Fatty Frustration

People’s misconception about overweight people frustrates me.  Perhaps it is a misconception about me, but I am sure there are others in the same boat.  The thing is, yes, sometimes I ate poorly to get this way, but it was not as if it was every day.  I did eat healthy foods.  Albeit, larger quantities of them.  (My lack of self-control spans healthy food as well.)  I would eat healthy all day and some evenings eat crap as snacks.  Not every meal was full of crap.  If I ate French fries, chips and fast food for every meal, every day, and large quantities of it, I assume I would have been a lot bigger to start with.

I admit I put on about 25 pounds in my first year of high school eating my stress/feelings; junk food I would hide from my parents, purchased with my own money, sitting on the couch every day after school, blah blah blah.  However, once I got there I maintained.  The majority of my teen/adult life I have stayed within a 20-pound range, and in that, I spent about ten years within a 10-pound range.  I was maintaining.  I was eating fruits and vegetables.  I was eating lean meats.  I just consumed it in large enough quantities enough to maintain my weight, with the junky snacks.  I wasn’t constantly gaining (except for stressful times where I ate everything in sight, again not always junk food.)  I haven’t had to learn to eat more fruits and vegetables, as I was already eating them. 

Let’s be clear, I did ZERO exercise.  I didn’t not work out from grade 10 until I got a job after high school and then from there I didn’t actively workout for eight years.  Yes eight. 

As I am getting the chance to lose weight, people keep saying, “Now that you are eating healthy foods…” I was always eating healthy foods, but eating enough of them to maintain my weight and an unhealthy mix of unhealthy foods.  I didn’t ALWAYS eat junk.  (I know I am a self-proclaimed junkfoodaholic, but I didn’t eat the crap at every meal, every day.)  

I don’t know why that frustrates me, I know I made some poor decisions, but I was not constantly eating crap food.  

Does that make sense?

My Chubby Cottage Weekend

We went away this weekend.  Exercise happened, but healthy eating … not so much.  Friday we went to a convention and walked for 5 hours.  Yes, five straight hours.  (The convention was huge).  I thought my legs were going to fall off (Keep in mind, I typically sit at a desk all day, so five hours of walking is a lot for me.)  Hot dogs for dinner!  From there we drove up to our friends’ cottage.  (It was a last minute planned trip, I had one day scheduled as a cheat day for this weekend, not three).  The cottage was beautiful and we had loads of fun. 

 

 

 

We kayaked, which was my first time kayaking and I enjoyed it much better then canoeing.  Kayaking was hard work, and we returned to the cottage like hungry bears.  I proceeded to eat everything in sight that wasn’t bolted down. 

 

After a dinner of homemade hamburgers, (which technically are not that bad as they were lean ground beef, but I did eat two of them :/) we made a trip to Kawartha Dairy.  (We saw a Black Bear run across the road on our way there! I love the Canadian Wilderness!)  At the dairy, I had Crème Brule and Wolf Paw ice cream.  Let me tell you, greatest ice cream ever.  The Crème Brule was insanely good.  This was their “Small”.  You should have seen the “Large”.  After the ice cream, we went back to the cottage and played some dance game on Wii.  It was another huge workout, the laughter alone must have burnt a thousand calories.

On our ride home Sunday, we stopped at Webers.  If you are from Ontario, chances are, you have been to Webers.  There is only one location and I hadn’t been able to go in over ten years.  I didn’t just eat one of these cheeseburgers, I ate TWO.  And French fries.  And they were damned good.  And I didn’t feel guilty about it. 

I may have had this Oh Henry as dessert.  It was super yummy.

I haven’t stepped on the scale to see the damage that was done; I am waiting for a day or two to see if some of the water bloat from all of the salty foods dissipates a bit.  I am not feeling guilty though as we did a lot of exercise and screw it, it was a vacation.

I knew that Monday I would get back to healthy, which I did, I am proud to say.  Hubby even helped me make these Strawberry Shortcake muffins last night as our cupboards are a little bare right now and these are a healthy snack I freeze for lunches. 

Watermelon Salsa

Last night we went to our friends' house to hang out.  I made the watermelon salsa that I first tried at the Clothing Swap Potluck.  My good friend was kind enough to share the recipe link with me, so glad she did as it's so yummy!!!  I was a little worried about it as I never made it before but it was super easy and turned out AMAZING!  And everyone loved it!  As it's mostly watermelon and onions, it's very low in calories (The Tostitos Scoops weren't, but I only ate a few and just heaped the scoops with the salsa to get a good full amount, I figured I probably could have come up with something healthier to serve as a scoop instead of Tostitos but was pressed for time.)

If you want something low in fat, easy to make and different to wow your guests at your next party try the watermelon salsa!

Weigh In - 40 Day Success

It’s been 7 full days.  I feel like I have done really well.  I tried to get more creative with my meals and snacks and I tried changing up my workout routine again. 

Changing Up the Workouts:

I am getting bored with my gym’s Zumba, it’s not nearly as fun as the Zumba I went to previously at a dance studio.  My previous instructor was what made the world of difference as she was so outgoing and fun.  I skipped this week at the gym, I will try going only on the weeks my sister’s shifts are on days so I can at least have the fun of meeting up with her. 

This week I started jogging/walking my dawg.  My dawg is a rescue and has a tremendous fear of a lot of things outside; she is very content going to do her business and dragging us back inside to sit on the couch.  Walks usually consist of us practically dragging her the first half and the second half her pulling like a maniac to get back home.  We have been working with her and while we see a huge improvement, we are still working at it.  When I started running with her she actually seemed intrigued with what we were doing.  I am trying to follow the c25k method of starting to run.  Run for one minute, walk for one minute, do this six times in a row, for a week and then gradually increase your running time.  Grant it, I am sure I look like I am speed walking rather then running but I am still “lapping those sitting on the couch”.   My dawg kept up with me and never pulled.  When we got back to the house she had a long nap and kept wagging her tail while sleeping.  She is a big cutie pie.

Changing Up Breakfast:

For breakfast I went back to an oldie but a goodie in accordance with Dr.Oz who claims this breakfast is a good way to burn belly fat: Toasted whole wheat English muffin with a poached egg and a slice of cheese.  All together I estimate these calories to about 260, and it keeps me full almost right until lunch time.  Most days I still have my almond snack around 11ish, but it’s not necessarily that I need to eat them out of hunger, I am just eating them to make my calorie count.

Let’s see how I measure up compared to last week.

181.5!  Compared to 183!  1.5 pounds!  I will take it!

Lick it List

This is not a weight loss entry, but a healthy living entry in it’s own way.  I read this very adorable and inspiring article today.  Anyone who knows me know I love all animals but dogs tend to be a smidgen more my favourite and if I can help a child out I will definitely do so, this “Lick it List” is right up my alley.  This little boy wants to reward his dog, Bingo, with “Treats from around the world”

Reading the article you will see that this little boy has had his service dog Bingo for many years now and Bingo is responsible for saving the little boys life NUMEROUS times, she was even awarded a Purina Hero Recognition award.  Man, I love stories like that.  Bingo is now 13 years old and she is very sick, so the boy created Bingo her very own “Lick it List” which includes giving Bingo "Treats from around the world"  Totally adorable.  My dawg has her treats addressed and ready to be dropped in the mail tonight!  If you love dogs and want to brighten this little boy’s day read the article and send a treat if you can! 

Do You Hear My Stomach Growling?

I am super hungry right now. Aquafit kicked my arse I think this is why I am hungry. I even had extra protein as a post workout snack but it didn’t seem to help. I am torn as I should be going to bed soon and I read you shouldn't eat within two hours of sleep. Bah.

So far so good

Friday, the weekend, and Monday I stayed at 1400 calories!  No overage!  The trick seems to be plan my entire day of food, all three meals and three snacks the day before.  Emphasis on the 3rd snack after dinner.  I am a creature of habit, I like to snack after dinner, so planning for a healthy snack helped!  And of course, lots of protein to keep me full throughout the day helped.  Plus, a workout every day!  I am on the right track finally!  Aren't you glad you read an enthusiastic post instead of a "wah wah I suck" post?  I am glad you did too!  haha!

40 Day Success

I have been slacking. I haven't even exercised to the degree I would normally like to. I took two days off from working out this week so far, I haven't even made it to the gym. Summers prove to be my hardest when looking back at previous weight tracking. The last two summers I have put on 10 pounds each, in the course of two to three months. I know this is terrible. Work stress peaks for me in the summer and while I have had a far better handle on it this summer, I still have struggled.  Summers are also hard with all of the BBQ’s and yummy foods, this seems to be harder for me then even the Christmas holidays.   

Yesterday, I came to the realization that 40 days from today will mark 1 year of my healthy living and I am not nearly close to my 50 pounds in one year goal. As of this morning I am only showing a 22 pound weight loss.  (Bah, I have gained back 5.5 pounds)  This makes me feel like a failure. Instead of grabbing a bag of Ruffles and a big chocolate bar and hiding under the covers eating my shame, I have decided to devise a new game plan to get things moving, an attempt to post as much success in 40 days as possible: one last kick of the can for the year end mark. September 19, 2011 I weighed in at my heaviest and started that day to try and make a change. I have been successful in making a change, I can't deny myself this, but I want a bigger change. I know that 40 days should be irrelevant, that the whole point is to make a healthy lifestyle change to last me forever; I am viewing this as a kick start. I want to do this. I have to do this.  It does not mean by any means that once this year is complete I am done trying, I just move on to my next time frame.  I just want to move into that next time frame in the best shape I possibly can.

 Some things I plan to use towards my success:

-1400 calories a day, no allowances.

-Plan my lunch better, 1400 calories goes fast, have to utilize protein whenever possible.

-Plan for the 5 occasions coming up where I will be surrounded my delicious foods: Extra workout those days, allow myself 2000 calories, make smart choices, MODERATION, ask for help from friends and family.

-Workout 6 days a week. 

-Utilize a Jillian Michaels DVD on days when I have a workout class as the classes.  As much fun as the classes are, they don’t make me sweat nearly as much as a traditional workout.  A 30 minute hard workout in addition to the class should help.

-Cutting out the pop.  (I always drink diet pop and am stopping that, today)

-I have filled my fridge with healthier snack options: fruits, nuts and low fat proteins.

-No beverages of any sort after 7pm, I am so tired of waking up all night going to the washroom.

-Yoga DVD before bed and meditation to help sleep so I can get the 7-8 hours for my metabolism.

- Using this blog to keep myself accountable on here

-Weekly weigh in, no avoiding that scale



Here marks the start of the overall healthy living period September 19 2011 and today August 10 2012, the start of operation “40 Day Success”

Weight	205	183	-22
Size	16	12
UA	15.00	13	-2
W	37.50	34	-3.5
A	47.00	42.00	-5.00
H	49.00	44.50	-4.50
UT	30.50	27.25	-3.25
LT	23.50	20.75	-2.75
C	17.00	15.5	-1.5

  

40 days = 6 weeks.

I can do this.

I will do this.

Enough talk, I have work to do.

Pictures

I am still hovering at the 180 pound ~ 25 to 26 lost pound mark, nothing new to report.  I am working out still.  Today and yesterday I did house work so I am counting that as my workout as I cleaned for a few hours and was sweating like crazy when I was done.  Instead of complaining about not eating right I decided to look back at a few pictures to get myself motivated.

These two photos were taken 2.5 years apart:  The first photo was taken November 2009 at 184 pounds.  The second photo was taken June 2012 at 182 pounds.  I feel like the 2nd one I look better.  I am more toned this time around.  November 2009, I was working out, but soley focusing on Cardio, this time around I am trying to do equal amounts of cardio and strength training; I feel like this is a better mix.  I think you can tell in my arms and in my backside.  The jeans in the photo on the right fit me perfect right now.  I owned them in November 2009 and was going to wear them the night of this photo but they were so tight, I decided not to wear them as I didn't want to be uncomfortable all night.  (This was depressing to me as I had worked out for two months straight at the time and still couldn't wear those jeans comfortably)  It was a success huge for me to not only fit back into those jeans but to have them fit even better now!  (Guess Jeans I purchased for $10 as they had a slight tear I was able to repair!)

                        November 2009 - 184 pounds                   June 2012 - 182 pounds

                         August 2011 - 205                              June 2012 - 182

                              September 2011 - 205             June 2012 - 182

                        September 2011 - 205                 August 2012 - 180

September 2011 - 205                                                        August 2012 - 180
(I realize a sitting one is different then a standing, but I don't have any recent sitting shots!)

Ramblings of a crazy lady...

I wonder how many calories Tums have in them?  I have taken to drinking Crystal Light Iced Tea. At 5 calories a glass, it’s my new favourite beverage. It’s yummy, convenient, inexpensive and I love it; however, Crystal Light Iced Tea does not like me. I keep getting wicked heart burn. After consuming about 20 Tums, I am still sitting here, burning. (I know 20 Tums exceeds the recommended dosage, don’t try this unless you are a professional.)

They say that your body goes through cycles every few years. About 5 years ago, I got hit with Acid Reflux, IBS and Rosacea, all at the same time.  (And not just the cute pinkish glow of Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, I have 2 to contend with, including the Papulopustular rosacea type that looks like Acne. It’s not Acne. However, everyone and their mother are an expert on my skin and tell me to cut out chocolate bars to cure my acne. I DON’T HAVE ACNE. My dermatologist said it’s rosacea! To the next person who says I have acne, I am demanding to see your PHD in Dermatology and if you are unable to produce one, you’re getting bopped on the head. P.S. Chocolate doesn’t cause acne, pick up a book and learn something more recent then the 1940’s garbage you keep spewing at me!)

So back to my rant about my three annoyances in total, not just the rosacea:

Acid Reflux, IBS and Rosacea all hate stress. They all hate spicy foods. They all hate acidity foods. My healthy lovers: strawberries, cherries, raspberries, Iced Tea, nuts, peanut butter, tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, and cayenne have all become my enemies. I have to limit myself to small doses and to eat with a base like milk or bread.  This is difficult as my lack of self control is not just limited to junk food, it spans any food I like, healthy included.  I could eat a whole pint of home grown cherry tomatoes and suffer profusely for it, but will not bat an eye at doing it again.

I truly love food.  I know I emotionally eat on occasion and occasionally eat out of boredom, but I think the biggest part of my problem is I just really love food.  Apparently my body is giving me signs that it needs me to control my eating, now just to listen better.

Grrr...

It appears the Jillian Michaels workouts that were on Youtube have been removed.  Grr... I was using them!

"Cucumber Sandwiches"

I am so making these for lunch with tuna!  I love Pinterest for healthy eating ideas!

Something I Have to Keep Telling Myself

5 Pounds of Fat versus 5 Pounds of Muscle

Aquafit

Last night my sister and I tried Aquafit.  I have always thought of Aquafit being for seniors, but at least half of the class was under 35.  Also those seniors are badass, as Aquafit is damned hard.  I am sore and tired today.  I really enjoyed it though, as it definitely seemed like a challenge, but it was fun, and in the water which is totally my favourite way to exercise.  It was cardio mixed with strength due to all of the resistance.  My sister and I have decided this will be a weekly class for us!