Archive for January, 2008

End of week 15

{ January 25, 2008 @ 4:06 pm } · { exercise, weigh-in }
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Okay, I realize that I haven’t been posting with much frequency but to be honest without being involved in the competition there isn’t much to say other than:

“I went to the gym after work today and used the treadmill just like I did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that…”

Pretty dull stuff.  I’m thinking that unless I have something brilliant to say or make a confession involving pizza and a 32 oz coke I’ll just stick to a weekly update of how the pound sheding is coming along.

So with that let me tell you about this week.  Yes, I’ve been to the gym every day to use the treadmill but CV has been experiencing -10 degree temperatures and there is no way in hell I’m venturing out at 6 a.m. to get into a pool in this kind of frigidity.  Also, Sarah has been unavailable this week so no one was expecting me.  Next week should be warmer and Sarah will have a husband at home to watch her kidlets so I should be back on for the water exercising thing.

One thing I discovered this week is that time passes much faster for me if I have something absorbing to read.  I have to hold a book in my hands to counteract the movement but if it’s a good read I’ll make it work.  Thus this week I read while I walked for part of the time.  I’ve also made it a goal to really push myself the last 15 minutes.  This means that I put down the book and crank up the volume on my ipod.  I’ve broken some personal records doing this and am feeling really pleased with my progress.  Last night I got my speed up to 4 mph (which is brilliant for me) and kept that pace going for nearly 10 minutes.  Having really rollicking music playing helps a lot.  My ipod is mostly full of great rock music by bands like the Foo Fighters, Offspring, Audioslave, Korn & NIN but I also have a good amount of pop and electronic music (I love when the shuffle hits something like Mika in between 311 tracks).  Last night, after about 30 minutes of walking, a song came on that sent me right back to middle school while simultaneously making me want to walk hard & fast.  Thus this weeks kick-ass work out song of the week is Blue Monday by New Order.  The version I’ve got on my ipod is 7+ minutes long and has a great beat.  This song got me up to “4″ which was very, very cool.

So, now on to this weeks results:

Beginning Weight: 301
Current Weight: 268.6
Weight Lost: 1.4
Total Weight Lost: 32.4

14 weeks down

{ January 18, 2008 @ 4:35 pm } · { exercise classes, general, weigh-in }
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This morning I finally made it to the early morning water aerobics class.  My friend, Sarah, went and so I had a reason (other than, you know, my health and well being) to get out of bed and to the rec. center.  I enjoyed it and really the early morning hour isn’t that bad.  I think I the biggest block I’m having is that it’s cold and snowy and I hate the thought of cleaning snow and ice off my car so I can drive it.  I will say in my defense for not wanting to face the snow and ice that this morning as I was driving home I saw 3 cars that had slid off the road and that my own useless automobile was slippy sliddy too.  However, now that I know my friend will be there I can have no excuses so I’ll be going from now on.  As we were leaving I had a lovely note on my car.  Evidently I’d parked in the faculty/staff area and someone was none to pleased.  I’m going to assume they thought I was a student and I’ll be a better rec. center user next time.

As for my weekly weight report… I’m none to pleased.  I lost .8 of a pound.  That is nothing!!!  I’m clearly not doing something right.  I guess I’ll have to use that food scale I bought and start measuring and weighing my food.  I must be eating more calories than I thought.  I also need to up the exertion when I exercise.  I think I’ve been coasting, but if I’m going to participate in a 5K this spring I need to push myself.

Starting Weight: 301
Current Weight: 270
Total Weight Lost: 31

before and after pics

{ January 16, 2008 @ 7:15 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Here are my before and after pictures from the Ulitmate Loser 10 week competition.  I lost 29.3 pounds in 10 weeks.  Aside from “after” being a better picture (note the hair and arms) I’m not sure there is that much difference!

ultimate-loser.jpg           after-pic-003.jpg
BEFORE                                                      AFTER 

{ January 15, 2008 @ 7:41 pm } · { exercise, general }
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Today was an exercise in futility. I’m crampy and was not in the mood to go to water arobics and so I blew it off. I’m still crampy and mean and so I will also not be going to the gym tonight. This means that I’ll have to go tomorrow on my “day off”. Yuckity yuck. I hope I feel better then.

As for my general attitude about my diet/exercise… things are pretty good. I am *gasp* even enjoying myself in regards to these things. This is quite a change from them girl who managed to avoid her PE requirements in high school and always drove around the parking lot until she could find a spot up close.

I also want to begin sharing with the world my kick-ass workout tune of the week (aka KAW). This week it is:

The Pretender by the Foo Fighters (the greatest band evvah!) Enjoy!

What if I say you’re not like the others?
What if I say you’re not just another one in your place?
Your the pretender
What if I say that I’ll never surrender?

I’m walking but I’m not going anywhere

{ January 12, 2008 @ 11:36 pm } · { exercise classes, goals, weigh-in }
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Ah, the joys of treadmills.  Don’t they bring to mind long winded history professors and watching congress on C-Span?  I feel a little hypnotized each and every time I get on a treadmill and will even, occasionally, close my eyes.  This, however, causes extreme dizziness and I end up putting on a little show as I nearly walk off the equipment.   I also can’t help but be a little voyeuristic when I’m on one.  I almost always look at the read-out panel of the person working out next to me.  How fast are they going?  How long have they been there?  Hey, person, did ya see that I’ve been here 10 minutes longer than you and your leaving now while I’m still going?  Do you acknowledge that I am fan-frickin’- tabulous?  Acknowledge me already!  (yes, I know, I’m problemed)

I need to shake things up!  This coming week I fully intend to add a water aerobics class to my routine.  The rec. center offers a deep water aerobics class on Tues, Thurs & Friday at 6:30  a.m. and so here is the plan…  I will workout after work on mon & sat, I will get my big ol’ butt out of bed at 5:15 a.m. on tues, thurs & friday and use the treadmill until 6:30 when I will join the class in the pool.  I’m going to try skipping Wednesday and having my 5th workout on Saturday after work.  This will, hopefully, help me by keeping my non-activity days separate.  I’m also hoping the variety will not only be good for me but that the addition of a scheduled class will help with the early morning rising situation.  I expect that these little changes to my routine, things like a new blue tankini bathing suit and water aerobic fun, will keep my motivation high.  :-)

As for my current status….

Starting Weight:  301
Current Weight: 271
Total Weight Lost: 30 pounds

Yes, the holiday weight gain is gone and I’ve finally, officially, hit the 10% of my body weight lost goal.  Yippie ky yi yea

still making the holiday recovery

{ January 9, 2008 @ 5:50 pm } · { exercise, food, general }
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I have finally gotten back on track with my diet and exercise. I tried last week to go to the rec. center but my employee pass had expired on Dec 31 and thus when I showed up on Jan 2 it was no good. I did pay my $4 buckaroos so I could use the treadmill that day but didn’t go back until the 4th with my new pass. Along with figuring out the whos and whats of my exercise plan I also bought a new scale so that I can have a consistent place to track my weight. I’ll continue to update my current pounds lost on Fridays and so look for those delightful *optimistic much ;-) posts.

The whole “eating well” thing did not fly during the holidays and I discovered that it will take a hell of a lot more that 10 weeks to rid me of my desire to consume Coke and pizza. It does not help that these items can be delivered to my door when I’m feeling uninspired by the thought of cooking. Coke is my achilles heel my friends and I will love it for always! (and yes, I’ve tried coke zero and diet coke… they blow six ways from sunday)

I’ve been going to exercise after work and thus far that is working out well. I cannot make myself get up at 5:30 anymore now that it is snowy. Clearing snow off my car, in freezing temperatures, to go and participate in an activity which in inheriantly dislike, in the wee morning hours, is pushing things to far. Perhaps when spring arrives and the snow goes away I’ll get back to my a.m. gym schedule. I actually liked being up that early, it’s just a matter of convincing myself, whilst lying in bed, that this is not a crazy, dreamed up notion of mine.

My nutrition and caloric intake is also getting back to a good place now that I’m back to a regular schedule. I find it much easier to make the good choices when I’m working a regular work week. Weird, I know. So that is how things stand as of… now. Tonight I’m planning to spend another 50 minutes on the treadmill and then seek out some stairs to climb. I hate stairs but I burn lots of calories when I make them part of my workout. I’m even half planning to see if the stadium is open after the snow melts so I can walk all those stairs again. I’ll just need to remember not to read my previous stadium post before hand.

begin new life now

{ January 7, 2008 @ 5:53 pm } · { general, goals }
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Well, I’ve decided to temporarily retire my old blog and focus my energies here. While losing weight isn’t all there is to me, it’s a huge part of what I’m doing for myself right now and blogging about the journey has been helpful.

I haven’t set any official new year’s resolutions but I do have goals about becoming a healthier me in 2008. I’ve gotten off to a great start by participating in the Ultimate Loser program and now the real test begins… can I keep going.

The last 2 weeks have been an adventure in figuring out a new routine. I’m no longer a member of the Sports Academy and my routine revolved around going to that facility at 6 am every morning. Through my work I have a free membership to the cities rec. center (it’s pretty much my only perk) and it would be silly not to take advantage of it. Having said that… I really, really miss the Sports Academy. I miss the options available there and I miss seeing familiar faces. It’s amazing how important those friendships became to me during the 10 weeks. Now that I don’t have any group accountability it’s been a lot harder.

I gained around 4 pounds over the holidays and will be working to catch up to that initial 10% (30 lb) goal I set back in October. After that I’m planning to set another 10% goal of 27 pounds to complete by the end of March. I’ve renewed my bodybugg subscription so I can continue to track my calories in and out and I’m going to continue blogging about my daily accomplishments and set backs. I’ll confess, it’s hard to admit when I screw up. I tend to want to create a rosy picture of how it’s going, but in order for this blog to help it needs to reflect what is really going on. I expect there will be highs (and lows) but I’m in this for the long haul and you can join me, the Big Fat Loser, as I tackle my greatest challenge.