Monthly Archive for March, 2010

Losing Weight: Days 19-21 – Looser Pants

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spinchick
on March 21, 2010
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[Click on the Weight Loss category to read earlier posts...from Day 1 and on.]

I have not been diligent about posting. This will be the last daily/every couple of day post. It’s time to move to weekly. And I haven’t not been posting because I haven’t been doing well -  I’ve just been busy. You know, trying to make a living between writing, designing, training and teaching.

I’ve actually lost three pounds finally. Not a big deal I know, especially since I lost over 80 pounds before. But what’s important to me is that my pants are a bit looser. How can they be looser after only a three pound weight loss? Well, as of yesterday it was 20 days (minus one binge) of eating better and being more focused with exercise. 20 days is three weeks – enough to start seeing a change in body composition if not so much on the scale. So yay me!

I still had some muffin top going on in yesterday’s jeans, but I felt like I could move around in them better. I didn’t feel like I was suffocating or unable to lift my legs..and I was able to dance in them, even after eating a sizable portion of Pad Thai.

What this does is motivate me to keep going because, gosh darn it, some day I will fit back into ALL my pants. That is my ultimate goal. Not some number of the scale.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight: Days 19-21 – Looser Pants’

Losing Weight: Days 16-18 – Don’t Give Up

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spinchick
on March 18, 2010
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[Click on the Weight Loss category to read earlier posts...from Day 1 and on.]

“I’m back…back in the saddle again.” The famous line from Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle Again” rings through my head as I write this.

I’ve been back in the saddle since my fateful slip on Day 14. While it amazed me how much fatter I felt after just one binge, it’s equally amazing how much thinner I feel a few days later. I’ve been back in control four days now and it’s going well. I think I scared myself straight.

One of the lessons I learned this last week was that all work and no play makes Helen a very bored girl. And a bored girl left alone with a tray of really good brownies and a bag of M&Ms is apt to find a way to entertain herself.

Another valuable insight I discovered is that:

Like earthquakes, we can feel binges coming on. The stress builds – your control cracks – more stress builds – more cracks appear – then wham! Earthquake (or binge, as it were). We need to recognize the pre-shocks and find ways around them.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight: Days 16-18 – Don’t Give Up’

Losing Weight: Days 14-15 – Off the Wagon

Published
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spinchick
on March 15, 2010
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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 Read Day 8 – Anticipate
Read Day 9 – Exhaustion Read Day 10 – Carbs
Read Day 11 – Fitting it in Read Day 12-13 – Finally losing

Ouch.

I feel off the wagon yesterday. Far off the wagon, bumping along down the road as I went headfirst.

Bump.

Bump.

Right into the yummy brownies. Into the heavenly M&Ms. Into the Cheese Its (ugh. They were nasty.)

Why? Because I was tired. And probably because I took the happiness of eating away and did not replace it with something that would make me equally as happy.

All work and no play = binge. Big time.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight: Days 14-15 – Off the Wagon’

Losing Weight – Days 12/13: Finally Losing Weight

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spinchick
on March 13, 2010
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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 Read Day 8 – Anticipate
Read Day 9 – Exhaustion Read Day 10 – Carbs
Read Day 11 – Fitting It In

I’m taking the weekend off from blogging about weight loss.

On the bright side – when I got on the scale this morning I was down 1.5 pounds. Finally!

I had a few food challenges to overcome today: Pizza with family members and then a trip to the movies, which meant popcorn. Movie theater popcorn is very, very high in calories and fat.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest found that a Regal theater medium popcorn, about 20 cups, contains 1,200 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. So although I had maybe 1/3 of a medium popcorn (sneaking handfuls from the kids), I am still looking at 400 calories and 20 grams of fat – for a snack. And this is in addition to the 1.5 slices of cheese pizza I had for lunch and the brownie I just had for dessert. My total calories today were probably around 2,000 – not low enough for weight loss but not enough to gain, considering I burned at least 500 calories at the gym this morning. It’s so hard to burn calories and so very easy to pack ‘em in.

I didn’t continue eating junk after the dessert brownie. When you finally reach this point of control – you know you are on your way to success.

It’s about looking at the week, not one particular day. Eating more today means that tomorrow will be a lighter day to compensate.

Onward and forward.

Until tomorrow.

Share your thoughts. You can do so anonymously. I’d like to hear from you.

Losing Weight – Day 11: Fitting It In

Published
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spinchick
on March 11, 2010
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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 Read Day 8 – Anticipate
Read Day 9 – Exhaustion Read Day 10 – Carbs

TodaywasabusydayIamgoingtogofast.

Whew!

When your day is very busy it’s hard to stick with your goals. Deadlines, sick kids, stress and life in general can take a toll on your most well-laid plans.

Today I was very busy with both children home from school. I needed to sub out my Spinnning class, much to my dismay and sadness. I tried to stay on top of my eating but remembered only one fruit and a wilted spinach salad. I was too busy to even crave carbs.

I did a briefer-than-brief upper body workout today followed by 10 minutes of punching a boxing bag. That was all I could muster before sitting back down at my desk.

Why bother with so little, you ask?

Because anything is better than nothing. Seriously. 15-20 minutes of intense, concentrated work can trump an hour-long session if you do it right. More than anything, though, any kind of exercise is good for you mentally.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight – Day 11: Fitting It In’

Losing Weight – Day 10: Craving Carbs

Published
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spinchick
on March 10, 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
Read Day 7 – Day of Rest Read Day 8 – Anticipate
Read Day 9 – Exhaustion

I’ve never tasted Miracle Whip until today.

My daughter asked me to buy it on our last shopping trip, and as I was making her a sandwich I wiped the knife with my finger and had a taste. Boy, did I want some. This was Miracle Whip Light mind you, so it only had 1.5 grams of fat per serving. I had no reason to eat it, unless I slathered it on something yummy and carb-y, so I didn’t even bother. I bet it would have tasted wonderful on French bread topped with Provolone.

Sweet, Salt or…Carbs?

I think it’s the saltiness that drew me to the Miracle Whip. I’ve been thinking about salt all day. I had three potato chips in the car and I’ve been fantasizing about popcorn. I even ate some dill pickles (I learned my lesson with those higher calorie sweet pickles. Read the pickle incident here.). Salt, sweet, salt, sweet – I crave both and I am so confused.

I am keeping my eye on the final prize (fitting into my jeans that are now about 3″ from closing – 3″ might as well be 3′ as far as those pants go. It’s not even muffin top – it’s like a Play-Doh mushroom).

My eating is slipping a little bit again. Not so much in terms of binging (I am no longer polishing off an entire tray of cookies followed by a pint of ice cream), but  overall I am eating more and more carbs, more and more frequently. This definitely has something to do with my monthly cycle.

The trick is, how do I pull back without becoming tired? How do I eat more fruit and veggies, for example, when what I really crave are breads? I need a certain amount of carbs to survive my Spinning schedule. I live in fear of running out of energy when I teach. It’s one thing to peter out on the bike when you are the student – it’s a whole other thing to peter out when you are leading an entire class. I know the sugars stored in my muscles will get me through most anything, which is why I start every day with oatmeal – and chocolate chips.

Overall, I am a big believer in eating carbs. I lost more than 80 pounds in the past consuming them. The trick is to eat more of the good kind, less of the refined.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight – Day 10: Craving Carbs’

Losing Weight – Day 9: Exhaustion

Published
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spinchick
on March 9, 2010
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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 Read Day 8 -  Anticipate

When well-laid out plans go awry, you just hang on to the seat of your cycling shorts and try for the best. This is a short post by my wordy standards.

A day that started with a sick child who was up half the night (and mommy with her), a Spinning class, and deadlines for design clients, ended with an evening business event, homework fights, dinner and then – collapse and cry. Even a superwoman has her limits.

It took all I had today not to binge. I ate a bit too much, but overall it’s not a deal breaker. I was proud of myself for that. Had a fairly big bowl of low fat yogurt after dinner with some light whipping cream on top and felt better after. Then I made an executive decision: No more work tonight. Get the kids ready for bed and hit the sack. Clients can wait. I will start fresh tomorrow.

Sometimes we need to recognize our limits…and respect them. I could have consoled myself with massive overeating like I have been doing the last couple of years. Sometimes the weight on my shoulders can momentarily be lightened by heavenly brownies. It may be only a moment, but it’s a good moment. Instead, today I focused on getting through the day hour-by-hour, project-by-project. A few extra carbs here and there kept me going. Compromise is what keeps me sane.

Today’s advice: Exhaustion. Don’t let yourself go there.

Continue reading ‘Losing Weight – Day 9: Exhaustion’

Losing Weight – Day 8: Anticipate

Published
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spinchick
on March 8, 2010
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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 Weight – Day 8: Anticipate’

Losing Weight – Day 7: Rest

Published
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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.

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Losing Weight: Day 6 – Snacking

Published
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spinchick
on March 7, 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

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 Weight: Day 6 – Snacking’