Just Friday

It's been quiet around here. I just haven't been able to muster up the energy to make time for putting some posts together even though I have quite a bit I could be sharing. My time is being spent working out, on grocery store runs, chopping up food, working, eating, researching TCM/TTC, peeing on ovulation predictor sticks, a little bit of housework here and there (a little), going out to dinner because cooking... just... ugh, and day dreaming about redecorating the house.

Seriously, I feel like I am constantly chopping up food. My TCM doctor wants me to eat 40% raw vegetables. Those yams up there count towards my carbs, which are to be 30% of my diet. I'm really struggling with the vegetables. I chopped up this big ol' broccoli salad (the third I've made over the past few weeks), ate half of it and saved the rest. Then I opened it up another day and it was less than tolerable, so I dumped it. I still have a bunch of these un-chopped veggies left that I still have to eat and not let go to waste, but I think I'll be steaming them. I just can't handle any more raw broccoli.

I had my third acupuncture appointment on Monday. He put the same 7 needles in my lower abdomen with the electric current, and still none in my arms or head, but it seems like he put more in my legs than last time. Also, unhappy with my still erratic and low-dipping temperatures, he gave me a second herbal blend to take in addition to the first one he prescribed. The first herbs he gave me were to clear stagnant blood and to create better blood flow to my uterus. This new one is meant to help raise my body temperature. Is it working?

This is my chart for this month. The highlighted day was my last appointment. Half of my temperatures before he prescribed the second herb were under 97 degrees (which is too low) and showed as great a variance as 1.2 degrees (which is too erratic). But then all four of my temperatures since starting the new herb have leveled out and have stayed between 97.00 and 97.10. Of all my BBT charts, I've never had such a stable temperature over the course of 4 consecutive days. This leads me to really believe that my treatment and dedication to the diet are both working which I find really interesting and exciting.

Oh, because it's Friday, can I talk about m'fitness? Since I haven't posted about it since my anniversary on the 7th? Well, even when I don't post, I do still weigh in and take measurements. Last week I weighed in at 146.2, almost a pound lost since the 7th but the measurements were the same. This week, however, I slowly crept back up to 146.8... oh my gaaawd, I knooooowww. [eyeroll] It's silly, but I find myself obsessed with those stupid two-tenths increments. Though, in doing so, I confirm every month that I lose weight at the end of my period, then gain weight as I lead up to ovulation, then lose after ovulation, then gain when my period is due. It's a roller coaster that really still taunts me even though I fully expect it.

And while I'm still keeping track of my numbers and still working out 5 times a week, I'm not actively trying to lose weight at the moment. It's too difficult to concern myself both with my TCM diet and a weight loss diet. TCM/TTC takes precedence right now, and since we still like to eat out fairly often, I'm finding myself making less-than-healthy choices with the new addition of fried food to my "diet". No, it's not good for me, and no, I'm not eating it for every meal, but I'm not averse to it like I was before. I still eat quite healthfully during the day and I'm obviously not drinking my calories like I used to, and since I'm still working out, it's not really catching up to me. If anything, some days I'm not getting enough calories, so maybe I order a ham and turkey sub and maybe I'm ready to slather that shiz with mayo. Mayo is delicious on sandwiches guys, and I'm happy to have it back in my life.

So that's that. This has gotten wordy, so...

A Fitness Anniversary

Hey guys, remember when I finally got sick of feeling sorry for myself and started working out and taking care of my body? It was a year ago today!

Remember this?

So. Awkward.

I took what I had hoped would become my "before" pictures one week after I started working out at the pilates/spin studio. In that week, I had lost 2.5 pounds and 3.5 inches leaving me feeling very motivated to continue. By August 9th, I had lost 10.5 pounds and 12.5 inches. I plateaued a bit, then only lost one more pound by October 4th. In that post, I mentioned that I had somewhat fallen off the healthy-eating train and even mentioned that I needed to keep myself on track during the upcoming holiday season.

That didn't happen.

October 4th had been my last fitness post of 2012. Three months later on January 4th, it was time to get back on track. I posted new photos and set a new base for my measurements; I was no longer comparing myself to my starting weight and size from June. I was up 2.5 pounds and 2.75 inches and really motivated to break into the 140s.

I did really well the first week losing 2 pounds and 2 inches, then another pound and another inch the following week, putting myself ahead of where I was before I went to town on my mother-in-law's two tubs of Christmas cookies that she had mailed us. But then my mom's surgery happened and I spent 2 weeks in Ohio taking care of her with no real way of getting my fitness in.

I fluctuated through February but in March, I first hit my 5 pound mark for 2013 followed by the 15 pound mark since starting my journey last June. It was a good month! March was also the month that I started going to CUT Fitness, eventually transitioning from going to both CUT and Studio 5 in March and April to letting my pilates contract expire and attending classes only at CUT.

April was rough for fitness being that my family was out visiting for a week, then our house flooded, then Jamie and I were gone on our New York trip! I didn't get back to regular fitnessizing til a week into May. Since then, I've somewhat been struggling with getting back on my weight loss track, but I'm happy to say that last week was the day that I finally was back at my 15 pounds lost mark.

That wordily brings us to today, my one year anniversary. Wanna see some side by sides?

Left: 6/14/2012; Center: 1/4/2013; Right: Today!

Left: 6/14/2012; Center: 1/4/2013; Right: Today!

(I decided to throw on those awful booty shorts just to offer a more accurate comparison to my "before" photos.)

June 7, 2012 (gained since 5/2010)

• Weight - 163 (+20)
• Calf - 14.25"
• Knee - 16.5"
• Thigh - 25.5" (+2")
• Hips/Butt - 43.5" (+3.25")
• Belly - 40.5" 
• Waist - 34" (+4")
• Bust - 40"
• Arm - 13" (+1.75")

January 4th, 2013 (lost since 6/7/13)

• Weight - 154 (-9)
• Calf - 13.75" (-0.5)
• Knee - 15.25" (-0.75)
• Thigh - 24.25" (-1.25)
• Hips/Butt - 41.75" (-1.75)
• Belly - 39.5" (-1)
• Waist - 31.5" (-2.5)
• Bust - 38" (-2)
• Arms - 12.25" (-0.75)

June 7th, 2013 (lost since 6/7/13)

• Weight - 147 (-16)
• Calf - 13.5" (-0.75)
• Knee - 15.25" (-0.75)
• Thigh - 23.75" (-1.75)
• Hips/Butt - 40.75" (-2.75)
• Belly - 38.5" (-2)
• Waist - 30" (-4)
• Bust - 36" (-4)
• Arms - 11.5" (-1.5)

Since January I've lost 7 pounds and 7 inches. In the last year I've lost 16 pounds and 17.5 inches. While in this world of get-thin-quick schemes, 16 pounds in a year doesn't seem like much or even all that impressive. Sure, I could have been really strict and probably lose 20 pounds in a few months, but I know from experience that that doesn't work for me in the long run. I'd rather lose the weight slowly and effectively keep it off. I've found it much easier to maintain the general loss give or take a few pounds over this time where even the periods in January and April where I wasn't working out much and wasn't eating carefully didn't set me back more than a couple pounds. 

I'm happy with my results so far. I'm a little bit leaner, I'm stronger, and I'm more fit. I no longer get winded walking up the stairs. I often find myself bounding up the stairs of our three story condo. I see muscle definition and feel more comfortable waving my arms in a tank top. Wearing shorts is still another hurdle... but if I may get cheesy for a moment, fitness is a journey not a destination. I'm not finished and I intend to keep going. Let's see what happens next. 

Fitness Friday

It's somewhat deliberate that I didn't post last Friday. The Friday before last was the day that I so proudly declared that I was going to lose five pounds by my one-year fitness anniversary, June 7th. On that day, I had weighed in at 148.2 and the majority of my measurements had gone up by a quarter of an inch. I felt really motivated! I lost five pounds when I decided to get my ass back in gear after the new year, so surely I could do it again.

Then last Friday rolls around and I weight and measure myself. 149.8 and every single one of my measurements were up another quarter of an inch. 

This is not the direction I am supposed to be going.

I do blame it on my cycle, however. I've always bloated around ovulation, and that part of my cycle matched up to last week. While it's an excuse for the gain, it doesn't make me feel better. I know I could have done better had I been strict with my restrictions. Last week, I did manage to go a whole three days (in a row) without having a beer. *eye roll* My attempts at cutting back my alcohol intake for health reasons has been met with criticism and peer-pressure (though that's not to say I haven't given in before anyone could say anything). Staying home to cook dinner is easier said than done when you have friends to meet up with or a husband that wants to eat out and have a drink after work or well, let's just face it, I don't really like cooking anyway.

This photo is irrelevant.

I completely lack the discipline to not drink those extra calories and I'm not sure why. I've exchanged my lattes for the less caloric (and half the price) iced americano, I roll my eyes at sodas due to their lack of nutritional value, and I've gotten pretty good at cutting out sweets. Why can't I do this with beer and wine? It's frustrating to say the least.

But I feel a shift happening right now that likely won't lend a helping hand to weight loss, though it should help me with my affinity for beer and wine that troubles me so along with some other issues. I'll have more details to share on Monday.

As for now, this week has been a little better. While I haven't been able to completely cut out alcohol, I have definitely cut back and feel better about that. My exercise since returning to CUT Fitness has been consistent and my diet aside from the liquid calories has been pretty healthy (except for this).

May 31st, 2013 (-since 4/17/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 148.0 (-0.2, -6)
• Calf - 13.75" (+0.25, -0)
• Knee - 15" (-0, -0.25)
• Thigh - 23.75" (-0, -0.5)
• Hips/Butt - 41" (-0, -0.75)
• Belly - 38.75" (-0, -0.75)
• Waist - 30" (-0.25, -1.5)
• Bust - 36.25" (-0.25, -1.75)
• Arms - 11.5" (-0, -0.75)

My numbers are an improvement over last week's that I didn't post, and even a slight improvement from two weeks ago, so I'm okay with that. A few of the measurements are still a quarter inch higher than their all-time low, but two of those are my thigh and butt measurements, so maybe I can blame that on squats. Yeah, sure, I'll go with that.

Next week I will be posting my one-year progress photos!

Fitness Friday

This week was my first week back at CUT Fitness. When I first started working out there back in March, they offered quite a few Zumba classes, so most of the classes I took there were either Zumba or Body Combat with a little bit of Body Pump and cycle. Unfortunately for me, Zumba wasn't doing too well, so it's now only available on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings, so I don't see too much Zumba in my future.

Anyway, my first week back has gone pretty well. I kicked my own ace on my first day back at Body Combat. I managed to get my heart rate up into the 180s which just seems insane for me. I usually feel like I have to push really hard just to hit 170. I must have just been amped to be back in my favorite class because my normal average heart rate is usually in the 140s, but for the first half of class, I averaged 156! The second half of class, however, was a struggle. I really gassed myself in the first half, but it was worth it to really see how far I could push myself.

Top: first half of class. Bottom: second half of class. Right: Driving awkwardly home with some pretty nasty toe cramps.

I figured I'd put up my measurements this week since I haven't recorded them here since the end of March.

May 17th, 2013 (-since 3/29/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 148.2 (-0, -5.8)
• Calf - 13.5" (-0.25, -0.25)
• Knee - 15" (-0, -0.25)
• Thigh - 23.75" (+0.25, -0.25)
• Hips/Butt - 41" (+0.25, -0.75)
• Belly - 38.75" (+0.25, -0.75)
• Waist - 30.25" (+0.25, -1.25)
• Bust - 36.5" (+0.5, -1.5)
• Arms - 11.5" (-0, -0.75)

As you can see by all of the plus signs and red highlighting, I'm still working on getting back to where I was before my family visit and New York trip back in April. I've gotten the few pounds I put on during our trip back off, but I'm still working on getting that muscle back that must've been sucking me in...

I'm going to throw a goal out here that may or may not be attainable. Actually, I know it's attainable, but it's not going to be easy and maybe I'm not feeling too confident about it but... June 7th will be my one-year anniversary of deciding to get fit. On that day, I weighed 163 pounds which officially marked a 20 pound gain from the last time I had decided to get in shape back in 2010 when I lost 20 pounds in only a few months. At this time in 2010, I weighed 143 pounds.

So here's my goal: I want to hit 143 by June 7th. I have three weeks to do so, which means I'll need to lose between 1 and 2 pounds per week. I think that if I can manage to cut my beer intake way down I'll be able to reach my goal, but that will probably be the most difficult. That will be really, really difficult. I love beer too much. So we'll see how that goes.

So there's my goal. I put it out there, so it's real now and I have to do the work to reach it. Wish me luck!

Fitness Friday

This about sums up my fitness and healthy eating during the past 6 weeks. I was on such a roll at the end of March; completely kicking ass at working out and eating really well. When my family came to visit the first week of April, I had intended on still watching what I ate, but that proved difficult and to be honest, I didn't really care. I was enjoying their company and eating whatever and drinking whatever.

After they left, I had a week to get some workouts in before we headed to New York. Unfortunately, not wanting to stock the fridge just before we went out of town meant that I ate kind of crappily. (Yes, crappily.) That week wasn't enough to regain the fitness that I had lost.

It's amazing how easily you can regress in your fitness level in such a short period of time. Since returning from New York, I've really struggled with getting back on track. I haven't signed back up at CUT Fitness yet since our house is still being worked on from the flood; with the workers coming at 9am, I can only take 7am classes and CUT doesn't offer that time slot yet. So, I'm still at Studio 5 doing pilates and spin but only 4 days a week until my membership runs out. (Next Friday will be my last day, as I'll be switching to an unlimited membership at CUT for less than half the cost of an unlimited membership at the pilates studio.) So, I'm hoping that once they're done working on the house, I can get back into my old routine from back in March.

Even though it's been tough getting back on the fitness track, I've had an easier time getting back to eating more healthfully. Actually, nearing the end of our New York trip, I felt myself actually craving my healthier diet. It's simple: eat crap, feel like crap. I'm very much an advocate of cheat days, but when cheat days turn into cheat weeks, yikes. What a disaster! I don't regret it, (because, hello, New York pizza) but I don't want to do that again any time soon.

I know that in every fitness post I mention this, but I still can't kick the alcohol. I love beer and I love wine. I'm sure that my progress would be twice as fast if I just stopped drinking, but I don't want to stop drinking. I'm still healthy, and definitely healthier than I was this time last year, so I'll take it.

I've decided not to take photos this month, mostly because of my time crunch this morning and obvious lack of progress. But I did decide to Instagram a silly photo of me pretending I have abs, so I'll share that. (Hashtag: noshame)

I assure you, I do not leave the house like this. 

So, until next time...

Fitness Friday

Let's see, let's see, where to start? There isn't a whole lot new this week. Uhm, oh! I decided to give PB2 a try. I've been seeing it all over Instagram. It's powdered peanut butter, made only of peanuts, sugar, and salt. It's only 45 calories per 2 tablespoons versus the usual 190 in regular peanut butter. You can put the powder on or in anything you want or you can mix it with water or any other liquid to turn it into a peanut butter consistency. I've been mixing it with almond milk and eating it with an apple.

I also put some in a jar of overnight oats with half a scoop of triple chocolate protein powder. It was supa-rich and tasty.

So that's been cool. The taste is a leeetle off from regular peanut butter, but that might be because I mix it with almond milk, so I will try it other ways and see if it tastes more normal.

I'm also eating a lot of eggs/liquid egg whites, still. What's new? And while I've done pretty well with keeping my day time eating in check, I cheated a bit in the evenings.

I ordered this lamb shank with double veggies instead of veggies and mashed potatoes. The veggies were likely sauteed in oil or butter, and the lamb shank was super tender and fatty, but overall it probably wasn't that bad. What was bad was the weekend that followed this lamb shank.

I kind of let things get out of hand last weekend. Having breakfast with friends included a not-so-bad eggs... and regular bacon... and fruit! and a cinnamon roll. That was followed by a day of many beers. The day of many beers was followed by a chili dinner, which was delicious and still probably not that bad... but then I had like 800 pounds of corn bread. With butter.

Whatever, I thought, tomorrow's another day!

Yes, yes it was. Sunday was another day of drinking and eating. Another day with friends, eating rice, beans, meat, snacks, and drinking beers and sangria.

Oh, and I made this:

Oh and it was mighty tasty. A major hit. Yikes.

So I did poorly this weekend, and I felt it on Monday. I felt sluggish and had trouble really pushing myself in spin and Zumba.

Yes, I did still burn 574 calories between spin, pilates and Zumba, but I was pretty bummed that I didn't do better. I mean, the week before, I burned 413 calories in Zumba alone! But then today happened. After burning 340ish calories in Zumba on Wednesday and still feeling like I could have done better, the Zumba instructor really amped it up this week.

She knows I have my Polar, so today she said "We're gonna burn 500 calories!" I was a little skeptical at first, but as class went on, it was looking good. The end of class came, and...

Uh yeah, I did it. 510 calories, dudes. I was pretty stoked about that. I spent a lot of the class with my heart rate up in the 150's and 160's and I'm noticing that I don't feel as awful as I used to when I was up in that range, so, yeah, that's cool too.

And with that, let's check out some progress pics!

Left: 1/4/13, Center: 3/1/13, Right: Today

Left: 1/4/13, Center: 3/1/13, Right: Today

March 1st, 2013 (-since 3/22/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 148.2 (-0, -5.8)
• Calf - 13.75" (-0, -0)
• Knee - 15" (-0, -0.25)
• Thigh - 23.5" (-0, -0.5)
• Hips/Butt - 40.75" (-0, -1)
• Belly - 38.5" (-0, -1)
• Waist - 30" (-0, -1.5)
• Bust - 36" (-0.25, -2)
• Arms - 11.5" (-0.25, -0.75)

Okay, I can't help but be bummed that I didn't lose any weight this week. I'm actually a little annoyed with this because earlier in the week I was 147, but, really, it's not important. I didn't lose as many inches either, but I still lost some off my boobs and my arms.

At first, I didn't think I could see much difference in today's photos compared to the photos from March 1st, but I took a closer look. What I'm seeing is my back fat and love-handles are smoothing out, my butt's getting a little less lumpy and of course my boobs are deflating (it comes with the territory!) Also, outside of the photos, these workout pants are on their way to being too big. While they're a far cry from being loose, I do find myself yanking them up constantly during Zumba or Body Combat.

Let's break it down, so since March 1st I've lost only .6 pounds, but I lost 3.5 inches! Since January 4th I've lost nearly 6 pounds and 7 inches. If you want to go way back, I've lost nearly 15 pounds and 18.25 inches since June 7th. Those numbers might not be impressive when you consider the amount of time, but I am still of the mindset that I'll have an easier time keeping it off by going slowly.

My struggles this weekend will be alcohol and Easter, then my struggles next week will be not working out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday while my family is here as well as fooood and more alcohol with them. BUT. I'm giving myself a pass to not stress about it. I will make an effort not to go overboard and to make good food choices, but the family time will be most important.

If I still fit into these jeans after they leave, I'll mark it as a success!

Fitness Friday

Okay, so I went a little gung-ho this week my workout schedule. I even added a second workout yesterday and did Body Combat after Body Pump/Cycle. This leaves me feeling like today's one workout wasn't enough, but that's just my brain getting all weird on me. Of course it's enough. But then again, I'm all "But I had to cancel my Saturday morning class!" and them I'm all "You're not going to gain 8 pounds if you skip it!" but then I'm all "But I'm prolly just gonna draaaaaaaank all day." and then I'm like "Well, okay, but... you'll survive, and it will be fun and worth it, yo."

That got a little out of hand; I apologize.

As for food? I did really well this week, I think, if you don't count St. Patrick's Day. Corned beef tacos whaaaaaaaaaaaat?

These were accompanied by kind of a lot of beer and a couple shots. D'oh. I've mentioned probably one thousand times how that's my biggest struggle. I like beer. I like wine. It's so hard for me to say no to. Sweets used to be really difficult, but those are super easy now. With sweets, I have the discipline to have one bite. I can't really just have one sip of wine. And some times when we're out, I tell myself that I will allow myself one drink. But then I order a second. You get the idea. So that's still my main hurdle... still.

But food? I (mostly) have that down.

At home, it's really easy for me to eat low-cal and mostly clean. The only carbs I eat at home are from fruits, veggies, and whole grains like quinoa and various types of brown rice. No white rice, no white potatoes, and I rarely eat bread. My problem lately, though, is that I eat then I am satisfied and no longer hungry. Then, an hour or two later, I'm not just kind of hungry, I'm hungry to the point that I'm about to get a headache. I feel like I am eating constantly. Even on days like Wednesday when I burned 800 calories, which upped my calorie budget to 2000, I was still HUN-graaay. So needless to say, I'm still trying to figure out how to keep myself satiated for longer.

So, last week I was really stoked about getting my new Polar heart rate monitor. I finally received it on Monday evening (at 7:20. What the crap, UPS?) I've used it every day and really like having all of the information it provides. Being able to keep an eye on my heart rate can be really motivating. When I see that it's in the 140's and I realize that I feel pretty good, it amps me up to work harder. 150's? Let's see if I can hit 160! Then, of course, being able to see the calories that I've burned makes this thing worth every single penny.

I didn't post my numbers last week. My measurements were the same aside from going back up .25" on my calves as well as my weight bouncing back up to 149.4, which was 1.8 pounds higher than the week before. I was feeling awesome that week when I was down to 147.6.

I had some killer results that really pumped me up, so while I was still feeling good about my fitness and going to classes at both Studio 5 and CUT, I was really annoyed with my weight for spiking like it had. Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that overall, the scale really doesn't matter. It's how you feel, how your body changes, and if you really need numbers, the measurements. Despite having 3 people this week notice the change in my body, I still let the scale have an affect on me.

When I weighed and measured myself this morning, I realized that I was being silly and that the advice I give others about the scale is advice that I need to remember to take myself.


March 22nd, 2013 (-since 3/15/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 148.2 (-1.2, -5.8)
• Calf - 13.75" (-0, -0)
• Knee - 15" (-0, -0.25)
• Thigh - 23.5" (-0.25, -0.5)
• Hips/Butt - 40.75" (-0.25, -1)
• Belly - 38.5" (-0.25, -1)
• Waist - 30" (-0.25, -1.5)
• Bust - 36.25" (-0.5, -1.75)
• Arms - 11.75" (-0.25, -0.5)

This is exactly why I need to relax about the scale. Today, I weigh more than I did on March 8th, but I've still lost inches. I'm hoping for another good week as I'll be doing my April progress pictures next Friday!

Fitness Friday

This week has been tricky. Kind of. Since signing up at CUT, I've stopped taking Sunday off and also doubled up on my workouts on Monday and Tuesday in order to kick my own but into winning my DietBet. Well, it worked... but then also I think my scale went a little wacko. The pictures below show my weigh in for the first DietBet, my weight in for the second DietBet, and on the right is my weightout for the first DietBet.

My scale decided to weigh me out at 143, yet when the scale was back by the tub where it usually is, I was of a more acceptable and realistic-seeming weight. However, I still used this weight for my weight out since I had the scale in the same exact spot for my other two weigh ins, so I just went with that... but now, superstrangely, I'm weighing the same with the scale in either spot. This makes me wish I had one of those big manual scales.

Anyway, after reaching my DietBet goal (I won $39.16!), and feeling good about having doubled my workouts on Monday and Tuesday, I doubled up again on Wednesday for an hour spin class followed by an hour of Zumba. I had planned on Thursday being a one-class kind of day, but then this happened Wednesday night:

Hello, impromptu cheat dinner!

And then also this:

Oh yes we did.

Yes I ate the whole burger. No, I didn't eat the whole dessert. Jamie and I couldn't even finish it between the two of us. Let me tell you why I allowed this...

Once upon a time there was a restaurant called Beachfire that lived a block away from our house. Jamie and I spent a lot of time and money there. (Without Beachfire, we never would have become friends with Jarrod and Kaitlyn!) We loved their food; the burger being my favorite. The dessert show above, the After Dinner Mint, was just.. oh my god. I do know how to eat healthy there, and often times I opted for a salad with grilled salmon. But then, one day in March of last year, our beloved Beachfire closed.

Now, Beachfire still has a location about 20 minutes away from us, which we decided to visit on Wednesday night. Yes, I could have eaten a much healthier meal, but you know what? I haven't had a full-on cheat day in a long time, so I decided to go all out. After all, I did make my weigh in goal and I am in the middle of one bitch of an Aunt Flo visit... so I went for it. Let me tell you, it was so delicious and I enjoyed every bite of it.

Ten minutes later, however, I felt like crap. Not mentally, though. I did not and still do not regret my majorly caloric dinner, but I felt really not-good, physically. As odd as it is to say, I'll take that as a victory. This means that my body is now used to eating healthfully and appreciates nutrition, and I have to listen to it if I want to keep from feeling that gross ever again. This isn't to say that I won't do this again, but it definitely won't be very often. It does make for a good reminder as to why I prefer to make the food choices that I do, though.

So back to Thursday. (Remember when I was about to tell you about Thursday but then went on a major tangent?) Thursday was going to be a one-class day until my cheat, so on Wednesday night I scheduled myself for a spin/pilates class to follow the spin/body pump class that I had previously scheduled.

The problem with having been doubling up on work outs is that now I'm starting to feel like one workout isn't enough. I know that it is, but I kind of like doing two work outs. The problem with that is that it takes too much time out of my morning, and it has caused me to slack on the things I need to do at home, with work, and this blog. So today, I shook my booty at Zumba for an hour... then I considered staying for an hour of Body Pump, but then went home instead.

When I got home, I noticed that I received a couple Paypal payments that I was expecting, so I treated myself. This treat isn't a cheat, or shoes, or a mani-pedi (though I have my eyes on some really epic wedges on Poshmark). No, I bought something to help me monitor my progress and motivate me to push harder.

Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor from HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com

I've been seeing these all over Instagram from fitness people that I follow for a long time, so I finally took some time this week to research HRMs and find the best one for me. I ordered it today, and it will be here on Monday! I'm really excited to start using it to see how many calories I'm actually burning rather than kind of guessing based on what the internet thinks I burn during, say, 30 minutes of spin. I'm sure I'll be following up on this in next week's post.

As for this week's numbers, there's no change from last week. While I did reach my goal for the DietBet on Wednesday, I'm hanging onto some severe bloat and water weight from this wretched period which has caused me to bounce back up to last week's weight and measurements.

My goal for this weekend is to keep my eating in check and to try not to drink too much green beer (or more likely, just beer in general). This will be difficult, but I'll do my best.

Iffin' y'wanna follow my fitness&healthy-eating Instagram, my username is @fitgosam! 

Fitness Friday

Hey check that out! I kinda have some muscles! I've been noticing more definition lately and that puts me in a pretty good mood. You know what else puts me in a good mood? The rest of the results that I'm seeing.

I joined a DietBet game, which offers a monetary incentive to lose 4% of your body weight. Earlier in the week was tricky for me, though. I felt like I hit a plateau and wasn't going to be able to push through enough in time for my final weigh in next Wednesday. Luckily, and I say "luckily" due to a night of beer and another night of wine, I pushed through! I'm back on track and only have to lose about a pound by Thursday in order to split the pot with all the folks that hit their goal. So far, since starting the game on February 13th, I've lost 5 pounds!

I credit my recent success to two things. First, my healthy eating. While my alcohol intake hasn't drastically improved, I've been pretty strict with my diet. There's a saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen" and it's totally true. While I'm far from having visible abdominal muscles, I'm seeing a difference in how my body looks and feels since really cracking down on my diet. Second, changing up my work outs.

A week and a half ago, sitting on the couch after dinner, I decided to check my work email. I had a new project sent to me by my boss. Do you guys even know what I do? Have I shared that here before? Anyway, I work as a designer for a custom rhinestone apparel company. I'm fortunate enough that I can work a flexible schedule at home, which I love. Anyway, I got this project and it was for the logo of a new fitness studio that had just opened about 10 minutes away. Do you guys watch Real Housewives of Orange County? Welp, it's Tamra and Eddie's new studio, CUT Fitness. I found their website and saw that they were offering a fantastic special: your first five classes are free, with no monetary commitment. I signed up that night and went to my first class the next morning.

The class I took was 30 minutes of spin and 30 minutes of Body Pump. (RHOC fans, it was taught by Eddie.) Body Pump, being mostly a barbell class, was something completely new to me. Between that and the different style of spin, it was a really great kick in the pants that I definitely needed. I've gone back twice since to help supplement my 4 days a week at the Pilates studio and still have two more free days left that I'll use on Tuesday and Wednesday.

I definitely accredit the following numbers to adding those new workouts to my schedule.

March 8th, 2013 (-since 3/1/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 147.6 (-1.2, -6.4)
• Calf - 13.5" (-0.25, -0.25)
• Knee - 15" (-0.25, -0.25)
• Thigh - 23.75" (-0, -0.25)
• Hips/Butt - 41" (-0.5, -0.5)
• Belly - 38.75" (-0.25, -0.75)
• Waist - 30.25" (-0.25, -1.25)
• Bust - 36.25" (-0.5, -1.75)
• Arms - 11.75" (-0.25, -0.5)

Check that out! This week I've lost 1.2 pounds and 2.25 inches! I'd say that's better than last week's 2 pounds and 1.5 inches in SIX weeks. 

Now, I know my DietBet isn't over yet, but I wanted to continue to challenge myself. Lucky for me, I happened to get an invitation this morning from Lauren at Pink on the Cheek to join another DietBet! The buy in for this one is only $10 (the one I'm currently in was $20) but I think it's still enough to keep me motivated. This new one officially starts on Sunday the 10th, which means it will put my final week the same week that my family is here visiting. This will definitely be a challenge!

Fitness Friday

After a somewhat indulgent weekend, I think I fared pretty well this week in the healthy eating department. Sunday was probably the worst day in terms of not-so-healthy eating, but it was the best day in terms of deliciousness. On our way back from shooting, Jamie and I stopped for lunch at Slater's 50/50. With a menu full of ridiculously tempting burgers, I managed to make a slightly better choice and get the turkey burger shown above which came topped with smoked gouda and a grilled portabello. I cut it in half and ate the smaller half, bun and all, then fork-and-knifed the other half, eating only the meat. Unfortunately, two Stone Pale Ale's didn't save me any liquid calories. Sunday evening was Chinese take-out and moscato (It pairs well, right?) at our friends Ella and Chris' place to watch and laugh at the Oscars. (No regrets!)

Really, that was probably the worst day. Saturday night we hosted dinner and cards and BSing for Jarrod and Kaitlyn, which proved to be pretty healthy (if you don't count the wine and beer.) Jamie grilled up some chicken breasts and I made a pretty tasty quinoa salad.

And then Monday, I made Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers! (The recipe calls for sliced roast beef, but I used steak.) Jamie wasn't "ohmigawd this is delicious", but I really liked them.

So really, eating healthy isn't a problem for me. It's not difficult for me, and I like it. What my problem is, as we all should know by now, is alcohol. I. Love. Beer. And. Wine. I tried to go the week without either of those two, but come Wednesday afternoon, I see a Facebook post from our favorite local spot for craft brews announcing that they've just tapped Pliny the Elder. If you're a beer person, you probably know that this beer, rated #3 on Beer Advocate's top 250, is kind of a big deal and it goes fairly quickly once it's tapped. So of course I had to stop in for one before I headed to the grocery store to buy stuff to make salads for dinner. Okay, so, because Jarrod also happened to be there, I had two. Geez. (Jamie was being good and was at the gym!)

BUT! Aside from giving in to beer (did I mention I had beers last night too? Yikes.) I've managed to still keep on track to lose my 4% body weight for the DietBet game I'm participating in, so I'm happy with that. Oh, and guess what? I took photos this month!

Left: 1/4/13 - Right: Today
(click to view it large)

Left: 1/4/13 - Right: Today
(click to view it large)

You can't really see too much of a difference, but I did make a bit of progress. I don't know about you guys, but I can see a bit of difference in my midsection. Here are my numbers:

March 1st, 2013 (-since 1/18/13, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 148.8 (-2.2, -5.2)
• Calf - 13.75" (0)
• Knee - 15.25" (0)
• Thigh - 23.75" (-0.25)
• Hips/Butt - 41.5" (0)
• Belly - 39" (-0.25, -0.5)
• Waist - 30.5" (-0.5, -1)
• Bust - 36.75" (-0.5, -1.25)
• Arms - 12" (-0.25)

In 6 weeks, I've lost 2ish pounds and 1.5 inches; in two months, I've lost 5ish pounds and 3 inches. Not bad. While I'm a little impatient with losing right now, I'm still in the mindset that the more gradually the weight and inches come off, the easier it will be to keep off. If you look at my original photos from when I started back in June, I can definitely see how far I've come, and I'm happy with my progress and the fact that even when I wasn't eating properly at the end of last year, I didn't regress much in my numbers. Since June, I've lost 14 pounds and more than 14 inches off my limbs and midsection! Yessir. That's fantastic.

Fitness Friday

Zzzzz...

That about sums up how I feel about this week, though I'm sure you could have figured that out on your own if you had noticed since I kinda left the blog hanging after Monday's super emo post.

Last Friday was a good day, motivationally. (I don't think "motivationally" is a word.) It was my off day at the Pilates studio. Monetarily, I max out at 4 days per week instead of the 5 or 6 days that I am used to and on Friday I was feeling motivated to get some activity in, so I leashed up the dog and went for a walk.

It was one of those random summer teaser days; it was 80 degrees and just plain gorgeous outside. Chuck and I hit the trail that bisects our community. It's very hilly and great for exercise. It was also a great test to see how far I've come, physically. Before I worked out, I dreaded these hills. Jamie always wanted to go hike the trail and I hated it because he'd just crank his way to the top and wait for me to drag my ass up each hill. I felt awful physically and mentally during those walks. This time, however, I never lost steam and that felt great.

Chuck made it about 3 miles before he finally stopped pulling. (He's pretty terrible on the leash; he just wants to GO.) It used to be that at about 3 miles, or sooner, I'd be done. I'd be ready to BE home, not head back. I'd be exhausted and my low back would be so, so angry at me. This time, however, I had a choice. I could take the direct route back home or walk up the looooong hill then zig zag through neighborhoods, up and down more hills to get home. I chose the latter!

This time, my back didn't start bothering me until around 4 miles, which was good because I was close to home. My total walk was 4.14 miles and I wasn't completely dead when I walked in the door. I felt so good and motivated that I wanted to take this walk on every off day during the week.

So my next off day was Monday and... I didn't do it. Then my next off day was yesterday and... I didn't do it. I'm pretty disappointed in myself. I could have made the time, I just didn't, and it has affected my DietBet results this week. While I was ahead of schedule on the weight loss, it's crept back up. I blame water weight. (sure.) Fortunately, I'm still right on schedule, so I still feel safe. I'm not behind, so as long as I can keep up with my eating habits and slip in some more cardio, I should probably be good.

Speaking of eating well?

Jamie grilled up some Cornell Chicken last weekend and when I say "some" I mean "a lot", so we had a bunch of leftovers. When Jamie decided he was tired of having it for lunch, I made a soup with it. Cornell Chicken, if you don't know, is marinaded in eggs, oil and vinegar and some seasonings. The vinegar gives it a really amazing flavor, which lent itself nicely to the soup. Along with that, the smokiness from the grill stuck around and tasted fantastic in the soup. My soup (how many times can I say soup? Soup.) had onions, carrots, celery, kale, and a blend of quinoa and brown rice and it turned out really great. It's probably pretty fatty due to the chicken being skin-on with a lot of dark meat, but the veggies and grains are definitely beneficial so... so there.

Soup.

Fitness Friday

Uhm, so... remember when I was all stoked that I busted into the 140s while in Ohio? Well, apparently there's something wrong with the earth's gravitational pull because I arrived home, safe on Sunday night, and by Monday morning I had crept back into the 150s. (Though I suppose it may have also had to do with an impending menstrual cycle.)

This photo is irrelevant. 

Fortunately, with returning home came returning to the Pilates studio. Unfortunately, not having worked out in 3 weeks and not having done Pilates in 4 weeks, I've found that my strength and endurance have regressed.
Not only did I realize that I had reverted back toward my original state of being a weakling on my first day back, but my instructor (who reads this, so everyone wave to Bridget!) decided to throw in some crazy let's-roll-back-onto-our-shoulders-with-our-feet-in-the-air move that I had never done before which only reiterated the fact that I lost a lot of strength over four weeks.

Getting back into spin has also proved challenging. I lost a lot of endurance in my inactivity, unsurprisingly, but hopping on the bike in the first two days of my period wasn't helping either. Intervals (where you go back and forth between seated and standing on the bike) proved really difficult with an angry uterus. Cramps also lead to headache for me, so my two spin classes this week were pretty unpleasant thanks to my own body. Though, even through my menstrual discomfort, I could tell that I still could have pushed myself harder on the bike. I'm hoping to do better in tomorrow morning's spin/power sculpt yoga class. (I've never done power sculpt yoga. I hope I don't die.)

Staying on the topic of challenge, I joined a weight loss challenge. Roo over at Nice Girl Notes started a game at DietBet.com and opened it up to all of her readers. The premise is that you and all the players pay some money; in this instance, it was $20. You submit an official weigh in to the DietBet referees (which includes photos and a secret word) and once it's approved, you're in the game. The game is that you have 28 days to lose 4% of your body weight. If you don't, you're out $20. If you do, then you split the pot with everyone else who reached the 4% lost goal.

So Roo's game has 175 participants putting the pot at $3500. A lot of people would have to fail for me to get a huge chunk of that, but I'd be happy just getting my 20 bucks back with maybe some extra change to toss into Paypal for a rainy day. The game only started on Wednesday, but I think I've been doing well at keeping motivated. My only two things that stand in my way are alcohol and having switched my Pilates membership to 4 days a week to save some cash. BUT! So far, I'm on the right track. My 4% equals out to 6.1 pounds, which would put me at 146.5 on March 13th. Today I am at 150.8, so I really only have 4.3 pounds to go!

I anticipated Valentine's Day being a significant obstacle, but I really didn't do too badly. Jamie knew I was doing this challenge, so he didn't bring me home any sweets to keep stashed in the house. I ate quite healthfully all day and was looking forward to a homemade meal made by Chef Husb. He, for the past week or so, has been adamant about cooking at home on Valentine's Day; he wanted to grill up some nice steaks and pop a bottle of wine. I was so down with that. He even asked me over instant message yesterday if I had any diet restrictions for dinner. (I said no white rice or white potatoes!) Then, about 15 minutes later, he decided he wanted to go out. While slightly annoyed that he changed his mind last minute, I shrugged, "Okay, let's do it."

It was so worth it.

Grilled lamb with polenta and asparagus was my choice, and I think it was a good one. The portion wasn't huge; I ate it all and didn't feel over-stuffed. We split a really fantastic tiramisu for dessert, and even after that, I didn't feel like I over-ate. I felt full enough and satisfied. I did, however, drink a flight of wine at dinner followed by a tall pale ale and a short lager at our local spot to grab good craft brew. I must have done something right, though, because it didn't show on the scale today or in the form of bloating. (I guess I could probably attribute that to massively upping my water intake the past few days.)

My goals for this week include eating smartly, cut back on the alcohol (there's no way I'm giving it up!), and find a way to be active on the days I don't have spin or Pilates.

Do you have any fitness goals right now? How did Valentine's Day affect your diet? (I, honestly, am surprised that I did so well!)

Fitness Friday

This photo kind of sums up my general attitude toward fitness and health during the past two weeks. We already know that I've indulged in some deliciously shitty meals while in Ohio playing caretaker to my mom after her surgery. Those days along with a beer or wine or two each night to wind down and some seemingly boredom-induced perpetual snacking have been looming over my head. Yet, instead of being guilted by that, I just swat it away. Really, as grossly as it seems that I've been eating, most of my main meals have been pretty healthy, but to be honest, I don't feel balanced. The healthy meals and the not-so-healthy, mindless snacking and drinks make it difficult for me to decide what my mind wants and my body needs. (Though I guess it's safe to say that my body definitely doesn't need a Mounds ice cream bar...)

Are you ready for a miracle? Because I just stepped on the scale only to see that I've lost 3 pounds in the last two weeks of being in Ohio. If you look back at the last time I weighed in and do the math, that means I busted into the 140s, yo! While this weight loss along with being back in the 140s is definitely welcomed, I'm pretty certain that it can be accredited to muscle loss from my three-week stint of inactivity. Let's just hope that returning home to my normal life won't be an issue when it comes to keeping those three pounds off as I would like to not return to the 150s.

So this week (or even last week) should have been my before/after photo update, but given my circumstances, that will have to either wait until next week when I'm at home OR maybe just be skipped and picked back up on in March after I've gotten back into the swing of things. Though, to satiate you, (because I totally know you're, like, totally just DYING to see more photos of me) I put together this really great, high quality side-by-side in MSPaint.

Left, March 2012; Right, 2 weeks ago.

I like to think that I can see a difference in these photos, though hiding behind my camera bag has made it difficult to really see how monstrous my thighs were compared to the more manageable monstrosity they are today. (I kid. Kinda. I don't hate them quite as much as it sounds and no, I don't actually think they were specifically "monstrous".) The bad thing is that I still wear those jeans. The good thing is that they are almost to the point of being too big to wear. Almost. Also? The shirt in my old photo is the same shirt in this recent post. Look how loose it is now!

Holy crap, I have just realized that I've hit 15 pounds lost since June. That may seem like a long time to lose 15 pounds, especially since I lost that much in 3 months the first time around in 2010. You know what, though? That obviously came back. This time, I've been losing slowly, and even during a long plateau, or times of not eating so great, I've kept it off. I have yet to gain back any weight that I have lost since starting in June. Slow and steady makes it much easier to adjust, maintain and keep it off, so I'm happy.

In summation:

• Hooray 140s!
• Snacks are fun and delicious.
• I can't wait to start working out again.
• I should probably buy new jeans.
• (and stop snacking on junk)
• 15 pounds!

Fitness Friday

Or, not-so Fitness Friday is probably what it should be called. This week has been a difficult one for activity and healthy eating. I flew into Cleveland on Saturday afternoon. Aside from the beers I had with my family, I made some pretty good food choices. On Sunday, I made almost no food choices. I woke up in the middle of the night with severe chills, nausea, and body aches. It was miserable. I ended up sleeping all day until about 2:30pm, at which time I had to pack up and head to Cleveland with my family.

My mom had to be at the Cleveland Clinic at 5am Monday morning for her surgery, so we planned to go to dinner and stay at a hotel Sunday evening. I forced down just enough food at dinner, but it really wasn't much at all. I was not looking forward to sitting in a waiting room all day if I was going to have these body aches and nausea, and to top that all off, now I was having stomach cramps.

My apetite had still not returned the next morning when we scoured the food choices at the hospital. Even the usually appealing smell of Starbucks coffee was making me want to stick my head in a garbage can. I ended up with a sub-par breakfast sandwich from Au Bon Pain that I picked apart and choked down out of necessity. Luckily, about mid-morning while looking for something else to hopefully eat, I found something that actually appealed to me. Unfortunately for my diet, it was a pudding parfait. D'oh. But it was something and it didn't make me sick and, well, so there. After that I was feeling better. No aches or chills and the nausea had subsided. I was left with the stomach cramps, still, but those had become manageable.

The choices I've made with my food have not been entirely smart since feeling better. While I found myself trying to make better choices at the hospital during my mom's stay, I can honestly say I wasn't making the best choices. Then, when it came time for my respective dinner dates on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, I made the best choices... but best for my taste buds.

Tuesday night was Melt with Erin for a massive grilled cheese sandwich with pierogi and sauerkraut; one half equalling approximately 8 million calories.

Source: dlayphoto.com via seriouseats.com

Wednesday night was at Luxe with Hannah. We shared the Belgian fries (which come smothered in brie fondue with bacon jam and jalapenos.) My meal was the garlicky baby clam pizza with lemon, olive oil, ricotta, Italian parsley, and red pepper flakes. We may also have gorged ourselves on dessert. Oops.

Thursday morning brought all of this to a halt, thankfully (but only kinda thankfully) when my mom called to say she was being discharged from the hospital. I hopped back on the healthy train by making my favorite spinach & feta turkey burgers with caprese salad. I doubled the recipe so we'll have leftovers for days and no reason to eat junk.

So far, I'm not making time for activity. With my mom home, I'm her full time caretaker. She can't get up from sitting or laying down without help, and needs someone to get her pretty much everything, so leaving her alone while I go find somewhere to work out isn't an option, and I don't really mind. I'll get back into it when I get home, so for now, I'll just do my best to eat as healthfully as I can.

Fitness Friday

What I thought would happen eventually has already happened.

Dramatic representation.

I'm certain that I've stated before that I suck at having a gym membership. That the only thing that I've been able to maintain is Pilates and Spin is because each class is an appointment, and if you don't show up, you're charged $20 (on top of whatever you already pay.)

I really thought that I'd be able to stay motivated at least for the two weeks before my trip to Ohio (tomorrow!) but I haven't been to the gym since last Friday. Disappointing, I know. I thought that if I at least would decide to go to the cycle classes there, I'd treat it as an appointment and make sure to go. Wrongo. I found myself saying "I'll go to the 9:15 class." "Ehh, I'll just go to the gym after the rush around 10." "I really need to get this done. I'll just go this afternoon." and then I never went, and there sat my shoes, sad and dusty.

The most exercise I got was walking my brother in law's dog on Wednesday and Thursday.

Though, while I sucked at working out, I did maintain my eating habits (except for this), which prevented my weight and measurements from going back up this week. My numbers are exactly the same as they were last week, so I'm not going to share them again. I probably won't share them again until after I return from Ohio on February 10th.

So during my two weeks in Ohio, I will do my best to be active. I probably won't be able to full-on work out, but I may be able to pull off "active". (Maybe. Yikes.) I will also make a concerted effort not to eat shit just because I'm not at home. I have a tendency to say "Eff it!" when I'm away from home, and that attitude is not going to fly for a full two weeks.

Wish me luck!

Are any of you still fitnessizing? How's it going?

It's Fitness Friday, Yo

I swear there's a muscle in there. I'm going to use it to fold that laundry.

Today concludes my first week at LA Fitness. I skipped Wednesday, but I probably should have and could have found a way to squeeze in a work out, but that was the day I got maherrs did my hair cut and well, it just threw my day off. I'm not too bummed about it since I was able to let my super sore glutes and hip flexors rest a bit.

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday I divided my time between the elliptical and treadmill. Those workouts didn't defer too far from what I described on Monday. This morning, however, I decided to try the cycle class. I'm a little undecided about it and I'll tell you why.

The class was big; there were 4 tiers, packed with bikes. Spinning at the Pilates studio was much more intimate with a max of six people in the class. With a large class, the instructor has to wear a headset mic which she fiddled with for most of the class because it wouldn't work properly. Also, I wasn't stoked on the music. I don't know if the instructor there chooses the music or if, since it's a large gym chain, it's something that's provided, but I wasn't a fan.

The bikes were really nice, but because they were different than what I was used to, were uncomfortable. I'm sure I will adjust in time. What I did like about the bikes is that they had a digital display which showed you your RPM, time, distance, calories, and resistance level. It was nice to have that information, and because we had it, the instructor would tell you what RPM range you should be in at certain times, which I liked. I also liked being able to see what resistance level I was on. The bikes at the studio have a hand crank and you just have to kind of go off of how it feels to you. With being able to see the levels, we'd start at our personal baseline then build off of that by her telling us how many to add or remove.

The workout itself was challenging, sure, but it was just... different than what I'm used to. So far, routine-wise, I prefer what all the ladies at the studio do to what this lady did. Though, other instructors may be different, so I'm going to keep going and see what happens.

Going back to knowing how many calories I burned, I can definitely see that there's room for improvement in my spinning. In 54 minutes I only burned 311 calories. I know I can do better than that, and to keep on par with what I've been doing the rest of the week, I hopped on a machine after class for 20 minutes to burn another 200 calories.

Going to the gym has been beneficial with really amping up my calorie burn, but I really miss Pilates already. I could easily add strength to my workouts, and I know how, but I don't like it nearly as much as Pilates on the reformer. I like how strong it makes me feel, and I like the changes that it made to my body.

As for my food, I'm still doing pretty well at eating healthfully and giving my body what it needs before and after a workout. I'm switching to whole grains with everything that I can, knocking back a bunch of veggies, eating slow-burning carbs when I can, and trying to keep my added sugar intake under 10g per serving. Well, that is, if I am eating anything with added sugar. I like it to be much less, but sometimes it's just not possible.

With all of these efforts, I did make a little progress this week!

January 18th, 2013 (-this week, -since 1/4/13)

• Weight - 151 (-1, -3)
• Calf - 13.75" (0)
• Knee - 15.25" (0)
• Thigh - 24" (0)
• Hips/Butt - 41.5" (0)
• Belly - 39.25" (-0.25, -0.25)
• Waist - 31" (-0.5)
• Bust - 37.25" (-0.25, -0.75)
• Arms - 12" (-0.25)

I'm okay with these numbers. I only lost a pound and half an inch, but this isn't The Biggest Loser, and a pound is a pound, and I lost it.

Are you on a fitness/health journey? How's it going?