The Pursuit of Healthyness

Damage Control. Yeah, Again.

2008-08-20T10:27:00.000-06:00

I'm a fat miserable cow.

Damage control.

School starts next week. It's a fresh start. Time to get serious about this thing again. I don't even know why I'm doing this to myself. It only makes me feel like crap. At least I got down to a healthy weight before I started feeling like this. If I still had like 20 pounds to go, I would feel even more miserable and be even more inclined to give up. But I'm not giving up. Even if this whole week ends up being horrible and I end up gaining a few pounds... It will be ok, because I can get back on track and lose them again. I've done this for nearly 9 months, I've lost over 50 pounds, there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to get back on track again!

I feel like I'm letting everyone down when I do this. Like somewhere in the back of all of your minds was the thought, "Yeah, she's doing great now, but she'll stall out at some point. She always does. And then she'll give up." I know that thought was there because I had it too. I do always stall out, and then give up. I guess the key is to not let the stall make me want to give up. So I haven't been trying as hard, so I've been slipping. I haven't completely lost it. I do have a plan.

Starting TODAY, not next week, I'm back to the me who started this thing in November. Healthy eating 6 days a week, and a "Cheat Day" on Saturdays, but a healthy Cheat Day like I used to do. No more free for all just because it's Saturday. I'm supposed to be forming life long habits, and that doesn't happen by eating great all week and then diving face first into every snack I see on Saturdays. And Sundays, as it's been for the past 6 weeks. No, I've got to get back to where I was.

I'm sorry if nobody wants to read about my struggles, but that's what's been going on. I personally hate blogs where the writers whine every single entry about how they tried but they just can't do it, so I don't want to be that kind of blog, but the truth is I have been having a hard time right now, and I'm not entirely sure why. The anxiety I wrote about before has gone, but now I'm starting to worry about getting fat again. I guess I need to keep that thought at the forefront of my mind so that it doesn't happen.

Ok, I think that's about all the drivel I've got for the day. Thanks for reading.

Too Early

2008-08-19T08:17:00.002-06:00

It is way too early to be awake right now. But I have that CS149 test today, at 10, so I had to get up at 7. Kill me.

Here's to a great rest of the week, the last week before fall semester starts. Bah, I really should be sleeping in today.

ATTENTION RACH:

2008-08-18T11:14:00.005-06:00

I am trying to write you back but Myspace says you only allow messages from friends. I tried sending you a friend request, but Myspace says you only accept friend requests from people who know your last name or e-mail address. That is why I haven't written you back. I really appreciated your messages and I am trying to get in contact with you! If you read this, use the "Email Me" link at the bottom of my stats!

Weigh In Day... Moving In the Right Direction!

2008-08-16T12:08:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud!! On my run/walk last night, I did the same route as Wednesday, 1.57 miles, in 19 minutes 7 seconds! My average pace was 12:11, and my average speed was 4.93 mph, and I burned 157 calories! I'm so proud of myself, I'm making such progress! My legs are killing me today, but it only means I'm working my muscles!

Ok, on to the weigh in. Down half a pound this week!

11-25-07: 190
12-2-07: 185.5
12-9-07: 182
12-16-07: 180
12-23-07: 179.5
12-30-07: 178.5
1-6-08: 174
1-13-08: 176.5
1-20-08: 173.5
1-27-08: 176
2-3-08: 175
2-10-08: 172.5
2-17-08: 170
2-24-08: 169
3-2-08: 166
3-9-08: 164.5
3-16-08: 163
3-23-08: 162
3-30-08: 159.5
4-6-08: 158
4-13-08: 156.5
4-20-08: 156
4-27-08: 153.5
5-3-08: 154.5
5-10-08: 151
5-17-08: 150.5
5-24-08: 150
5-31-08: 148
6-7-08: 146
6-14-08: 144.5
6-21-08: 143
6-28-08: 141.5
7-4-08: 140
7-12-08: 140
7-19-08: 139
7-26-08: 139
8-2-08: 138.5
8-9-08: 139.5
8-16-08: 139

TGIF

2008-08-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

Once I really got up and moving yesterday, I realized how sore I was from my adventure outdoors (mostly in the glutes and inner thighs), so I decided to "take it easy" last night and walk on the treadmill. I think what I'm going to do is walk outside Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and then stick with the treadmill Tuesdays and Thursdays. Partly to change things up and give my body a little shock, but also because that way I figure I can kind of "rest" on the days when I'm not outside, since it's totally flat and my pace never varies and I've done it a million times, that sort of thing. And I hope Wednesday wasn't a fluke, and that I can do it in the same time (or less) when I go on my run tonight! I'm really sore again today, but I still think I can do it.

Since Monday, things have been great on the eating front. I was feeling snacky last night, but I decided it wouldn't be worth it. So I ended the day at 1,224 calories yesterday, we already know I got my workout in, and I drank my 2 gallons of water. I just have to get through today, find out the damage tomorrow, and I have my weekend again!

P.S. Did any of you watch that episode of True Life, "I Can't Stay Thin," with that guy Adam from YouTube? Remember the part where he talked about how all he needed to do was go to bed so he could wake up and weigh himself, and that was his favorite part of the day? I can totally relate to that feeling. I know. It's sad.

What Does It Mean To Be Healthy?

2008-08-14T10:29:00.009-06:00

All of this lack of focus I've been having the past couple weeks has got me thinking. This blog is called "the Pursuit of Healthyness," so I should be pursuing "healthyness", right? Or I'm a big fat fraud. But what is "healthyness"? Is it seeing the perfect number on the scale? Logically, I know it's not, even though I tend to lose myself in the weighting game. A lot. And I have considered not weighing, but I'm just afraid to not know. Plus, I like to keep track of the stats. I'm a geek. I make graphs.

But look at my header. You would think, looking at that, that I consider "healthyness" to be eating the right foods, maintaining (but not obsessing over) a healthy weight, and exercising consistently. And the more I've thought about it the past couple weeks, the more I've realized that those are the things I should be focused on. And that's going to take a lot of work, because sometimes I'm lazy and I don't want to exercise consistently. Sometimes it's hard to choose the right foods. Sometimes I'm freaking out and the only thing that I think will make me feel better is cheese. But have I ever tried anything else? No, I really haven't. One of these days, I hope my body goes, hey, maybe some exercise will make this feeling go away. Maybe I need to start exercising when I'm freaking out, so my body will start to associate that with feeling better, instead of stuffing my face. It takes time. But you know what? Maybe that learning and growth is also part of what it means to be healthy. Maybe that's part of having a healthy body and mind, because you can definitely have one and not the other, and the goal should be to have both. So I think that's what I need to work on: the whole package.

What does being healthy mean to you?

Last night, I did my first ever run/walk outside. That's right, I ventured off of my treadmill. And, I actually ran. I was worried about how I looked because I had my pants hiked up so my thighs wouldn't rub together and I looked like I was wearing flood plants, and my shirt kept riding up over my belly. But I did it anyway, and you know what? I enjoyed it. This is the route I did (courtesy of MapMyRun.com, which is an awesome site):

Click on image to view larger version.

I did the bottom part first (this picture was taken by satellite in 2006 before our house was built, our house is where the green Start icon is), then up to the top part, then back down to the bottom part. I did all of that, which is 1.57 miles, in 20 minutes 47 seconds, and I burned 139 calories (I usually don't even burn that much walking 30 minutes on the treadmill). My average pace was 13:14 (hello, fastest I've ever gone?) and my average speed was 4.53 mph. I'm seriously impressed with myself.

I Got This.

2008-08-13T10:18:00.002-06:00

I don't remember where I read it, but I recently read that sometimes you have to sacrifice what you want right now to get what you want more than anything, and it really clicked. This is exceedingly true when it comes to weight loss/getting healthy. Do you guys remember when I freaked out about eating chips and a fruit cup on a Saturday, instead of just picking one or the other? And now, it's like I eat everything in sight, all weekend long. And I still can't figure out what the answer is. Some sort of "meet me halfway" thing? I don't know. But I do know that if I want to figure out a way to have a healthy lifestyle for my whole life, I have to get it figured out. And I have to keep working on it. This "all or nothing" mentality just isn't going to fly in the long run. So I'm working on it.

Yesterday, I ate 1,208 calories. I walked 1.862 miles in 30 minutes on my treadmill. And I drank 2 gallons of water.

It's amazing how much better your body feels after just 1 day on plan.

I got this. I just have to remember that I got this, even when I don't.

One day at a time.

No Guilt.

2008-08-12T10:29:00.000-06:00

I have had an anxiety attack every day for nearly 2 weeks now. And for some reason, last night I decided that food would make it better. Yeah, I screwed up.

The scale was down today, though. And I'll be on track the rest of the week (didn't I say that yesterday?).

The bad thing about making such lofty goals for yourself (e.g. yesterday) is that when you fail, it's that much more disappointing.

Note to self: It's ok to screw up, it's ok to lose your focus. Just don't lose your focus to the tune of 50+ pounds. You can do this, even if you have some setbacks. Look how far you've come! You will do this!

Oh Monday

2008-08-11T13:11:00.002-06:00

Hey guys, not too much going on today. It's hot and humid and I ate too much salt yesterday. I ate too much everything yesterday. I don't want to talk about it. I'll just say this: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. But, this will a perfectly on plan week. I'll stay under 1,250 calories every day for the week, I'll get my 30 minutes of exercise in every day, and on Saturday I will weigh 139.5 or less.

That's all I have for today.

Singing Schnauzer

2008-08-10T15:21:00.000-06:00

Hey guys. Going to be on track today, and nothing is going to stop me!

And I promise you, in the video yesterday, yes, I was down, but it was not about the weight. There is other stuff going on. Yes, Scott and I are ok. No, I don't want to talk about it. But there is other stuff going on. And it happened about an hour before making the video, which is why I wasn't very enthusiastic. It wasn't that I wasn't enthusiastic about actually making the video, I wanted to make it, I just couldn't think of anything to say because my brain was sticking on the things going on. And I figure it's better to be myself than try to act all Merry Sunshine and be fake, because I can't stand that. So sorry if I just sat there in front of the camera (isn't that what I normally do anyway?) but that's me. Take it or leave it.

(Again, not trying to offend anyone, just addressing some things that have come up.)

P.S. Yay Michael Phelps!

Weigh In Day... Back on Track

2008-08-09T13:29:00.000-06:00

Hey guys, gained a pound this week but it's my own fault. It's ok though, this coming week will be better!

P.S. It's certainly been quiet around here, you guys still out there?

11-25-07: 190
12-2-07: 185.5
12-9-07: 182
12-16-07: 180
12-23-07: 179.5
12-30-07: 178.5
1-6-08: 174
1-13-08: 176.5
1-20-08: 173.5
1-27-08: 176
2-3-08: 175
2-10-08: 172.5
2-17-08: 170
2-24-08: 169
3-2-08: 166
3-9-08: 164.5
3-16-08: 163
3-23-08: 162
3-30-08: 159.5
4-6-08: 158
4-13-08: 156.5
4-20-08: 156
4-27-08: 153.5
5-3-08: 154.5
5-10-08: 151
5-17-08: 150.5
5-24-08: 150
5-31-08: 148
6-7-08: 146
6-14-08: 144.5
6-21-08: 143
6-28-08: 141.5
7-4-08: 140
7-12-08: 140
7-19-08: 139
7-26-08: 139
8-2-08: 138.5
8-9-08: 139.5

When You Fall Off, Just Get Back On

2008-08-08T12:11:00.001-06:00

I tried something new last night. I call it chicken marinara, and I just cooked 4 oz. of chicken, 2 oz. of Trader Joe's multigrain pasta, and half a cup of Classico brand marinara sauce (actually it was fire roasted tomato & garlic sauce but close enough), it was 340 calories, and really good! I decided I didn't want to make that chicken pasta salad stuff that I was supposed to have this week, so I threw this together with what I had. I'll definitely have to try it again!

I did really good yesterday, ended up at 1,231 calories for the day, drank my 2 gallons of water, and did my exercise, and today should be just as good, so hopefully I won't gain too much. I know I probably will have a gain, though. Just, please weight loss gods, not over 140! But I'm going to get really serious about this again, like I was in the beginning. Not that I'm not serious now, but I'm going to try to stay under 1,250 calories every day except Saturday (and Sunday, but not go over 1,350 on Sunday), get my exercise in every week day no matter what, and just really concentrate until I get down to 130. I'm so close, I can taste it.

That's all today, sorry if it was really boring today.

P.S. Olympics! Yay!

P.P.S. UNM overrode my prerequisite for the CS149 test, so now I'm registered to go take the test on August 19! One step closer to my degree!

P.P.P.S. Congratulations, Jewel and Ty Murray!

Damage Control

2008-08-07T11:01:00.000-06:00

Hey guys. It's been quiet around here lately, huh?

So, I've been off the wagon for 2 days. Tuesday I was good all day up until dinner time. Then I said screw it and had a frozen pizza. Then I got all snacky. Yesterday I didn't even try to be on plan. So today and tomorrow are going to be what I lovingly call "Damage Control." I'm hoping, if I gain, I don't go above 140, because I don't want to go above my 50 pound mark. And yes, I feel guilty, yes, I know why I did it, no, I don't want to talk about it. Everything's ok now and I'll get back on track. I haven't gone off plan in the middle of the week in a long time. But I think sometimes you need a thing like that because when you do get back on, it just reminds you how much better it feels to be eating healthy. So, that's all I wanted to say today. I think I've come up with a title for my book, but I'm afraid someone will steal it... Not that any other aspiring chick lit authors read my blog (as far as I know), but you never know.

P.S. GPA for the semester: 4.0

What the Frig, UNM.

2008-08-05T12:27:00.000-06:00

Here we go again with UNM. For my degree, I have to take a class called Computing for Business Students, or I can test out of it. I was planning on taking it this summer, but it was going to be a big hassle to get registered because it has a prerequisite of Math 120, which I never took. See, my ACT scores in high school were high enough that I was able to go straight to Math 121, and skip 120, and since I just completed Math 180, I obviously don't need 120. But the way their system works, it still says I have to have that class in my record or it won't let my register. So I decided instead of going through the hassle of having the prereq overridden, I would just test out of it. Well guess what? Beginning August 1 (4 days ago), they got rid of the old testing system, and now you have to register for the test the same way you would a class. So what does that mean? That means I still have to deal with this prerequisite bullshit. And 3 weeks before fall starts is quite possibly the worst time to try and get a hold of anyone in the registrar's office, so it's going to take a while. But the test is on August 19, so I need to get registered! Especially since I have to apply for Anderson no later than October 1, and I have to have either completed or be completing all of my prerequisites this semester, or I'll be stuck with no classes to take in the spring. I hate UNM's administration system. I wish they'd get their damn act together. This should have been taken care of, let's see, about 4 years ago when I first went to UNM and they had my test scores and transcripts transferred from my high school.

And that's what I'm dealing with today.

Begin Week 1!

2008-08-04T11:11:00.003-06:00

Hey guys, sorry I didn't post yesterday. I've been feeling very out of it the last couple days.

I had 2 anxiety attacks this weekend, and I couldn't figure out why. But Saturday night I had a dream that my math instructor was desperately trying to get a hold of me to talk about my grade, so I think I'm just worried about my grade. Not that I won't do well, but you can never really relax until the grades have been submitted, you know?

I was determined to count calories yesterday, because I was thinking back on the first time I joined Weight Watchers (May of 2005), and how I lost 23 pounds in 2 and a half months, to go from 150 to 127. And I realized if I could do it then, I should be able to get there again, right? And it shouldn't take any longer than it did then, right? Although I am eating more now than I was then (20 points is only about 1,000 calories), and I'm a little older (but how much difference can 3 years make?). I just figured the only thing holding me back right now is the fact that I've been taking whole weekends off. So I was determined to get back on. Did I? Guess. That's right, I didn't. And I mean, I don't feel guilty, I just know that if I'm only going to be on plan 71% of the time, as opposed to 86% of the time, it's going to take longer.

So there's that. Next up: I've officially been rejected by 2 literary agents. But there are a lot more out there, and I'm refining my query letter, and hopefully one day I'll run across an agent who just loves the sound of my book, and they will sign me. As the last agent to reject me said, this business is subjective and opinions vary widely. But all it takes is one "yes!" So I'm going to keep looking. I just hope I can get signed by the time I'm finished writing, and if I'm not signed yet by that point, that's when I'll probably really start looking into self-publishing.

Any of you who read chick lit, does the title "Diary of a Twentysomething" sound intriguing, or generic? I think generic, but so far can't think of anything better.

And since school's out, I have 2 hours before I have to be at work. I'm going to read. Laters peeps.

P.S. Weigh in.

P.P.S. Progress pictures.

Weigh In Day... A Loss Is a Loss

2008-08-02T13:48:00.002-06:00

Hey guys, down half a pound this week!

July Recap

2008-08-01T15:18:00.004-06:00

I actually almost forgot to do this, because I didn't even realize today is AUGUST 1. Woah. Where does the time go?

The Good
-I lost 2.5 pounds!
-I hit the 50 pound mark!
-I got into the 130's!
-The scale did not define me. Although some people thought it did.
-I decided I like the way I look.
-I decided to run a race... someday.
-I joined the Lucky 7s Challenge.
-I was told I've lost enough weight.
-I was ok with my second "Stay the Same" weigh in.
-I took 3 Sundays off in a row. And I was ok with it.
-I learned that muscle retains water (I really didn't know that before).
-I pondered trying yoga.
-I realized that the weight I'm losing now is want weight, not need weight.
-I got a new computer.
-I got an awesome new razor.
-I bought www.thepursuitofhealthyness.com.
-I redesigned the blog. Twice.
-I learned a little more about HTML/CSS.
-I calibrated my scale and learned that it is inaccurate by 1 pound.
-I did not give up.
-I did not let frustration get the best of me.
-PastaQueen was amazing.
-I thought about joining a choir.
-I watched some funny videos.
-I sang.
-I started writing a book (and am up to 13,000 words)!
-I finally finished the book I started reading before school started!
-Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie had babies!

The Bad
-I only lost 2.5 pounds.
-I quit the 100 Push Up challenge.
-I faltered some in my exercise routine.
-I had my first "Stay the Same" weigh in. And my second.
-I took 3 Sundays off in a row.
-I realized I'm not ready to run.
-I had my annual July cold.
-I cried over Heath Ledger (True Hollywood Story made me cry).
-I sounded discouraged, even though I wasn't.
-I tried, and did not like, Ronzoni SmartTaste.
-I posted about having no money and wanting a new dog. In the same post.
-I had a confession to make.

The Ugly
-My computer became demon-possessed.

Goals for August? Keep on keepin' on. And that ain't bad.

For today's regularly scheduled post, scroll down or click here.

Confessional... Pt. II

2008-08-01T09:23:00.001-06:00

I have another confession to make. So, remember back in the day when peanut butter was always my downfall? Well, last weekend, I bought some organic peanut butter at Trader Joe's, and I was going to eat what I wanted of it, stick it in the fridge, and forget about it until this weekend. Yeah, it didn't work out that way. I did good, until last night. Before I got on the treadmill, I wandered into the kitchen and started dipping mini saltines into the peanut butter, and it was sooooo good. Luckily, I stopped myself, but I managed to eat what I'm estimating to be about 10 crackers and probably 2 teaspoons of peanut butter. It could have been way worse, but that still comes out to 116 unplanned calories! Oh well, at least I didn't keep going.

I tripped over one of Scott's boots last night that he left lying in the middle of the hall (but that's another issue). Today, the pinkie toe on my left foot is purple and it hurts really bad. I almost wish it would just fall off, because it would probably hurt less.

I'm having a skinny day today, despite the extra 116 calories yesterday! Yay, I love these days!

I finished my English portfolio yesterday, and that was a huge thing to get off my plate, let me tell you! I'm so relieved to be done with it. Now I just have to take the second part of my math final today, and I will be done!! For 3 weeks, that is. But, a short rest is better than no rest. If anyone is that curious, my portfolio is online at http://www.unm.edu/~lbrandon/219/index.htm.

And finally, I'm working on a post about what it means to be healthy. Anyone want to throw in their 2 cents, shoot me a comment or e-mail!

Song of the Day: Big & Rich - Saved

How I Lost 50 Pounds

2008-07-31T09:47:00.001-06:00

I'm sure that at least some people who come to my blog come here looking for tips, so I decided I would post the things I've done that have helped me to lose 50 pounds in 7 and a half months. Remember, this is just what I did! I'm not saying this is the only correct and true way to lose weight.

1. I count calories – I use SparkPeople.com, which provides me with guidelines to follow. They have given me a calorie range of 1,200 – 1,550 calories per day that I am supposed to stay within, and I actually try to stay between 1,250 – 1,300 calories per day. I recently refigured my “maintain weight” calories, and I need to eat around 1,730 calories to maintain my weight (not taking exercise into account. The exercise I currently do actually puts me at 1,830 to maintain), so I need to stay right in the range of 1,230 to lose a pound a week, which is pretty close to what I’ve been doing (although losing has become much harder since I’ve gotten so close to my goal).

2. I eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day – This pretty much speaks for itself, just try to find opportunities to snack on fruits, always have some sort of vegetable with your dinner, things like that are what I do to get all my servings in.

3. I drink 2 gallons of water a day – Yes, 2 gallons! Sounds like a bit much, but I didn’t start drinking that much right away. When I first started trying to lose weight, I concentrated on drinking at least 12 cups a day. After a while (I don’t remember how long), that got easy, and I started drinking 16 cups a day, which is 1 gallon (128 oz.). The more water I drank, the more I wanted to drink, and soon I was drinking 20 cups a day. It continued like that until eventually, I got to 2 gallons a day. I won’t drink more than that, though, because too much water can actually be dangerous. But try to drink at least half your weight in ounces a day (meaning I weigh 139 lbs, so I should drink at least 70 oz. a day).

4. I exercise for 30 minutes 5 times a week – I own a treadmill, so I walk every single weekday. I started out going really slow (like 2.0 mph), and I eventually worked my way up to walking around 1.9 miles in the 30 minutes. I have always focused on increasing my speed, and keeping my time the same. If you don’t like treadmills, that’s ok, the point is just to get some exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

5. I make sure I get enough fiber – I always get at least 25 g of fiber a day, usually more. This is really important to your digestive health, and to keep things “moving.” I try to eat whole grains, which have more fiber, and fruits and vegetables with fiber in them. For some reason this is hard for people, but I really recommend working on your fiber intake. Be sure to increase your fiber intake slowly to avoid painful bloating and stomach problems. Also, make absolutely sure you drink enough water if you’re going to increase your fiber intake. If your body has excess fiber but not enough water to flush it out, it can cause constipation.

6. I try to keep my sodium low – below 2,300 mg a day. Most of the food I eat isn’t very processed, so I don’t usually have to worry about it too much, especially with as much water as I drink, but you would be surprised how much sodium some people get in a single day (myself included, back in the day). This small change could make a huge difference.

7. One of the most important things, and one I almost forgot, is that I write down everything I eat! Not “pen and paper” write down, but I use SparkPeople’s nutrition tracker, and I do actually “pen and paper” write down foods that have to be measured (apples, bananas, bread…). Yes, I am obsessed with my calorie count being as accurate as feasibly possible. And just because the package may say that one pita pocket weighs 35 grams and is 80 calories, doesn’t mean that it does or is. Case in point: yesterday’s pita pocket weighed 41.5 grams and was 90 calories. It’s not necessary to be as exact as I am; if a close estimate is good enough for you, role with it! The important thing is to write it down!

Most of the things I’ve done to lose 50 pounds sound like the same old thing you hear every day about how to lose weight, but you know what? That’s because these things work! Give it a try, and I promise you, you will see results.

I’d also like to address the fact that although I have lost 50 pounds, my weight loss has slowed considerably. This is because once you get very close to your goal, your body adapts and it doesn’t need to work as hard as it used to. It also requires less calories to function than it used to, so you need to eat even less to see the same results. I’ve always eaten around the same amount of calories, but that used to create a much bigger calorie deficit. Now the difference between the calories I need/burn and the calories I consume is not so big, so the weight comes off much more slowly. Your body also has what are called “set points,” which is when your body is comfortable at a certain weight, and thinks that is where it is supposed to be. And sometimes it is, so listen to your body! But even if it’s not, don’t expect to get there within a matter of weeks. Like I’ve already said, the less you weigh, the harder you have to work to weigh even less.

If you’re having trouble with the last 10 pounds, here are some great resources (thanks, Shanti!):
http://www.fitfaq.com/2005/02/lose-last-10-pounds.html
http://www.glamour.com/health/feature/articles/2006/07/10/tenpounds06april
http://ask.metafilter.com/73022/How-to-lose-the-last-ten-pounds

I am not a doctor, a nutritionist, or a trainer. This post is just about what I did, and what worked for me. But I hope I was able to help at least someone out there!

Disjointed*

2008-07-30T09:53:00.007-06:00

*What today's blog post is going to be.

My thighs feel like jelly today. They were feeling like jelly yesterday, but I exercised anyway. At least I know my muscles are working, eh?

Been making some changes over here at TPOH, what do you guys think? I posted a poll above, please take it and let me know! The poll will be open until midnight (MST) on Saturday, so hurry! Not that I'll go back to the old template if no one likes the new one, but, you know, it's nice to know what people think. I'm so glad I now know enough about HTML/CSS to change Blogger's default templates, but I still can't figure out how to get rid of the damn lines in between each blog post/widget. Any web designer people (I'm sorry, I don't know what you're called) out there want to help me out??

Did I ever mention that there's a girl in my math class who used to live in Marietta, GA? Anyone know who else lives there? Anyone? Anyone? That's right, the amazing Alton Brown lives in Marietta, GA. I swear I'm not a stalker.

I haven't given an update on my progress toward "walking" to New York in a while. I have currently walked 243.238 miles, so I am 84.8% of the way to Amarillo, the first city I will hit on my way to New York, and I am 13.9% of the way to New York. Pretty good progress, I'd say!

It's really hard to give your full attention to anything when you're studying for finals, you constantly have at least 50 new blogs in your Google Reader, you have probably 30 YouTube videos to watch, you're putting off finishing your last English paper, and you're writing a book. Thus the disjointedness.

Great post tomorrow, I promise. (At least I hope you think it's great.)

That is all.

Song of the Day: Jewel - Foolish Games

School's Almost Over!

2008-07-29T10:42:00.004-06:00

So, NSV (non-scale victory) last night: Our microwave went out, and I completely freaked out because I use the microwave every day, to heat up my egg muffins, and I was just like what the freak am I supposed to do? I got so frustrated that I couldn't microwave my vegetables that I almost wanted to give up on my eating plan for the day. Stupid reason, I know, but that's how I react to stress. I want to stuff my face. But, I took a breath, calmed down, decided it wasn't worth it, and ate only what I had planned for. The only extra calorie I had (1.8 calories, to be exact) was a mint after dinner. So proud.

Speaking of my dinner last night, it was delicious! I had a bean burrito, made with just canned pinto beans (I used Bush's), 2 tablespoons of light sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of Pace chunky salsa, on a whole wheat tortilla. So good!! I also had some mixed vegetables, it was Birdseye brand, asparagus, white & gold corn, and baby carrots. They were pretty good too, but the carrots were a little dry, so I kind of just scarfed those down first to get them out of the way.

Did my regular exercise routine last night, 1.862 miles in 30 minutes, and I burned 136 calories. Consistency is a good thing.

That's all today. Oh, I got a 97% on my third math exam, and my overall grade right now is a 94%! That means in order to pass the class, I have to get a 21% on the final. Yeah, I can fail the final miserably and still pass the class. Do you know how awesome that is? It's pretty awesome.

Song of the Day: Eminem - My Dad's Gone Crazy

Confessional

2008-07-28T09:39:00.002-06:00

I have a confession to make. I did not count calories yesterday. Yes, I planned to, but when the day rolled around, I just didn't have it in me. I am back on track today, and will be for the rest of the week, because it's a lot easier to be on track on weekdays, I just hope I see some change with my weigh in this week. I hope any damage I did yesterday can be undone in 5 days of healthy eating.

I've got my meals all planned out for the week, my egg muffins made, my carrots all bagged up, and I am ready. Bring it on.

My goal is to get back on "weekend track" next weekend, because it's the first weekend in August, so I figure that'll give me a fresh start. Sunday is the only day I really need to work on, and if I just put my all into it, I know I can get back where I was with my Sundays 4 weeks ago. And maybe being out of school for 3 weeks will help. Less stress.

So that's all I have today. As usual, I have about 50 new blogs to read in my reader, so I'll probably get to those, and get commenting, later this afternoon. Y'all have a great day!

P.S. Anyone miss weigh in?

Song of the Day: Eminem - Crazy In Love

Linky Sunday

2008-07-27T10:20:00.001-06:00

What up, y'all?

Counting calories today, going to try to stay in between 1,250 and 1,300 calories this week (might end up a little lower than 1,250 a couple days), looking forward to next week's weigh in to see how this all affects it!

Weigh in was yesterday, if you happened to have missed it. Of course, I know you all check my blog every day. Right?

Ever wondered how many calories an orgasm burns? Redbook addresses this question and more here. Sorry, Mom.

AOL Health published a list of some great, and some not so great, ways to avoid binge eating, here. Hold your breath, don't look at food, and eat blindfolded. DON'T go out to eat in groups, but DO go on a date. Or, just get married. Great for a good laugh, and some good tips thrown in for good measure.

This website is donating 20 pieces of kibble to hungry shelter dogs for every person who goes there and answers a trivia question every day! I go there every day, as should you.

Think you're bad at guessing peoples' ages? I know I am. This game will show you just how bad you really are.

My husband started a blog yesterday, so he'd appreciate it if y'all would stop by, here!

That's all I got for ya today, peeps! Check y'all later!

Live life without limits, wooh!

Weigh In Day... Steady Steady Steady

2008-07-26T12:53:00.000-06:00

Hey guys, stayed the same this week, but it's ok! Really! You'll see.

P.S. Here in Albuquerque, we have an ethnic market called Talin. Today my mom called me and said, "I think we're going to go down to that Taliban market." Oooook, mom, you do that... LOL I just thought that was hilarious. Carry on.

11-25-07: 190
12-2-07: 185.5
12-9-07: 182
12-16-07: 180
12-23-07: 179.5
12-30-07: 178.5
1-6-08: 174
1-13-08: 176.5
1-20-08: 173.5
1-27-08: 176
2-3-08: 175
2-10-08: 172.5
2-17-08: 170
2-24-08: 169
3-2-08: 166
3-9-08: 164.5
3-16-08: 163
3-23-08: 162
3-30-08: 159.5
4-6-08: 158
4-13-08: 156.5
4-20-08: 156
4-27-08: 153.5
5-3-08: 154.5
5-10-08: 151
5-17-08: 150.5
5-24-08: 150
5-31-08: 148
6-7-08: 146
6-14-08: 144.5
6-21-08: 143
6-28-08: 141.5
7-4-08: 140
7-12-08: 140
7-19-08: 139
7-26-08: 139

I Am Not Giving Up.

2008-07-25T09:02:00.000-06:00

Ok, I really need to clarify something. Apparently some of my recent posts have been misunderstood, so I would like to set the record straight. I mean no offense to anyone by posting this blog, but I just want to clear some things up. I AM NOT GIVING UP. I never said I was giving up, I never even implied I was giving up. All I was trying to say was that I am more comfortable with my body now than I have ever been in my life. That does not mean I don't want to look better, and it does not mean I am going to stop trying to look better! In all honesty, I will probably try to get below 130. I will probably try to get down to 127. Ok? So whatever I've said and however it was misconstrued, this is what's going on in my head right at this moment. I am not giving up. I do not plan to give up. I simply understand that even if it takes 18 weeks, even if it takes 27 weeks, even if it takes 36 weeks to lose the last 9 pounds, I will, I WILL lose the last 9 pounds! Ok? And no, I am not planning on it taking that long. It's not like I'm going to slack off and say, oh, it doesn't matter how long it takes. Yes, I would like it to only take 9 weeks to lose the last 9 pounds, but I understand that because I weigh less, because my metabolism is slower, because I have more muscle and can retain more water, it might take longer. And that's ok. That's all I was trying to say. I AM NOT GIVING UP. Just because I decided to eat 50 more calories a day this week than last week, as an experiment (I thought maybe I wasn't eating enough, we'll find out tomorrow), just because I took 2 whole weekends off in a row (god forbid, that must mean she's giving up, right?), which I might or might not do this weekend, does not mean I am discouraged, does not mean I am losing my focus. It just means I am trying different things, which I think everyone needs to do at some point or another. Ok? I'll say it one more time: I AM NOT GIVING UP.

That is all.