In Which I Talk About Numbers

E and I ran to and through on of our local parks today. On the other side of the park is a trail that leads back to town, but along the river on a small dirt trail.

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Not too shabby on the eye. This last photo is actually the other side of the trail, if you walk under the bridge, to where the hubs and I were married. Quaint.

Before we headed out this morning we hopped on the scale. I'm down 2 1/2 pounds. Not really as drastic as I thought it may have been...but there seemed to be some scale error. The first

time I got on the scale it told me I was down eight pounds (E too). Then we moved the scale to a more level part of the sidewalk, then I was down 4. We finally propped it up on her porch where I was down 2 1/2.

So I suppose if there was a lot of error, next week might be really good.

After our run then hike through the trail we headed over to the island for a moment.

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Also very quaint and beautiful. Off to the right side of the bridge all the ducks and geese were preening on the water's edge, getting ready for their day. On the other side of the bridge,

I found my number 12.

Progress

Well, I'm now officially a week and a day into my new routine. How's it going? Great! Better than expected actually. Although, we're weighing in tomorrow so we'll see. I typically either stay the same or even gain for the first couple of weeks but this time, I've done things differently so I have more hope.

So, what's different?

1. No refined sugar added to anything. And really, so far I haven't eaten much that even is made with it. I've eaten one slice of whole wheat bread, taken one bite of cinnamon bread, oh-and there was that half a donut (there's a whole guilted-into-eating-it story that I should share here). But that's about it. A DRASTIC reduction from what I used to be eating.
2. More fruits and vegetables. I'm eating fruits and veggies all the time.
3. Raw, not processed. I've really veered us away from pre-prepared foods. This also means no preservatives.
4. Lots of water.
5. No eating after 7:00 pm.
6. Think about what I'm putting in my mouth-energy giver or taker?
7. No guilt. If I really want something, have it. This alone I think has been a game changer. It's not NO, it's sure go ahead, but will it make your body feel good?

I had a thought yesterday. What if I went all "Biggest Loser" style and worked out a couple of times a day until I went back to school? It would help me take off extra pounds a bit quicker and then I could work on maintaining. Even though I don't look like it-my body could easily lose 30 pounds and I'd still be considered overweight, I'm sure. I'm tinkering with the idea...

Happy Tuesday!

Werkin' Out

It finally came back around. I went through a phase, about a month, where I couldn't get myself excited about working out or eating well. Then last week, it hit me. Enough.

I phoned a friend, literally using a life line, and made a plan:

6:00 AM Monday, Wednesday, and Friday-First Day to 5K workout

6:00 AM Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday-Extended walk or bike ride

We decided today that everyone needs a break so Sunday is our rest day.

But every day, I am making sure that what I'm putting in my mouth is good for my body. But how twisted is this? If I want a treat, I'll eat a treat. Except there will be no guilt about treats (which will be few and far between).

And with food, I'm no longer adding sugar or butter to things. This means no brown sugar in oatmeal, no butter on my broccoli...

So what have I been eating?

Oatmeal with cinnamon, a little milk, fresh raspberries, golden raisins, dates

Hard boiled eggs

2% milk cheese (although I feel I should mention, I only drink Vit D milk-IF suggestion)

Carrots

Broccoli

Sliced chicken (lunch meat-I know I know...) with a stripe of mustard rolled up

Raspberries

Blueberries

Cherries

Bananas

Peaches-well, if they ever ripen!

In the afternoon I'll drink a smoothie-Greek yogurt, any of the above fruit, honey, a splash of milk, ice)

Lots of water

Black coffee

For dinner we've had:

Baked lemon pepper Pollock, steamed broccoli, rice, and cherries for dessert

Coconut curry vegetables and chicken with brown rice

Tonight, turkey burgers with avocado, green beens, and I haven't decided on one other thing

I'll be weighing myself tomorrow morning and I'll keep up with progress on here.

When I thought today about what I really wanted to get out of all of this, I decided that not only do I want to be healthy but I'd really like to be able to go shopping and look good in the clothes I wear-maybe even wear things I've never been able to before. Vain? Maybe. But it's my life and I know it's all a part of making me happy and confident.

Monday

It's gotten to that point again. Where things have gotten out of control. When summertime hits I find I have the best of intentions. And you know where that paves a road to.

So I hitched up my britches and called a friend, two doors down, and we made a plan. Starting this Monday we will meet on the street at 6:00 am (with a leeway window until 6:15) and work our butts out. It will be an every-other-day pattern.

Day A will be running. We will be doing the First Day to 5k series. I used this back in January to train for my May 5K. And while I should be able to do more now than I could then, I'm hoping to up my pace.

Day B will be flexible-walking or biking or whatever suits our fancy. But we're meeting EVERY day, at that awful hour.

I may even have an addition challenge for myself--weight lifting. Lord knows I need it!

More than that, I'm going to stop putting bad things into my body. (Eew, okay, that sounds gross). What I mean is, I'm going to eat good things. It's not like I don't have the time now to make healthy things. But, NO guilt trips just goodness.

Care to join us? I'm weighing my arse on Monday and keeping track. I'm sticking to the thought Jillian Michaels has shared on The Biggest Loser-if you're burning more than you're taking in, you should be losing. I can do that.

Funk That

Remember that terrible song? I thought of it today as I got ready to take the dog for a walk. And it's my new proclamation. Funk That!

I am so sick and tired (and flippin' hot!) of hiding a body that I think is not attractive. I've been wearing long pants and jeans for YEARS hiding my legs and all the while I'm completely suffering.

When I was working out two days ago in our living room no one else was home yet there I was in my long black stretchy pants about to pass out from heat stroke. Are you kidding me? Why do I torture myself? Oh, because I might offend someone with my cankles and chunky legs.

So, it's time to get over it.

Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart (good, cheap workout clothes!) and purchased two new tanks and a pair of--get this--capri leggings. Not only do they not go to the floor, they're also skin tight. And I love them. I wore them to yoga last night (um, I did, however, wear my other black pants over them for the walk to the studio and back; baby steps people) and then today I wore them to workout. It was so much more comfortable and practical.

And after my workout (which is now the P90X Cardio, super good!) I took the dog for a walk--in my leggings. And it felt great.

I might not look so hot but I don't care. Why have I been worrying about everyone else in life and not my own comfort?

Funk that!

Frumpy

I'm feeling frumpy lately. Between my newly baggy clothes and how I spend my nights and weekends I'm not feeling like a million bucks.

I had a meeting/collaboration thing to attend today. I was seeing some people I hadn't seen in quite a while and I was excited at the prospect of looking differently to them. I'm not an overly casual dresser so I had on khakis and a black button up shirt. Normally this is an outfit I feel nice in-I like the color combination, it seems fairly forgiving of any excess bumps and bulges.

But then it happened. I was walking down a hallway from one room to another when I passed a rather long series of glass panes protecting bulletins and posters of some sort and *gasp*. What in the world? What the? Blech! I look like THAT?!

Somehow overnight I had gone from lazy and chubby to someone a size or two smaller-but still walking the chubby girl's life--and wearing the chubby girl's clothes. It's that really uncomfortable point though where I don't want to buy new clothes. My word, it's not pretty but I'm not done changing.

Which brings me to my second point of frumpiness. What are you doing with your Friday or Saturday night? Hot date? Fun plans? Me? Oh, you know...it's just too exciting to talk about. It will probably make you jealous.

Awwwww yeah. Workin' out, doing dog tricks. What more could a girl ask for?