Happy Problems

Oops! Looks like I've missed out on a couple of weeks of blogging. And as I sit and type these words waiting for my computer to catch up and show them on the screen, I am reminded why.

(Dumb computer.)

Let's see if it will cooperate long enough to get an update up here.

Last Monday I weighed in at 214.0. That made for a 2.8 pound loss for the week,12.8 pounds total.

This Monday, today, I weighed in again and lost another pound. 13.8 pounds lost since January 2012 and 68.5 pounds lost since May 2011.

Baby steps. They are good baby steps, but this infantile struggle is driving me bonkers. This is taking FOREVER! I keep struggling with the same 2 pounds. Gaining and losing it over and over. I'm ready to move on! Grr.

Really what do I have to complain about? I have lost almost 70 pounds in less than a year. That's awesome. It's just going to be harder from here on out. I get that. I can't let the daily grind get me down and make me blind to the big picture.

Oh, but I do love to whine, don't I? I realized that I've started complaining lately about a few things that, really, are happy problems.

I've gotten too small for most of my clothes, but can't afford a whole new wardrobe. For now I keep wearing all these things are barely hanging onto my hips and shoulders. Sad, right?
I can't--ahem--"fill up" my bras anymore. My bust was one of the first things to go with my weight loss. My cup no longer runneth o'er.
My armpits are getting harder to shave. They are rapidly receding and becoming concave.
Before, when I would cuddle with my husband I was so embarrassed of all my "fluff". Now the fluff is deflating, leaving lots of sag. All this extra skin is grotesque and embarrassing on the other end of the spectrum. Never did plastic surgery seem so appealing.
My wedding ring no longer fits. I lose it all the time if I move my hands too energetically.
My winter coat is so baggy that I get drafts up the back all the time now.

These are things I feel foolish whining about. I'd much rather have these problems than the ones I had a few months ago: feelings of inadequacy, poor self-esteem, always being out of breath, a fatty liver, clothes that don't fit because they are too tight, etc.

Looks like my computer is tired of my rambling and isn't going to let me go on much longer.That's probably for the best.

Something good that I did this week: I started P90X again. Now I'm doing a P90X workout 6 days of the week as well as running three days a week. I usually can't fall asleep very quickly at night. That hasn't been an issue this week.

Something to improve upon: SUGAR! UGH!! It is one of my biggest weaknesses. I had vowed to leave it behind cold turkey until my birthday in April, but then I remembered that my friend Sami was going to be staying with me this week. She has three requests: 1- "I want to try sushi", 2- "Show me how to make Muddy Buddies", and 3- "Two words. Mrs. See's". I can't be a bad hostess! Her wish is my command. Never mind that I was probably subconsciously looking for any escape clause from my sugar sabbatical. *sigh* Next week. I've got to get serious about it. This is probably the biggest reason I can't seem to shake these two pounds and move on.

What I've been listening to: I moved my treadmill so it was facing my computer. Hulu.com is fantastic entertainment during those tri-weekly runs. A little Saturday Night Live. Some Parks and Rec. Life is good. And those runs never went by so quickly.

Superbowl 2012: Some Giants Won. Some...Not So Much.

Great game yesterday, right?
I'm not the biggest football fan. I don't have a team or watch sports faithfully, but I enjoy a good Superbowl Sunday.

It may or may not be mostly because of all the food.

Okay. That's exactly why I like the Superbowl. It's a chance to hang with family and EAT FOOD.

I made lots of goodies, but I was good about the goodies. I had a few of this and a couple of that. I only filled my plate once. I drank water over any of the sugary stuff. And I stopped as soon as I was full.

So after stepping on the scale this morning, I'm feeling a bit like a Patriot player. Stunned. Wondering what the heck happened. And in need of some comfort.

I didn't lose. I didn't maintain. I didn't even gain a little. I gained TWO POUNDS! TWO FLIPPING POUNDS?!

I was already in a cranky mood when I got up this morning, but that weight gain just about pushed me over the edge. As I was getting breakfast ready for the kids I opened the fridge and saw a plate with some chocolate covered strawberries left from the party the night before. Ahh. Sweet comfort.

What's the point? I try and try and work my behind off all week only to gain weight because I had a little Superbowl food the night before. And I was being "good". What if I had gone crazy like I had wanted to? Forget it. I'm done.

Chocolate covered strawberries. Get in my belly.

I popped one in my mouth. Chewed. And spit it out. This is not going to help the situation. But this is how I roll. When the going gets tough...you eat.

I popped another one in. Chewed. And again...spit it out.

Evelyn. Get a grip. Are two pounds worth this?Are you going to throw away all that you have accomplished so far? Are you going to give up any time your weight fluctuates like this?

No.

What was that?

NO!!

So I stuck it to those two pounds. During my run this morning I did an extra 10 minutes of running and 15 minutes of walking. Take that 2 pounds!! I walked away from the treadmill realizing that I have gained far more than 2 pounds. I have gained knowledge. I have gained self control. I have gained gumption.

It's a 2 pounds gain this week, but who knows? Maybe next week it will be a 5 pound loss. And even if it isn't...Oh well. At least I'm trying. At least I'll be farther along athletically. At least I won't be as depressed and out of shape. At least I can complain with reason.

Congratulations to the Giants for winning the Superbowl! And congrats to this Jolly Green Giant for winning her own Superbowl!

Happy Monday Ya'all!

Something I did great on this week: I tried clothes on at the store and although I didn't buy anything, I didn't have to go to the Plus Size section to find clothes that fit!!

Something to improve on: Measure carefully when it comes to food. Maybe I'm screwing up on my calorie counting. *shrugs shoulders*

What I'm listening to: Rio movie soundtrack.

The Fat Leading the Fat

After almost 67 pounds lost I think it's safe to say I'm on this weight loss journey for the long haul. It's a little terrifying to write that out, like I could jinx something and wake up tomorrow morning 67 pounds heavier. But I'm going to be brave, hope that I've learned a few life lessons, and be bold enough to offer a little help to others who may be on this journey as well or considering it. I wanted to share a few tips and bits of advice.

Let me be clear on one thing. I'm no expert. This is definitely the blind leading the blind...or the fat leading the fat if you will.

And I may have already done this, but I'm too lazy to go back and look. Maybe I would be more willing if it burned calories, but I don't think manipulating the mouse for 15 minutes is going to cancel out those cinnamon hot lips candies I had after lunch.

Without further adieu here are some things I do to help me on my weight loss journey:

-I am a big time nibbler, especially during meal preparation. To thwart off nibbling on things like cheese and lovely starchy things that should only be eaten in small portions, I keep a bag or bowl of fresh veggies on the counter top while I cook. This keeps my mouth busy and happy. A conveniently placed, sliced up cucumber or some celery or carrot sticks can save me hundreds of calories.

-Instead of watching TV at night I have been playing Lego Harry Potter on the Wii. I've never been a big gamer, but being a single married at night after the kids go to bed can get awfully boring and lonely. If I'm just sitting and watching TV, I'm thinking about all the food sitting in the cupboards. Thus I am more likely to indulge in late night snacking. If my fingers and brain are engaged in a game, I don't overeat. Plus, Lego Harry Potter is so much dang fun. Childish, but fun.

-I chew gum to keep my mouth busy.

-Weigh yourself often. I only "count" the weights I have on Monday mornings, but I'll admit it. I have compulsive scale disorder. I weigh myself every morning, every night, and before I get in the shower after working out. That's a tad too much I'm sure. Probably every morning would be fine. But it helps me to keep my goals in mind.

-I workout in the morning. This fresh reminder of how hard it is to work off a few hundred calories sticks with me through the day and helps me not to overindulge throughout the day.

-I try not to keep seductive food in the house. (Eat me. Eat me! You know you want me. Now, EAT ME!) If I buy candy or treats I buy ones that I don't particularly enjoy. (Naughty food.)

-When it comes to workouts I have to remember and re-remember all the time that often the hardest part of the workout is getting to it. Once I'm working out those positive vibes are vibing and the workout doesn't seem that bad. It's that time leading up to it where you're dreading it that's the worse. Keep that in mind and like they say "JUST DO IT" when it comes time to workout.

-I have been thrifting all of my clothes that I'm getting too small for. I never want to fit into them again. I have no intention of ever wearing them again. I don't want to keep them around. They're like bad omens or karma that have to go.

-The other day I bought a new (SPANDEX!) outfit and it has done wonders for my eagerness to workout. It's fun having new clothes, even if they're workout clothes! I can't wait to have some spare cash and time to go buy a new pair of running shoes.

-I got tired of listening to the same old songs on my Pandora.com stations when I run. I've started listening to podcasts, NPR, and talk radio. It helps to pass the time and I feel a lot smarter afterwards too.

-Blogging. Blogging has been huge for my weight loss progress. It gives me a place to record my progress and failings, to interact with others in my same situation, to set my goals in a highly visible place, and to feel accountable. My weight loss blog has been more helpful than I ever would have thought. Embarrassing...yes. But helpful too!

-Tracking calories on myfitnesspal.com. I never thought I would be a calorie tracker, but this has been a fantastic weight loss aid so far. I'm much better at watching exactly how much and of what I'm eating. Sometimes when I try to lose weight I go on a bit of an unintentional food strike, but this helps me to remember that it is okay to eat, that you NEED to eat to fuel your body. I'm almost surprised at how much I get to eat and still lose weight. I love that you can have "friends" on there too who can cheer and encourage you on! And the ipad and iphone apps make it super easy to use. Even a computer backward person like me can figure it out.

-I read once that to eat healthily one should "Eat like a queen at breakfast. Eat like a princess for lunch. And eat like a pauper at dinner." We really do need the bulk of our calories/energy in the morning to propel us through the day. It's okay to have a big breakfast. It's okay to eat a hearty lunch. It's good to take it easy at night. This bit of information helps me make better food choices.

-Drink water with lemon slices in it. This is supposed to help the body with water retention due to too much salt ingestion.

I think that's probably enough babbling for now. Let me know if any of this is helpful or new. And please share if you have some tips. I would love to hear them!