Squeak's Diary

Logged in here today for the first time in months. Last year didn't go quite as I wanted it to. I think I stuck with my nutrition plan for about 4 months (two at the beginning of the year, two at the end) and lost about 20 pounds. I'm slowly but surely firming my resolve as I head into 2009. Right now I'm thinking about exercise and how I really need to get off my butt and start doing it. If anyone happens to stumble across this and has some non-cheeky suggestions I would welcome them.

Intellectually, I know that any exercise is better than none. My problem tends to be that I overdo it early on and then have trouble motivating myself to keep going. I need to ease into it, I guess. For some reason, recently, I've felt like running. I don't know why. I know that I'd probably not be able to run/jog for more than two minutes (if that) without getting totally winded. But for some reason.. I just want to run. That probably says something about my life right now, but I'm not going to analyze it.
 
I tend to forget to update my diary here because I have a weight loss blog that I keep elsewhere and share with select friends. I've found it to be a great way to motivate myself, because most of the time what I post here seems to go unnoticed... probably because I'm not very active in the community.

Anyway, some thoughts about my current status:

Finally hit 299 for real. I had a digital scale that was weighing me about 10 pounds heavier than the doctor's office (and my new non-digital scale). When I replaced it, it was a little troubling to go back up over the 300 mark, but I kept reminding myself that I really had lost the same amount of weight, I just had a different starting weight than I recorded. I spent some time and adjusted all the weights on my ticker so that my chart is accurate. At any rate... woohoo, 299!

The diet is going reasonably well, though there have been some recent slip-ups. I am still doing the reduced carb plan that my doctor recommended. It's not as aggressive about carbs as Atkins/South Beach.. I think that's why I've been able to (for the most part) stick with it as long as I have. I'm allowed 65 net carbs per day (that's total carbs minus fiber) and that's actually quite a bit of leeway. I can even eat bread... when I do, I stick with whole wheat because it's better for me (and lower carb). I think what my diet mostly boils down to right now is eating less bread/pasta, eating more meat/veggies, avoiding things like doritos and pretzels (I've never been a potato chip eater, but I do like doritos and pretzels!) and cutting as much sugar as possible. When I do eat sugar, I try to stick with fruit as opposed to cookies/candy. I'm not always successful, but I think indulging myself from time to time in moderation is okay.

What I really need to do right now is get on the exercise bandwagon. A bandwagon is a good metaphor in this case, because I can easily imagine myself huffing along behind it, trying to climb up but not quite having the arm strength to haul my bulk all the way up there. I suppose that alone would be good exercise, anyone have any bandwagons I could chase? ;)
 
Today has been kind of an up and down day. Breakfast and lunch were nutritious and healthy. The donuts were not. At least I limited myself to three, spread out during the day/morning. It counts as exercise if I have to walk all the way down the hall each time to get one right? Haha, ok, I do know better.

In other news, I totally called the apartment office and got the code for the fitness center today. I wonder what my next excuse will be now that I've negated that one... I hate that I have not been able to motivate myself to work out. I know nutrition will only get me so far!

In one of the worlds most bizarre coincidences, I am pretty sure I bumped into someone on the forum today that I know from years ago but fell out of touch with. I guess it really is a small world.
 
Today's menu:

Breakfast: Eggs w/ turkey sausage, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers & cheese.

Lunch: Chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat w/ cheddar cheese & sm. apple.

Dinner: Steak w/ steamed broccoli.

It is shaping up to be a good day, I just need to avoid snacks later in the evening. Have been having popcorn too much lately.
 
I'm focusing on exercise this week, something that is long overdue. On Monday I steeled myself for my first trip to the fitness center at my apartment complex (hereafter to be referred to as 'the gym') and spent 15 minutes on the bike. It had a couple of different programs so I picked 'fat burning' which wasn't too difficult. It started out with no resistance and then stepped up a level, then up again, then gradually back down again. It was harder going from high to low than the other direction... my legs just wanted to go super fast when that resistance was gone. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be keeping a consistent pace up or if I'm supposed to let myself pump faster at lower resistance levels. Going to look into that.

Last night I followed along with a beginner's yoga video podcast for my strength training. I expected it to be difficult because I am so out of shape and some of the poses certainly were. By the time I was finished I was sweating, which I found surprising. Yoga instructors always look so serene and peaceful when they're posing, it really belies the amount of physical strength/balance it takes.

Today I feel good because I am meeting my exercise goals, but a few muscles are a bit sore from the yoga last night. It's mostly that one right between the small of my back and my bum, slightly off-center to the right. I feel the overwhelming desire to stretch... I've already gotten up from my desk once this morning to stretch my back/hips.

Tonight I'm going back to the gym for another 15 minute workout. I want to try the elliptical machine if there is one (I didn't look around too much while I was there on Monday), but not sure I'll be able to put in a full 15 minutes on it. If not, I'll swap to the bike to finish out. If there isn't an elliptical, I may start on the treadmill and finish on the bike. We'll see.

I'm not sure if I should do yoga again on Thursday or vary my routine with other forms of strength training.

I'm also interested in trying some bellydancing, so need to find a (cheap/free) beginner video for that...
 
Made it through exercise week almost flawlessly... ended up one day of strength training short (did 3 cardio, 2 strength). I'm back in the saddle this week, though. Went to the gym last night and did 6 minutes of brisk walking (some of it at an inline) on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the bike. 21 minutes, yay! The bike seems way easier than the treadmill... I can feel the burn in my legs but I don't get to breathing quite as heavily. I need to look up my heart rate info so I can start checking to make sure it's up high enough when I'm on the bike.
 
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