New Program

My husband and I have started a new program at our gym that focuses on both diet and exercise. We are starting our 4th week and I can finally say I'm getting results! The first 3 weeks I stayed the same weight or went up. I lost 2 lbs in the past week and probably 3 lbs overall so I have now reached the weight where I was when I started to loosely follow "You on a Diet". I have a target weight in mind, but my goal is to lose a couple inches in the waist.

Meeting with a trainer has helped me stay consistent with strength training. Its helping strengthen and stretch the muscles I need to improve my poor posture (which is another goal). For cardio, we are doing target heart rate exercises; they definitely have made me bump my cardio up a notch (or 2). I really feel like I was slacking during my workouts for the past few years!

Its the first time I've tracked calories and I'm surprised of how many calories are in things when paying attention to the number of servings and the portion size. Or when comparing the calories in one food to its "healthier" counterpart. I don't mind fruits and veggies, but now I make a point to eat the 5-9 everyday. Since I'm keeping a food log, the dietitian has helped me understand why I may have been really tired or starving on certain days and avoid it in the future (too many carbs, not enough protein, etc). We've only been changing one thing each week in our diets so I hope that it will make it maintainable after the program is over.

So far it has helped me go to the gym A LOT; I feel like I've made a commitment to 4 people during the program so it helps make me go. Its especially challenging now because this time of year when it is dark after work, I just want to go home and stay there but I fight the urge and go anyways. Or I go in the morning.

The dollar diet

This is not a diet in the conventional sense of the word, but this is a blog of 2 people who decided to learn more about poverty and the food they were eating by spending $1 or less per person on food for every day in a month.

Inspiring and interesting! What do you think?

http://onedollardietproject.wordpress.com/

-Danielle

How cheap can they get?

If you are talking about laptops apparently the "new" cheap is $98 USD.

http://rj3sp.blogspot.com/2008/09/hivision-mininote-98-linux-laptop.html

Wouldn't be something I would want... but might be a great child's starter laptop, especially due to the size and quality of video it plays.

Christmas 2008 hot pick anyone?

-Danielle

Update

It's been 7 weeks since I made up my mind to stop making poor choices and to start living a healthy life. I feel strong as ever. I don't even have to think about eating veggies, fruits, etc because it's just part of me. I fit into all my old clothes, this is what my hubby is most happy about since I don't have to go out on a shopping spree :-)

It's been 3 weeks today since I joined the RAC (a local gym) and I have consistently gone 5x per week. I don't feel pressure to go because I have a treadmill and some weights at home so if I'm tired or don't feel like working out hard, I do something lighter at home. The gym has really been a blessing for me and the money is not even an issue. I waited about 4 weeks after I decided to turn my lifestyle around to get a membership at the RAC and I think it really helped because I don't feel like I have to go just because I'm paying a (high) monthly fee. For me it's just a way to facilitate an active lifestyle so I can always have something to do if I'm bored of the same activity.

We always say we'll never weigh as much as we did in high school, and while that is true in so many levels, the most important thing isn't about becoming someone you used to be...it's about becoming someone new that you can really understand.

I never wanted to weigh 100 pounds again (as I did in high school), but I'm at my ideal weight which is what I weighed in college. I have a completely different mindset about what it means too.

I wish every single one of you the best healthy life that you choose for yourself.

~Jossie

Fitness centers...I give in!

I was at the RAC (Rochester Athletic Club) on Wednesday for a department outing and I felt sucked in. The RAC has all kinds of activities and I can no longer hold out...the locker rooms are clean, the sauna is private, they offer all kinds of classes, there are tons of machines and they have a pool!!! On top of it all, they were really nice at the front desk...which I would expect since I'll be paying $70/month for a membership there. The membership is month to month and I'm going to try it for at least 1 month and see how things go...I'll let you know!

~Jossie

Fitness Games?

I read this article on a finance blog the other day and thought it had some good basic advice for starting an exercise plan.

http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/06/05/the-parallels-between-fitness-and-finance/

I found his point about making it a game very interesting. Does anyone make a game out of their fitness or diet routines? In Jazzercise they have games all the time, the one right now is get 30 points in June and July and get a free water bottle. You get a point for going to class of course, and then there will be bonus points sometimes and you get 5 points for inviting a guest that signs up to join etc.

I have never been able to create my own game for fitness that works for a prolonged period of time. I usually can go about 4 to 5 weeks before something interrupts me. Starting this blog was supposed to create kind of a competition and support structure for Mel and I with our goals lined out but it only works if there is reward of some sort. Other than staying in contact with my friends the only reward I have ever sought is the goal of being in shape. Once I did give myself a weight loss target and bought an iPod when I reached it.

Jazzercise

The last time I was truly in good shape was in the spring of 2005 when I was doing Jazzercise about 3 times a week. I signed up for Jazzercise for June to get in better shape for the summer vacation season and to lose my "winter weight".

Yesterday was my first class this week and I had a great time! I was surprised to see so many familiar faces after 2 years away! The instructor is the same of course and there was a group of about 10 women who I recognized from before. Its amazing to see how many people are that dedicated to one thing to keep themselves in shape year round!

If anyone wants to attend a class with me I have a guest pass and am going tonight at 4:15 and Saturday morning at 8 am.