Rho's Diary

Rho, you so impress me every time I come to your diary. I want to say ONE THING! If your taking all those pictures, I hope whatever you do for a living has to do with picture taking, because girlfriend, YOU HAVE AN EYE!!! do you understand that??? Your eye for pictures BLOW ME AWAY!! your very talented, and if you don't do it for a living, you need to think about doing it for extra money or maybe make a hobby of it and use it to help yourself money wise, I tell you what besides the fact that the pictures of YOU are fantastic, but some of those picture, I would buy larger and frame for sure!! They are gorgeous!! I just wanted you to know I think you have talent. Keep up your hiking, it's just a wonderful thing to see and that others are enjoying your ventures with you. What a great friend you are!! You are going to get to ONEDERLAND Girl and I can't wait!
Kim

Oh Kim,

You are just the sweetest person! I wish I could give you a hug! Thanks for the compliments! I feel a bit like a fraud cos I think it's mostly the camera but what the hey, I accept the compliments! The scenery's really beautiful though, so I guess that made it easier.. I'm off hiking again tomorrow so we'll see what pops up, picture wise..

My friends are also pressuring me to create a hiking club - they want to call it the 9 mile club :) :)

It's a shame I'm 3lbs away from One-derland. So close, and yet so far. Ah well, we'll see what happens next week.

Really looking forward to tomorrow's hike so I can work out all my pent-up frustration (with my dissertation). I sure hope everyone's having a nicer time out there :)
 
Whew,

Just got back from my hike. My second hike this weekend. Yesterday I did 10.25 miles (16.4km), but I felt like I could do more, so today I did 9 miles (14.3km). At first today's was tough, cos I didn't get much sleep last night (thanks to noisy neighbours and yet another party), but I needed to get out, away from their noise and their stress. I felt really weird during the walk itself, like I was about to faint, so, about 4 miles in, I lay down in the grass in the middle of nowhere, and took a 15 minute nap, after which I felt so much better.

My next goal is to do 20 miles (32km) at a go. Hopefully I'll be there by the end of August.

PS: I've decided to change a couple of my food habits, in the hope that I'll lose these 3lbs by middle of August at the latest. I'll be taking an exercise break until either Tuesday or Wednesday of this week cos I feel like I've been over-training. With the way my throat felt this morning, I think it's wise lest I fall ill, which I can't afford to. Not now with this diss.

Ok, off to get something to eat. I'm currently at 1000 calorie deficit so my hand-eye coordination isn't there. I'm off to eat :)
 
Rho you are logging serious miles. I'm really proud of you. I know that you will meet your goal and I am glad that you're taking a few days to rest, it's certainly necessary after strenuous hiking. I need a day to rest after walking around a mall :rotflmao: you've got great stamina! Don't you dare get sick, take care of yourself!!! :hug2:
 
Hey guys,

Just got back from the gym and boo hoo to me. Not only have I NOT lost the 2lbs like I thought, but I've actually GAINED 1lb. I was a little upset when I saw that, but I quickly thought about all the other good things in my life. I'm getting stronger, fitter, and still losing inches.

But this pound gain. Does that mean that I ate 3500 calories surplus?! That doesn't make sense to me cos my eating hasn't been that bad, and I've worked out 6 days this week alone. For my own sake I hope it's muscle I gained, but somehow I don't think so. Ah well, a little setback to my plans. I won't let it faze me like last time. I've updated my ticker, even though it's just a tad irritating, but I've gotta be honest *grrr*

You probably just ended up weighing on your upward fluctuation day. That's what I personally do not like about weighing less than once a day. When you weigh every day you see the upward and downward fluctuations and you start to realize they're normal. However, if you're not weighing every day and then you go ahead and weight it looks like you gained when in reality, if you weighed the next day as well you might see that *new low* that you missed on your once a week or month weigh in day. Dont mean to be so disagreeable in one post, but I personally dont move the ticker up unless its a few weeks at the higher weight. The fact is you were still in a deficit and not a surplus, and consequently that extra weight is water/muscle or a combination of both. Of that I'm sure. Hang in there and keep doing what you're doing, wonderland is right around the corner. Oh and agreed regarding taking a break for a few days after the long hike and all the new training. Give your body a chance to catch up. Talk to you soon :)
 
Sara sweetheart, thank you :). I'm really appreciating this rest, because I can feel myself healing (my shins, butt and thighs are still pretty sore from the weekend hikes). I'm also not feeling as close to being run-down as I was before. Plus I'm getting on with some work so it's all good. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, so I see when it's best to get back to the gym...


Blancita, you made a very valid point there. I might well have weighed on a bad day. I still don't think I can weigh everyday though, partly because I'll become very neurotic about it, and partly because the scales I weigh myself on are at the gym (the scales at home are analogue, which isn't accurate). I think I'll weigh myself twice a week - once to get a reading, and the second a day or so later so I can confirm the original reading. Thanks for your much-needed encouragement :) :)
 
Hi Rho Rho!
I haven't checked in on you in awhile and I have just one thing to say . . .

You're doing really well!!

When I last checked in on you, you were frustrated because you were stuck at a certain weight - but look at you now! You've dropped down to the brink of 200! You can and will get to onederland, dear. I think Blancita's thoughts & advice below are excellent.

Good job & keep your spirits up - you're doing it!
 
Remember if you're weighing at the gym, unless you're going first thing in the morning and removing all your clothes, you will get variations based on time of day, food eaten and clothing weight. I would weigh myself when leaving the gym (in the nude) and then go straight home and weigh again. This way you can see how far apart the home scale is from the gym scale and then start following it and just deduct or add the difference between your home scale and gym scale. Point being that it doesn't really matter the actual number on the scale and your "true" weight as much as that the number has gone down, proving a loss. Just some suggestions though, obviously what you're doing seems to be working well for ya!
 
Hey Slimmom! It's good to see you! I've been pretty bad myself at checking diaries - my dissertation's taking up all of my time, but only until next month :(

I do feel a lot more optimistic about everything - thanks for noticing! I hope this spate of positivity lasts! It feels so much better than when I'm moaning about everything :) I guess this whole journey is teaching me more about the value of patience than anything else has in my whole life, and it's pretty humbling to discover new things about yourself, good or bad. Thanks for your kind words - I can't wait to get into one-derland. I'll dance in the streets!

Blancita, I hadn't even thought about that. I usually weigh myself fully clothed because I always reckoned that as long as there's a steady decline it doesn't matter. Well, also because I'm not used to walking around at the gym in the nude! I'm not yet that comfortable with showing my body :) :). But I really like the idea of empirically finding out the difference between my home scales and the gym scales - that way, even if I can't get to the gym I don't lose track of where I am. Thanks for that lovely suggestion! I can't wait to weigh myself next week!
 
I uploaded the nature pictures of my weekend hikes today, so if you like nature pics here's the link:

Enjoy... easy on the eyes :)
 
Today is a great day. I'm officially in ONEDERLAND!!!

After over a week of pure rest and no workout (well, except the 14 mile hike over the weekend :)) I wearily dragged myself into the gym, terrified that somehow I'd gained weight. It's TOM so I feel really bloated and humongous so I crossed all my fingers and toes as I stepped onto the scale. I couldn't believe it: 196.5! Which means that Blancita is right! My previous weigh-in was done on a bad (up) day cos I know I didn't lose 5lbs in just over a week.

This confirms what the experts have been saying - your body needs rest! Boy did I enjoy the rest! I could stay at uni for as long as I could (to work on the dissertation) instead of having to rush off to get to the gym to squeeze in a workout before the end of the day. Ah well, I suppose it's back to work now. I like the idea of taking a week off every month (or couple of months) to rest and prevent exercise fatigue...

I'm looking forward to the new and improved weight training programme I've developed (with the help of the experts on the harsh truth section). I'm sad to say that my jeans now look really bad on me cos they're so baggy! So I have less clothes now, but it's all good. I'd rather have few clothes and be slim than have all the clothes in the world and be massive and unhealthy :)

Here's to the future! Can't WAIT to update my ticker!
 
Today is a great day. I'm officially in ONEDERLAND!!!

After over a week of pure rest and no workout (well, except the 14 mile hike over the weekend :)) I wearily dragged myself into the gym, terrified that somehow I'd gained weight. It's TOM so I feel really bloated and humongous so I crossed all my fingers and toes as I stepped onto the scale. I couldn't believe it: 196.5! Which means that Blancita is right! My previous weigh-in was done on a bad (up) day cos I know I didn't lose 5lbs in just over a week.

:jump: :jump: Congratulations on making it to Onederland!!!! :jump: :jump:
Look at you go! I'm going to have to amp up my eating-right efforts to keep up with you girl, otherwise you're going to leave me in the dust! Congratulations!!
 
CONGRATULATIONS RHO! That is soooooooooo awesome. I am so proud of you!

Relish in Onederland and keep up the hard work.

I havent been on the scale in a week and I promised myself I wouldnt until the end of the month. I've gotten way too dependant on that darn thing. Trying to get back on track after being sick and having FLO this week. For me, the scale becomes addictive. I'm trying to focus on energy and health.

I always look forward to reading your diary. Its very inspiring.
 
thans for bragging on Rho, slimmom :)

Way to go RHO!!! what an accomplishment - how hard you've worked to get there - yay for you!!
 
Wow Rho Rho, I cant tell you how happy I am to hear about your permanent trip to onederland! That is awesome news! You must be so pleased, and rightly so. Downward from here!!!!!!!!
 
OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT JOB GORGEOUS!!!! I had no doubt in my mind that you would make it to ONEDERLAND! You have earned it every step of the way. You should be so proud!! AWWWW I sit in admiration of my friend who has made it!! CONGRATS and good luck in meeting your next new goal. Have a great weekend!!
Kim
 
Oh my goodness! You guys are so wonderful I can't believe it!!

Thanks for your lovely comments every single one!

Haha Slimmom, you're funny as always. Many times I've felt like others are speeding past me in the loss scales, but each one moves at his/her own pace, so as long as we're all moving in the right direction I'm happy!!

SoontobeMrs, thanks ever so much. I don't blame you for not getting onto the scales. It can be such a DAUNTING experience! But you're totally right - the focus should be on health rather than just weight. You're doing a great job anyway so I don't think you have too much to worry about on that front.

Hehe Mal, THANKS!! These past few days I've felt like a great huge whale (thanks to TOM) but thankfully it's not the truth! Thanks for all your encouragement - I sure wouldn't have made it this far without everyone's lovely support.

Blancita, you're so SWEET! I have so much to learn from you, especially being happy for others when I'm not feeling so great myself. You do such a wonderful job of it - what is your secret? I hope things are going better for you (I read your diary but haven't had a spare minute to comment as I wanted to)

Hey KIM! I'm so chuffed too!! Thank you! I'm sure that by the time you get on the scales you'll find you've lost more than me! I can't wait! The rest and time off exercise really was the key, I think.

I guess I'm happy because it seems like I'm finally getting used to thinking about what I put in my body and how not to kill myself through over-exercise. I'm also really happy because I'm realising that I already feel fantastic about myself, and I'm not even at my goal yet. I guess it's just KNOWING that you're doing something to change your life and you're seeing the results. So WOO-HOO! I hope everyone's having (or has had) a lovely day.

Okay, so it's now 10pm and I'm still at uni so I'd better head home. It's really sad being stuck indoors on a Friday night analysing questionnaire results, of all the boring things to do! I can't wait for it to be over so I can enjoy life again!

Have a lovely night everyone!!! I'll check diaries tomorrow after my hike :) :)
 
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Hey! It's been a while, but I'm finally done moving, YAY!

Anyways, congrats on everything! You're doing awesome. I saw the word hike so many times in your writing... hiking scares the crap outta me! Well mostly because me and uphills don't go well together! However, ya don't get better at it if you don't do it and keep trying!

You're doing so great, keep it up!
 
Hey Christina!!! Welcome back - I couldn't wait for you to come back! I'm glad the moving went ok - I'll be doing the same next month so I'm trying to get mentally prepared right from now :(

Yes, I just sorta stumbled into the hiking thing, and I've become somewhat addicted!

Thanks me dear - I can't wait to lose as much as you have! :) :)
 
Quick update

Quick update,

I've lost an extra 2.5lbs, which means I'm down to 194 exactly. Yes, it looks good but I think it was mostly due to undereating last week. I didn't mean to. Part of the whole process of losing weight involves occupying yourself with fulfilling activities that don't make you resort to eating IMO, and I've been really busy with the dissertation, which means that sometimes I've not felt like eating for up to 8 hours on end. I had that for a couple of days this week and I feel bad about that.

Having said that, it could also be due to the hikes. I did 2 this weekend, totalling 22 miles - I felt I was burning major calories on both days.

Starting today, though, I went food shopping after my weight training session at the gym, and I got loads of foodstuff, and came home and cooked. I've also got nuts and yoghurt and fruit and all that good stuff so I don't starve. The day after the second hike, I found that I couldn't sleep because of pain in my knees. Apparently that's a common ailment with hikers. I ended up taking painkillers to dull the pain. I feel that if I'd been eating nuts and fish like I usually do the pain wouldn't have been that bad. So I know I've got to resume taking care of myself as I did until last week.

Anyhoo, that's my little update. Today's weight session was cool, and I tried out the full squat using the technique Steve kindly gave me. It was ever so difficult though, and I only managed to do one full set of 8, and I was dripping at the end of that set. So I did the swiss ball squats instead. My plan is to have a PT near me the next time I do them so they can watch me and show me what I'm doing wrong or right. I've got a cardio session tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to.

Off to update the ticker. I should be happy to be even further down, but instead I'm worrying that I don't lose too much too fast. Amazing what this forum teaches you! :)
 
Ooooooooh, I am so pleased for you. You are so well into onederland! How did that happen all of a sudden!? You were struggling to get below 200 for so long and all of a sudden its just sliding off. IMO, its fine and actually good to have some really low days a few times a week if you can swing it (wish I could). So long as you also have a few moderate or high days sometimes as well. Seems like when you slowed down on the exercise and ate more, you starting losing more, and then when you have a few low days your body actually responds by taking more fat off, rather than holding on to it for dear life. I do agree that the second hike contributed as you're burning tons of extra calories and that's great.
 
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