the workouts are really great too and it has been wonderful. I've never been in an exercise class small enough where people notice when you are not there and genuinely care about why you weren't able to make it. It is refreshing to put it simply. I do not miss my days at 24 Hour Fitness or Gold's when I would squeeze myself into the back of the room because the class was so crowded. Going to the rec center is the way I want to exercise for life.
Exercise report:
Todays workout really kicked my butt. We did 4 different exercises the whole hour. The first was a wrestling move called a kick out or step out--I can't quite remember now. We jumped out on all fours to do a push up and then jumped our feet back to our hands. We then kicked out one leg to the side while flexing the opposite arm at a 90 degree angle and then repeated the push up + jump and kicked out to the other side. I have very little shoulder and arm strength, so I hated doing these kick outs. I only did 4 sets of them and they completely wiped me out.
After the kick outs, we had to do 20 air squats and 20 mountain climbers. We finished off the set by doing 10 burpies with hand release once in push up position and clap overhead. I normally try to stop as little as I can but I had to stop a lot. As far as my own personal performance goes, it really wasn't my best. BUT, it was a good workout despite all my stopping. Kevin got after me a lot for being a wimp; I deserved it. That's why I go to classes--to ensure that I am pushing myself as hard as I can.
Eating report:
Good foods
1/2 Kashi granola bar (this really is the perfect thing to eat for me before my workouts. It gives me great energy and only has 2-3 grams of sugar).
2 pieces of low carb bread with cream cheese, cashew pieces, tomatoes, and cucumbers (a delicious protein snack with fresh veggies--what a good combination)
1.5 cups spring mix with 1/2 cup tomatoes and cucumbers
1 string cheese
1 tilapia loin
1 cup spring mix salad
8 pb filled pretzels
Bad foods
1 bag of veggie chips (even though the chips have veggies in them, they are mostly made with potato flakes which have loads of carbs)
Tip for success:
If you are trying to lose weight, make sure you keep track of how many grams of protein and carbs you eat in a day. Consult a nutritionist to figure out how many grams you should eat of both in one day. I personally try to keep it right around 100 grams for both carbs and protein (this is what a fitness expert recommended for me after evaluating my fitness level and personal circumstances). I am 5'6" and have a medium frame. My typical weight is right around 135.
Exercise report:
Todays workout really kicked my butt. We did 4 different exercises the whole hour. The first was a wrestling move called a kick out or step out--I can't quite remember now. We jumped out on all fours to do a push up and then jumped our feet back to our hands. We then kicked out one leg to the side while flexing the opposite arm at a 90 degree angle and then repeated the push up + jump and kicked out to the other side. I have very little shoulder and arm strength, so I hated doing these kick outs. I only did 4 sets of them and they completely wiped me out.
After the kick outs, we had to do 20 air squats and 20 mountain climbers. We finished off the set by doing 10 burpies with hand release once in push up position and clap overhead. I normally try to stop as little as I can but I had to stop a lot. As far as my own personal performance goes, it really wasn't my best. BUT, it was a good workout despite all my stopping. Kevin got after me a lot for being a wimp; I deserved it. That's why I go to classes--to ensure that I am pushing myself as hard as I can.
Eating report:
Good foods
1/2 Kashi granola bar (this really is the perfect thing to eat for me before my workouts. It gives me great energy and only has 2-3 grams of sugar).
2 pieces of low carb bread with cream cheese, cashew pieces, tomatoes, and cucumbers (a delicious protein snack with fresh veggies--what a good combination)
1.5 cups spring mix with 1/2 cup tomatoes and cucumbers
1 string cheese
1 tilapia loin
1 cup spring mix salad
8 pb filled pretzels
Bad foods
1 bag of veggie chips (even though the chips have veggies in them, they are mostly made with potato flakes which have loads of carbs)
Tip for success:
If you are trying to lose weight, make sure you keep track of how many grams of protein and carbs you eat in a day. Consult a nutritionist to figure out how many grams you should eat of both in one day. I personally try to keep it right around 100 grams for both carbs and protein (this is what a fitness expert recommended for me after evaluating my fitness level and personal circumstances). I am 5'6" and have a medium frame. My typical weight is right around 135.
Monday, October 3, 2011
DAY 45
Not much to report today!
Exercise:
None. It was my day off.
Eating:
Good foods:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 small bag veggie chips
1 string cheese
Bad foods:
Golden curry (high in carbs, but so good)
2 cups white rice (carbs galore)
birthday cake
I'll be glad to put such a bad weekend behind me!
Exercise:
None. It was my day off.
Eating:
Good foods:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 small bag veggie chips
1 string cheese
Bad foods:
Golden curry (high in carbs, but so good)
2 cups white rice (carbs galore)
birthday cake
I'll be glad to put such a bad weekend behind me!
DAY 42,43, and 44
Sorry to combine days, but I'm just too behind! It was a busy weekend celebrating my daughter's birthday.
Exercise report:
Thursday--slept in
Friday--3.7 mile run. Still not going as fast as I would like; I'm really trying to increase my speed each week. I may cut back on the distance next week and focus on speed instead. I also went to Costco and walked around with my baby in the Baby Bjorn for about 1 hour. By the time I loaded the groceries and got all the kids inside, I was exhausted.
Saturday--had plans of walking around Old Town, Alexandria but it was raining a bit too hard to venture out on a long walk with 3 kids. It ended up being a long day in the car running errands.
Eating:
Good foods:
1 cup romaine lettuce
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 string cheese
4 peanut butter filled pretzels (this is kind of my new favorite snack. It has 1 gram of sugar, 5 grams of protein, and 11 carbs for 8 pretzels--not bad as long as you keep it to 8 or so a day).
1/2 cup cooked chicken
2 low carb tortillas
2 tablespoons diced tomatoes
Bad foods:
leftover fondant from cupcakes that I made last week
birthday cake
Pork Barbacoa (the Pork isn't necessarily the bad part--it's the sugar in the sauce)
tortilla (the really yummy unhealthy kind from Cafe Rio)
taco seasoning mix (high in sodium)
3 fruit by the foots
macaroni and cheese
It is very clear that my bad food list is too long! Yikes!
It was kind of a bad weekend, but I did try my hardest to eat healthy during the day and mostly cheated at night.
On a brighter note, my weigh in this week is:
158.9 pounds
I am going to remind myself in writing that this weight will probably fluctuate by a pound for the rest of the week. I have to do that kind of reminding or I will get so frustrated!
Tip for success:
If you happen to eat a "bad" food, don't let it be an excuse to eat unhealthy for the rest of the day. The most important thing is developing a healthy habit so that the majority of what you eat is healthy. That doughnut you ate for breakfast is just one isolated incident that day. Make the rest of the day healthy even if you get off to a bad start!
Exercise report:
Thursday--slept in
Friday--3.7 mile run. Still not going as fast as I would like; I'm really trying to increase my speed each week. I may cut back on the distance next week and focus on speed instead. I also went to Costco and walked around with my baby in the Baby Bjorn for about 1 hour. By the time I loaded the groceries and got all the kids inside, I was exhausted.
Saturday--had plans of walking around Old Town, Alexandria but it was raining a bit too hard to venture out on a long walk with 3 kids. It ended up being a long day in the car running errands.
Eating:
Good foods:
1 cup romaine lettuce
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 string cheese
4 peanut butter filled pretzels (this is kind of my new favorite snack. It has 1 gram of sugar, 5 grams of protein, and 11 carbs for 8 pretzels--not bad as long as you keep it to 8 or so a day).
1/2 cup cooked chicken
2 low carb tortillas
2 tablespoons diced tomatoes
Bad foods:
leftover fondant from cupcakes that I made last week
birthday cake
Pork Barbacoa (the Pork isn't necessarily the bad part--it's the sugar in the sauce)
tortilla (the really yummy unhealthy kind from Cafe Rio)
taco seasoning mix (high in sodium)
3 fruit by the foots
macaroni and cheese
It is very clear that my bad food list is too long! Yikes!
It was kind of a bad weekend, but I did try my hardest to eat healthy during the day and mostly cheated at night.
On a brighter note, my weigh in this week is:
158.9 pounds
I am going to remind myself in writing that this weight will probably fluctuate by a pound for the rest of the week. I have to do that kind of reminding or I will get so frustrated!
Tip for success:
If you happen to eat a "bad" food, don't let it be an excuse to eat unhealthy for the rest of the day. The most important thing is developing a healthy habit so that the majority of what you eat is healthy. That doughnut you ate for breakfast is just one isolated incident that day. Make the rest of the day healthy even if you get off to a bad start!
DAY 41
What a great Wednesday it was. I had so much energy today despite my very difficult workout with Kevin. It was one of the first days in a long time that I haven't wanted to fall asleep during dinner!
Exercise report:
Todays workout was a beast. I think it was almost as hard as the one we did in honor of the firemen who lost their lives in 9/11. We were each given weighted poles. Mine was about 25 pounds (I think). We did lunges across the gym holding the poles over our heads. Once we reached the other end, we had to do something called a bear complex. We took the pole and pressed it over our heads, then lowered it to behind our heads. After 5 bear complexes, we did lunges back across the gym. We then had to do burpies with hand release and then after getting up from the burpies we had to clap over head. What a great workout.
Eating:
I'm going to start something new with my eating reports from now on; I've decided to break the food into two categories--good foods and bad foods. I think the eating report will be more effective for me personally if I can see the list of bad foods all at once. This new reporting will start tomorrow.
I am so behind on my blog that I can't remember what I ate on Wednesday. I do know that it was a good day and I didn't really eat anything I wasn't supposed to.
Tip for success:
Workout with others--preferably those who push themselves pretty hard. You will end up pushing yourself harder as a result and make the most of your workout.
Exercise report:
Todays workout was a beast. I think it was almost as hard as the one we did in honor of the firemen who lost their lives in 9/11. We were each given weighted poles. Mine was about 25 pounds (I think). We did lunges across the gym holding the poles over our heads. Once we reached the other end, we had to do something called a bear complex. We took the pole and pressed it over our heads, then lowered it to behind our heads. After 5 bear complexes, we did lunges back across the gym. We then had to do burpies with hand release and then after getting up from the burpies we had to clap over head. What a great workout.
Eating:
I'm going to start something new with my eating reports from now on; I've decided to break the food into two categories--good foods and bad foods. I think the eating report will be more effective for me personally if I can see the list of bad foods all at once. This new reporting will start tomorrow.
I am so behind on my blog that I can't remember what I ate on Wednesday. I do know that it was a good day and I didn't really eat anything I wasn't supposed to.
Tip for success:
Workout with others--preferably those who push themselves pretty hard. You will end up pushing yourself harder as a result and make the most of your workout.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
DAY 40
Wow! I can't believe it's been 40 days since I started this blog; 40 seems like such an important number for some reason.
Normally today would be my weigh-in day, but I've decided to move my weigh ins to Thursdays from now on. I don't really have a good reason for that; I think it's based solely on the fact that I've just liked what my scales says better on Thursdays.
Exercise Report:
Today when I got to my spin class, I realized that Kevin wasn't there and we would be taught by a substitute instructor. Her class was pretty good. I think we spent a little too much time stretching at the end, but I felt like I got a decent work out. It wasn't as fun without Kevin barking at us to fully turn up our resistance dials.
Eating report:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 string cheese
2 egg whites
Annie's Cheddar bunnies
1 Apple nutrigrain bar
1/2 cup white beans--plain
2 pieces sauteed chicken
2 cups minestrone soup (includes carrots, tomatoes, white beans, celery, broth, and spices)
It was a pretty good day as far as eating and exercise goes.
Tip for success:
Remember to branch out and try new foods and new recipes if you find yourself in an eating rut. If you eat the same thing everyday, you will find yourself craving unhealthy foods that you used to eat. You may revert back to mac and cheese in a moment of weakness. There are literally thousands of healthy recipes on line. Do a search for low carb meals and you will be surprised at how much comes up.
Normally today would be my weigh-in day, but I've decided to move my weigh ins to Thursdays from now on. I don't really have a good reason for that; I think it's based solely on the fact that I've just liked what my scales says better on Thursdays.
Exercise Report:
Today when I got to my spin class, I realized that Kevin wasn't there and we would be taught by a substitute instructor. Her class was pretty good. I think we spent a little too much time stretching at the end, but I felt like I got a decent work out. It wasn't as fun without Kevin barking at us to fully turn up our resistance dials.
Eating report:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
1 string cheese
2 egg whites
Annie's Cheddar bunnies
1 Apple nutrigrain bar
1/2 cup white beans--plain
2 pieces sauteed chicken
2 cups minestrone soup (includes carrots, tomatoes, white beans, celery, broth, and spices)
It was a pretty good day as far as eating and exercise goes.
Tip for success:
Remember to branch out and try new foods and new recipes if you find yourself in an eating rut. If you eat the same thing everyday, you will find yourself craving unhealthy foods that you used to eat. You may revert back to mac and cheese in a moment of weakness. There are literally thousands of healthy recipes on line. Do a search for low carb meals and you will be surprised at how much comes up.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
DAY 39
I'm always glad when Mondays roll around. I know it sounds a little strange--most people kind of hate Mondays. I like them because it's nice to know that I can get back on track with my eating and exercise.
Exercise Report:
Kevin's class was good today but I wish I would have pushed myself a little harder. We worked with kettle bell weights again and I had a hard time lifting them with correct form (which is very important by the way--never attempt to use them on your own for the first time!). We did presses with them and we also did dead lifts with burpies. We did some squats too. I was so focused on trying to use correct form that I didn't set a goal for myself of how many sets I wanted to accomplish.
Eating Report:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
3 pieces of sauteed chicken
1piece of low carb bread with peanut butter, 3 drops of honey, and cinnamon
1/2 cup white beans
1 string cheese
handful of pistachios
1/4 cup cooked white rice
2 cups stir fry (included carrots, onions, celery, tofu, and sauce)
The sauce in my stir fry has quite a bit of sugar, so I tried to not use very much. Overall, I think it was a good eating day.
Food tip:
Tofu is so great and serves so many purposes when it comes to food. You can cook it in a stir fry, blend it with strawberries for a high protein shake, or eat it plain as a snack. I didn't love it the first time I tried it, but I really like it now and my kids are starting to like it a lot more too.
Exercise Report:
Kevin's class was good today but I wish I would have pushed myself a little harder. We worked with kettle bell weights again and I had a hard time lifting them with correct form (which is very important by the way--never attempt to use them on your own for the first time!). We did presses with them and we also did dead lifts with burpies. We did some squats too. I was so focused on trying to use correct form that I didn't set a goal for myself of how many sets I wanted to accomplish.
Eating Report:
1/2 Kashi granola bar
3 pieces of sauteed chicken
1piece of low carb bread with peanut butter, 3 drops of honey, and cinnamon
1/2 cup white beans
1 string cheese
handful of pistachios
1/4 cup cooked white rice
2 cups stir fry (included carrots, onions, celery, tofu, and sauce)
The sauce in my stir fry has quite a bit of sugar, so I tried to not use very much. Overall, I think it was a good eating day.
Food tip:
Tofu is so great and serves so many purposes when it comes to food. You can cook it in a stir fry, blend it with strawberries for a high protein shake, or eat it plain as a snack. I didn't love it the first time I tried it, but I really like it now and my kids are starting to like it a lot more too.
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