Breakfast: OJ with high fiber cereal and yogurt: 3 pts
Lunch: leftover lasagne: 10 pts
Dinner: left over lasagne: 10 pts
Snack: apple pie (only a few bites): 3 pts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Day 6: workout
Alarm: 5:24 out of bed at 5:36.
I didn't sleep very well last night, but for some reason I seem to have more energy than I did yesterday morning.
Good workout today. I kept pace with everything. Yesterday, I mentioned that I reverted to 8 lb dumb bells for the squat presses, but that's wrong. I've only been using the 5 pounders. Today, however, I did revert to using 5 lbs for the bent over rows; my forearms were really sore when I tried to use the 8 lb weights.
I've also decided that the only way I'm going to build strength and endurance with side lunge - anterior raise move is to actually do it. So, instead of substituting a move, today I did the move without any weights. Basically, I want to get the form right, and when I feel confident with the move, I'll add the 2.5 lbs.
My shins were also hurting during the butt kicks, but not enough to make me stop.
I didn't sleep very well last night, but for some reason I seem to have more energy than I did yesterday morning.
Good workout today. I kept pace with everything. Yesterday, I mentioned that I reverted to 8 lb dumb bells for the squat presses, but that's wrong. I've only been using the 5 pounders. Today, however, I did revert to using 5 lbs for the bent over rows; my forearms were really sore when I tried to use the 8 lb weights.
I've also decided that the only way I'm going to build strength and endurance with side lunge - anterior raise move is to actually do it. So, instead of substituting a move, today I did the move without any weights. Basically, I want to get the form right, and when I feel confident with the move, I'll add the 2.5 lbs.
My shins were also hurting during the butt kicks, but not enough to make me stop.
No weigh
I hate stepping on the scale to weigh myself. I think part of the reason I gained 13 or 14 pounds in the first four years of marriage was because we didn't have a working scale so I never, ever weighed myself during those years. Sure, my clothes were getting slightly tighter, but it was gradual, so I didn't really notice it.
When I started Weight Watchers in July, I weighed myself every morning. At first, I lost weight when I went in for my weekly weigh-ins, so I was happy to step on the scale. But, then I gained weight one week. It was only 1/2 a pound, and it happended to be the week after an out-of-town wedding where most meals for three days straight were eaten in a restaurant, but it was enough to frustrate me. It was also about that time when I started to notice and get frustrated with the fluctuations in my weight. Somehow, from one morning to the next, I would gain or lose up to three pounds. I know that's not possible, but I've never had anyone give me a satisfactory explanation for these weight fluctuations. I know I weigh slightly more right before my period starts, and I have noticed that I seem to "lose" weight shortly after my period ends.
I've gone back and forth for the past few days over whether I should document my weight in this blog. For now, I've decided not to post my weight on a daily basis, but I reserve the right to change my mind once I get within 10 pounds of my ultimate goal, but at the rate I'm going currently, that won't be for a while.
When I started Weight Watchers in July, I weighed myself every morning. At first, I lost weight when I went in for my weekly weigh-ins, so I was happy to step on the scale. But, then I gained weight one week. It was only 1/2 a pound, and it happended to be the week after an out-of-town wedding where most meals for three days straight were eaten in a restaurant, but it was enough to frustrate me. It was also about that time when I started to notice and get frustrated with the fluctuations in my weight. Somehow, from one morning to the next, I would gain or lose up to three pounds. I know that's not possible, but I've never had anyone give me a satisfactory explanation for these weight fluctuations. I know I weigh slightly more right before my period starts, and I have noticed that I seem to "lose" weight shortly after my period ends.
I've gone back and forth for the past few days over whether I should document my weight in this blog. For now, I've decided not to post my weight on a daily basis, but I reserve the right to change my mind once I get within 10 pounds of my ultimate goal, but at the rate I'm going currently, that won't be for a while.
Monday, September 29, 2008
My personal trainer
The most serious I've ever been about losing weight (before now) was in May of 2007. I visited my doctor for my annual exam, and I was appalled at the number on the scale when I got weighed. It had been 18 months since the birth of my second child, and I was about 14 pounds heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight. I set my mind toward losing those 14 pounds, at least.
For about two months, I worked out on my own at least 3 days a week. I tried to watch what I ate, but truth be told, I didn't change my eating habits or limit my caloric intake at all. I'm one of those people who fall into the trap of "I worked out today, I can eat whatever I want." So, I didn't lose any significant weight, but I was encouraged by some signs that I was toning up.
In June of 2007, I read an article about a new company of personal trainers who made house calls. The rates seemed reasonable enough, so I called the number in the paper. When I hung up the phone, I had an appointment with a personal trainer for the following week. After doing the intial assessment, we agreed that I needed to work out at least 4 days a week. Two days a week the personal trainer would come to my house at 6:00 am, and the other two days a week I'd be on my own. The trainer put together a little routine for me to follow on his off days, and I was pretty diligent about doing it.
The best thing about having the personal trainer, for me, was that he really taught me how to work out. He taught me how to push myself, and he made me realize that I was strong and could get stronger. He showed me new exercises, ones I never would have tried on my own. He started me off with 2 pound weights, but he had me doing most exercises with 10 pound weights in no time.
Unfortunately, I did not see the results I was looking for. I was expecting the weight to "melt" off me given all the lean muscle mass I was building. In three months of intense working out, I lost about nine pounds and several inches. My trainer also expressed dismay at my lack of weight loss. He suggested that perhaps my metabolism was "off" and urged me to get my thyroid checked. When my blood work came back "normal," I decided to let the trainer go because I could not justify the $125 a week for what I considered sub-par results.
It was around this time that I discovered Jari Love and her Get Ripped 1000 workout. This is the DVD that alternates between segments of cardio bursts and strength training. I never would have considered this video prior to working out with the trainer, I never would have had the confidence in my ability to do the moves. But after working with the trainer, I knew I could do it.
Unfortunately, at the end of October 2007, our family was struck with a sudden and major tragedy, and my desire and will to work out ended abruptly. It took me until July 2008 to get motivated again to lose weight. I did work out sporadically during the winter months, but I was nowhere near as serious as I had been.
When I went back to my doctor for my annual exam for 2008, I weighed exactly what I weighed the year before. Ironically, the doctor actually commended me for not gaining any weight over the course of the year. I then had to admit to him that I had actually lost and then gained about 9 pounds.
Today, I'm actually a pound or two less than I was when I was working out with the personal trainer. I'm not satisfied, I will keep going. I can't think about where I might be if I had kept going. I just know that I have a goal, and I have motivation. I have a series of incentives, and I think I've given myself a realistic time frame to lose the weight I want to lose. With Weight Watchers' help, I've changed my eating habits. I'm not a perfect dieter by any means, I still cheat, and I "overeat" my points on occasion. But I think, if I keep plugging away, I can get to where I want to be.
For about two months, I worked out on my own at least 3 days a week. I tried to watch what I ate, but truth be told, I didn't change my eating habits or limit my caloric intake at all. I'm one of those people who fall into the trap of "I worked out today, I can eat whatever I want." So, I didn't lose any significant weight, but I was encouraged by some signs that I was toning up.
In June of 2007, I read an article about a new company of personal trainers who made house calls. The rates seemed reasonable enough, so I called the number in the paper. When I hung up the phone, I had an appointment with a personal trainer for the following week. After doing the intial assessment, we agreed that I needed to work out at least 4 days a week. Two days a week the personal trainer would come to my house at 6:00 am, and the other two days a week I'd be on my own. The trainer put together a little routine for me to follow on his off days, and I was pretty diligent about doing it.
The best thing about having the personal trainer, for me, was that he really taught me how to work out. He taught me how to push myself, and he made me realize that I was strong and could get stronger. He showed me new exercises, ones I never would have tried on my own. He started me off with 2 pound weights, but he had me doing most exercises with 10 pound weights in no time.
Unfortunately, I did not see the results I was looking for. I was expecting the weight to "melt" off me given all the lean muscle mass I was building. In three months of intense working out, I lost about nine pounds and several inches. My trainer also expressed dismay at my lack of weight loss. He suggested that perhaps my metabolism was "off" and urged me to get my thyroid checked. When my blood work came back "normal," I decided to let the trainer go because I could not justify the $125 a week for what I considered sub-par results.
It was around this time that I discovered Jari Love and her Get Ripped 1000 workout. This is the DVD that alternates between segments of cardio bursts and strength training. I never would have considered this video prior to working out with the trainer, I never would have had the confidence in my ability to do the moves. But after working with the trainer, I knew I could do it.
Unfortunately, at the end of October 2007, our family was struck with a sudden and major tragedy, and my desire and will to work out ended abruptly. It took me until July 2008 to get motivated again to lose weight. I did work out sporadically during the winter months, but I was nowhere near as serious as I had been.
When I went back to my doctor for my annual exam for 2008, I weighed exactly what I weighed the year before. Ironically, the doctor actually commended me for not gaining any weight over the course of the year. I then had to admit to him that I had actually lost and then gained about 9 pounds.
Today, I'm actually a pound or two less than I was when I was working out with the personal trainer. I'm not satisfied, I will keep going. I can't think about where I might be if I had kept going. I just know that I have a goal, and I have motivation. I have a series of incentives, and I think I've given myself a realistic time frame to lose the weight I want to lose. With Weight Watchers' help, I've changed my eating habits. I'm not a perfect dieter by any means, I still cheat, and I "overeat" my points on occasion. But I think, if I keep plugging away, I can get to where I want to be.
Day 5: food
Breakfast: yogurt w/ high fiber cereal; 1/4 of a donut = 4 pts
Lunch: veggies and dip = 3 pts.
Dinner: Cajun Chicken Lasagne = 12 pts (I'm rounding way, way up as I don't know for sure)
And a piece of homemade apple pie with apples picked by the kids yesteday w/ gram and papa, so there are virtually no points!!! (0r maybe 6 pts, give or take)
Lunch: veggies and dip = 3 pts.
Dinner: Cajun Chicken Lasagne = 12 pts (I'm rounding way, way up as I don't know for sure)
And a piece of homemade apple pie with apples picked by the kids yesteday w/ gram and papa, so there are virtually no points!!! (0r maybe 6 pts, give or take)
Day 5
Alarm: 5:20, didn't get out of bed until 5:56
I'm really tired this morning. I have almost no energy, and I'm kind of dreading the workout. Without the motivation of this blog, any other day I would have stayed in bed, but I get up and do it.
When the workout starts, I'm kind of lethargic, but I keep pace with every move. I did, however, revert to 5 lb dumbbells for the squat presses.
I have a confession: I did not do the side lunge with anterior raise move. I find that exercise to be very difficult. I don't know why it's so hard, perhaps I am doing it wrong which is creating stress and causing pain. I reward myself for getting up and making it through the workout by not doing that exact exercise. I substitute squats and dead lifts with 8 lb weights instead. I only feel slightly guilty.
I'm really tired this morning. I have almost no energy, and I'm kind of dreading the workout. Without the motivation of this blog, any other day I would have stayed in bed, but I get up and do it.
When the workout starts, I'm kind of lethargic, but I keep pace with every move. I did, however, revert to 5 lb dumbbells for the squat presses.
I have a confession: I did not do the side lunge with anterior raise move. I find that exercise to be very difficult. I don't know why it's so hard, perhaps I am doing it wrong which is creating stress and causing pain. I reward myself for getting up and making it through the workout by not doing that exact exercise. I substitute squats and dead lifts with 8 lb weights instead. I only feel slightly guilty.
Weight Watchers
I hand-wrote the following entry in my journal on July 22, 2008 and decided to type it up and post it here.
I'm at it again, trying to lose weight that is. Last year at this time it was the personal trainer; the year before that, who knows?!
This year it's Weight Watchers. I joined for an initial 8 weeks, I'm just finishing up week one. The points system is easy to follow, and most days it's relatively easy to stay within a point or 2 of my daily points allowance.
The problem right now is I'm constantly thinking about foor and about points. I keep going back over the points index in the Eat Wisely book again and again. I also keep going over the meal plan in the kickstart book. I'm hoping that the obsession with food and points wears off.
Initially, I'm working towards losing 10% of my weight. I'm optimistic that I can lose 10% in the next 7 weeks. I don't think it will be easy, by any means, but at least I have something to work for and as long as I see results, I'm hoping I'll be inspired to keep going to my ultimate goal.
I have seen several women I know lose weight on the WW program, and I hope it works for me.
I'm at it again, trying to lose weight that is. Last year at this time it was the personal trainer; the year before that, who knows?!
This year it's Weight Watchers. I joined for an initial 8 weeks, I'm just finishing up week one. The points system is easy to follow, and most days it's relatively easy to stay within a point or 2 of my daily points allowance.
The problem right now is I'm constantly thinking about foor and about points. I keep going back over the points index in the Eat Wisely book again and again. I also keep going over the meal plan in the kickstart book. I'm hoping that the obsession with food and points wears off.
Initially, I'm working towards losing 10% of my weight. I'm optimistic that I can lose 10% in the next 7 weeks. I don't think it will be easy, by any means, but at least I have something to work for and as long as I see results, I'm hoping I'll be inspired to keep going to my ultimate goal.
I have seen several women I know lose weight on the WW program, and I hope it works for me.
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