Holiday Hoedown Weigh-In

This was a horrible week for me. All of a sudden the holidays are here and I am behind schedule. I am not sure how it happened, but I feel like I'm running on stress and caffeine. And Christmas cookies. And the cashew brittle someone gave my office.



AARRGGHH!



I haven't worked out all week. Unless you count hours of upper body workout with a rolling pin! Aside from sneaking a few cookies here or there, I actually haven't been eating that badly though.

Starting weight.........................187.2
Challenge starting weight......183.0
Today's weight..........................180.6
Challenge loss...............................2.4
Total Loss......................................6.6

not looking forward to what the next week will bring. I definitely won't have time to work-out over the holiday AND we will be traveling to my in-laws where the food is always plentiful.

Help me now!!!

Holiday Hoedown Weigh-in Wednesday

This week, I felt like I rocked my workouts. the weight loss didn't show it, but I really felt great after all of my runs. The C25K pushed me to do a 20 min run on Friday. I was terrified of it, but I did it without stopping or lowering my mph on the treadmill. I felt AWESOME!!! Thursday night I did my first exercise class at the gym-a 60 min Zumba class. I felt like an idiot, completely screwing up half of the routines, but it was SO MUCH FUN! I will definitely do it again.

So, there was no change from last week, which totally sucks, but at least I didn't gain anything!

Start weight....................................187.2

Challenge start weight ..................183.0

Today's weight................................181.8

Challenge loss .....................................1.2

Total Loss ...........................................5.4

Weigh-In Wednesday

Well, it's another wednesday and another weigh-in. Not too bad, but could have been better. I've been doing the Couch to 5K program (though I seem to be a week behind the other sisters who are training for a virtual 5K in January) and it was a big week for me. I was able to do all the runs without dropping my speed down and felt GREAT! There hasn't been a great weight loss(I'm still not back to my pre-Thanksgiving weight), but I feel great and my clothes are fitting better and people are noticing change... it feels so good!

Here are the numbers

Start weight.............................187.2

Challenge start weight ..................183.0

Today's weight...........................181.8

Challenge loss ............................1.2

Total Loss ................................5.4

Holiday Hoedown Weigh-in Day

I was right, not a great weigh in today. could have been worse, I guess.

Start weight.............................187.2

Challenge start weight ..................183.0

Today's weight...........................182.8

Challenge loss ............................0.2

Total Loss ................................4.4

I suck

I totally suck at this whole blogging thing. What on earth made me think I could keep up with two?! I could barely do one. I'm insane. Thank goodness I have a day job and don't need to figure out how to make this my job.

Today, I started week 4 on the Couch to 5K program...it kicked my ass. It didn't help that I really didn't pay attention to what I was putting in my mouth this weekend and jiggled a few more pounds while I was running my ass off. running for 5 minutes straight totally sucks once, let alone twice! I know that someday I'll look back on this and laugh, but right now it's not that funny.

As for the weight. I had an awesome weigh in last week, but am not hopeful this week at all. I didn't think I did that bad on Thanksgiving, but I guess I did. I've been fighting a cold off and on for weeks and my period came today, so I just know that tomorrow will not be pretty. AArrrgggh.

It is just so frustrating. I feel like I keep losing and gaining the same damn 5 lbs. I can't get things to move. I know I just need to push through, but hell, this sucks!

Pat started running again this week, after having taken quite a few months off. He pretty much just fell right back into it, running 3 miles easy. I think he secretly laughs at me when I tell him what I am running with this program. He asked me this weekend if I was going to be ready for a 5k in the spring. Duh! I said I would do it, and I am!

I will keep trudging along, but if you see an almost 40 year old frumpy lady huffing and puffing at the gym, please don't laugh.

Holiday Hoedown Week One

Yesterday was the first weigh in for the Holiday Hoedown with the Sisterhood.

I wasn't able to get a ton of workouts in this week, actually only two. somehow I still managed to lose weight. I don't know what happened but I'll take it!!

Start weight.............................187.2

Challenge start weight ..........183.0

Today's weight........................180.8

Challenge loss ............................2.2

Total Loss ...................................6.4

Holiday Hoedown

The last few weeks of the Shrinkvivor challenge, I fizzled. I lost my momentum and got REALLY busy at work.

But never fear, I'm back on the wagon. I'm now participating in the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans Holiday Hoedown Challenge. This will hopefully give me a jump on the whole New-Years-Resolution-to-lose-weight thing.

I am going to track my food using my iPod app Lose It and this week we are to track how many minutes we work out.


Looking forward to getting back on the wagon.

Start weight.............................187.2

Challenge start weight ..........183.0

Challenge loss ............................0

Total Loss ...................................4.2

Wednesday weigh-in

Here we go, another week with Shrinkvivor Challenge. We were charged with the following:

Water
No fast food
5 fruits & Vegetables
count calories
Log your miles

Water was a challenge, I did it most days, but not all
No fast food, except for the kids, they ate pizza (delivery) while I had a salad.
Ate lots of salad, carrots and bananas this week. On average I hit my 5 servings.
Miles 13.18 miles (combination of walking/running with the C25K and the elliptical machine)

Last week: 182.4
This week: 183.2
Loss this week: + .8

Total loss: 4.0lbs

IT is so frustrating, because I was tracking my calories, and doing great on everything. I didn't get a ton of miles in, but I had some great workouts. However I am fighting off a cold and I think that has affected things greatly. I am sure I'll be booted off to Exile Island this week for sure.

Wednesday Weigh-In

Here we are again at another weigh-in day! I have come to look forward to these days, instead of dreading them, which is a good thing!

It was a rough week for me and my family as we were sidelined by illness. Since last weigh in, I was only able to head to the gym 3 times, and only 2 of them counted towards this weeks challenge for Shrinkvivor. Thursday, on my way to the gym, I received a call from my older kids after school care- Sarah didn't feel good. That workout was out the window. Thursday evening my youngest came down with the stomach flu. I had to stay home from work with her on Friday. Saturday, I managed to hit the gym before my other 2 kids came down with the same stomach bug. Sat night, both my husband and I got sick as well. Monday, I had to work late and just couldn't squeeze in a workout, especially after my husband stayed home all day with the middle child who was still sick. Finally, yesterday I took the day off of work to take my husband for an endoscopy. after he was all done, I went to the gym and had an awesome workout! So, only 3 workouts this week and the stomach bug. I really wasn't sure what I'd find when I got on the scale this morning.

The challenges this week were just that-a challenge. I tried my best with the water, but obviously got sidelined there by other things. We continued with no fast food, and I managed to stick to that without a problem-we did do carry-out for dinner twice, but the first time, I got a salad when the others had pizza, and the second time was sushi- I don't' think those should count against me :). Getting 5 servings of fruit & vegetables was more difficult. On the days I could eat, I did ok. I had a lot of salads this week, but not as much fruit as I should have. I definitely know that I need to improve there.

The physical challenge this week was to do a mile (walking or running) as fast as we could. I typically do the bulk of my workout on the elliptical machine, so I was bummed out that I couldn't use that. I haven't run since who-knows-when. I have never thought of myself as someone who can run. This challenge has changed that. On Saturday, I decided to just run on the treadmill to see what I could do. after a 2 min fast walk, I ran for a half a mile with out stopping, then I walked for the next quarter mile and then ran again until I hit the mile mark. I managed to run/walk a mile in 14:01. I was pretty impressed with myself! Then yesterday, I did my usual elliptical workout and then headed to the treadmill, this time armed with the Couch25K app on my iPod Touch. I started it with a walk and then when it switched from the first run back to walk, I felt really good, so I decided to just keep running until I couldn't anymore. At one point I looked down at the display and realized that I had already surpassed the half-mile mark and I felt great! I just kept running, through all the bells telling me to walk or run again. I ended up running for a mile straight, without stopping!! I couldn't believe it. I did it in 12:40! Once I hit the mile, I started following the bells to walk and run and I ended up doing a total of 2 miles on the treadmill yesterday. Maybe I can be a runner. My hubby, who runs (not a lot, but is working towards a half marathon), has challenged me to do a 5K with him in the spring...I'm so excited!!

So here are the numbers:

Starting weight 187.2

Last week 184.0

This week 182.6

Loss this week 1.4

Total Loss 4.6

Fastest Mile 12:40 min

Water Challenge- I tried, but I'm sure I fell short

Fruits & Veggies- I averaged about 3-4 a day, I NEED to do better

Fast Food- Avoided, except for carry out (Salad & Sushi-which didn't stay with me by the way)

Wedensday Weigh-in

This week I really feel like I fell into my rhythm. I finally started feeling awesome after my workouts and really dreading it when I couldn't go to the gym. I kept up with my water intake and tried to get my minutes logged working out as best I could. As I've mentioned before, finding more time is not too much of an option for me. I purposefully use the elliptical machine to get the hardest workout I can for the limited time I have. It works for me. In an hour I can get a great 30 min workout (plus 5 min cool down period) on the elliptical that logs me about 3 miles. Then I do 15 min (plus a 3 min cool down) on the treadmill where I get a little over a mile in. That's about all the time I have. I want to start incorporating some weights with this workout, but have to find the time.

Here are the numbers:

Starting weight: 187.2

Last Week: 186.0

his week: 184.0

Total loss: 3.2

Minutes of workout time: 206

Ounces of water: over 500 ounces (I am bad at keeping exact numbers)

NO Fast food (not even for the kids!)

Challenges

This weeks challenges as part of the Shrinking Jeans Shrinkvivor Challenge is to drink a ridiculous amount of water, no fast food, and to log all the minutes we spend working out. Drinking the water is not too much of a problem, but hello? can I pee anymore? The fast food is not an issue either, we rarely eat it. But logging in these minutes will be damn near impossible.

I shouldn't really say impossible. Obviously, I will be working out, it is just hard to increase the amount of time that I do. As a working mom of 3 kids, I can only squeeze in so much time at the gym, or working out in general. My kids have activities, homework, dinner needs to be cooked, etc. I have reserved Tues, Wed, & Thursdays as my gym days after I get off work. This past Thursday, I couldn't because I had to work late due to my back to school night. I managed to hit the gym yesterday and take a walk today, but I really feel like I'll be letting my team down on Wednesday.

My hubby will be home tomorrow afternoon, so maybe I'll be able to squeeze in a trip to the gym, but I have to make it brief. Typically, I try and workout really hard to maximize my allotted time in the gym. Adding more time, just isn't an option.

Aarrggh, I just hope I don't get kicked off my team because of it!

Shrinkvivor Weigh-In #2

Man is getting old difficult. I swear my metabolism had damn near come to a screeching halt. It used to be so much easier to lose weight before I hit my late 30's!

This week we had some challenges thrown into our Shrinkvivor experience. We were challenged to log all of our exercise miles (not on a bike, however) and then to up our water intake. The folks at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans told us to take our weight and divide it by 2 and that is the number of ounces we should be drinking daily.

Our miles were logged in beginning on Friday morning until last night. Here is what I logged

Fri 1
Sat 4.1
Sun 3.5
Mon 1
Tues 4.2

Total 13.8 Miles

Not great, but I also don't have a ton of time to get the miles in.

I wasn't as accurate at logging in my water intake, but I did pretty good. I calculated that I needed to drink over 90 ounces of water a day. I spent a great deal of time in the bathroom this week, but, except for Saturday when we were travelling, I was able to get my ounces in plus some.

Here are the numbers for my weight loss:

Starting weight 187.2
This week 186
Change -1.2

Total Loss -1.2

Shrinkvivor Weigh in

I've been a member of The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans for about 18 months now. Until this latest challenge, I've posted my weight loss on my other blog. I am not sure how this whole blogging in two places is going to go. For now, I will do this here!

I am a little disappointed with my weight though. I went to the gym 5 times since last week and have been watching what I eat. Slow and steady wins the race, but maybe not Shrinkvivor!

Starting weight: 187.2

Go Indigo Girls

It's been a rough patch

It's been a too long since my last weigh-in and it is totally because I don't want to admit a set back. Denial is a horrible thing!

It was a rough beginning of the school year. New schedules to figure out, long hours of work, and the sheer exhaustion of it all. Not to mention the fact that our beloved dog of 11 years passed away on the first day of school. Throw in a holiday weekend on top of feeling depressed AND getting my period and you have a recipe for disaster when it comes to weight loss!

starting 186.0
last weigh in 184.4
this week 187.8

Even though the numbers are bad this week, I am determined not to give up! I went to the gym 3 days in a row! The kids are in aftercare on Tues, Wed & Thurs and I have dedicated those as workout days. I am proud of myself for following through and working out! Looking for better numbers next week!

weekly weigh in

It's been a week on my Fit by Forty journey and I am happy to report that there has been progress.

I have found motivation, I've been tracking my calories and I'm feeling really good about this. Despite a weekend trip to Pittsburgh to visit my in laws, I lost weight! My mother in law is a great cook and we have a tendency to overeat while we are there. With work starting up, I haven't had a chance to get the exercise in, but that will come shortly.

Starting weight 186.0
Today's weight 184.4

weight lost -1.6

inspiration

Today is the first day of "pre-service" week at my school. It is such fun to see people you haven't seen all summer and to see the changes. Who got married, who is pregnant, who gained weight, who got a fabulous hair cut, etc. well, today was no different. I've seen lots of tanned and relaxed teachers and I am dying to find out what they did on their vacation. A few baby bumps are now evident, and that is always exciting. Lots of new haircuts, too. but I am most amazed at one of my friends; She got a fabulous new 'do (chopped off over a foot of hair), and is showing off her awesome weight loss! She had lost weight back in the spring, but kept it going this summer. Since last spring she has lost 40lbs! She says she needs to lose 20 more, but I don't know where she'll find them!

Summer (yes, that is her name) is my inspiration! She lost forty lbs in less time than I am planning on trying to lose mine. That gives me hope and TONS of inspiration.

The Ugly Truth

Today marks my last day of summer break before heading back to work tomorrow. Teachers go back on Monday, but usually I go back much earlier.

Typically, summer is a time for me to get back into the exercise groove and really get physical. Unfortunately, this summer started with surgery that sidelined me for a while and then we got so busy with swim team and squeezing my work days in, that I didn't hit the gym once. I feel horrible, and fat.

Before my surgery I weighed 6 pounds less than I do now. Ugghh!

Tomorrow, I am back at work. No more ability to snack when I want to, and I have a plan for hitting the gym once school starts.

I am excited!

I stepped on the scale today and am a whopping 186.0!

I've never put it out there for the world to see, but then again, I'm blogging here somewhat anonymously, so I guess I'm still not!

If I blog it then it will happen, right?

On a recent walk with my two year old, I had plenty of time to ponder thoughts in my head. After 11 years of marriage, 3 kids, and over 38 years (with most of them being overweight), I have decided that I've had enough! I vow that I will finally be in shape by the time I turn 40!

I have given myself, plenty of time (over a year), but hopefully I won't need that long to accomplish my goal. My already-40 husband has embarked upon a quest to complete a half-marathon this year and I am now determined to do something just as important.

Hopefully, this blog will enable me to write about the journey and be able to stick to it. I'm sure I will stumble along the way, but in the end I vow to be...

Fit By Forty!