Determination

Why on EARTH did I think that 3 miles was easy?! That nearly KILLED me!!!

Well, it IS my first time doing it in several months. Also, I think I went unusually quickly...I believe I did it in about 40 minutes, which would be pretty insane. It really showed me how out-of-shape I am...that shouldn't normally wear me out like that. I was actually shaking when I got home. My hands are still a bit unsteady.

I was perhaps a little bad when I got home: I went and picked up Chik-fil-a. Yes, I am a vegetarian...almost all of the time. Unfortunately, tonight, I have no food in the house, and definitely not any good protein, which is necessary after a good workout. My meal really wasn't terrible...a 6-piece nugget (should have been 8, but it was missing 2), fries, a small fruit cup, and some sweet tea. Not great...but of all the fast food places I could eat, Chik-fil-a is one of the healthiest. So whatever.

I don't know what I'll do tomorrow. I think maybe Slim in 6 again...I hurt like fire today, but maybe it will be a little better tomorrow.

Ok, falling asleep...late night last night. Later.

Goals and Rewards

Ok, my rewards have to be slightly different from last time, since I have just picked up a couple of new bills and am a little short on cash at the moment. Also, my bank sucks and has reduced my credit limit for almost no reason. Poo.

My goal weight is still 145-148. My weight fluctuates pretty regularly, so I need to allow for a little bit of up-and-down.

I think that setting goal weights with goal dates is maybe not the best way to do it. I do need to have certain dates by which I would like to accomplish things, though. I think that I can still accomplish that by January 1 losing 1-2 pounds per week, but that means many more weeks of 2 pounds than 1, and that's if I lose weight this week too. Also, I'm going to Seattle again in January. I don't know how that will play into it. Maybe I should give myself a little time after that to get adjusted back into my life.

I think that maybe May 1 should be my definite date for getting down to 145. That's the middle of the Celtic year, and also the time when it really starts to get hot here. I'll aim for 165 by November 1 (the Celtic New Year, Samhain), and 155 by January 1. These are not concrete dates, and my rewards are not dependent upon getting to these weights by these days...but they are targets, so that I have some sort of motivation.

Now, for rewards. I need to find something that I really want, that doesn't compromise my health, and that doesn't cost a ton of money.

...

I have no idea what to do for that.

I think that the reward for 165 pounds will be a video game. I'm not sure which one...it will depend on what games have come out by that time. Maybe the new Warcraft, maybe Super Mario Bros. for the Wii, maybe The Sims...I don't know. Something awesome.

For one of my rewards, I think that a Kindle is appropriate. I've taken out trips as rewards...too expensive, and I'm already going to Seattle in January. Also, if I can manage to get my Kindle before my trip...hey, less to carry. So, lets make that the reward for 155.

For 145, I need something really cool. If I make it to that weight, first of all, I will gift myself with more money every month by cancelling my Weight Watchers subscription. Maybe a trip for this one would be appropriate. I don't know about this one...maybe the promise of being able to wear all of my old clothes should be reward enough. Or maybe I'll reward myself by spending $200-$300 on new clothes. : ) We'll see...that's a long way off.

Ok, so there we go. Now, gotta work on just losing that first 13 pounds. G'night!

New Plan!

Ok, so, I have revised this current plan a little.

I felt like I HAD to do something tonight. I couldn't not. But I had no gas, no money for gas, and it was all rainy. So, I decided to do the Slim in 6 thing.

It wore me the fuck out! It was only 30 minutes, but it really does work out your arms, legs, and abs. It's a really good workout. I think that a few days of this could really help me out...although, maybe not a few days in a row, 'cause that might kill me.

So, I think that I'm going to start all of this stuff off by alternating Slim in 6 with walking my normal 3 miles for 2 weeks. When I can do the Slim in 6 every day, I will...I'll see how I feel tomorrow. But yeah, I think that this will get me a little more in shape for when I really do start this new plan. In addition, this routine will be a little more flexible for when I go to my grandmother's for 2 days this weekend.

I need to remember to put something under me on the floor when I do the whole Slim in 6 thing. Hahaha...I hadn't gotten all the way through it before, and the end has makes you do crunches...which are a little uncomfortable if you're wearing just pants and a sports bra on a laminate floor. : )

30 minutes still doesn't feel like enough. I know that it's actually a really good muscle workout, but health professionals recommend more than 30 minutes of exercise a day for weight loss. So...maybe walking PLUS Slim in 6? I really might die, if I do that. But...walking isn't enough by itself, and Slim in 6 isn't enough by itself...so maybe the solution for that last week is to do them together. It's only for a week at a time...maybe I'll start off with 2 miles instead of 3, until I get back into this whole thing.

The key to this is being my own drill sergeant. I cannot give myself the option of not exercising. Ultimately, I think that I could allow myself to take off up to 2 days per week. But, for now, I need the routine of EVERY DAY. No exceptions.

Next entry will be goals and rewards. I need to go ahead and do that...I have officially started, if a little slower than planned. When I flag in my strength or motivation, I want to keep something in my mind for why I'm doing it.

Gearing up...

Ok, so, I'm back from Seattle.

This morning, when I weighed in, I was 179. Blah. I did lose a little weight in Seattle, but between menstruation, sick animals and the stress of getting back into work over the last week, it's come back. I would say I'm actually still about at 178, since it's still that time of the month.

Also due to that time of the month, I will not be starting my workout regimen today, or probably until next week. I really haven't had time to properly prepare myself...I still do not have a gym membership, my bike is a little bit broken, and I don't have proper clothes. I might do the home stuff this week...start with that, then start on the gym next week. I think I'm going to do the school gym thing...that's $50/semester, whereas the real gym is $15.99/month. Plus the school gym has a pool. So hey.

I see all of these people around me losing tons of weight, and it really makes me feel shitty because I haven't been able to do that too. I just have to learn how to channel that anger and irritation that I feel into something productive.

Thankfully, it's almost Autumn, and I LOVE Autumn. The way that other people feel about Spring? Yeah, that's me with Autumn. I do all of my real cleaning and organizing during this season, I actually LIKE going outside. So, that's good.

I think that my real goal should be to lose all of this stupid weight by the time it gets hot again. I mean, it's hot now...but I mean next year. I think that's a good goal...I'm so uncomfortable during the hot months, so hopefully that will help me.

Once I actually get into this regimen, I'll set real concrete goals and rewards. I don't want to do it yet, because I haven't actually started.

You know what? I AM starting today. I am doing, at the very least, a workout video tonight. Maybe I'll go up to the school today and get that whole thing taken care of, and then maybe work out for a little bit. I'll have a concrete plan by noon.

No more waiting. Now is the time. Seize the day! : )

Pretty Good...

So, I'm not QUITE where I want to be yet, but close. This morning I was 177, and I have another day before I leave. So...maybe? We'll see. I've been good today...it's not difficult, a few things going on in my life have caused me not to be too hungry. ...Hey! Solution! All I need to do is have big events happen every week or so in my life, and then I'll undoubtedly lose weight!

Ha.

I plan to be at least down to 173-4 by the time I get back. This shouldn't be too terribly difficult, what with all the walking and the eating healthy and the no-sugar coffee. But we'll see...the way my body works, it's more likely I'll be 185 by the time I get back, even with all that stuff. Boo.

Short entry today, going to pick up my sister. Probably won't update until I return. Wish me luck! Later!

Unexpected Losses

Where this entry's title might in another blog indicate something of an unhappy nature, in this case, it is quite the opposite.

I am down to 176.5...yay! Almost where I want to be before I go to Seattle. Now I just have to keep it off until next Friday, when I leave.

I suppose it's not completely unexpected that I would have lost some weight. I have been doing pretty well...yesterday I had a bunch of really small things all day long, like a granola bar or a PB&J sandwich on wheat. I've been eating Lean Cuisines for lunch, partly because it's just so much easier to keep those in the freezer than to rely on other people to pick something good for lunch. I've also been riding my bike just a tiny bit every afternoon, just trying to get the hang of it before I have to do it for real.

If I manage to stay at this weight through tomorrow, I will start back on the Wii Fit this weekend. I won't be able to get much accomplished before I have to leave, but I will be able to see where I am on strength and balance. I would also like to ride the bike this weekend, maybe do a little of the St. Mark's Trail. The whole thing is 17 miles long, so I will need quite a bit more practice before doing all of that...but for now, part of it will do.

I might end up riding the St. Mark's Trail as part of my biking week...that will be easy to do during the week, because there won't be many people on it. We'll see.

I would so love to lose some weight in Seattle. We're camping for several days up in Canada, and I know we're doing camp-cooking for a lot of that time, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I won't be able to put a whole lot of shit in my coffee, or eat snacks, and I'll presumably be walking all over the place, so I don't think it will be terribly difficult.

I'm excited. I feel like this is finally really going to happen. : )

Ramping Up

So, I'm getting psyched up for this new plan.

I lost a bit of weight this weekend, so I'm feeling good today. I'm back at 178, which I've been a little above lately, due mainly to summer sluggishness and female fluctuations. I'm also back on my slough of vitamins...in addition to my multivitamin, I'm once again on vitamins D and B12, iron, and thyroid supplements. I think that this has led to an increase in energy, which is awesome. I still feel totally gross and wilted every time I walk out the door...but at least I feel more productive while indoors.

I've been allowing myself very small indulgences, which will go away when I go to Seattle. I've been really into rainbow sherbet lately...which, on the list of indulgences, is seriously mild...as well as Publix light tiramisu ice cream. Both very nice, light cures for my summertime blues.

I feel good about setting aside 6:00-8:00 every night to do my workout. That way, there's a time limit. It gives me time when I get home from work, and time afterwards to do other stuff. It's in the cooler-but-still-light part of the day, and I've always loved twilight, so I'll enjoy being out of doors then. I'll try and eat a little something before I leave work, so that I'll have energy to workout but won't be too full. It also limits the time that I'm working out...no matter what, I'll be done by 8, so if I really feel as though I'm torturing myself, I have a time limit.

It helps me to go through these things before I start this plan. Being a perfectionist, I look for the perfect solution to any problem, and I believe that this plan could be just that for me.

I might start out biking up and down the St. Marks Trail. It's completely flat almost the entire way, so it would be a good place to start riding again after all these years. Maybe this weekend, if I can fit my new bike into my car.

I still need a bathing suit, too. That might need to wait until I get back from Seattle, though...running a little short on funds.

Ok, back to work. Later. : )