Weight Loss Wednesday, August 27

 

First, unrelated particularly to weight loss, just dates in general—this year is flying by!  I can’t believe it’s almost September already.

Anyway, still up about half a pound from where I was before our weekend away, so a little slower coming back off than I would like, but it’s still moving forward, and that’s the important thing. 

 

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	7,532
Thursday	8,165
Friday	7,314
Saturday	9,295	45 minutes treadmill; 2.97 miles
Sunday	10,984	46 minutes treadmill; 3.08 miles
Monday	7,818
Tuesday	7,982

Weight Loss Wednesday, August 20

 

Sad to say, it’s my first backward week in a while, but only by just over a pound.  A weekend full of three big meals—even dessert several times—and swapping the gym for hours in a car definitely took its toll.  But I’m not too worried about it, even though I haven’t really gotten back into the swing of things just yet.   I still know where my goals are, and I’ve still got my plexus to help me out when I stray, so it’s all good.

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	6,021
Thursday	6,872
Friday	7,663
Saturday	6,906
Sunday	2,987
Monday	6,789
Tuesday	5,237

Weight Loss Wednesday, August 6

 

So, I’m supposed to be taking part in a Facebook challenge designed to get participants to 30 minutes of brisk activity six days a week.  Unfortunately, pretty much my only real activity comes from my gym time, and that’s pretty much gotten down to only a weekend thing.  I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do about that, since my job wears me down enough that I am rarely in the mood for a workout once I get out of the office.  All I can do for now is make sure that at least on the two days a week that time is really my own, I continue to get my workout in.

Still, I’m down another half a pound this week, along with another inch and a half.  I’ll take it, and I’ll keep on working on it, even as slow as it goes.

 

 

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	6,084
Thursday	6,771
Friday	4,574
Saturday	10,94	38 minute treadmill; 2.66 miles
Sunday	8,114	40 minutes treadmill, 2.94 miles
Monday	5,168
Tuesday	5,260

Weight Loss Wednesday, July 30

 

Wasn’t a very active week, as you can tell by the numbers.  My planking has gotten haphazard, and even on the nights I do it, I’m struggling to hold it for longer than 45 seconds.  Clearly two minutes will not happen by the end of this month, but perhaps by the end of August.

But I am still shrinking, though slowly.  .3 pound lost this past week and down a total of 3.4 inches.  I’ll take (or give, however you want to look at it) slow, as long as it keeps on keeping on, because that’s what I’m doing. 

Off to bed now so that I can break this nasty habit of sleeping the first few hours on my couch!

 

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	4,791
Thursday	5,184
Friday	6,211
Saturday	10,495	30 minute treadmill
Sunday	8,768	36 minutes treadmill
Monday	5,988
Tuesday	5,786

But

Weight Loss Wednesday, July 23

 

Well, the scale and the tape measure are still moving in the right direction.  Down about a pound and a half and another inch.  Not to be too totally gross (and TMI), but pretty soon I’ll have lost a full belly roll!

I’ve fallen a little behind on my planking, at least from the standpoint of staying daily, but I’m still on track for duration.  Right on schedule with a minute, 15 seconds yesterday, so I’m hoping I can tack on the extra five seconds tonight.  The goal is to be able to hold a two minute plank by the end of the month, but that is only one week away, and I have to say that it’s still feeling way out of reach.  But I’ll never know if I don’t try, so try I will. 

I also need to put a big focus on the whole emotional eating problem.  My work has been a huge stressor lately—to the point that I think it’s about time to dust off the resume—but that’s been sending me home the last couple of nights heading straight to the fridge.  I really have got to do something about that, and more quickly than finding a new job.

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	7,711	60 second plank
Thursday	6,748	62 second plank
Friday	7,429
Saturday	8,858	36 minutes treadmill
Sunday	11,456	44 minutes treadmill, 30 second plank
Monday	7,811	45 second plank
Tuesday	6,665	75 second plank

Weight Loss Wednesday, July 16

 

Another pound down this week, and a total of two inches all over.  Yay!

I spoke with my doctor, and the test results confirm I am definitely menopausal, though that certainly wasn’t a surprise.  Because of problems with blood clotting, typical hormone replacement is not an option for me.  Apparently the patch version has lesser risk, but still more of a risk than I’m willing to take.  Doc also offered the idea that sometimes antidepressants are used to help with symptoms in those who can’t take the HRT, but after giving it some thought and talking it over with Brian, that was another step I didn’t want to take, even though I really wanted to get rid of my symptoms.

I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it before, but for several months—like since around the first of the year—I’ve been taking a product called Plexus Slim.  I started taking it hoping it would help me lose weight as it seemed to have done for so many others, but it didn’t have that effect for me.  Other good results—better sleeping, more regularity—kept me drinking the Slim. 

Just about ten days ago, I added a probiotic and cleanse product from Plexus to the mix, and I’m attributing the recent weight (and inch) loss to that more than anything.    Not in a drastic, out of control way, but in a way that just seems to be slowly making me feel better and allowing some of my eating and fitness choices to start to be productive.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I recently became an ambassador for Plexus products, but primarily so that I could save a little money buying my own stuff, not because I want to share it with the world.  (Though maybe some day I will, so if you want to know more about the stuff, drop by my site!)  But, seriously, I don’t share these results in an effort to push something on anyone, only to say that this is the next step I’ve taken in my fitness journey, and it seems to be helping me out.  Getting myself into better shape really has been more difficult at this stage of life, and I’m glad to have found something that I can use as another tool toward my goals.

And, I’ve stayed on target with the Facebook group I’m in this month for steps and daily plank, so that has helped, too. (Except I haven’t done my plank yet for today, and I’m feeling strongly that I may have to do two tomorrow to make up for going to bed without getting it done tonight.)  The next thing I really need to tackle is finding a way to make it to the gym at least once during the week, but lately work has been a drain, and I just haven’t had the enthusiasm for it after I leave the office—particularly as the gym seems about a million degrees hotter in the afternoon than it does in the morning, and I’m having enough trouble regulating my body temperature lately without feeling like my workout is going to send me into some sort of heat stroke!

But, as always, this remains an ongoing journey, and I’ll just keep taking it one day at a time until I get to where I want to be.

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	5,826	37 second plank
Thursday	5,711	40 second plank
Friday	6,513	41 second plank
Saturday	8,976	34 minutes treadmill, 45 second plank
Sunday	8,353	36 minutes treadmill, 20 second plank
Monday	5,477	50 second plank
Tuesday	8,395	60 second plank

Weight Loss Wednesday, July 9

 

So, I’m down about a pound and a half this week, which is good, considering I haven’t made it to the gym since Sunday.  I joined a Facebook challenge page this month which has very reasonable step goals (even for the days I end up stuck on my butt behind a desk most of the day), as well as a progressive plank goal.  The idea is to be able to hold a two minute plank by the end of the month, though I’ll admit that seems a little bit out of reach at the moment.  Still, a week ago, 40 seconds seemed a pretty long way off, too.  I just have to keep reminding myself of those sorts of things and keep moving on to next week.

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	5,555	20 second plank
Thursday	8,015	20 second plank
Friday	11,013	31 minutes treadmill, 25 second plank
Saturday	10,121	37 minutes treadmill, 25 second plank
Sunday	10,050	42 minutes treadmill
Monday	6,189	31 second plank
Tuesday	7,740	40 second plank

Wellness Wednesday, May 7

 

Only made it to the gym once this week, but the vacation poundage has dropped back off.  Also, I’ve had at least 100 ounces of water each day this week, so that’s off to a good start.  I’m keeping on.

In other news, in the past couple of weeks—once while in Florida and once just last night—I’m pretty sure that I’ve experienced by first bouts of true night sweats.  I always get hot when I sleep (in contrast to pretty much always being cold when I’m awake), but these were not the same as that.  No, I think I have to accept the reality of the flippant remark that’s been coming out of my mouth for quite a while now: perimenopause.  I’m pretty sure that there are some upsides to actually going through “the change”, but my understanding is that those benefits are slow in coming around.  But, in terms of the matter at hand, it also seems to be a universal truth that the vast majority of the women dealing with either full-on menopause or the preliminary version also experience  at least a difficulty losing weight, if not actual weight gain.  I know I’ve said before that losing weight at 50 is significantly harder than it was even at 47-48, and I am not thrilled with the idea that all of physiology is combining to make it even harder.  But, as I say, I’m keeping on; I can’t just give up now, even if science is against me.

 

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	6,832
Thursday	7,940
Friday	10,037
Saturday	1,355
Sunday	12,672	39 minutes treadmill; 2.59 miles
Monday	7,717
Tuesday	6,278

Wellness Wednesday, April 30

 

Vacation was good for getting a little bit more active, even if it was just some bursts of walking in between quite a bit of sitting.  It was not good for eating, however, and I’m lucky to be up only a pound.  After all, you can only eat so much ice cream without consequence. 

Now that I’ve returned to the real world, it’s back to a bunch of catching up and lots of sitting at a desk.  And, Brian is in the process of changing jobs, so there’s been lots of paperwork to look at each night when I’ve gotten home this week.  Maybe soon my time will be my own again.

I have started logging my water again, though.  Small things that helped the last time I successfully lost weight I’m going to start slowly re-incorporating into my habits, and this seemed like a good one to start with.  I always drink a fair amount of water, but the amount has been dwindling lately, so it’s time to get back on track with that, then move on to adding another good habit when I’ve gotten that one fully ingrained.

	STEPS	ACTIVITIES
Wednesday	13,367	32 min treadmill; 1.7 miles
Thursday	9,960
Friday	15,650
Saturday	12,971
Sunday	6,283
Monday	6,295
Tuesday	4,739

Welcome Back to Wellness Wednesday

 

Well, here we are again.  I know I’ve said it before, but I honestly have got to find the strength of will to rededicate myself to losing weight and getting healthier.

A few years back, when I found that sort of determination, it was all started because of a particularly bad photograph.  When I look back a few years from now (hopefully as a much smaller person), I will say it was a health scare that got me moving again.  Not a huge health scare, mind you, but one that has gotten me to thinking.

Of course, I’ve known for a long time that I’m healthier overall as a lighter person.  I mean, that’s not much of a secret, right?  But when I ended up in the hospital for a few days last week, getting subjected to the poking and prodding and scanning, it really sort of hit home.  You see, even after all the poking, prodding, and scanning, the experts still haven’t figured out a precise cause for the symptoms that sent me to the doctor in the first place, but all the things they thought it might have been (which have been ruled out after all the testing), and the inkling of an idea they have now that it still might be, all of those reasons are exacerbated by being overweight. 

Again, that’s hardly a surprise, since it seems you can’t open up a list of causes for any illness from a common headache to cancer without finding obesity among the culprits, but some seem to be more causally related than others.  But, whether the weight is a primary risk factor or one way down the list of possibilities, I’d just as soon try to eliminate the dangers all the way around.

Not that it will be easy.  In addition to age and metabolism fighting me (believe me when I say that the old adage about losing weight after 50 is true), that oft-referenced motivation has really been eluding me lately.  And, since being home from the hospital, I’ve really been taking it easy—not much physical activity and lots of sleep.  Honestly, it’s just after 11pm as I write this, and I haven’t seen anything close to this hour of night for over a week!  Going to bed earlier is probably a routine I should try to continue, but I feel like I lose out on some valuable hours that way.  Anyway, the point is, while my head knows that I need to be putting in some physical effort at weight loss, my body has not been cooperating.  If I’m feeling up to it, I’ll try to hit the gym this weekend for a low impact workout and start easing my way back into things.

But, whether it’s this weekend, or takes another week to get to feeling better, I know I’ve got to do it.  I may not be a youngster anymore, but I think I’m still too young to be worrying about my end of days.  There are still things I want to do, see, experience before I leave this earth behind, so I need to get my body in the shape to allow those things to happen.  It’s really not just about weight, and it’s not about vanity at all; it’s about being healthy enough to live my life and enjoy it.

The journey begins.

Weight Loss Wednesday, April 2

 

Not that I was exactly on a roll last week, but there is certainly nothing like a day and a half in bed to make your step count take a nose-dive.  The much dreaded stomach bug took up residence here earlier this week, and I am still a little shaky on my feet—mostly because I’m still living pretty much on applesauce and crackers. 

The upside of all that is that on Monday, I managed to lose almost four pounds.  I’ll admit it’s not the way I’d choose to do it, nor would I recommend it to anyone, but I’m not in a hurry to give the pounds back (at least not all of them!), so I’ll just consider that my reward for suffering through the illness.  It seems only fair.

I hope to get back to the gym by Saturday, if I have the energy at all.  The last two days, I’ve been getting my workout simply by being the last person at the office, and the dash up the stairs to beat the alarm has left me doubled over just outside the door, so my energy obviously isn’t quite where it needs to be yet.  I didn’t exactly say it earlier, but let me make clear that the stomach bug sucks, even if he does want to drag a few pounds out with him.  Anyway, Saturday is PTK induction day, then family afternoon, but maybe by the evening I’ll have the strength to drag myself to the 10 Gym.  One can only hope.

Steps	Activities
Wednesday	6,322
Thursday	6,180
Friday	6,368
Saturday	11,589	40 min treadmill; 2.93 miles
Sunday	10,186	40 min treadmill; 2.64 miles
Monday	1,885
Tuesday	3,991

Weight Loss Wednesday, March 26

 

Still no further weight loss, though I am slowly trying to get back into my little habits of increased activities.  You’d be surprised how much difference can be made just by walking in place when you’re waiting for something, or walking back and forth between offices instead of using email or the intercom.  Back when I was really focused on my fitness and weight loss, I hardly ever stood still; always walking or moving in some way.   Only one day below 5,000 this week, so definitely moving in the right direction in that regard, but still a far cry from the 15K+ I used to churn out, so I need to step it up (NPI).  I’m having  a hard time with getting to the gym this week due to school commitments (and my unfortunate tendency this semester to neglect my studies); looks like my three days of working out will have to be all in a row, if they’re going to happen at all, and I hate that.  Maybe my PTK meeting won’t run too late tomorrow evening and I can at least split up one day.  We’ll see. 

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	9,162
Thursday	5,342
Friday	10,323	36 min treadmill; 2.71 miles
Saturday	4,450	9 minutes rebounder
Sunday	11,084	21 min treadmill; 1.41 miles; 25 min  recumbent bike; 4.25 miles
Monday	6,127
Tuesday	5,557

Weight Loss Wednesday, March 19

 

It’s just a little over a month until I depart for Orlando with my PTK friends, so I’m clearly not going to lose that twenty pounds I had hoped to make disappear before the trip.  Still, if I am very diligent, I might still manage to drop five or ten, so I guess I better dial up the diligence.

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	7,266
Thursday	9,640
Friday	6,303
Saturday	4,454
Sunday	9,728	40 min treadmill; 1.98 miles
Monday	5,673
Tuesday	8,812	20 min treadmill; 1.11 miles

Weight Loss Wednesday, March 12

 

First, let me say that I glanced at a calendar this morning and realized that it’s been exactly six months since my granny died.  I’ll admit I cried a little.  Not as much as the other day when it hit me that she won’t be around for my graduation ceremony, but a little.  There’s a level of grieving that I thought I had moved past, but I think I was fooling myself. 

In terms of the weight loss, that’s going a big, fat nowhere.  Really, it’s sort of amazing I haven’t gained back the few pounds I managed to take off, what with no exercise and eating pretty much whatever, whenever.  A couple of weeks ago, I thought I was ready to get into an actual routine of working out, but illness, school, and work all conspired to keep me from the gym.  I briefly considered figuring out how to get over there at least a couple of days this week, but we’re in the middle of trial this week (my first since I’ve been at the office; there’ll probably be more about that at some point later, even though I do not have high hopes for the outcome), and it didn’t take me long to realize that nothing else gets done during trial.  But, though I may not have hopes for the trial, I do have hopes for finally making it back to the 10 Gym next week.

 

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	5,602
Thursday	9,080
Friday	9,811
Saturday	7,357
Sunday	2,349
Monday	7,547
Tuesday	9,478

Weight Loss Wednesday, February 19

 

No weight loss this week, maybe even a gain, though I’ve honestly forgotten where I was last week.  But, I’m only at 5.5 lost since starting my food plan, and I think that’s less than what it was before.  I’d go pull up last week’s post, but I’m tired and have to go to work early again, so I need to head off to bed.  Anyway, that’s been five weeks, so it’s still averaging a pound a week, which isn’t horrible, but certainly not great.  Though I suppose I should be glad it’s not worse, considering how horribly I ate last week while I was sick, and then this past weekend was my “off” weekend, so at least I’m hanging on.

On the upside, I did finally make it to the gym Tuesday, and I’ll go again tomorrow.  Maybe adding in some activity will kick start something.  Fingers crossed.  Let’s see what this coming week brings.

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	3,873
Thursday	4,518
Friday	5,539
Saturday	2,777
Sunday	2,080
Monday	4,896
Tuesday	9,488	30 min treadmill; 2.17 miles

Weight Loss Wednesday, January 1

 

I’m sitting her now looking at my exercise clothes.  They’re sitting just next to me on the bed, because I was intending to spend a bit of time at the gym.  Instead, I’ve been hit pretty hard by tonight’s dinner, and I’m not feeling real comfortable with the idea of being too far away from necessary facilities.  So now, my clothes just mock me.

Still, though it’s been a fairly inactive week, I still managed to lose about 1.5 pounds, so I’ll take that any day of the week. 

And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the significance of today, and the resolution I have made to myself.  Not surprisingly, it’s the same one I’ve made countless times before (and only managed to actually stick to once), but I’m trying it again.  Anyway, for 2014, I am resolving to be more healthy.  Naturally, for me, that will take the shape of losing some weight, but even beyond that, I just want to make sure that I’m more physically active than I’ve been lately, and that I eat sleep better than I’ve been doing.  By being consistent with those things, I will, of course, lose weight, but it’s really all about being healthier and just feeling better. 

So I’m not declaring a weight loss goal for the year (though I do have one overall: I’d like to lose approximately 70 pounds), I’m just declaring that I will make myself feel better this year.  The weight I lose in the process is going to be the icing on the cake.  Or the crouton on the salad.  You get the point.

What about you—any resolutions you’re pursing this year?

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	6,011
Thursday	11,948	35 mins treadmill; 2.52 miles
Friday	5,683
Saturday	10,954	51 mins treadmill; 3.75 miles
Sunday	5,625	30 mins treadmill; 1.6 miles
Monday	8,674
Tuesday	4,745

Weight Loss Wednesday, December 18

 

Well, no pounds lost this week, but I think I should take measurements again soon, because my pants are starting to feel a little bit looser.  And even though I’ve still got a whole bunch of those pounds between now and the end of my weight loss journey (I say that like there’s actually an end, but I know that this is an ongoing battle), I’ll gladly take—or give!—those inches as I move along. 

 

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	5,412
Thursday	8,823
Friday	9,520
Saturday	4,605
Sunday	8,048	21 minutes treadmill, 1.57 miles; 24 minutes exer-bike, 3.2 miles
Monday	6,079
Tuesday	15,415	43 minutes treadmill, 2.53 miles

Weight Loss Wednesday, December 11

 

Another week, and another 1.5 pounds gone; yippee!  And that’s with one totally sick day and one before that when my body must’ve known what was coming, because all it wanted was rest.  Oh, and a couple of evenings sitting immobile for hours cramming for finals.  I will gladly take the pound and a half loss in those circumstances.

I did manage to squeeze in one trip to the gym this past week, and I hope now that I’m done with school I’ll find a little more time.   I still think maybe not until this weekend, since Friday I’ve got a paralegal club commitment, and tomorrow evening I hope to put up our Christmas tree, but after that, I’m hoping to find a bit of motivation to go along with the free time.  I still would like to lose a few more pounds before our vacation, so gotta start working it.

As a slight aside, there are stories floating about that Justin Bieber was approached by a fan at a hotel swimming pool.  She was in a bikini, and he supposedly commented that she looked like a beached whale and should go on Biggest Loser.  Now, I’m a long ways past my days of fascination with teeny bopper boys, so I don’t follow the Biebs except for whatever story is making the shocking headlines of the day, and, sadly, there seem to be quite a few for him.  I would hope that no one would be so cruel and heartless as to say such a thing to anyone, much less a total stranger, and some adoring fan on top of that.  But the unfortunate commentary on our society is that it wouldn’t surprise me if the story were really true.  We have been trained to put a premium on skinny girls, preferably with blonde hair and blue eyes.  And while I can admit that I am overweight, and there are myriad reasons why I should be smaller, I’d really rather not add into my thought process the fact that a great number of folks find my size repugnant.  I especially don’t like to consider the fact that no matter what I do, I will never be skinny, (though I know from experience I can get my weight down to a far healthier number), nor will I ever be blonde-haired and blue-eyed.  (Technically, I suppose I could dye my hair, and maybe get some colored contacts or something—can you change brown to blue?—but that’s not really the point.)  The point of this little diversion is that people need to stop judging other people.  Honestly, they need to stop judging for a lot of things, but they really need to let go of the idea that anyone not a perfect size zero ought to be the subject of ridicule.  Oh, and if Bieber really did say those things, well, he should be treated like the spoiled, childish brat that he apparently is. /slight aside.

And now, back to our regular programming, the other thing I’m  had intended to do to do with a bit of free time, was spend a few nights crawling into bed before midnight.  Apparently that trend won’t start tonight, but if I hurry, it’ll be really close.  Goodnight!

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	11,030
Thursday	7,089
Friday	5,079
Saturday	10,335	17 min treadmill, .85 miles; 22 minutes on exer-bike, 3.25 miles
Sunday	1,886
Monday	2,525
Tuesday	7,363

Weight Loss Wednesday, November 27

 

Not quite a half pound this week—only .3—but I’m glad to be moving downward again.  Seriously running out of time before vacation, so I nee to get serious about getting back in shape.  Won’t be easy this time of year, what with being even more busy than usual and surrounded by tons of food, but I’ve got to give it a try.

And, speaking of all the food, I just made my cooking chart for tomorrow and realized I have to be up by about 630 in the morning, so I really ought to head on off to bed. 

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving.

 

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	9,511
Thursday	8,970
Friday	8,463
Saturday	7,198
Sunday	7,091
Monday	5,544
Tuesday	11,729

Weight Loss Wednesday, November 13

 

I don’t know, at half a pound a week, it’s going to take me years to get rid of all the weight I want to get rid of.  What I seriously need, though, is some sort of real motivation—something that makes me head to the gym even when my head is pounding, or I’m dead on my feet, or I’ve got eight thousand other things to do.  And it would be most helpful if I could lose my craving for sweet snacks. 

Still, I won’t be ungrateful for my half pound; it’s the whole idea of every journey starts with a single step, right? 

	Steps	Activities
Wednesday	4,618
Thursday	7,235
Friday	7,039
Saturday	4,390
Sunday	12,159	treadmill, 48 mins, 3.43 miles
Monday	3,611
Tuesday	10,385