We had a football game tonight. Team didn't do so swell, but the weather was great!
Two boys were taken to the hospital in the ambulance. One from the other team, and one from our team; both with head injuries. I get all teary eyed when I see those boys hurt. I know it's part of the sport, but it still gets your insides all worked up.
Onto happier things...
We are prepared and ready for our trip tomorrow. The dog is bathed to go to the sitter. The laundry is done, the bathrooms are clean, the floors are scrubbed. The house is clean in case something happens to us.
Are you all like that too, does your house have to be cleaned before going anywhere? My grandma always cleaned before going anywhere in case something happened to her and people would have to come in her house. She didn't want them to think she lived like a pig. Mind you, her house was ALWAYS emaculant, but she still went through the "drill." She raised me so some of those habits are in there for life.
I made a menu prior to going to the grocery and bought everything to pack our cooler. Everything is prepared and in baggies for each meal. I have plenty of tuna, chicken, and veggies so I have authorized choices for all day. Of course FREE DAY is Sunday so I might allow myself to buy 1 item inside the park. All other meals will be eaten out of our cooler.
We try with everything we have to not eat inside of an amusement park. It's just crazy expensive. It makes me sick to my stomach to pay the bill when we choose to eat inside the park. (so I avoid that feeling at all costs) I stand there in shock. I think "I could have bought this, I could have bought that," and the list goes on and on. Ds has come to expect it, as I'm also like that when we go to the movies. I've gone into the movies looking like I was 7-8 months pregnant from all the food stuffed up under my shirt and jacket. LOL!! If they had a security camera watch me go in, then watch me come out, they would be like.....Hey???
I will have time in the morning to workout before leaving, and that makes me happy. Dh came home with his Ipod so I have Cardio Coach again. *sigh* I missed Cardio Coach this week. (I lost my MP3 player) He and I took a wonderful ride this morning out on the trails. As usual he kicked my hiney.
I'm excited to ride the coasters tomorrow. I figure I'm getting older, and riding coasters might not be a possibility much longer. I have noticed over the last couple years they affect me differently. I can't ride them one right after another like I used too, and I need to take breaks more often. I'm going to enjoy them while I can. I plan to ride them ALL!!!! Can't wait!
Wanted to sleep in this morning but got up and worked out.
Didn't eat my first meal until 1:00 pm today. It was tasty though. I met my friend, Cindy, at Applebees and I had the Cajun Lime Tilapia!!! YUM!!!
Am excited dh is coming home tonight. He's been in San Antonio all week.
The weather here is amazing.
I would take a bike ride, but I've lost my MP3 player. That means no Cardio Coach available until dh gets home with his Ipod. Sure, I can take a ride without it, but it sure does make a difference.
I'm excited as our trip to Cedar Point Amusement park is this weekend. Have checked the weather and it's supposed to be beautiful!!! I'm glad because it's always cooler out there on the Peninsula.
I'm also excited as the military is giving dh laser eye surgery on Tuesday. I'm happy for him. His eyes are really bad. His glasses are super thick.
LOL!!! I've always said the best thing for a lady as self-conscious as myself in swimwear is a dh that is half blind when he takes off his glasses. LOL!!! Bless his heart, he may be shocked when his eyes are fixed. *giggle*
Anyhoo...
Gotta get ready for the weekend. Hope you have a great one.
Great question today from Angela about my decision to start counting calories. Made me think!! (thank you) I think it's very important to understand the WHY behind our decisions.
Rather than hog her blog with the answer, thought I would put it here.
The overall reason is to find balance.
You all know I exercise. It's something that I'm consistant with. I don't dread it. I enjoy it. I'm going to go as far as to say I love it.
I eat well, but I'm all over the place with consistency on how much I eat. I eat too much some days, I don't eat near enough on others. More often than not I don't eat enough. When I do eat too much it's usually when I've skipped meals or by grazing.
I'm SHOCKED at how many calories I've been adding in from grazing. SHOCKED!!
I've been asked this before "What do you mean by not eating "enough"?" Food is fuel. Of course, that's completely contrary to what the "diet revolution" was telling us when I started onto the diet scene. Eat less, especially if you exercise, is what everyone was saying.
The truth is, when you exercise you burn a ton of energy. If you don't eat enough energy to FUEL your body, your body will actually become a fat storing machine rather than a fat burning machine.
So...
I am trying to use a certain number of calories as a goal to reach for the day. A way to help me obtain balance. I believe that when I exercise, 1,300 - 1,400 calories is a good number for the day to create balance. Eating enough to maintain the workouts, but not too much as to overfill the tank.
The numbers 1,300 - 1,400 is what the trainer had me doing last spring. Somedays 1,500 if the workout was really intense. That is the number my sister gave me over the weekend as well. She actually said 1,200 would be better. That is why I am choosing those numbers. The numbers on those calorie counting sites tell me I should be eating 2000 cals a day. Both the trainer and my sister kinda let out a little *gasp* when I told them that.
My calories are coming from the whole foods I have been eating.
Water rich foods (fruit and veggies)
lean protein (fish, chicken breast, lean pork, egg whites, etc..
non-processed carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, oatmeal *not the boxed kind in little packages* brown rice, etc.) Not a lot of bread, crackers, pasta, etc...
Trying to stay away from things that are boxed or pre-packaged. Not finding my calories from low cal snack packs.
I'm looking for foods that will FUEL my body. Foods that add nutrients to my cells.
Eating LEAN, CLEAN, AND GREEN!!!
I will still take a weekly FREE DAY, and I will take it with pleasure. When restricting food (IE caloires), not only is a free day psychologically beneficial, it helps to convince your body that you are not starving it. Therefore, it will NOT hold onto the fat. Of course, balance is key on a free day too. It's not a "free-for-all" day.
I am planning on using the number as a guide and plan to count calories temporarily, probably till just the end of the year. I am doing just calories this week, will look at tracking fat grams next week, proteins and carbs the following week. (not trying to do too much at once) I am building a database of my favorite foods and the ultimate goal is to be able to use that to create menus that we like as a family.
The bottom line is this. My results have slowed down considerably. It HAS to be the food. It has to be. My exercise effort is consistant and I don't mess around at the gym. I'm willing to take this approach to my eating see if it helps me jump start my results again.
I don't mind the counting. I eat a lot of the same foods daily anyway. I'm learning to measure my food again, as I had gotten a little relaxed with that. I'm learning my portions can use some adjusting. I am finding that I'm hungry soon after eating, causing me to eat those small meals more often.
I also FEEL smaller in just the few short days I have been doing it. Talk about instant gratification.
I am eating a lot of the same foods, just using the calorie thing as a guide. A goal to work toward eat day. I'm looking to obtain ultimate balance with this.
So far, so good, as it seems to be helping. Thanks for asking because it helped ME understnad by writing all of this. Will keep you all posted. Alicia
I went to an exhibit a few months back in Cincinnati that was called BODIES. It's real human bodies that are deceased and plasticized. (sp?) Super cool. Have any of you gone to see it? What did you think? If you haven't seen it, I hope you get the opportunity as it's pretty AMAZING!!!
Anyway...he has the BODIES on stage and using them to answer audience questions.
The show is good. There are both women and men in the audience and Dr. Oz is answering questions. Very interesting.
Thanks so much for all the comments on yesterdays blog. Really appreciate every word.
Today has been great! Went to a different spinning class today, and it was good. Am learning about the new gym and trying to take different instructors.
Have eaten wonderful the last 2 days. (if I do say so myself. *sheesh* talk about legend in my own mind) Anyway...I really have eaten great. You are never going to believe it but I'm now counting calories! I am keeping a dry erase board in the kitchen and writing them down as I go. Yesterday I ate 1,275 and today I am up too 975. Am trying to stay between 1,300 and 1,400 a day.
Hope you all are doing great. Am looking forward to catching up with everyone soon. Gotta run....
If ya wanna take a minute and enjoy a beautiful message through song here is a great one. Amazing grace (my chains are gone) I haven't heard it since I watched the movie AMAZING GRACE a couple years ago. which was excellent. Anyone else see that? Great movie!
Well, I guess never mind on the video as I can't add them today. That's ok, just click the link below if you would like to hear it. It's so pretty, and the message is like a ((((hug)))) from God.
...and it doesn't mean saddle "baggage," but LOL this is funny. (and true)
First, I will warn that this is a very lengthly post. Some of this post is NOT about weight loss per say. I believe though, like I've read that many of you do to, that ALL areas of life affect weight loss. I had a great weekend, and a HUGE weigt has been lifted off my shoulders. I wanted to record it here, because it's soooo important to me. I do understand if you don't have time to read such a long post. I will share you will be missing out on some GREAT tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle at the bottom though.
With that being said...
Thanks for checking in on me over the weekend.
My weekend was nice. I went to a Mary Kay training in Columbus. What made it super nice was my sister came down from Michigan, and my step-mom came from the other side of Ohio and we went to the training together. We stayed in the same room and just had a grand ole' time.
My son and nephew were born on the same day, and they have just about everything in common. My sister brought my nephew down to the house and he and ds got to hang out while we were at the training. They used to stay together for 1-2 weeks every summer, but we've gotten away from doing that. They went to the amusement park and had a blast together.
She and I also had a nice time "visiting." We kinda drifted apart there for a few years. We've not argued, but we kinda avoided one another. I'm going to be real honest and share that a lot of it was me. I should rephrase that sentence and say "I avoided her over the years."
You see, we used to be soooo much alike. Mannerisms, sense of humor, shared political and religious beliefs, we used to even look a whole lot alike and people would be suprised when we said we were step-sisters and shared no blood.
Then something happened to me. I had some difficult times, and started to lose faith in what I was capable of. I got really depressed, got heavier, then more depressed, then heavier, etc....(we know that drill huh?) She just kept excelling in everything. I was soooo happy for her, and getting angrier with myself inside. I wasn't jealous of her, I WANTED her to keep going strong. I love her, BUT I was mad at myself because I seemed to be at such a stand still. I had these crazy expectations from myself that were impossible to live up to. I would avoid her when she would come to visit so I wouldn't have to be staring in the face of someone who was absolutely everything I wasn't. So I thought. Isn't it crazy the things we build up in our heads? This was MY thinking. My family didn't feel that way. SHE didn't feel that way. It was ME. She would always look at me kinda hurt. "you mean you don't want to go?" when I would avoid going out when she came home.
Do you know how selfish all of that is? UG!!!!
I decided this weekend that I was going to get out of myself. I am who I am and she is who she is. I miss not building a strong relationship with her. She's a nice person, a really nice person.
Wanna know what I learned this weekend again? She a girl just like me. She has feelings just like me. She's insecure with some things just like me. She is a wife just like me. She loves her children and struggles with raising them just like me. She wants our families to spend more time together just like me. She worries about cellulite on her thighs just like me.
She's just a girl that's living life to the fullest. She wants MORE out of life and her health and is willing to work for it not just talk about it. She works HARDER than most, and it pays off that's all.
Speaking of that, I witnessed a level of discipline from her that's awe inspiring. Seriously. This is her off season, but she still carries her remarkable habits.
ALL of her food was packed for the whole weekend. I mean ALL of it. Stopping at a resteraunt or a fast food place and finding a "good choice" wasn't even considered. It wasn't an option. I don't think that makes her obcessive like I used to. I think that makes her smart. Not only did she eat properly, she saved a ton of money.
She not only had a suitcase for her clothes, but two small coolers of food to accomodate her diet. All food was measured, pre-packaged, and ready to go. NOT box dinners, but food cooked at home and seperated into baggies.
She stopped and bought a special salad dressing and a bottle of vinegar. When we stopped she dumped half of the dressing then filled the rest of the bottle with vinegar to dilute the calories in the dressing. She put that on everything it seemed. I tasted it, and it was good too.
She ate often, and very small portions.
There was a lunch included with the training. The lunch consisted of salad, green beans, pasta, meat balls, bread, and cookies. We were standing in line and she was talking about the chicken she had in her cooler that she would have with her salad and they ran out of it. (salad) How that happens I don't know, but it did. She got out of line, went to her car and just got something out of her cooler.
She brought a baggie in from the car as well and put her cookies in it for her FREE DAY. There was chocolate EVERYTWHERE this weekend, a desert table FULL of food, and it was only touched to put in her baggie for her FREE DAY.
She said what I already know but practice part of the time, that planning isEVERYTHING!!!
It was funny to watch her plan and get all excited about her FREE DAY yesterday morning too. (yes she JOYFULLY takes a FREE DAY every week) She talked of it for a good part of the trip home, and the first place we went when we got home was shopping for what she was having for breakfast yesterday. She wanted to cook and treat us to some of her special FREE DAY foods.
What I witnessed was someone who DOES NOT compromise. PERIOD. There was no discussion of it. There was no evidence of it. It's wasn't an option.
Which, if you are wondering, I ate with her and followed her lead the whole weekend.
She shared EVERYTHING with me. She had packed enough food to share with me. She enjoyed teaching me and showing me how to do this. She didn't make me feel silly for not having my own cooler. I had brought some fruit, but wasn't NEAR as prepared as I've been in the past. She would say "ok, I have this, we can add this and this is a great meal for you." She LOVES teaching and helping other people in the area of fitness.
The bottom line is this...she looks the way she looks for a REASON. It's not an accident. It doesn't come "naturally" for her like I thought. She didn't win the "genetic lottery" like I've teased in the past.
I also witnessed a simple truth. Getting and staying fit comes from systematic steps that become habits, and you TRULY have to step away from mediocrity and do what other people are not willing to do.
You can't compromise if you want results. Sure, you can compromise but you will find yourself WISHING for results rather than enjoying results. I try to compromise, and lately I've tried often. It just doesn't work that way.
I know I already DO quite a bit of this stuff. I learned, though, that I can take it to the next level. It's time. I have a new motivation after this weekend.
I had a great weekend this weekend. I let go of some "baggage" in my head I have been holding onto for a REALLY long time. I learned some great tips on how to build my Mary Kay business. I learned some great tips on how to build my body better. My ds had a great time with his friend and cousin. I met some new people and had great fellowship with some old pals, and my family. It was fun, and I am thankful.
I feel fluffy today. I don't feel fluffy from overeating, I feel fluffy from barily eating. Does that seem as weird reading it as it does for me writing it? I don't understand that, but I've been told it's true.
On an empty stomach, I started my day with what I've been told is a 4 -5 hundred calorie burn spinning class. I also worked all day which requires me to walk.
So, by 5:00 pm I had been up for 12 hours. By that time I had eaten 3 egg whites scrambled, 1/2 cup reg oatmeal for breakfast, and a chicken salad with no dressing and a couple crackers for lunch. That's it.
The above mentioned food MIGHT be 700 calories total????? (I'm not a calorie counter so that number might be a little off)
Guess what? I was tired when I got home. (go figure) It took quite a bit of effort to not just eat everything in the cubbards. I was not TRYING to not eat, I just didn't plan. I got busy at work and didn't have anything there to eat. Grabbing something from the gift shop or vending machine were my choices.
I'm thankful I can control myself and not just eat whatever in those situations. (Most times, not always) I will drink a ton of water to deal with the hunger pains until I can get something, but it's not good to put my body at such a deficit.
This happens often. I really need to work on it. I think this is what is causing me to not make big gains (of losses) for the effort I put in.
Dh explains this best by saying my effort -vs- results lately is like a "locamotive in a swamp."
Anyway...
Like I shared above, I was up and at the gym by 0530 again today. Spinning class was great!
On base the classes are definately nice, but at this gym it's like what you see on TV. The instructor is elevated on a bike in front of the class, she has a headset on to give instructions like cardio coach, and the coolest part is they turn the main lights off and turn these cool blue lights on. They almost are like black lights, but not. I don't know, very different.
Am happy to start October with a strong workout.
Consistency for September was good. I missed yesterday of all days. The last day of the month. Grrr...
Ended the month with an exercise average of 96% though, and I'm cool with that.
Hope the EP pages load for me today, and I can get out to check on you.
Spinning was fun this morning. It's been awhile since I've hit the gym by 0530, and it felt GREAT to be there and get moving that early.
I will say that riding outside has truly helped me. (and is still my first love) The class was a little challenging, and I was sweating and all but it wasn't something that killed me like it would have a year ago.
This new gym has this really cool ab machine that I've never seen. It has 3 weighted balls and you grab one when you come up, hold it over your head while you go back, then throw it at a target when you come back up. It was like playing a kids game. Was fun and HARD all at the same time!!!
Was also very happy that this gym is only 14.1 miles round-trip. I know the other one is just 2 miles away, but I don't think 14.1 round-trip is all that bad. I may even keep doing my strength training at the gym on base. Who knows?
I am very, very thankful to have so many options.
I'm also happy that I'm up, workout is done, dog is walked, flowers are watered, and I'm dressed for the day. I'm going downstairs to have some oatmeal and scrambled egg whites with salsa and veggies. I have MANY things to do, and have no doubt this early morning burst of energy from my workout will carry me through this day.
LOL! Thought this was funny. Especially since that's pretty much how I felt on my bike ride this morning. *whew* was it was tough. I'm happy that I rolled out of bed and got it done though. Very happy about that.
FINALLY went today to look at the gym I talked of joining a couple weeks ago. I like it. Scratch that, I LOVE it.
Dh and I were being silly and before going in; sitting out in the car, we "pinky promiced" that we sign NOTHING today. NONE, ZERO, ZILCH contracts would be signed today no matter how good the offer became.
You see, once you say "not right now" to one saleman, they go get the manager and he "works the numbers" and always offers you "the best, limited-time deal." LOL! Which is exactly what happened, and I'm happy to say we didn't sign. Today anyway.
I get a free week to try (which is normal) but had we been quick to say yes, we would have payed that silly $99.00 initial fee, and $30.00 more for the 2 months you pay for up front, in addition to paying $15.00 more a month for my membership. The manager knocked all that off after we said "not today" like 3 times.
I have what he offered me in writing, and I get to try a week free.
Our little pinky promise saved us some money.
LOL! You can probably tell I've done this before huh? You know how you have to sometimes have bad things happen for you to learn? Well, I have lost a TON of money on gym memberships by saying yes right away out of excitement. and
If I can give any gym advice I would say.....Please, please, please, never sign that day. Never take the first quote they show you, and if you really want to get creative, get some quotes from other facilities in your community. Give them your number, take some time deciding, and you will be suprised what they are "willing to do for you!" (for a limited time of course)
It's kinda fun.
Anyway...this place offers everything. Swimming, indoor track, triathalon training if you want it, a cardio room that plays movies, a complete cardio and ab floor, an all womans room, free weights, circut training, initial orientation, and over 40 aerobic classes a week!!!!
It's also B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!!
When they were building it, I would drive by and say it was like the "mother ship" and I could hear it calling me home.
*sigh*
I'm going to spinning at 0545 Monday morning and I can't wait!!!!!
Workout today was done at home and slow going. It seemed to take quite awhile for me to talk myself into it. It's done though, and that makes me happy.
Have REALLY been focusing on abs lately and I like the way it feels.
Have been measuring my food more this week. Not in an obcessive way, but in a responsible way. Realized that my portion sizes were a bit large, and this is helping.
We have a football game tonight. The weather is a great temp, but It's super windy. Oh how I do NOT enjoy sitting outside when it's windy. Thank heavens it's a not raining though. Hope ds stays safe, and has fun.
Am looking forward to the weekend, and I'm sure you are too. Enjoy!
I get all teary eyed when I see those boys hurt. I know it's part of the sport, but it still gets your insides all worked up. 
LOL!! If they had a security camera watch me go in, then watch me come out, they would be like.....Hey???
Dh came home with his Ipod so I have Cardio Coach again. 
It was tasty though. I met my friend, Cindy, at Applebees and I had the 
Anyway...I really have eaten great. You are never going to believe it but I'm now counting calories! I am keeping a dry erase board in the kitchen and writing them down as I go. Yesterday I ate 1,275 and today I am up too 975. Am trying to stay between 1,300 and 1,400 a day. 
Spinning was fun this morning. It's been awhile since I've hit the gym by 0530, and it felt GREAT to be there and get moving that early. 
Oh how I do NOT enjoy sitting outside when it's windy. Thank heavens it's a not raining though. 
