Lose Weight Without Losing Yourself

Published
by
spinchick
on January 16, 2009
in helpful stuff
. Closed

{Hi, I’m Helen M. Ryan – aka Spinchick, the blog mistress. Why am I here? Because I want to help you discover how to lose weight using methods I learned while on my own weight loss journey.

Five years ago I was so overweight I could not fit into a ride at Legoland. I had a bad back, sore feet, constant fatigue and no dreams. Since then I have LOST 80 POUNDS, become a certified personal trainer, Spinning® instructor and writer.

Helen RyanSo…how did I do it? By taking simple, consistent (and free – yes, free) steps to improve myself. Follow the blog, sign up for my free e-zine. And I’d love to hear your comments about posts, or questions you might have (chat through my Facebook page, too). Carry on – today really is the first day in the rest of your life.}

Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 8: Anticipate

Published
by
spinchick
on March 8, 2010
in weight loss
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Read Day 1 – The Struggle Read Day 2 – M&Ms
Read Day 3 – Eating at 2 a.m. Read Day 4 – Famine
Read Day 5 – 1 Pound Up Read Day 6 – Snacking
Read Day 7 -  Day of Rest

My day of rest yesterday was much needed because this week I have a challenging first few days: Teaching two Spinning classes today and one tomorrow morning. That’s three hard Spinning classes in 24 hours. For me, this is difficult because I give 100% in each class, and there’s not much time to recharge in between. I need a lot of recharging. I usually don’t teach “2-in-a-day” classes because it is pointless to exercise that much, and if I do that too often I stop enjoying it. Right now I enjoy teaching.

Another instructor needed a sub and I was glad to help out. She has a good crowd and I know I can handle it – I’ve done many “2-in-a-days” in the past. Since I also know that this is a week where I normally crave a lot of carbs (wore my pink “PMS” cycling socks this morning), the extra class helps me justify my unnecessary “carb-loading” and helps me stay focused on losing weight. Somehow my food willpower seems stronger when I exercise. I think the endorphins from exercise take the place of food when I need a little stress relief.

So far, so good. I was able to put in a respectable performance in both classes today, though my thighs feel like they weigh 400 pounds each. I almost called out for a sub for tomorrow, but knew I would regret it. I feel pretty strong right now, and I will credit this to my attempt at eating better over the past week. I may not have lost anything measurable, but I feel healthier overall.

It’s hard for me to grasp the concept of crap food in = tired, cranky instructor, and quality food in = happy, energetic instructor, but I am working on that, too. I think Cheetos should be the food of champions, but apparently they are not.

Continue reading ‘Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 8: Anticipate’

Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 7: Rest

Published
by
spinchick
on March 7, 2010
in weight loss
. 3 Comments
Read Day 1 – The Struggle Read Day 2 – M&Ms
Read Day 3 – Eating at 2 a.m. Read Day 4 – Famine
Read Day 5 – 1 Pound Up Read Day 6 – Snacking

One day a week I take a complete break from exercise. No Spinning, no strength training, not even any stretching. It’s one day for my body to go, “Ahhhhh,” and just kick back. Usually this day is Sunday.

A few years back, when I was at my fittest, things were different. I used to get up early and ride my bike on Sundays. In the summer my friends and I would meet at 6 a.m. before it got warm (and while the kids were sleeping) and take long, strenuous  rides. We’d push mile after mile, hill after hill, challenge after challenge, returning home exhausted and sweaty as our families began to stir. In the winter we’d head out with long cycling tights, gloves and windbreakers, cold and miserable the whole way.

An early, very chilly morning (an Easter Sunday in fact) I got stuck returning down the side of a mountain that I’d ridden up. It was raining, sleeting and we had ice in our hair. No one else was on the road, we had no cell phone reception, and my friend and I had to pull off to the side, shivering uncontrollably, wondering if we’d ever make it down alive. Another Sunday morning I was following a group of experienced cyclists through some canyons. They were far ahead of me, out of sight, and I was trying to catch up. I put everything I had into each pedal stroke, and barreled over the crest, missing my turn and almost toppling off the cliff. Those were my Sundays.

One day, while getting ready to head out on a cold early-morning Sunday ride by myself, I discovered I had a flat tire. I looked at the tire. Pondered. Then I removed my cycling gear, headed back upstairs and jumped into my warm, toasty bed. I haven’t gotten up early to ride on a Sunday since.

Continue reading ‘Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 7: Rest’

Losing The Last 15 Pounds: Day 6 – Snacking

Published
by
spinchick
on March 7, 2010
in weight loss
. 0 Comments
Read Day 1 – The Struggle Read Day 2 – M&Ms
Read Day 3 – Eating at 2 a.m. Read Day 4 – Famine
Read Day 5 – 1 Pound Up

Cloudy Weather  Snack-a-Thon

Cloudy days and cold weather always inspire me to eat. I think it’s a “hibernation” thing. Today, I just wanted to eat, snuggle under the covers and sleep all day.

To counteract doing something detrimental to my progress I made sure that I ate every two hours or so – tricking myself into thinking I was snacking. After breakfast and teaching a Spinning class, I had a small sugar-free* Vanilla Latte with soy milk, then an hour later ordered a warm and filling Buddha’s Feast with tofu from Pick Up Stix. It’s hard to tell from the nutritional information on their web site what it actually was that I was eating. I wanted the Wok Smart entrée (under 500 calories), but received small containers of brown rice and Buddha’s Feast instead. I had to just work with that.

I ate only 1/3 of the meal at lunch because I wasn’t very hungry (the latte had filled me up). Throughout the day, I snacked on the remainder of the food – in about 1/3 increments. It helped me feel constantly full, feel like I was eating a lot – fulfilling my desire to snack – and still kept me within a reasonable daily calorie count. It gave me a nice serving of vegetables and fiber, too.

It’s good sometimes to “fake yourself out.” The constant small eating helped me feel like I was eating a lot – just what the dreary day ordered.

Continue reading ‘Losing The Last 15 Pounds: Day 6 – Snacking’

Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 5: 1 Pound Up

Published
by
spinchick
on March 5, 2010
in weight loss
. 2 Comments
Read Day 1 – The Struggle Read Day 2 – M&Ms
Read Day 3 – Eating at 2 a.m. Read Day 4 – Famine

The Old Me Would Have Screamed

Before I had my massive weight loss a few years back, if I had tried to lose weight and gained a pound it would have been the end of the world. I would eat every carb in sight, punishing myself for what I would perceive as something I had done wrong.

I weighed myself today, and I did not scream even though I weigh one pound more than when I started this project five days ago.  Last time I lost between 1/4 and 1/2 pound per day. Yes, I had a lot of weight to lose back then and yes, I was younger. But still…

Did I get discouraged?

No. I had a brief moment where I thought, “Oh crap. All that work for nothing. What the…?” Because I know that my weight fluctuates depending on how much salt I’ve eaten, where I am in my cycle, how much sleep I’ve gotten, and how much water I’ve ingested, I did not throw in the towel at this piece of bad news. I’m really not expecting to see any change in my weight for about two more weeks. That may be hard to swallow for some, considering all the “miraculous” results we see on television and read about in magazines, but it’s the reality. There are many, many factors to consider when it comes to actual weight loss.

Just because I haven’t lost anything measurable on a scale doesn’t mean I’m not losing fat. Actual weight loss hinges on too many variables to hang our hats on one particular element. Fat loss, rather than weight loss, is something you can feel. Fat loss can be judged in terms of looks and clothing fit. Sometimes we need to say, “To hell with the scale!” and continue on. Could  I have given up? Yes. But…

I look at it this way: I can either lose, maintain or gain weight. The first two are OK. The third is not. That’s how I ended up here.

Continue reading ‘Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 5: 1 Pound Up’

Losing Those Hard 15 Pounds – Day 4: Famine

Published
by
spinchick
on March 4, 2010
in weight loss
. 2 Comments

Read Day 1 – The Struggle
Read Day 2 – M&Ms
Read Day 3 – Eating at 2 a.m.

Right about now – days four through seven or so – your body is getting a clue as to what’s going on. You are eating less and moving more. In nature, that means one thing: The famine is coming!

Your body holds onto fat for one reason – to get you through periods of starvation. What it doesn’t realize is that there really is no famine..that there is plenty of food to go around (at least in our nation of excess). All it cares about is that you are depleting your stores of the very thing it counts on to keep you alive: Fat. And now it’s fighting back.

Today I am starving. Not literally starving, but the kind of starving where my body is sabotaging me. It’s sending signals to my brain to trick me into eating. “She’s tired.” “She’s hungry.” “She needs cookies.” It’s one of those collaborations that are deadly to our weight loss efforts. Right now it would be soooo easy to grab that spoon again and dip into the frozen yogurt. It would be so easy to eat half a bag of Oreos (and I don’t even like Oreos). It would be so easy to bake some warm, yummy cornbread and slather it with butter, feeling my tension melt away and quiet the “starving” voices in my head.

This is where I need to stay focused and ask myself. “Am I going to let my body win? Am I going to let my body’s quest to keep the fat ruin my efforts?” No I will not.

And do you know why I won’t give in? Because I have done this before.

I lost 82 pounds in 2003/2004. I know the drill. I know the feelings. I know the pitfalls. And I also know that I can give in today, but if I start again tomorrow, in 4-5 days I’ll be faced with the  same situation: wanting to break down and eat a bunch of things that are physically not good for me (but mentally – mmm yes.) Just because my body said so.

My theory is this: Take pain now or take it later. I’ll take it now. It won’t be any easier tomorrow.

Continue reading ‘Losing Those Hard 15 Pounds – Day 4: Famine’

Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 3: Eating at 2 a.m.

Published
by
spinchick
on March 3, 2010
in weight loss
. 3 Comments

March 3

Read Day 1 – The Struggle
Read Day 2 – M&Ms

I guess I did not eat enough yesterday since I found myself awake at 2 a.m., searching for food. I settled for half of a protein bar, then went back to sleep. I usually don’t wake up to eat, but obviously my body was looking for calories. I’m just lucky I did not have any Cheetos around. I did make an effort to sleep last night, and slept in until 8:30 a.m. Felt a bit sluggish and tired this morning since I am not used to sleeping, but worked awhile, then exercised for 30 minutes. I started training with kettlebells again. I hate kettlebells. I really do. I love them, but I also despise them. Love/hate.

Kettlebells are the hardest thing I know, so I went easy on myself and did only two sets of double arm swings (x25), one set of single arm swings  (x15 total), cursing out every number – 10 – f*!@ – 11 – sh*t – 12 – f!%@. To add insult to injury, I did one set of deep kettlebells squats.

So why do I work with kettlebells if I dislike them? Because they rock. And I’m a glutton for punishment.

Continue reading ‘Losing Those 15 Pounds – Day 3: Eating at 2 a.m.’

Losing Those Hard 15 Pounds – Day 2: M&Ms

Published
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spinchick
on March 2, 2010
in weight loss
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March 2, 2010

If you read yesterday’s post you would have noted that I was full of vim and vigor and ready to lose weight. Today…today I am tired. And wanting this baggie full of M&Ms sitting in my drawer.

I stayed up too late again last night and am feeling it today. When we are tired, we often turn to sugar to “perk us up.” Yes, we know it’s a temporary perk but everything in life is temporary, is it not? And though it won’t solve anything in the long run, in the short run that sugar rush feels just so fabulous.

Shall I eat those M&Ms?

Continue reading ‘Losing Those Hard 15 Pounds – Day 2: M&Ms’

Losing the Last 15 Pounds, Day 1: The Struggle

Published
by
spinchick
on March 1, 2010
in weight loss
. 3 Comments

March 1, 2010
135 pounds (eek)
Size 6 (eek)

Four years ago I weighed 116 pounds (that’s my “after”picture, above”). A respectable weight for a woman 5′1″. Two  years before that I weighed 198 pounds. NOT a respectable weight for a woman my height (to learn how I lost the weight initially, read the My Story page). Now I weigh 135 pounds and am determined to lose eight of them by my birthday at the end of this month, with the remainder by the end of April. Can I do it? I don’t know. I’ll be 44. My body wants to hoard fat. But I will try. Will you join me? Support me? Cheer me on? Hmmmm. We shall see.

I used to rock the free world. 2006 was my absolute strongest year. I climbed mountains on my bicycle,  rode 100 miles in a Century, smashed every barrier I knew to prove to myself that I was no longer a big, fat failure. I was a killer Spinning instructor and a rockin’ personal trainer. I was truly at the top of my physical game.

What happened to make me lose momentum? I got divorced.

Continue reading ‘Losing the Last 15 Pounds, Day 1: The Struggle’

Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – Sticking with It

Published
by
spinchick
on February 5, 2010
in motivation and weight loss
. 0 Comments

(read part one – The Beginning)

In order to keep with your resolution to lose weight you need to take baby steps. Break down you goal into manageable chunks. Don’t try for that bikini body just yet…there is plenty of time. Striving for such a large goal will almost ensure that you fail. It seems so far away – so difficult – so unattainable – so why bother?

FAKE IT

The reality is that it probably took you years to gain the weight and it is not going to come off without a fight. You have to fake yourself out. Having one large goal looming ahead of you is often not enough to keep you motivated. How can you focus on the body you want when those chocolate chip cookies are fresh, warm and oh-so-yummy?

Continue reading ‘Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – Sticking with It’

Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – The Beginning

Published
by
spinchick
on January 17, 2010
in motivation and weight loss
. 1 Comment

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again..the time for resolutions. The time for change. Did you make resolutions again this year? If so, do you think you will be able to keep them?

If you don’t, you are in good company. Resolutions are very hard to keep. In fact, over 70% of people fail stick to their resolutions, according to a recent study.

SUCCESS…OR NOT

Instead of focusing on the negatives – like how many people cannot keep their resolutions – let’s focus on the positive. How many people are successful? And of those that are, how do they do it?

Continue reading ‘Keeping Weight Loss Resolutions – The Beginning’