Sunday, June 27, 2010

Another Fresh Start

Boy, it has been a while! Let me explain. In the last few weeks, my dad had to have emergency surgery to remove a flesh-eating virus and the tissue it managed to destroy in the time it was in his body. I've also moved home and changed jobs. My life is completely different from what it was last month. It's been a bit hard to adjust to, not going home to the same bed, not seeing my boyfriend every day, living in a different city, seeing different faces at work (in a high-volume store where there isn't as much time to get to know your co-workers), and having a completely different work schedule (opposite of my boyfriend's). I would have been blogging about the whole thing, but I left my charger at my apartment, so I haven't really been on the computer at all until now.

I've been through a lot of changes this past month, but I'm going to restart my weight loss journey and keep the changes coming. Now I'm going to start making a work-out schedule for myself. Not just an "oh, I'll work out when I have time" kind of schedule. I real schedule. The days I work a later shift (until 5, 6, or 7) I will work out at 8 am, either taking a walk/run or doing some lifting exercises. On the days I work in the morning and get off between 2 and 4, I'll work out after I get home and eat a healthy dinner.

It's weird, because I'm not just shopping for myself, now. When I go to the grocery store, I will have a list for my mom, too. But I am thinking about trying to cook some meals in advance and keep them refrigerated for us. Homemade soups, pasta with shrimp or chicken, some healthy beef and pork dishes... At least for dinner. A lot of days when I work, I have only a 15 minute break, so a full meal is hard to get in. But I think if I spend a morning cooking up some meals for the week, it will help me avoid buying something quick and fatty.

So I've got a plan for exercising, a plan for working out, and now I just need a plan for remembering to take all of my medication and vitamins so I can start feeling healthy and being healthy. I'm on two prescription medications for my PCOS, and I take a multivitamin, but I think I might start taking Acai again. We'll see.

I'm enjoying moving around my room and finally making it a place I can call MY room. I used to live in the basement in my house, but I didn't have the whole floor to myself. One half is our laundry and storage room, and half of my half was the computer room. So I really only had a small corner of the downstairs. Now, I've got the whole top level, which used to be my sister's room before she got married. Part of the remodeling we'll be doing is moving all of the exercise equipment into one room where we can all exercise whenever we want to. (The original plan was to leave it in my room, which would be inconvenient for everyone.)

Right now, my mom and I are trying to get ready for my dad to come home from the hospital, and it's helping us get a lot more done than we usually would. My boyfriend and I mowed the lawn and cleaned off our patio yesterday, and I think I'm going to try to make everything perfect in the patio area, so we can possibly have some people over in the future. We've never been a party-hosting family. I can't remember the last time we had company. Hopefully, we can change that.

Well, I'm going to leave it at that for now. I am anxious to go visit my boyfriend. I am happy to be back at the blog. I hope you're happy to have me back.

Help me rename my posts. I don't think I should start over with Day 1, but I don't think I should keep up the count. What do you think?

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Day 60 - Rough Rapids

I'm going to take a break from the normal format, because I haven't been doing well on my diet. My life has been quite stressful lately, and I haven't even stepped on the scale for fear of the imminent disappointment.

First off, I wasn't getting the hours I needed at work, which I think I mentioned in my last post, so I started looking for a store to transfer to in the city I'm moving back to for school. Fortunately, I found a store that can give me the hours I'm looking for. Unfortunately, they need me right away, so my first day is June 13th. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'm going to love it. It's just that this has been my favorite job that I've ever had. I'm transferring to another store within the same company, so I'll at least get to stay in the wonderful company culture that I've become such a part of, but I am going to really miss my bosses. This is the first job I've had where I was only working with one person at a time pretty much every day, and I feel like I've gotten really close with them and really improved as a person as a result. When I got off the phone with my will-be-boss and realized how soon I'd be leaving my current job, I got a little teary-eyed. I will really miss working with the amazing ladies at my job.

This job relocation also means that I will be moving back to my hometown 2 months earlier than originally expected... two months that I will be apart from my boyfriend during. I know we will visit each other at least once a week, but that will be a drastic change from the past year and a half or so. I met my boyfriend at college, and we started dating only a few days after meeting at our dorm orientation. He lived on the same floor of my dorm as I did. The building was an "L" shape with boys in one wing and girls in the other, and he was in the last room to the left and I was in the last room to the right. We lived only yards away from each other for those 8 or so months, then I got my current job at the end of the school year, and I ended up moving in with his family because my apartment fell through. This past year, we ended up in apartments on the same city block, so I haven't been away from him much at all since we started dating. We've been kind of inseparable, especially since summer started, and we only spend our working, sleeping, and his coaching hours apart. The might sound weird, but we're definitely best friends, and I love hanging out with him. It doesn't get old. So, this will definitely be quite the adjustment.

On top of all the changes, my dad went into the emergency room yesterday with a severe infection and an unknown virus. I'm not going to go into detail for the sake of his privacy, but it's looking pretty serious. He was admitted to the hospital last night, and it looks like he might have to stay there for several days. I'm trying not to worry about him, but anything that keeps you hospitalized definitely deserves some concern. If you all could send up some prayers, I would really appreciate it.

So, needless to say, I'm going through a lot at the moment, and I'm letting it distract me a lot from my weight loss. I've got so much to do, so much to figure out, so much to plan out, and it all pushes my dieting and exercising out of the way. So I hope you guys will excuse me for my lack of dedication the past week. I really need to kick my butt again. I don't want my little bit of success to just be a flash in the pan and nothing more. I want to keep the fire lit so I can keep losing. Maybe being home and only working will help me. I'll be so bored that I'll want to exercise? But I'm not going to wait for that. I keep saying this or that will motivate me and waiting to see if it does. I'm done with that. I need to get motivated NOW. I hope you guys will be patient with me and help me through this stressful time.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Day 55 - Life Expectancy and Life Changes

Diet tip of the day: Take inspiration from the good and the bad things around you. Let the success of others push you forward, and take it seriously when someone else suffers from a health situation.

This past weekend, I called my mom to check in and see how everyone was doing. She informed me that one of her friends from our old church passed away, possibly from diabetes related complications. It is tough to deal with a friend dying, but it's even worse when you share some of the same health struggles as they did. Several of my family members either have or are at risk of having diabetes, and my mom is no exception. It makes me worry. I don't know how close in age my mom and her friend were, but it doesn't really matter. She passed away years before she needed to, and it made my mom and I have a serious talk about getting in shape. I told her she had the choice to live 10 more years, 20 more years, or 30 more years. It's up to her, but I want her around. And before I go any further, this was not a reprimand. She is not ignorant to the fact that she needs to get healthy. We share the ability to make excuses though. I can list 10 reasons why I can't lose weight, but I'm not going to accept them anymore.

My mom and I essentially made a pact to kick each other's butts into shape when I move back. I need encouragement and so does she, so I think me moving back will be very beneficial for both of us.

Speaking of moving home, I might be doing that sooner rather than later. I've been losing hours at work, and there is an immediate need at a store in my hometown, so it might be best for me to transfer to that store mid-June rather than mid-August. It will be hard for my boyfriend and I, mainly because we haven't been apart for even a week since we started dating, but then he'll be moving into an apartment there for the next two years of school. This also isn't the summer I was expecting, but I will do what I have to in order to make enough money for tuition next year.

I'm going to try to get better at updating this blog. Instead of being too busy to write, I've really been doing nothing worth writing about. Hopefully that will all start to change soon with the new old living arrangement, new job, and new school. Hopefully, I'll be able to add new healthy body to that list. (Check out the new pictures I'm posting on the left side of the blog. Hopefully you'll start seeing a noticeable change in the next few months.)

Thanks so much for the grilling suggestions. What about healthy dessert for a hot summer night? S'mores are great, but not too great for you. Maybe some fruit popsicles or smoothie recipes.

For exercise, try being a little adventurous. Try something new or go somewhere you've never been and do some exploring.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Day 49 - Week One of the Summer Program

Diet tip of the day: If a diet isn't working for you, change it up. Just because you had success with it once, doesn't mean you will again. And just because something didn't work for you before doesn't mean it won't this time with your current situation.

Well, it's been a very long week since I posted. I wanted to clear my head and get away from the work of the diet for a while before getting back to the blog and getting down to business. That is not to say I've been taking the week off. I've been getting used to my new schedule, with a lot of free time, and trying to work in a lot of fun exercise. I went to a state park with my boyfriend last Thursday, and we burned over 600 calories hiking for an hour. We had a great time, saw a waterfall and some amazing rock formations, and got a great work out. I worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so I consider that a little bit of a work out, though I'm not going to for the rest of the summer. I'm going to try to get in a work out before work, because I always feel more energized when I do. Yesterday, we were looking for an apartment for him for the Fall, and before we drove back, we stopped at the zoo and walked around for over 2 hours. That was a great work out because we were enjoying ourselves and sweating quite a bit from the weather. I've lived in Wisconsin my whole life, and I'm still not used to the change over from mid-40's to mid-90's in 3 weeks.

I suggested to my boyfriend that we try doing the Special K challenge again for another two weeks. It worked really well for us the first time, and we've had a long enough break from it. It's time to push our weight loss over the edge. I haven't been weighing myself, because I think I gained a little weight back during exam week. However, I'm not worried about gaining any more, because we are completely cutting out going out to eat and we will be exercising every day. We can't afford to eat out if we want to afford our individual living expenses and tuition costs for next year. I am really excited to lose this weight. I lost almost 20 pounds in 3 weeks last time. My goal is to lose 30 pounds this summer. I think it is very attainable. I need some support, though. I need some encouragement and I need some ideas for cooking out. Grilling can be one of the healthiest ways to cook. The fat drips right off of any meat, and steamed veggies need no added butter.

As far as e-mailing recipes, someone mentioned that it might be better if you could send the recipes anonymously. Can I just say, I understand why that would make sense, but I don't see how I can do that. I already know some of the people who read this, so they have no reason to keep their identities a secret. As for the others who read this, if I don't know who you are, I won't know who you are when you e-mail me. If it makes you feel better, you can always just leave a comment with the recipe. Just know, I'm only after your recipes. Nothing else. :)

As for exercise, plan a fun event that requires walking for your weekend. Go to the zoo, the lake, the park, and make sure your legs get a work out. Enjoy yourself, don't punish yourself!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Day 41 - Burning Off the Badger Body

Diet tip of the day: When you can't sit down for a full meal, make sure you're filling up on healthy snacks and not convenient, fatty, salty, sugary things that leave you hungry an hour later anyway.

I am DONE with my semester. It feels so amazing. When I submitted my last exam (it was my only class that had its exams online) I actually hopped out of my seat and did a little dance. I cannot express how happy I am that it is summer. It is very slowly setting in that I don't have any studying to do, no exams, no assignments, no papers, and not even so much as a class to go to. I can focus completely on working so I can earn money for school and really enjoying and building on my relationship with my boyfriend.

Last summer could have been very difficult for us, but I think it shaped us into the people we are right now (literally and figuratively). After he tore his ACL and meniscus, it could have put a big strain on our relationship. But it didn't. It brought us really close together. It gave me an opportunity to show him how much I cared about him, how much I was willing to do for him (all while sporting a smile). It also gave him the opportunity to deal with situations that he needed my help for. It put us into an unfamiliar dynamic, and we became really close as a result.

However, this summer, I am really excited to just enjoy each other, with no constraints on where we can go and what we can do. On Tuesday or Thursday, we're going to go to a park that has a waterfall, which I'm really excited about. I've never been to a waterfall before, so I think it will be a lot of fun. We're trying to plan day trips and outings that will include lots of casual walking, so we get in a lot of activity without really feeling it. That's our goal for the summer. We're going to try to get in shape by alternating our work-outs between hard work and lots of fun. We'll get to go swimming, unlike last summer (pools and doctors both hate when partially open wounds go into chlorine). We'll be able to run and play soccer. Can you tell how excited I am to get active and have fun?

I'm really excited to lose all the weight I've gained since coming to college. I'm calling it my Badger Body, because our school mascot is a badger. At my annual check-up before starting my freshman year, I weighed 217 pounds. That means I gained 65 pounds in about 20 months. That is terrible. Absolutely terrible. I'm actually angry at pre-April of 2010 me. I'm not mad at myself, because I know I'm changing and doing what's right and good for me. I am really mad at the old me who let it all happen, and I think that is okay. I think that I need to be upset with that part of me so that I don't let it happen again. I refuse to let the lazy me change my body like that again.

I am happy when I see 263 pounds registering on the scale, something I never expected. I remember when I moved into the 260's. I was really upset, because I had seen my doctor not long before, and she had given me a big lecture about gaining 34 pounds in my freshman year. I don't respond well to lectures. It's not that I tried to rebel against her, I just feel defeated when I get told I'm doing a bad job. So, it's really weird now, having been 282 pounds, 263 pounds looks good on the way back down the scale. But I'm looking forward to the day where I can't believe I was ever 282 pounds, 263 pounds, or even 200 pounds. I know I can do this, because I'm determined like never before.

I still haven't gotten any healthy recipes from anyone. Now that it's summer, I am going to be cooking a lot more. So, I need your help and your recipes. Send your best healthy grilling or not-grilling recipes to theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com so I can try them out!

And for exercise, what's your best belly/gut or thigh exercise?

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Day 36 - Cravings and Olfactory Hallucinations

Diet tip of the day: Know when your cravings are justified. If you have a persistent craving, try to figure out why. Your body might be telling you it's missing something important.

I've been feeling slightly anemic lately for several reasons, the least of which are exam stress and the fact that I haven't really eaten much red meat since the beginning of my diet. I've been taking a multivitamin every day, but realized that it does not have iron in it. So, no wonder I was craving burgers. My body wasn't getting enough iron. My senior year I took a class in Child Development, and we learned that most of the cravings pregnant women get have to do with the fact that they are not getting all the nutrients they need. It's not just pregnant women, though. I'm not going to say I'm in-tune with my body and its needs, I'm just saying that sometimes my cravings make sense. And I'm 100% not pregnant, so don't take that away from this post. :)

Last year in my Intro to Psychology class, we learned about the different kinds of hallucinations that people can experience. Yes, we were talking about mental disorders, but "normal" people can experience them too. I experienced two "Olfactory Hallucinations" today, which are scents you perceive that aren't there. I was reading a book, which prompted one of them. I suddenly smelled the scent of Crayola paint that we used in grade school, the kind that came in a 2 gallon jug. It was strange, because I can't even remember the last time I used that kind of paint, but it has a distinct chalky smell to it. I found it really strange that I could remember something like that, but scents are actually our strongest links to memories. So it's no surprise that the next scent hallucination cheered me up quite a bit. Again, I don't know why, but I suddenly smelled the scent of my mixer at home, that metallic, electric, smell paired with vanilla, flour, and sugar in a mixing bowl. I can't even tell you how badly I want to make cookies, now. I just found it funny that I would experience such strong scent-triggered memories so close in succession.

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Exam week is a terrible, terrible time at my school. It's 1pm on a Tuesday and I had trouble finding a seat in the biggest library on campus. However, I finally finished writing my two 4-page history essays. I had a bit of a melt-down during my second one, but my boyfriend pulled me out of it. It's hard when so much of your grade depends on one piece of writing. I am a pro at writing English papers. I am not a fast writer, because I obsess a little on every sentence before I can move on. If my sentence isn't making the best statement it could, I am stuck, frozen, until I can fix it. I also really enjoy adding bits of alliteration into my papers, and I've found that English TA's usually enjoy them, too. So little things can get me really stuck. Imagine how stuck I was when I couldn't come up with one cut and dry answer to why the U.S. got involved in every war it's fought since the Civil War. That's a really broad question. One of two essays I had to cram into 4 pages each. Oh well! I'm done with it. It's in the hands of the TA and the professor.

I hope to keep up with my posting from here on out, or at least not take a 3-day break again. Keep up the feedback. I'm still waiting for healthy recipes! theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com

Exercise tip of the day: Do something relaxing. If you're stressed at work or school, it's not always best to hit a punching bag. Do something that calms you, like doing stretching to soothing music.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Day 33 - To Burger or Not To Burger?

Diet tip of the day: Pick a diet buddy who will tell you "NO" when you need to hear it. You'll hate them for the moment when they tell you know, but you'll thank them later when you still fit in your jeans.

I'm still in the middle of my exam week, writing two 4-page essays for my History exam. One is about the Cold war and social reform, and the other is about why the U.S. has fought so many wars. Needless to say, they are difficult questions to answer in 4 pages. I worked on my first essay from 10 am to 6 pm with minimal breaks. After that, I felt kind of brain dead, so my boyfriend and I went out to dinner. I spent quite a long time on the drive to the restaurant, while we were waiting to be seated, and while we were waiting to order debating whether or not I should get the burger I was craving. In the past 33 days I have only had beef 4 times. I am a HUGE fan of red meat, so it has been a huge adjustment to mainly eat only fish, chicken, and sliced turkey.

As I sat there, mulling over my options, I asked my boyfriend for permission to break my diet due to the severity of my craving for red meat. He said it would be okay, but each item I asked him about (ribs, sirloin, burger, bacon burger, BBQ burger) he said no. I got frustrated with him and finally ordered a Southwest grilled chicken salad. It took about a second to get over it and go back to being a happy couple, and at the end of the meal, I was happy and satisfied. I am glad I listened to him, because we're going to make some burgers tomorrow for lunch. We have some raw patties in the freezer at his apartment still from the last time we made mozzarella/basil filled burgers, so it will be even easier this time.

I was looking at my Facebook profile picture today. It's a picture of my boyfriend and I when we went to Kentucky last January. It's the first time I've really looked at it since we started dieting, and I can see how much weight he's lost just in his face. I never noticed as he put on the weight with me, but it's so much easier to see on the way back down the scales. I know we'll never look like that again. Just one month of dieting and we've lost a considerable amount of weight. I can't wait to see where we are at the end of summer. I notice my belly getting smaller and my pants fitting better, but I haven't noticed it in my face as much, maybe just because I haven't been too concerned with my face/make-up lately because of all the studying I've been doing. I'm sure I'll start to notice it when I get back into my normal routine.

I was doing some research today during one of my writing breaks, looking up some information for the doctor's appointment I'm going to schedule for the week after school ends. I'm trying to figure out what medications I should ask about for my PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome for anyone who hasn't read my older posts), and I read a statistic I hadn't seen before. I was reading about stress and depression as a symptom of PCOS, and the article said that it was unknown whether the depression is caused by biological factors or as a psychological/emotional reaction to other factors. Some of the side effects of PCOS are obesity, acne, and sometimes infertility. But this was the scary part. The article then said that a lot of PCOS patients suffer from depression because of miscarriages they have experienced, and that the miscarriage rate is 45% higher in women with PCOS. I'm not worrying right now, because I'm at least 5 years away from having children. However, it is a scary statistic. But instead of getting upset about it, I'm going to use it as motivation.

My boyfriend and I both love kids and if it is God's will, we will try to have kids about 3 years after getting married, as soon as it is financially possible. If I want to increase my potential to have children, I need to lose weight. One thing my doctor has told me time after time is that losing weight often helps all the symptoms of PCOS, especially fertility. It's not a fix-all, but it will help considerably. So beyond just helping me live a happier, healthier life, losing this weight will give me much better odds of having the family I hope to someday have.

Sorry about all the personal/medical stuff. This was more just something I needed to get off my chest. Plus, it never hurts to be informed, especially considering it's estimated that 1 in 10 women in the U.S. have PCOS.

For exercise, here's one that targets a lot of muscles. Lay on the ground and lift your legs off the ground,keeping them parallel to the ground, but a few inches off it. Lift one knee, keeping the other leg elevated above the ground, then pull your other knee up while simultaneously returning your other leg to hovering position. It will be something like a bicycle, but less circular and without propping your back side up. Repeat 10-20 times, then rest for a minute, and repeat. Try to do it three times. Good luck! Send me your recipes!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Day 32 - One Down, Three to Go

Diet tip of the day: Tell people you are dieting. If you keep it to yourself, you miss out on all the tips and advice, the support and motivation that those people could offer you. Welcome the advice of others. Share your dieting stories with others and they will share with you.

I printed out links to my blog so that I could have it ready when I run into somebody I think I should share it with. One of the people who trained me at another store stopped by my store today, and she mentioned that she had been working out at home before she starting shopping. I thought about whether I should tell her about my blog or not, but as soon as I thought about it, I remembered that I have nothing to lose! We got to talking, and she invited me exercise with her or to do a race with her if I ever wanted to. After that, I gave the link to my boss and to another co-worker. I think the more people I talk to about my dieting, the more confident I become that I can lose this weight.

Speaking of weight, my official weigh-in was today. I've only lost .2 pounds. Yes. A fraction of a pound. However, as long as I'm not gaining, I will be happy for the next week. I am in the middle of Finals, and it is really important for me to focus on my classes, which means I sacrifice healthy eating a bit for time's sake.

I had my first final this morning. It was Philosophy. I really enjoyed that class but hated it at the same time. A lot of the issues frustrated me, like the week we spent on abortion. My professor told us at the beginning of the semester that she was going to convince all of us, no matter which side of the argument we were on, that we really had no idea what we really thought about abortion, and that if we didn't change our mind, we were just stubborn. After several weeks of debate, I feel that both of the arguments we looked at made very good points, but I am no more inclined to agree with the other side than I was at the beginning of the semester. I think the hardest part of the class was hearing some of the ignorance of human kind. I'm not saying people are stupid, but people, as a whole, are really ignorant to other societies and to our own shortcomings as a society. Saying "well everybody thinks it" is not a valid argument for the morality of something. But we all too often gauge our actions based on what society allows us to get away with.

I promise there's a point to this. I think a lot of my over-eating problems came from my own little society. My family, my friends, my boyfriends, they were all overweight, and more so than me, so I didn't REALLY work as hard as I should to lose the weight. I am in no way blaming anyone around me. We are all responsible for ourselves. I am only saying that I didn't put the same pressure on myself that I think I would have under different circumstances. I think now I've finally realized that it doesn't matter what everyone else weighs, what everyone else looks like. I need to judge myself based on what is healthy and what will make me happy. I'm taking responsibility and taking my weight problem seriously.

I don't feel like my over-eating is an addiction. I do, however, realize that I have used eating in a weird way since I was young. I would sneak food when my parents weren't home, even when I was in high school. I didn't even know why. I don't know why I developed that habit, or compulsion. I still have compulsions to eat when I'm not hungry. But now, I am aware of them and whether I am truly hungry or only compelled to eat by some strange inner demon who wants to add inches to my hips. (Don't worry, I'm not THAT delusional.) I feel like I'm much more empowered by this diet to take control of my weight, my health, and my happiness.

The woman who invited me to work out with her today was discussing "Runner's high" with me today. I mentioned I have felt happier on days that I've gone outside and run, even if it is only a few minutes. She said that she HATES running, but that she loves that high after exercising. I now know the feeling of that high, mainly because I'm not being forced to run in gym class. I'm pushing myself to improve my life. It's so much different when you have the control over your body. It makes me want to work a lot harder. Once it stops raining, I plan on getting right back out there and lifting my spirits.

I'm glad I'm getting more followers. Keep on inviting people and giving me your advice! And make sure you send me your recipes at theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com.

And for exercise: Do push-ups at a 70 degree angle against the wall. If you feel like more of an expert, do them at a 45 degree angle on the edge of a couch.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Day 31 - Extremely Abbreviated Post

Diet tip of the day: Eat healthy.

I have to keep this really short. I'm really pressed for time because of studying. I've been really busy and not cooking because I'm busy, so I haven't lost anything this week. However, I haven't gained anything. I'm content with that for an exam week. I need these grades. 20 minutes making dinner could put me down 1% on an exam grade, and for some of my classes, I'm right on line between A and AB or AB and B, so it really matters.

Send me recipes! Nobody has sent any! I don't know why!
theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com

Workout tip: Exercise.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Day 29 - The Week Before the Week Before Summer

Diet tip of the day: If you go over your calories for the day, DO sweat it. Don't worry about it, but work it off with a positive attitude. If you think of it as punishment, you won't push yourself. You'll feel defeated. Consider those extra calories your reward for the workout you're doing later. (And actually do the workout!)

I'll keep this short. I know I missed yesterday, but I'm extremely busy. I don't have enough time to get in much exercise, much less a lengthy blog. This is my last week of classes before my exam week. At least during exam week you are free to study and space out all of your work to do. The week before exams, you still have classes to attend, information to absorb, and maybe even papers and early exams to take. I'm currently working on an English paper that is due on Thursday, which means I'm neglecting studying for my Philosophy exam (which is on Friday), which means I can't start my History exam until Friday night or Saturday morning, which means I can't start studying for English until Tuesday, which means I can't start studying for my Saturday Religious Studies exam until Friday. It's not THAT dramatic, but it is quite a matrix of things to do in a short period of time.

My diet hasn't taken the back seat, but it's at least riding shotgun for now. I need to keep working at it, and yesterday was the first day I've gone over my calories since I started the diet. I felt bad about it, but I still felt great that I've been so good on this diet. Once summer comes, I will have a lot more free time, and I'll be able to kick my exercise into overdrive. I'm going to be one of those "more than one workout a day" kind of people, hopefully.

I've got to get to class (my last Religious Studies discussion section ever!) so I'm going to get going.

SEND ME RECIPES: theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com

For exercise, if you're too busy to schedule a workout, work your muscles while you take care of your priorities. My favorite (the easiest!) is flexing my butt and thigh muscles while I'm sitting writing a paper. I don't know that it necessarily burns calories, but it definitely helps tone your muscles. Good luck!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Day 27 - Chili's Chicken and Sushi

Diet tip for the day: If you have a choice between two portion sizes at a restaurant, either go for the smaller portion or get the bigger size and decide to only eat half. Make a dividing line ahead of time, or even ask for a box ahead of time and put the food your saving out of sight and out of mind.

I'm heading into my last full week of class before exam week at school. I'm working on papers and trying to study, trying to put the finishing touches on my last semester at this school. I'll be transferring to a school in my hometown, so my GPA is really crucial to financial aid at this point. Every second counts in exam week, which is why I'm a little confused as to why our exams start on Mother's Day. One of my exams consists of the professor giving us two broad questions at the end of our last lecture on Thursday and requiring that we write two 4-page essays by class time on Tuesday. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have another exam on Friday morning and a shift at work that day as well. Needless to say, celebrating Mother's Day that Sunday is out of the question. So today, my parents came to visit us and have lunch with my boyfriend and I. They have started dieting, too, so we went to Chili's, because of their Guiltless Grill options. My parents both got the Caribbean Chicken Salad (which looked amazing), my boyfriend got the Chicken and Green Chili Soup with a side salad, and I got the Margarita Grilled Chicken (which I looked up ahead of time).

We talked about our dieting tips and experiences for most of lunch, and this time, it was so much different than ever before. My mom mentioned how hard it is to say something when you see a loved one gaining weight, and I agreed, that if she had said anything, I would have said, "I knooowah!" in that terrible teenage voice that I had only months ago. And it's true. Partly because of the PCOS (but mainly because I was a teenager) I was never in the mood to hear advice or criticism from anyone close to me. I was a mess. Always moody, always sensitive, always quick to shut out and slow to shut up. Every conversation about weight consisted of me getting upset, crying, yelling, and turning off completely.

This time, it was different. I'm having success. I have someone dieting with me, and not half-heartedly. I'm pushing myself every day, and I'm enjoying dieting! Last year, my boyfriend told me, "I don't like when you're dieting." I used to let dieting get me upset. I'd obsess over how I looked and how my jean fit. This time, I don't have to obsess. I look in the mirror, and I immediately see that I look much thinner than I did weeks ago. It feels good to have a conversation about dieting where everyone is excited and smiling.

For dinner, my boyfriend and I bought some sushi, which ended up being about 200 calories per serving. I love sushi, especially veggie and crab sushi. The good thing about sushi is that it is usually filled with lots of vegetables, and even the kinds with rice are not too bad for you. Just be careful not to use too much dipping sauce. That's where your extra calories will come from.

I haven't received any recipes, yet. Remember, it's theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com, and I'd love to get some ideas from you all.

For an exercise tip, try putting on some music while you're cleaning and keep yourself dancing while you're getting work done. You'll have more fun and maybe even put the wiggle back in your walk.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Day 26 - Double Checking and Acknowledgments

Diet tip of the day: If you're looking up nutritional information for something, always check multiple sources. A dish at one restaurant is not necessarily the same as another. Non-restaurant items can differ a lot, so try to find an average calorie count.

Last night, my boyfriend and I decided what we were going to get before going out to eat. We figured out how many calories it would be for each of us, and figured out that it would fit just fine into the rest of our calories for the day. We got there, and the first thing we did was scrap the whole plan. He got traditional wings and I got boneless wings. At the end of the meal, I looked up what they would be at Chili's. It said they were over 1,000 calories, which I couldn't believe. After a little more research, I figured out they were a lot less than that, but I played some extra Wii Tennis and Boxing just to cover my bases.

To make sure I wasn't making these mistakes with other things, I downloaded another application on my iPod to check all my food choices. It gives me that extra bit of certainty that I'm staying on track. Plus, the new application I added has a lot more exercises and foods on it (even the store brand foods I buy where I work). The only problem is, it requires the internet, unlike the Lose It! app I do most of my food journaling on. So I'm going to keep Lose It! as my primary application, still.

Today, I stopped at the place I work to do a little shopping, and when I walked in, I looked to my left and saw the Starbucks. My favorite Starbucks drink is a Green Tea Frappuccino with whipped cream. I know, you can just feel the fat being injected into your thighs (which seems to be the place most of you gain your weight, according to the poll). Since I started dieting, I have walked past the Starbucks every day going in and coming out of work, and I've managed to avoid buying my dreamy, creamy death in a Venti cup. So today, instead of spending $4 on a big cup of unhealthiness, I bought my boss her favorite drink, a large iced black tea with no sweetener (can you tell she's much healthier than me?). It felt good to do something nice for someone who has supported me in my weight loss while standing up to my cravings at the same time.

I also tried the Couch to 5K workout again. That is the fourth time, and I am so so so close to being able to complete it. I only power-walked through ONE minute of running! I think my issue was that I didn't take a day off in between the workouts like the application suggests. I'm going to make sure I take a day off before I try again, so Monday should be the day that I finally complete Week 1 Day 1. After that, they should get a lot easier the more weight I lose and the more in-shape I get.

Make sure you invite your friends and family to check out the blog. I'd love to get some more feedback and advice! Also, send in your healthy recipes to theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com along with any feedback or personal stories you'd like to share.

And for exercise, get outside and have fun! Play soccer. Play volleyball. Play basketball. Play foursquare. Play catch. Get outside and have fun! High or low intensity, it doesn't matter. Get your bootie outside and enjoy yourself!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Day 25 - BMI's and Rainy Days

Diet tip of the day: When you're setting a goal weight, check your BMI (Body Mass Index) and check what a healthy BMI for your height would be. You might be closer to a healthy weight than you thought, or you might have a long way to go. Either way, you'll figure out exactly what to aim for and be able to mentally prepare yourself for the battle ahead.

When I set my goal weight, I checked my current BMI. It was NOT pretty. I am definitely in the obese category, which was not a shock to me. I know I am overweight. I'm not someone who has had weight gain sneak up on her. It has taken me years to put on this weight, and I've been well aware of it the entire time. What I WAS surprised to see is that the goal I set for myself is still in the overweight category for BMI. As you all remember, my goal is 175 pounds. For my height, that is a BMI of 26.7, but a healthy BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. But what does all that mean? Basically, a healthy weight for someone my height is between 122 and 163 pounds. I thought about it a lot and almost set my goal weight at 160. I might end up getting to that weight someday. It depends on how hard it is to get to 175, but I am still going to aim for my original goal. I will be more than ecstatic when I hit that weight. Anything beyond that will be (sugar free) icing on the cake.

I'd like to encourage you guys to send me those healthy recipes. My sister must have read my mind, because she sent me a recipe for Avocado Chicken Wraps, which I am really looking forward to trying out, right before I published my post yesterday. If I get a bunch of recipes, I might make a printable healthy eating recipe book for you guys to try out yourself! So if you've got something tasty and healthy in your recipe card box, send it to me at theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com.

This morning, after my only class of the day, I decided to try out the first Couch to 5K workout for a third time. I'm still on Week One Day One, which reminds me more and more that I can never let myself get this out-of-shape again. I almost made it through the half hour walk-jog/walk-walk work-out without cheating, but two of the jogging spurts I substituted with walking, so by this next time I do it I should be able to check it off the list and move on. I don't expect to reach 5K status, but I like how much it pushes me. The sirens go off and tell me to "Run Now" and I feel like I've got something to prove. I'm lucky I worked out this morning, even though it was hot and muggy (as hot and muggy as it can be in Wisconsin in April). You see, as I type up this post, it is pouring outside, and the thunder is rattling the windows a bit. I'm glad I exercised earlier, because I would have been out of luck if I'd waiting until now.

I also burned quite a few calories by pushing myself to do most of the work-out, and I stayed on track today with my diet, so I've got plenty of freedom for dinner tonight. It's the night I go out with my boyfriend's family, and I couldn't be more excited. However, I'm going to still aim for something healthy, because I want to make the most of my exercise. I need to remember that my goal isn't to eat the fewest calories or to give myself the most calories with my exercise. My goal is to burn the most calories on my original calorie budget. My goal is to eat healthy and work out to get even healthier. My goal is to BE a healthy person.

For an exercise tip, how about something to get you guys outside? All of my exercises have been indoor exercises, as if we have to be ashamed that we're dieting. I struggled today before I went out to run, because I wondered what people would think if they saw me, a 264.4 pound woman, running outside. Then I realized, the worst they could think is, "Wow! SHE'S exercising?" YES. I am exercising. I am aware of my current state and that is exactly why I am exercising. It's not like I'm going out and filling up my plate at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I'm doing something GOOD for my health. I encourage you all to get outside and make people react. Make people notice that you're doing something good for yourself. Take a walk around the block. Take a walk around your yard even! Get outside and get some fresh air and sunshine. Be proud that you're doing something for your health and for your happiness!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Day 24 - Burgers and Recipe Cards

Diet tip of the day: Make sure you're checking the Nutritional Info on the packages you pick out at the store. Just because it says low fat or low calorie doesn't guarantee it's good for you. Super lean ground beef and ground turkey can have almost identical nutritional value, so you might not have to sacrifice the things you love for the sake of your health.

The weather is beautiful! And what goes better with beautiful weather than cooking out? I think I have a special gift for picking up the smell of burgers on the grill from miles away. Needless to say, I've been having quite the craving for burgers lately, so last night was the night to finally cook some up. I looked online at a couple of websites to find a healthy recipe, and I ended up picking an Italian-inspired burger. We didn't end up topping them with marinara sauce, just to cut down on calories, but we did stuff them with shredded mozzarella and basil. It was really easy, too. Instead of dividing the pound of beef into 4 patties, we divided it into 8 mini patties, then put some mozzarella and chopped basil in the center of one patty and put another patty on top, sealing the edges. They only took a few minutes in the frying pan (I know, that's not really grilling out, but it was a little late to grill out by the time we finished grocery shopping), and they were delicious!

I'm not sure if anybody else has had this experience, but my boyfriend's smoke alarm HATES him. Everyone else in his apartment can go about their business, leave the oven open, fry chicken in a pan, put a burning tray of fries directly under the smoke alarm (okay maybe not) and not even a peep. My boyfriend starts to turn the dial to preheat the oven and the alarm is blaring. So, last night, we had quite the symphony of smoke alarm sirens and South Park being turned up more and more in the background to accompany our cooking experience. In the end, my boyfriend threw a towel at the smoke alarm and it finally gave up the fight, but even in the midst of all that commotion, we had a great time making that meal.

I'd like to ask you all to do me a favor. Send me your best healthy recipe, whether it's beef, chicken, breakfast, dinner, or dessert, I want to hear what your favorite healthy recipe is and exactly how to make it. So, e-mail your recipe to theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com and I'll try them out and post about my experiences making and eating your suggestions. Please please please send me your recipes, because I would absolutely love to add to my options.

Now, as far as my diet goes, this is where it stops being easy. Note, I didn't say it's getting hard, I'm just not going to be losing 7-8 pounds a week. I don't expect that, especially because of how hard I would have to work in order to keep up that kind of weight loss. So I need to accept the fact that I will be seeing lower numbers (or I guess higher numbers than I expect to see...) from here on out. It's not going to come to me as easily, and I'm going to have to really use dieting and exercising to my advantage, not just one or the other. I've found that, for me, having a relaxed diet and exercising more helps me maintain my weight, but not lose weight. On the other hand, a really strict diet and no exercise is more successful for me, but can only work for a short period of time. I'm going to try to exercise like I'm not dieting and diet like I'm not exercising. We'll see how that works out for me when I weigh in next week. I still have a weigh in tomorrow, and I'm expecting to have lost about 3 pounds, 4 at the most.

For an exercise today, try doing some forward lunges to strengthen your leg muscles. If you want to make it an arm work-out, too, grab some light weights and lift them straight out to your sides as you go down into your lunge, or just leave them straight down to add some extra weight to your lunge.

Remember to send me your recipes!
theshapeshifterblog@yahoo.com

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Day 22 - Chinese Takeout and Lady Gaga

Diet tip of the day: Break away from your daily or weekly routine. If you always have chicken one day or beef on another, try something different. If you're really busy on Wednesday and tend to get fast food, make your meal a night or two before and stick it in the freezer until you're ready to heat it up. You'll thank yourself later when you are skinnier and your wallet is fatter.

Every Thursday night starting in the Fall of 2008, my boyfriend, one of our friends, and I would order Chinese food from the same take-out place and watch Survivor and The Office. I wasn't a fan of Survivor, and my boyfriend didn't like The Office at first, but now we both enjoy the tradition. We'd almost always get the exact same thing. I would get Orange Chicken or Sesame Chicken with fried rice, my boyfriend would get either Orange Chicken or Beef Tips, and our friend (the spicy food champ) would always get General Tso's Chicken. After a while, we'd add crab rangoon (one of my big favorites). Then it was sweet rolls for dessert. Soon enough, our bill was $13 a person, if not more some nights. Every single week... that adds up.

With the start of this diet, we cut out Thursday night Chinese (though our Survivor/Office tradition has remained), and we are noticing a big difference. On top of just cutting out Chinese food, we've been eating a lot less and making our food budget go a lot further for us. With all the money we've saved the past month or so, my boyfriend informed me he made a big purchase that he couldn't have made if we weren't dieting. He bought us Lady Gaga tickets! And not just any tickets. These tickets are for a show in my hometown on the night of our two year anniversary! I can't describe how excited I am.

It just goes to show how much money you really do save from cutting out all the excess junk in your life and in your diet. You can enjoy your traditions without sacrificing your healthy eating. This week, I'm going to try to make some Chinese-inspired cuisine for Thursday night's dinner. Maybe some real orange infused chicken instead of sticky, gooey fake orange slop. We'll have to see what ends up on the menu.

The results of the dieting poll are in! A lot of you said that carbs are what pull you off your diet track, which salty foods coming in a close second. Salt and carbs often go hand in hand. A lot of starches are salted for flavor. I'm not much of a sweet-tooth myself (I've got more of a taste for everything than I should...), so I too fall victim to carbs the most often. No matter what your vice, find something to substitute. Try soy chips instead of potato chips, sugar free candy instead of a chocolate bar (though we all know the dangers of going overboard on sugar free candies). Find a healthier alternative and stay on track! :)

And for an exercise, try increasing your walking speed a bit while you're on your way to class, work, your house, or some other destination. Even while you're grocery shopping you could pick up the pace. It will give you more time to do what you need to get done and burn a few more calories if you get your heart pumping a little more.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Day 21 - Peruvian and Parking Spaces

Diet tip of the day: Dress the body you have today, not the body you had 3 months ago. I fall into the category of wearing clothes that fit me last year but don't now. Of course you'll feel bad about your body if you're not being realistic. Waiting until you lose the weight to buy clothes that fit you will leave you frustrated day in and day out. Instead of being a motivator, your skinny jeans end up making you even more upset.

I didn't post yesterday, and I know you all are wondering why. I had such a crazy day! I woke up and started my day with the first Couch to 5K workout. It's a 5 minute warm-up, followed by 20 minutes of 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking alternating, and then 5 minutes of cool-down. I am sooooo out of shape. I kept up with it for the first half, but then I just power-walked the rest of it. So, I'm still on Week One Day One, but it will take some time to get in shape, so I'm not too worried.

Then, I worked from 10:30 to 7. I'm not complaining about how long it was because I had the day off on Friday and only worked half my shift on Saturday before being sent home early. But if I'm being honest, that's a hard shift when you're standing and ringing people up. On my lunch break, my boyfriend told me to call him when I got off work, go home, and put on a nice outfit because he had a surprise for me. About 40 minutes before my shift ended, he came in to buy some candy for his girls soccer team, and he told me that we had reservations at 8. He said it sounded like I wasn't having a great weekend, so he wanted to make it better.

Needless to say, I was excited. On my last break, I bought this cute dress I'd been waiting to buy. It finally went on sale, and I was really excited to see that I could buy it in a smaller size than I would have if I had bought it when it was full price. That's a victory in two ways! When I got home, I couldn't wait to run upstairs and change into my new dress and go out to wherever my boyfriend was taking me. I opened the garage door under my apartment, and somebody was in my spot. My spot! Number 9, the the number on the sticker on MY car. I wrote down their license plate number and called the apartment company, but it was a Sunday, so they were closed. I wrote a short note to the person parked in my spot, which contained no profanity, and called my boyfriend. He parked my car on the street while I got ready to go.

We started driving and arrived only minutes later at a beautiful Peruvian restaurant. We had an appetizer of tilapia ceviche, which was quite spicy, but delicious, and I had a dish with beef tenderloin, a raw onion salad, a bean and potato mixture, an egg, and a fried plantain. Luckily, that workout and the extra calories I burned working that morning made me break even on my calorie count for the day. Sometimes it's okay to indulge, as long as it's a special occasion. That restaurant is one of my favorites, and we don't get to go there often because of the price, so if I get a chance to go there, I won't go crazy, but I will order something I will enjoy. And now, my boyfriend and I are going to go for a long walk to burn off some extra calories today to make up for yesterday.

Now, for a work-out tip... Don't do this at the top of the stairs, but this is a good one to do on the stair above a landing or the first step up from the bottom. I told you how to do calf raises while you're doing the dishes. This is another calf work-out. Step up onto the stair with the back halves of your feet hanging off the edge. Make sure you steady yourself and have something to hold on to. Lower your body weight so that your heels dip lower than your toes. Raise yourself up so your heels are even with your toes again, and repeat 10-15 times. You can step down and do some calf-raises to mix it up. Enjoy your beautifully sculpted calves!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Day 19 - Broken Windows and Crazylegs

Diet tip of the day: The next time you're tempted to stop at a fast food place for something quick to eat, stop at a grocery store instead. Most places have pre-made deli sandwiches that are a lot healthier than anything you'd get at a drive-thru. Skip the soda and grab a personal skim milk, apple juice, or water. It might take you a few extra minutes, but it will save your body in the long run.

I drive a Saturn that was made in the late 90's. It's a good car, or at least it hasn't broken down on me, yet. There's only one problem: the driver's side door. The inside panel is missing, and the window is extremely problematic. It will go down 1/3 of the way, then make a terrible racket like you're putting a pen into a pencil sharpener, then you have to push it down by hand, and it will go down another third of the way and do the same thing. I'm always too afraid that it will stay down and I'll be caught in the rain with my window wide open. It's a little inconvenient, but I can't tell you how many times it has saved me from going through the drive-thru to get food. I really can't remember a time where it hasn't stopped me. And then, I have to reevaluate... do I want to go in, spend money, even though my back hurts from working all day? Or do I want to go home and make something in my jeans? I always end up picking the latter, sometimes not because it's healthier, but just because I'd rather wear jeans than my work pants and relax on the couch while I eat my dinner.

There's a race going on outside my apartment. It's called the Crazylegs race, and it happens every year around our campus. It seems like it rains every single year on the day of the Crazylegs race, and this year is no exception. I always feel so bad for those people, walking for miles on the cold, wet streets of what is usually a quite beautiful city. But today, as I was driving home from work (earlier than I expected), I thought to myself, "Why should I feel sorry for them?" They looked happy. They looked healthy. And they looked like they were having a really great time sharing a great experience with their friends and family. I should be feeling sorry for myself, not in the melodramatic, mopey kind of way, but in the sense that I know I couldn't do what they're doing.

I'd like to change that, and I am changing that! I'm down 15 pounds, and I'm on a mission. I know I can get in shape and walk a Crazylegs race of my own. Even though I won't be in this city next year, I'm sure I can find a race to participate in. I think it would be a great way to celebrate my weight loss when I've reached my goal. So I'm going to plan on participating in a charity walk next spring. There's always a walk for breast cancer in my hometown and it's a big enough city to even start up a walk. What if I could get enough people together to have a walk to prevent childhood obesity or even just to raise awareness about obesity in America. I'll have to look into it and see if something like that already exists, but I think it would be a great project to work on. Think of all the groups that could get involved! Weight Watchers groups, the Diabetes associations, the American Heart Association... obesity causes so many health problems. I'm sure a lot of groups would want to get involved.

But how about an exercise for today? You know how much I hate my underarm jiggle. Here's another exercise for that. Get down on your hands and knees. Put a small weight (1, 2, or 3 pounds depending on what you feel comfortable with) in your right hand. Support yourself with your left hand and your legs, and pull your right arm to your side so that it forms a right angle, with your upper arm horizontal and your forearm vertical. Extended your arm backwards, straightening it out so that your whole arm is parallel to the ground. Let it down slowly, then repeat. Do this 10-15 times, then switch to the left arm. That should work the backs of your arms, and you can alternate with the couch exercise and the behind the head exercise I added in a previous comment. Good luck! Make sure you give me your feedback about my more recent posts.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Day 18 - Early Mornings and Days Off

Diet tip of the day: Instead of putting your turkey sandwich in a giant roll, wrap it up in a spinach, herb, or sun-dried tomato/basil wrap. You'll cut down on the bulk and the calories.

This morning, I woke up and showered and decided to curl my hair. My hair is naturally wavy, but sometimes I really like to go all out. About half-way through, I realized how much time I was spending to get these lovely locks that I was just going to wash away in the shower tomorrow. Instead of spending an hour on looking good for a day, I should spend 20 minutes running to make myself look better every day. Think of the weight I could lose if I exercised half the time I spend on my hair and make-up and clothes...

I think I'm going to start getting up 10 minutes earlier, going for a short run, showering, and doing minimal make-up. It's not that I couldn't go without make-up, I just enjoy putting it on. So if I cut out any time I usually spend on my hair and half the time I spend on my make-up, I should start dropping the pounds really quickly.

Speaking of which, I figured out the scale situation, I think. I weighed myself this morning when I woke up, which is what I've been suggesting all along. It turns out I've lost more weight than I thought! I weighed myself throughout the rest of the morning, and it seemed pretty consistent. So I'm going to start using the new scale I bought for my official weekly weigh-in. And I'm changing my weight for this week to 267 lbs. Which means I've lost 15 pounds in two and a half weeks! This is a great start to me diet, and I'm really excited to keep this up.

Today, my boss called me and told me they were really slow. She asked if I'd like the day off, and I'm working Saturday and Sunday, so I gladly accepted the offer. I'm going to surprise my boyfriend, who gets off work at 3, and then hopefully we'll take a nice long walk around his neighborhood before dinner with his family.

For exercise, instead of waking up and spending an hour on your hair, go for a quick walk or do some stretches in your living room. Stretching in the morning will wake you up and get all the kinks out before you start your day. It will also relax your muscles and give you a pleasant morning.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Day 17 - Clearance Items and Poptarts

Diet tip of the day: Make sure you weigh yourself at the same time each time you do it. If you weigh in one week at 3pm and one day right after your lunch, it will really throw off your numbers. Also, don't step on the scale every day. Your weight can fluctuate a lot over the course of the week, so just pick 1 day for your official weigh in. If you want to check your progress, do it mid-week, not the day before. If you haven't lost weight for most of the week, you'll end up obsessing all day about it.

I bought a new scale yesterday. I've been using the one at work, and that complicates my weighing in times. I try to weigh myself right before my shift starts, but some days I eat lunch at work and sometimes I eat before work. So I decided to go buy a scale. Luckily, I work at a store that has such things, so I headed over to the fitness area and found the endcap with bathroom scales. I picked one out, turned around to leave, then noticed there was a clearance endcap with scales. I thought I'd lucked out and bought a really nice glass surface with lithium batteries and a blue and green design. When I weighed myself, it registered 276.4. I was upset to say the least. Have I really weighed more than I thought in the first place? But when I stepped off, it registered "4.8" on the screen. I thought it was funny, so I tried it again. Same result and same "4.8" when I stepped off. I subtracted 4.8 from 276.4 and wouldn't ya know it, it was 271.6... exactly what I weighed in as at work. I'm thinking it was on clearance because you can't zero out the weight of the 4.8 pound glass surface. So I guess I'll have to subtract 4.8 from each of my weigh-ins from now on. Oh well. I can handle a little mental math if it means more accurate results.

With the scale, I bought some Special K strawberry Fruit Crisps. They taste like a thinner, crispier version of a Poptart. I have to say, I am a big fan, and I'm really glad I'm finding more healthy options for my daytime snacking. I've also up'd my daily snacks from 1 snack bar and a protein water to 2 snack bars. The protein waters make me feel more full, but I don't know that they should be enjoyed as a snack.

I just want to thank everyone for responding to my posts. I really appreciate it a whole lot, and I love reading your comments. Please keep inviting people to check out my blog and keep commenting. Just a quick note, I know I've made a Facebook group for inviting people to my blog using my own personal profile, but I'm still trying to keep this anonymous. Even though my family and friends know this is me, there's a lot of weight discrimination out there, and I'm trying to be careful that this can't be traced back to me. Even though I'm not an advocate of being overweight, in fact, I'm trying to lose weight. However, it's really important to me right now to keep my anonymity so that I can be as candid as I am with you guys. I really appreciate it.

And for today's workout tip, if you're shopping, find a parking spot farther away from the door than you usually do. The few extra steps are good for you, and someone else might need the closer spot more than you do. You don't have to park at the back of the lot, just don't pick the first spot you see. Good luck! Remember to answer the question about ab work-outs from my last post. I'm still looking for tips from you all.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Day 16 - One Tenth

Diet tip of the day: If you feel frustrated with a diet, change it up. If you try to force yourself to eat something day in and day out, you're more likely to break your diet completely than if you give yourself a little leniency from time to time. Allow yourself to have that really fatty thing you want, but have it as a side, not the main event of your meal. Plus, 1 cup of lettuce is only 10 calories, and you'll end up more satisfied with a plate full of salad than the tiny sliver of 5 cheese lasagna you'd get for the same amount of calories.

I am going through the moment I dreaded: the time that I realize I cannot and will not eat cereal for 14 of my 21 meals a week. It's funny this should happen exactly 2 weeks after we started the diet, and that they recommend you only do it for 2 weeks. Do you think they planned it that way? "Let's see how long we can get people to eat our cereal for the majority of their meals and then build a diet around it!" Well, I am certainly not complaining. My looser fitting jeans are a testament to how well the program works.

But I know how frustrating diets can be, especially when they are strict or monotonous. I think I was a senior in high school when my family tried Nutrisystem. My mom, my dad, and I would get our huge box of food for the month or two months or whatever it was, and every day we would pick out our meals from those boxes. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert/snack. This wouldn't have been a problem if they hadn't kept on running out of my favorites. I'd go to my box and dig for macaroni and cheese. (You saw my last post. It's my weakness.) And what did I find? Let's see... stir fry, stir fry, stir fry, dehydrated burger, dehydrated burger, rubbery chicken, rubbery chicken, stir fry, stir fry, black bean thing that explodes in the microwave every single time, stir fry. By the way, I hate peppers, so stir fry is my enemy.

At the time, I was also taking a medication for my PCOS that causes a lot of nausea. One night, I sat down in front of my box, trying to muster the strength to pick something, and I remember reaching for things, then pulling my arm back, knowing I couldn't do it. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach to even think about eating one of those meals for dinner. I was gaining weight from all the sodium in those prepackaged meals, and I was worse off than where I started. I just started crying right there on the living room floor.

When you feel defeated by a diet, it's the worst feeling. You wonder why you're torturing yourself and not getting results. It breaks you down psychologically when you can't achieve even the smallest of goals. I know what it's like, which is why this time I am refusing to let my confidence by shaken or to be deterred from my weightloss path.

And now for the weigh in. I don't know if I said this in an earlier post, but I was definitely thinking that I didn't lose any weight this week. So, I admit it, I prayed when I stepped on the scale today. Even after eating my big meal of the day (a salad w/ 1/2 slice of turkey, 6 whole wheat crackers, 1 Tbs thous. island dressing, and an apple), I lost weight.

My current weight: 271.6 lbs
Weight lost this week: 2.6 lbs
Weight loss total: 10.4 lbs
Pounds to lose: 96.6 lbs

As one of my roommates pointed out, I'm about one tenth of the way to my goal. I'm really pleased with my weight loss this week. I noticed today that I wasn't hungry when my break came around at work (I actually forgot about it and ended up having to take it 30 min before my shift was up!) and I didn't feel sore or tired after work at all.

My boyfriend and I are going to go for a walk tonight, either once around the block and eat cereal for dinner or a long walk to the center of campus to eat something healthy there.

For my exercise tip, I'm throwing you guys a question. My stomach is a problem area. I have a big ol' saggy belly and a big ol' droopy gut. How do I make sure I target my upper and lower abs? What is your best or favorite ab workout? How do you keep you prevent a tubby tummy?

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Day 15 - Mongolian and Macaroni

Diet tip of the day: When you want to go out for dinner, go somewhere where you can build your own meal. I'm not talking about an all-you-can-eat buffet, but instead a Mongolian BBQ style place. Flattop Grill and BD's Mongolian are two great places to go. They have low-calorie sauces, and you choose exactly what you put on your plate. You can have chicken or steak, shrimp or calamari, even tofu, then load up on veggies. Most of these places have low calorie sauce options (like my favorite at BD's, Mongolian Ginger) and even some options for people with food allergies. Just try to remember what you put in your bowl.

Can you guess where I went for lunch yesterday? BD's Mongolian! I had a 15% off coupon from my work, so my boyfriend and I went to enjoy a healthy and filling meal. That was the first time I've had red meat since I started this diet, which I don't think is technically cheating, but I got a little over exited about the NY Strip. I like to make a sauce using their Mongolian Ginger, Lemon, and Sweet Orange Peel sauces and add a little ginger and cayenne pepper from their spice selection. I am almost positive those other two sauces aren't low calorie, so I'm gonna have to work off those calories this week.

I also broke my diet last night, which I am not proud of. It was homemade macaroni and cheese night at my boyfriend's house. Can you blame me? Well, yes, you can. That's why I'm telling you... so I'll actually do the exercise to work it off. I didn't have a whole plateful. I actually filled up my plate with salad and light Thousand Island dressing. But I'm sure the little bit of Mac n Cheese I ate will have me on the treadmill or exercise bike when I step on the scale tomorrow.

That's my main thought today. I don't think I've lost anything this week. I haven't been as strict with my diet this week as I was the first week. I don't expect to lose 8 pounds every week. I know I have to be realistic and know that any diet change would cause me to lose the weight I did last week. My parents remind me about the whole water weight concept, and that I might just fall into a rut right away again. So this exercise plan needs to kick into high gear sooner rather than later.

I was looking at the poll about cheating on your diet. I voted that I cheat on my diet with carbs. Why am I surprised that I gave in to the temptation to eat pasta? :)

I'm so glad that more people are becoming followers. Keep on spreading the word! And thanks so much for commenting. I took the advice of one of my followers and made a Facebook group with the same title as the blog so you can invite your friends to check out the blog.

Finally, an exercise tip. If you don't want to walk around the block (whether it's because of a bad neighborhood or unfriendly neighbors), try walking up and down your stairs. When you go upstairs, walk back down and up again. You don't need to buy a Stairmaster to master the stairs in your house.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Day 14 - Celebrities and Diet Plans

Diet tip of the day: Keep track of your nibbling. A cracker here, 3 M&M's there, licking peanut butter off the knife, 2 potato chips... it all adds up. Make your nibbling count. If you want that little lick of peanut butter, pair it with 3 celery stalks. You'll remember to keep track of your snack and won't need to nibble later.

There are a lot of diet plans that use celebrities in their commercials. Nutrisystem has used Tori Spelling and Dan Marino. Jenny Craig has had Queen Latifa, Kirstie Alley, and Valerie Bertinelli. Weight Watchers has used Jenny McCarthy, Jennifer Hudson, and Fergie (the Dutchess of York, not the singer). Slim Fast has had Kathy Lee Gifford and Whoopi Goldberg. All of these celebrities, for the most part, have had weight loss success. But they are celebrities. They have assistants who can control what they eat and when they eat it. They have personal trainers to whom they pay tremendous amounts of money to keep them on track.

But we are real people with real priorities and real bills to pay. We can't pay someone to manage our weight loss plan. We have to do it ourselves. So we need to stop looking at those celebrities and saying, "I'm on the same plan, why am I not having the same success?" We can't compare ourselves to celebrities. We tell young girls not to compare themselves to models in magazines, why do we compare ourselves to these celebrities and think that we are no more delusional than they are? Let's be realistic with our goals. Do any of those trend diets work for working people? Instead of looking for a quick fix, we need to make smarter choices. Every day. Long term. We need a change in lifestyle.

The reason I started with a tip about nibbling is because that is one of my biggest dieting problems. But nibbling doesn't have to bad thing, as long as you structure your nibbling into something you can keep track of. Last night, dinner at my boyfriend's parents' house was a spread of meats and cheeses with bread. I made a sandwich with one piece of bread, a slice of turkey and a slice of ham and 3 pickles. My nibbling consisted of a few small pieces of brie, white cheddar, and Stilton. My calorie count was under budget, though most of dinner was an approximation. Feel free to nibble, but don't nibble freely.

And now for your suggested exercise. Everyone hates underarm jiggle. To get rid of those built-in punching bags, sit down on the couch and scoot forward to the edge. Plant your hands on the edge of the couch as you inch your way off the couch, then lower yourself down so that your arms form a right angle. Lift yourself, then lower yourself down 5 to 10 times. This is an easy one to do during commercial breaks. Try to do it twice during each break. If you have very little upper body strength like me, you can start by just supporting your weight with stiff arms and work your way into the 90 degree angle.

Good luck! Thanks so much for the comment, Anonymous. Don't be afraid to make a name for me to remember you by. I'd like to keep track of your progress and advice just like you can keep track of mine.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Day 13 - Planning Ahead

Diet tip of the day: If you need or even just want to go out to eat, look online before you go to see what your healthy options are. A salad can be worse than a burger if it has bacon, cheese, tortilla chip crumbles, and loads of dressing. You might have more options than you think.

Yesterday, I went to dinner at Chipotle with a good friend. I ordered a vegetarian burrito bowl with very little toppings. That's basically black beans with cilantro lime rice and pico de gallo, which I know I could make at home quite easily, but it was nice to go on a walk to enjoy the weather and catch up with someone I haven't seen in a while. I burned the extra calories on the walk there, so I don't feel guilty about it.
I looked up the information on my Restaurant Nutrition app on my iPod touch. They have information for fast food places as well as nicer sit-down restaurants, and it helps to know ahead of time how much exercise to plan on doing later in the day. I also recommend picking out a few things you can have rather than setting your heart on one thing. If it's only offered at lunch time or during a particular season, you're out of luck.

I ended up with 1,290 calories yesterday, but I burned 200 calories walking and doing some stretching exercises. I think I'm going to stop trying to compensate for my food choices with exercise and start eating like I'm not exercising so that my exercise pushes my weight loss into high gear. Now that it's nice out, I should have a much easier time going outside and getting active.

Tonight, I am eating dinner with my boyfriend's family. They'll be getting back from the soccer tournament around dinner time, so I'm not sure if we're going out to eat or having the usually Sunday night roast. Either way, I'll have to be very aware of everything I'm putting on my plate.

I'm hoping more people start to follow me on my journey. I'm a little disappointed that I don't have more feedback about it. I don't expect 10 comments a day and an extreme amount of followers, but I thought I would have a little more support by now. If you have a comment, please leave it. I would really appreciate feedback in any capacity.

As for exercise, when you're doing the dishes or making dinner, do some calf raises. It's as simple as going up on your toes 5-10 times in a row, taking a 30 second break, and doing a few more repetitions. If you want, you can alternate with a 10 second squat. (If you're just starting out, use the counter for balance.)
Good luck, and remember to give me your feedback.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Day 12 - Workin' 9 to 5

Diet tip of the day:
Pamper yourself, especially your face. It's easier to love your body when your skin is soft and your smile is bright.

In my Intro Psychology class my freshman year of college, we learned that you can actually make yourself happy by smiling. Even if you're faking it, you trick your body into feeling better. I think my face has a natural frown to it (especially when I'm driving), so I have to remember to smile throughout the day to lift my spirits. Try it! I mean it. Try it right now and see if you feel better.

Today, I'm working 9 to 5, standing the whole time (with the exception of my break). This usually leaves my lower back pretty sore. One of my goals in this weight loss journey is to improve how my body feels after simple tasks. I'm only 20, and I have back problems. That should definitely not be the case. I've heard that for every pound you lose, you take 10 pounds of pressure off of your knees. Who wouldn't want that?

I totaled up my calories on the Lose It! app yesterday, and it said I hit 1,348 before subtracting my exercises, so I think I'm going to post my meal diaries at the end of the day instead of the beginning, just to keep it consistent.

I must be off. Work starts soon. Remember to keep smiling. Seriously! Smile again, right now! :) Enjoy your day.

And for an exercise tip, I found an app called Couch to 5K. It's a 9-week workout plan that starts out easy and gets you up to being able to run a 5K. I'm going to try it this summer. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think of it.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Day 11 - On My Own

Diet Tip of the day:
Don't forget to satisfy the chocolate addict inside you.

This is mainly aimed at the ladies out there, but I think it applies to everyone. For several years, I had a bad reaction whenever I ate chocolate on an empty stomach. I would get terrible migraines and couldn't function for the rest of the day. Years later, I still don't know what it is about chocolate that gives me problems, but I've figured out how to satisfy my chocolate cravings without the backlash.

This morning, I ate a bowl of Special K Chocolate Delight cereal. The chocolate pieces aren't overwhelmingly rich, and a bowl is only 160 calories (with 1/2 cup of skim milk). It's a perfect chocolate fix, especially while dieting.

And now for today. It is Friday! Usually, on Fridays I eat dinner with my boyfriend's family, but this weekend they are going to Iowa for the girl's soccer tournament his team is competing in. So I'm on my own tonight for dinner. Normally, I would eat my daily meal for lunch because it gives me the energy I need to get through my day; but on Fridays I have a meal bar at work instead. Tonight I'm going to make myself some tilapia with rice and veggies.

So here's my plan for the day:
For breakfast, Special K Chocolate Delight cereal [(3/4 c) 120 cal] with skim milk [(1/2 c) 40 cal].
Snack #1 is a Special K Chocolate Peanut snack bar [110 cal].
For lunch, a Special K Chocolate Chip meal bar [170 cal] with a banana [90 cal].
Snack #2 is a Special K Iced Tea protein water mix [30 cal]. These things don't taste like dieting drinks and they keep you full. They have 5g of fiber and 5g of protein and are easy to drink while I'm working.
For dinner, some Tilapia [(3.5 oz) 100 cal] seasoned lightly with black pepper and lemon juice, cooked in olive oil [(1 Tbs.) 120 cal] with white rice [(1 cup) 260 cal], 4 carrots [50 cal], and 1 cup of blackberries [60 cal].
And finally dessert. A Yoplait Boston Creme Pie yogurt [100 cal].

That brings my daily total to 1250 calories. But look at how much I get to eat!

I'm hoping to go for a nice walk after dinner to make sure that I don't eat my big meal and then let it sit for the rest of the night. The forecast says low 60's, so maybe a walk around campus would be nice. I'll aim for 30-45 min. I read a tip that said you should make a playlist on your iPod to walk to, making every third song a faster pace so that you get your heart pumping without wearing it out in one short burst.

Your feedback is very welcome. Thanks for reading!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Journey Begins

Well this is it. This is the time when I realize just what I've done to myself. Let me start by explaining just what brings me to this point in my life.

I have struggled with weight my whole life. As a friend of mine jokes, "I've been on a diet since grade school." For me, it started on the last day of 4th grade. I told my parents we needed to diet that summer because I was sick of being made fun of. That next Saturday, we started Weight Watchers. I weighed in as a 144-pound 10 year-old and spent the next two years losing over 20 pounds, reaching my goal weight of 120 pounds just before starting 7th grade, having grown about 5 inches. I felt and looked healthy, but when I returned to school in Fall, the boys still teased me. They called me "Man Cow" and moo'd at me whenever I entered a room. I was devastated, and gained back every last pound by the time I went to high school.

This is where my weight gain kicked into high gear. By my sophomore year, I was up to 160 pounds, despite being an active member of my high school show choir. My junior year I hit 180 pounds, and was soon diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, a reproductive disorder that can either cause or be caused by obesity. My senior year, I researched PCOS to find that there are serious reproductive and health consequences involved with this disease, including a high risk of diabetes. People with PCOS also have a harder time losing weight. A specialist I saw put it this way: "A person with PCOS can eat half the amount of food as a normal person and not lose a pound." I lost control of my weight at that point, reaching 215 pounds by graduation. My freshman year of college I reached 250 pounds, and promised myself to take my dieting seriously over the summer. Unfortunately, my boyfriend tore his ACL and needed to have surgery, putting him out of commission for the whole summer and making it a chore just to get him outside. My summer was spent indoors, either working or watching movies with him. Not only did I not lose any weight, I kept gaining steadily, and on April 5th, 2010 during my sophomore year of college, I reached my highest weight, just over 280 pounds.

Here is what changed everything. I went home for Easter the weekend before, and my sister suggested that I try the Special K diet, saying that she had lost 6 pounds in one week. I needed a jump start, and I needed something so structured that I couldn't cheat. I talked to my boyfriend, who agreed we should start it as soon as we could go grocery shopping. One week into the diet, I am down 8 pounds, currently at 274 pounds. We plan on continuing with the Special K plan for a month (twice the recommended 2 weeks) or until we run out of all the cereal we bought at the beginning.

Once classes are over, we are going to continue on a more relaxed form of the diet, substituting cereal for dinner a few times a week instead of every day. We will also add regular exercise into the mix.

My goal is to lose over 100 pounds. My ideal weight is 175 pounds, and I hope to meet that goal within a year and a half. This goal is lofty, but I need to aim high to push myself.

I will be posting my weight 1 to 2 times a week, because if I learned anything from Weight Watchers, it's that you will drive yourself crazy if you're on the scale every two hours. I will also post my daily food diary with nutritional information provided by the Lose It! app for iPod Touch.

Please leave comments, join my diet plan, suggest exercises or recipes, and join my support system. I am dedicated to kicking this over-eating habit and changing my life around.