Back on the Wagon - Wooooo Hooooo!

Well, it's been several months since I've checked in here and I am sorry to say the past few months have found me about 50% on the program. For the most part, I have been exercising regularly - most weeks I get in about 4-5 hours of exercise, but the diet has been off most of the time.

At any rate, over the past year or so I have regained a good deal of the weight I had lost back when I was diligently following this program and I am pretty disgusted with myself. However, being a person who always likes to look forward and not backward, I am determined to stay positive and get back on track.

Today was the first day of really being diligently back on the wagon.

Today was a 1400 calorie day. I had a protein shake for breakfast (275), a pizza bagel with vegetarian "sausage" and onions (575) for lunch and a veggie burger on whole wheat bread topped with sauteed peppers and mushrooms (and some veggie "bacon") and cheese (550). My total calories for the day was right on the money at 1400.

For my workout, I walked to our local tennis courts and met a friend for tennis. We played for about a half hour (I couldn't play long because I had to go to work) and then I walked home. My total exercise was 1 hour.

My goal is to lose about 10 pounds/month and really get toned up by the summer. I know if I really maintain my diligence on this program it will happen!

Doing well

So far I have been doing really well this week. I've worked out every day so far, whenever possible doing that extra walk at lunch time. I went back to the ice skating rink on Tuesday - that was a lot of fun. I haven't been there in months. I realized that it's a lot more fun when I don't go so frequently - it feels more exhilirating. I was surprised at how quickly I reacclimated to ice skating. I feared I would be a little rusty and unsure of myself, but I wasn't.

I was proud of myself yesterday. I woke up feeling pretty run down, headachy (PMS) and I was also a little short on time, but I dragged myself into the workout room and did a workout anyway. I did Michelle Dozois' Your Best Body Circuit- only the "express" version (the DVD contains 2 workouts - the regular 1 hour workout, and a condensed 30 minute workout).

On cardio days, since I know I will have my fitness walk at lunch, that leaves my mornings open, so I've been doing yoga in the morning. It's great to do yoga. I usually don't do it that frequently because it doesn't really fit well into my schedule of alternating days of cardio & strength (which I do not want to sacrifice). I LOVE yoga, though. It makes me feel so chilled out and I think it helps to keep me on the program because it has a soothing psychological effect on me.

My diet has been on track too. As I mentioned, the next month is going to consist of mostly 1400 calorie days with a few 3000 calorie days sprinkled in on days when we have social/eating occasions. The 1400 days are truly a challenge and not that easy to do, but it's worth it if I can have my splurge days. So far this week I have been right on track.

Checking in...

Well, the weight gain episode really derailed me psychologically for a few days, but I am happy to report I am back on track this week. What's more, I have increased my exercise level. In addition to my usual 5-days-a-week workout schedule, I am also adding in a little extra by taking walks at lunch time every day I can (when the weather is suitable and when I don't have other obligations).

As of today there are only 30 days until our Mexico trip so I am really trying to buckle down. I am having to alter my calorie allotment schedule a little because I have about 7 special occasions over the next month which involve social eating. So what I have done is allotted those days 3000 calories and the rest of the month 1400 calories. This comes out to the same as my normal schedule. It's a little difficult because 1400 calorie days are TOUGH, but I know I can do it.

I'd really like to drop 10 pounds from where I am now over the next 30 days.

Disgusted!

I haven't written in few days and that is because I am disgusted.

My 10-day weigh in was supposed to be on Sunday the 14th, but Saturday the 13th was a planned splurge day, so I decided to weigh-in Saturday morning instead.

Well, to my utter horror - I GAINED 2 pounds over the past 8 days. GAINED! This, after 9 days of 100% diligence with both diet and exercise. This has never happened before. I thought something must be wrong with the scale so I got on and off 3 times, but same result.

I just don't get it. I mean, I can understand maybe not LOSING much, but GAINING? How is this possible?

I was so disgusted, I have been off the program the last 3 days. Tomorrow I will get back on (grudgingly) but I am going to have to work against serious psychological disgust.

Good Day for a Walk

I did well today on the program. For my workout, I took a 40 minute power walk at lunchtime. I work two blocks from an Ivy League University and it's the most beautiful campus. I love to take walks through the campus - especially this time of year when the campus is teeming with students. It gives me those back-to-school butterflies, even though I am done with school for now. The photo I posted here is exactly where I take my walk.


My calorie goal was 1800 today and I was right on track. I had a shake for breakfast, Ellio's pizza for lunch (which I dressed up with sauce, veggies, vegetarian "sausage" and cheese). After the pizza I had a handful of yogurt raisins. For dinner I just felt like having cookies, so that's what I had.

Total calories was 1780.

Wednesday

I tried another new fitness DVD today - Amy Bento's Slo-Mo Strength Challenge. I wasn't feeling the love with this one. It was very tough, and very thorough, but I found it to be boring (too many reps of each exercise, not enough variety) and some of the exercises were so advanced that I had to modify. I did the entire workout, but I didn't really enjoy it as much as I enjoy many of my other workouts. I kept watching the clock. I'll probably get rid of this one.

My calorie goal was 1,400 today and although it was tough, I managed to do very well. I had a protein shake for breakfast, some leftover noodle/veggie stir fry for lunch, a pile of grapes for a snack and for dinner I had a fish taco with homemade salsa. My calories came out right at 1,400.

I am starting to see some visible changes in my physique since I got back on the wagon in earnest. My shoulders are regaining definition and my stomach has flattened a bit. I can also see a bit of change in my face...it's definitely thinned out (the double chin is just about gone). Right before I had gotten seriously back on the wagon, I had to buy a larger size dress pant because none of my other dress pants were fitting me well. Now, the new pants are at the point where they are too loose to wear, so that's a good sign. Today I am back in an old pair of dress pants. They fit a little snug, but THEY FIT.

I am really going to keep plugging away. My main motivator is the Mexico trip, but I also want to slim down quite a bit before the holidays. In past years, the holiday season would always end with me feeling totally disgusted that I was even heavier than I was before the holidays, and before the holidays I was already too heavy. This year (like last year) I want to get through the holidays and come out on the other side feeling happy with how I feel and look. I want to be able to enjoy the holidays, but not feel like all hell has broken loose to the point that serious New Years resolutions have to be made.

The hard thing about fall and winter is that it is an EATING season...not only the usual holiday celebrations, but it's a time when I like to bake and eat comfort food (homemade mac & cheese anyone?). I still eat those things on my program, but they are very calorie-dense so I get very little food for the calories. For example, I baked some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies a week ago and as I always do now, I calculated the calories for the recipe as I made them so that I could eat them on my program. Well, it turned out that 5 cookies (each cookie about 2" in diameter) was over 700 calories!!! Can you imagine? No wonder I put on so much weight in the past. I used to plow through piles of cookies without a thought, especially during the holidays.

Mexican Tuesday

I woke up so sore Tuesday morning. I am telling you - that workout on Monday was just killer. The backs of my upper legs were particularly sore.

Despite having sore legs, I took a 35 minute power walk for my cardio workout.

My calorie goal was 2,000 on Tuesday. I am not 100% sure how I did with the calories because my lunch was at a Mexican restaurant so obviously I couldn't count calories, but I think I was able to estimate pretty closely. It was an upscale place with small plates (tapas), not the usual American/Mexican grease pit type place. I had some tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole to start (not nearly as good as the guac and salsa I make at home, to be honest). I also had a very small serving of ceviche (probably 1/2 cup, if that) with tortilla chips and another small appetizer that I would describe as a small flatbread with sauteed mushrooms and a smidgen of cheese. For dessert I had a very small piece of tres leches cake, which was about the size of 1/2 cup. Oh, and I also had a Mexican soda. I estimated this lunch at about 1,200 calories.

I only had about 500 calories left for dinner and I just felt like having some ice cream, so I had 1 ice cream sandwich and some fudge popsicles.

My total calories were right around 2,000 (estimate).