So I had to drive my stepdaughter (aka Buttercup) home by myself on Monday, 3 1/2 hours each way. I had very busy day (taking care of kids, getting my work done, & driving) and didn't know how I was going to fit my minimum of 30 minutes walking in. After seeing the stacked traffic on 75 South (the way home), I decided this would be a perfect time to stop in an Alabama park and get my walk in. I chose one that happened to be marked. It was the size of a football field so 1 lap equaled 1/4 mile. I've been wanting a pedometer but have been frozen in indecision with how many choices there are. This was the perfect opportunity to count my steps since I had a marker at 1/4 mile that was clear, unlike walking in my neighborhood or at the park where I often miss the mile markers. I counted only 485 steps for 1/4 mile which equals 3,880 steps for 2 miles or for me, 30 minute of walking.
I've had a lofty goal of reaching 10,000 steps a day like YOU: On a Diet recommends but this means I would have to walk 5 to 5 1/2 miles to reach this goal (if my math is correct). I think it was Dr Pam Peek (sp?) that said 10,000 steps averages to about 4 miles for most people. Does this mean I'm working that much less just because I take longer strides? I'm able to maintain a mile every 15 minutes (4 mph). I don't know how I can go any faster or muster up more than hour a day for exercise. I have a pretty sedentary job so I think my steps throughout the day is negligent.
Maybe I'm getting too bogged down in the numbers. I usually do whether it's counting carbs, calories, or miles and time spent on exercise. Just needed to get that off my chest so I can focus on the big picture.
I only have a few moments before the boy wakes from his nap. I've been plugging along slowly but surely. I vowed this time to take the weight loss slowly. I know how to lose weight fast. I've just never been able to stick to a plan that keeps it off. I'm doing my own thing with my own rules that basically go like this: - Eat whole grains, more veggies and fruits and lean meats. Veggies are my new mainstay - Exercise every day with a minimum of 30 minutes walking and some Yoga - If I eat something other than whole grains, veggies, fruits, and lean meats, I measure it out and watch my portions! This includes fried foods, fatty meats, desserts, and alcohol, which are only allowed on occasion and usually planned.
So far, this has really been working for me. I finally heeded the old advice of using a smaller plate and it works, especially for the bad-for-me foods.
I've lost about 10 pounds, 2.5" from the waist, and about 4 inches from the hips in about 5 weeks time. Those are the only places I measured in my effort not to focus too much on the numbers but still have a guide to see my progress.
I changed my eating habits first and then added the exercise back in. The biggest challenge is filtering out all the data on weight loss. It's too much. Too many studies conflicting with each other and studies that don't make it a good study (i.e. leaving out certain populations, data, etc.). I finally took everything I've been trained on, read, and studied and decided it's time to figure out what works for me. What can I live with? I'm pretty sure this is it. It's rather simplified but I've gotten results and I feel good for the first time in about 2 years. Who could believe I was ever a fitness instructor? I'm really trying to hone in on what motivates me too.
I haven't been able to update my fitness blog. All I've felt over the past year is shame. Shame for not taking care of myself. Shame for all the things I should do but never do. Shame for my medical ailments. Shame for not eating right. Shame for not doing regular exercise. Just plain shame.
I'm tired of feeling shameful; it's a terrible-feeling emotion to hold onto. A lot has happened in the last 12 months to make me take stock in my life.
First of all, I haven't taught aerobics since August 2005. I feel guilty for this and relieved at the same time. I have decided that I will not take up teaching again and have let my primary certification expire. I don't feel motivated and more importantly, motivating to other people. I needed to find myself again and figure out what I like doing and how I like doing it. I lost myself in the past couple of years. I've been identifying my newest role in life as a wife and a mother. Although I don't feel like I give, give, give and have forgotten myself (the typical new wife/mother issues). I just haven't completely accepted my new roles in life. I love every minute of it. I think it's kind of like when I was in my 20s and I was trying to accept the fact that I was really an adult.
Secondly, my Dad just had a 5 bypass heart surgery. 5!!!!!!! I didn't even know there was anything beyond quadruple. I've since found out that you can have 6 as well. Eeeeegad. Anywho, it's a terrible surgery that rips your body apart physically and spiritually. But I thank God there's such a procedure to save my Dad's life. His Dad died in his 30's of a heart attack. So, yes, this is my big wake up call. I've had high cholesterol for several years now and it's time to grow up and accept responsibility for myself.
I’m tired of being overweight but more importantly, I’m tired of how I feel. I’m so tired all of the time. I have no energy to do anything. Everything hurts. It hurts to be touched. I just want to sleep all of the time (but no opportunity to do so).My daily emotional state borderlines on apathy. I don’t ever want to have heart surgery like my Dad. If I have any kind of control over my well-being, it’s only fair I take the helm for me, my future, and my family.
I’ve come to accept the fact that some of these medical concerns are hereditary, but unlike the rest of my family who accepts that they have no control, I believe I have a certain amount of control. I don’t smoke (unlike my grandfather, mother, and brother) and I don’t expose myself to an excess amount of 2nd hand smoke (unlike my father). My family doesn’t take care of themselves. Whether it’s the diet, exercise, or just seeing a doctor when it matters, they just don’t do it. Or they see doctors too much because they refuse to accept the habits they participate in as detrimental to their health and those around them but do nothing about it.
I’ve vented enough there. Now I need to accept my habits as detrimental and fix it since I can only fix myself and not others. (In addition to the whole hypocrisy aspect to that notion) I’ve started eating better. I need to start somewhere. I cut out most processed foods, sugar, and processed starches. I just can’t control my eating when I eat this shit so I need to cut it out for sometime. I’ve been indulging in lots of veggies and some fruit. I try to have a protein and a healthy fat at every meal. This is my life and I’m taking control.
I've had a really good couple of days nutritionally. Fitday confirms that my calories are in check. I would estimate about a hundred calories more. I'm sure I'm forgetting a little here and there, like exactly how much sugar is in my iced tea. I put less than a 1/4 cup in the pitcher. I guess I have some measuring to do.
The Walrus and I came up with the yummiest recipe for Jerk Chicken salad yesterday. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. I gave it a little thought before going to the grocery store but really came up with some of the key ingredients from our cupboard and the Walrus' help. I hope somebody else finds this recipe enticing or at least gets inspired for a recipe of his or her own. I usually get inspired for recipes from Rachael Ray, Robin Miller, Emeril, etc. I hardly ever follow the recipe verbatim. I start with one of their ideas and expound on my own. This is the first I've come up with completely on my own, with my husband's help of course.
Jerk Chicken Salad
-¼ cup chopped parsley -¼ cup chopped cilantro -1-2 salad cucumbers quartered -3-4 chopped green onion -2 limes zested, limes set aside for later -3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut up into bite-size pieces -1 cup of Jerk marinade of your choice (or recipe to follow) -1-2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, roasted (recipe to follow) -1 can pineapple chunks drained -½ can drained chick peas (about a cup) or drained black beans -½ cup shredded cheddar cheese -1 bag Hearts of romaine
Jerk Marinade
-½ cup Badia jerk seasoning -¼ cup olive oil -¼ cup sour orange
Mix ingredients and set aside.
Roasted Grape Tomatoes
-1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes -¼ cup good balsamic vinegar -A drizzle of olive oil -Salt and pepper to taste -1 tablespoon Badia cumin -Optional: chopped up garlic
Cut the tomatoes in half and combine all ingredients making sure the tomatoes are saturated in mixture. Place on cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes at 350°. Refrigerate.
…salad recipe continued
Marinate chicken in Jerk Marinade for 30-60 minutes. Sauté chicken in skillet with all of marinade, drain the marinade after cooking, cool and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Combine cucumber, parsley, cilantro, lime zest, and green onion. Juice the remaining limes over this veggie mixture, mix, and refrigerate.
Right before serving, combine hearts of romaine, chicken, veggie mixture, pineapple, chick peas, roasted tomatoes, and cheese.
I started off good yesterday with my eating habits and progressively got worse. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would score yesterday a 2.5. I've done worse but I could definitely do better. I know I need a regimented diet to work but I'm really trying to make this work as a lifestyle and I really don't want to pay for what I already know. I think accountability is the key.
I just reviewed my old diet bookmarks that are very useful. One of them was Fitday. I haven't been on it in a couple of years and was very surprised to find all my old settings there. I will probably update this blog as my journal but my accountability will be detailed here. I think the first 10 pounds will come off relatively quickly because I've been hardly drinking any water.
I've started off pretty good today. I would like to keep my calories less than 1400 for awhile. I'm meeting my mom for lunch today so that will be my first big challenge. I usually "forget" healthy portions and choices when I see her for lunch. I will remain focused today.
On another note, I may need to stop watching The Biggest Loser. I'm getting quite discouraged. With the exception of Seth, the others I have seen from previous shows have gained quite a bit of weight back. I guess when you're competing for a lot of money, you try to lose as much as possible. Probably more than is manageable. My goals are pretty modest. I would like to be at the top of my recommended BMI (159 lbs.). I want to be healthy but I don't want to have to maintain 135 pounds. The amount of brain and physical power would be all-consuming to maintain that weight. 135 would be at the bottom of my recommended BMI. Plus, I maintain and build muscle relatively easily. BUT, I also gain fat very easily. Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah... muscle weighs more than fat. I WILL NOT MAINTAIN THAT AS MY MANTRA. It's a trap to make me feel like I'm doing better than I am.
I've been working overnight for a seasonal job since November. Between that and taking care of the boy, my fitness quest has sadly taken a back seat. It's also sad because I really want to adopt fitness as a lifestyle, which I've been mostly good at, but fitness still takes a break now and again in my life. I thought working overnight would be great. I could work the amount of hours I couldn't work part time before and still not have to put the boy in daycare.
The job didn't work out according to plan. I wanted 3 nights, mostly weekends and I got 4 nights all weekdays. I wanted 20 hours, I got 26 hours. I was hungry around the clock because I was awake around the clock excluding a few naps here and there. At least it was a temporary job. Lesson learned.
I'm trying to get back on track. I only gained 4 pound. While I'm very disappointed with that, I guess I'm thankful it was only 4.
The weather has been very temperate so I have no excuse for not walking again. I have made it a point to bring Westley out every afternoon and pull him in his wagon or push him on his new little trike. Now I just need to bring my good eating habits back and I'll be set.
I'm at a standstill and in aerobic no-man's-land. I haven't taught since August and I can't decide whether to renew my certification again. Emotionally, this tears me apart. I've been teaching since the end of 1999 but I really don't think I miss it that much. I do miss the ladies I used to workout with though.
