So, tomorrow is it... the last day of 2012. I get up, go to work, spend the evening with friends and wake up in a new year.
I may try to stay up and ring in the new year but it would be difficult... I have a 5k to run in the morning. At 9am. And it's an hour away. Oof.
Oh well.
Today I went grocery shopping and restocked on all the healthy stuff I need. Then I made a giant pot of stew in the crock pot to allow me to eat well for lunch the 4 days I work this week. Then I worked out, and worked on flash cards for AFAA Primary Group Exercise and my TurboKick classes.
I paid bills and worked on my budget. I updated my calendar. I got my eyebrows waxed.
I taught an awesome, intense, sweaty hour and fifteen minutes of Zumba.
I ate a delicious dinner and FroYo with my best friends. We watched football and hung out.
I finally feel like I've got things in hand. I have a plan and I'm working the plan and it's working for me.
In the new year I'm doing a couple of cool things. First up DietBet!
Roni - who I adore - is doing a DietBet with her readers and the internet at large. It's awesome! I'm totally stoked. And scared. 12 pounds is a lot for me to lose in a month. I'm going to do my damnedest though! I WANT TO BE IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE!
Then, Dani - who is on my long list of newly developed girl crushes from FitBloggin - over at Weight Off My Shoulders is doing a Progress Not Perfection challenge - 8 weeks, track all the things, be accountable to everyone else. I'm excited about that too. I always do better when I feel like everyone is watching my every move. This is going to be good for me.
Also, I'm adding in TurboKick. Sentao and Toning classes in to my schedule on a weekly basis now. I will be getting to use all my certifications/licenses I'm even hoping to get Hustle back on the schedule in the next month or so. Just something fun and different to switch things up.
The most important thing is that everything is being done on my terms. I'm taking control and I'm making decisions and I'm not letting myself be second fiddle to anyone. Not at work, not in the fitness world, not at home.
One of the biggest lessons for me in 2012 is that I sabotage myself by being too nice and not making waves. I avoid confrontation and am afraid to hurt anyone and that's great, it's who I am and it's part of why people like me... I'm a big old softie...but it also lets me get walked on. I need to be more forward and honest and forthcoming. I've been working on it for the last few months and I'm getting more confident in it.
I'm ready to get through tomorrow and wave in 2013 with a smile and a rocking time on my 5k.
What are YOU doing to get 2013 started off on the right foot?
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Good things are a-coming...
And they are coming quickly! But! They're not coming without a few bumps in the road.
Like last week - it was the week of bad food choices. I am an openly admitted carb-a-aholic. Bread, pasta, potatoes, carb heavy vegetables... I love them all and sometimes it's difficult for me to back off the carbohydrates and keep my diet balanced. Last week was a prime example of this.
Why? Because Paul's Italian Bistro exists. I actually did okay early in the week, I ate more than my fair share of sweet delicious fruit and was overdosed on delicious natural sugars but I was keeping my carb intake to less than 50% of my calories. Then Thursday happened... Paul's has a dish that is cheese tortellini in alfredo sauce. I added chicken to mine. I ATE THE WHOLE PLATE. Plus bread.
Then Friday, I had pizza for lunch because we brought it in for a working lunch. Even though I ate thin crust pizza, my carb intake got close to 70% of my calories on Friday.
Needless to say - I felt like a blimp by Saturday morning.
It's so hard for me to recover from a carbohydrate binge. I know exactly what happens when I eat like this and yet... it happens.
I understand that with as much cardio as I do, I need the carbohydrates for the easily used energy source but I really have to be extra careful not to let that percentage creep up. There was a time a few years ago when it was not uncommon for my breakdown to be 70% carbs, 15% protein, 15% fat. THIS IS WHY I'M FAT!
I've been doing so much better but then, two steps back. I know that it's ok to go "off plan" every now and then and that balance is the key... but I hate seeing the numbers creep up in that way. I'm scared of that being the norm again.
Yes, I know that this is bordering on the obsessive but... I need to control my eating if I'm going to reach my goals. It's just how it works. It's a numbers game and I'm getting on front of the numbers.
Speaking of numbers - still managed a loss this week -.5. Sitting at 297.2. Long as I stay away from seeing 300 ever again I'm happy. I'll be happier when I tell 200 to go away too!
Like last week - it was the week of bad food choices. I am an openly admitted carb-a-aholic. Bread, pasta, potatoes, carb heavy vegetables... I love them all and sometimes it's difficult for me to back off the carbohydrates and keep my diet balanced. Last week was a prime example of this.
Why? Because Paul's Italian Bistro exists. I actually did okay early in the week, I ate more than my fair share of sweet delicious fruit and was overdosed on delicious natural sugars but I was keeping my carb intake to less than 50% of my calories. Then Thursday happened... Paul's has a dish that is cheese tortellini in alfredo sauce. I added chicken to mine. I ATE THE WHOLE PLATE. Plus bread.
Then Friday, I had pizza for lunch because we brought it in for a working lunch. Even though I ate thin crust pizza, my carb intake got close to 70% of my calories on Friday.
Needless to say - I felt like a blimp by Saturday morning.
It's so hard for me to recover from a carbohydrate binge. I know exactly what happens when I eat like this and yet... it happens.
I understand that with as much cardio as I do, I need the carbohydrates for the easily used energy source but I really have to be extra careful not to let that percentage creep up. There was a time a few years ago when it was not uncommon for my breakdown to be 70% carbs, 15% protein, 15% fat. THIS IS WHY I'M FAT!
I've been doing so much better but then, two steps back. I know that it's ok to go "off plan" every now and then and that balance is the key... but I hate seeing the numbers creep up in that way. I'm scared of that being the norm again.
Yes, I know that this is bordering on the obsessive but... I need to control my eating if I'm going to reach my goals. It's just how it works. It's a numbers game and I'm getting on front of the numbers.
Speaking of numbers - still managed a loss this week -.5. Sitting at 297.2. Long as I stay away from seeing 300 ever again I'm happy. I'll be happier when I tell 200 to go away too!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Loving myself in to love
Today is Love Your Body Day! But... what does that really mean?
Like most women, I find myself comparing my body to that of those around me. I'm hyper aware of people looking at me and even more aware of their facial expressions and tone of voice when talking to me. Why? Because I know I'm obese and I know people still judge me based on that fact.
Like I said in an earlier post I struggle on an almost daily basis with the stigma of being a plus sized fitness instructor. I know a lot of students feel comfortable with me because I am a walking example that anyone really can do it but... sometimes that hurts worse.
Why does my weight matter in the grand scheme of things? My body can do everything that a 125 pound womans body can do... why do people feel the need to harp on it because I weigh 330 pounds?
I see examples of "fat persecution" around me all the time. From little things like the catty "Who told her it was a good idea to wear THAT?!?" comments made between friends to more overt societal constructs like the fact that the only clothes designed to fit me make me feel like I might as well be wearing a burlap sack. I don't want to be running around with all of my goodies hanging out for everyone to see but I'd like to be able to feel sexy, sensual and HUMAN sometimes.
It seems bizarre to me that we even need a day to focus on loving our body... shouldn't that be the message every day?
Women's media tends to scream loudly about transforming our bodies, fixing our problem areas, hiding our flaws, masking our imperfections but rarely about embracing the things that make each person special.
It amazes me how many people are shocked or offended when I'm in class and I'm hot and I'm sweaty and I decide to either tie my shirt up or tuck it up in to my sports bra baring my stomach to the room. I'm HOT and SWEATY and my shirt is only making things worse... so I minimize the contact the fabric has with my skin and I feel better. I also look at the little jiggly bits on my stomach and realize how much smaller they've gotten and push myself harder because I can actually see the changes in my body.
Yes, I want to change my body but, ultimately, it's not about my appearance... it's about my health. I want to stay healthy. I want to avoid being on any more medication than I currently am. I want my cholesterol to stay in a healthy range. I want to keep my blood pressure where it is. I want to avoid becoming diabetic. If I can do all of those things and be 250 pounds that's fine by me.
I'd like to be thinner (if only for the fashion!) but if my body decides to stay where it is that's fine by me. I'll continue to gain tone and endurance and become stronger and faster and I'll continue to love my body for allowing to me to do all the fabulous things it lets me do on a given day.
I love my body and I show my body that I love it by giving it quality food, water, and being as active as I can. I pamper my skin with lush lotions. I live life to the fullest and try not to let my physical body determine who I will be on a mental, emotional, or professional level.
This post is part of the 2011 Love Your Body Day Blog Carnival
Like most women, I find myself comparing my body to that of those around me. I'm hyper aware of people looking at me and even more aware of their facial expressions and tone of voice when talking to me. Why? Because I know I'm obese and I know people still judge me based on that fact.
Like I said in an earlier post I struggle on an almost daily basis with the stigma of being a plus sized fitness instructor. I know a lot of students feel comfortable with me because I am a walking example that anyone really can do it but... sometimes that hurts worse.
Why does my weight matter in the grand scheme of things? My body can do everything that a 125 pound womans body can do... why do people feel the need to harp on it because I weigh 330 pounds?
I see examples of "fat persecution" around me all the time. From little things like the catty "Who told her it was a good idea to wear THAT?!?" comments made between friends to more overt societal constructs like the fact that the only clothes designed to fit me make me feel like I might as well be wearing a burlap sack. I don't want to be running around with all of my goodies hanging out for everyone to see but I'd like to be able to feel sexy, sensual and HUMAN sometimes.
It seems bizarre to me that we even need a day to focus on loving our body... shouldn't that be the message every day?
Women's media tends to scream loudly about transforming our bodies, fixing our problem areas, hiding our flaws, masking our imperfections but rarely about embracing the things that make each person special.
It amazes me how many people are shocked or offended when I'm in class and I'm hot and I'm sweaty and I decide to either tie my shirt up or tuck it up in to my sports bra baring my stomach to the room. I'm HOT and SWEATY and my shirt is only making things worse... so I minimize the contact the fabric has with my skin and I feel better. I also look at the little jiggly bits on my stomach and realize how much smaller they've gotten and push myself harder because I can actually see the changes in my body.
Yes, I want to change my body but, ultimately, it's not about my appearance... it's about my health. I want to stay healthy. I want to avoid being on any more medication than I currently am. I want my cholesterol to stay in a healthy range. I want to keep my blood pressure where it is. I want to avoid becoming diabetic. If I can do all of those things and be 250 pounds that's fine by me.
I'd like to be thinner (if only for the fashion!) but if my body decides to stay where it is that's fine by me. I'll continue to gain tone and endurance and become stronger and faster and I'll continue to love my body for allowing to me to do all the fabulous things it lets me do on a given day.
I love my body and I show my body that I love it by giving it quality food, water, and being as active as I can. I pamper my skin with lush lotions. I live life to the fullest and try not to let my physical body determine who I will be on a mental, emotional, or professional level.
This post is part of the 2011 Love Your Body Day Blog Carnival
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Goal - Simplifying Nutrition
Trying to get a handle on nutrition is no fun. No fun at all. Everyone tells you weight loss is a simple matter of calories in vs. calories out. Maybe that's generally true but my body is guilty of fuzzy math.
I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and PCOS and I swear no matter what I do my diet is never "right" for progressive weight loss. I'm on synthroid, cytomel and metformin to control the three issues but it's only helped minimally
I've done it all. Not so much guilty of yo-yo dieting as much as being nutritionally schizophrenic.
I was vegetarian. I tried Atkins. I tried South Beach. I've tried gluten free, dairy free, sugar free (and all three at the same time!) diets. I've looked high and low for a dietary strategy that will work for me. Nothing works.
I faithfully use sparkpeople.com and myfitnesspal.com to log my food and exercise. I try to limit my intake of pastas, potatoes and even bread to a large extent so that I can stay lower carb. However....I can't, mentally, deal with any diet that makes a food or group of foods off limit.
So what am I doing to simplify my diet? I'm trying to be moderate in everything... even moderation.
The big thing I'm having to learn is to forgive myself for being normal. I go through periods of time where I don't want fruit but I eat a ton of vegetables. I go through Atkins like spells where all I want is meat. I even have carb binges where I crave pasta and potatoes in dishes like we had when I was growing up.
My current nutrition goals are to continue broadening the fruits and vegetables that are my go to foods. I love my carrots, cucumbers, celery, and spinach. I adore raspberries, strawberries, bananas, pineapple and mango. I know there's a whole world of other fruits and veggies out there for me to try. I've become a zucchini and squash addict in the last few months. Now to keep exploring!
That goes doubly for the meats I bring in to the house. I've never cooked duck and I rarely bring fish in to the house because I hated it in the past and I'm scared to spend the money on something I wind up hating. I need to stop being so scared and expand my horizons.
So to those of you out there in blog land - What "new to you" foods have really gotten your cooking juices flowing? What about fruits and veggies you love that are off the beaten track?
I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and PCOS and I swear no matter what I do my diet is never "right" for progressive weight loss. I'm on synthroid, cytomel and metformin to control the three issues but it's only helped minimally
I've done it all. Not so much guilty of yo-yo dieting as much as being nutritionally schizophrenic.
I was vegetarian. I tried Atkins. I tried South Beach. I've tried gluten free, dairy free, sugar free (and all three at the same time!) diets. I've looked high and low for a dietary strategy that will work for me. Nothing works.
I faithfully use sparkpeople.com and myfitnesspal.com to log my food and exercise. I try to limit my intake of pastas, potatoes and even bread to a large extent so that I can stay lower carb. However....I can't, mentally, deal with any diet that makes a food or group of foods off limit.
So what am I doing to simplify my diet? I'm trying to be moderate in everything... even moderation.
The big thing I'm having to learn is to forgive myself for being normal. I go through periods of time where I don't want fruit but I eat a ton of vegetables. I go through Atkins like spells where all I want is meat. I even have carb binges where I crave pasta and potatoes in dishes like we had when I was growing up.
My current nutrition goals are to continue broadening the fruits and vegetables that are my go to foods. I love my carrots, cucumbers, celery, and spinach. I adore raspberries, strawberries, bananas, pineapple and mango. I know there's a whole world of other fruits and veggies out there for me to try. I've become a zucchini and squash addict in the last few months. Now to keep exploring!
That goes doubly for the meats I bring in to the house. I've never cooked duck and I rarely bring fish in to the house because I hated it in the past and I'm scared to spend the money on something I wind up hating. I need to stop being so scared and expand my horizons.
So to those of you out there in blog land - What "new to you" foods have really gotten your cooking juices flowing? What about fruits and veggies you love that are off the beaten track?
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