Category — Weight Loss

According to this blog I am down 2 pounds.  But according to the weight when I started making videos on YouTube I am down 3 pounds!  hurray.  This is finally the direction I need to be going.  No more up.  Just down, baby.  Yeeeeeeaaah! 

Also, I am starting a challenge on YouTube called the Lucky 7 Challenge. It started yesterday, 7/7/08, and the goal is to lose 7 pounds during teh next seven weigh ins, which the last one is in August.  So, yeah.  Bye bye to seven more pounds this summer.  That is definitely doable. :) I am just happy to finally have a positive weigh in… they lately have been depressing.

I was curious as to what advice the sites for brides give for getting in shape during wedding season.  Here it is:

From You & Your Wedding:

Diet and fitness expert Joanna Hall is well-known for motivating time-poor people into losing weight sensibly.  These are Joanna’s top five tips for brides-to be.

1.    If you’re trying to lose weight don’t be discouraged if your weight plateaus. Don’t pay too much attention to what the scales say – you know if you feel in better shape and muscle often weighs more than fat.

2.    Try to follow a “carb curfew” by not eating carbohydrates (bread, pasta, etc) after 5pm. Eating protein and fresh fruit in the evening will make you feel less bloated (you’ll retain less water), help you sleep better and give you more energy. In two weeks it could help you lose as much as 41/2in off your body.

3.    For a last pre-wedding weight-loss push, try a “double carb curfew”. Have carbohydrates for breakfast (something like porrige is perfect for a slow release of energy throughout the day) but none at all for lunch and dinner. You’ll notice results quickly but will probably only want to do this for a short  period of time.

4.    Make sure you do regular exercise. Walking is a fantastic way of getting in shape but you do need to make sure you’re walking at the correct intensity. First you need to find your optimum walk “break point”. To do this, start walking and then gradually speed the movement of your arms – this makes your legs move faster. Try to speed up your arm movements every 30 seconds. Almost break into a jog and then come back off that by 3-5% – that’s your optimum walk pace. Start with 5min a day and build up to 20min. A good pedometer will really help: my Small Steps Big Changes Pedometer (£10.99, joannahall.com) has won awards and comes in 8 different colours.

5.    Lastly, if organising your wedding is making you feel stressed out, a weekly Ashtanga yoga class will help you tone up and give you a chance to relax a little.

 From Brides.com:

WHAT TO EAT
So you’re engaged—that’s no reason to start choking down cabbage soup or bacon-only diets. Instead, make smart choices: colorful fruits and vegetables (low in calories, their high water content is filling); lean protein (eat it with veggies to absorb more of its energy-boosting iron, folate and B12); and whole grains and monounsaturated fat (found in almonds, olive oil and avocados), which “fight the spare tire, promoting that tiny waist every bride wants,” says registered dietician Connie Guttersen, Ph.D., author of The Sonoma Diet. To avoid dehydration— which can slow metabolism and increase your appetite—drink eight glasses of water each day. And for glowing hair and skin, nibble on foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, salmon and halibut.

WHEN TO EAT
You don’t always have to cut calories to shed weight. “Try eating every three or four hours. It keeps your metabolism up, so your body burns energy most efficiently,” says registered dietician Keri Glassman, author of The Snack Factor Diet. And never skip breakfast—it’s the one meal nutritionists consider non-negotiable. “It gets your metabolism kicking and makes you less likely to pig out later,” explains Danielle Schupp, registered dietician at Reebok Sports Club/NY. “You don’t have to do a 40-yard dash from your bed to the refrigerator; just eat within two hours of waking.” Nosh on one or two snacks of 150 to 200 calories a day to curb hunger, and have lunch and dinner whenever you like—just don’t wait until you’re ravenous (when you’re most likely to make unhealthy choices) or within two hours of bedtime (digestion disrupts sleep, which studies have shown is crucial for weight loss).

HOW TO SNACK
To keep up your energy and boost metabolism, stock your pantry and fridge with 150- to 200- calorie snacks that combine fiber, protein and monounsaturated fat, says Glassman. She recommends a spoonful of peanut butter stirred into plain yogurt; thin slices of smoked turkey wrapped around a few celery sticks; low-fat microwavable popcorn; or a cup of strawberries drizzled with a tablespoon of chocolate syrup. If you’re in search of something sweet or crunchy, try frozen cherries or grapes, or air-popped “pizza popcorn,” kernels topped with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and oregano. “These foods are delicious, take a long time to eat and give you a lot of pieces for a small amount of calories,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietician and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. When running around town to dress fittings, avoid experiencing a drop in blood sugar (if your energy and mood plummet, you’re more likely to binge later) by carrying healthy, portable snacks, such as a drinkable yogurt, soy chips, a few whole grain Fig Newtons, an applesauce cup, string cheese or an energy bar containing fiber and protein (but make sure it has no more than 200 calories). Traveling? “Pack an insulated bag with a container of hummus, carrots, crackers and a small bag of cubed cheese,” suggests registered dietician Stefanie Bryn Sacks, culinary nutritionist for My Chef Direct, a personal chef, catering and wedding service in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Come prepared, and you’ll be less likely to eat the potato chips the flight attendants offer you.

EAT AROUND YOUR WORKOUT
Strategic nibbling can help you maximize the calories and fat you burn during exercise. Eat a 100- to 200-calorie snack one hour before hitting the gym if you’re even slightly hungry; otherwise, eat 20 to 45 minutes after. “Work out on an empty stomach, and you won’t have the energy to do as much as you could have, or you may feel nauseous due to low blood sugar,” explains Dr. Guttersen. “Eating afterward keeps your metabolism running on high for longer.” Sipping coffee or tea 30 to 45 minutes before a workout can also give your body a boost, she adds: “Caffeine helps release fatty acids into the bloodstream, enabling you to burn more fat.”

BOOST YOUR PORTION IQ
Controlling portions is the single best way to lose weight, says Schupp. Stick to a fist-sized portion of pasta (because carbs increase serotonin, a mood enhancer, we’re naturally prone to overeat them), and no matter how much meat you’re given, slice off a piece the size of a deck of cards (those four ounces are all you need). Blatner also suggests premeasured snacks or meals, like those from Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Kashi, which are usually around 300 calories (and often contain less sodium than most deli sandwiches). “Eat one or two of these as a meal each day, plus lots of veggies to help you feel full, and you will healthfully lose about a pound a week,” says Blatner. At the salad bar, select just one or two items containing fat or protein. The reason? “Every time you pick up the tongs and mindlessly toss in chicken, cheese and avocado, you add multipliers of 50 to 100 calories,” warns Schupp. At dinnertime, turn off Grey’s Anatomy: “When you eat in front of the TV, you are on autopilot, unaware of how much you’re consuming,” says Dr. Guttersen, “so you keep on going.”

FOODS YOU MAY WANT TO AVOID
Beware: The following foods—some may surprise you!—can seriously pack on the pounds. Dried fruit. “The water has been sucked out, so it’s dense but not filling,” says Schupp. “A big box of raisins—about two cups—has as many calories as a loaf of bread!” Be especially wary of sugar-coated fruits, such as mango, pineapple or papaya. Shiny vegetables. If a salad or spinach dish glistens, “it’s probably been prepared with a lot of oil and has tons of hidden calories,” Schupp adds. White foods. Sugar, crackers, white bread and white rice are refined carbohydrates that “contribute to weight gain and irregular blood-sugar levels, so you’re more likely to have energy highs and lows,” says Dr. Guttersen. Juices and sweetened coffee drinks. “Even the smallest size—usually 12 ounces, the size of a can of soda—can tack on 150 extra calories,” says Blatner. More than one low-cal drink per day. “Studies have shown that people who consume lots of artificially sweetened beverages tend to be more overweight. The drinks appear to stimulate a craving for sweets,” says Dr. Guttersen. Salty foods, such as soup, sushi, pickles, feta cheese and soy sauce “cause you to retain water and feel bloated—not exactly an ego boost before a dress fitting,” says Schupp. Creamy salad dressings. “Oil-based ones are less likely to clog your arteries and often contain half the calories,” says Schupp. Foods high in trans fats. It may sound like a tip from the obvious department, but it bears repeating: Fried foods and other treats loaded with trans fats will put you on the fast track to weight gain. Steer clear or eat these only in moderation (and infrequently). Alcohol. Cocktails contain substantial calories, which is why Karen Miller-Kovach, author of Weight Watchers: She Loses, He Loses, suggests limiting your intake by alternating a drink made with a noncaloric mixer (like rum and Diet Coke) with plain water or club soda. Diet desserts. “A low-fat sundae can easily top 300 calories,” says Schupp. “You’re better off having three Hershey’s Miniatures, which are more satisfying and add up to only 100 calories.” But you should partake in your favorite indulgence. “Give yourself 150 ‘play calories’ every day,” says Blatner. “Such small amounts of a favorite candy, cake or chips will not wreak havoc.”

FOODS YOU CAN EAT IN UNLIMITED AMOUNTS
“Bite for bite, vegetables have the lowest caloric content of any food group,” says Blatner. That’s why so many veggies are found on this list of foods that can be eaten without restraint:
• Celery • Broccoli • Asparagus • Cooked collard greens • Raw tomatoes • Jicama • Spinach • Bok choy • Leafy lettuce • Cabbage • Mushrooms • Snow peas • Onions • Zucchini • Cucumber • Cooked eggplant • Summer squash • Sprouts

FOODS YOU CAN EAT IN ALMOST UNLIMITED AMOUNTS
Fruits contain three times as many calories as vegetables—about 60 per serving—but they’re still much lower in calories than most foods and are loaded with nutrients. Low-cal fruits and other choices that won’t ruin a waistline:
• Air-popped popcorn • Cherries • Edamame • High-fiber flat bread (Wasa 7-Grain Crisp ’n Light Crackers are 20 calories per large cracker) • Blueberries • Low-fat cheese wedges (Laughing Cow’s are 35 calories each) • Apples • Tofu • Rice cakes • Grapes • Veggies with low-fat salad dressing • Oatmeal • Sugar-free Popsicles • Watermelon • Carrots • Chile peppers • Low-fat yogurt • Grapefruit

I am back from Murfreesboro where I was without internet access for the majority of the trip.  I am home for two days and then I will be leaving again, this time for Honduras where I will definitely be without internet access for the whole trip.  Kind of makes it hard to take time to journal about my weight stuff, doesnt it? 

Despite the similarity of non-internet access, these trips could not be more different… especially regarding food and weight loss.  In Murfreesboro every meal was fast food.  I don’t think I saw a single healthy meal while I was there.  I was at the mercy of people that love to bring home pizzas and a 2 liter of coke for dinner.  Not my style at all.  I think I gained a pound or two for sure while I was there.  Unfortunately my scale is packed up so I cannot check and confirm this.

My trip to Honduras however will be completely different.  I will be walking, hiking, playing the entire week I am there and will drop a few pounds for sure.  This will also be helped by the fact that I won’t be eating a lot of food while I am there and what I do eat may or may not stay with me.  Last time I was there I lost about 5 pounds in a week, so I am hoping that will happen this time too.  Hurray for a jump of restarting my weight loss! 

After I get back from Honduras I will detail my trip and show some pictures, especially of the yummy and unusual stuff I will be eating. :)

Yay weight loss.  I think I am going to join Weight Watchers soon.  I am pretty excited.  Now that I am not in college anymore (weird)  I need to find some weight loss support and structure.  Hopefully Weight Watchers will provide that.  So yeah…more on this later!

Ooops!  Time for an update on the new diet… featuring lots of fruits and veggies!

I am trying to combat terrible time management skills right now just to stay afloat in my classes. I have a hard core case of seniorities. Frankly, I just don’t care about this school stuff. I probably should care about the fact that I don’t have a job lined up after college. But it turns out that I don’t. I am just very apathetic.

However, I am not apathetic about the weight loss thing. Im totally ready to start a new eating plan. Basically its a 1600 cal a day diet, but I will plan out my meals beforehand.

I realized that most of my over eating problems comes from the fact that I never know what I am going to eat next and make really poor last minute decisions. I hate planning, but I think if my meals are planned out it will prevent me from overeating as much. Sounds good, right?

I found a great website with information specifically for college students at UNC Chapel Hill’s Health Services site. I will be using their 1600 calorie a day meal plan with my own variations.

It is check in day… and I am not going anywhere near a scale.

I actually am moving today, going back to school, so my stuff is either packed or will soon be. I don’t feel like looking for the scale. And I know it will probably be a zero or gain, so I would rather look at this week by a different measurement.

Let’s just look at the challenge by this fact alone: I am so EXCITED. I am excited for these reasons:

• This week wasn’t too bad. I did my workouts and ate well most of the time. I had a few bad meals, but it is because I went out so many times.
• I kept track of everything I ate. I am sooo bad about journaling food, but I did a good job of keeping track of it all (the good, the bad) this week.
• I am going back to school where I will most certainly be more active than I am at home with mom and the bro. Being at home is like a return to my old life when I constantly ate and never moved. A month and a half of being home and I am 20 pounds heavier. I am so excited to be leaving!
• I have new tennis shoes that make me want to run and will make me run better and faster.

Overall I feel like it was a good week and there are only better ones to come! I hope everyone else has had great weeks. Time to go visit some blogs…

I am ‘the fat girl.’ Always have been. Most statistics say I always will be.

But I am so tired of this being my one defining characteristic. When people meet me their first impression always includes a notice of the fat. Rarely do they voice it, although some do, but it is obvious. How can it not be when my weight is the most noticeable thing about me?

In high school, I never tried to lose weight but I did try to divert attention from my size. For some reason I thought that if something else stood out about me no one would notice how fat I was.

So I dyed my hair purple.

Being the purple-haired girl instead of the fat girl comforted me for a while. When people met me I knew they noticed the purple hair first. I wanted people to look at my hair and think I was a bit crazy instead of looking at my waist and thinking I had one donut too many.

After a while I grew tired of being the girl with purple hair. My hair is now back to a natural color and even the style is moderately normal, and I am back to being the fat girl.  I hate it.

Now when people meet me they know that I have trouble making food decisions. Usually they also assume I don’t workout. Unless I see them at the gym and watch the surprised expression fade away, I am just judged as another fat person with all the negative connotations (i.e. lazy) associated with it. I am judged unfairly because of the way I look.

Reason #3 I want to lose weight: First Impressions. I want to be at a healthy weight so people can meet me and notice me instead of my weight.

Ah, its Saturday and its cold. And I am not running today. Thank goodness. I should be swimming, but have no access to a pool. Next little workout will be on Monday. Hurray!

Continuing my list of reasons to lose weight/be healthy:

Reason to I want to lose weight #2: Graduation.

Since I was overweight in high school, every memory from those four years is marred by the pain of that extra weight. The two worst events were prom and graduation.

When I graduated high school I was at my highest weight ever, 255. I didn’t feel pretty, I didn’t feel happy. The administration wanted girls to wear dresses and black heels, so I was forced to find something to wear. I didn’t mind the dress I bought, but it wasn’t the best looking dress. Plus size clothing generally never is.

Good thing I got to throw a huge black robe over everything. I loved and hated that robe all at the same time. It covered me up, which I was eternally thankful for, but it also made me look HUGE. When I look back at the pictures from graduation, posing with all my super skinny size 0-2 friends, I looked enormous.

Graduation should have been one of those great bittersweet moments. Instead it was plagued by insecurity and other uncomfortable feelings. I destroyed most of the pictures from that day, but here is one that a friend kept.

I have another graduation coming up in May. I will be graduating from university with a bachelor degree. It is a second chance! I get to do graduation the right way this time. I want to walk across the stage, celebrating my accomplishment, at a healthy weight. I don’t want to worry about what I look like. I want to feel the best I have ever felt.

Yesterday was a terrible day. The Swiss Roll breakfast was followed by lunch with salad and a honey bun. Yikes. Today is going much, much better.

Mmmmm, weight watchers approved breakfast this morning however. Turkey bacon and cheese on a wheat english muffin. I have never had an english muffin before a few weeks ago when I stayed at my uncle’s house. He eats them almost every morning because they are only 1 pt for WW (they are light version). My uncle has lost about 30 pounds on WW, and he is definitely an inspiration for me.

Speaking of inspiration…

Inspired by Cammy’s last post and the 101 Reasons I Hate Being Fat blog, I have decided to start making a list of reasons why I want to lose weight. Collecting all these thoughts that pop in and out of my head throughout the day will give me a great source of motivation and encouragement when I am faltering, reaching for sugary treats.

Reason I Want to Lose Weight #1: I want to be a runner.

More specifically, I want to be a triathlete. A long time ago when I first started working out this was a pipe dream. I chose it mostly because it was something I new I could do for a long time. There are lots of 60 year old (and older!) people who still compete in triathlons. That thought encouraged me that I could compete in a sport for such a long period of time.

So I had a dream of one day being fit and completing runs and triathlons, but in my mind it was a long way away. Today I realize it is much closer. I am not officially a runner yet. I still walk more than I run in my workouts, but I am on schedule (according to my trainer) to be running non-stop for long periods soon (as in months).

I really want to run. I love to run, well, I love the idea of running. I want to feel the joy of crossing the finish line of my first race and later the major accomplishment of completing my ultimate running goal: the St. Jude Marathon. I don’t know when I will do it, but one day I want to run through the streets of Memphis, with thousands of other runners from across the country, supporting St. Jude Children’s Hospital while knowing I am healthy myself.

I know to do this I will have to lose a lot of the weight I still carry around. I know I can do that because I can see this dream in my head and I know one day… I will be a runner.

I don’t understand what I am doing.

Honestly I don’t.

I work out hard. I am following my training plan for the 5k run. I drink water all the time. I plan my meals for Weight Watchers so I can stay on track with my points. I do all the right things, or at least know all the things I should be doing to lose weight and be healthy.

And then I completely do the opposite when I actually start eating.

There are apples on the counter, but I go straight to the cabinet where my little brother’s food is. Do I need swiss rolls for breakfast? No. Do I really even like swiss rolls? Not particularly. Am I going to eat them anyway? Yeah. Two packages of them. Oh the processed sugary calories.

As I eat them my workout for later today is in my mind. I am about to cancel out all that hard work, but I eat them anyway. I don’t understand what I am doing. I really don’t.

I want to lose weight. I do. Maybe I should start making a list of reasons why or all the other tips to help stay on track. All I know is there is a mental battle of weight loss that right now I am losing.

Am I sabatoging myself when I really want something?

I am so annoyed with myself.