Weigh-in, lost 2.6 pounds
I figure there could be one of three reasons for my recent loss.
1. My body needed more calories than I realized. Admission time--I had an awesome dinner at Maggiano's last Thursday night with a friend. We split an order of calamari, we split a side salad, and I had about 1/3 of an order of lasagna. I also ordered 2 Italian margaritas--a rare treat as I am a beer drinker. Honestly, I felt a little sick after my dinner and wondered if I could even eat rich food anymore. On Monday night, I had MNO where I drank beer and ate 1/2 of a spicy guacamole burger plus the patty of the other half. On Tuesday night, I went to Cracker Barrel with my boys to celebrate their last day of preschool where I had breakfast for dinner. Other than that, I really did make healthy choices with my typical breakfast and lunch and choices out included Wahoo's blackened fish tacos and the new Subway Orchard Chicken Salad.
2. My continued mission to diversify my workouts is actually helping in my weight loss. I have been going to as many group fitness classes as possible and really enjoying them. I also decided to beef up my elliptical workout and drop the bike on my "easy" days. When my baby wasn't feeling well on Monday, I decided to run four miles in the neighborhood, which was challenging in a good way (although I've been pretty sore since). I haven't been to a spin class in 2 years and finally made it back for the first time yesterday and remembered what an awesome 45 minute workout spinning really is!
3. It could be a little bit of luck or even a combination of the things I am doing. This is most likely the most probable reason for my loss over the past week. For those of you who read this, I'm sure you have noticed that I've moved to posting every other week while taking a break from Weight Watchers. I would really like to believe that a combination of my workouts in addition to making healthy food choices and thoughtful splurges will lead me down a road of natural weight loss and increased fitness without having to attend weekly meetings. Cheers to that dream! :)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wednesday, May 4th
Weigh in, zero loss, zero gain
Between a yummy dinner for date night and losing a day at the gym due to a terrible Spring cold, I am okay with a maintenance number at the scale this week. I am still striving towards losing those 3 pounds to get to another 50 pounds lost, though. It really comes down to figuring out how to lose the 3 pounds (and a few more) to get past this plateau I seem to struggling with. I have been pretty steadfast in my diet approach these days by not deviating from what got me here, but also not making any drastic cuts or changes. I have noticed that my appetite seems to be decreasing a little, which is interesting...could this actually be happening naturally without suffering through hunger in an attempt to reach the next level?
I have been enjoying switching up my workouts lately, though. I think group fitness classes are exactly what I needed to remain challenged while pushing past boredom on the elliptical and bike. A glimpse into my fitness routine this week--
Monday: The Mixx cardio class (kickboxing and athletic drills to music), 1 hour
Tuesday: 40 minutes on the elliptical, level 7, hills program, ~6 mph on the hills, ~7 mph on the flat intervals. 15 minutes on the bike, level 5, maintaining at least a .25 mile per minute pace
Wednesday: Strike! kickboxing class, 1 hour
Thursday: 40 minutes on the elliptical, level 7, hills program, ~6 mph on the hills, ~7 mph on the flat intervals. 15 minutes on the bike, level 5, maintaining at least a .25 mile per minute pace
Friday: Zumba class or 60 minute LSD (long slow distance) workout on the treadmill (3.5 mph, 4 incline)
Saturday and Sunday, days off
Between a yummy dinner for date night and losing a day at the gym due to a terrible Spring cold, I am okay with a maintenance number at the scale this week. I am still striving towards losing those 3 pounds to get to another 50 pounds lost, though. It really comes down to figuring out how to lose the 3 pounds (and a few more) to get past this plateau I seem to struggling with. I have been pretty steadfast in my diet approach these days by not deviating from what got me here, but also not making any drastic cuts or changes. I have noticed that my appetite seems to be decreasing a little, which is interesting...could this actually be happening naturally without suffering through hunger in an attempt to reach the next level?
I have been enjoying switching up my workouts lately, though. I think group fitness classes are exactly what I needed to remain challenged while pushing past boredom on the elliptical and bike. A glimpse into my fitness routine this week--
Monday: The Mixx cardio class (kickboxing and athletic drills to music), 1 hour
Tuesday: 40 minutes on the elliptical, level 7, hills program, ~6 mph on the hills, ~7 mph on the flat intervals. 15 minutes on the bike, level 5, maintaining at least a .25 mile per minute pace
Wednesday: Strike! kickboxing class, 1 hour
Thursday: 40 minutes on the elliptical, level 7, hills program, ~6 mph on the hills, ~7 mph on the flat intervals. 15 minutes on the bike, level 5, maintaining at least a .25 mile per minute pace
Friday: Zumba class or 60 minute LSD (long slow distance) workout on the treadmill (3.5 mph, 4 incline)
Saturday and Sunday, days off
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday, April 20th
Weigh in, lost 1 pound.
In the spirit of taking a mental break, I decided not to post last week. I have to come clean, though. I gained almost 5 pounds in a week after my last weigh-in! Ugh! I was so ashamed, I couldn't bear to report it before doing something about it. Somehow, I was able to lose the 5 pounds plus another pound this past week.
It is important to note that I didn't starve myself or put in crazy amounts of cardio work at the gym. Really, the only thing I did differently was switching up my workout routine a little. I am feeling more confident about attending (and keeping up with) group fitness classes. Last week I attended the Mixx cardio class (athletic drills, kickboxing, and funky dance moves) and I also tried out Zumba. Zumba was lots of fun and I burned lots of calories even though it didn't feel like it. I still did 2 of my 8+ miles cardio sessions (40 minutes on the elliptical, hill program, at least 6 mph on hills, 7mph on flat intervals plus 4 miles on the bike at a quarter plus mile per minute pace), but I am not enjoying them nearly as much now that I am participating in the group fitness. Today I tried Strike! for the first time and also really enjoyed it. In fact, I feel like I could become one of the better ones in the class after attending a few times.
So, while I am in the mental break mode, I am still going to try to keep my workouts going strong and focus on fitness since I can't seem to wrap my head around changing up my food intake. Having said that, I am only about 3 pounds away from hitting a huge milestone--another 50 pounds lost! A couple of fun things to report on that note--I tried on those famous Paige jeans for the first time in 2 1/2 years and I am getting closer (I still hate these jeans, what was I thinking buying low rise anyway???). And, I had to get my wedding ring sized down for fear of losing it!
In the spirit of taking a mental break, I decided not to post last week. I have to come clean, though. I gained almost 5 pounds in a week after my last weigh-in! Ugh! I was so ashamed, I couldn't bear to report it before doing something about it. Somehow, I was able to lose the 5 pounds plus another pound this past week.
It is important to note that I didn't starve myself or put in crazy amounts of cardio work at the gym. Really, the only thing I did differently was switching up my workout routine a little. I am feeling more confident about attending (and keeping up with) group fitness classes. Last week I attended the Mixx cardio class (athletic drills, kickboxing, and funky dance moves) and I also tried out Zumba. Zumba was lots of fun and I burned lots of calories even though it didn't feel like it. I still did 2 of my 8+ miles cardio sessions (40 minutes on the elliptical, hill program, at least 6 mph on hills, 7mph on flat intervals plus 4 miles on the bike at a quarter plus mile per minute pace), but I am not enjoying them nearly as much now that I am participating in the group fitness. Today I tried Strike! for the first time and also really enjoyed it. In fact, I feel like I could become one of the better ones in the class after attending a few times.
So, while I am in the mental break mode, I am still going to try to keep my workouts going strong and focus on fitness since I can't seem to wrap my head around changing up my food intake. Having said that, I am only about 3 pounds away from hitting a huge milestone--another 50 pounds lost! A couple of fun things to report on that note--I tried on those famous Paige jeans for the first time in 2 1/2 years and I am getting closer (I still hate these jeans, what was I thinking buying low rise anyway???). And, I had to get my wedding ring sized down for fear of losing it!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Wednesday, April 6th
Weigh in, lost 2.4 pounds
Last week was our Spring Break vacation at Copper Mountain. I skied on Tuesday and Wednesday and took the rest of the week off from working out. From a food standpoint, I indulged in meals but I did practice moderation.
I am feeling like I need a mental break from the weight loss journey these days and I am not sure why. I remember seeing an interview with someone who had lost a lot of weight and she commented on how weight loss isn't pretty. Her comment has been on my mind lately as I think I am becoming really critical of my body. While it is true that I am wearing smaller sizes, I see the results of being extremely overweight for years and two pregnancies--my body has taken a toll! I wish for smoothness and tone. Some say the short-term answer is Spanx, but I am looking to the future and wonder if I can swing plastic surgery someday.
Last week was our Spring Break vacation at Copper Mountain. I skied on Tuesday and Wednesday and took the rest of the week off from working out. From a food standpoint, I indulged in meals but I did practice moderation.
I am feeling like I need a mental break from the weight loss journey these days and I am not sure why. I remember seeing an interview with someone who had lost a lot of weight and she commented on how weight loss isn't pretty. Her comment has been on my mind lately as I think I am becoming really critical of my body. While it is true that I am wearing smaller sizes, I see the results of being extremely overweight for years and two pregnancies--my body has taken a toll! I wish for smoothness and tone. Some say the short-term answer is Spanx, but I am looking to the future and wonder if I can swing plastic surgery someday.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, March 23rd
Weigh in, .8 pound gain
There is no secret that every other week I seem to go up and down. I am trying to keep in mind that my losses seem to be more significant than my gains.
Even though I am not surprised by my gain this week, I still feel a little let down. I have evaluated my behaviors I don't see myself making any big changes over the next couple of weeks while we are on vacation and have family in town. This past week, I ate out three different times (two more than normal), enjoyed a date with one of my twins where I indulged in movie theater popcorn, and missed out on a ski day which I was counting on for a workout.
I think I need to adjust my expectations from trying to continue my weight loss journey over the next couple of weeks to actually just maintaining my current weight through healthy food choices, controlled splurges, and continued exercise. Then I will evaluate my nutrition and make some minor changes in order to get into those Paige jeans soon.
There is no secret that every other week I seem to go up and down. I am trying to keep in mind that my losses seem to be more significant than my gains.
Even though I am not surprised by my gain this week, I still feel a little let down. I have evaluated my behaviors I don't see myself making any big changes over the next couple of weeks while we are on vacation and have family in town. This past week, I ate out three different times (two more than normal), enjoyed a date with one of my twins where I indulged in movie theater popcorn, and missed out on a ski day which I was counting on for a workout.
I think I need to adjust my expectations from trying to continue my weight loss journey over the next couple of weeks to actually just maintaining my current weight through healthy food choices, controlled splurges, and continued exercise. Then I will evaluate my nutrition and make some minor changes in order to get into those Paige jeans soon.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 16th
Weigh in, lost 2.8 pounds
Being that my upcoming Wednesday mornings are insane, I have decided to take a hiatus from Weight Watchers. My last few weigh ins have been documented by my home scale, which is extremely close to the official scale at WW, no need to calibrate. I have been completely honest about my lack of tracking points for months now, but I held on to the WW meetings. I feel like I have accountability with my blog and even with the friends I have made at WW and Lifetime Fitness, but there is something about making it official at a Weight Watchers location. So, I have no doubt that I will be back at WW--the program really works. I think I will be ready to re-commit to the program again in the near future, but for now I am going to go it alone and watch my nutrition and workouts on my own.
Something worked for me this week. I skied for the second Friday in a row and have kept up with my workouts. I even indulged in a couple of splurge meals. Maybe tweaking my cardio routine a little inspired my loss. Everyone knows I am a die-hard elliptical fan, but I discovered a new group fitness cardio class at Lifetime called the Mixx and I easily fell into step with the other participants. Adding skiing and switching out a cardio workout adds variety and that has been really good for me.
Being that my upcoming Wednesday mornings are insane, I have decided to take a hiatus from Weight Watchers. My last few weigh ins have been documented by my home scale, which is extremely close to the official scale at WW, no need to calibrate. I have been completely honest about my lack of tracking points for months now, but I held on to the WW meetings. I feel like I have accountability with my blog and even with the friends I have made at WW and Lifetime Fitness, but there is something about making it official at a Weight Watchers location. So, I have no doubt that I will be back at WW--the program really works. I think I will be ready to re-commit to the program again in the near future, but for now I am going to go it alone and watch my nutrition and workouts on my own.
Something worked for me this week. I skied for the second Friday in a row and have kept up with my workouts. I even indulged in a couple of splurge meals. Maybe tweaking my cardio routine a little inspired my loss. Everyone knows I am a die-hard elliptical fan, but I discovered a new group fitness cardio class at Lifetime called the Mixx and I easily fell into step with the other participants. Adding skiing and switching out a cardio workout adds variety and that has been really good for me.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 9th
Unofficial weigh-in, .6 lb gain
I totally own my gain this week. I had a great time skiing for the first time in two seasons and didn't hold back with my food choices that day. Apres ski was especially yummy with beer and appetizers. To top it off, I went out with co-workers on Saturday night and shared an appetizer trio.
I also tried a new group fitness class this week, a cardio class called the Mixx. I had so much fun and loved the variety--I will definitely be back for more. I'm not sure why I am surprised that I am sore, and usually that seems to affect my weight loss in a given week as well.
All in all I am not upset and I am ready to move on to next, do a little more work and hopefully see results at the scale.
I totally own my gain this week. I had a great time skiing for the first time in two seasons and didn't hold back with my food choices that day. Apres ski was especially yummy with beer and appetizers. To top it off, I went out with co-workers on Saturday night and shared an appetizer trio.
I also tried a new group fitness class this week, a cardio class called the Mixx. I had so much fun and loved the variety--I will definitely be back for more. I'm not sure why I am surprised that I am sore, and usually that seems to affect my weight loss in a given week as well.
All in all I am not upset and I am ready to move on to next, do a little more work and hopefully see results at the scale.
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