Week 4

My goodness its week 4 already! Week 3 fizzled out with me missing Saturday, Sunday and Monday's workouts. Sunday was just me being lazy, Saturday and Monday were due to busy schedules.

Oh well, moving on.

I should be able to workout Tues, Wed, Thurs and Fri this week. I have other evening events, but I can be a bit late for them.

This coming Saturday and Sunday should be easy to just get up in the morning and workout (whatever time that is). So that will give me 6 workouts "this week" to be back on track.

I think if I get a time crunch I will have to do a shorter workout, maybe even just make use of the treadmill and then do weights and crunches on my own.

This longer workout is harder, but OH so much better for me. I really like the added core work in the cardio and then the crunches section seems to be easier.

Plans to eat healthier are going 50/50. Sometimes I still pig out and eat too much. I still go to places like Taco Johns and eat chocolate candy or cookies. I started some healthier habits too though and I hope to keep up with those.

• Regularly adding fish to my diet
• Cutting back on meat, not every meal has to have a meaty main dish
• Actually using up lettuce before it goes bad
• Trying to get a fruit or veggie with EVERY meal
• Eating larger lunches but smaller dinners
  

I give up.

Seriously. I'm back up to 209.5.

I've been in the gym just about every day - at LEAST 5 times a week - 2 hours/day for the last 4 weeks.

I've lost precicely 5.5 lbs.

I don't get it. I'm eating under 1200 calories a day. I'm working out all the mother f'ing time. I'm doing everything that the books tell you. Drinking 2-4 liters of water a day. Lifting weights to build up strength. Running to burn off fat the quickest.

My body is just not cooperating.

I cried myself to sleep last night. While I was at the gym, a girl came in looking like I used to. She was tall and thin - about a size 8. Just like I was at her age - probably 17. She ran and she ran. I watched her and wondered what made me think I was fat at the time.

I then went home after my 2 hour workout, took 1 look at my naked self in the mirror and sobbed. I can't even look at myself anymore. I want to quit and eat bowls and bowls of ice cream. I want to just lay in a vat of lard and absorb it thru my skin.

I can't seem to lose weight. I don't know what's wrong. I was doing so well. 2 lbs/week blah blah blah.

I fell asleep crying last night. The bf held me while I sobbed.

I ache today from the workout last night, but I think my heart hurts more than anything...

blech...going into week 3 update...

Well - so far, so good on this diet.

I'm stuck at 7 lbs down in 3 weeks. I suppose that's one better than the 2 lbs/week average, but still, it's frustrating when I'm working out 5 - 6 times a week for 1.5-2 hours a day that that's all I've lost!

Everything is going quite well. I'm still sticking under 1200 calories a day and eating a lot of chicken, though steak is still my favorite. I'm trying to stay away from too much red meat - so maybe once or twice a week - tops.

This is going to be a short update, it's just an ucky day here today! :)

Congrats on the momentum ladies. I think we're all doing quite well down our chosen paths!

Week 3

Anyone annoyed by my weekly updates yet?

Well I finally noticed a change in the scale. 1.5 lbs. Some other great changes...

I can now do 2 sets of 12 push-ups! It was very hard to get that #12, especially since I have been working out harder earlier in the routine as well so my arms seem more tired by the time we get to the end to do push-ups!

It's not really THAT hard to find 45 min in the evening to work out. You just have to make your husband cook dinner every night :) He has complained at the bigger pile up of dishes though since apparently I don't do them any faster than I did before. Maybe as this becomes more of a habit I will start feeling more invigorated instead of tired after workouts and things like dishes and housecleaning will step up.

I have had more salads this week and plan to continue that trend. I have a fat free dressing that I love (western) and put sunflower seeds on it. Unfortunately my husband is having a hard time finding any dressing at all that he likes! Salads and steamed veggies with a bit of butter and pepper are my favorite ways to get veggies in my diet. I'm not a fan of raw veggies.

Up for next week to work on...

• Moving on to hardest workout in my set, Burn It Up for the next 4 weeks.
• Keep it up with more salads and veggies with every meal, and bring my lunch more than the 1 time a week I am currently.
  
• Break out the fish for a meal at least once a week.
  

My goals for 2008

I have begun 2008 with some motivation, and so far, I am doing pretty good.

My personal goals to start 2008:

1) Workout 3 times a week
2) Making working out a priority and a normal part of my day
3) Drink more water
4) Up my daily fiber
5) Eat more home cooked lunches/dinner (try to reduce eatting out)
6) Reduce sodium intake

Danielle Week 2

After a 2 day break from the Ramp it Up routine I came back to it and it felt so much better! I guess my body needed a bit of a break!

Last week I made only very small efforts to change my eating habits. This week I plan to slowly increase the amount of salads, vegetables and other good for me dishes I include with each meal. I think I even have my husband on board for a change!

Thursday is going to be a challenge because I have Scouts at 6:30. I plan to try and get in an abbreviated version of the workout after work but before scouts. Dinner might be an instant cup of soup or something quick.

What percent of my fat is body?

Huh?

Quick - before you go any futher - take a guess at what you think my % of body fat is. I'm 5' 8". My weight yesterday morning was 209.5 - at the gym last night, fully clothed and after a day of eating was 214 (yeah, I almost cried when I saw that number again). K - go record that number down in the comments and THEN read on...

Well, I joined the Biggest Loser competition at the gym. I think I'm the thinnest woman there, but alas... It was $30 and you get a $20 card to go to classes that I was planning on buying anyway, so I'm only out $10. Plus it's good motivation for me to get my ass in the gym for the next 4 months - did I mention that it goes thru April? They are going to have competitions every other week and weigh-ins every week.

As part of that, I had to weigh-in (of course), get my measurements taken (oh God, I couldn't look. My hips alone are 47.5"!!!) and get a body fat test with a fancy little computer gun. I love the fancy little computer gun. What % of my body is fat, you ask? You're going to have to wait a little longer.... ;)

We all know that the CDC goes by your BMI. Well, my BMI is 32.5. Obese. Yep. Did anyone question that? I certainly didn't. Though, I have none of the health problems that occur in obese people. My BP is low. It usually runs about 103/60ish - though when they take it at the doctor when I'm all stressed out or sick, it puts me right at 'normal' 120/70ish. Even when I was 9 months pregnant with Logan, my 10 lb gigantor baby, I topped out at 140/87 or something of that sort. My blood sugar, which gets checked EVERY appointment when you have a parent with Diabeties mind you, is perfectly normal. I was borderline GD with Logan, but let me restate - HE WAS A 10 LB BABY! :)

BMI is tough for a person like me who does have a lot of muscle - albeit hiding under a candy coating. I work out - a lot - when I'm going to the gym. Monday night alone I was there for an hour and a half and I STILL felt like I didn't get everything done! I was a figure skater who, in season, with high school 6 hours a day, still spent 6 hours on the ice. In the off season (summer) I was on the ice 8-9 hours a day. In the summer when I wasn't on the ice, I was taking dance classes for 3 hours or so! I didn't even have time to eat (yeah, I got a little too thin that summer - I was about 146 and a size 6 - 7) ! :)

Imagine my surprise when the readout said that my body fat was at 27%. Completely within the 'healthy' range. Albeit on the high end - but that will change. According to fancy little computer gun, even with almost 0% body fat, my lowest weight without losing muscle - drum roll please - 156.2. So, needless to say, my 160 that's listed as my goal, might have to change. Lord - I can't get to 0% body fat, can I? I'd be too hot to handle!!! LOL

Needless to say, today is a good day and the start of a new outlook.