Learning to Kick My Own Butt - July Challenge!

Hi all! I've been on the lazy train for a couple of weeks months. I've been true to my word and have not taken on extra work projects until the fall. I am 82% Type A so having a lot of down time drives me crazy. Instead of taking the day by storm, I tend to sit with my thoughts for too long, which sends me down a road I don't want to travel. I'm not even a TV junkie, but the web on the other hand... I don't know where all of my motivation went. I'm thoroughly sick of reverting back to old habits. We are half way through the year and I don't have much to show for it.

All of that said, I've decided to start a personal challenge for July. I'll exercise every scheduled days (noted in calendar) and/or at least 3xs a week, and take my vitamins (multi & D) and drink at least 8 cups of water everyday. I'm not even touching my diet until I feel I can tackle these things. I'm getting ready to go to the gym in what seems like years. Later!

Commencing Bridge Walk 2009

Last week's 5K event has sparked a goal-setting craze in me. There was something about starting and completing the event that has given me a feeling of accomplishment. Something I miss since finishing school. I've decided to keep the good vibes going for as long as I can.

The weather here in New York City couldn't get any better. Now is the time for us New Yorkers to get out and enjoy the city for all of its glory. One thing I've always wanted to do is walk/jog over all of lower East River bridges which include the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges. I plan on making this a reality over the next couple of weeks.

I'm starting with the Williamsburg Bridge because it's always intrigued me. My family lives nearby in Manhattan and I feel it's the lesser known/respected of the three bridges. I plan on jogging in both directions with a stop over in Williamsburg for lunch with the hubby.

I encourage everyone to walk/jog your local bridges. I've walked the Brooklyn and George Washington bridges before and loved it! It's a great way to enjoy beautiful scenery and burn a few calories. I might expand this to other crossings. Stay tuned for pictures!

Peek into My Fridge and Goals

Click to enlarge photos. Here's a peek into my fridge after 1. a new, and clean fridge was delivered and 2. after a weekly grocery trip. As you can see we really love dairy. Well, I actually love dairy. I might even be addicted to cheese. Yogurt with granola and strawberries is a breakfast I can't have just about everyday. I don't eggs though. That's for the hubby. We refill the water jug from the tap with our Brita filter. Diet soda isn't great, but we love it. There are potatoes and cassava in the crisper drawers. There are also tons of condiments, dressings and spices on the fridge door.

Lots of fish and chicken towards the back of the freezer. The garlic naan is a bit high in calories (190 each) but they make a good lunch when topped with marinara sauce and part-skim mozzarella. We usually keep a bag of broccoli and other veggies around for quick dinners. The frozen mango and passion fruit (middle) are great for shakes. Haven't made one in a while, might have one for lunch tomorrow.

I managed to lose 7 pounds in January. My goal was 8 pounds but I'd call it pretty much a success. Here are my accomplishments for January:

• Exercised 10 days


• Increased my treadmill time by 5 minutes, increased speed by .5 mph


• Tracked my food intake everyday

Here are my goals for February:

• Exercise 4xs a week (16 days)


• Drink more water


• No eating after 8:30pm


• Increase treadmill time by 5 minutes


• Exercise and track calories while on vacation

Oprah's Best Life Week: 5 Questions to Consider

Oprah had a great show today on her experience with weight gain in 2008. This is the start of her Best Life series. I highly suggest that you watch this week. Here are a 5 questions her trainer, Bob Greene, have asked us to answer.

Why am I overweight?
The easy answer in overeating. But my reality is that I have major food issues. I realized recently that I began to overeat when my parents divorced. You'd think it would have been obvious, but it took me almost two decades to see the connection. I used food as a way to escape my reality. I also picked up bad eating habits as a child. I lost about 50 pounds during my teenage years due to stress, excessive cigarette and marijuana use and depression.

Since all of the weight was lost very fast, I gained the weight back once my life became a little more balanced. I soon surpassed a healthy weight because I had not learned to eat healthy or exercised. On top of this, my weight and appearance in general was far down on priority list. I told myself once I am "where I want to be" in life, I'll focus on my health. This is really unrealistic since there will always be a "reason" to spin out of control. Well, I'm done with school (for the time being), my finances are in control, my marriage is stable...there are no other excuses!

What am I really hungry for?
I was hungry for success. It sounds positive but I now see it as a negative. I am very afraid of failure, so afraid that it hinders me. I have to keep telling myself: perfection is not a realistic option. Success in my eyes was really all about preconceptions. I have the horrible trait of being a people pleaser. It's now time to learn to be happy with myself.

Why have I been unable to maintain weight loss in the past?
I haven't learned to love myself regardless of my weight, affluence, or any other superficial trait. I also haven't learned to take the time to focus on my health. My health has been on the back burner for far too long. For a long time, I felt I wasn't worth the time, or it was selfish to do so. I've put everything from school to my job before me.

What in your life is not working?
My level of stress. I stress out just to stress out. It's like it's embedded in my DNA. I have some family issues I need to work out. The truth is, in comparison to so many people in this world, my life is fabulous. I need to remind myself of this every day.

Why do I want to lose weight?
I want to feel healthy again! Some of the health problems I've experienced in the past year are: asthma, frequent allergy attacks, fertility issues, depression and knee, foot and back pain. I also want to have a child and be able to play with him or her without getting winded. I want to live a long and healthy life and be more active.

Video: Top 10 Motivational Tips

I will post videos every couple of days for the month of January to help start us out right for the new year. I'll share how they relate to me.

This video is purely to get our motivational juices flowing. Her tips are excellent and can be applied to many different situations and goals in our lives. Setting up reminders and reinforcing my health goals throughout all aspects of my life is something I am working hard at.

Cleanse, Goals, Resolutions...Major Update

Hi. I'm finally taking the time to reflect on my weight loss journey. There's so much to say so here we go.

My first attempt at the Master Cleanse was a total flop. I tried it for about 1/2 a day. I got a bad headache and felt dizzy so I gave in. I just don't think the timing was right. I am now left with a bunch of lemons and maple syrup that'll collect dust in my kitchen cabinet. I haven't totally given up on fasting. I plan on revisiting this and trying again -with way better preparation- sometime in February.

2008 was such a roller coaster ride for me. This wasn't one of my "better" years, especially in the health dept. I haven't made a inch of progress, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I didn't expect 29 years of food/weight issues to disappear in one year. What I know is that the key to making an progress with weight has come from 1. preparation, 2. keeping a food journal and 3. being patient. I really need to kick these three things into high gear this year.

It's the day before New Year's Eve (New Year's Adam?) and I'm thinking about my resolutions for 2009. I love making resolutions. I'm fine with not completing all of them, just a fact of life. It's a great feeling to accomplish some of them. I usually categorize them into personal, finance, family, and health. Here are my health resolutions for 2009:

1. Lose 50 pounds -This has been at the top of my list for at least 5 years. It's really time this comes off of my list.
2. Drink more water -I really don't drink enough water. Why? I don't know. I know I'd see so many benefits if I drank at least 6 cups of water a day.
3. Take a daily vitamin -This is a must.
4. Exercise at least 3xs a week -Another must. I'll leave this open to any form of exercise for at least 30 minutes.
5. Stretch daily -I love stretching. It's another form of meditation in my mind. I just need to remember to do it everyday!

I might have to be the crazy lady with post-it note reminders all over the house. Seriously though, I'll be setting reminders in my g-cal. They actually work.

So what are my immediate goals? As you know, setting goals is tough for me. My half-hearted goals haven't served me well in the past. My day-to-day goals are basically my resolutions. The only way I'm going to succeed is to keep them at "the top of my head", as I like to put it. Here are my revised goals for 2009:

• Current weight (as of 12/30/08): 224.6 lbs
• Current jeans size: 16 (tight)
  
• First major goal: 200 lbs
• Second major goal: 175 lbs
• Ultimate goal weight: 150 lbs

I hope all of you are already holding fast to your weight loss goals or getting ready to start your own journey. Good luck everyone and I wish you all the best of health for 2009!

Video: Diet Tips: Why You're Not Going To Lose Weight

A Few Moments...or Months of Clarity

I've decided to remove the thing in my life that was causing me the most grief. It was my job. It was a very difficult decision to make since I once loved this job but this is one decision I absolutely do not regret making. I knew it was time to leave once the job began affecting my physical health. I am still getting over bronchitis and a nasty sinus infection (2 weeks in!) I am pretty sure this was a direct result of the amount of stress I was dealing with on a daily basis. My immune system has taken a hit and it's time I put first things first.

I have given 3 weeks notice and will continue to freelance on a regular basis. I have been planning this for a few months, in that time getting my finances in order. This will allow me to pursue the things I love in life (my art, family) as well as dedicate myself to my well-being.

I'd like to re-introduce you (and myself) to my fitness goals:

• exercise 4xs a week.
• eat 3 healthy meals + 1 snack a day.
• enjoy trying new healthy foods/meals.
  
• meditate/stretch for at least 10 minutes a day.
• Get to 170 lbs by my 30th birthday (February 2009.)
  

Although I'm a little nervous to be jobless for the first time in almost a decade, I am optimistic. The one thing that I always wish I had more of is time for me. Time if now on my side.

Rekindling the Gym Fire

Life interferes...sometimes we have to just go along for the ride. Huge changes have shaken things up at my job. Things out of my control, but have nonetheless zapped me of all mental strength lately. Of course, because of my terrible habits, my fitness routine went out the window. I've shuffled my priorities around and have set fitness high on my list...again.

Because my NYSC membership is basically collecting dust, I've decided to transfer it to someone else and take on a Bally Total Fitness membership (sports club status) instead. The monthly fee is about $20 less. I also joined with a co-worker which is is a great motivation. She's only working a few problem areas but is also a former gym rat. I'm sure she'll have me in the gym at least a couple of times a week.

I'm interested in taking classes, even though I've never taken a gym class before. Most of the good ones are at weird times, although there is a pilates class on Saturdays at 10:30am near my home. It seems like a nice way to start the day...and a rgood eason to get out of the house early on the weekend. My co-worker and I plan on attending a weekly pilates class at 7:30 am! Once, weekly.

I'm going to bite the bullet and actually weigh in this coming Sunday, although I'm dreading it.

To Set Goals or Not to Set Goals

Not setting a goal date is a tough thing...something i can't do (just yet.) I've set countless goals, all of which have failed. Everything from, "I'll lose 50 pounds this year" to "I'll lose 50 pounds this week" have been given serious thought at some point in my life. We all wish we can change ourselves for the better...overnight, no less. And just about everyone who has succeeded will tell you that you're setting yourself up for failure if you believe that.

As of today, my main goal is to lose 50 pounds by my 30th birthday (about 10 months.) This is not my ultimate goal, just a starting number. Honestly, I don't want to think about my actual goal weight any time soon. Here is a breakdown:

• Current weight (as of 4/21/08): 220 lbs
• Current jeans size: 16 (tight)
  
• First goal weight: 170 lbs
• Ultimate goal weight: 140 lbs

I don't subscribe to American guidelines of ideal weight. If I did, I would have to be approximately 115 lbs, according to my height. My lowest weight as an adult was 128 lbs, even so, I appeared very slim, even sickly at that weight.

I don't expect any weight change for this coming weigh-in on Sunday.
All of this being said, I plan on taking it one day at a time.