Thursday, June 2, 2011
Day 23
I know, I know, it's been forever. My trip was only 4 days so why the long absence? Here it is, I got sick, like martian death flu sick. And when did this happen? The first night of the trip! Took me days and days to recuperate. Now I have a UTI which is going to be the death of me I swear! So, not much action for you guys today. I only wanted to let you know that I haven't given up, and I am still here, Weight is steady and hasn't moved up or down more than a bit. So, that mean I made it through vacation without destroying myself :) Once I get bakc on the mend, I will be back out there jogging and being active. For now I am trying not to die.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Day 13
Today starts my 4 day long school trip with my son. We are going to the U.P (the upper peninsula for you non-Michiganders) There is going to be plenty of walking, but also plenty of eating, so let's hope all works out in the end :) I will probably not be back on here before then, so keep going, keep being good to yourselves and I will let you know the damage when I get back, ha!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Day 11
4 POUNDS LOST!!!
I cannot believe that I have already lost 4 pounds in just 11 days! So far all I have done is added moderate exercise to my life. I haven't really changed my eating habits, or stopped eating in fact! As you will recall I had a delicious bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo last night, complete with some lovely garlicky chicken and broccoli. I will add the recipe for it on here, and list ways to reduce it's fat and calorie content for more regular use.
So what have I been doing? Walking (at least two miles each time), gardening (pulling weeds, planting flowers, digging holes) and thoroughly cleaning my house. I found that I was sitting a lot during my day, so i decided to start with just these simple things. Now this is a testament that starting small is ok, and that you can work up to a bigger goal slowly. Some of you might not be able to walk for 2 miles straight, but you may be able to get up and take a stroll around the block, or take the stairs instead of the elevator, or sweep the house. Anything to get you up and moving is key I am finding. Know also that I am not doing each of these things every day and I do take a couple days off during the week to give my body a rest.
Another thing I have been doing is drinking more water. I have a lovely little water filter that is attached to my sink separate from the faucet. I will keep my cup under it and everytime I walk by I will fill it up a bit and take a swig. Now I don't know about you out there, but I seem to be in the kitchen a lot! It is the center of our home in a way and I am always in there helping someone with schoolwork or cooking or washing something up. So keep a cup handy and fill it up as you pass by the sink. Drinking little amounts is an easy way to stay hydrated and allow your body to function the way it's supposed to. Also, did you know that your body sometimes uses hunger pains as a way of saying it needs hydration? Try getting a drink before you give into that craving to snack, you may just be thirsty!
My last tip for the day is whole grains. This is a simple change that anyone can make. A few years back our family decided to use whole grains more often. Some of the products we have changed are pasta, breads, flour and snacks like cheeze-its. Switching to these products can take some getting used to because of the change in flavor and texture. Personally, I prefer whole wheat over white but it does take some time to make that transition. A great place to start is with pasta or snacks. These are usually accompanied by other flavors and the wheatiness can be easily masked. Give it a try the next time you make spaghetti! Did you know popcorn was a whole grain? Try a single serving microwave bag with light butter for a snack. Yum! So why switch to whole grains in the first place? There are a number of reasons:
~People whose diets consist primarily of potatoes, white rice and refined (white) flour have higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease than those who eat primarily from whole grains.
~By including whole grains in your diet, you may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease because they are low in saturated fat and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
~By eating plenty of whole grains, you will boost your fiber and fiber can help eliminate cancer related toxins and helps that body eradicate free radicals.
~Fiber is a great way to have that satisfied feeling when eating smaller portions. Refined grains don't have the staying power that their whole grain cousins do.
Well, those are my tips for today. Post your own tips and thoughts so that we can all learn together :)
I cannot believe that I have already lost 4 pounds in just 11 days! So far all I have done is added moderate exercise to my life. I haven't really changed my eating habits, or stopped eating in fact! As you will recall I had a delicious bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo last night, complete with some lovely garlicky chicken and broccoli. I will add the recipe for it on here, and list ways to reduce it's fat and calorie content for more regular use.
So what have I been doing? Walking (at least two miles each time), gardening (pulling weeds, planting flowers, digging holes) and thoroughly cleaning my house. I found that I was sitting a lot during my day, so i decided to start with just these simple things. Now this is a testament that starting small is ok, and that you can work up to a bigger goal slowly. Some of you might not be able to walk for 2 miles straight, but you may be able to get up and take a stroll around the block, or take the stairs instead of the elevator, or sweep the house. Anything to get you up and moving is key I am finding. Know also that I am not doing each of these things every day and I do take a couple days off during the week to give my body a rest.
Another thing I have been doing is drinking more water. I have a lovely little water filter that is attached to my sink separate from the faucet. I will keep my cup under it and everytime I walk by I will fill it up a bit and take a swig. Now I don't know about you out there, but I seem to be in the kitchen a lot! It is the center of our home in a way and I am always in there helping someone with schoolwork or cooking or washing something up. So keep a cup handy and fill it up as you pass by the sink. Drinking little amounts is an easy way to stay hydrated and allow your body to function the way it's supposed to. Also, did you know that your body sometimes uses hunger pains as a way of saying it needs hydration? Try getting a drink before you give into that craving to snack, you may just be thirsty!
My last tip for the day is whole grains. This is a simple change that anyone can make. A few years back our family decided to use whole grains more often. Some of the products we have changed are pasta, breads, flour and snacks like cheeze-its. Switching to these products can take some getting used to because of the change in flavor and texture. Personally, I prefer whole wheat over white but it does take some time to make that transition. A great place to start is with pasta or snacks. These are usually accompanied by other flavors and the wheatiness can be easily masked. Give it a try the next time you make spaghetti! Did you know popcorn was a whole grain? Try a single serving microwave bag with light butter for a snack. Yum! So why switch to whole grains in the first place? There are a number of reasons:
~People whose diets consist primarily of potatoes, white rice and refined (white) flour have higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease than those who eat primarily from whole grains.
~By including whole grains in your diet, you may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease because they are low in saturated fat and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
~By eating plenty of whole grains, you will boost your fiber and fiber can help eliminate cancer related toxins and helps that body eradicate free radicals.
~Fiber is a great way to have that satisfied feeling when eating smaller portions. Refined grains don't have the staying power that their whole grain cousins do.
Well, those are my tips for today. Post your own tips and thoughts so that we can all learn together :)
Friday, May 20, 2011
Day 10
Today is my 31st birthday. I plan to eat fettucine alfredo with chicken and brocoli mixed in. This is my once a year indulgence that has become a birthday tradition. I love me some chicken alfredo! As a birthday present to myself, I weighed in at 233.4 which is a little over a pound lost. That takes my total to 2.4 lbs lost :) So I am not feeling any guilt going into tonight's dinner delilciousness!
Another birthday gets me thinking about how I have spent my life and what I would like to do with the future. I am glad that I have taken a step in a positive direction this year and I can't wait to see who I am in the year to come!
Another birthday gets me thinking about how I have spent my life and what I would like to do with the future. I am glad that I have taken a step in a positive direction this year and I can't wait to see who I am in the year to come!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Day 9
Ok, so first, I am not posting as often as I wanted to and I apologize for that. It doesn't benefit you or I if I don't get on here more often. In fact, it makes it much harder for me! I am still at a stable 234.6 lbs, no more lost, but nothing gained either. I didn't get to go out yet this morning for my walk because of this terrible weather we are having here. Rain non-stop so far. I really need to invest in a good rain slicker so that nothing can impede my progress. Also, it is just a crazy day here, lots of activities planned and not enough time to get them all done I fear. So, today I am not feeling so great about my progress, but I knew that this wouldn't be easy and there would be bad days. Now all I have to do is refrain from snacking myself to death as a way to comfort myself in all this rushing and I will be ok!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Day 5
I am back in business! Got one day into this and then blogger went black, shut down for any posts! Wasn't able to post anything for day 2 or 3 and then yesterday was just crazy. But I am here now! Not going to let a setback like that slow me down :)
While I have been off the radar, I have lost 1.2 lbs. I am not going to decieve myself into thinking I have now become the ultimate wonder woman, I know it is all water. But it feels good to see the scale go down instead of up for a change!
I have continued to do my 2+ mile walk every morning and can I tell you that my hips are not so pleased with me. Seems that they have grown older than I have somehow! This happened the last time I tried to start a regular walking/jogging program so I am not worried. The other thing I had to deal with was the itchy legs syndrome. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, it is the extreme itching sensation you get in your legs after putting them through more work than they are used to. I discovered before that it can be due to poor circulation in your legs or extreme weather. The nice thing about this is that it doesn't last. I had to deal with it for a week or more last time, but this time it only happened on day 1 so I must not be as out of shape as I thought, ha! A hint though, don't scratch or rub, it just makes it ten times worse! The Walking Site has a lot of good information for any of you that are looking to start walking for your health. There is even a part about itchy legs in the FAQ's.
I am still motivated and excited about this experiment and I am thankful for the comments that have been left. Thanks for your support everyone!
While I have been off the radar, I have lost 1.2 lbs. I am not going to decieve myself into thinking I have now become the ultimate wonder woman, I know it is all water. But it feels good to see the scale go down instead of up for a change!
I have continued to do my 2+ mile walk every morning and can I tell you that my hips are not so pleased with me. Seems that they have grown older than I have somehow! This happened the last time I tried to start a regular walking/jogging program so I am not worried. The other thing I had to deal with was the itchy legs syndrome. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, it is the extreme itching sensation you get in your legs after putting them through more work than they are used to. I discovered before that it can be due to poor circulation in your legs or extreme weather. The nice thing about this is that it doesn't last. I had to deal with it for a week or more last time, but this time it only happened on day 1 so I must not be as out of shape as I thought, ha! A hint though, don't scratch or rub, it just makes it ten times worse! The Walking Site has a lot of good information for any of you that are looking to start walking for your health. There is even a part about itchy legs in the FAQ's.
I am still motivated and excited about this experiment and I am thankful for the comments that have been left. Thanks for your support everyone!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Day One
I recently watched the film Julie and Julia. I was inspired by Julie's decision to start a blog showing her goal to complete all the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook. I decided to apply that same idea to my own goal of losing just over 65 pounds.
I was recently a member of Weight Watchers. While I found the program helpful in losing weight, I could not afford to keep my membership. Unfortunately I also cannot afford not to lose this extra weight, so I decided after a long talk with my husband that I could do this on my own. So I have set a deadline of one year from today. My methods will be exercise and good eating. No gimmicks, no expensive gym memberships, no dieting. I know that there will be good days and bad days, but I will share them all with the world so that we can be an inspiration to each other.
Today, I woke up inspired to begin and ready to go. I got my oldest son off to school and then briskly walked over 2 miles through my neighborhood. I hope to be back to full jogging by the end of the month. My goals over the next few days are to shop for more fruit and whole grains, add jogging into my walks at brief intervals and be more concious about how much water I drink. I am also going to do some reading on the subject of healthy eating and arm myself with knowledge.
If you're out there reading this, let me know by leaving a comment. Feel free to even share your own story!
I was recently a member of Weight Watchers. While I found the program helpful in losing weight, I could not afford to keep my membership. Unfortunately I also cannot afford not to lose this extra weight, so I decided after a long talk with my husband that I could do this on my own. So I have set a deadline of one year from today. My methods will be exercise and good eating. No gimmicks, no expensive gym memberships, no dieting. I know that there will be good days and bad days, but I will share them all with the world so that we can be an inspiration to each other.
Today, I woke up inspired to begin and ready to go. I got my oldest son off to school and then briskly walked over 2 miles through my neighborhood. I hope to be back to full jogging by the end of the month. My goals over the next few days are to shop for more fruit and whole grains, add jogging into my walks at brief intervals and be more concious about how much water I drink. I am also going to do some reading on the subject of healthy eating and arm myself with knowledge.
If you're out there reading this, let me know by leaving a comment. Feel free to even share your own story!
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