Hi, Remember Me?

It's been a tough couple of weeks trying to fall back into my routine after vacay. I've had a lot on my mind lately. I've been a little preoccupied with planning and researching for a possible change in my life. My health has sort of slipped from the forefront but I've made a few strides to keep things on the right path. Some of my bad habits have come back to haunt, especially not drinking enough water. I haven't tracked my food intake since before vacation. I've been stress eating a bit although no where near as bad as in the past. I've slipped in a couple of workouts since returning but I need to really get into the gym on a regular basis again. First step's admitting I have a problem...right?

The good news is I'm down a pound from my pre-vacation weigh-in. I was actually up 4 pounds when I got back which I'm sure was due to sodium and dessert overload. Spring is around the corner so it's time to kick back into high gear. I'll start tracking and planning meals tomorrow.

Side note: I just re-discovered Fage yogurt. I tried it once without a sweetner and was overwhelmed by the tart taste. I decided to try it again with Splenda (yea, I'm weening myself off) and my usual granola. It is DELICIOUS! It's expensive but if it makes me look forward to breakfast than I'm all for it.

Update and Reflection

I have to say, I'm really proud of myself. I haven't been so diligent about logging my food in...years...ever? You can check out my food log by clicking The Daily Plate button to the right. I had a few days of going over my calorie limit. In the past this would have thrown me into a spin but now it's a way to see my mistakes.

I think I might have finally taken the blindfold off. I hate looking in the mirror. HATE it. But I took a long look and see that I've really neglected my body. It's as if I didn't really know I was fat, I just ignored the situation. Well, it's time to like what I see in the mirror again.

Successes

• Lost weight two weeks in a row!
• Logged my food for two weeks in a row.
• Taking vitamins (just about) every day.

Failures

• Only exercised once in the last two weeks. I've been sick with bronchitis. I'm finally on the mend and will workout at home for now.

Problems

• Still not drinking enough water. I want to buy a reusable 1/2 gallon container to fill nightly.

Lessons Learned

• Logging food right before or soon after allows me to see how many calories I'm allowed for the rest day. The days I've gone over are partly because I logged my whole day at once. If I would have known I was close to my limit, I probably would've cooked a lighter dinner or skipped dessert.
  
• Planning a daily menu is far easier than trying to plan for a week or longer at a time. I list my meals for the following day on my dry erase board in the evening.

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!

Back from Vacation

We had a lovely vacation out of the country. We had an all-inclusive plan which I was sure would be my demise. The first day, I ate so much I had heart burn all night. I drank an obscene amount of pina coladas and white russians. I told myself I wouldn't obsess over food. We had a fabulous time.

To my absolute surprise, I only gained 2 pounds. I was scared to get on that scale. My husband still hasn't weighed himself. We'll be back on track with our workout plan tomorrow. I can't believe I only have about 4 months to get to my goal weight. I haven't made any progress. I'm not going to short change myself and change my goal weight. I hope as I get down to the wire, I'll start to pressure myself. I think I'll spend today planning out my meal plan for the week and reading inspirational articles.

Extended Reflection

Successes

• Today was the first day I've been on a scale in over a month. My weight went up, but isn't out of control.

Failures

• My horrible emotional eating habits have resurfaced.
• I've only worked out once in the last month.
  

Problems

• Overly focused on my job problems.
• Lost all motivation.
• Distracted by too many tasks.
  

Lessons Learned

• Health should rein over any other stresses.
• Bring lunch and stick with it. It'll save me calories and cash.
  

Pardon the Interruption: Weekly Reflection - Week 3

It's been a tough week. While my fitness routine has sort of fallen apart, things have been good on the nutrition side of things. I don't want to say I've picked up the good habit of eating nutritiously, but I'm pretty close. I still am having issues with drinking enough water. I missed last week's reflection so here is a brief version:

Successes

• Continued to eat properly.
• Had a slight weight loss.

Failures

• I let stress get the better of me.
• Didn't exercise!!
  

Problems

• Felt guilty for not working out when I should have.
  

Lessons learned

• I have to learn to put my health higher on my priority list.
  

I'll be back soon to talk about rewards. Hope your week has been better than mine.

Weekly Reflection - Week 2

Here's a rundown of my successes, failures, problems, and lessons learned.

Week 2

Successes

• 1 lb loss.
  
• Prepared and took lunch to work every day!
• Exercised 3 times this week.
• Ate consciously.
  
• Felt a little more energized.

Failures

• Didn't strength train.
• Changed dinner plans spontaneously.
• Couldn't finish the whole cardio section of my DVD.
• Didn't drink enough water.
• Ate too many desserts (albeit low fat.)
  

Problems

• Still making excuses.
  
• Weighing in mid-week.
• Eating when famished...instead of just hungry.
• Have to take vitamin/supplements daily.
• Being too hard on myself.
  

Lessons Learned

• Being adaptable keeps me determined...and sane.
  
• Don't be afraid to ask for help/support!
• Planning ahead really keeps me on track.
• Variety is the spice of life! Having lots of healthy food options around keeps me from cheating.