I think I'll do the survey!
Why not? Right??!!
What is your current height and weight?
5'7", and today at the high end of my goal range, 143 lbs
This is a BMI of 22.4.
If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
135 lbs, but then I'd have very little fat left and I probably wouldn't fit into my cute clothes, and I doubt I'd be able to
stay at that weight.....
At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
137-143 lbs
Why do you want to lose weight?
I want to lose more fat and be in the best shape of my life. I have chubby trouble spots that don't cause me
too much grief, but I figure if I can lose it, then I should, because I want to. Also, staying in "weight loss mode" keeps me from losing control and gaining weight. I have a ferocious appetite and my dad was obese, whereas I may have inherited his appetite.
Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?
Not really. I want to be able to wear whatever and look great all the time
That's arbitrary, of course, but I'm pleased because I feel pretty confident in my goal range, even at the high end.
What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
Dipsomania and subsequent overeating the next day, lack of sleep from burning the midnight oil and subsequent overeating the next day, and family/friend events where I tend to overeat for some inexplicable reason.
Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
I don't think I have a weight problem right now, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to shed fat and being healthy about it.
What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
Not drinking much at all, going to sleep early, and avoiding situations where I might overeat as much as possible. I recently made those lifestyle changes and ended up MAINTAINING my weight. I think it may have been due in part to craving ice cream and cookies because I wasn't drinking alcohol, and also feeding myself because I was training for a half marathon--also, in all honesty, I had a bad case of PMS last week and food was definitely comforting!
Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
Let's see, in Dec 2006 I made a promise to lose a bunch of weight and for 4 months I meticulously counted calories and gained fitness until I went from 158 to 137. But my partying and bad relationship stress, job stress etc. made me spiral downward in lots of ways and I gained it all back. Then life improved and I made major changes and the weight seems to be coming off, however, in this summer I have vacillated from 147 to 142.
What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?
This question is kind of ass-backwards and confusing! What, am I supposed to say what I thought
would help me lose weight, and then why it didn't?
Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
Yes, that worked for me last time. I got really rebellious and tired of that, though--I haven't been consistent about it this summer, which is probably why I have only been maintaining. This is better than gaining!!
Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
I love to cook but I hate to clean, and I hate shopping for ingredients, and I commute and work too much to cook often. Lately I've been into miso soup and salmon coconut curry dinners.
How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
Often--I eat at Thai restaurants and usually get a fish, veggie and brown rice dish, sometimes I eat at the raw food restaurant in Santa Cruz.
What are your three favorite foods?
sashimi toro (the fatty belly of a Bluefin Tuna, usually served with gold leaf on it), grilled salmon, and strawberries.
What are your three favorite restaurants?
Thai Orchid in Santa Cruz, Cafe Gratitude in San Francisco and Berkeley, and Aqua Bleu in Santa Cruz
What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
I have been trying to do them, but avoiding mass-produced, unhealthy sweets like ice cream and cookies, planning meals and sticking to the mealplan, and not giving in to crap lying around the office or wherever.
If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
I would have less bunny chub and that's about it. I love my body the way it is, all I want is to get a bit leaner.
Do you eat when you are not hungry?
Yeah! I DO, actually--I eat out of boredom sometimes, and I eat because something I have is delicious and mastication is very very pleasurable
Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
Yes, but much more rarely than I did--usually it's when I'm PMSing, or drinking a lot of alcohol, or very very tired.
Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
Not really. I have snacky snacks in my drawer, LOL--but that's for quick grabbing. Right now I have these very expensive raw chocolate Goji cherry truffles by Uli Mana
Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
Yes I do, which is why I have eliminated romance from my life, exercise like a maniac, and do Yoga almost every day. Haha! TAKE THAT!
Do you eat as a reward?
Sure do!
That is "OK" in my book--not something to "live for" but definitely A-OK
Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
sadly yes but I don't have a TV. I prefer to eat outside
What do you normally eat for a meal?
Oh gawd I dunno--breakfast is usually Kombucha or Acai, Greek Yogurt and raw cheese and crackers, sometimes leftover dinner if I'm really hungry. I like black beans and prawn burritos for lunch but I try not to eat the tortilla because I'm sort of half-assed avoiding wheat, and dinners are usually Thai food or raw food or sometimes what I cook, or a salmon salad.
What type of snacks do you eat?
All kinds, I LOVE to snack--mostly raw cheese and crackers, raw bars, Kombucha--if I'm a particularly good bunny I like hummus and raw broccoli.
In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?
Lots of Yoga, the harder shit, almost intermediate level stuff, kickboxing, weight training, running, and belly dancing. I'm interested in rock climbing and a martial arts discipline. If I'm with friends, we usually go for a hike or walk together as an activity. I love to swim but it's too damn cold on the NorCal coast, brrrrrr! And I HATE chlorine.
Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?
I run on my road sometimes on the weekends, which is 5 miles to the highway and back with a giant, steep hill that sucks the life out of me. I run in the various park forests of Santa Cruz County, and sometimes I run on the beach by my work. I have a gym I've been going to since 2003, and I just started attending classes at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute and also taking belly dancing classes from Rebekah.
What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?
RUNNING, kickboxing, and Yoga, but I LOVE weight training and belly dancing and hiking almost equally.
What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
Lately I've been just trying to take it one day at a time and stay in the present. I heard this is not really a good method, though
Do you have rewards for certain goals?
Hmmm, no--not really. As cheesy as it is, my reward is feeling great day to day.
I'm a sucker for graceful hands. 
Have a blast with your run though. it's good to get back into the swing of that, especially with how much of a kick running on the beach is!
