I will go ahead and state that I have not been following my plan very well (Catfish Festival got the best of me). So, besides my "Cheat Day" on Saturday, it's been going reasonably well. I eat a light snack (nuts, apple, or yogurt) then lunch a few hours later (usually salad or chicken and veggies - LOTS of protein). Another snack and dinner! And let's not forget WATER! Tons of water! (And an occasional coffee on my part - I know! Bad Maddy...)
In 6 days, I have gone from 232.8lbs to 229.4lbs. Not a lot of different in size/inches. And considering the devastation from Saturday, I'm really not surprised. It's pretty much water weight. ;) But the good news is... I am officially a member of a gym again! I'm SO excited! I've been dreaming of squats and lat pull downs for a month now. Oh how I've missed the awesomeness. I signed up Friday and everything went through yesterday so I can start working out today! Who has two thumbs and is going to the gym in an hour!?! This girl! I hope I feel sore tomorrow. I think I will start with legs today (I am probably the one person in the world who looks forward to leg day - That's my strongest asset too, lol).
My basic leg day workout (It's all about quality, not quantity!):
-SQUATS!!!!
-Calf Raises
-Kettlebell Swing & Squat
-Hyperextensions (Get a little back workout, too!)
-Leg Curls
-Deadlifts
-Leg Extensions (Don't forget to crunch those abs! It doubles as a core burner!)
-Cardio: Bike! (Stretch and work those sore muscles. Don't over do it!)
*I HATE lunges. They make my knee hurt like heck! That's why you don't see them on my list. It is a great workout but, if it hurts or you do it incorrectly, you're looking at having some problems later on (torn muscles, cap slippage, etc)*
So my leg day motivation (not that I need any!):
This is the equivalent to how many pounds lost... Amazing because you don't realize what you're carrying around on your body!
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs **WHAT I'VE LOST 3/7/13**
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super-premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephants heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephants penis
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the Worlds Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf **WHAT I WANT TO LOSE**
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and shes 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and shes 5'4½")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
Weighed in today... 225!!! It feels great to get out of that rut! I'm home safe and sound and focusing on my food intake and workouts. I splurged on food this week (bad MaddyGrace) but I'm losing and back on track.
I increased my Iodine to two drops. No noticeable side effects but I did wake up with a killer headache this morning. Could be dehydration or sinuses though. I feel great and happy.
I did a quick workout this morning... 15 mins on the elliptical and 50 sit-ups. I'm dying to get back into a gym to do some real squats and assisted pull-ups. I know I won't be able to squat 200 for a while but I think I can squat around 100 pretty easily. Cardio and body weight exercises are great right now. I just miss feeling the strength at the end of my session. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with that feeling.
I got some new clothes last night at Dicks Sporting Goods and Victorias Secret Pink. I can fit back into a large at VS! That made my night. Grant asked me to try on an old swimsuit to see how it fit and I had to loosen it but it wasn't as bad as I expected. It's definitely motivation for my trip because I don't want to buy a new one for a one time wear. I would post a pic but I'm really embarrassed right now. I'm holding it for transformation pics though. ;)
Something new I'm adding to my routine.... Walking. At work, we have a walking program to help employees monitor their weight and get them moving more instead of sitting all day, every day. I joined the program. My first check in is March 23? With 54 miles. So, on top of workouts and my healthy lifestyle, I will be counting my daily steps. Work itself is becoming stressful as I work my way up the knowledge chain, so I am also focusing on staying as stress free as possible. Going to Lafayette this week so prayers and encouragement are welcomed.
Goal for the next week... 223!!! A little laugh today for my motivation:
It seems like forever since my last post. I've been super busy that's for sure. Between project management training and being sick, all of my time has been consumed! I'm loving my Sambuccus syrup... It's all natural and made from Elderberries. It helps cut your cold/flu time in half! And it tastes wonderful! Luckily, it's not the flu... It's just a sinus cold. I just have to stay on top of it so I do not get bronchitis.
On the bright side... the detox is officially over!!! I have lost a total of 14lbs while detoxing. I believe my new lifestyle is something I can continue with great ease. I find myself craving blueberry green tea, boiled eggs, salads, grilled chicken, and nuts/berries. I do have chocolate cravings (who doesn't?) but I have some wonderful dark chocolate covered almonds that are divine and a great snack without the guilt.
My goal for February is to lose 7lbs. That will put me under 220lbs. My adjustment to make this happen: Continuing to eat great and adding exercise. At least 30 mins a day of cardio plus some weight training. I no longer have a gym membership so I will use body weight exercises and kettlebells. Once those become easier, I will probably start working out at a gym again. I do miss squats, dead lifts, and bench presses. And rowing!!! But I'm really hoping to buy a house with a gym by then. I will continue to eat wholesome foods. I can tell that food makes a difference. And timing too. I noticed that eating smaller meals more often helps control the hunger and speed up my metabolism.
I also started the iodine therapy on Sunday. Talking about weird! I had a burst of energy that I haven't felt in a long time. Not jittery like an energy drink but happy energy, like a good run or chocolate. I also got very hot for about an hour after I took my first dose. Same thing happened today. I'm still energetic but I got really hot. Not like a hot flash. It wasn't miserable and I didn't feel like I was on fire from the inside out. I just felt really warm like a hot sunny day laying out by the pool. It made me sweat for a few minutes but it went away almost as quick as it came. Kind of like I was nervous and stressed? It's been almost 4 hours since I took the iodine and supplements and I still have energy but my hands are cold (nothing new!) and I'm starving! It's been forever since I've had a legit hunger for food. I can't wait to go home and fix up a ceasar cranberry salad.
I will admit, I've been naughty. I finished my detox and to celebrate, I took my husband and his family to a Tech basketball game. Grant and I were shopping before his family got to town and we passed a local bakery and I just had to stop. They had king cake cupcakes and brownies and EVERYTHING wonderful you can imagine. I asked Grant to split a king cake cupcake with me. It was delicious! I also had a very horrible loaded potato soup at Newk's this weekend (I was sick!!!). That's my favorite soup but it is LOADED with calories and fat that is not needed. But it was very delicious. Now, back on track for February 2013!!!
Motivation:
Some very interesting things happened this weekend. I just wanted to share them and speculate as to why they happened.
- I got numerous headaches and lightheaded...
- I think this happened because I was not eating and drinking enough. I noticed these things happened late in the day (mid-afternoon - evening). They seems to get a little better after I drank some water and ate some food. The main thing I noticed is that these things only happen during the weekend. I am not as focused on the timing of my eating as I am during the week. That is something that I need to learn from. NOTE: I am not intentionally trying to skip meals nor do I have an eating disorder. I just do not have an appetite and sometimes I do not have time or forget to eat. It happens.
- I woke up feeling horrible and sickly...
- I think this happened because I stayed up until 1AM and got up at 8AM. It's a 7 hour difference but I really do need more sleep. Especially since I was extremely active this weekend. I'm pretty used to having to stay up late on the weekends due to work but this weekend was not and I guess that's why it affected me differently. I need to focus on my sleeping schedule and make sure I get adequate rest throughout the day.
- I had terrible breath odor...
- I had been using my husband's toothpaste since I ran out of mine. He uses Crest with Scope or something. My mouth felt clean when I brushed my teeth but within minutes, it was gross again! I think it has something to do with the detox. My mouth felt nasty, smelled nasty, and even my pearly white teeth looked nasty! I switched back to my Crest 3D white and my teeth feel cleaner but I still feel like my breath is nasty. I really do think the detox has something to do with that though.
- Bad body odor???
- For a while on the detox, I had really bad body odor. Growing up, I was a heavy sweater. My mom and sister didn't sweat at all. I've used heavy duty antiperspirant since I was 16. It was great!!! Now, still using the same things that worked for sooo long, my pits began to stink and kinda hurt! I, naturally, began to freak out. WHY were they stinky??? And could I be developing some kind of cancer? The first think I thought of... Does this mean I can't use my beloved deodorant anymore??? Well, I got a sample from the local health food store. It's one of those anti-body odor crystals. Yeah right... rubbing a crystal under your arms will get rid of and prevent body odor??? Well, so far it's true! I've been using it for almost a week and I haven't had any odor. I haven't noticed any wetness but it is January so I'm sure it will start showing up in March or April. I'll try to find a natural alternative to antiperspirant.
- Weight gain/loss...
- I have weighed myself almost everyday this past week. My weight went down and then went up 2LBS overnight! And then went back down the next day!!! It's been crazy! The only things I can think would cause this would be the fact that I did not stick to my eating schedule on Friday, then I ate a Subway sandwich at 2:30PM, then ate dinner at Grant's parents house at 7PM (homemade taco soup over white rice), drank some coffee and stayed up until 1AM. I mainly think it was the Subway sandwich (Honey Oat bread). I'm beginning to wonder what effects coffee has on me as well. Naturally, I still eat my dark chocolate covered almonds too but in moderate doses. ;)
From all of this, I have learned four very important things.... Sleep is crucial to your well-being, even if it is only one night off schedule. Eating schedules need to be maintained in order to function properly without side effects. Bread is very, VERY bad. What goes on your body can be unhealthy and simple changes can do you good.
To date... I have lost 11 pounds. That doesn't sound like much, but it's awesome to me! I have been struggling with weight for over a year now. I've struggled all of my life but I was able to keep it down until about 2 years ago. It quickly increased (in a matter of months) and the symptoms got worse. But I'm determined to get fit again. Since I made that decision in December and started to act on it in January, I have lost 11lbs. And working on more! ;) I started at 240, out of shape, miserable, depressed, and unhealthy. I reached my 10lb goal on Sunday. My goal for this week was to get below 230lbs. I checked my weight, just checking, and I was 229! It takes time and considering that I haven't fit in a workout this week, I consider that to be a great accomplishment. I was able to lose without a workout! Now just imagine how much more I can lose if I actually do my planned workouts!?!?! My husband is on board with me and he has lost approximately 9lbs in the past 1.5 weeks. (Just from cutting out sweet tea!) If he worked out, he probably could have lost 15lbs!
Now a little motivational picture to get through the rest of the week: I chose this picture because I have a lot of supporters who are pushing for me to succeed. My mom (the "pusher") said she was proud when I told her I lost 10lbs. And she didn't kill the buzz with: "Let's see how much more you can lose" or "Oh wow, 10lbs. I'm waiting for 50lbs before I'm impressed". That makes things a lot easier when the support is positive motivation and not negative interactions that make you feel like your worthless. Good things in, good things out!
Detox Day 4: So far so good. Just some headaches but those were expected. Clean eating is actually really tasty if you know what to prepare and how to prepare it. So far, my favorite meals are organic whole wheat pasta and chicken cranberry salad. Those are very yummy. And of course, anything with hummus is great too. I noticed that I really do not have an appetite and I do not eat nearly as much as I used to. My portions are smaller and I still can't finish them! Working out is a chore though. Between the headaches and fatigue, it's hard to get up and run or workout with kettlebells. But I do!
Workout: Speaking of kettlebells, I LOVE working out with kettlebells. I get gym workout worthy routines at home! That makes the whole "working out at home" thing easier!. I need to find a DVD or YouTube video with some kettlebell routines that are different. I'm looking to expand my fitness movement knowledge with this.
Book: I'm still reading the Jillian Michael's book mentioned in one of my past posts. It's a good read for anyone who's truly interested in finding out why they're not losing weight after working out like a mad person. It's hard to focus on but I'm determined.
Motivation: Getting ready for the beach. All I can think about is swimsuits. I'm SO excited! I keep thinking about shorts and t-shirts. Flipflops and tank tops. It's enough to make a fat girl cry and the skinny girl inside her holler! I know I won't be "swimsuit ready" by then but I know I'll be close enough. It's my vacation and I'm going to earn it. Here are some pics that keep me motivated:
(My sister and I at PCB before I gained 50lbs. Still 40lbs overweight)
(PCB)
(Nichol Richi in Miami - Looking super gorgeous and healthy)
My husband and I took our first pill this morning. It's a pretty easy regimen. Eat healthy foods. For the first (3) days, take (1) pill in the morning and (1) pill in the evening. After the third day, take (2) pills in the morning and (2) pills in the evening. If you need to, you can adjust the dosage of the evening pill. Do this until the pills are gone (approx. 30 days). I'm so excited. I haven't started feeling any detox symptoms yet but I know I will soon. I will keep tabs on the detox and update my blog to see how things change. Some of the foods we are making sure to keep in our diet are: eggs, leafy greens, fruits, and whole grains (like buckwheat and millet). Oh, and TONS of water! I am including blueberry green tea that I got from the local health food store to give me antioxidants and give me a little energy since one of the side effects is fatigue. On a wonderful, yet unrelated, note... I've lost 8 lbs since I've started this blog! It's been approximately 2 weeks with a lot of ups & downs due to the holiday feasts but it's official. My goal is to be in my old jeans by the time I go to the beach. I know I won't be toned and skinny, but I'll be happy and confident enough to put on a swimsuit! I weighed around 180-200 lbs when I wore those old jeans. So, I think that would be an excellent motivation and goal. This detox isn't supposed to make you lose weight but I hope it helps me drop some pounds. I'm going to do everything I can to make that possible.
This image is my motivation for the moment. Once I get into something and make a good habit, I'm pretty good at keeping it going without any major problems. My biggest struggle is the beginning. It takes me a long time to find what works... a routine, a plan, a lifestyle. I have to feel comfortable with it and not stressed by it. Start slow... build up strength and speed and endurance. If I start off to fast or heavy, I will hurt myself again. I have a history of knee pain since I was about 13 years old. I hurt my knee during a softball game and it hasn't been the same since. It really inhibits my activity sometimes. For instance, I cannot play racquetball or basketball with my husband or my dad. It hurts me to do lunges (but not squats??? Weird). I have good form when I work out but do to injuries and increased strain due to weight, it makes it hard to keep going on a good path. My husband bought me an elliptical trainer for this reason. It hurts to run on a standard treadmill or pavement and I love to run. I used to just run a mile whenever I pleased during high school and a portion of college. Now, I can barely make a half mile jog! But that's ok... I knew it would take a while to build my body back up to the level I was a year ago. I just have to try... and keep trying... until I get to where I need to be. As for my knee, I'll just have to keep going and focus on my diet to lose the weight until I can push harder.
I have to admit it... I've been slacking. I spent the weekend with my family. Saturday, I had a fun day with my in-laws. We ate big but I tried to choose wisely. Sunday was rough. I was sick (again) and was having a really bad day. Luckily, my mom cooked a very good meal. We didn't have "dessert" but there were some little goodies lying around. There were no workouts on these days. I was more active, yes, but no deliberate exercising took place. Yesterday was a pretty good day. I had a great breakfast which gave me a good healthy boost. I actually made lunch instead of throwing something in the oven/microwave. I made some tuna salad and deviled eggs. Not exactly super healthy but it's a lot better than lean pockets and breaded chicken! I feel bad because I ended the day with a half of a Cali burger from The Monago Fieldhouse (which is Ah-mazing!) and a red velvet brownie from the Great American Cookie Company. BAD MADDY!!! I succumbed to temptation. I can't take it back so I will have to come to terms with it and move on. I chose the picture above as my motivation because it's true. It takes time to see results. You see the results first but can get down when no one notices. Keep it up. You're family with compliment you first and you may not believe them. But just keep going. People will start to notice... And then, people you haven't seen in years will notice. And it will be grand!!! Keep it up, even if you are hindered by a bad meal or miss a workout. It takes 2 weeks to make a habit and 2 months to break it. So instead of breaking bad habits, focus on creating a new, healthier one. It's less depressing! ;)
How true this is! I worked out for the first time in months last night. It was excruciating! I haven't felt that horrible in forever! I am SO out of shape! My thighs hurt, my lungs killed me, and I felt like I was going to fall of the elliptical! And it was so HOT! (Turns out the heater was running in my office!) So, to make a long story short, today, there will be no heater and I will have a water bottle with me. As for my thighs, I will learn to NOT use the pre-programmed schedule and manually adjust the resistance/elevation until I get back in shape enough to breath without wanting to pass out! LOL. But it's all good. I did feel better after my husband helped pick me up off the living room floor. This lesson has taught me that, even though there was pain involved, I know what it feels like without the pain and that's what I get for letting my weight get out of control. Lose the weight, feel great!
Hello,
This is my very first post on my new blog, MaddyGraceGetsFit! I'm so excited to start this journey. I've joined many fitness websites but I haven't been able to stick with any of them. I've decided to try blogging about my journey. Try writing about the struggles (instead of eating them!) and tip/recipes I've stumbled upon. Maybe some of them will prove helpful to anyone who reads this! I will include topics that are special to me, whether it be personal, health, or WEIGHT (yes, it's a category on it's on!). I am open to strategies, inspiration, tips, recipes, etc. I just ask for positive feedback. Every week I will weigh in with weight, inches, and size. I will post a picture soon with starting stats. Just wanted to put up a post!
Thanks,
MaddyGrace
