marathoner

Yesterday I set out to have my first 100% day since Thanksgiving and I failed miserably. 

It’s a good thing that I am shooting for at least ONE day this month and I still have 16 more opportunities left!  Speaking of opportunities,  we have 46 weeks left to meet our goals for 2009.  I pulled my handy-dandy calculator and for me, it means losing 1.6 lbs. per week for the next 46 weeks to reach goal, so I have to start getting those 100% days in…the more of them I have, the better chances I have at reaching my goal(s).

Good news before I continue—I lost ONE pound this week.  I will take it, thank-you-very-much!!

So yesterday I set out to have my first 100% day and I had everything going for me: I had the umph, the motivation I need to carry me through the day.  I had all the fruits and veggies in the house, the stars were lined up…the only thing I didn’t have, was a PLAN.  I figured I would device a plan as the day went on, except you know, LIFE HAPPENS and without a plan, LIFE HAPPENS too quickly to react appropriately!

I drove one of my son’s schoolmate’s home for the first time yesterday.  Obviously his mom wanted to meet me and so I went to this boy’s house.  Lovely family, a lot of fun—so much fun in fact, that I spent close to 3 hours “meeting” them.  Long story short, by the time I left their home, I was starving!  I didn’t want to drive home because I was afraid that if I did, the comfort of being at home would keep me from going to the gym, so I did the next best thing, I grabbed some fast food.  Of course, I have been craving Church’s chicken for awhile and since we’re trying NOT to eat out, I figured this was my only opportunity—and now you know what happened.  I didn’t go crazy overboard…only had one piece of chicken, but I did wash it down with Pepsi, which I normally don’t drink.  Ahhhhhhhh, it doesn’t end there…you see, I went to the gym immediately after having this greasy, yet delicious meal.

I had ABSOLUTELY no energy, so I did my scheduled workout at a lower intensity.  Normally, I burn 950 calories per hour on the Arc Trainer, but yesterday’s number was 830.  I knew I had to undo at least SOME of the damage I did at lunch, so I did an additional 20 minutes, burning a total of 1,050 calories in 80 minutes.  Don’t clap and don’t pat me on the back, I didn’t do my scheduled abs workout—which is ok because I will do it today.

Here’s the moral of the story—PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!

We can’t leave anything to chance.  Looking back, I can think of a million and one ways in which my day could’ve turned out better, but sadly, my 100% day was not to be.  I still have 16 more opportunities!

My personal challenge for the day is to eat all my servings of fruits and veggies!

The photo above is a sneak preview of my calendar for the month of February.  So far, I have earned 7 stickers, my goal for the month is 21.   I EARN a sticker for every 60 minutes of exercise I complete and although the idea is simple and the stickers have no monetary value (I got about 300 of them at the dollar store), they have huge motivational value.  Who knew something so simple would be so motivating?   I got the idea from my buddy Anj who atually got the idea from another buddy—so there you go, if there’s any doubt as to the support of the site, the proof is in the picture—the help and support comes full circle.

Now let me explain for a minute what everything on my calendar means:  Thursdays are my weigh-ins, as you can see, last Thursday’s weight was 205.1.  The check marks on my calendar are scheduled workouts which get covered by the stickers once I complete them.  I have two kinds of stickers so far, the round ones are for regular 60 minute workouts, the oval and slightly bigger ones, are for those days, when I had to work extra hard just to get out the door!  We all have those days!

It’s so easy to exercise and eat healthy when we are motivated, but when we’re not, it’s a real struggle and when we DO despite not wanting to, well that’s called a VICTORY!

Victories should be celebrated and honored for what they are—overcoming a legitimate struggle.  With that in mind, I would like to give a big shout-out to our wonderful buddy Anj/Harleygirl for getting up early to exercise today.  The reason why it was specially significant that she got up to exercise today is because she didn’t HAVE TO!  You see, Anj’s daughter wasn’t supposed to be up at her normal time today, which meant that Anj could’ve slept in.  She chose NOT TO and I know it must have been hard for her to choose between a welcoming warm bed, to a cold and ruthless treadmill!  So kudos to our girl and if I could give her a sticker through cyberspace, I would make it a big one! 

Finally the last part of my blog, a Personal Challenge. 

Now that I am feeling confident about my workouts, I want to concentrate on doing the other things that are conductive to weight-loss, like tracking calories, eating fruits and veggies, etc., etc.  I haven’t had a 100% day since Thanksgiving and I am going to shoot for one today…if I do it, great, if not, it’s ok.  My goal is to do as many 100% days as possible (within reason) and keep building momentum from there!  No pressure though, I have to remind myself that this is a lifelong journey, so there’s no hurry!!

Buddies, have a fantabulous day!

Good news:  I’ve completed the first 3 workout sessions of the week, today is my rest day and my next 3 sessions will be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Anj:  I have three stickers for the month of February, my goal is to collect 21 stickers this month!

Bad news:  I have officially gained back 11 lbs.

I have been on this roller coaster of weight-loss and weight issues since I was 11 years old.  In the three years I have been on this site, I have been in ONEDERLAND twice and both times I have said that I will never get back to 200 lbs.  BOTH times I have failed.  This morning I got on the scale and it read 205 lbs., I updated my ticker.  I wasn’t disappointed as much as I was mad, at myself mostly, for letting this happen. 

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I decided right here and right now that I will not travel the road of weight-gain again!  I refuse to be the one to drive myself back up the scale.  I refuse to not take charge of the wheel.  The bottom line is that I have gained weight and that I am no longer in Onederland.  I have been trying for the past 3 years to lose 10% of my weight and I have not been successful.  I have postponed massages and facials, buying cute clothes, ALL because I am holding the carrot on the stick in hopes that these things will motivate me.  Well guess what?  They haven’t and in the meantime, I have deprived myself of things I not only need, but deserve.

I have mustered strength again, (from God only knows where) and have reset my goals.  We have 47 weeks to reach our yearly goals and for me, it means I MUST lose 1.6 lbs. per week to get where I need and want to be.  Against my better judgement, I have set April 9th as the date I reach my mini-goal of 189 lbs. and I will see to it that I accomplish this goal once and for all.  In the meantime, I will TAKE CARE OF MYSELF and LOVE myself regardless of what the scale says.  This means that I am not going to wait until the scale reaches 189 lbs. for me to have a much needed facial.  Yes, I understand rewards are important, but obviously these things are not enough to motivate me to do the best I can for myself.

Today is my rest day, so I must be even more diligent in tracking my food and staying within my caloric range!

For those who were wondering what it was going to take for me to wake-up and grab the wheel with both hands again, the answer is simple…I don’t have a choice.  If I am going to live a healthy life, an active life, I must like my friend Kristi says, “MAN UP” and do the damn thing!  I deserve better than this!  You do too!

Ok buddies, we have 50 chances left to get one step closer to our goals, think about it, 50!! That’s huge!  If we could commit to losing 1 lb. per week, that’s 50 lbs. in a year…and think, all you have to do to lose ONE pound is to create a deficit of 500 calories per day!  THINK ABOUT IT—-it’s THAT simple!!  Burn 250 calories per day and reduce 250 calories from your diet on a daily basis!! Ok…I know mentally, emotionally it’s NOT that simple, but technically buddies, IT IS!! 

I got on the scale this morning and I gained 1 lbs., even with exercise!  I am no fool, I know I have been eating more than my share of cookies and ice-cream and yes, I ate an entire bag of tortilla chips, from NYE until sometime last week.  It’s no surprise I am up a pound. 

I was busting my butt on the Ski Machine this morning when it dawned on me:  HOLIDAY WEIGHT IS LIKE HOLIDAY DEBT!  It’s so easy to ‘charge it’ and so much harder to pay it off!  Well…I gained 7.3 lbs. over the Holidays, from Thanksgiving until the New Year!  I don’t even remember eating that much really….but boy, am I well aware of it when I get on that treadmill!!  I feel like the interest on those 7 lbs. are eating me alive!!

My goal for the week is to lose 2 lbs.  Plain and simple!

Now about the second topic of my blog—Active Rest Days!

My workout regimen consists of the following:  3 consecutive days of exercise followed by a rest day!  Well, I decided that my rest days shouldn’t mean I sit infront of the TV, kick my shoes off and proceed to a vegetative state, instead, I have decided to use the opportunity to spend time with my child doing something HE likes.  Well yesterday it was the wave pool!  Next time, maybe ice-skating or a museum (and yes, my baby likes museums)!!

DS and I hung out in the pool for two hours yesterday and we have a great time, I am sure I got a workout in because I had the best sleep in forever and a half!! It was great!! 

Finally, Bobbie and Nancy:  I have NOT been able to start my streak!!  The reason you don’t have any numbers Nancy, is because I am still shoving my face with food while I watch the boob tube!! This is one nasty little habit I am finding hard to break, but I am on a mission and I WILL CONQUER!!!!  Bobbie, how are you doing on our streak??

Or maybe even better—365 chances to get a little closer!

I have to admit that even in KNOWING that I will reach my goal in 2009 and even though I know I will do so for life, I have been feeling a bit discouraged and overwhelmed as of late.  Nothing really has changed, the drive, the motivation, the tools are all there.  The problem? I can’t seem to pick up momentum!

Every morning I wake up with the best of intentions.  Every morning I tell myself, TODAY IS THE DAY, when I will follow my plan to a “T” and every day, I go to bed deflated and disappointed at myself for not only not making any progress, but for digging myself into a deeper hole.  Buddies, this is NOT meant to be a downer of a blog.  My feelings are raw, I know, but I have a positive message to share with you guys.

We have 52 weeks (well, more like 51) to get closer to our goals.  We have 354 opportunities to make the right choices.  I am not shooting for PERFECTION!  I am seeking BALANCE and PROGRESS in ALL areas of my life, not just weight-loss!

I was sitting at home reading everyone’s blogs SERIOUSLY considering repeating to myself what seems to be my mantra these days—”tomorrow.”  I would track my food, exercise, eat my fruits and veggies, take by vitamins….when?  TOMORROW.  So today, not only will I skip everything that is good and healthy, I will also eat all the chocolate and ice-cream in sight! I will prop myself in front of the boob tube and have a “last binge, I mean MEAL.”  If any of you find yourselves in this mess, raise your hands!

Well….I have no idea what my caloric intake for the day is, since I did not track my food, but you know what I did do instead?  I got my butt off the computer chair, dutifully changed into my workout clothes and headed to the gym.  I was mad at the world because both my boys were acting out and I was ANGRY!  But was I angry at my boys or was I simply taking it out on them?  Yes, the thought did cross my mind—I’d be better off alone! 

I got on the treadmill and vowed to take it easy….the last time I showed my face around here was on December 19th and even though I worked out at home to some DVD’s, I was sure I wasn’t going to be able to keep up!  To my surprise, I kicked butt!!  I took all my frustrations and all my anger out on that treadmill and now, I am smiling at the world.  I feel hopeful, optimistic…I am on a runner’s high!

The moral of the story is this:  In the last few months, I have learned that exercising and eating healthy not only helps me reach my weight-loss goals, it lifts my mood, my spirit! 

For the first week of the year, I lost ONE lb.   My weekly goal is 1.3 lbs.  so for not having exercised, I think I did pretty darn good!  The goal for this week is 1.6 lbs. weight-loss.  Somehow, I know that I can do it….somehow, getting on that treadmill reminded me of how wonderful it feels to move my body.  It reminded me that it is worth it to track my food and get my veggies, vitamins and fruits in!  It reminded me that even though I seek balance in all things, taking care of my body makes it that much easier to take care of my mind.  Somehow, I can’t even remember why I was mad at my boys to begin with! 

So….1 week down, 51 more weeks to go!

Finally, thanks to our super star buddy Nancy, I am thinspired to change one ugly habit this year…eating infront of the boob tube.  So, Nancy, you asked me if I would count the days and the answer is YES!  I am also going to reward myself with a sticker for everyday I accomplish my goal!  Thanks for the idea Anj!  Buddies thinspiring buddies, that’s what this website is all about.