Yarm's No More Excuses!

For Thursday 12/11/08:
A rainy dreary day . . wish it were cold enough for snow. Work was ok. Promised the kids we would decorate the house after the cleaning was done. I stopped at the store and bought some live garland and a wreath. I haven't used real garland since I left my childhood home- this year will mark the imporatance of keeping old traditions close to heart, and starting new ones too. Got everything finished by 10:30pm. I was thinking about having a late night snack, but decided it wasnt worth it/that I wasnt really hungry enough for it.

6:15- 30 min NT
7:30 milk, cranberry juice
10:00 ww english muffin wiht p.b., handful nuts
12:30 smart ones, nuts, 2 mini choc covered pretzels
5:00 handful jujy fruits
6:45 turkey slice, baked FF, corn
 
Hey, Yarmi. It's Saturday morning and I'm thinking you should be getting into NYC right about now. It's cold, but sunny, so you should have good weather. I hope you have a good time. :seeya:
 
Way to go on resisting the late night snack!
I love Christmas traditions, even though my fam (Me, hubby, 3 kids, and 2 moms) is small we still try to do special things every year.
 
Wow what a weekend. So busy, and not alot of sleep. New York was great! - and crowded! So glad I didn't bring my kids as I would be so stressed with worry of us getting seperated. Saw Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's, Ground Zero, Irish Famine Memorial, St. Paul's Chapel, Radio City Music Hall, and lots of stores. Today after church, we got our tree. Then I made seom cookies and wrapped a few gifts. Was too busy to journal everything, but did make wise food choices, with the exception of a bit too much snacking Sunday. Got exercise in Friday on the NT, and LOTS of walking in NY but Sunday is my day off.
 
I'm back

and on track- for the last flippin' time!
I officially started in earnest on Wednesday:
exercising, drinking water, watching my food intake and
journaling every morsel. I can't afford to find/make any
excuses anymore. I will plan, and I will succeed!
 
Time for a change

So I joined these boards about a year and a half ago. I have lost and gained the same 10lbs since being a member here. Now, there have been huge RL impacts that have effected my weight fluctuation, none more so than losing my parents within 3 months of each other. But a general lack of motivation and consistency I feel have contributed to my current situation.

For the most part, I live a healthy life : exercise regularly (3-5times a week), drink water, eat healthy foods in reasonable portions. The weight just won't budge.

It is most frustrating when you see yourself doing the right things, but the weight won't budge. I am tired guessing at why the weight is not coming off. (Maybe it's because I'm getting older, maybe I'm eating too little, maybe I'm eating too much, maybe I'm not mixing up my exercise enough, maybe I'm not getting enough protein, could there be something else going on medically speaking, etc.)

So, I went to see my doctor yesterday to discuss my frustration and to come up with a reason and/or solution to getting me on the track to a healthier and happier me. 1st step is to get a blood test to see if there is any underlying issues, and to check chloresterol and other factors.
I joined the gym around the corner from my work. I thought long and hard about it, and it makes more sense to commit to working out there, on my lunch hour, than to try to find time after work when I'm already spread so thin running the kids and myself to other things like dance, piano, choir etc. I already have my bag packed and look forward to meeting with the personal trainer who I hope can help me out with my caloric intake goals as well.

I have a follow up appointment with the doctor in 6 weeks - I plan to see some significatn results by then.
 
Getting back in swing

Having a good day so far. Eating well, and drinking my water. I went to the gym for the first time and did 30 min on the eliptical machine, and 10 minutes on the stair climber. I'm supposed to get a call to set up an appointment with a trainer. I want to do that ASAP as to have a formulated plan of attack!

I hope to stop by the Dr.'s office tomorrow and have my blood drawn.

I did take my regular multivitamin as well as a chromium pill as recommended by my doctor. Last night I also took a melatonin pill to help with sleep- I still tossed n turned a bit, but fell asleep much faster after I stirred.

I am tracking my exercise and food intake on LIVESTRONG.
Calories consumed 1489
Calories burned 516
 
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Fri, Sat Sun

Had a good weekend, even though I had to work on Saturday. Friday I did go to the gym, and did two 20 min stints on the eliptical- one interval, one total body workout. I was also excited to make an appointment with a personal trainer- it's scheduled for Monday at noon.

I stayed within my caloric allowance Fri and Sat through tracking on the LIVESTRONG. Yesterday, I have no idea of my intake because I was at a Superbowl/birthday party. I made pretty good choices though, and allowed myself a small piece of cake too. My water intake was weak though on Sat/Sun, mostly drinking caffiene free diet coke. I did however, remember each day to take my multivitamin and chromium pill.

Lookin' forward to the gym Monday!
 
Yarm, I like going to a gym, rather then doing it at home, because it does get my butt out to get there. There are always plenty of distractions at home, and reasons to stop, but at the gym it's all business.
 
Reality Check

When I check the different tools and calculators regarding healthy weight and BMI, I have been in denial.

I am 39 years old
About 5' 5" and @180lbs.

That puts me at a BMI of 30, making me OBESE.
I have seen that number and assumed that is way off- sure
I'm overweight, but OBESE? no way . . .

The calculators also say that a healthy weight range for me is
115lbs- 145lbs. To which I tell myself, no way! At my thinnest and
healthiest in high school I was around 140- there is no way I can be
that small again, approaching 40 years.

Well, the truth hurts.
I recently saw some pictures of me, but I saw them in a
different light. I looked at the person in the picture as a stranger,
and when I see the size and shape of this person, I realized just
how big "she" is.
I don't want to be that person anymore.

I just got the my bloodwork results- no thyroid issues, no medical
excuses for difficulty in losing the weight. But this is a GOOD
thing! Generally speaking, I am relatively healthy. The cholesterol
is good too at 193. My HDL is 75, and LDL is 99. This too is a
GOOD thing. I met with a personal trainer today and have
created an exercise plan with cardio and strength training. Another
GOOD thing!

The biggest issue I have to get under control is my caloric intake.
#1. I have to zero in on the correct caloric intake. I tend to eat
between 1200-1400, but some calculators are saying I should be eating
1600-1800, which concerns me. But if I can find proof that I should
really be eating more, and not consuming enough calories is contributing
to the slow weight loss, I will eat more.
#2. Once I have the right target, I will commit to being ACCURATE
in that consumption. No more estimating and guessing. I will
measure and weigh the portsions accurately.

I will be OBESE NO MORE![

edit: per WebMD
-BMI 30.3
-waist to height ratio .54
-healthy weight 111-150lbs
-RMR 2330
-caloric goal to lose 2 lbs a week 1330
-target heart range for for weightloss/cardio fitness 127-145bpm
 
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HI yarmiah,

Well, don't forget that the BMI calculators are just a guideline. A lot depends on your bones, musle mass and such. I am supposed to be between 110-140. At 145 I look good to myself and don't feel "overweight" at all. I am convinced that at 110 I would look like a skeleton and I have no desire to get there at all.
You saw my pictures. For health reasons my Dr considers the BMI of 28 still be healthy which would put me at 158 lbs.

My advice is to not worry about the BMI number too much but go by how you feel. If you don't feel comfortable at your weight right now, you are on the right track to do something about it. Once you start loosing it, your mind and body will find the comfortable weight which will have nothing to do with the BMI number trust me.

Now that you know the medically everything is ok, and you have the motivation, all you need is persistance. One bad meal can ruin one week's hard work.
I have a saying taped to my fridge, might sound silly but it really works : "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". I see that everytime I reach into my fridge, it is imprinted in my brain.

I lost the weight through strict calorie/portion control and strict exercise. I mean when I didn't feel like it I pushed myself and took it one day at a time.

It is all in the determination. You know you can do it.

Hajni
 
Monday 2/2/09

A good, on track day.
Eat well, drank water and exercised. Met with the trainer, got the beginning of a plan going. Have some exercises for upper body, and will meet again on friday to work on a plan for the lower body. (I'm feeling it BIG time in my shoulders, just from trying out the equiptment.)

Monday detail:
-Vitamin, YES
-Water, 50%
-Calories consumed: 1408
-Calories burned: 392

Breakdown of exercise since starting at the gym:
Thursday 1/29/09- 30 min eliptical, 10 min stair climber
Friday 1/30/09- 20 min eliptical intervals, 20 min eliptical total body
Monday 2/2/09 - 30 min stride machine

2009 is MY TIME! :smash:
 
Tuesday 2/3/09

Another day on track, staying motivated. I'm actually always looking forward to the gym. I want to work out, feel good and know I am doing my body good and will see results over time. Got home and made dinner, then made choc chip cookie batter. I owe someone at work cookies because the Steelers won, and I will make extra cookies for the kids too. I like cookies too, but I don't feel as tempted as my mindset is strong and focused on changing my body.

Tuesday detail:
-Vitamin, YES
-Water, yes
-Calories consumed: 1538
-Calories burned: 362

It looks as if I ate too much today, not that I was hungry but following the LIVESTRONG site it actually said I could eat another 105 as well. I assume it calculates the TOTAL calories I can eat based on BMR as then adds more allowance for the exercise I do. I'm not sure I want to do that- I'm gonna try to keep it around 1300 calories and see where it gets me.
 
Good job, Yarm. I look forward to the gym, too, but too often I find so many other draws of life pulling me away. Keep up the good work.
 
I joined the gym that is 2 blocks from work. It just seemed more realistic to hit the gym everyday on my lunch hour (if I'm a bit sweaty when I get back, oh well LOL) from work, than join a gym closer to home when I would struggle to find time to go, or find excuses not to go.

Today I did 30 min cardio on a machine that is similiar to an eliptical and has similiar movement to that "gazelle" you see advertised on tv.
I also did the weight routine solo. I did 2 sets of 10 on each machine but one- I couldnt rembmer what machine is was! LOL. It took me about 30 minutes to complete 7/8 machine workout. I meet again with the trainer Friday to learn about lower body machines.

I CAN do THIS!
 
Wed 2/4/09

Woke up a little tired, but sleeping seems to be better in general. If I do wake up to toss/turn, I fall asleep ratehr quickly. Today I was alone at work- the others worked at the satellite office. I left for the gym after eating a light lunch. Did my weight routine as listed in the previous post and then did 30 min of cardio. After getting home, I made the family the spareribs, but I opted for a turkey frank instead. I did have one bite to taste the sparerib- it WAS good, but I showed restraint-even though I kept eyeing the one smaller rib on the plate, I didn't give in. In addition, I made choc chip cookies. I did eat about 5 of the chips, but knew I had a few calories left so I didnt feel guilty about it.

Wednesday stats:
-Vitamin, YES
-Water, yes
-Calories consumed: 1108 (plus bite of spare rib, and a few choc chips)
-Calories burned: 522
 
Thursday 2/5/09

Had a pretty good day. A regular day at work, and then come home for Thursday chores. Got them done, and them made stromboli for dinner- my first attempt. They were pretty good, but next time I will have the oven temp a little lower, add more fillings, and poke a few holes for steam to escape. After dinner vegged infront of the TV watching CSI and ER. Was comtemplating a reasonable dessert like popcorn or a sugar free pudding, but decided I really was not hungry so I didn't eat anything after dinner.

Thursday stats:
-Vitamin, YES
-Water, yes
-Calories consumed: 1057 (but I don't trust the 269 calories given for stromboli- it's likely more)
-Calories burned: 250

I weighed in early Friday morning- at 177.80lbs, a loss of 3.6! I'm on my way!
 
TGIF. Glad it's friday, and I don't have to work tomorrow! I do have quite a few things to get done tomorrow though. I had my second meeting with the trainer, which took up just about my entire lunch hour, so I didn't get a work out in, which was disappointing- I was actually wanting to do it! It looks like my initial long term goal of 150lbs by my birthday is realistic. Eating @1300 calories a day and exercise about 5 days a week should get me there. He took all sorts of measurements too- my body fat is almost 40% . . WOW. I look forward to watching THAT number drop.

Friday detail:
-Vitamin, YES
-Water, yes
-Calories consumed: 1310
-Calories burned: 0
 
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