Back in the Swing of Things

Dave and I have had personal trainers for a while now and though there have been improvements, I am not seeing the changes I need to be seeing to keep a positive outlook on the whole thing. That being said, I have since changed trainers and though at first I was a little apprehensive about my new training as I don’t like change, it is turning out to be a good thing. I have already started to lose weight more rapidly and consistently than with the previous trainer. I also feel like I am getting more out of my training sessions in that I am more tired and sore afterwards (in that good I just worked out sort of way).
But because of the length of time it took to get a point where I am starting to lose weight consistently, etc, I am going to have to rework my wedding weight loss plans. This is very upsetting to me and I feel like a complete failure if I think about it too much, but with only a year left until our wedding day (and probably about 2 months less than that until I get a wedding dress), there just isn’t enough time to get to my ideal weight or even the first reasonable weight goal I had set out for myself.
It is probably just best to set a new goal for myself and start moving towards it and not think about what could have been. Though this is very hard for me, it will be what I try to do over the next little while.

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New Inspiration

This past holiday season I found the inspiration I so desperately needed.
I first found it in my mom, again. She has lost 59 pounds in the last two years! She has done this using the Weight Watchers counting method and regular attendance to the weekly Weight Watchers meetings. Seeing her and how much weight she has lost was very motivating and made me want to get working towards a healthier me again.
I was then inspired by Dave. He asked me to marry him and the idea of walking down that aisle and starting our married life together at my current weight was too much to bear. We have not set a firm date, but will be working towards a Fall 2012 wedding.
I have set my goal of just under 1 pound a week until two to three months prior to the wedding (to ensure I can get a dress in time). To reach this goal I have set in place several things, firstly I have restarted the Curves diet, starting right back at Phase I. I have also started attending Curves on a regular basis again (Tuesday and Thursdays to be precise) and am going to be trying out the new Curves Zumba next week to see if I think that will help at all. I will be working out on Monday evenings, walking to class on Wednesdays and doing an intensive workout on Saturdays and Sundays. Fridays will be my day off from exercise as I know I enjoy doing nothing on Fridays.
I am not saying it will be easy, but I have a real deadline now, something that I can’t push off too long and once a date is set, I won’t be able to push it off at all. I do not want a plus size wedding dress. I do not want to be a white blob walking down the aisle.

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Been a While

So it has obviously been a while since I posted here…mostly that has been because I have been slacking once again. March is a tough month for me, but it also one that clears things up for me. I turned 26 in March and it has become abundantly clear that the plans and goals I have made in the last few years have gotten nowhere and I need to do something about it. I have started doing sit-ups, crunches and leg lifts of various sorts before bed and am doing ‘gross-sweaty’ workouts on the weekends. I will be doing easy walks around the neighbourhood most evenings as well.
I have a wedding to attend in early July and I am hoping to be down a few pounds by then so I feel more comfortable in my dress – comfortable enough to take photos of Dave and myself? Who knows, but being comfortable at the wedding is my goal so here’s to doing something good for myself for a change.

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February

This last month has been a challenging one for my weight loss. Work is really 'ramping' up with the end of the federal fiscal year coming up at the end of March and I am super stressed because of this. We did however, just get back from our vacation to Florida and though I wasn't expecting to, I lost weight. In fact, I lost 8 lbs during the trip (and a week afterwards as I had misplaced my scale). So I am officially at -11lbs which means, I only have two pounds until I reach my birthday goal of -13lbs. I am definitely heading in the right direction.
The dots exercise, though an excellent idea, fell by the waist-side in the last month and I am hoping we can get it going again, but have no huge hopes for anything solid in terms of exercise until partway into April when my workload becomes reasonable again. I also want to work on some Spring exercise ideas for when going outside for exercise becomes an option again - but I definitely have time to think about that one some more.
Dave and I bought some really good food this past week and have once again started making lunches to bring to work. Though we had been trying to get the best takeout food for lunch, it was still fastfood and not very good for us. We also got some new recipes while in Florida and I have already made one of them for dinner (Lazy Man Cabbage Rolls) which was a big hit. So the food is also heading in the right direction.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with myself and my progress in the last month, especially considering the excuses I could have used for not getting this far. Hopefully I will be able to keep this up for a while longer.

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October > September

Overall October was better than September was in terms of my weight loss attempts. Though I don't think I lost much, I definitely feel like I have gotten back on track. I am eating properly and starting to track my food intake again. I have increased my exercise, though have no set routine just yet. I definitely have things to work on this month but feel better now than I did a month ago and that is definitely a plus. Dave and I are going grocery shopping tonight to once again pick up some healthier foods. My main goal this month is to get in a decent workout at least once a week.

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My Punishment

A while back I made some summer exercise goals. I wanted to get through the couch to 5km program (C25K) and/or go biking around the neighbourhood on a regular basis. I did neither of these things and am now punishing myself for it - well it is more like not rewarding myself, but it feels like punishment. My goals for the two programs were a treadmill and a stationary bike, respectively. I am not getting either of these things and will need to get through the Fall and Winter exercise seasons without them. I will still of course have my existing equipment but I was hoping that new stuff would get me liking exercise or at least not wanting to waste my newly spent money. This is the first time I have not allowed myself to get something based purely on my lack of exercise and/or weight loss outcomes. It feels odd to be restricting my purchases this way.

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August/September

Sorry for the irregular posts lately, I have not fallen off the wagon or anything of the sort, in fact I have lost another pound since my last post. Work has been so incredibly busy lately that I haven't been able to find time to post as much as I would like.
As previously stated, I have decided to up my weight loss goal for 2009 to 24 lbs (from 20 lbs). This will enable me to get to a nicer sounding number in terms of my actual weight. To do this I need to lose 4.8 lbs a month (August to December). Therefore, my August goal was to lose 4.8 lbs. (I think it is rather important to state that I didn't set my original goal of 4 lbs a month until a week into August and changed it even further in.) I have however, managed to lose 5.2 lbs in during the month of August! I am really happy with this result as I wasn't completely on plan and that makes me really confident that I will be able to reach my goal by getting more and more on plan as the months go by.
My September goal is the same as my August one, to lose at least 4.8 lbs in order to be heading towards my overall goal. *fingers crossed*

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It's Working

I am down to 8lbs lost since I restarted this journey! I stepped on the scale this morning expecting a maintain from last week and instead got a big drop (for me). I am only 1 pound away from my monthly goal which I was not expecting to achieve since I started so late into the month.
I stated earlier that I wanted to lose 20 lbs by the end of the year. I have since altered this to be a certain weight by the end of the year which means I have to lose 24lbs from that starting weight. It is a little more weight to lose, and therefore a lot more effort required, but it will be so worth it in the end. I really think I can do it too as long as I stick to it this time. That being said, it is time for me to update my WW trackers.

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August to December

I have decided that I will set a large goal for myself. I want to lose 20 pounds (from my current weight) before the end of the year. To do this, I will have to lose 4 pounds a month (5 months from now until Dec. 31, 2009). I therefore have an August goal of losing 4 pounds. I plan on doing this with the help of the tracking forms on the WW online program and by biking on a nightly basis with Dave after work. I am also hoping to incorporate some longer weekend workouts, but will start with the bike rides and go from there. I am already nearly a week into August, so I will really need to push myself to reach this month's goal - but I feel good about it

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May Recap/June Outlook

So May was not a good month for my weight loss. I did not gain any weight overall but anything I lost (a pound or two here and there) was gained back by the next weigh-in. I have more time on my hands this month and more inspiration from friends and family so I want to see if I can lose 5 pounds this month and keep them off. I would love to lose more but I feel 5 is a good goal for now as I want to ease back into my routines and actually reaching a goal would be good for my self-esteem and therefore my will power and weight loss drive.
My plan to lose these pounds is pretty simple. I am going to start counting points (Weight watchers) and calories again and within two weeks be back on track with staying within my daily limits. I will be exercising more, predominantly through biking for cardio workouts and some calisthenics to target my midsection. I am not planning anything too restricting other than working out at least 4 times per week. This gives me Tuesday and Thursday nights off, as I have class these nights, and one other day that I can choose as each week progresses.
Summer is usually the time that I am most motivated to lose weight probably due to the smaller, tighter clothing and nicer weather. I want to use this motivation this year to get myself back into gear and really start doing something to better myself.

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Biking

I have always loved biking. When I was younger I would put my hair in what I called 'pig buns' and then bike along the farm trails near my house (I mention the hair style as a side note since I always got bit by black/horse flies right between the buns and it would swell up so badly). I felt like I was out there for hours and always got a good workout but in reality it wasn't very long (though I did still get a good workout). When I moved to Ottawa my bike became my main mode of transportation as I had no car and lived so close to the school. I couldn't rationalize taking the bus to school and walking just took so darn long. Last summer Dave and I got our first car and my bike became obsolete for anything other than exercise. Unfortunately the novelty of the car made me more than a little lazy and I really didn't go biking that much.

About two weekends ago I pulled out the bike and attempted to get it going again. I biked to the gas station near my old house to get the tires refilled (this took about 1.5 times longer than usually and about 3 times as much energy as one would think as the tires were so flat). When I got there I learned that the air was not free and I had no money. I now have an air pump and the bike is ready to go again. It is gorgeous outside and in about a month the Sunday bike days will be starting again (this is when they shut down Colonel By Drive on Sunday mornings for bikers, walkers, runners, etc). I plan on at least biking around the neighbourhood this summer - it is quick and relatively easy not to mention a great way to dream about the wonderful houses way back in the subdivision.

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Slacker

I haven't been one lately but every once in a while I feel like one. It usually has to do with my workouts but sometimes is due to other non-weight related issues (eg. work, photography, etc). Before this week I had been just planning and planning for my weight loss but not really doing anything which lead to be feeling like a massive slacker. I am doing little things now while I wait for the weather to get better so I can do more. I am going to spend the spring and summer trying to get into walking/jogging/running on a regular basis. My reward for doing so will be a treadmill for the winter months when it starts to get too nasty to go outside.
I haven't set on anything too strict just yet, I will probably think about that today, but my current basic goal is to be having Thursday workouts with Chris (they usually last about 30-45 minutes but perhaps we could work on getting them longer), jogging/running about 3 times a week, at least one weekend photography walk (these are usually about 2-3 hours long minimum) and cycling on Sunday bike days (once they get started). If it rains on one of the days I am supposed to go outside I will try to use my elliptical machine instead. It sounds pretty intense for me, but I am going to ease into it. Right now I am doing Thursday workouts and little things on the weekends and will add the photo walks in a little while.

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5 Things

This comes from the weight loss forum I participate in. The five things in each category are in no particular order other than the way I thought of them.

Five things that make me stay on plan
1. dreams/aspirations
2. happiness
3. success
4. friends
5. rewards

Five things that make me go off plan
1. Brownies
2. sadness
3. boredom
4. great carbs
5. buffets

Five things I want to acheive during my weightloss journey
1. healthy lifestyle
2. more active lifestyle
3. healthier view of myself
4. longer lifespan (not that I will be able to know if I succeeded)
5. better self control

Five things I want to do when I hit my goal weight
1. buy a new wardrobe
2. travel to hot regions or ones with difficult terrain
3. admit my highest weight
4. wear a bathing suit without extreme discomfort or fear
5. follow my other dreams

Five people who keep you motivated
1. Dave
2. Chris
3. Family in general
4. Friends in general
5. Everyone who comments on this blog

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Birthday Goal

Every year that I am trying to lose weight I have set up a birthday goal for myself. This year is no exception. I have not yet set on a number just yet for reasons that are rather upsetting (see this post on Great Abyss) but will once the flash drive (and therefore weight loss spreadsheet) has been located. My reward this year, like every year, will be a grand party will tons of great food for everyone to enjoy. If I fail my goal I plan on having less yummy eats at the party, but of course a party will still be in order as it is still my birthday - not to mention a milestone birthday as I am turning 25...scary.

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Slow Moving

I am slowly losing weight. At this pace I will not meet my goal of being back to 20lbs lost by the New Year, but at least I am losing weight again. I have had a few upsets to my plans, as always, but have tried to keep going as much as possible. I need to up my exercise intensity more, but have been having a hard time with working and working out - though I have been doing it. C and I set up our regular days and that has really helped me do something on those days. It may not be as intense as I want right now, but it is far better than nothing at all. I want to move our weekends workouts to earlier in the day as I have a tendency to get tired and find it easier to make excuses the later in the day it is.
My food is going well, I am slowly eating less calories. But I am just not sure what I am supposed to be eating. Weight Watchers says one thing and then other decent websites say other things and television shows say another. Once I get my benefits here at work I want to see if I can get to a dietician and get some professional advice on the matter. I looked into this last year sometime, but couldn't afford it then. I believe I could afford it now and definitely know I could if it was partially covered by my health benefits. Fingers crossed on that one.

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New Beginning

Saturday marks the beginning of a new challenge on my weight loss forum. This one is a little different than others since you had to pay to get into it (well there was the option of not paying, but I decided to opt into the big cash prize). Whoever loses the highest percentage of weight wins the money. The contest is based on the Biggest Loser the tv program that I love so much (though I haven't been watching due to lack of time and energy) but without the eliminations. It is the longest challenge I will have participated in on this forum. Usually I drift out of the challenge as it progresses and I therefore was a little hesistant to pay into this one, but I finished our last challenge with full participation (though very little weight loss). I am not expecting to win this competition or even really come close to it, but I want to do my best and try to hit my 20lbs loss goal by the end of it. Wish me luck!

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Purchased

I purchased a WW scale yesterday and am so happy with it thus far. It measures per cent body fat and % water as well as your BMI (which I can calculate anyway) and obviously your weight. It has room for 10 users which is humourous to me since I will probably be the only one to ever really use it. It was 60 bucks, which is much more than I would normally spend on something like this but I read the reviews and it sounds pretty accurate and that is keeps that accuracy for quite some time. The weight is states is 8.6lbs lost from my intially starting weight assuming that my starting weight was correct - it may have been higher who knows at this point. I am going to go with the weight on my new scale and start again - more or less from scratch. The basement is almost ready for the home gym and I am getting really excited about it. I plan on asking some friends if they want to set up some "gym" time and come over for workout sessions with me - keep me motivated and whatnot. I also think it could be a great way to keep connected with them and see them on a regular basis. Anyway - that is what I have done lately and this week will hopefully be my last without proper workout area - though my food has been almost right on target lately and my water intake is increasing steadily.

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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Weight loss: 10 lbs lost
Mood: uplifted

This morning on the drive into work I realized my life is pretty good. The few areas in which improvement are really possible at this point are in fact few. One of the major areas though is my weight.

I have stated my reasons for losing weight before and for the most part they are the same now as they were when I started this blog: I want to be healthier, happier and prettier. I realize the latter one isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, but I am being honest and that is something that is driving all this, though not as much as the other two factors.

Though I was able to eat properly yesterday, I was not able to get in my exercise. One thing hurting me in this area is the fact that I am not getting enough sleep. I don’t go to bed until 11pm and am awake at 5am and out of bed at 5:45am to drive Dave to work. I am a person who needs at least 8 full hours of sleep to be at my best and I am just not getting that right now. So I am going to have to learn how to work our ‘new’ VCR and tape anything that can’t be watched online and get to bed earlier. The other factor in all this is that I have lost my elliptical. We have someone living in our basement which was supposed to be my gym and I just can’t use it right now. This factor will be gone soon though and hopefully then I will be able to get back on track. I am also hoping that, having not been able to use my elliptical for so long now, it will be like I just bought it again – when I couldn’t stop using it, now that would be really advantageous.

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forward and back again

Since I have jumped 100% back on the wagon, I have decided that it is time to come to grips with the failure of my previously set goals and readjust everything. So I will be changing the goals on my sidebar and bringing everything up to date - hopefully this doesn't make me look like too much of a failure. I have backtracked a tiny little bit, I am more or less okay with it and have my drive back again so hopefully this time I will go further than I did last time. I mean, '2 steps forward, 1 step back' is still 1 step forward, right?!

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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Weight loss: 18.5lbs
Mood: unsure

So I have dropped to my lowest weight (or highest weight loss depending on how you look at it) since I started and I am happy about that. Only another 1.5lbs until I am at my plateau marker and then anything under that I will considera break in the plateau. I increased my water intake (or rather was more honest with it and realized I wasn't actually drinking what I thought I was) and increased my exercise. As for my calories, I pretty much left them the same, at least for now. I have gotten used to eating this much food in a day and I really don't want to screw that up by playing around with higher or lower calories. I now walk most days for about 2 miles or so. I take long photo walks in the parks around Ottawa of which there are many. It is really enjoyable and with D coming with me, I don't feel like I am missing out on anything back home. Hopefully this will keep going and I will be able to break this stupid plateau by the end of the month. Then I would only be a month behind in where I wanted to be - but oh well, that is really only a couple of pounds and I could always readjust my goals if I needed to.
I went shopping yesterday with D's sister, who is tiny and gorgeous and pretty much as perfect as they come, and it was kind of depressing. We were in La Vie en Rose (a great store) and looking at the 3 for $15 racks, which are arranged from xs to xl across the width of the store, and of course she was on the xs and s side while I was way across the store on the l and xl end. It was like that all day long and it hurt me each time I noticed it. She could buy pants from the regular stores, I want so badly to be able to do that. I am not mad or anything like that, she is great, I am just a little jealous I guess. I want to be thin and beautiful like that. Oh well, I am how I am and I am improving myself. I did manage to get a really great peacoat from Old Navy which was normally $50 but was on clearance for $9.99!! Such a steal! I love it. So that made my day better, and then of course we walked around parliament and I got to take tons of pictures which always makes me happy.
Anyways, this update was about me hitting my lowest weight of this journey and I am happy about that. Only a little more and I will break through this plateau and be back on track. Gotta get this weight off for T's wedding afterall!

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