OK, people, I promised a log, and here it is finally. I had an old one but it had a stupid name and there wasn't much in it anyway, so here we are.
I have had a slow fitness journey, since September of 2006. At that point I was in horrible physical shape, recovering after 25 years of chronic hepatitis and the "therapy" that finally got it out of my system. Here are some lovely pictures for your amusement (and/or horror).
I have a grosser one where I was not holding in my stomach, but I'm having issues with photobucket.
Here I am now, 37 pounds lighter but athletic for the first time in my life. I have no idea about bodyfat percentages--I wish Leigh would look at these--but I imagine I was around 40%, at 185. Now I think I'm somewhere in the high 20's, but again, not really sure. I now weigh 148.
My original goal was 135, a 50 pound loss. I have 13 pounds to go, which contradicts the name of the log, but whatever, I was supposed to start it 2 pounds ago.
I've been taking it easy this winter with health issues, and so since November I'm been bouncing around between 148-153. The good news is that I seem to know how to maintain, since I really did take it easy with the eats. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. : ) Seriously, I made major progress on my posture and form, and while the scale didn't move, people kept saying stuff like "OMG, you have lost so much weight!!!" so the posture made a huge difference.
I'm posting this now because my computer is acting weird, and I already lost my last attempt at a log.
OK, so here I am now. Forgive the huge pic and demented look.
I'm very happy with how I look in clothing--one of the reasons I've been spinning my wheels--and I have been questioning just exactly WHAT my goal is--but I have decided to go down to 135 just to prove I can do it. It will be my lowest weight in over 20 years. (Right now, I am sitting at my lowest weight in 10 years).
Last year I did the new rules of lifting for women between March and December. I had planned to start all over again, since my form has improved so much, but after stage 1 (in which I discovered that I can deadlift 150 pounds), I had an opportunity to start a bootcamp with a very progressive trainer, so I will start that tomorrow. I am very excited, because I really need to confirm that what I've done with my posture and form is right. I have never had a trainer before.
So, I wanted to spit that out so that I finally get this log up. Creepy Lurker no more.
I'm walking 60 miles for a breast cancer cure, September 11-13, 2009! Please support my walk and help me raise funds for cancer research by donating to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/...nal&fr_id=1300
I had the flu earlier this week, so I didn't do it on Wednesday and Monday--I was a little wobbly today, but it felt really good to move. By the end of it I didn't feel as if I got a full workout in, although I did start to burp a lot which is an excellent sign that I'm getting something done.
Everything he had us do today was bodyweight, and I got to try out those TRX straps--they had them on Biggest Loser this week and I was jumping up and down, saying "Look! Look! That's what I get to use!" (My family just smiles indulgently when I act like that).
They are very cool, and I'm hoping he will be able to challenge me with them as we go on. What is funny is that I bought a few toy climbing things at Ikea a few years ago--a rope ladder, and straps with handles, and hung them in the giant avocado tree in my back yard for the kids. They enjoyed climbing on them, but then one day I couldn't get to the gym for some reason and I started using them just like we used the TRX today! At the time I thought, hm, I could really get a good workout with these, but then, the thought flitted out of my little mouse brain. And now Mr. TRX is making millions and charging $200 for the little straps I got at IKEA for ten bucks. Sheesh. ; )
Now, I may be limping around tomorrow, but it was not the toughest workout I've ever done. Stephen says it will get more difficult next week, I hope so. I think I'll do some running tomorrow for the first time in months, since my hip was making weird popping and clicking noises. It was during a time when I was really making progress with my posture, so now that I've stabilized and it's not popping I am glad to be back to intervals. I haven't done them since November, and I was all smug, since I didn't gain weight, but DUH, that's when I stopped losing. It's a miracle I didn't gain. Well, not really. I am a good eater now. Even when I indulge, I seldom go crazy with calories as I used to. Before, if I couldn't exercise, or was on vacation, or some other terrible crisis occurred, it was the excuse to eat like a pig, all or nothing. My brain has gotten healthier along with my body!
Well, anyway, I am determined I am going to get off these 13 pounds as quickly as I can. I'm sick of spinning my wheels. I had awful insomnia last night, then woke up every hour 'cause I didn't want to miss boot camp at 5:45, and I was wondering what was up--and then I read Leigh's new article which reminded me that insomnia is a symptom of weight loss. Whew.
I'm not a tracker so don't expect to see it on this log anytime soon (hoping not to eat my words). My last attempt at tracking with OPT left me crazed and I fell apart--I get obsessive and weird and end up not eating enough because I'm not hungry or thinking about food too much and I collapsed. so unless I can find a mentally healthy way for me to track I ain't doing it. Honestly, I know what I need to do to lose. I know how much to eat, and mainly I have to keep from taking "free weekends"--I'm going to restrict my treats this weekend to 2 glasses of wine and 200 calories of dark chocolate. That's it. Hold me to it, people!
Well, that's it for today. Hoping for major DOMS tomorrow.....
I've always been interested in boot camp. Then I discovered that I'm not a morning person. Plus I have allergies and can't seem to do all that much outside or laying in the grass without breaking out in hives, even if there is a blanket, towel, or yoga mat between me and the ground.
I hope it becomes more challenging for you.
I thought the same thing about the TRX things. I have some other cheap-o straps that I use at home sometimes that work just fine. Although mine aren't tied to an avacado tree (which I'm totally envious of!).
I'm walking 60 miles for a breast cancer cure, September 11-13, 2009! Please support my walk and help me raise funds for cancer research by donating to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/...nal&fr_id=1300
Just got back from the chiropractor. Back started feeling weird in a place it never had before. The chiro (who's a sports med guy) said it was perfectly normal with a new routine. My husband was not as kind and teased me that Bootcamp was just too hard for me.
Wait until he gets home. ; )
I can tell already this is going to be an interesting log to follow. Glad you decided to go for it. My TRX envy is getting stronger by the second. I'm holding out for a July seminar where I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get one at a 20% discount.
Yesterday, hit a new low on the scale at 147. Lowest weight in 16 years, since my first pregnancy. Even though I had a martini AND a glass of wine with my chocolate last night, the loss held steady today. I'm very very upset about a situation at my high schooler's school, so I congratulated myself on only the martini indiscretion. It was a Lemon Drop with only a little syrup, so I'm saying I got my vitamin c in for the day. My hubby uses citrus from our yard, so it's healthy, right? No premade mixes and corn syrup. : )
Anyway, I was pleasantly sore yesterday--what kind of wacko says something like that--just sore enough to know I did something useful without being debilitating. Plus, it is full body sore, so I"m feeling confident that this trainer does know what he's doing.
I would run today but I discovered that my running shoes are unusable--part of the rubber is peeling off the bottom. Sigh. Maybe I"ll go to the gym and do the rowing thingie. I do feel like I need to blow some sweat out of my pores today. Sweat out some of the alcohol.
Well, bootcamp again tomorrow. We're doing it at my kids' school and on Friday it was in the auditorium, so no grass allergies, just dust and kid debris. I'm looking forward to it. My eating this week was 95% compliant, so I am so happy I had a nice loss to reflect it. I've lost 3 lbs this month--I bet I can eke out one more this coming week. I am really looking forward to pics because I can feel that my waist is finally slimming down--it's the final frontier for me.
THanks for all the good wishes--having this log is already helping me, when I was thinking about eating something bad, it didn't seem worth it at all because I would have to confess and I can't take the public humiliation. ; )
I ended up going to the gym yesterday with the messed up shoe and was just careful--ran and walked on the treadmill for a half an hour, burned a couple hundred calories, then did some light lifting since my muscles felt like they needed a little blood flow. That was the first I've run since November, and while my hip wasn't clicking, it felt really weird when I got home, so I sat in the hot tub for an hour and did a lot of foam rolling and stretching.
I feel fine today, did bootcamp this am. This time it was much more challenging in a body-matrix kind of way--he had us doing bodyweight circuits with goblet squats w/kettlebell, boxing, jogging in place, etc. Also lots of ab work which I don't hate as much as I used to--when I used to do the direct ab work I despised it because I was so weak and it hurt my neck. Now that I'm stronger my neck doesn't bother me at all, and it's only mildly loathesome. I will definitely be sore tomorrow. At the end I my face was purple with white spots, a sure indication that I had an excellent workout.
Weight up 1/2 lb., no big deal. I took my "off" meals this weekend so it's not a surprise. I'm glad it's not bouncing up wildly as it has in the past.
I'm really excited to push through to 135. I feel I can do it quickly this time. It seems that now that I am better nourished and in better health generally, my weight loss is far more predictable and gratifying. I used to go weeks without any loss, get demoralized and give up. Now it is so much easier. I just want to get it done.
As I posted elsewhere my menopausal symptoms are back, not as bad as in the fall, but annoying and waking me up at night. I have gone back to taking benadryl at night to be able to sleep through.
Well, I'm optimistic that another pound will come off this week. I can really see a difference in my belly, thank goodness. Finally getting some shape in my waist.
Off to clean the house. I still have a sick kid at home so I'm not getting a lot done.
As I posted elsewhere my menopausal symptoms are back, not as bad as in the fall, but annoying and waking me up at night. I have gone back to taking benadryl at night to be able to sleep through.
I've been taking melatonin (3mg) for a while now and it seems to give me better sleep. I've talked my mother into taking it as well, and she feels that it helps her with the waking up she normally does.
Grr, having a bad day. Woke up to a 3 lb increase on scale, but not surprising considering I had popped barbeque chips as my carb portion with my high protein yogurt last night. Sodium gets me every time. No biggie, I'll just drink a lot of water and make sure to get in lots of veggies today.
Mainly I am having a bad day because I am so very demoralized about my kids' school. I am ready to move out of the area because I am in such despair about the schools around here. I thought I had found a good charter, and I've been pouring my time and effort in. But last week I found out that my son's best teachers are leaving, and the whole thing is just going down the toilet. I have spent the last 15 years of my life trying to make sure my kids are ok in school--I even founded a Montessori school for them--and it seems like all of my efforts are for nothing. Or, my efforts benefit other people's kids. I am just sick about it.
Anne, I've tried melatonin--it wasn't so great in the past, maybe I'll give it another shot.
Ginger--his heaviest kettlebell is only about 20 lbs so to me it was pretty much bodyweight squats--I'm not really sore at all today. Surprisingly, not even my abs. Well, maybe it'll hit me later. At this rate, I'm not sure I'm going to sign up for the next session--it's fun and all but I'm not convinced that it is that much better than what I do by myself. With money the way it is now, I'm probably going to just go back to New Rules after next week (it was a three week camp).
Anyway, I'm going off to dig and move some stuff in the yard. Garden and mess with the chickens. I hope it will put me in a better mood. Right now I am ready to pack up and move to anyplace that has good public schools.
Ugh, I can totally relate to your school stresses. Both of my kids attended a charter school and we went through the same thing. Currently, they are both in public - but my son hits high school next year and is headed back to a charter school that I feel pretty confident about. It stinks when you try to make the right choices.
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
Well, I did bootcamp again yesterday--while it is fun, I'm not really feeling like it's worth the money to me. I think it's more for people who can't motivate themselves. With the right workout, I can torture myself just as effectively as a bootcamp instructor. Probably one-on-one is the way I need to go, but maybe after I have some money to spend on it....I think the only way I could really get a trainer is if I take the plunge and become a trainer myself--I've been thinking about it for over a year now and I'm now seriously researching which certification I would take. Suggestions are appreciated.
Bootcamp was mainly a circuit--goblet squats, kb swings, backward lunges, push press w/kettlebell, crunches, pikes, T stands. I think that's it. We did rounds--30 sec of each exercise, then 45, then 1 minute, then 45, then 30. Perfectly fine, but what a bunch of cheaters the other women were ! Sheesh! I really have to just concentrate on challenging myself, because if I watch the others I just get distracted by their half-assedness. It's funny how competitive I've become in athletics--now that I'm good at it!
I have had a couple of bad days with my food. I haven't particularly gone over on calories, just not created a deficit. The one problem with bootcamp is that that high-volume stuff gives me a huge appetite and I have to watch my portions. I'm so very upset, really deeply disturbed with my kids' school situation, plus I got another period with horrendous cramps. So I have eaten some chocolate, and yesterday we took the kids snowboarding so I ate one icky fried chicken finger. The scale is way up--4.5 pounds up--but I know it's just the sodium and the TOM. I hope things go down before I have to take pics this weekend.
Well, anyway, not much to report. Nothing exciting. I think I"m going to do a bunch of foam rolling, stretching and such today because I feel as if I'm getting a cold and I do NOT want to get sick. I wanted to go to the gym for some cardio but my daughter still has the flu and I'm stuck here.
Last night my trainer mentioned that she and her sister teach a bootcamp starting in May. I'm really considering doing it, especially because she mentioned that it's usualy full of people who really push themselves. She thought that I'd really fit into the group really well. And knowing her, it would probably kick my butt. The only problem is that it's early morning. I might have to become a morning person.
Sorry to hear about the situation with your kids school. I can't totally relate, but I do get really frustrated with BF's son's school. I keep trying to get him to convince his ex to move the kid into a better school. So far it's not working. But the school really isn't doing him any good. I hope you find a solution.
Sorry all this is going on. Hope it all works out soon!
When I started doing Crossfit, I actually gained weight. But for the past couple of weeks, I've been eating the Zone way and I'm finding I'm not as ravenous anymore.
And again, since I'm talking about it, I probably just jinxed myself.
And again, since I'm talking about it, I probably just jinxed myself.
I hate when that happens! : )
Well, I skipped bootcamp today. I was thinking about it last night with total dread and I realized I really frickin' hate it. It's not the exercise, it's the 5:45 AM part of it. Plus, if there were people even close to my fitness level it would be a lot more fun. But, I paid the money so I will go to the last three sessions next week.
My official excuse is that I have a terrible cold, which is true--I felt awful at 5: 15. I still feel pretty bad, and I don't want to get sicker, so I am going to take it easy today. I'm sure the stress with the kids school is not helping at all.
The scale is coming back down, to 149 today, which is 2 lbs up from my low earlier this week. However, I can feel ribs where there were no ribs before and I'm getting definition in my shoulders, so I'm confident that I'm going in the right direction. It is so much easier to stay on track now that I am closer to goal--when I was carrying more fat it was soooo hard to see any difference, I could easily justify "well, i'ts not working so I may as well drink this supersize Beer." It's Skwigg's paper towel roll--now every pound shows. Ees niiiice.
I may go do a HIIT session later today, or maybe tomorrow. Then I have to think about what I will do after next week--I think I might go with a strict fat loss training program, maybe Turbulence Training, since I just want to focus on getting the fat off and I can do NROL4W any time. Any suggestions?
I'm trying to get the fat off too, and I've been doing NROLFW.
Unfortunately, I am powerless around wine and cheese and haven't been getting the amount of cardio I hoped due time limitations and injury. Thus, while I think I'd be fabulously successful if I were doing a bit more, I'm not certain.
Anyway, I was thinking about working these into my workouts next month, as I plan to be a whole new me who can say no to Manchego and get up earlier in the morning. Cosgrove: Complexes for Fat Loss
It does say at the end of the article: "A Final Warning This isn't for the faint-hearted or deconditioned. It's not a beginners routine. If you're coming back from injury or illness, don't try this program yet. It's brutal. But if you follow this routine for four weeks you'll see a very significant improvement in your conditioning and a massive drop in your body fat!"
I'll let you know if it works for me, if I do it in March.
Well, I got a little thrill today when I had hubby take my pic outside--I wanted to show the definition in my back. I'm putting it up next to my original back pic from Sept. 2006. Whee! I'm excited!
Well, I wish I could get them side by side....but anyway, I'm thrilled. I have on a bathing suit that's too tight deliberately...so that's kind of gross, but I am really happy.
WOW! That is fabulous progress; you should be really proud.
I'm sorry to hear about your schooling woes. I am a teacher, though I've only been doing this for four years, and I'm only now starting really see the effects of a good foundation and consistency for younger students (I teach 7th and 8th grade). I hope you find a workable solution.
I'm walking 60 miles for a breast cancer cure, September 11-13, 2009! Please support my walk and help me raise funds for cancer research by donating to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/...nal&fr_id=1300
I've been in education all my life, my mom is a teacher, my father, a professor. I was administrator of a school for 9 years. I just don't understand why this business model stuff has gotten into the schools. They're not performing, so the solution is to treat the teachers like crap? It's incomprehensible to me. I had been wondering why the community at my kids school was so weird--now I have my answer--the teachers get no pension plan, they are completely on their own with no support from administration, and basically are told, perform or get out. No wonder no teachers hang around after school, volunteer, etc. They are totally resentful of the administration all of the time. Anyway, just venting.
And thanks. I am very proud. It's been a lot of hard work! : )
In doing my housework today, I was just marveling about how much easier it is to hang curtains, do chores in the yard, even work in the kitchen squatting down to reach the lower cabinets. It's a pleasure to move when it used to be such a huge effort.
The effort I've put in over 2 + years is paying off, and it's a good thing because in other areas things are going wild--it's very rewarding to have at least this area of my life under a little control.
Fang's Fitness Fun
OK, so here I am now. Forgive the huge pic and demented look.
Hope it all works out soon!
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