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Jan 17, 2011

Remember Me?

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Hi. Oh, yeah, I did have a fitness blog here, didn’t I? Whoops.

OK, brutal honesty: December sucked. I didn’t exercise, I didn’t watch what I ate, and I certainly didn’t step on the scale. I ate with reckless abandon, enjoying all of the baked goods of the season gleefully. As the holidays got closer and free time was shorter, fast food became a staple as well.

And then it was the week after Christmas and I stepped on the scale. Ouch. I gained five pounds back.

So here we are, January, the month of fresh new starts, and I’m once again completely serious about losing weight. I’m using the Lose It app to track my eating, keeping myself under my calorie goal each day. I’m also relying on Healthy Choice meals once a day – they really help me feel full without the excessive calories. After a week of tracking, I think I’m getting good at remembering just how big an appropriate portion size is – turns out those pints of ice cream are not individual servings. And my stomach, while still grumbling a little at the changes, is adjusting to less food and shrinking to meet my current needs.

Exercise is a little tougher to control. I’m getting over a cold and still so very tired. My third-shift work hours don’t help this, either. I’m lucky to get 6 or 7 hours of sleep on a really good day, and when given the choice to exercise or get more sleep, I tend to choose sleep. But I’m trying to fit it in where I can. Last week I did an exercise DVD on Monday, and then went to the gym to run on Friday. Baby steps, right? Sadly, we still have a lot of snow and ice outside, so I don’t feel comfortable running outside yet. A treadmill at the house would be a wonderful thing to have, but I doubt we have any room for a treadmill at the moment.

After only a week or so of making active healthy choices, I’ve already been rewarded with a three pound weight loss. I know it won’t continue to go that fast, but it felt good to be a little bit closer to my lowest weight before I gave in to the season of gingerbread and buttercream frosting. As of my last weigh-in, I’m at 179.2 pounds.

Somehow I’m going to find the motivation to keep this momentum going. I want to be healthy. I want more energy. And I want to look stunning by summer. (Or hot by BlogHer, if you prefer.)

Filed Under: weigh-in · Tagged: , ,


Oct 20, 2010

Better for BlogHer – Three Months Later

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Three months ago I took on the Better for BlogHer challenge by Healthy Choice. I was asked to replace one meal a day with a Healthy Choice meal for three months to see if it would aid in my goals of losing weight and getting healthier. I already liked Healthy Choice meals, so I gladly accepted this challenge.

Now, at the end of three months, I can report my success. Since starting the Better for BlogHer challenge, I’ve lost 10 pounds. This was after being stuck at 187 pounds for more than 2 months prior to the challenge. Sure, it’s not a tremendous amount of weight, but it is 10 pounds that I no longer have to deal with.

What’s really impressive is that I continued slowly losing weight throughout a three month period that was filled with stress and temptation at every turn, especially during the last month. I’ve had to put in a lot of extra time at work during the past month, and all of that extra work has often meant convenience foods and practically no exercise whatsoever. And then I went to Las Vegas a week ago for BlogWorld Expo, and after indulging in some of the excess of Vegas, still managed to come home without gaining any weight.

I don’t have to tell all of you what stress can do to a body. It makes me want to eat nonstop, and it makes my body store every calorie it takes in. Yet during this past month I lost 3 pounds. While I fully pat myself on the back for this accomplishment, I also give a lot of credit to Healthy Choice for this loss for a couple of reasons.

First, the frozen meals are quick and easy to prepare without skimping on taste. When I needed to eat fast, I could toss one into the microwave and have a healthy, complete, portion-controlled meal in under 5 minutes. (And still get other things done while it was cooking!) It was so simple to toss one in my bag as I was walking out the door to go to work and know I didn’t need to spend more time thinking about what to eat for lunch.

Second, each Healthy Choice meal helped me learn about portion control. The meals are filling and tasty, but at the same time not too much food. One tip Tara Gidus taught me was to eat only enough to get you through until your next meal, and Healthy Choice meals are the perfect size to provide enough food to feel satisfied without feeling overly full. When I did go to BlogWorld in Vegas, it was far easier for me to enjoy all of the delicious foods there and stop eating when I was satisfied, rather than keep eating until I felt stuffed. I feel like I better understand what a meal portion should be now.

Overall, the Better for BlogHer challenge has been an extremely positive experience. I’ve enjoyed trying new varieties of Healthy Choice meals – including their new Steaming Entrees – and finding so many delicious flavors to add to my list of favorites. Eating one Healthy Choice meal a day was probably the easiest challenge I’ve ever accepted, and that one small change did help me lose the weight, along with making sure I got more veggies, fruit and whole grains into my diet.

Even though the challenge is coming to an end, I have no intention of stopping my new habits. Working third shift, my lunch choices are often limited, and in choosing between late-night takeout pizza or bringing a Healthy Choice frozen meal, I know the latter option is the one I will turn to most of the time. It’s easy, it’s delicious, and I know it’s better for my body and my health goals.

I certainly wasn’t perfect through the whole challenge. I had days where fast food won out, or office parties filled with pizza and cake, and of course the entire past month I’ve had no time to exercise. It’s possible I could have lost more weight had I stuck to the plan closely, but let’s be honest – I’m not a saint, and life is going to get in the way of the best plans.

I’m thrilled that despite my slip-ups and mistakes, I’m still 10 pounds lighter than where I started. It came off slowly and I have every intention of keeping it off for good. If you saw me dancing at BlogWorld on Friday night, then you know I’m loving my new weight and feeling more comfortable in my own skin.

I’ve learned that small changes can have a big impact. If you’re starting this journey of losing weight, and you’re worried about failing, start with small changes that can become permanent lifestyle changes. It’s so much easier to commit to one small change, master that change, and then make another small change.

Thank you, Healthy Choice, for the Better for BlogHer challenge! I’m grateful for your support in helping me lose weight and explore healthier eating habits, and I think the lessons of the past three months will continue on as permanent lifestyle changes.

Full disclosure: I was selected to participate in the Healthy Choice Better for BlogHer challenge, and as a participant I was provided with compensation for my time as well as coupons for free Healthy Choice meals. All opinions of Healthy Choice and the challenge are my genuine and honest opinions, and are most definitely influenced by my losing 10 pounds over the past three months.

Filed Under: food, success, weigh-in · Tagged:


Oct 11, 2010

The Leaves Are Falling & My Weight Is Too

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The stress of the past few weeks has been hard. Not only was I sick with a stomach virus, right in the middle of a crisis situation at work that required mandatory overtime, but then I came down with a cold last week just to feel completely miserable again.

It’s true – stress robs you of your ability to stay healthy. When you’re stressed and lacking in sleep, your body’s defenses are down and any passing infection can breeze right in past security without even a pat-down and get to work making you feel horrible. Viruses and stress are the original terrorists, working together to take us down from our position at the top of the natural order.

I’ve barely slept the past few weeks. I certainly haven’t had time to work out. And many of my meals haven’t been the best. (Although I’m still sticking to one Healthy Choice meal per day for my Better for BlogHer Challenge – honestly, grabbing a meal out of the freezer is the easiest part of my day.)

I knew my weight crossed into the 170’s after the stomach virus from hell, but I also knew it was likely temporary and that once I replaced my fluids it would bounce back up. As predicted, I stepped on the scale several days later and it was back at 181 pounds. Seeing the 180’s was a little depressing, but I knew that my short dip into the 170’s was really just a mirage brought on by dehydration.

For two weeks now I’ve avoided the scale. I haven’t had the time to focus on myself due to work, and I made the mental decision to not worry about the damage that happens during this stressful time and accept that once work calms down again, I’ll get back to running, get back to really focusing on my diet, and get back to finding some inner peace again. It seemed like the best decision to make, considering what I’ve been up against: stress, no sleep, long work hours, fast food when necessary (which is often), and no time to work out.

So I’ll admit I was a little surprised when I stepped on my scale before my shower Saturday morning and saw this number greeting me:

(Sorry for the blurry pic. I never expected to report the number, but when I saw this my iPhone camera was the only thing in reach.)

Of course I’m thrilled to see 177.8 pounds, although I’m not exactly sure how I got there. I know I’ve had more than an acceptable share of McDonald’s to eat and my running shoes can attest that they’ve been neglected for weeks now. Losing weight easily is a myth to me, so I’m a little perplexed by this development.

But I’ll take it, and as soon as work calms down I hope to get back to taking care of myself and working hard to drive that number even lower. My next mini-goal is to see the 160’s before the new year – a difficult challenge, indeed, considering the season of holiday eating is nearly upon us.

Anyone else ever have a surprise loss on the scale when you were certain you’d see a gain?

Filed Under: success, weigh-in · Tagged:


Sep 20, 2010

March of Dimes Night Moves 5K Results

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After the BlogHer 5K, I knew I needed to sign up for another 5K to keep me motivated or I’d simply stop exercising like I did a year ago.

I signed up for the March of Dimes Night Moves 5K for a few reasons. First, it benefits March of Dimes, a charity I have always supported. Second, it was at night, and since I work third shift I tend to do better running on a nocturnal schedule.

A few weeks ago I suffered a back injury that made it difficult to run for a little while. My training slowed as a result and I continued to be stuck at 25 minutes of running max. Last week I did manage one 28 minute run, but only to avoid social interactions. So I knew going into this race that it was nearly certain I’d be walking for part of it. My motto was “Just don’t finish last.”

Friday night the area around Front Street was packed with people, and I immediately felt excited when I walked into the plaza and saw the crowd. After I picked up my shirt and goody bag, I changed into my shirt and began stretching for the race.

Pre-race posing

Shortly after that, Brooke found me. She left a comment here last week saying she would be running this 5K as well, and I told her I hoped she would come find me. Thankfully she did and I quickly made a new blog pal! We talked about how neither of us had run a full 5K, and decided we’d run together. I warned her I was slow and gave her full permission to leave me in the dust if I started walking. (To be fair, she gave me the same permission, but I thought it doubtful that she would be slower than me.)

We cheered on the 5-mile racers as they started before the 5K runners, and then took our place in the pack. The run started on a hill – going up, of course – but the crowd was buzzing with excitement and as we started running I watched as other people darted around us. I was determined to keep it slow and steady, though, and not overdo it at the beginning. Brooke was kind enough to slow down and stay with me.

Everything felt great for the first mile or so. I fell into a good breathing pattern, and even managed to pass a few people who were already walking.

The second mile was harder, though. I started to reach the threshold of my running limits, and felt that sharp ache in my side. I tried altering my breathing to force it to go away, and it would help for awhile, but then it came back again. I could now start to hear my breathing over my music. My right shoulder started to hurt, too. The urge to walk was becoming stronger, but Brooke was still running, so I was determined to stay with her.

The last mile – especially the last half mile – was pain, pure and simple. My side hurt, my shoulder hurt, my lungs burned, and I felt like I was going to throw up. When we made the final turn towards the finish line, I wondered if I could make it or not. On one hand, I could see the finish line way up ahead, so it seemed silly to stop running now when I was so close. On the other hand, panic was beginning to set in and I wondered if I’d black out before I made it to the finish line. I could easily hear my breathing over the music now, which meant people a quarter mile away could likely hear it as well. I sounded like I was drowning in my own mucous.

With the finish line only a few blocks away, I made my mind up to finish this damn race running. Of course, that then meant I had to convince my body to go along with what my mind decided. I’m sure I was grunting at this point as I had to mentally force my feet to keep moving, force my arms to keep swinging, and force my body to move forward. I know I was swearing at myself to keep going.

And then at 41 minutes and 4 seconds, I crossed the finish line. Running. I didn’t plan this accomplishment – I thought myself several weeks away from graduating from the couch to 5K program. Yet there it was: I ran an entire 5K.

How did I feel after the run? Mostly happy that it was over, honestly. I had to sit down and suck in some air for a little while to feel OK again, and my legs still felt wobbly for the rest of the night.

Me & Brooke, post-race. I’m impressed I’m standing.

I woke up the next day feeling like I’d been hit by a car. Everything hurt – especially my back and sides. I guess my next goal will be to work on relaxing while running so I’m not so tense.

Big thanks to Brooke for running with me – I strongly doubt I would’ve kept running without seeing her still running beside me.

Up next? Well, I want to keep working on my distance, as I doubt I’ll be able to repeat that 5K in my own neighborhood with no one running next to me and no race to participate in. So I’ll go back to C25K and keep slowly working up my time. I might start working some intervals back in as well, trying to increase my speed just a wee bit.

And I’ve already selected my next 5K – the Fright Night 5K in October. Nothing like running through a haunted graveyard and woods at night to keep you moving! 

Believe me, folks – if I can do this, you can, too. I used to be the lump on the couch, the woman circling the parking lot for 10 minutes to get the slightly closer parking spot. It’s not easy, but it is possible.

Filed Under: c25k, running, success · Tagged: ,


Sep 15, 2010

The 5K Looming Ahead of Me

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I’ve been having a lot of trouble with the 25 minute mark in running. Ever since BlogHer I’ve managed to run a full 25 minutes straight only a couple of times, and other times my legs have given out at the 22 or 23 minute instead. It’s been frustrating.

But Monday night, I set out to do a 25 minute run again, and a funny thing happened: I ran for 28 minutes – the next step on Couch to 5K. I’d like to say I did it due to great stamina and mental conditioning, but the truth is far more humble and a little funny.

As I looked at my iPhone and realized I had less than a minute left to run, I noticed two of my neighbors walking up ahead of me, going the same direction I was. At 20 seconds left, a quick calculation in my head made me realize that if I went into my cool down walk right at 25 minutes, I’d be stopping roughly at the same spot they were at. Which would mean I’d likely have to talk to them. We don’t get along all that well, and I really wasn’t in the mood to talk, anyway.

So I kept running. I ran right past them, my huffing and puffing a perfectly good excuse to not say hello or even acknowledge them as I focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I had to make sure I got far enough away before slowing to a walk – to keep it from looking obvious – so I gritted my teeth through the pain in my side and finished 28 minutes of running.

Social awkwardness: who knew it was such a great motivator?

This Friday I’ll be running in the March of Dimes Night Moves 5K. My hope was to run this one entirely, but I know I’m not quite ready for that yet, so I plan to run as much as possible and be proud just to finish. Well, that’s the plan, but I’m worried that I’ll come away disappointed if I don’t put in a certain level of performance, too.

As much as I want to run an entire 5K, I know that my body is still adjusting to the idea of being a runner. It will happen, though, and I’m hoping that the excitement of being at a 5K race again will push me to go a little further without walking.

Hey, I did 28 minutes straight, right? Maybe I just need to imagine the people in front of me are my neighbors who might want to have an awkward talk?

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