Weigh In: 8-23-12

I finally did it. I tracked my calories and stayed under my goal for the day yesterday--it only took me a week and a half to get my shit together. It's true when they say that eating junk makes you crave junk. Luckily, most of the cookies/chips/dips are out of the house now, so it's easier to NOT eat them. I think it helped that I had a lot of exercise calories, too, so I was eating close to 2000. Anyways, we're back on track!

I learned the hard way that you can set deadlines for weigh loss, but your body will lose the fat when (and where) it wants to, how it wants to, so I'm loosely stating that I want to be under 180lbs by Thanksgiving. I left Denver at ~183lbs but have worked my way back up to ~190lbs, so that's ~10lbs in a little less than 10 weeks. Definitely doable, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'll just do my best and see where I am in 10 weeks!

Weight: 190.2 lbs
BMI: 28.08 (Overweight)
Body Fat: 27.09% (Acceptable)

Waist: 35 inches
Hip: 42 inches
Thighs: 27.5 inches (left) / 27 inches (right)
Arms: 12.5 inches (left) / 13 inches (right)
Calves: 16 inches (left) / 16.5 inches (right)

Let's start again

Well, I was traveling this past week, and even though I packed my running shoes, I never got the chance to run. It was go, go, go every day I was there. Therefore, I'm restarting my restart. I only got one day in last week anyways, and now I can start on a Monday.

Day 1 of C25K: 5 minute warm-up, alternate 60 seconds of jogging/90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes; Total miles - 1.91; Total time - 27:30 minutes

I also decided to start counting calories again. After being in Ohio for the wedding, I ate nothing but crap. I know I've probably put on a few pounds since moving, but I was trying to reset my metabolism in order to bust a plateau. Hopefully I've accomplished this and can start losing weight again. I should probably officially weigh-in, but I'll worry about that later. I'm more concerned with my stomach problems--not that they've gone away completely, but they have definitely gotten better since I moved. Now, whether that's because my stress level went down, I started taking the probiotic, or I changed my food habits, I have no idea. It worries me that if I start eating more raw fruits and veggies again that the issues may come back. I guess we'll see! It's a new week my friends: No excuses!

April Goals

I recently joined a group on MyFitnessPal that requested we list our goals for April. I decided to list them here as well because writing goals down sometimes makes them more attainable.

(1) Start running again to train for my 5K on the 29th.
(2) Get below 180 (Even though this was supposed to be met in March, I WILL meet it this month.)
(3) Keep switching up my exercise routines and stay on track with my new zig zag calorie plan.

Come on, April. Bring it on.

I'm Back!

It's 2012, and I'm back at school. I actually survived Christmas break and even LOST weight during that time (though I had a nasty stomach bug that didn't allow me to eat). Because of that sickness, I couldn't really work out either so I'm slowly getting back into a routine. I started my second round of 30 Day Shred instead of running. I also found out that I am 5'9 instead of 5'10 like I always thought, which means another 10-15lbs to get inside the healthly BMI range. Blah.

Anyways, here are my stats for yesterday's weigh-in:

Weight=185.4 lbs; BMI=27.38 (Overweight); Body Fat=26.19% (Acceptable)

Hello 180s, it's been too long

I haven't weighed in since the week before my boyfriend came, which was three weeks ago. Basically, I was on my period and bloated, and then I wasn't really logging foods since Robbie was here. But for the last week, I've been kicked back into gear.

Today's weight=188 lbs
I about fell off the damn scale. I got on yesterday and it said 190. THAT made me excited. Then, the first time I got on the scale this morning, it read 189.2. THAT made me more excited. When I get on the second time to confirm, it was 188 lbs. Three more times confirms. HOLY FUCKING GOD, I'm back in the 180s.

This also means I've crossed two goals off my list: reaching 190 lbs and being under 190 by New Years. BOOM BITCHES. Early. The hard part really comes when I have to maintain this eating style while I'm home for a month and a half. Ugh.

Weight=188 lbs;BMI = 26.97 (Overweight); Body Fat=26.51% (Acceptable).

Wednesday Weigh-In

Originally, I wasn't even going to weigh myself this week; it is the week before my period and usually I gain, or at the least, don't lose anything, but I was feeling lucky this morning. Ha. Stepped on the scale and had lost 0.4 lbs. Now, I'm happy that it's a loss, don't get me wrong, but for the past two weeks, I've lost less than 2 lbs combined when I have my settings at 1.5lbs/wk. What gives? I honestly think I lose better when I have cheat days, like MAJOR cheat days, where I'm so far over my calories that I don't even count. I've been so good these past few weeks, even on weekends, that I think that has screwed up my loss. This whole weight loss thing is such bullshit.

Anyways...

Weight= 193.8 lbs; BMI= 27.8 (Overweight); Body Fat= 26.65% (Acceptable)

Another Weigh-In

Something very strange was happening with my stomach/gut last night and this morning, so I'm not sure how accurate this weigh-in is, but I still lost so I'll take it! The official weight this morning was 194.2lbs, which is only a 0.6lb loss from last week BUT....that marks the 40 lbs total loss since I started this journey in last June! FORTY POUNDS. (I did a whole picture post on MFP of my progress if you want to see that.)

But for this blog, I want to take a second to really think about how much 40 lbs is. When I was born, I weight 8 lbs and 6 oz. I LOST MORE THAN FOUR BABY MEs. I use a 10lb kettlebell in my workouts. I LOST FOUR OF THOSE. My boyfriend's cat is about the size of a 20 lb turkey. I LOST TWO OF STRETCH! I know these sound silly, but sometimes when you have a long weight loss journey, 40 lbs can get lost in the thoughts of "but I still look fat" and "I still have so much more to lose" or "how come when SHE loses 40 lbs, she looks like a f*&$ing model." Forty pounds is a lot. BE PROUD OF YOURSELF, ME!

Anyways, enough of that. I am proud, even though I do know I have so much more to go. And going off of that, I am starting the 100 push-up challenge today. I vow to do 100 pushups everyday for 30 days! I took some starting pictures of my arms in hopes that they will be BALLER AWESOME when I finish this! Ha.

Weight=194.2lbs; BMI= 27.86 (Overweight); Body Fat=26.65% (Acceptable)

Time to get moving for the day. Cheers!

Weigh In Day

Well, this was was actually the first week in a long time where I didn't step on the scale ONCE between weigh-ins. That made me very nervous since I had no idea what to expect this morning--and I'll tell you, I DEFINITELY wasn't expecting what I did see.

This morning official weight was 194.8lbs.... Pardon me while I get back up in to my chair. I didn't (and almost still don't) believe it. 2.8 lbs loss in a week? I'm thinking last week's weight might still have been affected my PMS or something because I ate all my calories everyday (and even more so on the weekend).

Regardless, I stepped on the scale twice and it didn't change so I'll take it as real.

With that note, I officially made my first goal, well second goal but first having to do with weight, for this school year: under 195 by Estes Park Film Festival: CHECK. I'm so FUCKING PUMPED. It gives me hope that I will be under 190 by Thanksgiving, haha. But that also means I need to put the computer down and do my workout before it gets too late--class at noon, office hours, TA class AND a baseball game today. Whew!

Weight=194.8lbs, BMI=27.95 (Overweight), BF=26.65% (Acceptable)

Cheers!

First Thursday Weigh In!

Finally--FUCKING FINALLY. After two weeks of WANTING to weigh in on Thursdays, I finally wasn't PMSing or retaining water from a pigout the night before.

I should say that I changed my goals from losing 1lb a week to 1.5lbs a week, so my calorie intake decreased by almost 300 calories a day. Yikes! Anyways, I think it was the boost my metabolism needed because I've been working out for at least a half hour a day and lost 1.2 lbs since last week! Total weight loss while on MFP is now 10.2lbs! HOLLER. My next goal, if you recall from my goals post a while back, is to be 195 by September 16th, which is my Film Festival in Estes Park. I'm not sure if that's going to happen since that would be another 2.5 lbs in one week. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Oh well, I'll be close and I know that hopefully I'll hit my goal by Thanksgiving of 190. (And then gain it all back when I go home for the holidays...UGH.)

Anyways, weight = 197.6lbs. BMI = 28.35 (Overweight). BF% = 26.76% (Acceptable).

Like A Machine

So I think when I don't run all the time, I have better runs. I know this isn't a new revelation, but I'm just proving it to myself again and again. Last Sunday I ran for 30 minutes straight, which was a first, so this weekend I decided to try it again. I didn't run at all during the week, just workout DVDs and elliptical and stationary bike rides. Today, I went to the gym (even though I should have run outside--gorgeous day with a 70 degree HIGH. what!). Anyways...I ran for 33:30 straight at 4.5 mph which was 2.5 miles. And it felt good. I was getting a little winded, very little, by the end, but I probably could have kept going. I'm amazed at this progress. I really do prefer slow and longer over fast and shorter....wow, that sounded so sexual. Anyways, I think this will be my regular routine for a while: workout normally during the week and do a long (ish) run on weekends. I never thought I would be able to run 3 miles straight, but I'm starting to think it's possible, at least on the treadmill. Also, my ToM starts next week and I saw a MAJOR blow up in weight this week as a result. I was at 202 lbs for FOUR DAYS IN A ROW. I knew I was bad this weekend, but NO WAY I gained 4 lbs. I started to get nervous since it stayed for so long, but then it slowly dropped: 200.6 lbs Thurs and 199.6 lbs Friday. I really want to get away from Sunday weigh-ins, but since I couldn't weigh in this Thursday, I might WI tomorrow just to see where I stand. Then WI again on Thursday and record it....if it moves. Haha. Anyways, I'm proud of myself today...which is good since I've been really down about my appearance lately. My nasty ass stomach crease and kangaroo pooch are SO ANNOYING. I work so hard and there they are, staring at me in the mirror every time I turn around like "BUT YOU STILL FAT BITCH!" Grrr.

Long Overdue Post

So I'm back. I've been working my tail off this week to lose the water weight and get back into things after several weeks of vacations and friends. I never did a final weigh in/measurement after 30DS so I'm counting today's as just that.

SW: 204.2 lbs
Waist: 40in
Hip: 37.5in
Bust: 41in
Calf: 17in
Arm: 14in
Thigh: 28in
Here's the last chunk of my 30DS excel sheet...


In total, I lost 5.4 lbs & 5.25 inches. Not great, but not bad. The best thing is that I can feel a difference in my strength and SEE a difference in my calves. I wish my arms would have gotten smaller (I'm sick of the Pete & Pete flab. See previous blog posts for explanation), but overall, I completed 30DS without dying. Go me. *If you want to see progress pictures from start and finish of 30DS, go to my MFP blog @ http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/knoll630

As for my current situation, I started SIWW on Monday and started another spread sheet for that, just to keep track of what days I do it and what days I run and what days I shouldn't run, etc... Here is that sheet:


I really like this new workout. It's more strength mixed with cardio so I'm hoping to see some differences with this regime than I did 30DS. I felt so behind last time that perhaps I wasn't burning as much as I could have. But for now, let's celebrate that I did lose weight & inches and that I have officially reached ONE-derland and plan to stay there for a long while! :)

I'm Going to Get Back to Under 200 If It Kills Me!

Well, like I said, that week and a half in Evansville really pushed me back into the 200s again. While I know most of it, hopefully a lot of it, is going to go away quickly after I start eating normal food again, I just don't want to fight those 203/204/202 numbers again.

So I'm stepping it up. I went to the gym tonight. I walked the "cardio" program for 24 minutes, which was between 3 and 5 incline at speeds between 3.0mph and 3.5mph. Then, when I accidentally stopped the program before it was over, I decided to run for a bit. I started at 5mph for about 0.5 mile, then reduced to 4.5 for like three minutes, then back to 4.7 mph for two minutes and then back to 4.5 mph to finish the mile in 13 minutes.

I burned another 300+ calories so I'm going to probably eat my yogurt again with granola tonight and call it a day. My latest plan is to eat 1700 net calories a day and see what that does for me. For some reason, I feel like I'm not eating enough each day. Maybe I'm burning more calories than MFP says OR, I found these two other websites that suggest eating over 2000 calories a day to lose weight...which could also mean I'm not eating enough...which is why I'm upping the net cals again.

WHY IS THIS SO HARD!?!? Ugh.

30 Day Shred: L3D3

HELLO AGAIN!! I am alive. I've just been in Evansville for the past week and a half filming my thesis project. Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of exercise in while I was there, though I managed to complete Level 2 and move into Level 3. Exercising in hotel rooms is a bitch.

Level 3 is waaaaay better than Level 2 was. Less planks. Another unfortunate thing is that I ate like SHIT while I was home--I feel like I gained 10 lbs. And according to the scale, I DID! Now, I'm not freaking out yet since I know that I am probably retaining LOTS of weight due to the sodium intake and the heat/humidity. I'll keep track of it as I get back on my diet plan and hopefully most of it will go away quickly. HOPEFULLY.

I also didn't take my measurements or weigh in while I was home so I don't have a Level 2 progress sheet to post. But I need to move since I'm going into High Noon an hour early--they have a big meeting at 1 and I need to make lots and lots and lots of copies. Woot.

30 Day Shred: L2D3

I decided Autry needed his own post, so that's why I'm posting twice today. That news really put a damper on my day, and I feel like this entry would have been a lot peppier if I did it right when I got back from internship today.

Regardless, I got up at 7:30am to do 30DS. Still kicked my ass, though I think I only took two breaks (mostly during the planks). PLUS, I weighed in this morning and am officially UNDER 200 lbs: 199.8 lbs. :D BIG. FUCKING. ACCOMPLISHMENT.

I did a lot of moving around today since I went to the Disaster House shoot. I was painting, planting and sweeping. I was there from 9:30am until 5pm so I figured I burned a lot of calories doing that so I'm not concerned with a second cardio workout tonight. I'm pooped and just want to sit down and watch "Say Yes to the Dress." I did log 4 hours of "light cleaning" on MFP, and even though I'm sure I burned waaay more than that, I just count the rest as bonus burn. :)

Anyways, just wanted to log this information. I have a lot to do tomorrow too to get ready for SUNDAY--when I leave. YAY!

30 Day Shred: L2D2

Did it still kill me? YES. Did I still stop 4 or 5 times to catch my breath/let my arms rest? YES. Did I power through until the end? YES. DAMN YOU LEVEL TWO! I'm thinking fat people get screwed over by planks--we have more to hold up damnit. I can't sit in a plank for a minute AND try to twist my abs. Fuck.

As far as the weight, the scale is being its normal self again. I thought this morning I would be under 200 lbs, but alas, I weighed 200.4 lbs. I'm thinking it was the glass of water I chugged when I woke up. Oh well, as long as I'm under before I leave on Sunday, I'll be happy. :)

30 Day Shred: L2D1

Oops, I just realized I forgot to blog this morning. I was running a little behind so it's probably best anyways. Today was the first day of Level 2 and we all know how much I've been dreading it. (Can you imagine how much I'm going to hate Level 3?? I shudder.) It was pretty exhausting, but I survived. It was easier than the last time I did it though, that I remember. So hopefully, I'll make good progress with these next 10 days.

In other news, I weighed in this morning. Drumroll please...
Do you see that?? Weight was 200 lbs exactly. That hiking this weekend reeeally pushed my loss over that hurdle. HUZZAH! I might even weight tomorrow in hopes of being UNDER 200 lbs. Even though I still have like 30 lbs to lose (maybe, at most...), being in "ONE-derland" as MFP calls it is going to be AMAZING. :)

30 Day Shred: L1D8

I can't believe I'm up right now... I went and saw the midnight premiere of Harry Potter last night, so I didn't get to bed until at least 3am. But surprisingly, I'm pretty awake and when my alarm went off, I drank my water and got up. WHOA. And thus I have completed day 8 of Level 1.

I also realized that if I DON'T do both 30DS workouts this weekend (or either of them), I'll still be getting exercise because I know we'll be hiking and such. I'll just be two days behind, but I don't think it will be THAT big of a loss?

Speaking of loss, I may have hopped on the scale this morning just to see: 202.2 lbs. Now I'm not holding my breath--this weekend may mess that up or it may just change on its own cause my body is really, really REALLY fighting against the 190s. We'll see.

30 Day Shred: L1D6

NO BREAKS. I even may have upped the power on the jump ropes. But still, those anterior raises. DAYUM. It takes all I have to raise those 8 lb weights up to my eye level that I KNOW I'm not doing the leg exercise correctly. Oh well, my legs get enough exercise with the squats and running; I need to work on the arms anyways.

We'll see if I end up doing anymore exercise tonight, as long as it doesn't monsoon like it did last night. Ugh.

I'm also thinking I'll weigh in before I go to Crested Butte just to see what has changed, even though I'll probably blow it. It seems like anytime I'm not diligent, I gain six lbs. EFF.

30 Day Shred: L1D5

So I biked last night, and though I could feel a little soreness in my legs during the jumping jacks and such, it didn't affect me too badly. I'm still struggling with the anterior raises and I'm starting to realize that I might have to get smaller weights. UUUGGGHHH. Can someone donate a pair, please?

I'm also starting to wonder how this weekend is going to work--they will be the last two days of Level 1 and I'll be down in Crested Butte with friends. Hmm.

Last thought of the day: my legs are still slightly sore and I can only hope they get unsore before I weigh in or else they're going to screw up EVERYTHING. Everything. *dramatic*

30 Day Shred: L1D1

So today started my ambitious 30 workout regime. I restarted 30DS from Level 1, Day 1 and it was sad to see how much I regressed. I had to stop once to catch my breath during cardio and I wasn't as into my punching squats BUT I did do the unmodified butt kicks and my anterior raises were almost always to my eye level. You win some, you lose some.

I also made a neat Excel sheet to keep track of my runs/workouts with a weigh-in/measurement column after each Level completion.