the "protein water" stuff that's supposed to "fill you up" so it's easier to diet?
Ick. Yuck. Fibrous junky not workiness.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Love, Me.
Dear Peach Yogurt:
Thanks for having my back. Your friend the protein supplement sucks.
Love even more, Me.
Monday, August 31, 2009
well meaning sabotage
The nice thing about having done this once before (lose lots of weight) is I know how it feels. I know that when my skin feels like this, and my fat feels like that, I'm burning lots of calories & losing weight. It just works that way. Your skin feels taught and you can literally feel your waist a teeny bit thinner each day. So I like that. It's a fun feeling after working really really hard to get in the shower and notice the changes.
So I was washing up just now & thought about the way some people respond when I tell them I'm dieting & working on losing 15 pounds by Halloween (it's twice that overall, but realistically, I won't lose that much by October 31).
They say "oh you're not fat! You don't need to lose that much weight". I guess it's well meaning. They want to make me feel good. Here's the deal, though. I know I'm fat. I see myself in mirrors, and I weigh enough (the scale rarely lies) and I know the BMI charts and everything and what they tell me about my weight. You aren't making me feel better by saying I don't need to lose it. I'm not a skinny chick complaining about the fat thighs or tummy pooch no one but her can see (which, by the way, is really annoying skinny people. Stop it.) According to height/weight charts, the weight I am at is unhealthy. I can tell that my blood pressure is high, and I need to workout and eat better.
I'm not trying to be as skinny as I was when I was 21. Lord Goddess no. But I do want to be thinner, and healthy, and show muscle tone, and be able to walk up my flight of steps without feeling it in my thighs and feeling a little breathless.
I guess the reason people think I "don't look fat" is that our culture has gotten bad at the mixed messages. We have a lot of people (especially here in Louisiana) who are way obese. Like, there's gotta be a word higher than "morbidly". And yet, we say "be happy with yourself, don't strive towards an unrealistic image of perfection." Seriously, I do not want to be Cindy Crawford or some other way of being. I simply want to weigh what the weight charts say I should weigh! When people say "I don't look fat" they sabotage my self-image. I think "really? Am I okay this way? Am I being too hard on myself? Should I be happy with who I am?"
NO! I'm not okay. I know that for every pound of the extra weight, I probably shorten my natural life span. I'm sure if I googled it, I could find the actual statistics. So if you're one of those people who say "Oh, no, you're just fine" then stop sabotaging people. If they really really are skinny, then fine, pass them some cookies. But if you can look at that person and there's any doubt in your mind whether they are 10 pounds or 100 pounds overweight, your support would be better offered by saying "Good for you! You'll do great!"
The last time we lost weight (and I keep saying we because it's always a team effort w/ Andrew) it was partly to be healthy when I had babies. I knew that where I was before (about where I am now, actually) was unhealthy & I needed to prepare my flabby butt for childbirth or end up a "before" picture I didn't want to see. And it worked; the healthy level I was at when pregnant probably was a huge part of why I was able to carry the twins to term, and they were NORMAL BABY SIZE. But now, this time, it's all about me, and making sure I am here on this Earth, barring aliens invading and blowing the planet up, as long as I possibly can be for my kids.
And also, looking hot in a Halloween costume. Rawr.
So I was washing up just now & thought about the way some people respond when I tell them I'm dieting & working on losing 15 pounds by Halloween (it's twice that overall, but realistically, I won't lose that much by October 31).
They say "oh you're not fat! You don't need to lose that much weight". I guess it's well meaning. They want to make me feel good. Here's the deal, though. I know I'm fat. I see myself in mirrors, and I weigh enough (the scale rarely lies) and I know the BMI charts and everything and what they tell me about my weight. You aren't making me feel better by saying I don't need to lose it. I'm not a skinny chick complaining about the fat thighs or tummy pooch no one but her can see (which, by the way, is really annoying skinny people. Stop it.) According to height/weight charts, the weight I am at is unhealthy. I can tell that my blood pressure is high, and I need to workout and eat better.
I'm not trying to be as skinny as I was when I was 21. Lord Goddess no. But I do want to be thinner, and healthy, and show muscle tone, and be able to walk up my flight of steps without feeling it in my thighs and feeling a little breathless.
I guess the reason people think I "don't look fat" is that our culture has gotten bad at the mixed messages. We have a lot of people (especially here in Louisiana) who are way obese. Like, there's gotta be a word higher than "morbidly". And yet, we say "be happy with yourself, don't strive towards an unrealistic image of perfection." Seriously, I do not want to be Cindy Crawford or some other way of being. I simply want to weigh what the weight charts say I should weigh! When people say "I don't look fat" they sabotage my self-image. I think "really? Am I okay this way? Am I being too hard on myself? Should I be happy with who I am?"
NO! I'm not okay. I know that for every pound of the extra weight, I probably shorten my natural life span. I'm sure if I googled it, I could find the actual statistics. So if you're one of those people who say "Oh, no, you're just fine" then stop sabotaging people. If they really really are skinny, then fine, pass them some cookies. But if you can look at that person and there's any doubt in your mind whether they are 10 pounds or 100 pounds overweight, your support would be better offered by saying "Good for you! You'll do great!"
The last time we lost weight (and I keep saying we because it's always a team effort w/ Andrew) it was partly to be healthy when I had babies. I knew that where I was before (about where I am now, actually) was unhealthy & I needed to prepare my flabby butt for childbirth or end up a "before" picture I didn't want to see. And it worked; the healthy level I was at when pregnant probably was a huge part of why I was able to carry the twins to term, and they were NORMAL BABY SIZE. But now, this time, it's all about me, and making sure I am here on this Earth, barring aliens invading and blowing the planet up, as long as I possibly can be for my kids.
And also, looking hot in a Halloween costume. Rawr.
Meh
My workout this morning was adequate, but I have lots of housework to do, so that will burn some calories. I tried a new exercise tape instead of schlepping 20 minutes each way to the base gym. What I can get done with that extra 40 minutes of my day.... but the video was okay. I wasn't feelin' it. I bought these on an "infomercial" impulse when the babies were teeny tiny and never have tried them (Turbo Jam). They aren't bad, and yes, very energetic, but too much kick boxing. I love boxing, but I love it for realz-- with a bag, and gloves, and sweating in the gym like you're beating the crap out of someone. The cutesy "music plus jab" of cardio kickboxing tapes annoy me. Then I tried a bellydancing cardio video I don't think I've ever looked at and it was kind of weird. Even the women in the class looked a bit freaked out, like someone chucked them in the class, tossed a fringey scarf around their hips and said "follow this chick with the accent."
But I did get at least 40 minutes of wiggling and I'm a bit sweaty. It'll do for now. I need to go online and order some of my old standbys for home workout. I've lost most of them since we moved. Andrew has a bad habit of taking all the DVDs out of their cases and then they go bye bye.
Anyway. Week 2 is seeing me fine-- eating well, still, and committed to at least sweaty faux dance faux boxing wiggling for almost an hour. I'll get into a better groove here soon.
But I did get at least 40 minutes of wiggling and I'm a bit sweaty. It'll do for now. I need to go online and order some of my old standbys for home workout. I've lost most of them since we moved. Andrew has a bad habit of taking all the DVDs out of their cases and then they go bye bye.
Anyway. Week 2 is seeing me fine-- eating well, still, and committed to at least sweaty faux dance faux boxing wiggling for almost an hour. I'll get into a better groove here soon.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Fun Food day
Well, years ago, on our last quest to skinny, our good friend Nissa created Fun Food Day. That means in the midst of dieting & being "good" one can have a single day of the week where one indulges. Liquor, big giant juicy burgers, cheesecake. Whatever.
I wasn't planning on doing them with this diet, because I'm trying to be really "OOH RAH HARD CORE MARINE" about it. But yesterday we had friends who are leaving very soon come by and we made good pizzas (oh my gawd the veggie one was amazing) and had martinis. Frangelitinis, in fact. Oh they were tasty.
But I had not missed, in the two weeks (almost) that I haven't had liquor at all, the morning after. :) Vodka does not give me much of a hangover, but enough of one to regret it this morning a bit. Ugh. So perhaps the lesson we learn here is that our bodies really do know better. When we misbehave, it tells us to STOP IT!
Moderation is the key to everything in the entire freakin' universe, I know. So I don't know if I'm going to allow myself another fun food day during this first six weeks of boot camp because I am not capable of being moderate at times.
But on a lighter note: all my fat girl pants, which I've worn regularly since I had the heathen chilluns, are all falling completely off of me. I actually had to change because it was really uncomfortable for them to be pulling down so much. And this is only ONE WEEK of diet + exercise.
OOOOh rah!
I wasn't planning on doing them with this diet, because I'm trying to be really "OOH RAH HARD CORE MARINE" about it. But yesterday we had friends who are leaving very soon come by and we made good pizzas (oh my gawd the veggie one was amazing) and had martinis. Frangelitinis, in fact. Oh they were tasty.
But I had not missed, in the two weeks (almost) that I haven't had liquor at all, the morning after. :) Vodka does not give me much of a hangover, but enough of one to regret it this morning a bit. Ugh. So perhaps the lesson we learn here is that our bodies really do know better. When we misbehave, it tells us to STOP IT!
Moderation is the key to everything in the entire freakin' universe, I know. So I don't know if I'm going to allow myself another fun food day during this first six weeks of boot camp because I am not capable of being moderate at times.
But on a lighter note: all my fat girl pants, which I've worn regularly since I had the heathen chilluns, are all falling completely off of me. I actually had to change because it was really uncomfortable for them to be pulling down so much. And this is only ONE WEEK of diet + exercise.
OOOOh rah!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Whew!
So this week has gone by in a flash! I managed to work out all days I planned to, though. It's really nice to be back in a fitness mode. I can already feel my skin firmer, and certain places are already "perkier" and all. My belly flab is already a little smaller. I don't like weighing myself, but from the way my skin and body feels, I can tell I've probably already lost a little weight. Maybe even 2 pounds! Andrew even said yesterday I looked thinner. He was sucking up, a little bit, but he said he also meant it. Hooray! I could lie and say "this isn't about being thinner it's about fitness" but really, I want to be thinner & fit. The thinner part is hugely important. That might be shallow of me, but there you go. If you've ever been too heavy, you know how that feels, and fit is good but thin is better.
I have gone a couple of days this week in a too low calorie mode, to be honest. Tuesday, I didn't plan well & ended up eating only like 800 calories. It was mostly okay, but I can't do that and have enough energy for working out. Wednesday's workout was not as good as Monday's, and the main reason was probably that deficit from Tuesday. But it does give my fat burning a quick jumpstarting boost.
Part of my weight issue is "post-baby fat" but to be completely honest, I think I probably would be far thinner now than I am already if it weren't for drinking alcohol. Andrew & I have been in a habit of having a couple of glasses of wine a night. It starts off planning a single glass with dinner & then it tastes GOOD so I want another. And that liquor is so bad for your metabolism. Your body burns the alcohol off first, so the fat that might have burned just sits there. It feels good to be completely on the wagon. Midnight is a totally different animal when you haven't had a glass of wine (or two). No headache, feeling tired but normal. :) It's a sign that when I'm off the "boot camp" portion of my weight loss, I need to work far harder to limit the alcohol consumption in my life. Maybe one day a week will be the thing. Pinot Grigio is just so tasty! :)
So that's my week. I am planning to go to the gym later this morning and get a decent workout in, but I am tempted to skip it and go get my hair done. I really want to do something with the frizz & the gray around my forehead part. But I will go workout. I can't end a great week on a downer, right?
First week of Operation Anarchy Cheerleader? Success. I'm rockin' it. And beating Andrew, who hasn't been all week. Score!!
I have gone a couple of days this week in a too low calorie mode, to be honest. Tuesday, I didn't plan well & ended up eating only like 800 calories. It was mostly okay, but I can't do that and have enough energy for working out. Wednesday's workout was not as good as Monday's, and the main reason was probably that deficit from Tuesday. But it does give my fat burning a quick jumpstarting boost.
Part of my weight issue is "post-baby fat" but to be completely honest, I think I probably would be far thinner now than I am already if it weren't for drinking alcohol. Andrew & I have been in a habit of having a couple of glasses of wine a night. It starts off planning a single glass with dinner & then it tastes GOOD so I want another. And that liquor is so bad for your metabolism. Your body burns the alcohol off first, so the fat that might have burned just sits there. It feels good to be completely on the wagon. Midnight is a totally different animal when you haven't had a glass of wine (or two). No headache, feeling tired but normal. :) It's a sign that when I'm off the "boot camp" portion of my weight loss, I need to work far harder to limit the alcohol consumption in my life. Maybe one day a week will be the thing. Pinot Grigio is just so tasty! :)
So that's my week. I am planning to go to the gym later this morning and get a decent workout in, but I am tempted to skip it and go get my hair done. I really want to do something with the frizz & the gray around my forehead part. But I will go workout. I can't end a great week on a downer, right?
First week of Operation Anarchy Cheerleader? Success. I'm rockin' it. And beating Andrew, who hasn't been all week. Score!!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Afternoon
This is my worst time of the day. I worked out, ate a really healthy lunch, mild but healthy breakfast. And now I am chillin', and am wanting to eat everything. Especially things I should not. I know some of the advice people give "drink a glass of water" (I've had several).
It's still a bit until dinner time, and I'm not actually even sure what I'm cooking for dinner. Maybe I'll go fortify myself by entering more activities & food into fitday and looking at my calories burned pie chart. :)
It's still a bit until dinner time, and I'm not actually even sure what I'm cooking for dinner. Maybe I'll go fortify myself by entering more activities & food into fitday and looking at my calories burned pie chart. :)
Thanks, Blog
Well, this morning the blog actually did its job already. Because I only have this ONE day off before I start school and I have soooo much to do, I was sorely tempted this morning to say the lame-o "I'll start working out tomorrow....wah wah waaa". Well I knew I would have to come on here and write the lame excuse that would have come with not going to the gym and gettin' my stank on this morning so I went.
One hour hard cardio. 30 minutes mostly arm and upper legs weight training. So there you go. Day one, so far, calories consumed vs. calories burned: 300 consumed 600 burned. Good start for so early. Yay me!
But it's gonna be "fun" fitting in all the things I still have left to do before the semester starts tomorrow. Time to go get on it.
One hour hard cardio. 30 minutes mostly arm and upper legs weight training. So there you go. Day one, so far, calories consumed vs. calories burned: 300 consumed 600 burned. Good start for so early. Yay me!
But it's gonna be "fun" fitting in all the things I still have left to do before the semester starts tomorrow. Time to go get on it.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Fitday
I've used Fitday.com in the past to caluculate how I was doing with eating vs. exercise. It is a place you can enter what you do, down to the lowest activity, and what you eat. It helps you know if you're doing the whole "burn 500 calories a day more than you consume" thing. That's really what I use it for, and also to keep me honest about what I'm putting in my mouth.
I just went into it, logged in, updated my weight & goal. And I didn't notice it until afterwards but there was an ad for gastric surgery on one side of the page. Okay, I know I'm overweight, but thanks, Fitday. Thanks for the suggestion there. I don't think that surgery is recommended quite yet.
I know it's a great option for people who just can't find it in them to do the exercise thing, and for whom what they do does not work. But I know for a fact that if I workout properly & eat properly I will lose the weight. And I've cleared out the time so I have no more excuses.
Go away with your "targeted marketing."
I just went into it, logged in, updated my weight & goal. And I didn't notice it until afterwards but there was an ad for gastric surgery on one side of the page. Okay, I know I'm overweight, but thanks, Fitday. Thanks for the suggestion there. I don't think that surgery is recommended quite yet.
I know it's a great option for people who just can't find it in them to do the exercise thing, and for whom what they do does not work. But I know for a fact that if I workout properly & eat properly I will lose the weight. And I've cleared out the time so I have no more excuses.
Go away with your "targeted marketing."
Hula Hooping
M--, my friend who has been going to bellydancing with me, suggested we go to the Hula Hoop class on Sunday (today). We took the girls-- Maia & M--'s daughter, and went. It was super fun.
I've never been able to Hula Hoop in my whole life. But with the big giant, heavy hoop, I was able to do it for quite some time. It was super fun. I can walk with it a little bit, and attempted to do a little hand trickery.
It's awesome exercise. Really aerobic, good for the core/tummy muscles and upper legs. We did it for about an hour.
I need to get the right kind of hoop, because it makes a difference. I can't do it with the light little ones that you can get at the regular store. But it's my fifth day activity, now. I have four other days lined up, and this makes five full days of concentrated workout plan. Yay! I'll have to check fitday to see how many calories it burns, but I know it was good because I'm tired.
Maia did pretty well too. What's greatest about fitness is that it is also good for your kids....
I've never been able to Hula Hoop in my whole life. But with the big giant, heavy hoop, I was able to do it for quite some time. It was super fun. I can walk with it a little bit, and attempted to do a little hand trickery.
It's awesome exercise. Really aerobic, good for the core/tummy muscles and upper legs. We did it for about an hour.
I need to get the right kind of hoop, because it makes a difference. I can't do it with the light little ones that you can get at the regular store. But it's my fifth day activity, now. I have four other days lined up, and this makes five full days of concentrated workout plan. Yay! I'll have to check fitday to see how many calories it burns, but I know it was good because I'm tired.
Maia did pretty well too. What's greatest about fitness is that it is also good for your kids....
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The start
So welcome to the fitness blog. I'm not going to post a "before" picture, even though I probably should. Maybe when I can look back & say "that was then" and have some distance from it I will post something. For now, I'd rather focus on where I will be in two months.
I have been trying for a while to get back into working out. It's been super hard because of work, and kids. I never knew how difficult it could be for working moms to find time to fit in exercise. I know that exercise actually gives you more energy, and that you can do more for your kids, and yadda yadda yadda. But after fitting in everything I can fit into a day for the last couple of years, I just could not find an extra couple of hours a day to go to the gym. I've tried a couple of times but something has come up that has made it difficult.
Yes, in one case the something was depression about not getting a job and I could have done it. But that's still something.
Anyway. This semester at work I'm only teaching Tuesdays & Thursdays, so Mon, Wed and Fri after I drop off the kids at school I will be AT THE GYM at approximately 8:30 every morning. After a minimum 1.5 hour workout I will be back home to post something about fitness in this blog, every day. That way, it will be like having a workout buddy who will keep me honest. I will also be doing bellydancing class every Tuesday night, and try to find at least one other fitness related activity a week which will give me 5 days a week of strong workouts.
I am making this specific blog so I don't overwhelm the other places in my life with talk about this. If you want to cheer me on or be one of the people holding my feet over the fire of aerobicizing, come here and comment or whatever.
The goal means I have to lose about 2 pounds a week. It IS do-able. I've done it before (six years ago when I lost 50 pounds.) But it does mean NO alcohol, light meals, and burning at least 500 calories a day more than I consume.
Anyway. Here goes!! Monday is officially day One.
I have been trying for a while to get back into working out. It's been super hard because of work, and kids. I never knew how difficult it could be for working moms to find time to fit in exercise. I know that exercise actually gives you more energy, and that you can do more for your kids, and yadda yadda yadda. But after fitting in everything I can fit into a day for the last couple of years, I just could not find an extra couple of hours a day to go to the gym. I've tried a couple of times but something has come up that has made it difficult.
Yes, in one case the something was depression about not getting a job and I could have done it. But that's still something.
Anyway. This semester at work I'm only teaching Tuesdays & Thursdays, so Mon, Wed and Fri after I drop off the kids at school I will be AT THE GYM at approximately 8:30 every morning. After a minimum 1.5 hour workout I will be back home to post something about fitness in this blog, every day. That way, it will be like having a workout buddy who will keep me honest. I will also be doing bellydancing class every Tuesday night, and try to find at least one other fitness related activity a week which will give me 5 days a week of strong workouts.
I am making this specific blog so I don't overwhelm the other places in my life with talk about this. If you want to cheer me on or be one of the people holding my feet over the fire of aerobicizing, come here and comment or whatever.
The goal means I have to lose about 2 pounds a week. It IS do-able. I've done it before (six years ago when I lost 50 pounds.) But it does mean NO alcohol, light meals, and burning at least 500 calories a day more than I consume.
Anyway. Here goes!! Monday is officially day One.
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