Thursday, December 8, 2011

December 8

weight: 241.4------>inching EVER SO CLOSELY TO THE 230s!!!!!

breakfast; Carbmaster yogurt, coffee with cream & splenda

workout: ran 1 mile

lunch: rotisserie chicken thigh and 2 wings, 1 cup spinach

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

December 7

weight: 242.4------> nice. all premenstrual pounds gone. now i can finally focus on getting out of the freakin 240's!!!!!!!!!! Which i have been trying to do for months!!!!!!!!!

breakfast: 1 fried egg, 2 sausage links, 1/2 cup spinach
                coffee with HWC and sugar free creamer

snack: carbmaster vanilla yogurt

lunch: rotisserie chicken thigh/leg with skin, 1 cup sauteed spinach

workout: 1 mi elliptical, 50 walking lunges with bicep curls (5 lbs), 25 squats with overhead shoulder press, 25 squats with over head triceps press, 30 reverse lunges with front raises, 15 lower ab presses, 20 bicycles

snack: coffee with cream/creamer, splenda

dinner: 8 mild wings from Pizza Hut, ranch

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

I Caved....

I told myself i wouldn't go the "fake food" route on my low carb journey...but some things i just gotta have, like something to eat for breakfast that IS. NOT. EGGS. I've NEVER been much of an egg person, so I gotta explore alternatives....

I bought some Carbmaster yogurts from Kroger. 4 carbs apiece. I had the carrot cake one this morning...NOT BAD at all! and it's a refreshing change from eggs (which i will still have often)

I also bought some sugar-free hazelnut coffeemate to put in my coffee along with the heavy whipping cream. I gotta have some type of flavor. I can't say that i'm in love with it, but i'm hoping it'll grow on me since i bought the BIG bottle. lol

December 5th

Low-carb dieting.....is all about preparation!

breakfast: fried eggs, sausage links, spinach (I love spinach)

lunch: baked salmon, spinach

dinner (not pictured): ground turkey with taco seasoning, shredded cheese, on a bed of romaine lettuce with a dollop of sour cream (yummy)

December 3rd-4th

Now THIS is where it gets interesting. My (experimental) plan is to explore Carb Cycling, where I'm allowed to consume carbs freely one day out of the week (read posts below about the science behind it).

OK, that's all well and good....but Saturday AND Sunday suddenly turned into a flurry of Starbucks venti lattes, Auntie Annies pretzel bites and nibbles of calamari, stuffed mushrooms and ravioli at Maggiano's. Oh, and lets not forget the gallons of coke and sweet tea to wash it all down.


So basically this weekend was an EPIC FAIL in self-control. It ended with me feeling bloated and sluggish and actually READY to get back to low-carb and exercise. (so maybe it wasnt a total failure)


I still want to include the once-a-week cheat day. But this time I'm going to #1: make it ONE DAY ONLY and #2: really THINK about what I really want to eat and plan to have it. Instead of it being a spontaneous free-for-all that undoes all my hard work.

December 2nd - LC Day 2

Friday's diet and exercise routine were pretty much the same as Thursday's

Thursday, December 1, 2011

December 1st - LC Day 1

I'm doing it! weigh in: 249 (YUCK - but im still premenstrual, so....)

split breakfast:
9:30 - 1 fried egg, 2 sausage links, coffee with HWC

11:30 - 1 fried egg, 1 sausage link, 20 oz water, multi

12:00 -  coffee w HWC.... (I know you're technically supposed to give up caffeine during Induction, but i'm just not interested lol....i'm trying it with caffeine, and if my results are less than stellar, i'll consider giving it up or cutting back.)

Lunchtime workout: 1 mi elliptical, 50 walking lunges with biceps curls, 50 squats with overhead press, some other stuff I can't remember (I'm updating this 5 days later lol)

2:00 - baked chicken thigh with skin, 1 1/2 cups sauteed spinach with butter

4:00 - baked chicken thigh

8:00 - 10 buffalo wings and ranch from BB wings, diet soda

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Low-Carb basic menu

This is the basic menu structure i plan to adhere to Monday-Friday:

Breakfast options: 
-eggs, any style (hardboiled, fried/scrambled in butter, omelet with spinach and cheese, etc), OR
-low-carb protein shake
-coffee with heavy whipping cream, coconut oil, and splenda

Lunch options:
-6-8 ounces meat (roast chicken, steak, ground meat or fish), 1-2 cups of green veggies sauteed or roasted in butter or olive oil (zucchini, spinach, squash, broccoli, cauliflower), OR
-vegetable salad (lettuce, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, a few tomatoes) with added meat (chicken or salmon) and fatty stuff (dressing, cheddar cheese, bacon, chopped eggs)<-----[looking forward to this the most], OR
-tuna or egg salad made with mayo and served on a bed of greens
-bunless burger with a side salad

Dinner options:
-same as lunch

Snack/dessert options:
-hardboiled eggs
-cut up raw veggies (celery, cucumbers, peppers) with ranch
-tuna/egg salad
-sugar free jello
-sugar free hot chocolate

I plan to look up 1-2 recipes from Low Carb Friends to try each week, to keep things fresh and exciting. One thing I'm NOT into is all the low-carb processed foods and "substitute" foods. I want to try and stick to non-processed foods as often as possible, without the crutch of using franken-foods all the time to try and fool my tastebuds.

Carb Cycling vs. Low-Carb

Day 2 of my Information Binge...i've been combing the internet for any and all info I can find to help me succeed with a lowcarb WOE, and this is an interesting tidbit i found:


Carb cycling is generally thought of as strictly a weight loss tactic, but can also be used for muscle building or to promote maintenance of lean muscle mass during a fat loss phase.  For the purposes of rapid fat loss, it’s effective (and I’d go so far as to say essential) for the exact same reasons the cheat day is so clutch:

1) High carb days boost slipping leptin, thyroid and other hormone levels that have fallen due to consecutive lower carb days.  This hormonal bump is KEY to keeping metabolism high during a weight loss diet.
2) By cycling days of lower and higher carbs, we can manipulate insulin levels and maximize muscle building and muscle sparing (preventing lean muscle breakdown) effects according to your overall body transformation goals.
3) Because higher carb days follow several days of lower carb intake, most of the added carbs consumed will be put to good use by refilling glycogen stores in liver and muscle, rather than being stored as fat.
4) Carb cycling offers a huge psychological upside as well.  Besides all the internal benefits, you get to look forward to days where it’s not only okay to eat more carbohydrate-rich food, but it’s required by the diet plan.  This scheduled ‘break’ from lower carb dieting can be a game changer when it comes to staying on track the rest of the week.

Source: http://www.topfatlosstrainer.com/2010/07/08/carb-cycling-for-fat-loss-cheat-day-fast-day/

 There are multiple websites and sources that clam that carb-cycling is much more effective for fat loss and muscle maintenance than straight low-carb. This is very intriguing! I can definitely see myself doing the 20 grams or less thing Monday-Friday, knowing that i can relax and consume plenty of carbohydrates on Saturday. Psychologically, this is a PHENOMENAL discovery for me, and I will definitely be giving this a try! *happy dance*

Monday, November 28, 2011

Transitioning to Low-Carb Lifestyle

I'm switching up my approach a bit. Up until now, my plan has been:
-diet: no concrete plan, just reducing calories in general. Lots of cheating.
-exercise: cardio, cardio and more cardio

I've lost 18 pounds since September doing this, but I'm getting bored and need something fresh and effective. so I;ve decided to change to:

-diet: low carb (1-2 weeks of Induction, then transition to MODIFIED, realistic low carb lifestyle)
-exercise: man focus on RESISTANCE/circuit training to speed metabolism and body shaping.

My theories:
-the low carb diet will take the place of the excessive cardio i'd been doing to be the main factor in my body's weight/fat loss
-I'll have less energy (for the first week or two) on low carb, so lifting weights instead of killing myself on the elliptical will help ease the transition until my energy levels increase.
-focusing on resistance training will speed up my inch loss and body shaping!

I'm combing the internet all day today, between LHCF threads, Atkins.com, Low Carb Friends and Google, arming myself with information.

In the past, I've abused Induction by staying on it too long (just for the quick weight loss), and then abandoning the plan altogether to return to my awful eating habits. This time, i want to do it RIGHT!

3-week wrap-up

I know I havent posted in almost 3 weeks, but here's the gist of November:

-I continued with my sloppy/haphazard low calorie diet, with not much of a structure, and got down to 242 pounds (yay me)

-skipped a ton of workouts

-Ate like a horse the entire week leading up to Thanksgiving.

-Now, after the holiday (and right before my period), I'm back up to 248.

-^^^(and hoping that half of those pounds are just premenstrual)


In a nutshell!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

November 10 - Diet

9:00 OEP, 8 oz water

9:30 oatmeal w/ half n half (170 cals), maxi hair vitamin, 8 oz water

10:00 coffee w/creamer (70 cals), 16 oz water

1:00 1 mi run (12 min), 16 oz water

2:30 protein shake (300 cals), maxi hair vitamin

(got super hungry---i've got to start adding more calories in the morning)

4:30 (mcdonalds) double cheeseburger (440 cals), medium fries (380 cals), diet coke

November 10

Been slacking on the posts, smh....


current weigh: 244.4 (yay me, 16 pounds gone!)

so i just downloaded a free app from android market called Lose It!

once u put in your height, weight and goals it spits out a recommended daily calorie intake to achieve it. Mine is 1742 (in order to lose 2 pounds per week and go from 245 to 179 by June 29, 2012).

I've suspected all along that my calorie count was too low, and that may be the reason why I'm losing slower than i'd like even though i work out like a maniac. So for one week, i'll try to keep my calories between 1500-1750

I'm also thinking of doing lowcarb/low sugar. Not Atkins Induction, but more modified (maybe 50-75 carb grams per day). i really think that keeping my blood sugar down and steady will help tremendously. I've bee reading up on it and joined lowcarbfriends.com

Anybody else doing/thinking about doing lowcarb?

OK, thats enough rambling from me

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

November 2

WARNING - Terrible, processed food ahead.

So Lady Red showed up FIVE days early to knock me out of my Halloween-weekend high. I havent worked out in 2 days, and can't be bothered to prepare anything healthy. Today is all about the grab and go. One thing i do want to focus on is getting at least 8 glasses of water in, to help with the bloat.

9:00 2 poptarts (400 calories)

11:30 10 oz juice (100 calories)

1:30 bag of chips (150 calories), multivitamin

took a nap from 1:45-2:45 instead of working out. I feel like crap :(

3:00 frozen meal (320 calories), 16 oz water

4:30 coffee w/cream (70 calories), pack of oreos (270 calories)----MAN i've been hitting that vending machine hard today!

Friday, October 28, 2011

October 28

7:30 - glazed donut (I know)........

8:00 - 3 miles elliptical, 32 oz water

10:00 coffee w/creamer (70 calories)

11:30 - oatmeal (130 calories)

1:30 - 3 miles elliptical, 16 oz water

3:00 - 2 cups spaghetti w/meat sauce (co-worker home cooked)....estimated calories.....

Thursday, October 27, 2011

October 27

Weighed in again at 247.0......yay! I successfully beat the post-binge bloat!

6:30 Slim in 6 pack

7:00 2 tbs chlorophyll, OEP, 12 oz water

8:30 oatmeal (130 calories), 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories), half n half (40 calories), multivitamin

10:00 coffee, 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories), creamer (70 calories), 20 oz water

11:30 20 oz water, OEP

1:30 4 miles elliptical, 20 front shoulder presses, 20 lateral raises, 20 upright rows, 20 oz water

2:30 chicken/broccoli/potato soup, (380 calories), multivitamin

5:00 20 oz water

6:00 3 miles elliptical

7:00 protein shake (300 calories)

9:30 1 cup Beenie Weenies (290 calories), 10 tortilla chips (140 calories)

10:30 2 glasses moscato

TOTAL CALORIES:

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

October 26

down half a pound to 247.0.....I'll take it! Especially after yesterday's sugar and sodium-filled day. Vowing to do better today :)

7:30 - 2 tbs chlorophyll, 8 oz water (something new I'm trying, for general health and internal body cleansing)

9:00 - packet oatmeal (130 calories), 2 tbs half n half (40 calories), multivitamin

10:00 coffee with 2 tbs creamer (70 calories), 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories), 20 oz water

12:30 - uh oh. This is embarrassing to post but that's the point I guess. Went on another lunch date to Zaxby's....sigh....I could easily have gotten a grilled chicken sandwich or salad or something, but what did I get? The Wings n Things meal, complete with buttery texas toast and french fries. Well at least I drank water with it :-/ .......off to (fearfully) check the calorie count.........
OMG.....I consumed 1490 calories. in one meal. Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!

1:00 12 oz water

3:30 20 oz water

5:00 20 oz water, 8 oz hot tea

6:00 4 miles elliptical, 20 oz water

7:30: 20 oz water


TOTAL CALORIES: 1770 (not too shabby)

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

October 25

9:00 Pop tarts (strategic cheat - I didn't bring enough food with me to work) - 410 calories, multivitamin, 16 oz water

10:00 coffee with 2 Tbs creamer (70 calories), 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories), 16 oz water


Skipped lunchtime workout to go to the grocery store with my coworker..

1:00 Healthy choice entree (350 calories), 2 bites of my co-workers bourbon chicken (100ish calories?), multivitamin, 16 oz water

4:00 coffee with 2 Tbs creamer (70 calories)

5:00 16 oz water

6:00 2 miles elliptical, 50 bicycles, 16 oz water

7:30 small apple (80 calories)

8:30 1 slice papa johns pizza (pepperoni, canadian bacon, ground beef, onions, banana peppers), --400 calories, 16 oz water

TOTAL CALORIES: 1525

Monday, October 24, 2011

October 24 - Diet

I must log every single morsel i consume this week. I haven't been pulling the numbers I need to be, despite my heavy workout schedule, so that means I need to take a real close look at what i'm eating.

8:30 : 1 packet oatmeal (160 calories), 2 Tbs half n half (40 calories), 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories), multivitamin, 16 oz water

9:30: coffee with 3 Tbs flavored creamer (105 calories), 1 tsp coconut oil (45 calories),16 oz water

12:00 OEP, 8 oz water

1:00 3 miles elliptical, 30 squat/side lifts, 60 bicycle crunches.........16 oz water

2:00 frozen meal (290 calories), multivitamin, 16 oz water

3:30: 16 oz water

4:30: snack pack cheese and crackers (200 calories).......16 oz water

6:00 3 miles elliptical, 50 bicycle crunches, 15 pushups, 16 oz water

7:00 protein shake (300 calories)

8:00 - on: 32 oz water

TOTAL CALORIES: 1185

October 24

One week to go in October, and I'm stuck at 247. Not one pound lost last week, even though i worked out 2x per day 4 days in a row. Only 2 reasons why this could be:

-My diet needs to be cleaned up and monitored more closely.

-After a decade of yo-yoing, I've finally, officially, ruined my metabolism.

When i was in my early 20's, I could do a little cardio every couple days and loosely follow any random diet plan, with plenty of cheating, and still drop pounds easily.

I admit that I had some slipups last week, but I STILL dieted at least 75% of the time. And i still drank a ton of water and endured 8 sweaty, hard workouts. What gives?? I don't put in all of this effort to hover around 250. At this weight, the pounds should be freely falling off. If it takes this much work now, how much is it gonna take the closer i get to my goal weight?? Scary thought.

This is so unfair. I'm really discouraged and annoyed.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

October 19

haven't posted in a while. I need to stop slacking on this, it's what keeps me going!


In a nutshell, I did great on workout consistency last week, and not too shabby on the diet part. All in all, I lost 3 pounds last week. As of my last weigh in (on Saturday 10/15), I'm 247.6! yay :)


BUT....at the same time, that means I've only shed 2 NET pounds for October. Not wonderful. I dont like losing the same weight over and over. No more backsliding!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

October 13 -

Skipped 30DS last night, went o bed early for some much needed rest.

Woke up at 248.2!! Yay! I've lost all the weight i regained (plus the period water weight), so now i can continue losing REAL weight :)

6:00 Slim n 6 Pack, 1 mile walk to the train station (I tried to do 30DS but my laptop kept spitting it out for some reason. I'll do it tonight)

9:00 protein shake

10:00 coffee with cream, 20 oz water

1:00 1 mile elliptical, 1 mile run, 20 oz water

2:00 baked chicken breast with skin, 1 cup corn, multi

3:30 20 oz water

5:00 protein shake w/coffee added

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

October 11

Woke up motivated! I want this to be a big week!

6:00 - OEP, 30 Day Shred, 20 oz water

8:30 - oatmeal with 2 Tbs Half n Half, 1 tsp coconut oil, 10 oz water, multi

10:00 - coffee with 2 Tbs cream, 1 tsp coconut oil, 20 oz water

12:00 - OEP

1:00 - 3 miles elliptical, 20 oz water

2:00 - baked chicken thigh and wing (with skin), 1 cup green beans/corn, multi, 20 oz water

Happy hour - i skipped dinner (not on purpose) because i was havin too much fun! Had 2 (real strong) Long island iced Teas.....not sure of the calories but do you think I cared? lol........

Monday, October 10, 2011

October 10 - Re-starting 30 Day Shred

I went out of town for a friend's wedding festivities and fell off the ball with 30 Day Shred. Starting over today!

9:00 oatmeal with 2 tbs half-n-half, 1 tsp coconut oil, Activit multi

10:00 coffee with 2 tbs flavored creamer, 1 tsp coconut oil, 16 oz water

12:00 16 oz water, OEP

2:00 - 2 mi run/walk (30 min), 16 oz water

3:00 - 300 calorie protein shake, activit multi

5:00 apple, 16 oz water

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Kreativ Blogger Award & Seven Things Tag!

Thank you Ebony from Longing 4 Length for awarding me the Kreativ Blogger Award! Her hair blog is fantastic, complete with tips, reggie and progress pics! Plus she's so pretty and she's very supportive of other bloggers. Hey girl hey! Here are the rules:
  1. Link back to the person who passed you the award
  2. Complete the form below
  3. Award 10 Blogs & drop them a line about it
  4. Share 7 random things about yourself
  • Name your favorite song:  Oh man, that's hard! At this point, it would have to be my favorite song "of the moment", cuz there's far too many to name....really ANYTHING by Frank Ocean (I'm in love with the man ya see), "Gibberish" by Ryan Leslie, "Made in America" by Jay-Z/Kanye/Frank Ocean......and Eebsofresh's rendition of "Swim Good" here....so beautiful! It will bring tears to your eyes.
  • Name your favorite dessert: again, too many! ugh.....probably cheesecake, or creme brulee. Or Krispy Kremes (hot). Or anything chocolate. Especially tiramisu. And brownies. And french vanilla ice cream. And any flavor Frappuccino.
  • What pisses you off: Catty women. Men who lie. General stupidity and ratchetness
  • When you're upset, you: Cry. Vent to my BFF. Eat. 
  • Your favorite pet: Dogs and cats! I love both equally, they each have their advantages. i used to have an ADORABLE chihuahua/papillon mix named Sophie (I gave her to my parents when their dog died). I now have a cat named Kitty :)
  • Black or white: Black. Cars, clothes, coffee, and men :)
  • Your biggest fear: Dying a painful death or becoming a victim of a crime, going to Hell
  • Best feature: my eyes. They're big and make me look young, sweet and innocent. Boy do they fool people!
  • Everyday attitude: Laidback, easy, happy, positive, cool :)
  • What is perfection: God is perfection. We humans can't wrap our minds around the concept.
  • Guilty pleasure: trashy reality TV: Basketball Wives, Bad Girls Club, Top Model, Love & Hip Hop. 
7 Random Facts About Myself
  1. My first celebrity crush was Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers. I framed his RollingStone cover (with his blue eyes against the blue background----*sigh*). Random, I know. Although my tastes have changed, I still think he's gorgeous.
  2. I played volleyball in high school for 2 years. Then i got my first weave before my senior year. Deciding I wanted to be cute instead of an athlete, i ditched the team. And the weight battle began....damn you, Milky Way Yaki!
  3. I could watch an episode of Sex and the City every day for the rest of my life. They're all so relatable!
  4. I'm a huge kid when it comes to Halloween. I dress up every year.
  5. I am a natural supplement FREAK. i love reading up on things like coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, chlorophyll, aloe vera, and all kinds of other granola-type things for health and beauty. Vitacost.com is my weakness lol...
  6. Math was my favorite subject in school. Specifically, algebra.
  7. I name all of my cars according to make. There was Helga the Honda, Kiki the Kia, and Mimi the Mazda. The Intrepid shall remain unnamed. Hated that m*&^%#!** lemon.
I'll come back to link to some cool blogs!

30 Day Shred - Day 2

Weight: 253 (ugh)

Overslept this morning, so i'll have to do 30DS after work tonight. I'm committed to making today a good diet day. I'm tired of sabotaging all my hard work!

7:00  16 oz water


9:00  oatmeal with milk, 16 oz water, Activit Multi vitamin

10:00 coffee with cream, 16 oz water

1:00 2 mi run/walk, 32 oz water

2:30: rotisserie chicken breast, 1 cup corn/green beans, Activit multi vitamin, 16 oz water


(side note: starting the day with a bottle of water on my way to work really helps me get a jump on the day's water consumption----I successfully consumed a whole gallon yesterday, and since i started so early and spread it out over the course of the day and night, i didnt feel like i was running to the bathroom all day)

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

30 Day Shred - Day 1

I vowed to start 30 Day Shred on October 1st, but I'm just now starting today (4th). i made it my first priority today when I woke up. I thought I would miss the thorough-ness of Debbie's workouts, but man is Jillian efficient! She had me dripping within minutes! I'm definitely going to try and keep this a part of my morning routine every day in October.

6:00am: 30 Day Shred, 16 oz water

9:00:   300-calorie protein shake, 8 oz water, Activit multi vitamin

10:00:    Coffee with creamer, 16 oz water

1:00: 3 miles elliptical, 32 oz water

2:00: 2 homemade salmon patties, 3/4 cup corn, Activit multi vitamin

5:00: 16 oz water

I'm feeling like myself again! Glad to be back on the ball!

6:00: 300 calorie protein shake   <------i intended to make this my dinner. BUT....

8:00: rotisserie chicken leg quarter, small side salad  (not so bad, right? read on.....)

10:00 onward......
huge piece of tres leches cake and FIVE Otis Spunkmeyer sugar cookies :(

sigh.....i was doing sooooo good. I should have just went to bed after Biggest Loser. Dammit!

Monday, October 3, 2011

5 Motivation Mind Games That Never Work

From SparkPeople: (this couldn't have come at a better time)....I need a motivation makeover!

5 Motivation Mind Games That Never Work

Why They Fail and What You Can Do Instead

-- By Megan Coatley, Behavior Expert
Motivation is like cold hard cash: You can never have too much! And when you’re trying to lose weight (for the umpteenth time for many of us) you know that you need a wealth of motivational strategies you can count on. But, with so many motivational tips and tricks to sift through, why are we so often losing our motivation rather than reaping the rewards?

One reason is that some of the most popular motivation strategies people use are mind games—games that don't really work for the long term. At first glance, they all seem helpful, but most are actually bound to fail. Instead of playing Russian roulette when you’re choosing a weight-loss strategy, read on to find out how you can beat the odds and pick a winner.

Mind Game #1:  Going for the Gold
You have your perfect weight and pants size in mind. With a big, bold goal to aspire to, you start biking to work, cooking lighter, packing your lunch, skipping that morning latte, and taking the stairs. Then, three busy, butt-busting weeks later…the scale hasn’t really budged and you’re trying on the same size in the dressing room. Deflated, you start snacking a bit here and slacking a bit there, and your dream of a whittled waistline slowly fades from view.
 
Motivation Makeover: Going for the gold is a great way to start your weight-loss plan; setting a long-term goal can help you to keep an eye on where you’re headed. But it’s also important to remember that your goal weight is far from the only benefit of incorporating healthy eating and exercise—and it could be a long ways off. Taking note of smaller, more subtle changes (more energy, better sleep, lower cholesterol, better mood, etc.) can help you stay motivated, even if the pounds aren’t coming off as quickly as you’d hoped. Setting some shorter-term goals (1 pound, 5 pounds)—especially ones that aren't based on the scale (like getting to the gym 5 days a week) can also help you stay on track.

Mind Game #2:  Starting Out Super Strong
It’s Sunday evening and you realize that you spent the weekend indulging on brews, barbeques, and binges. A twinge of guilt has you psyched to start speeding down the road to wellness first thing Monday. So you restock your pantry with healthy eats, download a hardcore training app to your phone, and plan out the next month's food and workouts. You figure that going full throttle is the way to reach your weight-loss goals as quickly as possible. And why not? You're excited for it! But two weeks into your overhaul, your muscles are so sore you have trouble rolling out of bed, you’re sick of salads and you’re already thinking about throwing in the towel.
 
Motivation Makeover: Maintaining motivation is like running a marathon. Instead of starting at full speed and running out of steam, it is better to focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other. Set small, achievable goals so that you can build momentum and feel successful in the beginning, and pat yourself on the back when you conquer each one. No matter how long it takes to reach the finish line, you’ll be reaping the rewards for years to come.

Mind Game #3:  Taking the Road Less Traveled
There will always be a new diet or exercise program that promise fast progress and fantastic results. Reading about the latest food fad or watching a perky personal trainer push sweat-drenched clients through an infomercial workout can definitely spark your motivation. Who wouldn’t want to try an effective 4-minute workout or slim down fast with a celebrity-backed diet supplement? Deep down, we all know the truth: People are getting paid for those advertisements and whatever motivation you’ve mustered up during the commercial break will fade fast if you don’t get those "as seen on TV" results that were so motivating to you. Trying every new fad that comes on the market may leave you broke and brokenhearted.
 
Motivation Makeover: If you want a plan that works long term, stick with the tried and true. Keep your eating close to the earth with whole fruits, veggies, grains and lean meats. Get up and moving with whatever activity suits your style and schedule. Remind yourself that following through with real nutrition and fitness habits is a process: It takes the proper planning and commitment that can’t be found in a book, a box or a bottle.

Mind Game #4:  Flying Under the Radar
You’re already feeling self-conscious about losing weight, so you certainly don’t want your friends and family making more of a fuss. Besides, you’re confident that you can do this all on your own! So what if your plan to be stealth has you skipping out on lunch with friends and sneaking veggies to parties in your purse? Going it alone may seem like a good idea, but it is actually counterproductive. Soon enough, you’ll be feeling lonely and left out, and that’s no way to maintain success in the long run.
 
Motivation Makeover: Call in the recruits! Whether it’s a neighbor down the street, a fellow play group parent or a Facebook friend, get someone to join you on your weight-loss journey. Studies in behavior science show that changes that you make in the public eye have a much better chance of sticking in the real world. Plus, sharing your weight-loss goals with friends opens you up for great personal payouts like counsel, camaraderie, and accountability from the people who know you best. SparkPeople Community, anyone?

Mind Game #5:  Staring Down the Scale
There’s a scale in your bathroom and one next to your treadmill. You check in twice a day and diligently track your weight on a chart on the fridge. Still, even though you’re eating well and exercising, some days the numbers just don’t show it! Seeing real, objective results can be super motivating but being tethered to the scale often becomes a burden. Even though you know that body weight fluctuates throughout each day and hydration (or lack thereof) is usually responsible, unpredictable digits can be deceiving and downright disheartening. If you find yourself frowning at your feet during morning weigh-ins, then your scale is likely sapping your mojo.
 
Motivation Makeover: Stick that scale in the closet and find inspiration in other numbers (besides your weight). Track specific behaviors to gauge your progress; how many push-ups you can do in a minute, how many miles you walk or bike each week, how many flights of stairs you take each day at work. Keep tabs on a variety of positive results and you won’t be left wanting for fitness focus.


Making use of motivational mind games can really boost your fitness morale. But sometimes, techniques that seem perfectly logical can end up leading you astray. Mastering your own motivation doesn’t have to be a crap shoot. Bet on the time-tested strategies above to get your mind right and you’ll be sure to cash in on long-term wellness!

October 3

Welp, I pretty much bombed last week. Lost motivation (why? i don't know), skipped a TON of workouts and ate whatever i wanted all last week and through the weekend. Not sure what happened there....

I'm back up to 256 today :( :( :(

I know some of that may be water, but it still sucks that it's so easy to throw away all my hard work this month in just a week.....this is really discouraging. Why is weight loss such an uphill battle? Why does it have to be so hard, and then the results are so fleeting?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

September 27

Last week of September....I wanna make it a good one! I've got a costume party to go to this saturday night (the first of many)

On LHCF's Weekly Workout Challenge here, I signed up for 10 workouts this week! That means 2 a day every day, and maybe a bonus workout on Saturday before the party. I really wanna stick with it, I know i'll feel so proud by week's end!
I'm also planning to replace dinner with a protein shake after my pm workouts.

Monday: (lunchtime): 3 miles elliptical, tricep dips, lunges......(pm): Tone it Up

Today:
9:30: 300-calorie protein shake, activit multi

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

September 20

I will not speak of the monstrosities I have ingested over the weekend. Moving on!


10 am: coffee w/cream, 16 oz water

11:30 am: 16 oz water, OEP

1:00: 3 miles elliptical, 32 oz water

2:30: protein shake, 16 oz water

5:30: protein shake, 16 oz water

Friday, September 16, 2011

September 16

9:00 -  4 powdered donuts (yikes) 250 calories, coffee with cream, activit multi 16 oz water


11:00  16 oz water

12:30 16 oz water, OEP, 2.5 miles elliptical

1:30 - 300 calorie protein shake (muscle milk peanut butter chocolate - OMG delish)

5:00 - 2 more donuts (-__-) 125 calories, 16 oz water, activit multi

Thursday, September 15, 2011

September 15

Weight; 249.5 HELLLLLLL YEAHHHHHHHH

So i skipped my evening workout last night AND ate buffalo wings for dinner while sitting on my ass. And I'm in the 240s, hallelujah! It got me to thinking about this whole meal-replacement thing....It's super simple and easy to just consume liquids during the workday, and have a substantial evening meal when i get home. Maybe I'll keep this up!


I think this may be a form of intermittent fasting. I'm googling it all day to day to see what the secret is.

8:30  8 oz water

9:00 oatmeal, Activit multi, coffee w/cream

11:00 16 oz water

1:00 OEP, 2 miles elliptical, 60 bicycles/30 lunges, 16 oz water

3:00 protein shake

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

September 14

Weight: 251.5 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo-Hoo!!!! The period weight disappeared and THEN some. Oh yeah!! :-D

8:30: 16 oz water, OEP

9:00: oatmeal, Activit multi vitamin

10:00: coffee w cream

12:30 16 oz water

1:00 3 miles elliptical, 16 oz water

2:30 protein shake, 16 oz water

5:30 coffee w cream, 16 oz water

8:00 8 buffalo wings (bone-in non breaded) from pizza hut. 4 Mild and 4 Garlic Parmesan. 16 oz water

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

September 13

Weight: 255

Cool. Lost a pound since yesterday. Probably would have been 2 if I'd committed to my evening workout. I'm continuing with the mostly liquids regimen all this week to see what kind of results I get. I actually don't mind having a protein shake for lunch, but we'll see how long that feeling lasts! lol

8:30 - 16 oz water, OEP

9:30 - oatmeal (with 1 tsp coconut oil), 16 oz water, Activit multi

10:15 coffee w/cream, 1 tsp coconut oil

12:00 16 oz water, OEP

1:00 - 3 miles elliptical, 16 oz water

2:30 - 150 cal protein shake

5:00 - 150 cal protein shake, 1 oz deli meat, 16 oz water

8:30 - 4-5 oz rotisserie chicken (with skin), 1 cup corn/green beans, 8 oz water

9:30 - Tone it Up! (1 hr)

Monday, September 12, 2011

September 12

AM weight: 256.0


Yikes. Didn't lose a pound over the weekend, and my target for today was 253. I'm upping my water intake to a gallon today to help flush out all the junk I ingested over the last 48 hours. Also planning to do 3 miles on the elliptical and a longer workout tonight (Shape it Up - 78 minutes). I'm excited to get back on track!)

10am: oatmeal, coffee, activit multi vitamin
16 oz bottle water (7 more to go!)

12:00 16 oz water, OEP

1:00 3 miles elliptical (woo-hoo!), 32 oz water

2:00 150-cal protein shake (instead of lunch), 16 oz water

5:00 150 cal protein shake

6:00 16 oz water

7:30 rotisserie chicken thigh n leg, 1 cup corn/green beans, 16 oz water

8:30 low carb tortilla toasted, 1 slice cheese


SKIPPED my evening workout because I got all caught up in Basketball Wives and Bad Girls Club. Dammit! I'd be feeling much better if i'd done it.

September 11

Sunday, rest day. No workouts.

Didn't do so hot on my diet (ate pasta, white bread, sweet tea, pop). Sigh....tomorrow is another day.

September 10

Saturday Weigh in: 255.6

Nice! I hardly ever lose weight while on my cycle. Good to know my hard work is paying off!



Only one workout today - Tone it Up (my favorite in the series)

Went to a party and ended up cheating quite a bit....fast food, vodka, kabobs,chocolate-covered strawberries....you name it, i ate it! i had a lot of fun but i know i'm gonna pay for this at my next weigh-in.

September 9

am weight: 257 (down 2.5 more pounds since the start of the week - yay!)

1st workout: 2 miles elliptical
2nd workout: Burn it Up

feeling much better, ready to drop some lbs!

September 8

Workout 1: 2.5 miles elliptical


I started my period today :(
After my lunchtime workout, I started to get real crampy and ended up skipping my pm workout and going to bed early. My weight is gonna do weird things for the next few days, I already know.....

September 7 - 30 DAY SHRED

Officially 30 days until the wedding, and i must shrink shrink shrink!

From here on out, 2x daily workouts, 2 OEP per day, tons of water, no carbs for lunch and dinner, with lots of protein shakes and daily multivitamins.

Starting weight: 257

Workout 1: 2.5 miles elliptical (lunchtime)
Workout 2: Firm it Up! (1 hr)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Day 2 - August 30

CRICK....IN.....NECK!!!!!!! I'm so stiff, I slept like a mummy last night. My neck and shoulder is so tight and sore. ughh...

AND I weighed in at 259.5 this morning. Really?? Only half a pound?? *angry face*

But i still managed to do my am workout, and it actually wasn't too bad. I'm gonna work out again on my lunch break and again tonight to make up for skipping last night. My goal is 10 workouts before Saturday morning. (2 per day)


6:15: Start it Up, OEP

9:00: 150 calorie protein shake

10:20: coffee with creamer/2 tsp coconut oil

Monday, August 29, 2011

Day 1 - August 29

7:30 - OEP

9:30 - 150 cal protein shake, coffee with cream

11:00 - 150 cal protein shake

1:00 - OEP before workout:
           1.5 miles elliptical
            1 mile treadmill (jog/walk)

2:00 - 1 cup tuscan orzo & sausage soup (maggiano's)
          small side salad w/ a little ranch dressing

4:30 - 150 cal protein shake

8:00 - roast chicken thigh & leg; one cup corn & green beans

I had 5 bottles of water today, about 80 ounces.

my neck became verrrry stiff after I came back from my lunch workout, so I skipped my pm workout. I hate to get the week started on the wrong foot.....:(

My Goals

Ultimate Long Term weight goal: 179 (my high school weight)

Mini Goals:

October 8 (friend's wedding...I'm a bridesmaid-EEK!): 230

From now (Aug 29) until October 8th, i have exactly 6 weeks to lose 30 pounds. Yes, it is a lofty goal. But many people see losses of up to 25 lbs in 6 weeks from Slim in 6 alone. I'm adding a semi-liquid diet and fat-burning supplements to that, plus I'm starting at a very high weight, which means my body will release a lot of weight in the first few weeks. If you aim for the moon and miss, at least you'll land among the stars :)

October 31 (Halloween): 220

I'd like to shed 10 more pounds in the 3 weeks between the wedding and Halloween. It is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year and I take my costume and partying seriously! lol....I plan to be either Marie Antoinette or a Black Swan, and feeling chubby just won't do......

January 23 (girls' trip to Puerto Rico - must be bikini ready!): 197

This right here is the real goal. I'm going on a girls trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico at the end of january. I'm going with 3 girls who could very easily be video models (one of them actually IS one). Perfect bodies and beautiful faces.....I REFUSE to be the fat friend on this trip! I want to get down to a weight/size where I'd feel comfortable frolicking on the beach like everybody else!

May 27 (Memorial Day 2012): going back to Miami for Black Beach Week. Weight Goal: 179

Enough said!

My Supplements

Oxy Elite Pro: fat-burner/thermogenic - 1 to 2 per day, taken on an empty stomach before workouts

Beachbody Activit fat-burning multi-vitamins - 2 per day, taken with meals

Coconut oil (in oil form): 1 to 2 Tbs daily, added to protein shakes, coffee or meals

I intend to add a probiotic and fiber supplement as well.

My Workout Plan

Slim in 6 plus added Cardio!
Debbie Seibers has never failed me when i needed to drop lbs and tone up fast. I'm doing the 6-day a week workout, plus adding in additional cardio a few days a week on my lunch break to accelerate my fat loss.

Week 1:
6 days: Start it up(26 min) or Ramp it up (47 min) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts (elliptical/treadmill)

Week 2:
6 days: Ramp it Up (47 minutes) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts

Week 3:
6 days: Burn it Up (56 minutes) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts

Week 4:
6 days: Burn it Up (56 minutes) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts

Week 5:
6 days: Burn it Up or Tone it Up (56 minutes) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts

Week 6:
6 days: Burn it Up or Tone it Up (56 minutes) + 3-5 additional cardio workouts


After the 6-week program, I'll evaluate my results. I may decide to do another 6-week round, or I may decide to do other workouts instead (I've got tons of DVDs, including Jillian Michaels and Biggest Loser Bootcamp).

My Diet Plan

Basic Premises:
-low/moderate carbohydrates
-high protein
-low calorie
-lots of water!


I'll be using Muscle Milk as a meal replacement for breakfast and snacks, and have a healthy low-calorie lunch and dinner. My average day will look something like this:

7:00 am: protein shake
9:00 am: protein shake, coffee
11:00 am: protein shake
2:00 pm: lunch (300 calories)
3:30 pm: protein shake
5:30pm: protein shake
7:30pm: dinner (300-400 calories)

Each protein shake is about 100-150 calories. Overall, I'm trying to keep my calorie intake between 1200-1600. I think variation will keep me from plateauing.

This is a variation of the Impatient Dieter's plan here. I've used it before and got phenomenal results! The only problem was that i had not planned for maintenance, and I immediately went back to bad habits and stopped working out. I'm determined to get the weight off and KEEP it off!












Here I am. Again.

Weighed in at 260 this morning. My highest weight ever. I'm tired of the yo-yo. This blog is going to chronicle my journey OUT of the 200s, once and for all!

A little about me: My name is Theresa, I'm 28 years young, and I've been battling my weight for most of my life. I inherited emotional eating habits from my mom and have had an unhealthy love/hate relationship with food for as long as i can remember.

At 5'9" with an hourglass shape, I've always carried my weight well, which is a double-edged sword really. This is because it's easy to gain weight without people noticing, which makes it easier to be in denial. I told myself I'd NEVER get over 250, and look at me now!

But i'm not about to throw a pity party or berate myself for being fat. i have a PLAN, and I intend to keep going. Kick off my shoes, and swim good....(Frank Ocean) :)

join me on my journey!