Eating Habits

Lets talk habits shall we?
Growing up I ate food because I wanted to. Cookies were yummy, so were brussell sprouts. My parents tried to limit how many snack we had. Sugar was right next to the healthy veggies in this category. But I was like a lot of children; when you say no, we find a loophole. I remeber vividly, hiding in the pantry chowing down on contraband cocolate chip cookies. I climbed in, sat on a shelf, turned off the light, shut the door and chowed down. Boy did they taste good.
As I got older, I started to become lazier. I didn't run around like the other kids at recess. I didn't join a soccer team (we didn't have the money). And I only had one friend starting at about 9 years old. So I sat around, watching TV.
When I was 13, my family moved from Canada to the US right at the beginning of Summer Vacation. I didn't know anyone, so I sat around, watching TV and eating. A Lot.
As far as I can remeber, I never ate to consol my feelings. At least not most of the time. I ate because I wanted to.
However, about 6 months ago, things started to go a little wonky at work and I noticed myself heading straight to MickeyD's after work for some comfort french fries. That's when I realized that my eating habits changed. When I feel frustrated ... I eat. When I feel depressed ... I eat. When I feel tired ... I eat. I think you can see where I'm going.
I'm trying to eat more consiously now. Of course it doesn't help that my appetite is pretty large right now. Well, really, I've always had a big appetite.
I'm going to try and drink lots and lots of water and eat lots of healthy veggies like cauliflower and cucumbers for snacks to see if that'll help my appetite a little.
It's either that or I make myself stay hungry for a few days til I adjust. I might have to use both methods.
See you next time.

Ok, Shoot Me & Weigh in Time

Alright, I surrender. I was a lazy poster and have not posted a thing in over a week. Last Sunday I wrote that I wasn't going to worry about any weight loss stuff for the rest of the week and that I would post my weigh in the next day. Well, obviously that didn't happen. Every Monday morning, I'm supposed to get up and weigh myself, except that last Monday, I forgot to. Then I was going to weigh myself on Tuesday and forgot again. At that point I figured I wasn't going to get anaccurate weigh in anyways so I waited until this Monday. Except that I didn't post my weigh in on Monday. I did however, weigh myself. So my official weigh in on Monday was 285.2lbs with my body fat percentage at 44.6%. The weight thing sucks because for those of you who can count, that means I've gained 6.4lbs in the last two weeks.

Just so you know, I'm sticking my tongue out at myself.

I have no excuses except to say that I'm lazy. Pure and simple. I over ate a little and I stopped walking.

However, I am headed right back onto track this week. And next week will be even better. Tomorrow I will get my last paycheck and then I can get gas for my car, register for Fall classes and head on over to the reservoir for a long over-due walk.

I promise my next post won't take so long in coming.

Muzak

I am currently at work, listening to boring Muzak on the phone. I'm trying to replace an expired gift card for a customer. Oh Joy. However, it's made me decide that I'm going to put my active plans for weight loss on hold for the rest of the week. I'm not going to just eat whatever I want or stop walking, but I'm going to spend less of my focus on it during my last week of work.
My boss gave me this really weird schedule for my last week, so I'm adjusting. However, I will be able to eat the right foods and walk everyday after the 2nd.
Woo Hoo!
I'll still post my weigh in on Monday, so I'll see you then.

Curvaceous

I've noticed that a lot of people write about Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, etc. but very few people ever write about Curves. Curves is a fitness facility (franchised) that helps women lose weight, strengthen their bodies, and feel better about themselves.

Curves is a 30 minute workout including a cool down and stretches. You work on a machine for 30 seconds and then walk, dance, or whatever on a recovery square and repeat. (recovery Squares are boards supported by springy foam stands in order to be low impact) All the machines work on hydraulics. Basically you are working against yourself instead of resistence weights. They space out the machines so that you aren't working your arms for two machines in a row but alternate muscle groups for maximum effectiveness.

30 seconds on a machine, 30 seconds on a Recovery Square, completeing the curcuit twice followed by a stretching setion. To be really effective you should workout 3 times a week. Though a lot of women go more than often than that.

The trainers are really supportive. They know how much to push you and when to let you go for it yourself. They set up interesting challenges for you to meet and cool incentives to complete the challenges.

Curves has locations all over the world and if you're interested in joing a Curves, visit their website to find a location near you.

Another great thing about Curves is that it's all women; no men. So you don't have to worry about what you'll wear, or if your hair looks alright. There is no criticism within the group and you'll get to know some amazing women and hear their inspirational stories.

I think the best part of Curves is the network of women. They all help each other with encouragement. If you lost a lot of weight one month, they'll praise you. If you happened to put on some weight one month they'll give you a boost back onto your horse.

Curves makes you proud of the curves you have and I'm proud of mine.

Walking Song of the Week

Pump It by The Black Eyed Peas. This song is great for the middle of your workout to help you pick up the pace and keep moving. Big on the whole motivation thing. This isn't my only fav of their's for walking, but it conveys what my purpose for walking is, and helps me stay focused.
Thanks BEP.

Weigh In Time

Hi Everyone! Welcome to a lovely, drizzly, Monday morning.
So I almost to post my weigh in today. Hell, I almost forgot to weigh myself today. But ... drumroll please ... my current weight is 278.8lbs with a body fat percentage at 45.1%. I am pretty happy. I mean, normally, I experience a quick weight loss and then start to even out but I'm happy with 2lbs per week.
That said, I also haven't been following a strick nutrition plan. I've eaten sensibly and in smaller portions but still, have given in to foods that I want to eat. Like today, for instance. My Mom got me, my sister, and herself Chinese for lunch. Though I did have a slightly healthier Chicken and broccoli this time. And then I just had a brownie after dinner.
Mmmmm ... brownie! Of course now I feel a little guilty, but I know that I'll be better.
It's going to take a couple of false starts before I really get going. And if all I'm able to do is lose 2lbs per week, then I can live with that. Because that still spells out progress.

Of course, Ideally I want to lose weight faster than this. And I want to really start incorporating a little jogging into my walks.

Oink ! Oink !

I was a total pig today. After my healthy lunch of Lean Cuisin Turkey Club Panini, I decided to treat myself to 1 donut. Count that 1 donut. But the second I got to the counter at Dunkin Donuts, I saw the munchkins and bought a 25 pack. I then proceeded to eat all but 5 which I graciously offered to my coworkers.

I suppose it's better than eating 20 whole size donuts but man, what a pig.

Anyways, I'll be making up for it tonight while I walk on the treadmill. I've also been bringing boxes from my storage locker home, so yea! for heavy lifting.

Jobs

Today I gave my boss an official letter of resignation. I know, you all think I'm crazy for quitting a job in this economy. However, I have enough money saved up to last me til I get another job plus I live with my parents who buy all my food and pay for my cell phone. I currently work for a Customer Service desk in my local mall where I am the assistant manager. I no longer wish to be the boss nor do I wan to deal with butthead employees who can't do what they're asked to do and a mall management team that is purely and wickedly annoying.
So I am going to take a summer school course and try to find a job where I will only be working about 15-20 hours a week. Then in the fall, I might conider just doing school. I'll definately be attending school full time, I just don't know if I'll work during that time. We'll see.

On a positive note, I have been eating really well today. No real exercise today 'cause my inner thighs feel like they've been stretched to the moon, but tomorrow I should be back on the treadmill. My thighs are just yelling at me for pushing myself to walk 3 miles in less than an hour. 58 minutes and 2 seconds to be precise. :) (can you tell how proud of myself I am?)

Walking Song of the Week

Everything I Can't Have by Robin Thicke.

It's got a Salsa flavour that I love. Plus he has this sweet, melodic voice. The song makes you wanna move and dance. I first heard the song on Step Up 2 and had the hardest time finding it 'cause it wasn't on the soundtrack.

Weigh In

My current weight is 281.4lbs and my body fat percentage is 45.4%. Still ick considering I've only lost 2.2lbs, however, I haven't been doing too well, following a healthier way of eating the last couple of weeks. Work problems and Easter waylaid me a little.

So a couple of stats:

Current Weight - 281.4lbs

Goal Weight - 160lbs

Weight Lost - 2.2lbs

Weight Left to Lose - 121.6lbs.

However, today, I start anew. I ate a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I went to Curves this morning (though I was only able to complete 1.5 circuits; apparently I ate too soon before working out) and I walked the full circuit at the reservoir this afternoon.

I feel amazing.

Easter

Happy Easter Everyone!
Hope everyone is enjoying their Easter. My morning has been going fairly well. Of course, being a Holiday, I didn't make my healthy breakfast. Instead I ate 2 glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts and a handful of Cadbury Fingers.
I am resolved to make a healthy lunch and I know that I'll be eating a relatively nice dinner of Spiral Cut Ham and mashed potatoes with lots and lots of veggies.
And for anyone wondering why I have a picture of a Stuffed Cow in this post, this is Stanley. My Mommy gave him to me in my Easter Basket (yes, she still makes us baskets). Isn't he cute?
Enjoy the holidays everyone and I'll be back tomorrow for Weigh in.

Veggies!!!

I have to admit that I'm quite a picky eater. One of the reasons I've never gone on a real diet or lifestyle change is that I feared the foods I'd have to eat. However, there are quite a number of veggies and fruits that I do like.

My Mom and I went to the store the other day after Curves and I bought some Cauliflower, plums, strawberries and today we were able to find some nice cucumbers.

Some of the veggies I like are broccoli, brussel sprouts (my favourite), carrots (cooked), corn (although it's pretty starchy), peas (also cooked), mushrooms (but only mixed in with other foods), and a couple of others. See? I told you i was picky. In my defense though, I know a lot of people who don't like brussel sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower.

Fruit is a little easier to eat. Mostly because they can taste sweet.

The fruits I like are:

Plums, Peaches, Strawberries, Blackberries, Lemons, Limes, Oranges (some varieties), Kiwis (yum), grapes (mostly green, though I'll eat red), apples (only Granny Smith), etc.

One fruit I'd love to try is Starfruit. PastaQueen mentioned in a blog posting that they taste a little like limes. I imagine I'll like them then.

Next summer, my Mom and I are going to plant our own veggie garden so that we won't have to spend so much money on veggies. This summer, we're going to plan out where the garden should go and kill off the sod where it'll go.

A little random info, We used to have a calendar that hung in out kitchen that was pictures of fruits and veggies made to look like they had faces and things. It made food fun.

Walking Song of the Week

Buttons by The Pussycat Dolls is my favourite song for this week. There's just something about it that makes you feel sexy. Like just listening to the song makes me hotter. Who knew a song could do that for you?

Weigh In Time

I ordered a new scale from amazon.com recently and it finally came in this Saturday. I was so excited. Of course I didn't read the description when I placed the order so I didn't know that I needed a 9volt battery to operate it. So I went over to CVS and picked up two for the price of one. Yea, money saved!

The scale I chose is the Taylor Body Fat Scale. When I found it it was on sale and I got it for bout $22.00, normally it goes for about $50.00.

So I currently weigh 283.6lbs and my current body fat percentage is 45.2%. Yuck! But I know that I'm working hard to lose the weight and become much, much healthier.

I walked 3 miles on the treadmill yesterday and I went to Curves this morning. I want to make sure that I'm not just working on aerobics or cardio but strength training too, which is what Curves can provide me.

I also made this great chicken breast recipe for lunch today. It's pretty much, 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup mixed with about 2/3 of the can filled with water. You mix that with about 2 cups of brown rice, cooked and place the mixture in a 9x9 glass casserole dish. Spice it up a little with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika, add 2 chicken breasts to the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45minutes and you get a tasty way to cook chicken. Plus it made enough for me to take to work tomorrow for lunch.

I also made mini-egg bakes in muffin pans. It was actually an idea I got from a comment on PastaQueen's blog. This way I can pop them in the microwave in the morning for a quick breafast on the go. Yummy!

Thank goodness for recipes. They make my life less dull. See you next time.

Kick in the Pants

I gave myself a good kick in the pants last night after I thought about not walking just because it was yucky outside. So, I hopped on the treadmill and walked my way through 3 whole miles in 60 minutes and 57 second. Woo Hoo. Then I did it again this morning.
Let me tell you, it's harder to walk indoors on a treadmill, then outside on a path. I couldn't tell you why, but it is. I was so sweaty after walking that I had to take a shower last night and this morning. Yuck!
But boy do I feel satisfied. Go Endorphins! I love you!

Horses

I admit it. I fell off the proverbial weight loss horse. I had a really bad day at work on Tuesday and to make myself "feel better," I got Mickey D's for dinner. Of course eating junk food just made me feel worse. It's a vicious cycle. But I've spent the last four days eating what I wanted, when I wanted and not walking except to do something at home or work.

However, I am getting back onto the horse and I'm feeling better already.

I've decided to be proactive with my future career. Starting in the fall, I will be going to back to school in a local Community College. I took the last year off from classes because I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life. Now, I've decided to become an Administrative Assistant by getting an Associates's Degree in Business Office Technology.

I am so excited about going back to school that if it weren't for the fact that it's been raining like crazy all day, I would go for a walk at the Reservoir. Of course I could walk on our treadmill, but it's not the same.

Anyways, tomorrow is a new day and I will be jumping hurdles with the best of them.

I was so proud of myself last night. I went to Target and Stop n Shop to pick up a few things with my parents and I can honestly say that I only picked up 1- 4 pack of Cadbury Easter Eggs, and they were the smaller size too. I didn't go down any of the middle aisles in Stop n Shop and I only went down the one food aisle at Target to find the eggs.
I even saved one of the eggs from being eaten last night. Yea for me.
I have to return to Stop n Shop this evening though to return Twilight to the Redbox machine. That was the whole point of going last night but both Redbox machines weren't working. The doors were stuck. So I'm going to check tonight after my walk.

Also a proud moment, I haven't bought lunch at work in over a week. That's money saved and money in my pocket. I find that bringing my lunch forces me to eat healthier. The only healthy food places here are Subway and Au Bon Pain. ABP is too expensive and you can get sick of too many subs.
This is also forcing myself to think about what I'll want to eat at lunch time. I'm the type of person who doesn't know what they want to eat until their starving so planning meals is hard for me.
It's one of the things I'm working on.

Thinking

I was just thinking about how I might see myself once I've lost weight. I've been picked on for my weight so long that I don't know if I'd trust anyone who said anything genuine about me. Like when I was younger in high school and middle school, people would say to me that a certain boy liked me. I always knew that they were lying, they just wanted to see me get all excited about the prospect that someone liked me.
Of course these days, no one really says things like that to me.
No one even seems shocked when I tell them I've never been on a date before. I'm 22 years old and you'd think that would shock someone but no, no is. It's almost like they expect me to be dateless because of how I look. So when I finally reach my goal weight will I be able to accept that men are really interested in me. Will I really be able to take a compliment?
These are things I've been trying to sort out in my head. Maybe I won't even notice by the time I do reach my goal.
Life throws these kinds of wrenchs; I'll just have to deal with it I guess.

Walking Song of the Week

This week's favourite walking song is called Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall.

It's a very upbeat song with a great thumping beat. It gets me moving in a way a lot of other songs don't. So thank you, KT.

Today Was the Day

Today was the day that I was going to extend my walk to cover the restof the walking trail. And then I had to pee. Sounds weird right? But at the reservoir, they don't have any port-a-potties anywhere but the parking lots. So I walked my usual route and walked a little slower than usual (which really wasn't all that much slower). I think that at least I walked at all today.
I was supposed to go walking with a friend of mine but she bailed saying it was too cold for her. After I hung up with her I decided I wanted to walk with or without her. My walks are too important to me to just skip one. I always feel really proud of myself after a good walk. Like those little endorphins are drugging my brain or something.
I love endorphins, don't you?

How much?

Okay so the moment of truth has come. I currently weigh 281.5lbs. That means in order for me to weigh 160lbs I need to lose 121.5lbs.
Of course this weigh in is on a scale that we've had for years and I don't know that I trust it all that well.
I think that I'm going to order a new scale today. One that will give me my body fat percentage too. I want to be as accurate as possible.

On another note I plan on returning to Curves next Monday. I have attended my local Curves on and off for the last 5ish months. Except the last month and a bit where I took that time off. aka slacking. The way I see it is that I need to do a bit of weight training along with the walking to make by body toned and not just thin. Curves provides an environment for me to do that without looking like a total idiot.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

This is a picture of the trail I walk at my local reservoir. I painted the bright yellow lines to show where I currently walk. I also painted out the names of the roads so as not to help the crazies out there find me.

I love the reservoir. It's so peaceful and quiet. A lot of people I know, don't like to walk there alone because tthey're afraid that someone will get them or that they'll get lost in the woods but I enjoy it. There a such scenic views it's just incredible.

Steps I Take

For the last week I have been wearing a pedometer. My mom has worn a pedometer everyday for years and she loves it. So I thought I'd give it a shot. Or at least another shot. I'd tried wearing one before but it didn't really help. This time though, I've made myself a calendar for the rest of this year to write down my daily step counts.
I figure at least this way I have proof that I'm working on losing the weight.
It's weird, on days that I work I get about 2-3000 steps, if I just walk then I get about 10000 steps, if I walk and work in the same day I get about 13000 steps. It's exciting to see the numbers going up.
I think that this summer I'm going to buy a really expensive pair of Nike sneakers so that I can buy that iPod device you put in the shoes. It's a more accurate pedometer and it'll probably help a bit better than the one I currently have strapped to my hip.

Today Was A Good Day

Today was a more than good day.
For the past week I have been walking at my local reservoir. It has a biker/walker's loop that's approximately 3 miles long. At the beginnning of the week it took me about an hour and a half to walk the whole thing and my legs would be cramping way before I finished. Today, I walked the whole thing in 1 hour!!! One thing you should know is that I am overweight. I normally can't walk 1 mile without feeling out of breath or anything. So today I felt like I was on top of the world.

This blog is an attempt by me to be held accountable for the things I do with my self. I am 22 years old and I am severely overweight for my 5'9" frame. My knees tend to throb when I stand for too long and I can't find pants for work that look good on me.
My goals are:

1. to wiegh in at 160 lbs
2. to be able to run a half marathon (I've been inspired by PastaQueen)

My reasons for wanting to lose weight are somwhat shallow. I want to look hot. I don't just want to be happy with my body, I want to feel attractive. I do want to lose weight to be healthier but I can't help wanting to feel pretty. Now I know some people will say that I don't have to be thin to feel pretty or be hot. I am glad that some people can feel amazing in the bodies that they have but I'm not one of them.

I didn't deide to lose weight for any particular reason at first. I didn't have that epiphany that you hear about. Nobody told me I was gonna die if I didn't lose weight. I just feel like now is the time to start. I am currently at work writng this (shhhh!) and therefore don't have a scale to wiegh myseld=f so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to post what my starting weight is.

So my plan is to work with a loose system at first. Walking at the reservoir 4 times a week and eating healthier food like veggies and less junk like chips. I am quite sure I will fall off the bandwagon many times (I did last night when I made brownies with cake frosting), but I will pick myself up, dust my big butt of and get right back on the wagon.

My plan for running the half marathon is to start slow. I like walking at the reservoir and I love that my time is decresing. So my goal is to be able to make a circuit in 4minutes. This way, I'll be able to walk the circuit twice in a row. After I am able to do that, I plan to start intermittantly jogging while I walk, until I can jog a whole circuit.

I am hoping you will all hold me accountable to my goals.