Back to semi-normal today -- I say "semi" because I've never been completely normal. That would be too boring. But I felt good today. Spent some time on the bike several times throughout the day. I forgot to keep track of how many miles. But that's okay. I found it a lot easier to put in time biking doing a few minutes throughout the day rather than try for 30 minutes or an hour all at once.
My goal is to be in good enough shape by Spring that I can get a regular bicycle and go outside biking through the neighborhood. When I was young, I biked all the time, especially during summer break from school. Gosh, I'd go all day, day after day, just biking all over town. I lived in a small town, then. Living in a city now, I would be more careful about the paths I take -- city traffic is dangerous enough when there's a bunch of metal between me and the nut jobs in other cars. Omaha doesn't have bike lanes on the main roads, either. That's one of many things I miss about living in Denver. With so much emphasis on "green" energy and reducing our carbon imprint, you would think more cities would encourage bicycling.
Food today was alright so far -- sandwich with whole wheat bread, chicken, and fat-free cheese, a half a cup of chili, and two yogurts. I am hungry right now for some veggies, so I might have a small bowl of soup for a late-night snack.
Tip for Today: My friend Beth suggests this for conquering the 10:30am munchies --- "Handful of almonds, some dark chocolate morsels and some dried cranberries mid- morning is a great healthy filler." Thanks, Beth!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Week 5, Days 3 and 4
The cloud: the back pain is back in full force and I can barely move. The silver lining: my appetite is reduced to nearly nothing. For two days I've had a couple of sandwiches and a bowl of oatmeal.
My doggie, Cinnamon, has been by my side through it all, snuggling and being very loving. I completely adore her, and I think she's pretty darned fond of me, too. There's something about that kind of innocent love that makes me want to keep trying, even on days like these when it would be so easy to give up. Thank you, Lord, for the love of tiny creatures.
My doggie, Cinnamon, has been by my side through it all, snuggling and being very loving. I completely adore her, and I think she's pretty darned fond of me, too. There's something about that kind of innocent love that makes me want to keep trying, even on days like these when it would be so easy to give up. Thank you, Lord, for the love of tiny creatures.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Week 5, Day 2
Still looking for yummy recipes that fit with a weight loss regimen. The best laid plans, as they say.... My soup is crappy because what few noodles I put in turned to mush. Must be a sign to give up even those few noodles. Plus, I need to get a little better with spices because it tastes kind of bland to me.
Had to get creative with the exercise today. More upper body than bothering my legs right now. Adam was right -- my legs needed a day off from walking. But I like doing something each day--anything to keep moving forward. It's a different habit for me, but more and more I feel really good about it.
I had oatmeal for breakfast. I'm not usually a fan of oatmeal until it gets cold out, and today is cold and rainy -- the perfect weather for a hot bowl of oats. Had a banana sandwich with a tablespoon of peanut butter for lunch. And a half a cup of leftovers from last night's dinner by Adam.
Today's Tip: My friend Ann Marie posted something interesting on her Facebook wall today. I had read this before, but it bears repeating. Ann Marie said, "Heard an interesting comment about tv watching and gaining weight. They said those that watched less tv are more likely to keep off the weight they have lost in 1 year than those that don't (2 pounds gained back vs. 9). In fact, they recommend ...less than 10 hours a week."
Had to get creative with the exercise today. More upper body than bothering my legs right now. Adam was right -- my legs needed a day off from walking. But I like doing something each day--anything to keep moving forward. It's a different habit for me, but more and more I feel really good about it.
I had oatmeal for breakfast. I'm not usually a fan of oatmeal until it gets cold out, and today is cold and rainy -- the perfect weather for a hot bowl of oats. Had a banana sandwich with a tablespoon of peanut butter for lunch. And a half a cup of leftovers from last night's dinner by Adam.
Today's Tip: My friend Ann Marie posted something interesting on her Facebook wall today. I had read this before, but it bears repeating. Ann Marie said, "Heard an interesting comment about tv watching and gaining weight. They said those that watched less tv are more likely to keep off the weight they have lost in 1 year than those that don't (2 pounds gained back vs. 9). In fact, they recommend ...less than 10 hours a week."
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Week 5, Day 1
I've been at this a full month, and today my weight sits at 249. Ten pounds gone -- not as much as I was hoping for by this date, but I'm okay with it. Not only are 10 pounds gone, but I'm also able to walk more than I could, and I've changed my dumbbells from 5 pounds to 8 pounds. I call that a month of success!
I walked again tonight, the fourth night in a row. I couldn't do as much tonight because I'm really sore. But according to my pedometer, I did a third of a mile, this time with no brief breaks. Add to that the roughly three miles in the three previous nights combined -- not too bad for a previously-sedentary person with a bad back and asthma. :) Adam suggested that I take a rest from walking tomorrow since I'm so sore tonight. We'll see. I'm leaning toward going ahead and heading out to walk anyway since there will be plenty of days in the coming months of winter when I won't be able to go out.
Food...I wasn't such a good girl about that today. I had pasta and chicken with a cheese sauce for dinner. Not a lot of it. My stomach has shrunken, and I can't hold as much as I used to. But still... What happened was that I baked a family-sized package of chicken breasts, and with some of it I made soup, and with the rest of it Adam made dinner. He knows I like pasta, chicken, and cheese and he wasn't thinking about the diet I'm on. He's a really good cook, so it tasted wonderful. He tried something while cooking the pasta that he had learned in a book about the Culinary Institute of America. Not a big deal, but it added some subtle but wonderful flavor to the overall meal -- he put the seasonings in the pasta water so the pasta picked up the flavors of the spices. He wants to much to go to the culinary institute here in Omaha. I wish we were financially set enough that he could do that. Someday... In the meantime, if he makes me something for dinner that isn't diet-friendly, I'm NOT going to refuse to eat it or even mention the diet. He's such a sensitive, caring son -- I'm so fortunate -- and I would never want him to feel bad about something he created for me.
Of course, tonight was another episode of the Biggest Loser. I'm kind of disappointed this season. Most of the contestants seem rather petty. I have yet to see any focus on Daniel, the young guy they brought back from another season to finish his rather daunting journey, or on Abby as she struggles through this (she's the lady who lost her husband and two children in a car accident). Like Abby said earlier, if she can get up every morning and work on her weight loss, anybody can! Instead they focus on the soap-opera-esque squabbles and machinations by all too many of this seasons contestants. I want to be educated and inspired like I was in previous seasons! I used to feel like these were people just like me. This time I'm glad they and I have nothing in common.
Still, for all my disappointment with this season, I did get a good tip tonight. Bob Harper, one of the trainers, suggested a different type of push-ups for those of us who can't do regular push-ups yet. He called them wall push-ups. Stand a bit away from the wall, put your arms straight out in front of you so your hands are on the wall, and push away. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it's less stressful because you're not pushing up against gravity. He said you could also lean onto a desk or table and push away. I'm going to give it a try! If I can do that kind of push-up for now, then sooner or later I'll be able to do the regular kind. And in the meantime, I'll have a little more variety in my routine -- something to do when my legs are too tired from walking. :)
And so it goes... another week of work ahead. Miles to walk, calories to count, and a slimmer, healthier me to pursue.
I walked again tonight, the fourth night in a row. I couldn't do as much tonight because I'm really sore. But according to my pedometer, I did a third of a mile, this time with no brief breaks. Add to that the roughly three miles in the three previous nights combined -- not too bad for a previously-sedentary person with a bad back and asthma. :) Adam suggested that I take a rest from walking tomorrow since I'm so sore tonight. We'll see. I'm leaning toward going ahead and heading out to walk anyway since there will be plenty of days in the coming months of winter when I won't be able to go out.
Food...I wasn't such a good girl about that today. I had pasta and chicken with a cheese sauce for dinner. Not a lot of it. My stomach has shrunken, and I can't hold as much as I used to. But still... What happened was that I baked a family-sized package of chicken breasts, and with some of it I made soup, and with the rest of it Adam made dinner. He knows I like pasta, chicken, and cheese and he wasn't thinking about the diet I'm on. He's a really good cook, so it tasted wonderful. He tried something while cooking the pasta that he had learned in a book about the Culinary Institute of America. Not a big deal, but it added some subtle but wonderful flavor to the overall meal -- he put the seasonings in the pasta water so the pasta picked up the flavors of the spices. He wants to much to go to the culinary institute here in Omaha. I wish we were financially set enough that he could do that. Someday... In the meantime, if he makes me something for dinner that isn't diet-friendly, I'm NOT going to refuse to eat it or even mention the diet. He's such a sensitive, caring son -- I'm so fortunate -- and I would never want him to feel bad about something he created for me.
Of course, tonight was another episode of the Biggest Loser. I'm kind of disappointed this season. Most of the contestants seem rather petty. I have yet to see any focus on Daniel, the young guy they brought back from another season to finish his rather daunting journey, or on Abby as she struggles through this (she's the lady who lost her husband and two children in a car accident). Like Abby said earlier, if she can get up every morning and work on her weight loss, anybody can! Instead they focus on the soap-opera-esque squabbles and machinations by all too many of this seasons contestants. I want to be educated and inspired like I was in previous seasons! I used to feel like these were people just like me. This time I'm glad they and I have nothing in common.
Still, for all my disappointment with this season, I did get a good tip tonight. Bob Harper, one of the trainers, suggested a different type of push-ups for those of us who can't do regular push-ups yet. He called them wall push-ups. Stand a bit away from the wall, put your arms straight out in front of you so your hands are on the wall, and push away. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it's less stressful because you're not pushing up against gravity. He said you could also lean onto a desk or table and push away. I'm going to give it a try! If I can do that kind of push-up for now, then sooner or later I'll be able to do the regular kind. And in the meantime, I'll have a little more variety in my routine -- something to do when my legs are too tired from walking. :)
And so it goes... another week of work ahead. Miles to walk, calories to count, and a slimmer, healthier me to pursue.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Week 4, Day 7
What a great day! Good reading done this morning. Good food choices (turkey sandwich, lettuce, tomato, no mayo or mustard) while having dinner with good friends. Resisted the STRONG temptation to have cannoli for dessert. Walked about a mile afterward. And now settling in for a rented movie from Blockbuster.
I'm sore as heck since I've gotten in more walking these past three days than I've done in a long time, but it's an awesome soreness! I don't know why the pain in my back has diminished so much, but I feel like I've been set free and will finally be able to get in a serious amount of work on this whole weight loss thing. I've got a ways to go. I still need to lean on the cart for a bit of support while I walk. And I still have to make brief stops along the way to catch my breath. But I'm so happy that my legs are sore and getting the workout needed to get strong again! Could it be that someday in the not-so-distant future I'll be a healthy weight AND able to function like a normal member of the human race? You bet I will!
Congrats to my friend Ann Marie who is not only also losing weight using the Biggest Loser as inspiration, but she just closed on a new home today -- her first. AND this woman is managing to handle this major life change without turning to junk food or sweet stuff to help get her through it all. Wow! She's s eating all the right stuff, going to the gym religiously, and has lost 11 pounds. Way to go, Ann Marie!
All the kind messages of encouragement and advice I've been getting since I started this I've been copying to a Word document so I can save them and review them each day. It helps me stay focused, and it helps me remain accountable, knowing there are kind, loving people who will be sad for me if I give up. That's very powerful! I posted something on my Facebook status that I want to record here also because it struck me as an unusual source of encouragement....
Yesterday I posted something here about how Whole Foods Market will give a 10 percent discount to those who purchase an entire case of a product. Then I sent a message to Whole Foods to let them know that I shared that info in this blog. I've done marketing for years and years, and I know it helps for companies to know when something is word-of-mouth worthy. And this is what they sent in response: "Thanks for shopping and wishing you strength for your journey. Please let us know if we can be supportive of your new suit!" Imagine that....they took time to read A New Suit and to send a message. In this world with good customer service being a rare occurrence, I'm shocked to find a place that cares enough to read someone's blog and reach out to them with encouragement. Way cool!
I've got a bowl of mixed veggies to munch on instead of popcorn, and now it's time to watch that rented movie I mentioned earlier. Here's to healthy choices!
I'm sore as heck since I've gotten in more walking these past three days than I've done in a long time, but it's an awesome soreness! I don't know why the pain in my back has diminished so much, but I feel like I've been set free and will finally be able to get in a serious amount of work on this whole weight loss thing. I've got a ways to go. I still need to lean on the cart for a bit of support while I walk. And I still have to make brief stops along the way to catch my breath. But I'm so happy that my legs are sore and getting the workout needed to get strong again! Could it be that someday in the not-so-distant future I'll be a healthy weight AND able to function like a normal member of the human race? You bet I will!
Congrats to my friend Ann Marie who is not only also losing weight using the Biggest Loser as inspiration, but she just closed on a new home today -- her first. AND this woman is managing to handle this major life change without turning to junk food or sweet stuff to help get her through it all. Wow! She's s eating all the right stuff, going to the gym religiously, and has lost 11 pounds. Way to go, Ann Marie!
All the kind messages of encouragement and advice I've been getting since I started this I've been copying to a Word document so I can save them and review them each day. It helps me stay focused, and it helps me remain accountable, knowing there are kind, loving people who will be sad for me if I give up. That's very powerful! I posted something on my Facebook status that I want to record here also because it struck me as an unusual source of encouragement....
Yesterday I posted something here about how Whole Foods Market will give a 10 percent discount to those who purchase an entire case of a product. Then I sent a message to Whole Foods to let them know that I shared that info in this blog. I've done marketing for years and years, and I know it helps for companies to know when something is word-of-mouth worthy. And this is what they sent in response: "Thanks for shopping and wishing you strength for your journey. Please let us know if we can be supportive of your new suit!" Imagine that....they took time to read A New Suit and to send a message. In this world with good customer service being a rare occurrence, I'm shocked to find a place that cares enough to read someone's blog and reach out to them with encouragement. Way cool!
I've got a bowl of mixed veggies to munch on instead of popcorn, and now it's time to watch that rented movie I mentioned earlier. Here's to healthy choices!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Week 4, Day 6
Today is a great day. Minimal pain again, and tons of energy to burn. No junk goes in my body today -- willpower is turbocharged. And I'm headed to Target to do some walking. My goal is to put in an hour. When I get strong enough, my goal is to put ankle weights on when I do my walking. Not there yet, of course, but that's what I'm aiming for.
Today's Tip: Whole Foods offers a discount if you order things by the case. Not a huge discount -- just 10 percent -- but it all helps! Just as a Whole Foods clerk, and they'll hook you up.
Today's Tip: Whole Foods offers a discount if you order things by the case. Not a huge discount -- just 10 percent -- but it all helps! Just as a Whole Foods clerk, and they'll hook you up.
Week 4, Day 5
Okay, today was an awesome day. A little iffy in the middle, but overall one of the better days I've had in a few months. Good food choices, a mile and a half or more of walking at a brisk pace, and a fun evening out. Can't beat it!
I woke up with pain, as usual. But once I got going, the pain went away. I don't know why or what I did right. But I felt really good! Not knowing how tomorrow will be, I took advantage of the lack of pain and walked as much as I could. Adam and I went out and got a new cable for my monitor at Best Buy, and I walked around the store, up and down aisles.
We stopped at a place called Jason's Deli for lunch. I got a turkey sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce leaves. Cheese came with it, so I took the slices of bread that had cheese melted on to them and set them aside, not eating them at all. Baked chips came with it, too, and I ate a few and left the rest.
I thought Adam was going out tonight, so about 6 o'clock I ate a chicken sandwich. Unfortunately, by 7:30 he was still home and he was unhappy because his plans didn't work out. So we went out and had dinner and a movie.
Since I had already had a sandwich at home, I ordered a salad -- Mesquite chicken, lettuce, corn relish and some other stuff. Seemed like a basically diet-friendly thing to order. I knew it would be big, so I planned on eating just a little bit of it and taking the rest home. Wrong. The thing was so terribly spicy hot that even my lips burned. I'm not a fan of hot food anyway, but then to have a salad that burned like that was not even close to fun. I asked for a menu so I could see what was in the salad, and nothing indicated to me that it was going to be so hot that it would burn my lips, my tongue, the sides of my mouth and my gums. The waitress was nice and without my requesting it, she asked the manager to remove it from our bill. Chili's is a decent place to eat, but never order their salads!
Since I hadn't be able to eat the salad, I was tempted to order a bit of dessert. The temptation got even greater when I asked Adam if he wanted any, and he said he didn't have room to eat a whole dessert by himself. Hmmm....if we split a dessert, it wouldn't be that many calories. It wouldn't be so bad. WRONG! It is bad. I didn't need the sugar, and I didn't need the calories. And truthfully, I wasn't even hungry. So I didn't give in.
The movie was good. We parked at one end of the parking lot, and the auditorium was the furthest away from our car, so I got some good walking in just getting to our seats and back to the car. Also, no popcorn. Adam got me Junior Mints, and I only had a few. Really! The rest of the box of mints came home with me and is put away for another day. And I had a bottle of water instead of soda. Good thing I didn't have a big tub of popcorn. We saw Zombieland, and thought it's not a scary movie, parts of it are very startling and I jumped a few times. The kind of jumping that ends up tossing popcorn all over the people nearby. Lack of popcorn -- another good reason to be on a diet. :)
It is a little bit chilly tonight. A brisk and invigorating chill , not the kind that makes you shiver. So I didn't feel like going home when we got out of the theater. I wanted to do something. Anything. Even though it was just a little before 11 o'clock, we decided to go to Walmart so I could walk around a bit. Like I said, I took advantage of the lack of pain!
From 11:15 to midnight I walked at a brisk pace. And not just "brisk for me". I think even normal people would think I was going at a pretty good clip. I stopped and rested for about 30 seconds to a minute now and then to catch my breath, and then I'd keep on going. I went around the store twice, going up and down each aisle in each section. Not window shopping or stopping to peruse. Actual walking. Though I did not yet have a pedometer, I feel certain that 45 minutes of walking has to have been at least a mile. I have a pedometer now -- one of my rest stops was in front of the exercise equipment and I grabbed a pedometer before continuing on.
So that's how my Saturday went. A good day! I hope yours was, too.
I woke up with pain, as usual. But once I got going, the pain went away. I don't know why or what I did right. But I felt really good! Not knowing how tomorrow will be, I took advantage of the lack of pain and walked as much as I could. Adam and I went out and got a new cable for my monitor at Best Buy, and I walked around the store, up and down aisles.
We stopped at a place called Jason's Deli for lunch. I got a turkey sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce leaves. Cheese came with it, so I took the slices of bread that had cheese melted on to them and set them aside, not eating them at all. Baked chips came with it, too, and I ate a few and left the rest.
I thought Adam was going out tonight, so about 6 o'clock I ate a chicken sandwich. Unfortunately, by 7:30 he was still home and he was unhappy because his plans didn't work out. So we went out and had dinner and a movie.
Since I had already had a sandwich at home, I ordered a salad -- Mesquite chicken, lettuce, corn relish and some other stuff. Seemed like a basically diet-friendly thing to order. I knew it would be big, so I planned on eating just a little bit of it and taking the rest home. Wrong. The thing was so terribly spicy hot that even my lips burned. I'm not a fan of hot food anyway, but then to have a salad that burned like that was not even close to fun. I asked for a menu so I could see what was in the salad, and nothing indicated to me that it was going to be so hot that it would burn my lips, my tongue, the sides of my mouth and my gums. The waitress was nice and without my requesting it, she asked the manager to remove it from our bill. Chili's is a decent place to eat, but never order their salads!
Since I hadn't be able to eat the salad, I was tempted to order a bit of dessert. The temptation got even greater when I asked Adam if he wanted any, and he said he didn't have room to eat a whole dessert by himself. Hmmm....if we split a dessert, it wouldn't be that many calories. It wouldn't be so bad. WRONG! It is bad. I didn't need the sugar, and I didn't need the calories. And truthfully, I wasn't even hungry. So I didn't give in.
The movie was good. We parked at one end of the parking lot, and the auditorium was the furthest away from our car, so I got some good walking in just getting to our seats and back to the car. Also, no popcorn. Adam got me Junior Mints, and I only had a few. Really! The rest of the box of mints came home with me and is put away for another day. And I had a bottle of water instead of soda. Good thing I didn't have a big tub of popcorn. We saw Zombieland, and thought it's not a scary movie, parts of it are very startling and I jumped a few times. The kind of jumping that ends up tossing popcorn all over the people nearby. Lack of popcorn -- another good reason to be on a diet. :)
It is a little bit chilly tonight. A brisk and invigorating chill , not the kind that makes you shiver. So I didn't feel like going home when we got out of the theater. I wanted to do something. Anything. Even though it was just a little before 11 o'clock, we decided to go to Walmart so I could walk around a bit. Like I said, I took advantage of the lack of pain!
From 11:15 to midnight I walked at a brisk pace. And not just "brisk for me". I think even normal people would think I was going at a pretty good clip. I stopped and rested for about 30 seconds to a minute now and then to catch my breath, and then I'd keep on going. I went around the store twice, going up and down each aisle in each section. Not window shopping or stopping to peruse. Actual walking. Though I did not yet have a pedometer, I feel certain that 45 minutes of walking has to have been at least a mile. I have a pedometer now -- one of my rest stops was in front of the exercise equipment and I grabbed a pedometer before continuing on.
So that's how my Saturday went. A good day! I hope yours was, too.
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