Wednesday Weigh In Cancelled

I just could not force myself to step on the scale this morning.  Since it was the day after Christmas, I'm sure the number wasn't going to be pretty.  I need a week to try and get back to normal after eating all weekend.

 I'm feeling very fat today, so I really didn't want to confirm it. 

This is me

Wednesday weigh in

It's Wednesday again I gained one pound. I'm so frustrated right now. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or what I am going to do to fix it.  I'm at a complete loss.

If anyone has any ideas, feel free to share them.  I'm so frustrated right now. I can't even type. I feel like crying. 

I've worked so hard this week and have nothing to show for it.  I gain a pound.  I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but I honestly thought that I would have lost a pound or more. 

I feel like I let myself down.  I don't want to feel this way again.

Pounds lost: 9
Pounds to lose: 91

Smoothies

I have been on a big smoothie kick. It's so easy just to throw some fruit in a blender and drink your breakfast. It's great on the go.

I read that Jessica Simpson lost a bunch of her weight using smoothies.  I hope that smoothies will help me with losing weight.  Even if they don't, they taste good.

Anyways, I was on Pinterest today and saw a pin about 10 super berry smoothie recipes. Omg! They are so good. I like using different recipes so i don't feel like I'm drinking the same smoothie every day. My favorite one is called "Kristin's Simple Berry Smoothie."

I think I need this shirt

Wednesday Weight In

Last week, I had a little set back when I gained back some of the weight that I lost.  This week, I lost the weight I gain last week.  I'm still at ten pounds lost.  But it better than last week. I hope that I will continue losing this upcoming week as well.  I really want to break though the ten pound plateau I have been on for weeks now.

I really do think that my new dance boot camp workouts are the reason for this week's weight loss. I have been doing them faithfully.  They are so easy and I don't feel sore after, but I can see my body responding to them.  My calves and thighs seem slimmer.  Maybe it's in my head, but I really do think that it is helping.

I know that it will be difficult, but I still want to lose 5 pounds before Christmas.  I still have almost two weeks. I think I can do it, but I know it will take a lot of work.  I want to achieve my goal, so I will.

Pounds lost: 10
Pounds to lose: 90

New Workout

I have been doing this new workout since Wednesday.  It's a Ballet Boot Camp Barre Workout.  It takes about 30 minutes and the exercises are pretty simple to do.

So far, I really like this workout.  I have lost one pounds since Wednesday and I owe it all to this. 

Seriosuly check it out.  It's a 25 day workout and you can lose up to 3.5 pounds a week.

Wednesday Weight In

Today is Wednesday and I've had a bad weigh in.  I knew it was coming.  I have been feeling fat all week.  So when I weighed in this morning, I wasn't surprised when the scale said that I gained 1.5 pounds. 

I'm pretty sad about this.  I need to refocus on my weight loss.  I need a new diet plan and a new exercise plan. I'm currently trying out a couple of different things to see if I like them.  I'll probably make my decision this week and blog about my new diet and workouts on Friday.

I'm bummed about my weight gain, but I know that it will motivate me to do better in the future. I want to lose that extra 1.5 pounds that I gained back by next week.  Wish me luck!

Pounds lost: 8.5
Pounds to lose: 91.5

10 Worst Cardio Crimes

I have committed every one of these at one point.  Check it out: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=the_10_most_common_cardio_crimes 

Small Changes That Can Help You Lose Weight

Double Chin Workout

I have a double chin. It's true. I don't know what to do about it. I'm losing weight but my double chin seems to be getting worse. I know that doesn't make sense but that us what's happening. I never used to have a double chin. A couple of years ago I was in a car accident and sustained neck injuries. As I healed, my face swelled. The swelling had gone down in most places but ever since then, I've had a double chin.

I saw this pin today about getting rid of double chins and armpit fat. I decided to give it a try. Since I just stared today, I don't know how well it worked but I do know how I feel after it.

Only one of the exercises seemed to be for a double chin. The rest seemed to target armpit fat which I don't really have a problem with.

After doing the exercises, my arms feel weak. The first exercise is killer but the rest are easy. I was disappointed in the chin lift one. After doing it, my tongue is tired but I don't feel like I worked off any if my double chin.

I will keep doing these for a week or two. Hopefully I will see some improvement in the chin area but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Wednesday Weigh In

It's Wednesday again.  Once again, I have not lost any weight.  It's so frustrating.  I don't know what to do.  I'm sticking to my diet.  I'm exercising.  The weight is not going anywhere.  I'm worried that i will never lose it. 

I don't know what I'm going to do about this, but I'm going to have to make some changes.  What I'm doing obviously isn't working anymore.  I don't know what changes I am going to make, but I am determined to lose this weight. 

I have reached 10% of my goal.  I will get to 100%.  I have to or I'm going to go crazy.  I don't like not reaching goals, so I am going to do this.  I know I can do it.  I just need to figure out a plan of action.

Weight lost:10 pounds
Weight to lose: 90 pounds

Thanksgiving

I hate Thanksgiving. It's my least favorite holiday for several reasons.

First, I'm a vegetarian. The rest of my family is not. I always feel like a burden to those who are cooking. They want to make food for me and I appreciate that but I always feel awkward because they have to go out of their way to cook for me.

As a vegetarian I always feel like its wrong to celebrate a holiday that is about eating foods I have no desire to eat. Why would I want to celebrate a holiday that most people associate with eating tons of turkey? I don't know. It seems hypocritical of me to celebrate Thanksgiving when I don't eat meat.

Secondly, Thanksgiving is a gluttonous holiday. I am obviously struggling with my weight right now. Why would I want to celebrate a holiday that is all about food? I don't.

I promised myself that I would not overeat. I think I did pretty good. I did decide to make Thanksgiving an s day so I could have sweets and seconds but I promised myself that I would not over do it.

Here's how I controlled myself

I only ate during meals.
I have to eat vegetables first.
I wore tight pants so I would feel fat. (That honestly worked. I didn't want to eat because I felt fat.)
I make myself do crunches and walk around so I got some exercise.

All in all, as much as I hate Thanksgiving I do it because my mom forces me to. I go because I get to see my family even if it is the worst holiday ever. I am proud of myself for not overeating.

Wednesday Weigh In

Today I weighed myself and surprise, surprise, it was the same as the last couple of weeks.  I know I should be happy to not be gaining weight, but I feel like I'm working so hard and getting nowhere.  It's so frustrating and I don't know what to do.

I want this so bad.  I want to be skinny.  I want to be healthy, but it just seems that no matter how hard I try nothing changes.  I'm feeling really down about this today.  I just want my hard work to show. 

Weight lost:10
Weight to lose: 90

Jessica Simpson Loses 60 Pounds

Just six months after giving birth, Jessica Simpson, 32, has lost more than 60 pounds.  Maxwell Drew, her daughter with fiancé Eric Johnson, was born May 1.

Jessica showed off her new slim figure on Saturday in Tampa.  The Weight Watchers spokesperson attended an event for her fashion line. 

I must say that she looks so good.  Even before she was pregnant, Jessica had struggled with weight gain. Now, she seems to weigh less than she has in a couple of years.  I guess Weight Watchers worked for her.  Great job! 

I wish I could lose ten pounds a month like she did.  I wish I knew her secrets.  I tried Weight Watchers twice and gained weight quickly both times.

This is How I Feel This Weekend

Wednesday weigh in

I know it's Thursday. I weighed myself yesterday but forgot to blog about it. I weigh the same as I did last week. I'm getting tired of not losing weight fast enough.

I want to lose 5 more pounds before Christmas. I'm getting frustrated with weighing the same every week. I wan to do something to ensure the weight loss. I don't know what that's yet.

Maybe I need to change my exercise plan. It's not working as good as it was.

This week I will look into that.

Pounds lost 10
Pounds to lose 90

Bedtime Stretches

I don’t know what is wrong with me, but every night I get super energized at bed time. I can’t help it. Whenever I lay down to go to bed, I feel like I should go out and run a marathon. I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember. I can be struggling to keep my eyes open one minute and as soon as I lay down I have so much energy. Every night, I have to get up and walk around my bedroom until I’m tired again. It takes about a half hour of walking for me to settle down. It’s weird.

Anyways, I found stretches on Pinterest that are supposed to help you sleep better. I figure I should give them a try. The website recommended eight stretches to reduce stress. Let me tell you—it worked.

I only had to walk 15 minutes after doing those stretches. I felt so relaxed and centered. I feel right asleep and I stayed asleep.

It was great. Maybe I should take up yoga.

Charity Miles

I found this app for iPhone and Android called Charities Miles.  They donate money to the charity of your choice for every mile walked, ran, or biked.  Walking or running a mile will earn $.25 while biking a mile will earn $.10. 

Charity Miles wants to turn daily exercise into a philanthropic activity.  The money comes for corporate sponsors, so users can give to charity without spending a penny. 

I love this idea.  It’s a great way to promote exercise and give to charity.  Who doesn’t want to work out when it’s for a good cause?  Check it out.

Wednesday Weigh In

It’s Wednesday. So I weighed myself today.  Once again there is no change. Ugh.  I’m so frustrated.  I want to lose weight so badly, but it’s happening so slowly. It’s driving me insane. 

What I did right this week: I worked out and tried to stay on my diet.

What I did wrong:  I had pie on Friday.  It was my birthday, so I left myself have an S Day.  Plus, Wednesday was Halloween, so I had a piece of candy then.  I guess I had too much sugar this week.  I should be happy that I didn’t gain weight.

What am I going to do different this week:  I am going to stick to my diet and exercise program.  I can do this. 

I want to lose 5 more pounds before Christmas.  That would bring my weight loss to 15 pounds.   I will make this goal.  I still have about 7 weeks to lose those 5 pounds.  I can do that.

Pounds lost: 10

Pounds to lose: 90

Workout While Watching TV

I was on Pinterest and saw a pin about a 30 minute workout that you are supposed to do while watching TV.  I had a lot of energy today, so I decided to do this in addition to my normal workout.

The workout:

You need 5 to 8 pound dumbbells, a pillow, and a TV. 

While watching a 30-minute TV show, complete 10 to 15 slow and controlled reps of each of the exercises- weighted lunge, victory press, torso twist, one-arm row, incline push-ups, abdominal curl, and one-legged squats.  You should be able to finish all seven exercises before the commercials start.

During commercial breaks, do cardio such as run in place or fake jump rope.

Repeat the circuit until the end of the show (about three times).

Do this workout three times a week on nonconsecutive days.

I did this today and it went well.  I finished my exercises before the commercial breaks.  I liked it because I could watch TV without feeling lazy.  Try it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Weigh In

Today I weighed in. It was the same as last week. I'm kind of disappointed. I was sick this week and didn't much at all, so I was expecting to lose a pound at least. I know I would have gained that pound back, but it would have been nice to see a lower number on the scale two weeks in a row.

Nonetheless, I'm happy I didn't gain weight since I didn't exercise much considering I didn't get out of bed for three days.

This next week, I would like to lose. At least one pound. I will be very strict with my diet and workout hard. Sticking with my diet seems difficult right now because I just ate breakfast an hour ago and my stomach is growling. I will not snack. I swear. I want to lose a pound this week. I will ignore the hunger until lunch, I swear.

Pounds lost: 10
Pounds to lose:90

Loose Skin

As I have been losing weight, I have noticed that the skin around my stomach area has been looser and saggier.  I have stretch marks (or the reverse of stretch marks from losing weight?) all along my stomach and sides.  While this is a good problem to have (since it means I am losing weight), I was wondering how I can prevent them.  I don’t want to lose a bunch of weight and have saggy skin everywhere.  So, I researched some helpful tips to help tighten loose skin after weight loss.

1.       Don’t lose weight too quickly

Aim for 1-2 pounds a week.  Crash diets and losing a lot of weight quickly can lose fat as well as muscle causing skin to be looser than if a person lost weight slower.  To make sure that muscle is not lost during weight loss, include weight lifting into your exercise program.

2.       Stay Hydrated

Water maintains skin elasticity.  Make sure that you drink enough water every day.

3.       Eat properly

Protein rich foods contain collagen which help keeps skin plump.  Oils contain elastin which improves skin elasticity.   Protein is absorbed better if eaten after a workout.

4.       Take good care of your skin

This should go without saying.  Exfoliate daily to help remove dead skin cells and increase skin circulation.  Hot bath with minerals and sea salts can improve skin tone.  There are creams that promote skin tightening.  Keep your skin hydrated by using moisturizers and do not use harsh soaps.  Limit sun exposure since it decreases skin elasticity.

Motivation

I have been sick with a sinus infection for the last couple of days.  The last thing I want to do is workout.  I just want to sleep, but I know that if I don’t keep up with my workouts I won’t continue them when I get better. I was on Pinterest and a couple of workout motivational pins popped up.  I thought I would share them.

Wednesday weigh in

I am so excited today. I weighed and I have finally lost 10 pounds! I'm so happy. Now, I can get my 10 reward. I get a pedicure. I've never had one before, so in pretty excited about it.

Last week I worked my butt off. I exercised hard. I stuck to my diet. And the most exciting part of this week is that my old jeans fit again. They have been in my closet for over a year and a half. This weekend I wore them. I'm so happy.

This week I want to continue my momentum. I will keep eating right and keep exercising.

Pounds lost:10
Pounds to lose:90

Quick Tips to Lose Weight

I was reading an article from a pin on Pinterest entitled “What is the Quickest Way to Lose Weight?”  I try to do all of these things.  They are simple tips as well as interesting facts.  I will definitely have to remember these four tips while I am losing weight.  Check it out.

From the website:

1 .Avoid eating junk food: 90%of junk food is high in fat content. This is a major NO-NO if you want to lose weight quickly. If you keep eating food which is rich in calorie and fat content you can’t possible lose weight, leave alone losing it fast! The most common junk, or rather fast foods are French fries, fries chicken, etc. Avoid eating all this as these foods are high in fat and calories content and will make you gain weight. Most people often eat too much of fast foods because they are easy to get a hold of. If you are on a mission to lose weight, stop yourself every time you crave fast foods!

 2. Maintain a diet which consists of fiber-rich food: Reducing your carbohydrate intake and increasing your protein and fiber intake will help to lose weight quickly. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is important as they are high in fiber content and also contain nutrients which are essential to the body. The main advantages of eating fruits and vegetables is that they are high in fiber content and this helps you to feel full without you having to take in too many calories.

 3. Go for walks, exercise regularly: walking is the best exercise. If you want to lose weight quickly make sure to go for at least a twenty minutes’ walk every day. Even exercising regularly helps. Even something as simple as a few pull-ups and push-ups every day would do. Exercising helps to burn fat and calories as it increases your body’s metabolism.

 4. Stay active all the time: keeping yourself active all the time is important if you wish to burn calories quickly. When you are active your body’s metabolism rate doesn’t slow down and this helps you to lose weight quickly as your body will be constantly burning calories. Simple activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to the store down the road instead of taking the car, etc. these little things contribute to your weight loss process as your metabolism rate will be high.

Wednesday Weigh In

It’s weigh in Wednesday! 

Well, I’m trying to look on the bright side today. I didn’t gain weight.  But, I also didn’t lose any. 

I don’t know why.  I just am stuck.  This is my third week in a row weighing in much.  I want to lose weight so badly.  I’m so close to the ten pound mark.  I want to hit that soon. 

I don’t know what I did wrong this week.  I followed my workout plan.  I followed my diet.  Yet, weight loss just didn’t happen.

This next week, I want to continue to follow my plans.  I don’t think I will allow myself to have S days this weekend.  I want to limit my sugar.  Maybe that will help me lose a pound or two.

Pounds lost: 8.5

Pounds to lose: 91.5

Celebrity Weight Loss

As I am trying to lose weight, I always find it interesting to read how celebrities do it.  Now, I know that most celebrity weight loss stories are made up.  It’s so much easier to lose weight when a doctor sucks it right out of you.  That being said, I do like when a celebrity obviously lost the weight on his or her own.

Jeff Dunham lost 25 pounds before his wedding according to People.com.  Of course, he married a fitness model who is a nutritionist and trainer.  I’m sure that helped. 

To prepare for their wedding, they followed her diet fro when she competes in bikini competitions.  It’s high in protein, low in carbs, and free of gluten, dairy, and alcohol.  Plus, he did an hour and twenty minutes of stair climbing each day. 

Let me tell you, he looks great.  I didn’t even recognize him.

I hope that I can do stairs for that long someday. 

A little update

I don't really have much to say this week.  I'm really happy with my new work out program.  It seems very doable. 

My only problem is that it takes over an hour a day.  45 minutes in the morning and about 15 at night.
I can't really find the time to do 45 minutes most mornings, so its usually 45 minutes in the afternoon with 15 minutes later in the night. 

I hope that doesn't effect my progress.

Also, my big toe won't stop popping out of the socket.  Is that weird?  It only hurts when it's out of the socket.  Should I see a doctor? 

Wednesday Weigh in

Another Wednesday, another weigh in.  This week was kind of disappointing. I thought that I was doing good, but the scale says otherwise. 

I didn’t lose any weight this week.  On the bright side, I didn’t gain any either.

What I did wrong this week:  I may have cheated on my diet.  Ok, I did.  I was on my period and craving chocolate.  I’m a stereotype, sue me.  I was hungry all the time.  I didn’t cheat much, but it was probably the reason for not losing any weight.

What I did right:  I exercised.  I really like this new program.  I feel good after working out.  Even when I didn’t want to work out, I still forced myself to.

What I will do this week differently:  I will not cheat on my diet. I repeat, I will not cheat on my diet. 

Weight lost: 8.5 lbs

Weight to lose: 91.5 lbs

Hypnosis for weight loss?

I was reading this article on losing weight from hypnosis.  I have heard of this and know people who stopped smoking after being hypnotized.  I don’t know it if really works, or if people are just convincing themselves that hypnosis cured them in a mind over matter type of way.  I think that the idea is fascinating. 

In the article, Judy Seward struggled with her weight. She was 100 pounds overweight in April when she decided to make a change.  While her doctor suggested gastric bypass, she opted for a session with hypnotherapist Rena Greenberg.

Greenberg believes that hypnosis is about replacing her obsessive eating habits with healthier ones and not controlling her mind.

According to the article, during “private sessions - which run from $297 to $1,099 - Greenberg also adds this twist: convincing Judy that she's had surgery to apply a band around her stomach that physically limits her food intake.”

 In three and a half months, Judy has lost 30pounds due to her newfound love of fruits and vegetables. 

She also exercises using dance programs and she listens to CDs with Greenberg’s messages. 

Dr. David Sarwer, who runs Penn Medicine's Weight Management Program, says  “30 years of research haven't turned up evidence that it's effective for many people, especially that simulated weight loss surgery.”

He believes that Judy’s lifestyle changes are the cause of her weight loss and not hypnosis. 

I don’t know if I really believe in hypnosis, but if it worked for Judy, maybe it does work.  I don’t know.  Maybe I’ll try it. Or maybe not.

Drinking more Water

My new exercise program recommends drinking a gallon of water a day.  I know that there is no way I could do that even though I should.  My job does not allow me to go to the bathroom whenever I want.  It’s just one of the benefits of being a substitute teacher.  I know that drinking a gallon of water is going to make me pee a lot.

So, I was looking around for a different system to motivate me to drink water- a lot less water than a gallon, but more than I do now.  I saw a pin on Pinterest about marking bottles of water with a time that you have to drink it by.  I like this idea.  It keeps me drinking water throughout the day.

I did change the times a little bit.  It fits into my schedule better.  I like that this I easy to modify to fit into anyone’s schedule.

I’m going to be so well hydrated.

Wednesday Weigh In

After weeks of my weight plateauing, I have lost weight again.  I’m so happy.  I weighed myself this morning twice just to make sure that it was right.  I lost 2.5 pounds this week.

I think that this new workout program is the reason for it.  I am so sore, but I feel so good.  It sounds weird, but I really like this workout plan I’m doing. 

Next week, I hope to lose 2 more pounds.  That’s my goal.  Then, I can get my 10 pound reward.  I really want to hit the 10 pound mark next week for me- to prove that I can do it. 

I will reach my goal by continuing my exercise plan and diet.  I will get enough sleep which has been a problem for me lately.  I know that not getting 8 hours a night can hinder weight loss and I need to strive to sleep that much. 

Anyways, I consider this week a big success.  I think next week will be great as well.

Weight lost: 8.5 lbs.

Weight to lose: 91.5 lbs.

Workout Day 1

Today, I did my first workout from my new workout plan. It seriously kicked my butt. 

In the morning, I was supposed to do 45 minutes of elliptical, treadmill, or stair climbing. I did 15 minutes of stair climbing and walked for 30 minutes.  I’m pretty happy with the 15 minutes of stair climbing.  It was hard.  I hope to work up to 45 minutes slowly. 

In the afternoon, I did:

Side Lateral Raise (3 sets of 8 reps)
Front Dumbbell Raise (3 sets of 8 reps)
Reverse Machine Flies (3 sets of 8 reps)
Crunches (3 sets of 50 reps)
Air Bike (3 sets of 20 reps)

Bent-Knee Hip Raise (3 sets of 20 reps)

It didn’t seem like much when I was doing it, but afterwards I was seriously sore.  I only used 3 pound weights because that’s all I have and that’s probably all I can lift now.  I want to work up to heavier weights over time. 

New Workout Plan!

I found this workout plan on Pinterest.  This is what I have decided to change my work out plan to. I’m going to try it for a while and maybe tweak a few things to make it work for me.

 I’m pretty excited about it.  Plus, she included print outs to keep track of progress during the workouts.

 I’m starting this on Monday, so wish me luck!

Wednesday weigh in

Another Wednesday, another weigh in. I'm beginning to feel very monotonous with my weigh ins. Yet again my weight is the same.

I just don't get it because I feel like I'm losing weight. My waist is much smaller than it was a month ago. Yet, my weight is the same.

I am working out every day. I am eating better. I am stuck on a plateau and don't know why to do.

Lately I have been toying with the idea of going vegan again. Last time I went vegan, I lost twenty pounds in two months and kept it off for four more. It's definitely an option at this point. I need something to boost my weight loss so I'm considering it. Just a thought.

This week my goal is to lose 2 pounds. I can do this. I want to exercise everyday and eat healthier. I am going to get vegetables at every meal including breakfast.

Last week I went out of town again which caused some bad eating habits, but I did exercise a lot that week.

Pounds lost:6
Pounds to lose: 94

Inspiration

I came across this blog and really like it.  It has some good stories and motivational pictures. I will definitely continue to read this blog.  I like how each week she sets goals, acknowledges challenges, and reviews how the last week went.  I like the format and think I will use it as part of my Wednesday weigh ins. It is a good self-assessment tool to use as part of my reflections each week.   

Vacationing and Dieting

I know that dieting and vacation are not easy to do together.  Last weekend, I went a little crazy.  I was gone for four days Saturday through Tuesday.  I decided to let Monday and Tuesday be special days, so I wouldn’t have to worry about cheating on my diet.  That was a big mistake. 

It’s now Friday and I am still feeling the effects of that mistake.  I’m bloated.  My stomach aches.  My skin is broken out.  Here’s the thing- I didn’t think that I over did it.  I had soda every once in a while.  Everyone has cheesecake, so I had some.  I wish I hadn’t.  I feel terrible.  I can’t believe that the little bit of sugar I eat over vacation affected me so much.  I used to eat so much more on a regular basis.

Looking back I could have done better.  Here are some things I should have done, so I would have stuck to my diet better.

1)      Drink more water.  It’s so easy to buy pop, juice, or other sugary drinks when you aren’t at home.  Keep water with you at all times so you aren’t tempted.

2)      Don’t overdo the sweets.  Limit the amount of “cheats” you can have during vacation to one a day.  I know I should have done that.  I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted on my “s” days.  I shouldn’t have.  This is why I feel terrible.

3)      Remember you are on a diet.  I kept forgetting.  It’s so easy to forget when you are out eating with other people.  My friend took a break from her diet and was going crazy.  I don’t think that I have seen anyone eat so many Oreos.  It was hard not to have one or two with her.

4)      Remind yourself that you have to get out of your bad vacation habits once you get home.  After four days for eating sugar, it was really hard to stop when I was home.  I kept finding myself snacking or drinking juice this week.  It’s so hard to quit.  I don’t remember it being this difficult to stop when I started the diet. 

Wednesday Weigh in

My Wednesday weigh in was better than I expected today.  I stayed at the same weight.  For a change, I am happy with that.  I was surprised that it was that good.  I thought I had gained weight. 

I took a four day vacation with some friends and didn’t follow my diet very well.  I had a bit too many sweets.  After coming home last night, I realized that I would have to step on the scale in the morning and I started to worry.  I didn’t even have a buffer day to eat healthy before weigh in, but it was still better than I thought. 

Hopefully, next Wednesday will be better news for me.  I really want to lose some weight this week.  I’m working on creating an exercise program that will work for me.  I have had a lot of trial and error when making it, but I think I have created a system that will get the job done. 

Pounds to lose: 94

Pounds lost: 6

Allergies and Weight loss

Allergy season always kicks my butt. I am so tired all the time. I can't work out because I can barely breathe. I mean I am winded just sitting here typing this. Every single allergy season I get bronchitis too. I can feel my chest tightening and my breathing getting shallower. As I was popping my medicine, I started wondering if this would affect my weight loss in other ways than being too sick to work out. I googled allergies and weight gain since this week's weigh in did not go so well and I was surprised at what I found.

Some antihistamines can cause an increase in appetite.  Mine was on the list. No wonder why I have been so hungry lately. I have had to use a lot of willpower to stick to my diet. My stomach would be growling as I tried to sleep apart every night.

Some medicines can cause sleepiness which makes people lazy. I know that happens to me. When I take Benadryl, I fall asleep within a half hour of taking it every time. I certainly have skipped workouts recently so I could sleep.

How can you stop weigh gain because of allergy medication?

They say that newer medicines may cause less weight gain such as Claritin.
See an allergist. They can prescribe medicines without those side effects for you.
Stay hydrated with water.
Eat healthy. If your appetite is increased, stick with healthy choices.

Wednesday Weigh in

So day was my weigh in for the week.  I’m started to get frustrated.  I gained one pound back.  I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.  I seem to keep hovering between losing 5 and 7 pounds.  I need something to break the plateau.  I guess I need to work out more.  I’m trying to eat healthier, but obviously it isn’t enough.

Allergy season is really holding me back.  I can barely breathe at all and am taking Benadryl every 6 hours.  The medicine is making me sleepy, so I don’t want to work out.  I have to force myself to walk.  All I want to do is sleep.  This has to stop.  I can’t wait until my allergies are better.

In other news, my skin is looking fabulous.  A couple of weeks ago, my face started breaking out.  I mean, it broke out A LOT.  Finally, my skin is clearing up and I think that limiting my sugar intake has really helped that. 

 Weight lost: 6 lbs.

Weight to lose: 94 lbs.

Rewards

I was thinking today about using incentives to keep me on track.  I know I do better with something to work towards.  Focusing on a reward might make me more likely to try and lose weight.  So, today I decided to make a list of this I want.  Here are some short-term rewards.  I am so close to having lost 10 pounds!  I only have a week or two until I reach that goal!

Goals:

10 lbs lost-pedicure (I'll need it after all this working out)

15 lbs lost-sports bra (My old one is getting too big.  I don't know how I feel about that.  I wish my pants were getting too big, not my bra)

20 lbs lost-work out pants

25 lbs lost- Nike shoes

PCOS and Exercise

This week I have been seriously thinking about exercise.  I have done a lot of research and found out some interesting things.  But first some background information.  About two years ago, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which basically affects a woman’s hormones.  It can make it difficult to lose weight, have regular periods, and get pregnant.  One way to improve PCOS symptoms is to lose 10% of your weight.  So far I have only lost about 5% of my weight, but I’m working on that.

I started looking into PCOS and exercise.  I was shocked to discover that too much exercise can make PCOS worse which causes more weight gain.  Exercising too much can increase the amount of testosterone which is bad for weight loss.  All the websites recommend to lift weights, do light cardio, and yoga.  But, they say that it is up to the person to find the balance between too much and too little exercise that works for her body.

Honestly, this makes sense if I look back to the last couple of weeks.  The one week I gained weight was the week that I exercised the most.  When I walk a half hour twice a day, I seem to lose weight faster even though I feel like I’m doing less than I should.  Maybe that’s the best cardio plan for me.  Now, I just have to add in weight lifting and yoga into my routine. 

Wednesday Weigh In

I am excited after my weigh in today.  I have lost weight again.  It makes me feel so much better after my disappointment last week.  I lost 3.5 pounds since last week.  I am almost back on track.  I think that last week was just a fluke.  I am still losing weight and that is what is important to me. 

I really do think that the diet is what is doing it. I never imagined that such a small, easy change could make such a big difference.

 I have gone back to me exercise plan from before I started this blog, so I know it’s not that.  I tried a new one last week and I blame that for the weight gain although I don’t think that is rational.  Now, I just walk for a half hour twice a day.  I want to add in abs and weights but I haven’t found a plan that I can do every day.   I am going to work on that this week.  I still do the Tiffany Rothe workouts that I found on Youtube, but I don’t do them every day.  So, I need to make a plan that works for me.  Fingers cross that I do it this week.

Weight lost: 7 lbs.

Weight to lose: 93 lbs.

Wednesday Weigh in

Today I weight in like I do every Wednesday.  I thought that my numbers were going to be good.  I had been steadily losing weight since I started this blog, so I was surprise that this week I gained back two pounds.   I stepped off the scale and weighed myself again just to make sure. 

I don’t know what I did wrong this week.  I stuck to my diet.  I didn’t eat too much snacks or sweets this weekend.  I even started exercising more.  In fact, I exercised a lot this week.  My legs are so sore.  I know that I could have gained some muscle, but I know I didn’t gain two pounds worth of muscle. 

I am a little bloated.  It has been so hot outside and I have been retaining a lot of water, but there is nothing I can do about that.  Maybe I’m making up excuses for myself.  The numbers don’t lie; somehow I gained two pounds this week despite working hard. 

This is so frustrating.  I don’t know what to do.  Usually this is about the time that I give up.  I know that and am determined to keep going this time.  I am going to lose the weight this time.  I refuse to give up is my new motto. 

Yes, this is a setback.  But I keep reminding myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  I need to focus on the fact that I have lost some pounds from my starting weight.  That is what is important.  I need to work hard this coming week and focus on where I want to be, not the weight I gained back. 

weight lost: 3.5 pounds
weight to lose: 96.5 pounds

Diet Update- I can do this!

I have been doing this “No S Diet” for a while now and I really like it.  I think that is the main reason for my weight loss. My exercise routine hasn’t really changed that much, but my diet has.  With the “No S Diet” I am allowed sugar and snacks on the weekends, but this weekend I noticed that I didn’t want to eat sugar or snacks. 

Saturday night, I was drinking water with my dinner.  I didn’t even think about it until I noticed that I was doing it.  Normally, I would have been drinking lemonade like everyone else, but without thinking I had grabbed a bottle of water instead. 

When I noticed, I felt really proud of myself.  I made a healthy choice without even thinking about being healthy.  This is getting easier.  The diet is becoming part of my everyday life.  I think that eventually I won’t even need “S” days.  I want to get to the place where I don’t want sweets or snacks on my “S” days.  I think I can do that.

Now, I not saying that didn’t have a snack or two this weekend, but I wanted less.  I wasn’t tempted by ice cream and pop.  That is a big deal to me.  I think that I can live with this. 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I used to be a runner.  I decided to take up running again about three weeks ago.  Let me say that it is not going well.  I am getting very frustrated with it.  I never was fast.  I will probably never be fast.  I’m ok with that. 

Now, I am struggling with running at all.  I am out of breath, out of shape, and out of luck.  I struggle to get around the track (with is 2/3 mile) once without stopping.  I know that every time I go running is good for me, but I just feel like I’m not making any progress.

Yes, running makes me feel better.  I just wish that I was able to run.  Now, what I call running is actually a slow jog and it’s getting frustrating. 

I probably wouldn’t care about running slowly and having to walk every 1/3 mile if I wasn’t running outside.  I feel judged by everyone who is at the park or drives by.  People always turn their heads as they drive by to look at me.  I wish they wouldn’t do that.  It seems weird to me that they would feel the need to stare when I jog.  It makes me feel more self-conscious than I already am.

I guess that’s what it all comes down to- self-consciousness.  I hope that it gets better when I lose more weight. 

Wednesday Weigh In

Today is Wednesday and I was dreading weighing myself today.  I haven't seen as much change this week as I did the first two weeks, so I was afraid of what the scale might say.  In addition to that, I am not feeling good today.  My allergies have gotten the better of me, so I really didn't want a set back when feeling sick.  I'm not going to lie, I almost didn't weigh myself.  I was just going to "forget" to do it, but I'm glad I forced myself to step on that scale.

I was extremely surprised to see I had lost two more pounds!  I can't believe it.  I was feeling so fat this week, but I was really losing weight.  I'm so happy.  Now, if I could get rid of my allergies, I would feel great. 

I haven't weighed this weight in over a year.  I am so happy.  I still have a long way to go, but I feel like I can do it.  I can't wait until I can wear my old jeans from two years ago.  When I can do that, I may have to have a party.

weight lost: 5.5 lbs.
weight to lose: 94.5 lbs.

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

While trying to lose weight, I try and eat vegetables a lot, so I am always looking for new recipes to try.  Otherwise, eating salads everyday gets boring and I'm more likely to cheat on my diet.  I saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it.  

I wish mine were as picturesque as the picture from pinterest.

It took about a half hour of prep time and two hours cook time.  I didn’t use green chiles.  Just a personal preference.  I also used a Boca burger that I crumbled up instead of tempeh because I didn’t have any.  I also didn't add cheese to make it more healthy.

When I was amazed that this recipe made exactly the about of filling I needed.  There was no leftover filling!  That’s almost impossible to do. I must have pepper stuffing skills because I made it work.

Anyways, the peppers were delicious.  I am definitely going to be making these again. The best part is that they cook in a crockpot, so its easy to do.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

 4 cloves garlic, minced
 1/2 onion, finely chopped
 1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, crumbled
 Unrefined sea salt, to taste
 1 teaspoon paprika
 2 pinches cayenne pepper
 1 teaspoon cumin
 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
 11/2 cups good-quality, all-natural prepared marinara sauce
 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
 4 red bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
 1/2 cup shredded, low-fat organic cheddar cheese

 Instructions:

 1.  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet to medium-high; add garlic and onion, and sautée until onion is just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tempeh and sautée for 3-4 minutes. Season onion and tempeh with salt to taste. Mix in the paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, and corn kernels.

 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce and green chiles. Pour the marinara–green chile mixture into the skillet with the tempeh; mix well to combine. Stir in the cilantro and black beans.

 3. Stuff the peppers with the tempeh mixture. Arrange the peppers in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook the peppers on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.

4. Remove the lid and top the peppers with the shredded cheese, replace the cover, and cook on high for 15-20 additional minutes. Allow peppers to cool 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Losing a pound

To lose a pound, a person must burn 3500 calories.  I thought it would be interesting to figure out how long I would have to do an exercise to lose a pound.  This website has a calculator to help determine just that.  All I had to do was put in my weight and age and it gave me an approximation of how long I would have to do a certain exercise to lose a pound.  Here are the highlights.

I would have to:

Run at 12mph for 84 minutes.

Do the elliptical trainer for 166 minutes.

Play basketball 1/2 court for 230 minutes.

Walk up stairs for 234 minutes.

Chop wood for 310 minutes.

Sleep for 2,040 minutes. 

I don’t know think I could chop wood for 310 minutes.  However, some of the other activities are much more doable especially if you divide the minutes so you can lose a pound in 7 days.  I think that it is very interesting to see how the activities compare by calories burned.  I will definitely be using this site to help plan my weekly activities.

Progress

I am so excited because I weighed myself today.  I’m going to try to weigh myself every Wednesday.  I am officially down 3.5 pounds since I started two weeks ago.  I know that it’s not much, but it’s a start.  It’s more than I have lost in a long time.  I am so proud of myself.  This new diet and exercise program that I have started myself on is working.

I have worked so hard these last two weeks and it’s such a good feeling to know that all my hard work is starting to pay off.  3.5 pounds is so close to my goal of two pounds a week.  I’m not quite there yet, but I am hopeful to lose so much more.  I look forward to the day that I see progress when I look in the mirror, not just on the scale.

I must confess that I did kind of cheat on my diet yesterday.  I felt so bad about it.  Last night, I realized that I had forgotten to take my pill which I am supposed to take with food.  I tried to take it without eating anything as soon as I realized that I forgot it.  However, within a few minutes, I began to feel sick, so I ate a piece of cheese that was not part of a meal.  I felt so much better except for the guilt of not following my diet.  I know that it’s not a big deal. I just worry that one exception will lead to more and that will be the end of my willpower.

I think that is way I am so happy with my weight today.  I need something to keep me excited and wanting to work towards my goal.  I need to stay on track. 

Weight lost: 3.5 lbs.

Weight to lose: 96.5 lbs.

Tiffany Rothe Workouts

So this last weekend I discovered Tiffany Rothe workouts on Youtube.  They are so much fun that they don’t even feel like workouts.  I seriously am in love with them.  They are easy to do but I am so sore.  I didn’t feel stiff until the next day.  She has a lot of videos on her website, tiffanyrotheworkouts.com.

They are just what I want in workout videos.  They are short, easy, and get the job done.  My abs have never been this sore and I didn’t even think I was working out that hard.  Amazing.  I would definitely try "The 10 Minute Booty Shaking Workout.”  It's so much fun and such a good work out.

Coffee and Weight Loss

So I no longer am drinking juice because of the sugar in it.  I have replaced juice with coffee in the morning.  While it doesn’t have sugar in it (I drink it black), I was still wondering if it was good for me and if it would hinder my weight loss.  So I did some research.

I found that there are differing thoughts about coffee and weight loss.  Some places say that the caffeine acts as a stimulant and helps boast your metabolism.  Others say that caffeine increases insulin resistance which makes it more difficult to lose weight.  While I couldn’t find reasoning behind the idea that caffeine causes insulin resistance, I can attest to the fact that coffee gives me energy.  I use that energy to work out longer and more often, so I would have to say that it does help based on my own experiences.

I don’t know if it really does me any good to drink coffee, but I like it.  I don’t add sugar or cream or flavors to it, so I figure that it can’t do me any harm.  I think that it is interesting that there are so many differing opinions on how coffee affects weight loss. 

Shopping

Yesterday, I did something that I love and hate- shopping. I love looking at clothes and making outfits, but I hate trying clothes on.  It is an extremely frustrating experience.  I know that they say to not pay attention to size because sizes vary from store to store and style to style. But to me, size does matter.  If a pair of pants is a little too tight, I would much rather not buy them then to buy the next size up. 

Pants are my biggest issue.  They never fit right.  I have short legs and hold all my weight in my hips.  If a pair of pants fit my hips, they are most likely going to be too big in my legs.  I just have to deal with that.  But that is why I only own three pairs of pants-jeans, black pants, and khakis. 

Yesterday, I decided to skip the pants.  I was determined to have a good shopping trip with my friends and not feel bad about myself.  So I only tried on shirts.  Bravely, I decided to try on a shirt that I tried on last month.  I didn’t buy it then because it was just a tad too tight and I was too stubborn to buy the next size up.  This time, it fit so much better, so I bought it.  I love that shirt and am so glad that it fits me now.  It makes me feel better.  I know that the scale hasn’t moved that much, but I feel a lot skinnier now.  I have noticed that my double chin has gotten smaller, too.  Yay!

Weight Lost:2 lbs.

Weight to lose:98 lbs.

No S Diet- day 3

So it is now the third official day of the “No S Diet.” It’s been super easy so far.  I don’t even have to think about it.  It doesn’t feel like I’m even on a diet.   The only thing that I miss is juice.  I enjoy lemonade or orange juice almost every day, so it’s been the only thing I miss. I know they are basically all sugar and calorie-filled so this is good that I have stopped drinking pointless calories.

 I do have to say that my skin looks so good.  If I had known that no eating or drinking sweets would solve my acne problems, I would have done this years ago.  I woke up on the second day and all my pimples were gone.  This morning, I noticed that my dark spots were lighter.  My skin is glowing. I love it.

I don’t think I have lost any real weight from this yet, but I would keep doing this just for the better skin.  I do hope that this diet will help me lose weight even though I think it may take a while since the changes aren’t that drastic. 

No S Diet

                I recently came across a diet that seems so simple that it is common sense.  It’s called “The No S Diet.”  Basically, you only eat ‘s’ foods- sweets, seconds, snacks- on days that start with S- Saturday, Sunday, Special days.  I can’t believe that this had to be a diet plan.  You just eat meals- no extras except on the weekends or special days like birthdays, holidays, and such.

                I like that there are no banned foods.  Sure, you shouldn’t eat a cookie on a Wednesday, but Sunday you can have all the cookies you want.  It hardly seems like a diet at all.  “The No S Diet” just takes will-power. The scariest part of it seems to be that you have to face that you don’t eat only 3 meals a day and the extras- the s’s- are what is making you fat.  I think it will be very ugly and sad for me to face the reality of the amount of snacking I do.

                Anyways, I started this diet on Saturday, but today was the first real day of dieting.  I kind of like a diet where you don’t start dieting until day 3.  I feel good about this.  It’s a no-brainer, but it is early in the day.  I don’t start to snack and be unhealthy until after dinner, so that will be when I feel it the most. 

                “The No S Diet” just seems so simple that it seems fail-proof.  You are allowed at least two cheat days a week.  That’s 2/7 a week.    My grandpa started it and it is helping him lose weight.  If my grandpa can do it, surely I can.  Wish me luck.  I’ll let you know how it’s going.

Weight lost: 1.5 lbs

Weight to lose:98.5 lbs