Maria Week 39 - Timp

I am so excited about the hike to Timpanogos Cave this weekend. I need something like this to get me out of my latest funk. Also, I am a little embarrassed to say that while I have hiked to the summit of Mt Timpanogos twice, I have never been inside the cave.

Depositing $4

Maria Week 38 - Oh, my achin' back!

If Jj, JBS, and Jim ;-) are actually following this blog and pay REALLY close attention to when this posts they'll see that I am a VERY bad girl. And if they don't follow this blog- then poo on you! :-D

Thanks to Janis for the confidence in my ability to potentially compete in Wipe Out. But I have to admit that for the past few weeks I've felt a bit like an old lady and just don't think I could do much of anything. HOWEVER! If I am the old lady that my mother is - WATCH OUT! That's one tough chick! I know my mom doesn't read blogs, but I gotta give her a big ol' shout out. Scared the $#!& out of us all when she took a little tumble down the front porch stairs this last Sunday and landed on the cement pad at the bottom right on her face/head. Cut up her lip, cut across her nose, two black eyes, and a huge gash across the top of her head, but nothing broken. Thank the heavens above. I hope I'm as tough as she is. But lately I don't feel like it.

My back has been bothering me a bit lately. Just a slight uncomfortable twinge, but it has been getting increasingly worse and worse. I am going to the chiropractor today. YAY! Hoping the alignment will get me all straightened out. (hehe)

Ran yesterday. I have serious issues there. If I take it slow like my PT says to then I feel lazy. So I get impatient and I run a little further than I know I should and I hurt myself. Add to my achin' back a sore knee and I am hobbling around like an old lady. Goodness!

New deal for me. I am going to tailor my workout and rewards to my PT workouts and stretches. I think that might be the only way to get myself and keep myself on track.

I also think this is a great learning experience for me. One day when I am working with people like me - impatient athletes who want to heal immediately and get back on the field/track/court - I can just slap them upside the head and tell them to knock it off.

Depositing $5

Maria Week 34 - Loser

I'm a loser again. I'm excited about that. Not a very big loser....It's really a tiny accomplishment. But I'll take what I can get. Once again I am seeing the numbers drop on the scale.

Also, I burned over 1800 calories in just one day. That always makes me feel good. I really wish I could do that everyday. But it nearly exhausts me. And hopefully I'll have a job soon and won't have that kind of time. I can't credit that to my weight loss - I just did that today and I lost the weight by Monday. But I'm sure I'll see the effects of that huge calorie burn soon.

Picking up the pace, speed, intensity, whatever, on my running again. It's feeling good.

Depositing $10 for all my workouts.

Maria Week 20

Gosh....can't think of anything exciting to say. Nothing really out of the ordinary happened this week. Nothing noteworthy or praiseworthy.
I will report, so that I actually have something to say, that I am now the points leader in the Sanders health and fitness challenge. Just need to hang on to that. If you want to check it out .... http://sanderslosers.blogspot.com/
I haven't ran another long distance since my crazy work week and then my injured toes and I'm scared to death to try that again and find that I am horribly out of shape :-( Oh, my toes are all healed - that's something, I guess.
Going to try and log my food again - I think I may have gotten a bit off track so I added a new goal with regards to that.

Well, depositing the max $10 for workouts and fruits and veggies.

Thanks ladies for all your love and support! And thanks to any and all of our followers!

Dedicated to Men Who Attempt Yoga . . by Jj

I've got one word for you (and then a whole bunch more) . . OUCH! Monday night I took a pilates class which wasn't too bad. I could feel it in my thighs on Tuesday. Then Tuesday night I took a yoga class. (That may have been a mistake but I'll get over it when I fit into a smaller pair of jeans.) And now I'm really feeling it. I slept with a heating pad on my back. Stupid degenerative disc disease. Who's bright idea was it to use alliteration to make something so painful still sound cute?

But, even though I was in a bit of pain through most of the class, I had to fight with myself not to laugh my way out of all of my balance poses because of the group of college age guys that were in the back of the class. Bless their hearts, they were trying so hard. The poor teacher kept having to go back there and correct everything they were doing wrong. She probably got more of a cardio workout than anything else from having to run back and forth. But hopefully they'll see the benefit and keep coming.

Oh, another random note . . about six weeks ago I'd gone to the gym on a Tuesday night and done some cardio before my yoga class. When I went back to the locker room to get my mat there was a woman in there who asked me what class I was going to. She'd never tried yoga before so I convinced her that she should give it a shot. And she's been in the class every night since! Look at me go, influencing the already skinny to try yoga and make me look chubby. I'm a giver, that's for sure.

As for this week, I did pretty good on my workouts and F&V's. I'll be depositing the max of $10. And when it comes to measurements and milestones . . . I lost an inch around my waist and my sexy muffin top. I would like to make a joker here about how sad I am that I now have less to hold onto but I just can't think of anything clever so I'll leave it alone. So my grand total this week is $14 plus $0.50 from last week since I was just guessing. Pretty good guess, I think.

And one last thing . . I found a body mass index calculator that I like better than the one we were using before. It's much simpler. Now might be a good time to recalculate where you are and what your weight loss goals may be so we can reassess and plan out our goals.

Maria Week 14

Work outs are never an issue for me. Because 1. I'm addicted; 2. I have this big scary race looming in the near future that I have to train for or I'll die; and 3. my friends at the gym are like family - I miss them if I don't go.

Food - that's my issue.

My little sister recently found out she's allergic to corn - she can't eat anything! Poor girl. Nearly everything has high fructose corn syrup or some other corn by-product in it.

I have been sick all week. :-( This is becoming the story of my life. I have been avoiding it, putting it off, whatever - but I have GOT to figure out what is setting me off like this. I am hoping it's not some sort of food allergy - no fun!

OH! Nearly forgot! I ran 4.5 miles straight on Saturday! That's a record for me! And then on Tuesday I ran another 3 miles straight. So, that's technically 2 5K's and that's 2 milestones.

Depositing $14

Maria Week 13

I'm sort of getting a jump on this week. YAY!
After a violent rollercoaster with weight (gaining 6 lbs in one week - didn't think that was possible and then losing 4 lbs in one day - didn't think THAT was possible.) I am finally back to my original weight. So no loss to report, but nothing gained either. I'll take that.
Didn't really measure this week - measured my waist and found I had lost 1/2 inch on the small part of my waist, but nothing on the larger part so I stopped measuring.
Working out like crazy! Got a freaking half marathon to train for that I'm scared to death of! So because of all my workouts and some fruits and veggies I'll be depositing the max $10

Canyonlands Half Marathon

I made it! My registration to the Canyonlands Half Marathon was accepted! I won the lottery! Hehe. That's what the email that I got called it - a lottery. And I got accepted - that's kind of like winning right? Or losing? This is so daunting and scary! OMG! What have I gotten myself into? As of today (December 16) I only have 95 days to prepare. Yikes! But 95 is a good number - I should be ok. Right?

Maria Week 12

I'm so late ... and so sorry. Feels like the story of my life lately. Late to work, staying late at work, late getting home, late to the party, later period - but sometimes early - what's up with that?!?!?! (Sorry - I'm a girl - I gotta mention my girl issues.)
Anyway. Fell off the wagon - been REALLY bad at recording things on BodyDaemon. Pretty good at putting my workouts in to my phone so that by the end of the week I can see what I've done to calculate that. Maybe that will need to be another one of my milestones that I'll forget about (like not eatting out - ARGH!)
Anyway ... depositing the max $10 - no milestones this week. (Should have been a new weight milestone, but i put that 1/2 lb back on after the weekend.) Maybe next week. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Maria's Week 11

I have hit a new low. It's only a half pound lower than my last low, but the way the past two weeks have been - it's incredibly exciting.
Also, I a need to be committed .... to an insane asylum. In a fit of temporary insanity I registered to run a half marathon in Moab in March. YIKES! What as I thinking!?!?!?!?! I haven't been selected - it's a lottery so there's a chance I won't be running (I'm secretly praying for that). It will be good though - get my butt into shape. And it's nice to have a deadline - even if it is only 3.5 months away!!! (banging my head against the wall at this time).
So, new low, but not quite low enough for a milestone - still half a pound away for that. And only 3.5 lbs from my goal! That's exciting! Maybe I'll reevaluate my goal. Lost another inch in my waist - the biggest part of my waist. The smallest part is the same - strange. But that's a milestone! Lost another inch and a half off my chest - what?!?!?! How is this happening? Not where I want to be losing anything! I measured 3 times to be sure. Nearly an inch in my ribs, an inch in my hips, quarter inch in my bottom (another place I don't really want to lose), and 1/2 inch off each thigh. I'm getting there - slowly but surely.
I'll be depositing $14 - max plus 2 milestones.

Maria Week 10

ARGH! I worked my butt off this past week and I still gained 2.5 lbs. Ok, ok, so I also ate like crap. :-( So I have no one to blame but myself. I've been sick for eating so badly and ... again, still haven't learned my lesson. Maybe someday I'll get it through that thick head of mine. For now, I'm weak - chocolate and peanut butter and salty tortilla chips have been calling my name and I've completely given in. (I blame PMS - for the cravings AND the weight gain.)
So, with all my workouts, fruits and veggies most days, minus $1 for gaining more than 2 lbs, I will be depositing $16. (Told you I worked my butt off! I'm thinking of having all my mail delivered to Gold's Gym since it is my primary residency.)

Shout out to VL

I want to give a shout out to VL who has lost 8 lbs in a little over a week and has been working out consistently and eating healthier. I am honored and flattered to know that I am inspiring and motivating others to lead healthier lives. And the greatest compliment I could ever get is that someone made better choices because of me.
Wa-hoo! VL - you are a rockstar! I am so proud of you. Keep up the good work and keep calling me to check in ;-) You are motivating and inspiring me to be better, too!

Maria's Week 8

I felt like it was a good week for me. I look back on my BodyDaemon journal and I missed several work outs (or else I missed logging them because I don’t feel like I missed that many work outs.) But good results this week so I’m happy. I lost inches almost all over, but I will only report what is significant. I lost another inch from waist – that’s a milestone! But more importantly, I am an inch smaller than I was in high school (and then I was SUCKING IN!!!!!!! This time I wanted it to be accurate so there was absolutely no sucking of any kind.) I didn’t specify a milestone for losing inches from my butt, but I’m going to count it anyway – I lost 1 ½ inches from my butt! This is like losing inches off my chest – a little bittersweet. We all know I didn’t have much of a butt to begin.
Good thing I hit those weigh and measurement milestones because I’m sucking it up on my newest ones. In fact, I completely forgot that I had set one not to eat out for two weeks. Hmmm … may need to rethink that one.
Had my bodyfat % tested – FINALLY! And I so wish I had done this before I started working out. But I am extremely happy to report that it was 3% less than it was when I had it measure in high school and again in college. WA-HOO!!!!!!
Finally, there is this ultra fit and thin woman in my classes and the past two classes I’ve had with her she’s commented on how great and how thin I look. You gotta love that – it never gets old!
Depositing $12.50
Oh, and adding new milestone - every 1% of bodyfat lost.

Maria Week 7

I know the title of my post is really boring, but it helps keep my hopeless brain a tiny bit organized.
I worked extra hard this week to try and make up for all the workouts I missed last week. I think I did pretty good as far as that goes. I also tried harder to eat more fruits and veggies. I need to measure myself (promised myself I'd do it this week, but I'm menstrating so I put it off!) I'm feeling a difference even in my few new items of clothing so I think I might hit that go down a size milestone soon. YAY! (Except that I'm not financially ready to go buy a new wardrobe - ARGH!)
Didn't lose any weight this week - that's two weeks in a row. I'm hoping this isn't a (watch out - naughty word warning) "plateau".
Also, I think I've got my free day under control. I weighed myself the morning of my free day (or free meal, rather) and then again the next day and I'd only gone up 0.2 lbs! I was careful with what I ate all day except that one meal and then I didn't eat anything after 6 PM. I did notice that I am not getting enough water on my free days and I think that could be part of the problem, too. I'm dehydrated, but I think I'm hungry so I eat.
I'll be depositing $16 - unless anyone has any objections to that. I know that it's past the "limit" but I earned it (without milestones) and I want a very expensive reward next year.

It's been a rough week

I feel like that's my new motto. But hopefully, not for much longer. I expect that things will turn around very soon - and just in time for the holidays and all the wonderful holiday parties, family dinners, and neighbor gifts of cookies and chocolate and SUGAR!
I slacked off. I feel bad admitting to that after my last post. But I'm also motivated to make up for it! And I'll convince myself that's the difference between the old me and the new me. The old me would have put off the change until after Halloween, next Monday, after Thanksgiving, after Christmas, or until New Year. The new me is ready to start TODAY. I'll hit the gym even harder and longer than ever. And I'll get back on track with my diet and my on-line journal.
I'll be despositing $5.50 for the few workouts I got in and the few days I actually ate my fruits and/or veggies.

My Wall

I have this wall - Maybe we all have our walls. I've hit my wall twice in my life. The first time was when I was 27 and I stepped on the scale one morning and saw ZZZ lbs. For my height and body type - ZZZ lbs is 5 lbs from clinically overweight. I made the decision right then and there to make some changes in my life. And for the first time EVER I seriously dieted and I lost 25 lbs. I worked out a little, but not really hard, my main focus was on my diet. The weight came off in about 6 months and once it was off - I went back to my same lifestyle. I was very fortunate in that I didn't put it all back on, at least not immediately. The second time I hit my wall was this past March. I had gone from a size X to a size Y and I needed to move up to size Z. I stepped on the scale one morning and I saw ZZZ lbs AGAIN! ZZZ lbs is evidently my wall. My do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to unhappy. I had two choices - go out a buy a new wardrobe or lose weight. I had two choices - given in and accept that this was me or get to work. I didn't want to spend money on a new wardrobe of even bigger clothes. But I also wasn't ready to just give in and be completely unhappy with myself, my health, and my body. The difference between this wall and the last one? I didn't want to simply lose weight – I wanted to get healthy, I wanted to get active. I’ve never been athletic and I asked myself why not? Because I never wanted to work for it. (My cross country experience being a perfect example of this.) Now I want to work for it. Now I’m willing to work for it. I didn’t want to just lose weight – I wanted to make a major transformation.
Not only am I down more than 15 lbs and 2 sizes, but just as important - I'm in the best shape of my life. And I'm not even finished yet.
Somewhere along the line I skipped a size. In my closet I had my "fat" clothes which were my clothes that fit me at ZZZ lbs. And then I had my clothes that fit me at YYY lbs. And my clothes that fit at XXX lbs. Well, in my weightloss journey I seem to have skipped over my YYY clothes. I find myself at a new crossroads. I'm up against a different wall. I don't really fit into my size X's anymore either. So do I go out a buy a new wardrobe of size W's? Clothes that will fit me at WWW lbs? Or do I take a break, lay off a bit so I can fit in my size X's. Well, what do you think?
I am so happy to have my Ya-Ya Sisters (can I say my Butterfly Girls?) making this transformation with me. I am excited that you guys have caught the fever with me and that we're all going to be much healthier and in much better shape soon. And maybe we'll all be buying new wardrobes soon. For our trip at the end of the year - maybe we'll NEED to go to a shopping hot spot!

Working Lunches, Dinner Parties, and Football Games

I got killed this last week. With three working lunches, four dinner parties, and one football game I cheated nearly every day! And I have paid for it in many ways; stomach aches nearly everyday (you'd think I'd learn), gaining 4 lbs, and losing money.
On a positive note. I lost 2 of those 4 lbs before my weigh in. I literally ran a pound off last night. Also, it isn't one of my listed milestones, but it's a big deal to a girl who's never been able to run a mile without stopping before - I ran 2 1/2 miles last night and I didn't stop to rest once. I think I might have been able to go a little further, too, but it was getting really dark.
Another thing is that I'm seeing a lot of definition in my forearms and calves. I didn't have far to go with them, but I haven't concentrated on them at all. Usually I avoid exercises that work my calves because the last thing I want is for them to be any bigger and there wasn't much fat to lose from them. But nonetheless - they are looking very defined and I sort of like them!
I'm updating my milestones. I don't believe I'm getting enough sleep so I'm creating a milestone regarding that. I want to be in bed weeknights by 9 PM. In bed by 9:00 PM should mean I'm asleep by 9:03 PM. That will put me at 7 hours of sleep each night. I've also seriously slacked off on the food journal - primarily because I have no idea how to calculate a lot of the foods I've eaten. So I'm creating a new milestone regarding not eating out and keeping an ACCURATE food journal.
I'll be depositing $13. Lots of working out and a milestone seemed to have made up for my bad eating days.

My Discovery

Today a bunch of my co-workers decided to go to Red Lobster for the all you can eat shrimp fest. I was invited to go and I think I've mentioned once or twice that I work with some of the coolest and funniest people on the planet so I hate to pass up an opportunity to hang out with them.
What to do? It is only day 1 in my week - do I use my free day today? And what if something should come up later in the week? Saturday is a birthday party - what if I want cake or icecream - or BOTH?
I was fortunate in that I knew ahead of time where we were going to eat lunch today. I was also fortunate in that a few days ago I found this amazing website that has the nutritional information on hundreds of menu items from hundreds of restaurants (www.thedailyplate.com). I went to this website and started looking at the nutritional information for several items on the menu at Red Lobster.
I am sure we are all starting to discover what a wonderful tool a food journal is for us. Not only does it allow us to track how many calories, carbs, or fat grams we're consuming and how much water we are or (in my case aren't) drinking, but it also makes us so much more aware of what we are ACTUALLY putting in our bodies - good or bad.
Today could have been an easy day to blow my diet - whether intentionally (just deciding I am going to eat as much cocnut shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes, and cheddar bay biscuits as my tummy can hold) or unintentionally (by ordering something that I think is a healthier alternative only to find out later that it was very high in calories, carbs, etc.) Janis inspired me to start looking more closely at the nutritional information in restaurant foods when she discovered that her Quiznos SALAD was NOT the healthy alternative she originally believed it to be. It is because of her that I decided to check out the nutrional information of my potential Red Lobster options beforehand.
I took a few mintues this morning to map out what I could order today and still stay within my alotted calories and carbohydrates. Because of the food journal, because I knew how many calories and carbs I had consumed for breakfast and would be consuming for dinner and because I did a little research online I was able to make a very informed and smart decision regarding what I could eat for lunch. And I didn't blow my diet today! YAY!
I remember being taught in YW to decide beforehand what I am going to do or not do in certain situations. Then when you are faced with what could be a difficult decision - it won't be difficult at all because you have already made that decision. I am going to apply this to my food choices.
I know that it isn't always going to be possible to plan ahead, especially with regards to eating out. My plan is to chose 6 or 7 restaurants and fast food joints where I am the most likely to eat "on the go" and I am going to research their menus. I am going to select the most healthy options available from those menus. Then if I am ever in a tight spot and have to grab something fast I can be sure I am making an informed decision and won't be surprised later to find out that I just consumed 800 calories or 50 carbs for lunch and completely blew my diet.
I am also going to plan out my own menus ahead of time. That way if I get asked to lunch again, having a good idea what my dinner plans are, I can make better decisions regarding lunch options.
Sorry to be so long winded ladies. But you guys know me well enough to know that I love to talk, chat, write, express, and share. I love you guys! I am so glad that we are doing this together!

Here goes nothing... wait I mean the weight!

It's been an interesting start and I am shocked at what some of my measurements are! However, those baby inches need to go, again. Please notice that I've changed my milestones. In the middle of the night, when I do my best thinking instead of sleeping, I realized that some milestones weren't milestones but my modifications to make the plan work for me. So here's how I am going to build my healthy body. I will exercise 30 minutes a day five days a week because I can find 30 minutes a day for me. I will do 10 minutes of toning each day to get rid of the flab. I will keep a food journal so that I am responsible for what I eat! So say goodbye to unwanted flabby Rachel and hello to healthy, take care of my heart and mind, happy with my life style changes Rachel!