I'm still eating too much. Despite my intentions upon waking every day, I never make it through the day without eating a couple hundred too many calories. I just don't know why I can't control myself. I'm definitely eating when I'm not hungry. I'm just eating because I want to.
I've been trying to read online about why we self-sabotage. I found this article, which I thought was interesting. It talks about our own lack of a positive self image is the root of the problem.
I think I need to focus my efforts on exercise, which seems to be going OK. My new running shoes seem to have been a good decision. I haven't been having any problems with my toe or my feet going numb when I exercise. The salesgirl at Lady Foot Locker suggested some insoles when I told her about my problem. She said the arch is farther back on the insoles, which could alleviate my problem--and it did! Who knew?
My muscle tone seems to be coming back slowly. I can see the definition in my legs finally. I've been gradually increasing my cardio. I can't do long stretches, so I've been doing multiple sessions of 10 minutes each. Today, I did the elliptical, then rowing after lifting weights, then another more intense 10 minutes on the elliptical. I still feel like the mayor of Wimptown, though. My stamina is so poor.
It's so hard for me to pace myself on the weights, however. I always want to push it and do more, but that's a sure road to injury. I have a hard time gauging how much is too much. I can do what seems like a light workout one day and be really sore the next. If it weren't for the trainer, I would probably have hurt myself by now. I just hate going slow when I have so far to go.
Posted By: ashleyb
Comments to this post:
07/05/2007 14:34
good job!!
I am newby here
you are well on your way to good results ! great job! keep up good work. I am struggling with getting weights and toning in and I know that will help me so much.
I started reading the article but didn't finish it. There's some good stuff in there. It's basically the 'fake it till you make it' method broken down with some touchy-feely stuff, isn't it. That could work for some people. I am skeptical of how-to articles that give you enumerated steps.
I think you will find your way when you start to feel that the journey is more joyful than the arrival.
I know that sounds like rubbish, but really, I do my workouts because I love them, and I love knowing that I am a person who does workouts. I love eating the way I eat because I like knowing that I am a person who eats well. I like doing these things, I really don't do them so that I can have X, Y or Z (in this case, to wear size 10 clothes and weigh 135.) I do seriously believe that if my body size were my only motivation, I would have gained my weight back by now.
So I guess I do agree with the article, what I read of it.
On the weights, I mean. I like being able to increase a little bit at a time. It will really add up fast, I swear. Are you tracking the weights at all? I don't know if I would care enough to do this on my own, but when I was at the Y they had a funky computer system that recorded what weights and how many reps I did with particular machines (the trainer had to set it up) and then I could see graphs of my progress with each muscle group. It was pretty cool, and of course by the time a few months had passed I didn't remember what weight I'd started with, so the graphs were a good reminder.
Some sources say that getting 3 ten-minute workouts is just as good as one 30-minute session. So you're doing great, and slowly as you are able you can bump them to 12 minutes each, etc.
Don't beat yourself up about the food. Maybe you need a new mechanism to distract you from the urge to eat when you're not hungry? And if you are hungry, don't feel bad about eating a little more.
