MicheeH's Journey to a Healthier Lifestyle

MicheeH

MicheeH

New member
So i just joined this yesterday but i figured why not jump right on the band wagon and get started with a diary. Seeing my progress and having others read it will surely help to keep me on track and motivate me, right?

Well, its been a few years since i have been struggling with being overweight. I remember even as a young child i never felt thin like everyone else i knew. This is about to change. I dont want to have that feeling anymore. In the past 3 years especially i have really let my body get out of control. I have not watched my eating and i certainly have not been as active as i should be. On top of this, I started college which led me to sitting down to study and eat junk on the go, leaving very little time to exercise and eat right. I have also found that i have been dating guys who seem to be able to eat whatever they want and still have a thin toned body, therefore, obviously not understanding that what they eat i cant eat or it will go right to my figure. With this being said, my weight is no other persons fault but my own (although the previous things mentioned have taken a toll on it).

I am 5 feet 6 inches and weigh 220 lbs. Disgusting! I stand in my mirror trying on the millions of clothes i have only to find that 3 pieces out of 20 that fit nicely.

My goal weight is to be somewhere between 140 and 160. So far i have kept my goal at 160 and will make new goals when the time comes.

In the past few weeks i have been doing at least 40 mins of exercise a day...whether it be a video (turbo jam kicks my ass lol) or a set on the elyptical and some weights or a nice long walk. As for eating habits...i must improve them...im not perfect so even though i have been watching what i eat a little more closely i still give into the cravings a bit too often :S....i think i may start a food diary to show myself what i am eating and plan out meals :) and try to aim for 1200-1500 cals a day.
 
Hello again,
So here i am on day 3 of my journey. In the past few days i have been doing some awesome workouts that really get my heart rate up and get me nice and sweaty (ie: not leaving house before i shower type sweaty lol). Came into work today and my boss and coworker mentioned how i am looking great...they are seeing changes!! Whoohoo!! But....all i can think about is how horrible my eating habits have still been. I HAVE to, absolutely HAVE to smarten up with that. I dont think a 12 inch cold cut combo subway sub with loads of mayo and an ice cream cone after is very good for me (kicking myself in bum now lol..ouch). Why is it so easy to get one aspect of this whole thing straight (the working out) but not the other (the diet)?? and how long will this take me to get both on track? I always heard that dieting and weight loss can be frustrating...well i never expected it to be like this..its very frustrating!! I have started thinking more about what im eating and why...and realizing that things like the ice cream cone i am just eating because i feel i have to..not because i want to and not because i am hungry...because i feel i have to..ugh (this is probably happening because of the old habits). I just hope soon i can break the habits and get the eating part right too.
 
Michee,
it will be hard and changing your lifestyle will be a series of adjustments, you can't go from a sedentary overeater to a healthy sportsman in 15 minutes. For me it is the other way round, cleaning my diet was easy but exercising doesn't come as naturally as I'd like it to come. The types of sports I enjoy I can't do daily (snowboarding, surfing, dancing) due to my circumstances and so I am left with swimming which bores me after a while and training by myself at home, which I am not very good with. But I have been on this for over a year and slowly I am changing, it is a long and windy road but it is a very satisfactory one too, so don't give up!
Have a great day, Camy
 
Hi Michee! Just thought I'd pop in your journal and see how things were going for you. We're about the same weight and have similar goals too. I'm aiming for 140. So we definitely have to kick each other's asses!

Changing eating habits is a real bitch, but I think you're getting the whole picture because you're beginning to recognize that what you're eating is crap. I think a key to success is not depriving yourself. Still eat the sub, but have a 6 inch with lowfat mayo. Still have the icecream, but in a lite version. To be honest, I really don't notice a difference in taste. About the only thing I've noticed so far that is absolutely gross is fat free cream cheese, but even that tasted okay once someone suggested adding a bit of garlic to it. Anyway, once you start making these small changes -- combined with the exercise -- you'll see the weight start to come off, and that'll continue to help motivate you forward.
 
The cold cut combo is seriously my #1 subway choice. It's cheap, it's wonderful tasting but...It's terribly fattening how I was eating it. All the fixins and then Mayo etc on it. I've had to start training myself when I go to get food that I don't need the footlong, that the 6" with light mayo is going to be just as delicious. Or I get a second sub and put it into another bag (it takes a lot more determination not to eat the second sub, but it's really satisfying when you can eat it later.)

Small changes are the way to go, that way you don't end up starving your body and rebounding savagely. That's a huge problem with me - the rebound.

I totally need to kick my ass into getting onto an eliptical or getting another exercise video or something. Things liike that are a little embarassing for me in my house cause I live with 3 other guys (all of which are slim, toned guys who can eat anything... argh)
I don't really want to have them all seeing me sweaty and working out in my gear hehe.
 
Thanks for the encouragement and motivation everyone!!

Camy, your progress so far is awesome!! Although it has taken some time, you are completely right...it is very satisfying when you want it sooo bad. I do want it bad, but still habits are getting in my way. I can think i will do it and want to do it as much as i do, but breaking the habits is another story. Starting out slowly to make adjustments will for sure help me. I have already done it with the working out aspect so that is motivating me because now i know i can do this.

ymcachick, i just have to commend you again on your progress! Your accomplishment so far is amazing and such a motivation. If other people can do this so can I!! Thanks for the tips on the healthy options for ice cream. Next time i am tempted i will definitely go that route. I dont have it often anymore, well alot less than i used to anyways, and i guess the other day that caught up to me :S. Oh the cravings!!! ugh. We will definitely have to keep in touch on our progress and kick eachothers asses into shape ;)

Angie, I am definitely starting to realize that i need to train myself the way you are doing. The rebound is the BIGGEST problem for me too! I can eat great for two days and work out like crazy then i give in to the sweets and the salty stuff. I dont really even know why i do this anymore other than for the taste. Hmm i see your dilemma in doing workouts at home. But the gym is just as good! I prefer doing my workouts at home in privacy because then im not wondering who is watching me make a fool of myself trying to get the moves right or seeing me all sweaty so i find that i get a better work out in. Also, i find that the videos work best for me because it is a routine and the movements are constantly changing. I like the elyptical but get very bored easily after so long on it. You will find ways to workout that you enjoy, and if you choose to do it at home...the boys can deal! After all, you are doing this for you!

Thanks again everyone for the motivation. I am heading away for the weekend so probably wont be back till monday. I will definitely be keeping your tips in mind throughout the weekend and hopefully will find the right answer to the temptations of "beach" food.
Have a wonderful weekend!
 
hey, just thought i'd chime in. As far as the gym goes, if people are there watching you, then they are there for the wrong reasons. the gym is a lot like being on this form actually. there will be regulars, and who will become your friends, they will support and motivate you like you wouldn't believe. even though its not really a workout buddy per say, knowing those people will be there will really motivate you to get your but in gear. Also, watching the transformations is such an amazing thing. there are a couple of guys who i watch slim down dramatically and its soo impressive to see. Also you can be motivation as well! i hit the gym in january this year at a whopping 330 pounds. as of today i am 260 and the people there are very impressed and proud. they keep you honest and make you feel good. you think your friends and family telling you you look good is nice? well wait til a perfect stranger walks up to you at the gym and says, "i've been watching you since you first started coming and i have to say i am very impressed, you come a long way and look really good! what are you doing?!" your head will swell so big you'll float away. Don't get me wrong there are some annoying people there, but the good far outweighs the bad. also going at the same time helps because you see the same people.

Also, use the elliptical, read just about anyone's thread who uses it, and we all ahve the same story, couldn't stay on it for long, too boring blah blah. you get used to it. i go 65 min on it WITH NO MUSIC. whereas once the music was my way to deal, its an annoyance to me now, so i never use music when i workout. and when you build up on it its a calorie burner for sure! 65 min for me is about 1100 calories. almost 1/3 of a pound. one thing you will have to do is just likke with eating the wrong things, is push through your desires to give in. so like how you fight to not eat sweets, fight to stay on the elliptical an extra 10 min, then 15 and so on. its not as hard as it seems, believe i got at a VERY high resistance,and i do intervals with and even higher one. its crazy, but i think you can do it! anyway good luck and enjoy your weekend.
 
i agree with everything kureransu posted about the gym. ive met a lot of great people there, and if you go at the same time every day, you'll gain an entire new network of support. not only that, but the machines are pretty accurate with your calorie burns. this will give you a much better idea of what you're burning off.
 
Well im back from the beach and all tanned and beautiful. It was a great weekend although i would have wished to be less uncomfortable in my swimsuit and not have had to sit there thinking "hmm if only i could look like her". I am hoping by next summer i will be ok with being in my swimsuit and not have those thought of wanting to look like someone else anymore. The hardest part of the weekend though was watching my boyfriend eat ice cream and fries and all the yummy beach food to his content and not have to worry about gaining a thing. I have to say, despite being at the beach i ate exceptionally well and i prefered salad over fries knowing that i was doing good for my body by ordering that instead. But, i still wished i could have been able to indulge in the treats my boyfriend was having. If it were the old me i would have had the large fries all to myself and loved every minute of it...but i refrained and instead only snacked on a few from his serving. Yay, the self control is beginning to work!

Over the weekend i walked everywhere! I was also able to get out a quite intense bike ride through the forest that my ass is now feeling haha. I cant wait to get back into my routine of working out right after my work day. I miss my workout videos and my elliptical:(

My mom, who i havent seen in two weeks commented me on my new found muscles in my arms and thighs:) That was great motivation for me to keep at this because before i decided it was time to do something about my weight she was my biggest downfall. I know she loves me and wants whats best for me, but some of the things she used to say to me were downright mean and degrading and im not afraid to admit she made me break down in tears more than a few times. I found that when she upset me the way i did i would go to junk food for comfort. I guess that somewhat had an impact on my decision to do something about my weight as well. Her words hurt me and i dont want to hear them anymore or feel like i have to resort to crap to get over it. It was really nice to finally spend some time with my mom without her commenting on how fat i was.

Over the weekend i had some time to write myself out a calorie counted menu for the week that i started today and cant wait to eat and see the results of. I aimed for 1200-1400 cals a day made up of foods such as chicken, fish, whole wheat bread/cheerios, veggies, fruits, salads and nuts. So far today I have had 1 serving of whole wheat cheerios with grapes and a yogurt. Lunch is a delicious salad with chopped almonds and ham pieces, and dinner is going to be a chicken breast and steamed vegetables...mmm yummy. Any snacks in between will consist of some fruit and/or nuts or veggies and dip. Any suggestions for "diet food" is more than welcome!
 
So far so good with the menu!! I have been able to stick to the general outline of it with a few minor changes here and there but nothing too drastic and nothing unhealthy. I feel sooo good eating healthy foods and its so much easier to do it with the menu already all planned out for me. I really hope that i can keep this up and see the pounds come off real soon. That will be such a motivation.

Unfortunately, I have slacked off on the working out part for the past few days. Its just been a few really busy days and by the time i finally get to do what i want i find im too tired to do the workout and just wanna sit and watch tv or cuddle with my boyfriend. I think today i will finally be able to get into my routine again :) Sometimes i think about getting up early to do a workout but i cant find the motivation the next morning to get my ass out of bed to do it. Any suggestions on how to fight the laziness and get up early for a workout?
 
I was soo happy yesterday to finally be able to have some real time again to get a really good work out in. I ended up doing a half hour routine on the elliptical and burned 250 cals and then went on a bike ride about 10 kms at 20km/h (12-14 mph) for another 45 mins which according to a nifty website i found helped me lose about 650 cals. Thats 900CALORIES burned in one day and i ate about 1200! Yesterday was a pretty hectic day around work too so i must have burned a few more just going about my everyday duties as well.

On top of getting back to working out and following my menu plan pretty closely when i jumped on the scale this morning i was down 2 lbs and wow was that ever a boost to keep this up! Finally the ticker is seeing some action :p

My goal for the rest of this week is to continue on the menu plan (including this weekend because as of lately the weekends have been a huge downfall) and also to try to burn about 900 cals or more a day doing various work out activities. Yay! Go me!
 
Forgot to add into my last post.

I had my boyfriend help me out yesterday with taking some measurements. I put them down on an excel file so i can keep track of them every week and hopefully see the changes there as well for motivation.
Here they are:
Waist: 41 inches
Chest: 42 inches
Hips: 51 inches
Thighs: 31 inches
Biceps: 13.5 inches

I am assuming these have already gone down since i started working out but i never thought to take the measurements until now.

Once i figure out how to put some pics up of myself on here or somewhere on here i will have to let you guys see me as well. I may be a little ashamed at first to do this tho :S

Ps: my diary is missing visitors :( i need some words of wisdom from you guys! Thats why im here!
 
MicheeH,

You are off to a great start! Just make sure you keep your expectations realistic and don't burn yourself out. Slow and steady wins this race.

There are mounds of wisdom on these boards....they may not come to you at first, so go seek them out. It's worth the effort! Keep up the good work!

E.
 
Next Week's Menu

I took some time out of my day today to put together this menu for next week. I made one for this week too but found that i was still hungry after completing it for the day and well...then that was when the junk would start to play its guilt trip on me and i would give in. Needless to say, my eating habits have been much better and i have definitely cut down on the amount of bad things i would normally eat in a week.
Here is a preview of my menu for next week. I have no problems eating the same things day after day so it is pretty repetitive except for dinners. Sunday will be my cheat day BUT all within moderation. When i get sick of this menu i will plan a new one :)

Monday:
Breakfast: ½ cup scrambled eggs (110) on whole wheat wrap (80) with lettuce (15) /cheese (1/4 cup-110)/onion (4), 6 strawberries (12) 332
Snack: yogurt (90) 1 tbsp flax seed (45) 135
Lunch: salad with cucumber/tomatoes/dressing/meat pieces/green beans 100 approx
Snack: banana (110), almonds (15 almonds-105) 215
Dinner: 1 chicken breast (284), mixed vegetables (1 cup-120) 404
Snack: apple (80) with peanut butter (2tbsp-188) 268
Total:1454

Tuesday:
Breakfast: ½ cup scrambled eggs (110) on whole wheat wrap (80) with lettuce (15) /cheese (1/4 cup-110)/onion (4), 6 strawberries (12) 332
Snack: yogurt (90) 1 tbsp flax seed (45) 135
Lunch: sandwich on whole wheat (110) with 2 turkey slices (60), cucumber (1/8 cup/4slices-4), lettuce (15) and thin layer of low fat mayo (1 tbsp-15) 208
Snack: banana (110), almonds (15 almonds-105) 215
Dinner: ½ cup beans (160), broccoli salad (145 approx) 305
Snack: triscuit crackers (6 crackers-120), cheese (1/4 cup-133) 253
Total: 1448

Wednesday:
Breakfast: ½ cup scrambled eggs (110) on whole wheat wrap (80) with lettuce (15) /cheese (1/4 cup-110)/onion (4), 6 strawberries (12) 332
Snack: yogurt (90) 1 tbsp flax seed (45) 135
Lunch: salad with cucumber/tomatoes/dressing/meat pieces/green beans 100 approx
Snack: banana (110), almonds (15 almonds-105) 215
Dinner: 1 fish filet (356), mixed vegetables (1 cup-120) 476
Snack: apple (80) with peanut butter (2tbsp-188) 268
Total:1526

If anyone takes a look at this and has any suggestions or comments i would love to know. The more i learn the better :)
 
hey you, thanks for stopping by. i'll ask, what MPH do you stay at on the elliptical? I find to maximize your workouts on it you pick a mph that's a challenge and stick it out the whole time, i know it'll fluctuate, but for me i go between level 15-17 and i try to stay above 6mph, for 30 3 days, and an hour 2 days. the forums, are bursting with energy as of late, so don't get too discourage, there are a few that still frequent, and though i'm no expert, i can tell you based on my experiences what work and what didn't. good luck on your journey and remember that weight loss is a SLOOOOW process, that happens fast. so even though its a pound here adn a b=pound there a couple months later you are a few sizes down!
 
Thanks sooo much for the encouragement and motivation kureransu!
I will have to get back to you about the mph on the elliptical as up to now i havent really actually thought about that until you asked me. I have just been doing what i feel gives me a burn and a good workout on the machine. Tonight when i go on, i will still do what i normally do but take note of the mph and let you know.
 
Hey Michee, I am sorry I haven't been visiting for a while, have been hiding as I was not yet fully ready to be back on track, but now I am.

Yeah the beach well, I still do not feel all that comfortable at the beach. It is not as bad as it used to be where I would cover myself at all times, but I do not enjoy lying on the beach in just my bikini yet. I am hoping once I am down to 125 or so, i will feel that my body is beautiful and should be looked at. I am currently OK with my size as long as I am dressed (not yet happy), but naked.... NO thanks! Not yet anyway!

Have a great week! Camy
 
Thanks Camy! It's great to know that i am not the only one feeling that way about the beach. I cant wait till the day i will feel at least a little bit more comfortable in my body like you say you are feeling :)
 
Well today i started my menu plan that i worked on last week. So far so good, ended up having to buy a lunch today though because i opened the salad i had left at work last week only to find that it didnt look very yummy at all. I guess it was stupid of me to think that it would last over the weekend...duh. Ended up getting myself a tuna salad sandwich and veggies. So at least the salad gone bad was replaced with something healthy:) The urge to get some fries was there also but surprisingly i was able to fight it. I even went to the market this weekend and somehow managed not to purchase any of the yummy looking but fattening goods we all know they sell at farmer's markets. None the less, a new ice cream place opened up very close to my house. How convenient, i know! UGH, of course they had to put it that close. So, ya.....me and the bf ventured to it one night but we did share an ice cream instead of getting each our own. This was still bad for me, but it would have been even worse if i had decided to have my own.

The rest of this week i plan to stick to my menu and work out every night. I hope to burn 900 or more cals a day doing various workouts. I think i will try to bike 10 km or so at least 3-4 nights out of the week and make good use of the elliptical all week as well. I am also considering a morning walk maybe tues and thurs for about a half hour (my dad does this on these days so im sure he would enjoy my company).

Hopefully this week i will see some more weight come off. I am hoping i will be able to fight any cravings and urges for unhealthy things just as well as i did this weekend (with a few exceptions...but not as many or as much as i used to give into).
 
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