Leaning Pizza = Not so Good

So we went, all excited for some amazing pizza. It was alright. The salad bar was the saddest one I had ever seen (just lettuce, tomatos and onions, croutons and pasta salad). I had two small / medium slices of pizza - and two heaping plates of salad. I ate way too much, got totally filled on the salad, and in retrospect should have stopped earlier. Next time!

We ran some errands, then got some seriously awesome 95% fat free frozen yogurt from Richardsons at Jordans Furniture. You laugh, but once you get over the location of this ice cream shop, you'll love it - this is the first place that has made frozen yogurt (95% fat free no less!) taste and feel like real ice cream. The kiddie size is like a softball, it's obscene! I shared a coffee heath one with my b/f, and that capped off the day. I've been 'spring cleaning' for the three or so hours since I've been home - vacuuming, dishes, filing and shredding 3-4 months worth of documents, laundry...). I'm just eating 'dinner' right now which is a small Fage yogurt w/ strawberries. I'm still somewhat full from the pizza and salad (which is great - being active makes me forget I'm hungry!).

Just going to do some work then call it a night. Hope you all had a great day!

Beautiful Day for a jog...and pizza!

My b/f wanted to come jogging with me today, and we did. It is GORGEOUS outside! A little breezy, but sunny as what with barely a cloud in the sky! It was actually relaxing to jog...medatative. I didn't have my ipod with me this time around, and I think I'm going to not use it as much in the future. It distracts me from relaxing. This is weird because I never thought I'd be someone to say that jogging is like meditating - I would have been the one to say 'that's crap!' BUT, there is something relaxing and meditating about it...about any repetitive action (kind of like what crocheting was to me at one point), except this repetitive action is also making me feel better all around. I feel:

* more alert

* like I want to be active, move around and do things

* antsy just lying around

* that healthy food tastes better and is more filling than crap food (mmm...grapefruit!)

* more fit: I'm shrinking ever so slowly, and am able to jog an itty bit faster each time

* not guilty going for small indulgences. Like pizza!

My frame of mind is shifting, and it's great. I haven't been eating junk food (my nemeses: chocolate and doritos) lately partially because it hasn't crossed my mind, and partially because I've been avoiding it. I do well when I don't have treats, but when I do, it's like a dam opens and I wharf things down. I'm hoping that once I get more fit and my tastebuds change and my mentality towards food changes, that the cravings won't impact me as much.

Now that I've gone for my 35 minute jog/run today (which burned 350 calores - nice!), I'm going to go enjoy a slice of pizza from a place I believe is called the Leaning Tower of Pizza...it has the leaning tower of Pisa in front. I am gonna order a slice and a salad cuz my stomach's gotta have it some balance!

have a great day!

Week One: Success!

CALORIES CONSUMED: 1371

ACTIVITY: 2 hr walking around the mall (200 calories burned)

TOTAL CALORIES 'CONSUMED': 1022 (1371 minus 200)

PROUDEST MOMENT: Being able to eat at a mall eatery and not overdo it. I had indian food, and had about 3/4 cup of vindaloo / rice around 2pm. I had another 3/4 cup around 8pm for dinner along with 1/2 grapefruit, and that was perfect.


Friday was a great day too:
Calories consumed: 1522
Activity: 20 min walking (112 calories burned); 35 min. jogging (380 calories burned)
Total calories 'consumed': 1030 (1522 minus 492)
Proudest moment: jogging. I was dead tired because I had been up from 12:30am - 2:30am the night before (long story). I got home from visiting with my dad at 6pm and was supposed to turn right back around and go out to dinner with friends. I bailed gracefully because I was too tired, but decided that instead of going upstairs and konking out at 6pm, I would go for a jog (to keep up with my 30 minutes of activity a day goal) and then relax afterwards. It was cold and rainy - which was actually perfect jogging weather - and I did it! And it wasn't painful!

I checked the mileage today with my car and found out that I ran somewhere between 2.5-3 miles instead of the 'under 1 mile' I thought. Cool!!! I never thought I'd be able to jog for 2.5 miles! I'm getting closer and closer to thinking about doing a 3k road race since that's 1.875 miles.

AAAND, here are some physical perks of being more fit:
1) my chest size has shrunk 3". I went from an "F" to a "DD"

2) My thighs are more toned and trim - I can sit cross-legged comfortably and walk/sit without them squishing into each other as hard

3) My gut isn't as big, which makes it easier to bend, to lean over, and to tuck my legs up.

4) I can cross my arms in front of my breasts instead of having to pick above or under.

The scale says I've only lost 4lbs since we started TG 5 weeks ago, but all these side benefits are worth the lower-than-expected weight loss!

TG with a spin

CALORIES CONSUMED: 1457

ACTIVITY: 35 min. jogging / walking (427 calories burned)

TOTAL CALORIES 'CONSUMED': 1022 (1457 minus 427)

PROUDEST MOMENT: meeting up with my dad and only eating 1/8 of the plate of chicken chow foon I had ordered (rougly 3/4 cup). I wasn't too hungry because I had had 1 cup of ground turkey and 2.5 cups of a salad at lunch (12pm) and was still feeling full from it (I usually don't eat a lot of meat - maybe 1/2 cup at a time, so this was double my normal intake of meat). So, while I was driving down to meet my dad, I was telling myself "I'm not really that hungry" and I was feeling like I had to eat because my dad was there and we were meeting for dinner. I got there just as he was finishing eating so that worked out well, because I ate quickly and just enough.


**BY THE WAY, I KNOW I TEND TO BUTCHER GRAMMAR AND USE 'SO' A LOT. SORRY, THAT'S MY BLOG VOICE! I'M TRYING TO WEAN IT OUT. IN THE MEANTIME, HUMOR ME....**

So today my dad came up, and I was worried because it would be the first TG workout I would miss since we started 5 weeks ago. I wanted to make sure I would stay on even though I wouldn't be with the rest of the gang 3:30 - 4:30pm today, so I checked in with one of the women today who's been there every time like me, and asked if I could have her home / cell number to call her after jogging later tonite to make sure I did jog. She said most definitely!

So, I got home from dinner with my dad, we went back out for grocery shopping, and got home again around 7pm. I changed and went back out, and jogged/walked for 35 minutes (roughly 20 min. jogging, 15 min. walking). It felt good - I kept myself at a slow, deliberate pace, and found myself speeding up to a faster pace my second time round the circuit without even knowing it. This felt MUCH better than when I attempted running around once a month or so ago - I felt like I was going to pass out then. This was before I started TG and before focusing on food consumption. This time, I went around twice, and felt winded, but good. AAaaaaaand...my boobs are shrinking!

I did call her and leave a pumped up voicemail. Yeah!

btw, I love my dad!

My fitness & eating, T's surgery

So Team Guidance started Tuesday, February 26. Tomorrow will be the 10th time going (5 weeks, twice a week). I actually have to bow out tomorrow and Friday because my dad will be coming into town, which is making me anxious, but I will find a way to jog at home after I do dinner with him and my grandma both nites.

BUT, I'm feeling great - continuing to feel great, and I can't believe it's been over a month since we've started. My friends comment that I look different - which I don't quite see, but it's nice that something's showing to other people. I'm trying not to put too much emphasis on weighing myself every week, instead focusing on whether or not I ate well that day or was active. This is because I've seen my weight fluctuate up and down 3 lbs within the span of 3 days - it's not a reliable measure of actual progress towards eating right and being active. My goals every week are to:

1) eat 1500 calories on average each day (to be averaged by the week)

2) do at least 30 minutes of activity each day

The first goal, I am measuring through a combination of the weight watchers method and counting my calories. I don't want to focus solely on calories, because proper nutrition depends on a combination of calories, protein and carbs. I'm using the weight watchers workbook tracker (to track my intake of fruits, veggies, water, oils, and milk), and instead of counting down points, I'm counting down calories. I used multiple websites to figure out my daily caloric need, which stands at roughly 2200 calories. If I eat 500 less calories a day for each week, I am able to lose 1 lb weekly (in general). So, I've made a goal to have, on average, 1500 calories a day, assuming that I'll go over some days, and under others. This is like using the weight watchers 'flex points'. So, my caloric intake so far for the past four days (I started on Easter):

Easter Sunday: 2167 (activity: 45 min. bellydancing, 20 min. free dancing)
* I ate WAY too much this day: all my calories were from the one sitting for easter dinner. I stuffed myself and felt so full I was almost sick. I was mad at myself afterwards for doing so, but was determined to be focused on Monday.

Monday: 954 (activity: 30 min. dancing)
* I was HUNGRY after my morning snack, was craving toast after I danced, and wanted cookies at night. I was fine overall, but had these pockets of intense cravings. I figure that's normal - like caffeine withdrawal - carbs/sugar withdrawal.

Tuesday: 1189 (activity: 35 min Team Guidance - sweating on the elliptical)
* I felt pretty good today - I had no large cravings, I just thought about more food than I ate.

Wednesday: 1388 (activity: 30 min walking)
* I'm feeling nervous about today because I was hungry during lunch and snacked a lot on almonds and raisins. I think that's because that was my lunch - I had my pho soup for a late breakfast (11ish), and that was the only thing of substance I had until just now - 9pm, when I had 3/4 cup of lean ground turkey and a handful of mini carrots with a cup of grapefruit juice. I know that doesn't sounds like a lot - and believe me it didn't look like a lot when I put it into my bowl, but I am just full enough right now and content. I feel like I (mentally) want to eat more - like I wasn't finished, but (physically) am all set.


I'm gearing up for tomorrow - eating out with family tends to bring back old habits of eating. My goal in eating with my dad is to : (a) portion out my food so I know exactly how much I'm eating, and (b) eat slowly, waiting at least 5 minutes after my first portion (1 cup) to get my feeling of fullness so I can stop in time. My third related goal is to jog 20 minutes when I get home later that nite. Wish me luck!


In other news, my friend T just had gastric bypass surgery yesterday. I visited her yesterday and today...she's doing well, but the drugs and pain have definitely put a veil over her energeticness and boisterousness, which was a little eery yesterday. She's doing better today, is getting up to walk down the hall and back (no small feat!), and will be released in the next day or so. Keep her in your thoughts!

Thursdays Stink

OY. If I dragged myself to work out Tuesday, today was even worse. It actually started out OK - I went around the indoor track 7 times - jogging 4, walking 3. The trouble started when we bopped over to the weight room afterwards and I jumped on the elliptical for 35 more minutes. The first 15 were painful. The next 10 were great. The last 10 were exhausting. BUT, I guess the point is I did it. I came home and had a healthy 5pm dinner of do miao (pea pod leaves) and dumplings, and then had two slices of pizza just now after a quick 15 minute walk w/ Bri when he got home.

SO, the beat goes on. I think I'm holding even at 3.5 lbs down, which is OK. I have to remind myself that that's a loss of over 1 lb a week for 3 weeks straight, and that is better than what I did at WW...

Dragging Myself There

My big achievement today? Going to TG when I was REALLY not feeling it because I was ready to leave at 2:45pm, and we didn't start TG until 3:30pm. I didn't think I could wait 45 minutes without wanting to pass out. I haven't had enough sleep since last week - I've not been getting home til 10 or 11pm at nights, and this weekend, I went to bed at 4am both times. Last nite and the night before has been 12:30am bedtimes. SO, I was pooped. I called one of the other ladies who I knew would be there. I told her I was going to run at home (OK, I was going to try, but I knew I would most likely nap). The other lady called me for something work-related, and when I told her I wasn't going, she was like "who's going to push me to run this time?!" I decided on my way to my car that I was going to go. I waited the 45 minutes, and we jogged / did the elliptical for at least 45 minutes. It felt great, and I felt good afterwards that I didn't give in.

I am also proud that I am down another 0.5 lbs since last week (3.5 lbs total) considering I ate junk food like a ravenous bear.

I'm going tomorrow with a woman who wants to go 3, not 2 times a week, and going again Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

A (Re)new Leaf...

So it's been 10 months since I've last written. In that time, I've lost 13 lbs and gained it back again. I've gotten connected with some co-workers and newer friends at the same time, both groups of which want to focus on fitness. So, welcome Team Fitness from work (TF), and Divas Livin' out Loud (DLOL) from friends! TF started last week: we meet twice a week after work to go around the track and then do cardio/weights in the weight room. We work at a school, and can use the school's indoor track and weight room for free. It's been great. I started out pretty much back at my starting weight watchers weight. By Thursday I lost 1 lb. This Tuesday I had lost another, and today I was down one more. I've lost 3 lbs since last Tuesday - only a week and a half, and by only doing 30-35 minutes of cardio. I feel so much more alert and active overall...it's been great!

I mainly wanted to write today because I had hit a milestone. I walked/jogged 3 miles today! 33 times around the indoor track. The first 12 times round were horrible: I felt completely out of breath, I had cramps in my side, and my knees ached like what! By rounds 13-18 I was feeling pretty good, and felt like keeping going. My initial goal was to make it to a mile (11 rounds), as we hadn't made it that far since starting TF. However, once I passed 11, I figured I'd go to 2 miles. Then when I passed that, I thought what the hell - 3 miles! Some other members of TF came in around lap 22, and I convinced one of them to jog 3 laps with me (with 2 laps of walking in between each). I finished the last lap on my own as they headed to the weight room, and I was SO excited at making this milestone, that I exclaimed 'MUTHAFUCKA!' and pumped my fist in the air. I hardly swear, but this felt worth it :) It took me 40 minutes to do, but I made it.

My DLOL group is ramping up - we're starting a blog to motivate ourselves and each other. We each have something that's going to work for us health and activity-wise, so it'll be interesting to compare stories. I'll post the link as soon as we have it. I'm excited - I feel like I'm back on the upswing for this lifelong journey, but this time around, I have a support network. Wish us luck!