My Back's Against the Wall

This is it. Time to "start it up"  My "official" weigh in this morning is 215.7.  I have 13 weeks for this first part of my plan.  My goal is to be down to 189 by August 30.

Generally speaking, I'm going to be following the WW flex point plan. Specifically, I'm trying to keep my calories between 1200 and 1500 a day. Water consumption needs to go up.

Exercise, it's going to be a 2 mile walk a day (WATP) and I'm using the beachbody.com program "Slim in Six" for my weight resistance training.  This program ramps up as you get more fit.  The starting program is about 34 minutes long, by the end of the 1st or 2nd week (going at your own rate), the program is about 57 minutes long.

As added "bonus" exercise, I'm going to encourage more "play time" with my kids.  Last year at this time we were playing tag in the playgrounds after school, and trying to make it to the gym once or twice a week.  I think it's time we start that back up again.  I may not pursue it too heavily here, since only two weeks remain, but once we are in Phoenix and school is out.. I'll convince them they need to help "me". :)    I have already found one laser tag gym in Phoenix, something we all enjoyed in CO. Springs.

Swimming lessons will be a "must" while we are in Phoenix.  Hopefully, there is a "Y" near my mother.

The Diet Minder and other ramblings

It's been some crazy days lately.  Mac's Science Fair Project came together very nicely.  The fair was last Thursday and Friday.  Guess I'll hear how he did overall by end of today.  Friday the 6th graders went to Geiselwind, an amusement park near us.  I went as a chaperone and had Mac and his friend Michael with me.  All my children take after their dad.  They do not care for rollercoasters, nor other rides that are fast, upside down, etc.  So, Michael and I rode a lot of the scarier rides together.  I think my new favorite are the drop rides.  The ones where they take you to the top of a tower and then drop you down.. sort of a controlled "bungee" jump.   But I sidetrack....

Today my oldest daughter, Kendra is going to Geiselwind with her "Renaissance" group.  This is the reward program for those kids that not only excel in schoolwork, but also manage to have few, if any excuses absences. I hope she has a good time.

Kimberly, my middle child, has a geography project due today.  She has to finish it up this morning before school (nail biting suspense on that one), so I'm waking her about 1/2 hour earlier than usual.  Here's hoping she did not grossly underestimate the amount of time she needed for this project.

Okay... so.. finally I'm ready to discuss the Diet Minder.  This is a neat journal. I heard about it somewhere, and after much debate (and finally filling my theme book) I decided to try this as my diet diary.  I like to track the good days, what I eat, etc. One of the reasons I wanted to try this food diary in particular is that it has space for listing your supplements.  I take a few and it would be nice to be able to see if they do make as much a difference in my overall plan as I think they do.

To learn more about the Diet Minder and the company's other products, you can go to their website at www.memoryminders.com .  I am going to begin using my new food diary tomorrow (june 1).  It allows me to track things for 91 days, which should work out just perfect for my trip to Phoenix.  I'm going to put my "before" pictures in there to help keep me motivated.  I have 14 days here before I leave for Phoenix and I have 4 weeks there before Paul joins us.  The heat is on!

 

THE CHALLENGE TO LEAD

THE CHALLENGE TO LEAD
Plants lean to the Sun seeking growth. They can also wilt in submission to the intensity of the heat. Use the feedback in your life. When people set themselves against your will, you're probably driving too hard a bargain. If you want what you want, there's no sense irritating those people you need along the way. Try including and sharing as techniques. What you can render opens the door to what you receive.

Spiritual Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, I'm beginning to think that I need all the ammunition I can get.  Someone within the aol journals community listed Spiritual Weight Loss as a favorite link.  In exploring the site, I am finding much to get excited about.  I wanted to take just a couple of minutes here and list ten things I am grateful for.

1. My husband and family- that they love me as I am, in my current form and think I am beautiful.

2. I am thankful that thus far, I have no health complications due to my obesity.

3. My friend Lisa, she makes me laugh and she listens when I need a shoulder.

4. I am thankful that I enjoy exercise, even if I can't always find time for it.

5. The continued good health of my extended family.

6. The opportunity to go home for 2 months this summer.

7. That I'll get the chance to visit with my two best friends, Lisa and Leigh while I am home.

8. That Paul continues to be safe while he is deployed.

9. That I will get to see Paul in July.

10. That I know the rest of our lives together will be content and happy. I am grateful that we are in a place in our lives where we are in sync with our goals and dreams for the future.

Focus on the Process

I am back to focusing on the process.  Sort of ... :)  I weighed myself this morning and I came in at 214.2.   I really don't like to weigh myself daily, too easy for the number on the scale to effect my mood and my progress for the new day.  But in this case it was nice to see that things are "looking up."

I have to drive to Wuerzburg today.  Mac's science fair project is due tomorrow and we need to have film developed to include pictures with his project. The closest American one hour photo shop is in Wuerzburg.  I'm gonna try to fit in my workout before I leave. Today it's two mile walk and butt PHH.

The End of a Good Day

It is close enough to the end of my day (7:45 pm) that I am calling it a "win."  My calories stayed under 1300 calories.  I did a two mile walk and I did the Power Half Hour Arms workout.  I planned just enough ahead to keep from binging.

For breakfast I had a slim fast, mid morning snack was cottage cheese and nectarine. Lunch was a ham sandwich on low cal/hi fiber bread with lettuce and tomato and one ounce of tortilla chips with salsa.  Mid afternoon snack was a South Beach Diet Cereal Bar.  Dinner was a Turkey Burger with lettuce, tomato and a half cup of baked beans. Water was all I drank today.

One day down, 20 days to go before I leave for Phoenix.

Get Good Information

I wish I could say I had a successful week.  Well, I could say that, but it wouldn't exactly be truth.  Not even close to the truth.  Last week was one long excuse not to get back on the program and make some forward progress.  In fact, last week was such a long excuse that my weigh in this morning is 216.1.  Yeup... I'm up two pounds from last week.  Not exactly a stellar performance.

So now it's time for me to re group and come out slugging. FAT BE GONE!!!  I'm working on putting together some good information.  One of my goals for the next 3 weeks is to put together a diet plan with menus to follow while I am at my mother's.  Some basic guidelines that will keep me closer to "on target" than if I just went unprepared. 

This morning has started on the right track so far.  It's still early.  I had a slim fast when I first got up.  3 points on the WW plan.  A light taste, so that I can still jump up and do my exercises as soon as a moment presents itself, but enough so that I can hold out before I have breakfast.  I'll report back at the end of the day with my food points and my exercise points.

Not so focused

Not as focused as I hoped to be yesterday.  In fact, I'd have to call yesterday a bust. No exercise, no watching the food intake.   I'm not making too much better of a start today. <sigh>

Focus on the Process

FOCUS ON THE PROCESS, NOT THE OUTCOME.  All you can control is what you do today; for instance, what you have for lunch and how much you exercise.  You can't control whether you lose two pounds this week or not.  People who focus on the process have a higher chance of attaining their goal.  Those who focus too much on the outcome ("I have to be a size 6 before the class reunion") generally fail.  Plus, be focusing on the process of reaching your goal, you create a way of life.

Weight: 212.9

I'm prepared to slowly work through things, to stay focused on the process.  I think that is where so many of us tend to stumble.  It's so easy to feel overwhelmed, even when making progress, by the number of pounds still left to be lost.  I know I am guilty of thinking beyond the moment.  "I want to lose X pounds by end of the month"  And I keep thinking that way even after a week where I haven't lost enough, or when I've gained.. so there I am with an even bigger amount to lose "by the end of the month."

I'm going to try this time to stay focused on today, this moment.  What can I do today to improve my health? Let's see how this works for me.

 

The Right Attitude.

Quick update before I go into my usual stuff.  My father in law has been diagnosed with cancer.  I do not know the severity of it, nor the treatment plan at this point in time.  -E

I've decided to give myself the rest of this weekend to regroup and I'm going to head back into the plan tomorrow morning. I think I'm going to use the Power Half Hour for the next 4 weeks as my strength training, along with Leslie Sansone as my "aerobics."

  The kids and I will be in Phoenix, AZ from June 13 until Aug. 15.  I haven't heard much else from Paul's parents at this point.  But Paul was able to re-arrange his R & R leave so that he can be in Phoenix about mid-July as well. I'm pretty excited, but that means I'll be seeing him in about 8 weeks and I was so hoping to be farther along on this weight loss journey than I am. Okay.. the first thing I have to 'fess up to is my starting weight for this new plan of mine.  I weighed in this morning at 214.1.  That is 22 lbs over my low weight of 192.3 from November.  I am SOOOO not happy about that.  But more importantly.. I am ready to do something about that. I would like to lose at least that by the time I see Paul.. and should the diet gods care to smile upon me, I'd really like to lose closer to 30 lbs... We'll see how all that goes..   I found an article in the May 31, 2005 edition of Woman's Day.  About "How to stay on your Game."  If you all don't mind, I'm going to share it with you here.  

 

People who succeed in transforming their bodies need, above all, the right attitude.  According to Todd M. Kays, a psychologist specializing in sports and performance and director of the Athletic Mind Institute in Columbus, Ohio, all of us can apply these tips to help stick with a fitness plan and achieve our personal best: GET GOOD INFORMATION.  Consult an expert, such as a reputable dietitian or trainer.  Be sure this person is as committed to your goal as you are. FOCUS ON THE PROCESS, NOT THE OUTCOME.  All you can control is what you do today; for instance, what you have for lunch and how much you exercise.  You can't control whether you lose two pounds this week or not.  People who focus on the process have a higher chance of attaining their goal.  Those who focus too much on the outcome ("I have to be a size 6 before the class reunion") generally fail.  Plus, be focusing on the process of reaching your goal, you create a way of life. EXPECT SETBACKS.  They happen, so plan on them.  One week you may be faithful to your diet and still gain two pounds, or maybe you were able to jog three miles last week, but this week you can't get past two.  That's part of the journey.  Cut yourself some slack.  The greatest athletes aren't those who have never had a setback, but those who persist through adversity. PUSH THROUGH PLATEAUS.  When progress stops, and you can't seem to gain fitness or lose weight, ask two questions: Are my goals realistic, or am I expecting too much too soon?   Do I need to change my program?  Athletes, for example, often over train.  Building in more recovery time could get you over the next hurdle. FIGHT HEAD GAMES WITH HONESTY. When people start to give up, the rationalize: "I'm fine the way I am.  This is just how my body is meant to be.  I can't run a marathon.  What was I thinking?" Such self-talk buffers disappointment, but it doesn't get the job done.  Take your emotions out of the picture.  Be brutally objective and tell yourself the truth:"I'd be healthier if I lost 20 pounds." Or, "I'd increase my chanced of living longer if I worked out consistently." When you define your issues objectively, they become a problem to solve, not a criticism of your self-worth. DO IT FOR YOURSELF.  Don't try to improve your body simply to please another person.  You can never control another person's view of you.  While getting your dream body may, in fact, please others in your life, you have to do this for yourself.

Pet Peeves

Weigh in: 212

Considering how quickly my week went downhill, that is not too bad.   Not the direction I wish to be heading in, but not too bad.

So.. my pet peeve this morning is simply this.  I wake up at 6 am to wake the kids to get ready for school.  The girls have to catch a bus at 730 and Mac walks two blocks to his school at 7:45. None of them take their showers in the morning, so technically they only need about 45 minutes to get dressed and eat in a leisurely manner.  My PEEVE is that I get up early because that is when they WANT to get up, but what really happens is that I spend the next 45 minutes to an hour telling them to get up.  I could be sleeping for that brief period of time, but no.. I have to keep going to the rooms and tweaking covers or toes to get them moving.

Anyway, Mother's Day was a pretty good one.  The kids and I went to Cinnabon for breakfast where I had a minibon and chocolate milk. We did some shopping at the "big PX" and then did a bit of commissary shopping and then had lunch at Burger King. I had a Whopper Jr and a med. fry.  I also splurged and had real Dr. Pepper. YUMMY! 

Kimberly, my middle child, made dinner last night of waffles and she made a lemon cake for dessert.  All very tasty.

This morning it's back to the point watching.  It's also "Post clean up day" which means I'll have an opportunity to burn a lot of calories raking, weeding, sweeping, etc outside our building.

I've mixed up my eating plan a bit, using some of the Jorge Cruise thought process and I'm planning meals every 3 hours.  Last week doing this seemed to really help.  BUT.. I also allow for the idea that I might not need every snack I plan.  I make a plan, but I allow hunger level to rule if I truly need the sustenance or not.

New at the commissary this weekend: Post Carb Well High Protein Cereal Bars Cranberry Almond. 140 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber. 3 pts.  Nice taste, very satisfying.

Also new: South Beach Diet High Protein Cereal Bar Chocolate by Kraft. 140 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber. 3 pts.  Haven't tasted them yet.

I'm going for "easy" right now on this diet.  I want to have as little time to THINK about what I'm going to eat as possible.  The way for me to accomplish this is to have quick snacks to grab once in a while.

Weekly Weigh In

The kids have headed off to school and I am here just catching up a few things.  As soon as I finish here, I'm going to begin my workout.   Weigh in this morning: 211.3

I'm finally getting out of my slump and heading into new territory.  Getting back to exercising has really helped my depression.  I think talking in IM with Paul more regularly is helping too.

News from home has not been great.  I'm waiting to hear the results of some tests my inlaws have taken to detemine whether the kids and I should head to Phoenix for the summer.

Oh.. I went to the PSTA Bingo game Saturday night with some of the other spouses from our unit.  I had one bingo, and I won a very nice "americana" pottery piece.   It's a lasagne dish.  Polish pottery is all the rage among the military spouse at the moment.  I'm not sure exactly why.  It's nice, but ... not like we don't have such things in the states.  Unless it's the patterns.  Which I've seen a few I like, but nothing that I can't live without. 

 

Still, this pottery dish will look nice for pot lucks.