Friday, March 20, 2009

In a Hurry

I've been in a hurry the last 32 hours or so. I failed to post a food journal yesterday. And I deeply apologize. But the only person that that will hurt is me. I am also no longer posting times, because I dont really think it matters. I rarely eat after 7pm as it is so I think I'm doing just fine.
I did hit the gym last night however, and I got in a killer hour with an Arc Trainer. Pain in the ass machine is what it is. It's supposed to simulate running without the joint pounding. But it really doesnt. Its a fantastic cardio workout. But I dont like whoever built it.
You know how when you walk or run, your right arm for instance will spring out with your left leg, and your left arm will spring out with your right leg? Yeah, no, the guy or gal who invented this contraption chose not to do it that way. Maybe it was on purpose to make it harder. But your right arm swings with your right leg. Try walking or running that way.

I have a date with my disc dog tonight. My bait bag came in the mail (yeah!) last night and tonight we are going to get some disc trick training in. I anticipate that she will run me ragged. But I knew that would be the case when I signed up to own a herding dog.

~Love Em~

3/20 Food/Fitness Journal

Breakfast:
Glass of Orange Juice (no pulp) Thats right, I said no pulp!
Coffee Black
Dont give me any guff, I was in a hurry, okay? Having multiple dogs will do that to a person once and a while.

Lunch:
Herbalife Meal Shake
Banana

Snack:
Small Orange

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

3/18 Food/Fitness Journal

Breakfast: 6:48am
Herbalife Meal Shake


**Brisk 10min walk on break: 10:20am

No Snack (no time!)

Lunch: 1:12pm
Herbalife Meal Shake
Herbalife Hot Tea
Apple

Snack: 3:30ishpm

Herbalife Hot Tea

**5:15pm ~ Workout with PT.

Dinner: 6:45pm
Steamed Peas
Hardboiled Egg
(Not hungry tonight for some reason)

Explaination

Wow, I rarely post multiple blog posts in one day. But I feel like I am getting a little ahead of myself.
I feel the need to explain the motivational list on the right side bar of my blog.

I decided that for motivational purposes, I should write a list of reasons for me to eat healthier, exercise more, and essentially, lose weight and tone up. Enjoy.

#1~ Beat "Her". There is a woman that I know who has made it her life's mission to be better than me at everything. If I buy something, she buys it bigger and better. If I do something, she does it bigger and better. She's joining me on a particular crusade down the line in 2009, and I plan on winning this time around. Side by side we will start. But I will finish first.
#2~ Disc/Agility Handler. I have a dog who I want to compete with in disc and agility. I am a 'heavy handler' and I dont care for it. A dog can only be as good as it's handler, right? My weight and fitness level is holding her back. That needs to change. A 4 minute game of tug with a dog shouldn't have me panting and sweating. Even if the dog happens to be an Aussie.
#3~ Hunting Trip. I have been invited on a normally all guys hunting trip for the upcoming season. I will be the only woman on this trip. How cool would it be to also be the hottest person on the trip? The lightest person on the trip? I will be sharing a cabin with these guys. Eating meals with these guys. If I'm already being seen as "one of the guys", I might as well be hot, too, right?
#4~ Seeing JDS. Okay, this one is purely a greedy, personal challenge for me. I will be seeing an ex soon at an event. JD and I had an interesting relationship that I really can't expand on except to say that it was a bitter battle the entire 2 years we were together, and while I may be strong, he was still able control and take over most of the time. We have gone to great lengths these past 5 years to not bump into each other. But, because of a weird friend/family connection, seeing him at this event is inevitable. And it's going to be a long evening event that will put us back together in the same room for 8+ hours. So I need to knock his socks off, for my own peace of mind. I've already made him regret pushing me around for too long. But I have yet to make his jaw drop.
#5~ Triathlon. You all know I registered for this sprint length triathlon. Well, I need to bust some ass in this race! I dont plan on coming in last! I dont plan on struggling through the entire thing. I plan on shocking people. So I gotta get fit.
#6~ And of course, last but certainly not least, my health. This is the most important reason why I need to lose weight. I dont want diabetes. I dont want heart disease. I dont want weak, achey joints for the rest of my life soley because I dont have the willpower to lay off the Twinkies. The road I am headed down right now, well.. Its not a pretty one. Its full of doctor visits and terror.

These are the reasons that I am keeping in front of my face at all times. These are the things that are going to make it easy to choose the gym instead of the couch. These are the things that are going to make it easy to bring my lunch instead of hitting a drive through. These are the things that are going to save my life.
~Love Em~

The Loss & The Temptations

I'm not going to take any stock in the 2.6lbs that I've apparently lost in the last 48 hours. I'm just going to chock it up to awareness of what I'm putting in my body.
Did you know that for St Patricks day yesterday that there was a lunch room full of green cupcakes, cookies and cinnamon rolls? And that flourey, sugary foods are my weakness? And that green is my favorite color? Oh, well that last tidbit probably doesn't matter too much.. Except that the cupcakes were green.
But I just want to point out that I didn't have one. Not a single taste of anything in the lunch room. I even spent my lunch hour in that lunch room, reading my book and sipping on my shake, 3 feet away from the goodies and not even craving them a bit.

I resisted major temptation. I think it's a step in the right direction. Maybe I can chose the right path this time around. Maybe?
~Love Em~

Rounding on Myself

I am ashamed of some of the things I thought of myself the other day. My weight shouldn't change who I am. I'm a confident person. Or at least I was. Did you know that when you realize how heavy you are that your confidence can literally shoot right out the door?
I have always prided myself on eye contact. On the comfort I have in meeting and talking to new people. But yesterday I couldn't hardly look somebody in the eye because I felt like they were judging me.


How rediculous is that!

I've always believed that plus sized people who have a lot of confidence are sexy. They don't let their weight stand in their way. And people don't see them as overweight, they view them as fun, sexy, confident people!

So I'm over my problem. At least for now. I have my revelation photos tacked up. But now when I look at them I'm no longer revolted or ashamed. I put up a photo of myself only 3 years ago when I was 75lbs lighter. Now I have a goal.

They are just photos. This is my life.

I am a strong woman. I have battled cattle and horses for half of my life. I may be overweight, but I'm also strong as an ox. I have a lot going for me right now. I have a good, steady job. I have a beautiful little home. I have a tightly knit, loving family and easy going, fun loving friends. I have animals who trust and love me. I'm a part of some fabulous groups who accepted me as I was.

The only person judging me is me. And what I think of myself isn't what other people think of me. I need to give everybody else a little more credit.

Last night I watched The Biggest Loser contestants all run 13 miles. Half a marathon. Half of a freakin marathon! You wanna talk about inspiration? That was it. If they can do it, why can't I?

~Love Em~

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

3/17 Food/Fitness Journal

Breakfast: 7am
Coffee w cream
Running late! No breakfast!

**Brisk 10min walk on break ~ 10:15am

Snack: 10:26am
1 FiberOne Strawberry pop tart.
Herbalife Hot Tea

Lunch: 1:21pm
Herbalife Meal Shake
And I totally didn't even touch the cupcakes and cookies in the lunch room! Woo!

**Brisk 10min walk on break ~ 3:00pm

Dinner: 5:55pm
Grilled Chicken Breast w/ lemon juice
2/3 c Steamfresh frozen veggies

2 honey graham crackers

**20min walk with Jake & Frankie
**Disc practice in backyard w/ Frankie

Monday, March 16, 2009

3/16 Food/Fitness Journal

Breakfast: 7:10am
Coffee w/ cream
Herbalife Hot Tea
Herbalife Meal Shake

Snack: 11:05am
Herbalife Hot Tea
FiberOne bar

**10min brisk walk on break

Lunch: 1:15pm
Herbalife Meal Shake
Banana

**10min brisk walk on break

**30min walk with Frankie before dinner

Dinner: 6:03pm
Subway Flat Bread Sandwich w/
Chx Breast, Spinach, Am Chs, Pickles & spicy mustard
1/2c Steamfresh frozen veggies
3 Thin Mint cookies

7:20pm: Hot Evening Herbal Tea

Water Intake: X X X X X X X (X=8oz)

Starting Over

It's hard, counting the times that I have tried and failed, tried and failed. How many times have I looked at that doughnut and said "I'll start my training tomorrow" or "I'll start eating healthy on Monday" or or or... And how many times has that day come and gone without any success?

It seems the more I want to lose weight, the harder I try, the more weight I seem to gain instead. I dont quite understand it... But I think it has something to do with the muscle loss to fat gain ratio or something. The weight gain is not from muscle gain however, as my inches tend to jump as well.

What a long, painful, difficult, frustrating journey. Just when you think you're on the right path, it forks and I almost always choose the wrong direction. I hate that I have such a love for food. I love food, and I'm not afraid to admit it. A year ago, you would have heard me ranting about how I hate cooking because I suck at it. Well, the truth was, I just didnt know how. I started working at it, and it turns out that I am actually a fabulous cook. In the past year I am becoming known for my cooking skills. Not to toot my own horn or anything... But at the same time, I dont believe in 'light' or 'fat free' or 'low fat', etc etc etc. Its crap. Regular fat or diet fat, fat is fat. Sour cream and butter is still sour cream and butter whether or not you buy it in its regular form or its diet form.

Yesterday I had the time of my life, meeting amazing new people and stunning, talented dogs. Athletes is what they all were. The spring Disc Dog event had a spectacular turnout. This morning, when photos were posted of the fun, my revelation photo was posted.

A revelation posted is that photo that turns your life around. Sure, you will come across many photos you dont like of yourself. But the revelation photo is different. Its the one that you keep coming back to because you are trying to figure out who that person is, trying to find yourself inside of it. And you just cant.

I know what needs to be done now. And I know that if I dont start taking it seriously that I am going to be in serious trouble soon with my health. So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to blog about it. And when I am comfortable enough, I will post my revelation photo.

I have a dog. I have a couple of dogs in fact. And they are both a bit overweight. They arent bad, but they arent perfect either. And it was mentioned yesterday that Frankie needs to lose a few pounds if I am going to be asking her to perform. Its for her own good. And its for my own good. Winters here in Minnesota are brutal to say the least, and many of us shut down for a couple of months. It certainly affects our animals. I can honestly say that I got my dogs out walking, on average, 3 days a week during the coldest 2 months of winter. And it shows, on all of us.

So follow me. Offer your support or criticism or comments. I need you.

~Love Em~