The Ladder

J

jbastara

New member
So this is how things have played out so far...
Getting a gym membership was the best idea ever!! It is a great escape from the house and it is SO motivating to be in a place where health is the main focus. I just love it there. I have gone everyday for the past 3 days, and today I am taking a break. Not really a break from exercise, just a break from the gym. I took the dog for a walk this morning and then a bike ride after lunch. He will also need to go out after dinner... so that will add up. My muscles are a bit sore today so I figure not going today is a good idea. I dont want to damage the muscles.
My biggest fear is that I will lose interest in the gym. I absolutely love it right now, but I have been a gym member before and I know how easy it is to just stop going. I have an appointment with a personal trainer on Friday, and then another one in 10 days time. The membership came with two free sessions. I am really looking forward to it. I cannot afford to pay the cost of a personal trainer, so I am just hoping I am able to take what they teach me and use it in my workouts for a long time.
As far as the food side of things go... everything is ok, not fantastic, but not horrible either. Right now I am drinking my last can of diet soda. I am giving it up for good... just not worth it anymore. All it does is make me hungry and bloated. I have managed to keep junk food out of the house to avoid temptations. The only things still kicking around that tend to be danger foods are the popcorn and trail mix. I have a hard time with popcorn. I don't have an air popper, so always pop it in oil on the stove. Then it just doesn't taste right without a bit of melted margarine and sour cream and onion powder. Popcorn is a definate addiction... I don't have it every night, but for sure on a weekly basis, and it's usually a large bowl full. Trail mix sounds as though it would be healthy... but I bought the kind with m&m's and salted. 280 or so calories for 1/3 of a cup. This is something a grab for daily... but on the upside the pkg is almost gone, and I wont be purchasing another!!
I have been listening to the Jillian Micheals podcasts from the talk radio... she really seems to emphasize calories, and counting them. I HATE counting calories. Back when I was younger (highschool) and went through a phase of anorexia and calories have haunted me ever since. I know that counting calories is likely to lead me into an obsessive eating pattern, but at the same time I want to make sure I am not overeating. I am still debating what to do... to count or not count?!
Also, on a side note regarding food... I am thinking about going organic. I am not rich, or anywhere close to it. I am a student living off my summer work savings. After learning about all the hormones in meat and pesticides and preseratives in produce I really want to switch to organic. I have a $100/month grocery budget (for me and my boyfriend and dog) so time will tell if this is possible. The farmers market it my area opens May 5th so I will go there to see what is available.
Well that's about all for now, time to go study for final exams.... YIKES!!
 
Personal Training

So I had my first appointment with a personal trainer today... wow did I get my ass kicked. I always thought I had a good fitness level... I was proved very wrong. I get two free sessions with my membership. I loved it so much that I wanna purchase some additional sessions, but $60/hr is not exactly in the budget. He just seemed to get it... he understood where I am coming from and knew where I wanted to be. He was really knowledgable about nutrition as well. On the upside... he teaches alot of group fitness classes so even if I cant afford the personal training I can go to his group classes. Anyways, that's all for now... my arms hurt too much to type anymore
*Jill*
 
So last night was horrible. I am in the midst of studying for final exams and didn't have time to cook dinner. My boyfriend said he would take care of it after he went to pick up a friend who was coming over. So at that point it was 6:30pm and I was already really hungry. He doesn't come back until 8pm and he had stopped off at the store to get the dinner items. Turns out he figured that brushetta on white french bread with mozzarella cheese melted on top was a great idea for dinner. It did taste delicious, and I was very thankful that he made dinner... I am just hoping it didn't derail my caloric intake by too much. I only have 2 pieces. To make matters worse though, they also made a huge amount of popcorn to go with the movies they rented. Popcorn is my number one weakness. I decided to allow myself some though in order to not feel deprived. I just made myself a small bowl.
That's it for now, just wanted to voice that somewhere. Hope everyone is having a great Sunday morning!!
 
Howdee!

Gratz on your gym membership. I had joined a gym in the past and enjoyed it but time and finances demanded cancelling membership. I hope to join again in the near future.

Counting calories can be a chore for sure. Counting is my current method I use, but there are alot of free online programs that do all the work for ya and make it easier. For me, I needed firstly to know how much I should be eating and using the programs helped put in perspective how much I was overeating- calories can really add up!

I too LOVE my popcorn. I would highly suggest for you to buy an airpopper(you can get one at TARGET for @$20). I eat air popped corn at least 3 days a week, but I keep the calories to a minimum by using spray butter and super low cal seasonings. There is a brand called KernalSeasoning that have so many varieties- I like White Cheddar, Garlic Parmesan and Ranch the best!

Best of luck to ya!
 
Hey... just found a great program for anyone who has a mac! You can download it from this link the apple website (). It is called the perfect diet tracker, I think the name is pretty accurate! You can track you calories (it has a HUGE database) and track you weight. It also breaks down where your calories should be coming from. I am not a fan of counting calories, but this program makes it really easy. Plus, it's not a website so I can use it even when my internet is not working!
 
Also... thanks for the advice yarmiah! I really want to get a air-popper, also a food scale. They are on my wish list :eek:)
 
Bad news, looks like I am up another pound. I really am getting frustrated with this!!! I am working SO hard! I go to the gym six days a week and I eat healthy and I am still putting on the pounds. Clearly I am doing something wrong. Yesterday I started to count my calories on the program (see yesterdays entry). I had a total of 1480, I thought that was a good amount. So this morning I felt pretty confident to step on the scale after a day of healthy eating and going to the gym... WRONG. When I first decided to lose weight I was 155, I am now 158. I am going to continue counting calories, prior to yesterday I wasn't and I think that is where I have been going wrong. I eat healthy foods, but my portions must be off. I have been down this road before and just given up, this time I am going to stick with it! I am also in the midst of final exams, so the stress level is basically through the roof! If I don't see progress by the 28th I am going to hire a personal trainer.
 
Post your calories and macros (% from fat, carb and protein) for the day when you get them put into your program.

Lastly, what does your gym routine look like?
 
Yesterdays breakdown:
1480.5 Calories
48.6% Carbs
20% Protein
31.4% Fat
I really enjoy group fitness at the gym. Yesterday I went to a bootcamp class that was brutal. Alot of jump rope, squats, steps, planks, burpies, crunches, etc. It was 60mins long and there were no rests in between exercises. I also lift weights and run on the treadmill. I try to avoid the weight machines because most of the over isolate the muscles and I don't get anything from it (ex. inner thigh machine). I have had a free session with a personal trainer and within 15 minutes I was dead tired.
 
Firstly, I know that its frustrating when the scale dosnt seem to reflect the hard work. Hang in there tho, there are other ways to measure success, and there will likely be small gains and plateau's along the way- so be prepared and keep pushing thru!

I am one who beleives in the thinking that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. BUT there is alot more involved than it being that simple. There is your BMR to consider, your height, current weight, age and exercise level to consider. Eating too little calories can have a negative effect, especially if you do alot of exercise. Keep in mind that you just started "accurately" counting calories a day or so ago.

I have been down this road before and just given up, this time I am going to stick with it!
Click to expand...

This is KEY to success. Don't back pedal . .it's hard, but if you keep pushing thru you WILL see results!

Good luck . . on the exams too!
 
So wrote me final exam today... it went really well! Also, got back my term paper... 84% YAY! But that's not the reason I am writing. Apparently exam writing makes me crave sugar, likely a stress reaction or something. So I am sitting at 1880 calories right now. I figured I would "treat" myself to a chocolate bar after my exam, 280 calories, YIKES!! On top of that I had a chicken ceasar wrap for lunch, then chicken hotdogs for dinner. Plus a bunch of snacking... mostly peanuts. So anyways... I am 400 calories over my allowed 1400. No wonder I keep gaining weight! I am going to stop at 1880, no more snacks today! I wasn't going to go to the gym because I am crazy sore from bootcamp yesterday, but I figure now I should. There is a butt & abs class in an hour. I really hurt, but mostly in my upper back and arms... so butt & abs shouldn't be an issue... right?! Part of me just feels like running on a treadmill. Guess I will just see what happens. I BIG part of me just wants to say screw it and not go to the gym and let the calories go today since I am now done exams. Anyways... I think I am just babbling at this point. Hope everyone else is having more success than me right now!
 
It's good to recognise your weakness. Next time you can be prepared! I would be some great stack alternatives . . so you get teh sweets and not so many of the calories. I jsut finished of a Slim-A-Bear, the light version of a Klondike bear .. so yummy! I am also a fan of the new mini rice cakes . . they come in lots of flavors like chocolate, apple streusel and peanut butter and only 90 cal per bag!

gratz on your grades!
 
So here's my latest challenge...
My boyfriend is trying to lose weight with me, but he keeps on eating junk and then just saying he will "start over tomorrow". The problem is that this has been happening everyday for the past 2 months. I get so excited for him to get healthy and he always sounds so eager... but then when he tells me how he ate a big piece of cake or something it's very disappointing. I don't want to sound insensitive, I know it's not easy. But what can I say to him??? I want to encourage him, and let him know I don't agree with what he does... but at the same time I don't want to be the food police. I want him to feel as though he can come to me when he has had a bad food day, but it's starting to get frustrating to hear about all the junk he has eaten every day. His weight really bothers him, and it seems to obvious to me why he isn't losing, but he just doesn't get it.
Just writing this out has helped me alot... but any words of advice would be appreciated. Hopefully I don't sound too insensitive... I will always love him regardless of his weight, I just hate to see him so bothered by it.
 
but he keeps on eating junk and then just saying he will "start over tomorrow". The problem is that this has been happening everyday for the past 2 months
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This is a cycle that I myself am familiar with. Well, WAS familiar with. That mindset is counter intuitive/counter productive, as you already know. I would recommend reading an acticle I posted on the forums that I found in a magazine called "How to avoid the backslide". It gives great insight on how/why this happens and how to avoid it in the future.

As far as tryin to be supportive of the boyfriend, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do that will make a change in him . . that has to come from inside of himself. It's great that you don't let his bad habits effect your choices, btw. All I can tell ya is to be as supportive as ya can with the good choices he makes. For myself, my hubby swears he "has to lose a little weight" but will wolf down a whole bag of rice cakes (@700 calories one sitting) which I just say to him, while rice cakes are a better choice over chips, eating that many is NOT healthy or necessary. That's jsut one example. But I'm sure we both share the struggle to maintain a newer/healthy lifestyle and have to be in company of others who make unhealthy ones and make us "face" temptations. Kudos to US!
 
failure

Only seeing my boyfriend on weekends is really starting to bother me. We are in a serious, committed relationship, but I only seeing him one or two days a week. He works out of town, so mon-fri he is gone. I had a bit downfall today. I had to work 7-3, and he left around 1pm to go to the town he works in.. so I didn't see him at all today. I came home from work exhausted, and all I really wanted was to spend time with him. Since he wasn't here I turned to food. It was almost like a mini-binge I guess. 2490 calories later... I feel awful. I hate how I turn to food when I am bored, lonely, tired, or whenever any kind of negative emotion occurs. It doesn't help much that we are out of food right now so we don't have any fruit or dairy in the house... even the veggies are limited to broccoli and spinach. I thought it would be healthy not having alot of food around, but it's the opposite. I just end up binging on the few unhealthy foods we do have (ex. popcorn and granola bars). Anyways... I am meeting with a personal trainer tomorrow. I have never been the sporty or thin girl... and now I know why. I love food, I am obsessed with food. I don't know how to not be this way. Seems like my goal is farther and farther away. I want to stay hopeful, but it is seemingly impossible. Counting calories is accurate and makes sense... but it is annoying. Who wants to track everything they put in their mouths! Well, I am going to get going. Gotta figure out how I am going to survive the personal trainer tomorrow.
 
There are going to be days like that. At least you recognize your weakness . . what triggers your bad behaviors.

I hope you can step outside of this for just a moment, and focus on long term results . . that it IS possible and you CAN do it, of course it will take some work for sure. And realize that there will likely be "slip-ups" along the way, but dont use those slip ups as excuses to continue bad behaviors that continue from meal to meal, day to day, week to week. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get back on track. Seeing a trainer is a good thing, but not a total solution. The desire has to come from within!

As far as the calorie counting goes, you are right it can be time consuming, but as time goes by, you are creating new habits and getting a true understanding as to portion sizes, estimated calories etc, and that will help you make healthy choices and decisions when it comes to food intake.

You can do this . . YOU ARE WORTH IT!
 
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