The Awful Truth

Took a walk with the dogs and the hubby today which was a great change of pace as I don't get to see my husband much. He works 70 hours a week so between sleep, driving, showering, and eating... he is pretty much absent in my day to day activities. So it was awesome to incorporate my New Years excitement for working out with him and the beautiful day outside. But now, of course, he is in bed and I'm up because I am a complete night owl and don't know how to sleep before 4 AM. Luckily for me, I am not a late night snacker. I actual HATE eating in the middle of the night which usually means that I wake up completely famished and running into the kitchen craving breakfast. If I am not careful, I'll eat whatever I can get my hands on that is immediate and digestible! This is why I set the table at night for breakfast. Anything that can be put out the night before gets set; i.e. bowls, cereal, oatmeal. This way all I have to do is grab the milk or heat the water and voila! FOOD.

The problem I do face in the wee hours of the morning is the desire to work out. I don't know what it is but I get revved up for exercise around this time and I typically try to ignore it or else I'll be up ALL night from the adrenaline rush. It's weird, huh? The only happy medium I have found is to do light exercises like leg lifts or sit ups or squats to at least feel like I am utilizing that desire. Speaking of which, I'm gonna go do some yoga stretches right now....
 
Veronica said:
The problem I do face in the wee hours of the morning is the desire to work out. I don't know what it is but I get revved up for exercise around this time and I typically try to ignore it or else I'll be up ALL night from the adrenaline rush. It's weird, huh? The only happy medium I have found is to do light exercises like leg lifts or sit ups or squats to at least feel like I am utilizing that desire. Speaking of which, I'm gonna go do some yoga stretches right now....
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This is when I always work out. I'm a huge nightowl too. It IS a little harder to wind down after working out at night, but I prefer it... Maybe one day I'll try* and start going to the gym in the am, lol.
 
Jess393 - I have tried to just go with the flow and work our at 1 or 2 am when the urge kicks in but the I find that I'm up ALL night and severely crashing at 3 in the afternoon. It just messes my sleep schedule up that much more!

Today wasn't perfect by any means but busy and stressful and so my food log is far from perfect.

Breakfast: 1 Cup Honey Nut Cherrios & 8 oz. of chocolate soy milk
Lunch: 2 Slices of cheese pizza & 16 oz of water
Snack: 10 Animal crackers & 8 oz of water
Dinner: 4 oz Lasagna & 16 of water
Snack: 16 oz cup of decaf coffee

So it is not the calories that were so bad as it was the complete lack of everything except carbs. Evil Carbs! As one might guess from my meals, I would make a horrific Atkins dieter!

It's now time to work out and I'm exhausted. My back is killing me from 8 hours of 'leaning over' to do paperwork at my husband's office. Took a muscle relaxer to help but I think it is making me sleepy on top of relieving those muscles. Perhaps a cat nap would solve all my problems...

Tonight's mission is clear: Take nap. Get up and finally take 'before' picture to track progress. Stare really hard at picture on laptop after it loads. Then go work out while thinking of picture the whole time. I told the husband that I will try wearing the least amount of clothing comfortable for every work out so that as I saw the flab jiggling, I would push myself harder. A mirror in the room would help this cause tremendously. This, at least, was my compromise to taping my scantily clad and painful to look at pic on all the machines and walls in the room. Can you imagine? Ahhh, the horror!
 
Veronica said:
New Day, New Year, New Me... at least that's

So if anyone has a brilliant plan on where to start this journey, which item to dust off first, or hell, which foot should step inside that room first... I'm all ears!
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Veronica I feel like you and I are very similar in many ways. The two exceptions being our age differnce and the fact that I work. Our list of woe's are very similar. My husband and I work a completely different set of working days. We are home together in the evening but find our day schedules at odds.

I thought it was interesting to read that you have become a night owl, as I have also. I have noticed this on a couple of other peoples posts. I am on holiday over the christmas period, but when I return to work I am planning to make a concentrated effort to go to bed before 11pm each night. This was something I use to do and never had a problem getting up early and starting my day with a walk. I always got far more out of my day. Maybe this is something that you should also consider trying to get under control.

I think you have already taken the first step in choosing which peice of equipment to use, it is your brain, the rest will follow suit, but only if you really want it bad enough.
Good luck and keep at it.
K:)
 
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I wanted to just drop a note to suggest that perhaps if you got up very early to work out (5am-ish) that it might leave you tired enough where you wouldn't be up at the wee hours of the morning, and then perhaps your schedule could be more in sync with your husband's. I used to be a night owl for many many years and wouldn't go to bed until 2 or 3am, and now I am usually in bed by 10pm and I wake up on weekdays at 5am to head to the gym to work out in the mornings.

Just figured I would make the suggestion and let you know that it's been working great for me, so maybe it's worth a shot!! :D
 
Veronica said:
Jess393 - . I told the husband that I will try wearing the least amount of clothing comfortable for every work out so that as I saw the flab jiggling, I would push myself harder. A mirror in the room would help this cause tremendously. This, at least, was my compromise to taping my scantily clad and painful to look at pic on all the machines and walls in the room. Can you imagine? Ahhh, the horror!
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You will probably think me daft Veronica, but don't worry one iota about what you are wearing when you are working out. Pajamas, swimsuits, eveningowns, even naked, it dosent matter, you are in your own home. If you have to change into to something specific, your clothing will only become another excuse. Just get on with the business when the mood takes you.
 
Addiecakes said:
I wanted to just drop a note to suggest that perhaps if you got up very early to work out (5am-ish) that it might leave you tired enough where you wouldn't be up at the wee hours of the morning, and then perhaps your schedule could be more in sync with your husband's. I used to be a night owl for many many years and wouldn't go to bed until 2 or 3am, and now I am usually in bed by 10pm and I wake up on weekdays at 5am to head to the gym to work out in the mornings.

Just figured I would make the suggestion and let you know that it's been working great for me, so maybe it's worth a shot!! :D
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Addiecakes makes a great suggestion. I work from home and my schedule is very flexible, which resulted in some night owl hours. Lack of sleep will only slow your metabolism & increase your hunger. Plus, sleepless nights over time are terrible for overall health. I now set my alarm for 4am, get up, and GO to the gym...even though I could work out at home. I'm forced to bed early, so that I can wake up mornings.
There are benefits:
- always catch the sunrise
- can fit in an afternoon walk (more than one workout a day)
- never any scheduling conflicts/demands/social commitments to sideline the workout
- feel accomplished, get those endorphins flowing 1st thing and it lasts most of the day
- eat better the rest of the day because you start out on the right track and don't want to ruin that hard work
 
bellyoff said:
There are benefits:
- always catch the sunrise
- can fit in an afternoon walk (more than one workout a day)
- never any scheduling conflicts/demands/social commitments to sideline the workout
- feel accomplished, get those endorphins flowing 1st thing and it lasts most of the day
- eat better the rest of the day because you start out on the right track and don't want to ruin that hard work
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The energy is AMAZING when you get your workout done first thing in the morning. It perks me up all day. Also, if for some reason you aren't able to work out in the morning because of something unforeseen, you have the whole rest of the day to find time to work out. The first week is a little rough, trying to get your body adjusted to being up so early, but it gets easier after that and it has given me a lot of success :)
 
Addiecakes & BellyOff - 4 AM huh? I usually only see 4 o'clock on the clock once a day! Plus I loathe getting out of bed when it is still dark, reminds me of my days working as a deckhand on a tuna boat. Cold wind, pitch black, and tired! Perhaps I will start off a little less ambitious and aim for 7 am?

FadeAway - Don't think you are daft at all! I know what you are saying and trust me, I don't need another reason to procrastinate. Since my gym is here at the house, I tend to wear old overly tight sweatpants and just an exercise bra. This way I can see all the parts of me that are usually hidden under the clothes.

Now, onto this evening... I am really craving a chocolate milkshake right now. The good news is that there is no ice cream in this house to make one. The better news is that I am utterly lazy when it comes to food. I will not get into my car and drive the 1 mile to the grocery store or fast food chains. Takes too much effort to change my clothes, fix my hair, put dogs away, heat up the car, find the purse, etc. This is why it is a good thing that I do all the grocery shopping because I'm serious when I say that if it isn't easily accessible in this house, I will not go looking for it. So sorry chocolate shake, I cannot have you tonight or tomorrow or the next day BUT we will meet again one day when I am thinner. You have my word.
 
I LOVE Sunday nights. About 2 months ago I declared Sunday nights my own personal reset time. I draw a hot bath, exfoliate, shave, dye my roots if they need it ( hair has been white since I was 17) and eyebrows (been white since I turned 35), moisturize, manicure, pedicure, and more! It's my time to devote solely to me and keep on top of the things that I can control. Plus I find that it rejuvenates me for the week. So now I am sitting here all warm and toasty in my robe and craving a tall glass of ice cold water. Wow, does that sound refreshing!
 
Dear Triceps,

I know it has been a long time since I've used you and I'm sorry. But is that any reason for you to fail miserably while doing push ups? I know I weigh a bit more now but don't you think at least one push up would have been good for morale? I promise to work you out every day as long as you hold up your end of the bargain and lose the flabbiness. Deal?
 
Veronica said:
Dear Triceps,

I know it has been a long time since I've used you and I'm sorry. But is that any reason for you to fail miserably while doing push ups? I know I weigh a bit more now but don't you think at least one push up would have been good for morale? I promise to work you out every day as long as you hold up your end of the bargain and lose the flabbiness. Deal?
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lol, I think I need to write this letter to my triceps ... and hamstrings ... and abs. :)
 
Veronica said:
Dear Triceps,

I know it has been a long time since I've used you and I'm sorry. But is that any reason for you to fail miserably while doing push ups? I know I weigh a bit more now but don't you think at least one push up would have been good for morale? I promise to work you out every day as long as you hold up your end of the bargain and lose the flabbiness. Deal?
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Im sure my letter would sound like it was intended for a toddler.

Peek-a-boo muscles,

I know youre in there! I KNOW YOURE IN THERE! COME ON OUT!
 
Veronica said:
Dear Triceps,

I know it has been a long time since I've used you and I'm sorry. But is that any reason for you to fail miserably while doing push ups? I know I weigh a bit more now but don't you think at least one push up would have been good for morale? I promise to work you out every day as long as you hold up your end of the bargain and lose the flabbiness. Deal?
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I think my muscles are illiterate. And deaf.

lol.
 
As life takes a new turn and things come crashing down around me, all I can think to repeat to myself is the Serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
The courage to change the things that I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference.

No matter where I may falter (diet and exercise) or what dramatic changes occur (work & finance), I know I'll pull through with faith.
 
I found my scapegoat and they were right in front of me all along! You see, I figured whose fault it is that I am overweight...my HANDS. My hands are responsible for feeding me. They are the ones that grab for the donut, fill the shopping cart with ice cream, mix the icing for the cake, and cover themselves in melted chocolate that requires licking. If it weren't for my hands working against me, I'd be thin. Or maybe not.

Let's see, the brain controls my hands which means that my brain is choosing to eat bad. So it must be my emotional side that is fighting to be thin. Hmmm...I can see it now:

In this corner, weighing 5 lbs and being the smarts of the operation, BRAIN!!!! (Cheers)

And in this corner, weighing nothing at all but fighting for change, EMOTION (Applause)

So who will win the great battle of 2010?

Stay tuned to find out....
 
lol I love your fun approach to weight loss :) I think some people take it too seriously and it becomes a mundane and unenjoyable experience :) It is a serious matter, but your not gunna get anywhere unless you enjoy what your doing
 
Just finished watching premiere of The Biggest Loser and can proudly say that I was on the treadmill the entire time. Normally I would sit and watch and say I'll work out afterward. What was that? Afterward? What was wrong with right now?

I must say that even walking is slower than it used to be. Then again, I walked the entire time at a 10% incline which does tend to slow one down. Hmph. Would like to get used to walking 5 miles a day minimum. At current speed, that's 2 hours a day of just walking but if I can do that, I think it will help build up my endurance faster.

On a side note, I took my measurements yesterday and my before pics. Must say that they are definitely eye openers. I'm a pear shape so I carry all my weight below my waist in my hips, butt, and thighs. To prove this point, my waist measures 34 inches (up 5 inches from my old 125 lb self) and my hips measure at a whopping 55 inches (up almost 20 inches from the old me). WOW! No wonder I need a size 24 pant to fit around the lower part!

With this new information in hand (which we already know is a nemesis of mine from previous post) I have decided to name my butt. After all, there has to be a good 50 lbs hanging out back there. That's the size of a small child! And I'm gonna call her Betty. Betty the Butt! So look out Betty.... I'm coming for ya!
 
Getting a slow start to the day. Slept in, ate breakfast, and have been playing around on the computer ever since. Need to get up and do some sort of workout. Needs to be something fun like the Wii I think. Will hula-hooping for an hour be considered good exercise?

My weigh in day is quickly coming. I'm not expecting much this week as my days were all twisted around. If I ate good, I didn't exercise. If I exercised, I didn't eat good. Gotta find that happy medium between both.
 
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