Well then...

After my awesome weekend with the future-in-laws and my 3 meals of eating out (Prime rib, Chinese buffet, and chicken Parmesan!), I'm back down to 208. That's not so bad, right? I even cheated and had a small strawberry sundae the other day when I took my cousins to DQ for ice cream after playing at the park. If it weren't for that sundae... ;-)

Anyway, wedding preparations continue to float along and my overall health is good. Allergy season is crappy and continues to make things almost miserable some days. However, the nicest thing is with the warming weather (and thus allergy season!), my appetite has decreased and it's made it easier to not snack. And when I do snack, I want food like strawberries, apples, grapes, carrot sticks... nice, light and healthy food to coordinate with the warmer weather!

My favorite snack right now is a thin roll (shown earlier in a post by Erin) with a slice of low-fat cheese made into a grilled cheese! I butter the inside part (with "I can't believe it's not Butter! Light") and put the seeded "top" side towards the cheese so the crust isn't the part I'm toasting. (If that makes any sense, I realize that might be very confusing!)

I'm also continuing with my regular household work-outs. Mopping has to be one of the best work-outs I've found that has an awesome added benefit: A clean floor! I think I may have pulled a muscle in my side earlier this week mopping!

For additional work-out challenges, I'm planning on going for a short 15 minute walk every day and increasing this by about 5 minutes every other day until I get to 45 minutes (or how long it takes me to walk two miles). I plan to take my dog with me and spend the time with her as she's been feeling very neglected lately! It will be a good chance for us to spend time together! I'll let you know how all of this works out next week!

What are you doing to change your routine lately? How are you or could you make your work-outs dual purpose?

so happy

down another three pounds! wahoo!

yesterday, i wore a skirt for the first time in a long time. the biggest deal was that it's a skirt i've owned for years, but this is the first time i've worn it in about 4 years. and, it looked cute. yaaay! wish i'd taken a picture so i could post that on here also.

so my biggest hurdle had been watching my serving sizes. that, and eating even when i'm not hungry. i'm not saying that i'm past those hurdles, but i must be more on track than i think-- because i didn't work out at all last week (false- i played Wii one day with chris) and i still lost weight. just because that muffin's there? just because i *want* to eat four donuts? i try to only eat when i'm hungry and until i'm full.

this weekend i'll be going to the farmer's market. i'm excited about that and that i'll have a lot of fresh veggies and fruits in the house. i can't wait until we live down there, and i can go there any time for fresh foods.

of course, i'm about to hit the same dilemma as Kyrstin. i'll be doing some serious wedding dress shopping while in pittsburgh in three weeks, and since a lady is making it for me, and i won't have another fitting, i'll be trying to just maintain my weight-- tone also. so, do i try really hard to get more weight off in the next three weeks? or do i just coast along where i'm at? or, is it okay to lose more weight, and just have a tailor here do the last fitting for me? *sigh* this looks like a question for mom.

Another week goes by....

So far, so good.

I've been desperately searching for new foods to eat (see Wednesdays blog) so have googled some websites with some salads and another with some high-protein recipes. High protein for the baby, but also for me as I've been a little sluggish lately. I haven't tried any of them yet, but plan to this week. I'll keep a photo diary and show you how they go if I can pull it together.

Anyhow, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm having a perfect week, cause I'm really not. The boy's refusal to eat has created a Mommy that seems to eat everything that's left over, out of guilt. Throw it away? I can't even imagine it. So... fish sticks? Sweet potato fries? Grilled cheese? If he's not eating it, I am. I have a feeling this is going to catch up pretty quick.

That being said, I'm still extremely happy about the weight I've lost, and want to continue to see the scale getting lower. I'm super happy that I'm still on this journey with my twitter ladies and, once again must say, I couldn't have done it without you.

Cheers!

Tamara

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.

The Harsh Truth....

It's been awhile since I have posted a blog here, and I apologize for my lack of involvement.  I should be posting no matter what, so I hope my Twitter to get Fitter ladies will forgive me. 

I preface this blog with saying this, dieting is an up and down roller coaster.  I have battled with weight my entire life.  Im also going to admit a harsh truth about myself.  My name is Stephanie and I am a 5'1", 351 pound woman.  I have managed to lose down 250 pounds, hit a plateau, give up, and gain it all back, plus some. I lose the will power easily. There is no excuse for my weight. I do have thyroid problems, but you know what, no one forces the food down my throat. People say I have a disease. No, I have a love affair with food. Some say it's because I use food as comfort. I don't agree with that either. I eat when Im happy, sad, depressed, stressed, partying, etc... Some people eat to live, I live to eat.


Two years ago, I looked into having the LapBand procedure done.  Of course I was a prime candidate.  I spent close to $2000 out of my pocket between doctor, physcologist, and nutritionist visits to get ready for this surgery.  I gave up carbs, exercised, and before the surgery was to be scheduled, I lost 30 pounds in less than 6 weeks.  The doctor gave the approval for the surgery and everything now weighed on my insurance company.  Please keep in mind that both I and my doctors office called the insurance company and was told the procedure would be covered.  After all of that, the insurance denied the surgery.  I fought with the insurance company for almost a year and was finally told that it was over.  They would not hear another appeal from me.  The procedure would not be covered, period.  Of course I was devestated, and "accepted" that I was just going to be fat for the rest of my life. 

I have even been heard saying that I would rather be fat and happy, verses skinny and miserable.  Guess what?  Im fat and miserable.  I don't have to be fat and miserable.  So, Ive joined WeightWatchers, because as long as I have stuck with it, I have lost some weight.  My goal is too lose 215 pounds.  Seeing that number feels intimidating.  However, I did not put this weight on overnight and Im not going to lose it overnight.  I have to get the will power and the determination to get it off.  Even if it takes 3 years.  That seems awfully long, but I have to do this for myself.  No one can do it for me.  

I end with this, I have not told you my harsh truth looking for sympathy or judgement.  I tell you this story to hopefully find the courage I need to do what I have to do lose this weight.  I don't want to walk through a store anymore and here little kids say "Mom, look at that fat woman.  She's huge!" or have to shop specialty stores to find clothes to fit me.  I would love to be able to walk into WalMart or Target, and buy an outfit.  So, I hope that you guys will remain a source of support.  I hope you see how badly I really need you.  Take care and lots of love.

President's Challenge

May 10 kicks off the President's Challenge, which is a "program that encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives." Basically, if you can spend 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week for a period of 6 weeks doing something active, you can do this program. The website allows you to keep track of your activities and at the end, you get an "award."

Sound interesting? Check out the rules. You can also take a look at all the activities that count. Since I know I won't be able to do any strenuous activity for awhile after the baby is born, I fully plan on counting housework and walking as my activities. And even if I can't fully participate, at least it might encourage me to get started with some sort of routine. I have a free gym at work, so once my maternity leave is over, I don't really have an excuse to sit on my lazy booty all the time. Although, it will be hard not to just come on home and snuggle with the boy. And at least I have a great stroller and a safe neighborhood that where I can walk the baby. And we don't live very far from a park that has a walking path. All good things.

You can sign up as a group (if your company wants to get together and create one--mine did, since I work for the government) so that you can track team progress or leave that part blank. It asked me for my weight, and obviously, I'm not entering mine since I plan on losing a LOT of it the day I give birth. Thank goodness that was optional!

There is also an option for those who are already active, called the Presidential Champions Program. The goals on that option are a little more strenuous, but you may want to look into that if you want a good challenge. You can always go back and change your options during the timeframe that you're working on this. Nothing is set in stone.

So, anyway, I hope this will help me to be accountable once I am able to start exercising and well on my way to being Fit By Twitter!

Check-in

206. I am six pounds from my first goal... I can almost see myself there... It's quite exciting...

Until I remember that I have a wedding dress that is being altered for a 210 lb me... and that if I lose any more weight it's going to be too big. Again.

*sigh*

So, in the meantime, I'm carrying, lifting, and dragging as much stuff as I can. I'm trying to tone up my muscles by using everyday object I encounter at home and work. For example, I routinely volunteer to get chicken out of the meat cooler at work. Why? Because I can get in a few reps of picking up and setting down 40 lb boxes of chicken. Sneaky, huh? I also wash windows at work every day. The repetition of that has to be good something, right?

At home, I've been cleaning. A lot. Stooping, bending, lifting boxes over my head into the attic... All of these things must count as "working out"? Right?

Maybe not... but I'm cleaning every day and things that normally don't get cleaned. It feels above and beyond as we're in hyper-over-drive mode with my future in-laws visiting this weekend for my bridal shower! Wish me luck... ;-)

TIPS!

<---Hello feeties.

Not perfect, but better? Pre baby pants!--->

So, I'm still on the path to success... but I'm not going to lie... I don't have even the slightest idea why. Portion sizes? Maybe... they have been smaller. Proper choices? Mmmm yes, but not like they were. Exercise? After forcing you all to exercise for me last week (which I LOVED by the way) I didn't do one piece of tangible exercise. Even the idea of taking a pic of my sweaty self, couldn't get me in gear. Anyhow, I digress. I've been looking for ways to continue to have the scale go DOWN, cause, well, 7 more pounds and I'm down to pre baby weight.... and that is super awesome.

So! You've been wondering what to buy right? Cause the beginning "gung-ho" ness of the diet has worn off, and you NEED to eat more than a rice cake? I found an article that can help us eat well, AND stay healthy; 15 foods to have in your kitchen at all times:

Yogurt

Keep your "good" digestive bacteria at a healthy level with yogurts containing live, active cultures. Warning: Some varieties are packed with sugar, so stick with plain or check the labels before tossing it in your grocery cart. Yogurt is one of several super diet foods thanks to the fact that it's both filling and loaded with calcium, potassium and vitamin B.

Wild Salmon

Unlike some other types of fish, studies have shown that mercury levels are relatively low in salmon. This is good news, considering the fish offers optimum nutrition and protein for few calories. It also contains omega-3's, which help maintain heart health. Why go wild? Farm-raised salmon can be more prone to disease and may have been exposed to or treated with antibiotics.

Egg Whites

Even with yolks, eggs have just 70 to 80 calories each—but that yellow center is high in cholesterol. Buy fresh eggs and then take out the yolks for a quick boost of protein in your breakfast. Mix them up with fresh vegetables to add flavor.

Leafy Greens

Healthy greens like broccoli, cabbage and kale have optimum nutrition and are loaded with a plant chemical that may help lower your risk of cancer. Low on vitamins? Add some spinach to your salad. Like other dark, leafy greens, it's loaded with iron and vitamin K, the ladder of which may prevent osteoporosis, diabetes and arthritis

Blueberries

There’s no way to talk about super diet foods without mentioning blueberries, which contain antioxidants and double as an anti-inflammatory. Aim for about half a cup a day, whether on top of whole wheat, mixed in with yogurt or simply on their own

Almonds

Not only do almonds help reduce bad cholesterol, they may help you lose weight—according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. Another study, this one out of Harvard's School of Public Health, found that the nut could reduce the risk of a heart attack by 25 percent if eaten at least twice a week

Black Bean

Did someone say breakfast burrito? Add black beans to your list of healthy foods. They're high in fiber (a major plus) and offer other optimum nutrition components, such as calcium, iron and folic acid. So toss them in an omelet or make a black bean soup as the perfect cold-weather lunch

Apples

You've heard the expression "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," and it's true. Apples are also packed with fiber and may help reduce your risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the Nutrition Journal. They also contain the mineral boron, which is good for bones

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which may help prevent certain cancers. Studies have also shown that tomatoes can lower cholesterol, as well as reduce blood pressure and maintain healthy cellular growth (which is a fancy way of saying it can help you have healthier hair, nails and skin). Your best bet? Eat plenty of tomato sauce. You’ll be able to pack in more nutrients than by just downing slices alone

Orange Juice

It's also possible to drink super healthy diet foods. Orange juice contains potassium and—you guessed it—vitamin C. Plus, many brands are now fortified with heart healthy omega-3s. It may also help increase your HDL levels, a.k.a. healthy cholesterol. Look for fresh squeezed varieties and brands low in sugar

Sweet Potatoes

Talk about optimum nutrition: Sweet potatoes have five times the "required" amount of beta carotene your body needs. So what does that mean? For one, healthier skin. Beta carotene can help prevent against sun damage. It may also boost your immune system, preventing you from getting sick from colds and other infections this winter

Wheat Germ

Wheat germ contains magnesium, which helps keep your bones healthy in addition to reducing stress and maintaining healthy insulin levels. It also has iron, fiber, calcium, potassium and even zinc (which may help boost your immune system). Add wheat germ to your diet by sprinkling it on yogurt or healthy cereal

Pomegranate

Eat this tangy fruit's juicy seeds or drink it in juice form for a punch of antioxidants, including tannins and anthocyanins. Pomegranate is a must-have addition for any heart healthy diet since it may help blood flow and reduce levels of bad cholesterol. According to research out of UCLA, it may also help prevent certain types of cancers

Hot Peppers

Chilies don't just spice up your favorite recipes—they’re also packed with vitamin C and may help reduce pain levels. They may also help you lose weight. Spicy foods have been found to increase the metabolic rate by up to 23 percent for short periods of time

Oatmeal

Down a healthy dose of fiber for breakfast with a bowl of oatmeal, which may help reduce LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, as well as provide nutrients, such as vitamin E, iron and magnesium. Tip: Add a scoop of protein powder for an extra healthy kick in the morning.

YUM! See you next week!

Guess what these are!

I can tell you what they are NOT! (oh, ignore the hair, it's still wet after showering)




They are NOT maternity clothes. This morning when I woke up I did my weekly weigh in, one more lb down, one more lb until my goal. But, impatient as I am, I thought I'd give those pre-preggo pants a try. I took out a small insurance policy in the form of my Amon postpartum-tummy-shaper-underwear, and the pants zipped right up with minimal effort.

I am pretty happy that there is a chance I can go on my vacation in normal clothes! I might need some good support/foundation garments but I can do that. It seems like a good week so far with Erin's goal and mine getting so close. I hope everyone else has a great week as well!

GOAL REACHED!...

... for the second (?) time.


remember how i have a new scale? and it reads in digital, so there's no guessing with my spin-y scale? well, per my new scale, i'm back down to 200 lbs! if you don't remember from last week, that means i lost 2.6 lbs in a week. and boy, was i surprised. last week, i worked out. i ate right. and i lost 0.8 lbs. this week, i did not work out, and i lost 2.6 lbs. whaaa?

more confusing: friday night i ate dinner at chili's. i documented what i ate there, and it was terrifying. i had the triple dippers (hey, it was either that or the salad that i was positive would give me a heart attack-- but at least i'd die happy), and i'm not so sure about these numbers because it was hard to find the serving sizes... but anyways, dinner was 1740 calories (hangs head in shame). now, that's *just* dinner. i also got the molten chocolate cake and split it with chris. half of that beast is 575 calories.

total for dinner out:
2315 calories.
just for dinner. whole day? 3126 calories.
i'm extremely embarrassed.

but this weight makes it okay. and i was a little disappointed because i weighed at 199.8 (twice! we do it twice to verify), but then when i got my camera, it jumped up to 200.0. i blame it on excitement. apparently excitement weighs 0.2 lbs. iff'n you were wondering.

Challenge Pics...

One more pound down. 3 weeks until my vacation. My goal is to not take any maternity pants with me. I am worried that my hips are a bit wider now, so I might not fit even though my weight is the same. ::sigh:: I went through this same thing with my first and never got back down to my former size. I'm still hoping things will be different this time around.

I don't have any useful info to offer this week. We have fallen into a bit of a rut food-wise. Plus, with my discovery of the McCafe frappe Mocha I'll be lucky to maintain my weight and not gain it back.

For Tamara's challenge:

I do a small-ish yoga workout when the kids are napping. A few standing poses, (e.g. downward facing dog, warrior 2, triangle) a few seated/twists, etc.

I normally do them in my bedroom so I did a couple poses as usual, hitting the self timer button in between, and went I went to review the pics I realized the room was too dark. Not to mention the focus was off. This is supposed to be triangle pose.



So, halfway through I relocated to my husband's office, where the light is a bit better, for the seated poses.

This is your standard forward bend. Thanks to the post-baby jelly belly I can't get past the toes yet.


And moving into child's pose. If your upper back is tight this helps.... A LOT.



And, for the sake of the photos, I tried to redo a few standing poses. Downward Dog...
but you can't really tell.

I love love love yoga and took audited yoga classes daily in college. I do feel a lot better when I practice regularly. Of course this doesn't include any cardio unless you count running back and forth to the camera to hit the self timer button. For cardio I have the Wii, it just wasn't Wii day. I also run around the playground with my 20 lb medicine ball baby and 30 lb toddler. Besides, we didn't need the same workout pics two days in a row :)

target heart rate info

(seeing as tamara posted a challenge about exercise, this is good timing for this post!-- also, i make really funny faces when i work out.)

So.
i exercise now.
and i exercise on fancy-pants machines at work that have heart rate measuring things that you hold on to and it tells your heart rate.
i don't know what this means.
i know what my heart rate gets up to.
i don't know anything other than that.

I researched it!
i found a ton of information. target heart rate is not based on body size, or height, or weight-- it's based on age. which really does make sense. whether you're skinny or fat, your heart should work the same to keep you healthy. i guess.

ANYways... i found a lot of stuff, and it basically said the same things. Here's my target heart rate:
119.4 (from Discovery Health)
98-146 (from Cancer.org)
98-166 (from americanheart.org)
my favorite site actually was thewalkingsite.com, which gave more detailed information on heart rate. I'll sum it up:
take 226 and subtract your age (226-27=199)
this is your maximum heart rate. now, depending on the kind of work you want to do, you have a different set of target heart rates.

warm up (50-60%) 119.4--> i have a high heart rate anyways, so my resting hr is about this (100-ish).
fat burning (60-70%) 139--> at this rate, you have benefits like lowering body fat, cholesterol, and blood pressure. 85% of the calories burned at this rate are from fat.
endurance training (70-80%) 159--> improves cardiovascular and respiratory system, and increases size and strength of your heart. more calories are burned, with 50% from fat.
performance training (80-90%) 179--> improves endurance and fights fatigue. burns more calories, but only 15% are from fat.

**keep this heart rate for 20-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week for maximum benefit**

so, you see, higher heart rate isn't always better when working out. i'd been keeping mine around 160, which looks like it works for me. i remember that it was way higher when i started working out, which meant that my heart was working too hard for my outcome. it meant my heart was out of shape, just like the rest of me. now that i'm getting healthier, my heart is also, so it's easier to keep it in the target range. for my needs (weight loss!) i'll stay in between the fat burning and endurance training ranges.

i'll also be practicing taking my own heart rate, for when i do my wii workouts. i do the boxing and i'm sweating up a storm, but i don't have a clue what my heart rate is during that time.

*disclaimer: this in no way substitutes for your own research, your doctor's suggestions, or what you should do. if you get your heart up to what i tell you to, and you have a stroke or a heart attack or any other kind of injury or illness, don't come crying to me for moneys. i don't have enough. it wouldn't be worth your time to sue me*

Hmmmm

So - My camera broke so no pics of the scale.... though that doesn't matter because I'm actually up a lb. I definitely know why. I stopped doing my Wii workouts!!! I thought my elliptical would be just as good, but it's not! No one pushes me when I'm tired, no one yells at me to keep going... (ok the Wii doesn't actually yell, but you gotta get it done, ya know?) So. Decision made. Back to Wii.

Other than that, I've been baking. Ha. Always good for the diet. Banana bread, zucchini bread, cookies... terrible. Aaaaand tasty.

I did, however, find a great recipe for a yummy, healthy, salad.

* 2 cups water
* 2 cubes chicken bouillon
* 1 clove garlic, smashed
* 1 cup uncooked quinoa
*
* 2 large cooked chicken breasts - cut into bite size pieces
* 1 large red onion, diced
* 1 large green bell pepper, diced
* 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
* 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Bring the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the garlic clove and scrape the quinoa into a large bowl.
2. Gently stir the chicken, onion, bell pepper, olives, feta cheese, parsley, chives, and salt into the quinoa. Drizzle with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Stir until evenly mixed. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 278 | Total Fat: 13.9g | Cholesterol: 45mg

So, its not exactly super lowfat/lowcal but it's definitely a healthy choice. Once you've tried the Quinoa and decide whether or not you like it, consider substituting for your rice in future dishes! It's much better for you!

CHALLENGE TIME: Take one picture of you exercising this week. Don't care what it is. Just wanna see you doing it.

xox!

Tamara

Uh oh...

So, good news: I tried on my wedding dress and it has to be taken in 1 inch on both sides! Alterations are currently backed up 8 weeks, so that means no more fittings, until the final one. So,

No more losing weight for the next 2 months! At 209 pounds, I will be trying to not gain or lose weight... and closer to the wedding, the harder that might get!

For the next 2 months, I'm going to be focusing on toning the muscle in my back and arms and adding new healthy habits. I'm going to focus on eating fresh vegetables and fruits and drinking 8 glasses of water a day. I've been slacking on that lately...

So, anyone have any tips on how to maintain weight?

It’s time for Plan B

Well. Hrmph. I am no good at this.

I exercise regularly, and I eat fairly well, and I stopped losing weight. Even gained a few pounds after I announced my amazing leap down to 198. Boo.

BUT.

I figured out why. I am not that good at documenting EVERYTHING I eat. I get most of it down, but I forget about, oh, say, that bite of chocolate I had. Or that cheese cracker my coworker offered me.

Plus, with the working out, I’ve stopped pushing myself. I’ve found my comfort zone, and I stay there. Of course I’m not going to do any better if I stay where I am!

So, what do we do about this?

1) Play copycat. Post pictures of my weight like Kyrstin does. I bought a new digital scale so I don’t have to estimate based on my dial one anymore. (ps, i blame this weight on easter. i had to do dinner with both sides of the family. and it's incredibly humbling for this photo to be up on the internets.)

2) Play The Biggest Loser. I started a competition at work, and basically whoever loses the most weight will win over $100. That’s a big lot of money. And since we’re doing percentage of body weight, it’s fair. I think I have a slight advantage though, because I know what to do (as I’ve been half-assing this for a while now), and I have plenty to lose.

3) DOCUMENT everything. Really think this through.

4) Push myself a little more at the gym. Also, become more consistent at using the Wii, if only for the boxing module. All the workouts I do at the gym work my lower body, but if I EVER want to look decent in a wedding dress, I better work my upper body also.

I can do this. I WILL do this. And since Mondays are weigh-in days at work, and my day to post to the blog, you’ll get my Biggest Loser update at the same time.

I’ve moved on to my Plan B. Time to buckle down and make this work.