Greetings everyone!
The other day I was wearing this raspberry-colored jacket with ruffles and silver accents. My hair was looking nice - I straightened it that morning. I received two comments from absolute strangers. One woman was passing me as I was getting on the elevator at work and said that's a really nice color on you. I thanked her, appreciated the complement and went about my day not really thinking much of it. I had worn that jacket before a few times and not received the same attention. The second complement came from a woman passing me on the street as I was walking with a coworker to Starbucks. She said, "I saw you across the street and you just look beautiful. That color is gorgeous on you." A little odd and totally random but nice right? So what changed?
I lost five pounds last week. That's a total of nine pounds since I've started my journey about six weeks ago. It wasn't the fact that I lost the five pounds. It was the confidence that I can do this. It was the confidence that I had pulled a big number in one week and that I was one pound shy of double digits. It was the way I felt in my clothes and the fact that already I'm feeling healthier. It was my Five Pound Swagger! That's why I was noticed. I had a bounce in my step and a glow of happiness.
These past two weeks have not been all peaches and plums over here! Let's talk about the fact that until yesterday I hadn't written down any of my points since last Thursday. I am still upset with myself but nothing like the last time when I felt like I was spiraling out of control. I also had a moment of weakness yesterday with Tommy's Halloween candy. I ate like three mini packs of M&Ms, a mini Twix, a mini Butter Finger and a mini Crunch Bar. It was a chocolate fest. I enjoyed every second of it and then it was over. The craving hasn't returned today. Today I'm fine. I counted the points and have moved on and better yet I ate healthy the rest of the day, which is unlike me in my past life. Normally I would have thrown the whole day out the window. So in a sense I can even be proud of myself in a storm of chocolate.
Anyone interested in a cardio update? Well I haven't been doing great. I got out to walk/jog this past Sunday but I haven't even gone to TNT this week. Yesterday I didn't feel like it but failed to realize that today I'm on pick-up duty for my son and tomorrow we have an event. No TNT until Saturday and hopefully I'll get a long walk/jog in there sometime since the weather is to be so nice.
Guess we'll see what the scales say later this week. Anyone want to take a bet of how much I lose? Send me your guess in your comments!
Until then...
Nik
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I have found the ANTI-DRUG!
Saturday Morning:
I first woke up at about 6:30. The sun was coming up and the sky looked like rainbow ice cream. It was cold but I knew it was going to be a beautiful fall day. Still I went back to sleep! I woke again a little before 9, and although I could have slept a few more hours, I crawled out of bed, blinked a few times and got going. Things looked and felt clear. I had made plans to do a loop at Burke Lake with one of my best friends. It would be the first of my training run/walks for the 5k that I registered for in April. We parked near the playground and I said, "Ok this is how I see this. I want to walk to warm up and then run to one song and see how it goes."
We got to the first break in the path about a mile in (Burke Lake is approximately a 5 mile loop), stretched and found our fight songs. Mine was some fast JLo dance tune - no need to make fun - its a good workout tune! I made it through the song no problem and ran a little more. We walked some more and after that I intermittently walked and ran through three more songs. Then I was like let's run through two songs. The first song was Black Eyed Peas' Where Is The Love followed by Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Hawaii rendition. Two songs - I did it! Then before you know I was running to three songs, my summer song Someone Like You by Kings of Leon, Sing a Song by Earth, Wind & Fire, and Rock and Roll by Eric Hutchinson.
I moved a total of seven miles today, over 18,000 steps, over 11,000 of which were aerobic and get this I can still move! I feel great! I truly enjoyed the walk/run even though my run was more like a jog. I think my friend was actually able to walk faster than I was jogging but that's ok. I could care less how long it takes me. This first 5k is about running and finishing for me. I can work on the speed after my first 5k.
My point is this. When I was thinking about my next entry and the title, I kept coming back to Gateway Drugs. See on Friday night all I wanted to do was eat. I wasn't hungry. I just had a bad case of the munchies. We went to Moe's for dinner. I got a burrito bowl, no rice, just chicken, the beans and lots of veggies, some cheese, about a table spoon of quac and the same of sour cream. Not bad right? Well then I had some chips and salsa, and the leftover pieces of Tommy's cheese quesadilla. Then I had hot chocolate and a sweet n' salty Nature Valley peanut bar. I ended up using all of my extra points for the week on Friday. For me Moe's burrito bowl was the gateway drug. I felt like I was spiraling out of control with just one meal. I knew in the back of my mind that I was going walking/running the next day but still I wanted to save those extra points for Saturday night and football Sunday. Friday night an all too familiar feeling came back to me... the feeling that I couldn't stop eating and that the next day would be the same. I almost panicked.
But the next day, as I was jogging to my music, I could still hear the crunch of the fallen leaves under my feet. Sun was beaming down through the barren trees and I looked out onto a glassy lake. Sparkles danced on the ripples as the wind took my breath away. Everything was glowing orange and the air was crisp. It was beautiful. I chose health that morning. I chose to start on a journey to accomplish something I've never accomplished before. There was a moment when it clicked - I had found and taken the anti-drug!
After our walk/run we went to Starbucks. I got a two-pump skim mocha, found a seat outside in the sun, propped my feet up and enjoyed a well-deserved treat.We talked until my husband and son arrived to join us for a healthy lunch at Jason's Deli. I had the salad bar and a sandwich from their light menu. It was delicious - their salad bar is chocked full of fresh, organic vegetables, dressings and toppings. But I must warn you if you go, beware of the crack muffins at the end of the bar. They make these amazing mini gingerbread and cornbread muffins. They are deadly!
So my Saturday was not a repeat of Friday night. I now know that today does not have to be a repeat of yesterday unless you want it to be. I can choose to make healthy decisions at every turn. There is tremendous new-found freedom in this realization. Have a great week everyone! -- Nikki
I first woke up at about 6:30. The sun was coming up and the sky looked like rainbow ice cream. It was cold but I knew it was going to be a beautiful fall day. Still I went back to sleep! I woke again a little before 9, and although I could have slept a few more hours, I crawled out of bed, blinked a few times and got going. Things looked and felt clear. I had made plans to do a loop at Burke Lake with one of my best friends. It would be the first of my training run/walks for the 5k that I registered for in April. We parked near the playground and I said, "Ok this is how I see this. I want to walk to warm up and then run to one song and see how it goes."
We got to the first break in the path about a mile in (Burke Lake is approximately a 5 mile loop), stretched and found our fight songs. Mine was some fast JLo dance tune - no need to make fun - its a good workout tune! I made it through the song no problem and ran a little more. We walked some more and after that I intermittently walked and ran through three more songs. Then I was like let's run through two songs. The first song was Black Eyed Peas' Where Is The Love followed by Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Hawaii rendition. Two songs - I did it! Then before you know I was running to three songs, my summer song Someone Like You by Kings of Leon, Sing a Song by Earth, Wind & Fire, and Rock and Roll by Eric Hutchinson.
I moved a total of seven miles today, over 18,000 steps, over 11,000 of which were aerobic and get this I can still move! I feel great! I truly enjoyed the walk/run even though my run was more like a jog. I think my friend was actually able to walk faster than I was jogging but that's ok. I could care less how long it takes me. This first 5k is about running and finishing for me. I can work on the speed after my first 5k.
My point is this. When I was thinking about my next entry and the title, I kept coming back to Gateway Drugs. See on Friday night all I wanted to do was eat. I wasn't hungry. I just had a bad case of the munchies. We went to Moe's for dinner. I got a burrito bowl, no rice, just chicken, the beans and lots of veggies, some cheese, about a table spoon of quac and the same of sour cream. Not bad right? Well then I had some chips and salsa, and the leftover pieces of Tommy's cheese quesadilla. Then I had hot chocolate and a sweet n' salty Nature Valley peanut bar. I ended up using all of my extra points for the week on Friday. For me Moe's burrito bowl was the gateway drug. I felt like I was spiraling out of control with just one meal. I knew in the back of my mind that I was going walking/running the next day but still I wanted to save those extra points for Saturday night and football Sunday. Friday night an all too familiar feeling came back to me... the feeling that I couldn't stop eating and that the next day would be the same. I almost panicked.
But the next day, as I was jogging to my music, I could still hear the crunch of the fallen leaves under my feet. Sun was beaming down through the barren trees and I looked out onto a glassy lake. Sparkles danced on the ripples as the wind took my breath away. Everything was glowing orange and the air was crisp. It was beautiful. I chose health that morning. I chose to start on a journey to accomplish something I've never accomplished before. There was a moment when it clicked - I had found and taken the anti-drug!
After our walk/run we went to Starbucks. I got a two-pump skim mocha, found a seat outside in the sun, propped my feet up and enjoyed a well-deserved treat.We talked until my husband and son arrived to join us for a healthy lunch at Jason's Deli. I had the salad bar and a sandwich from their light menu. It was delicious - their salad bar is chocked full of fresh, organic vegetables, dressings and toppings. But I must warn you if you go, beware of the crack muffins at the end of the bar. They make these amazing mini gingerbread and cornbread muffins. They are deadly!
So my Saturday was not a repeat of Friday night. I now know that today does not have to be a repeat of yesterday unless you want it to be. I can choose to make healthy decisions at every turn. There is tremendous new-found freedom in this realization. Have a great week everyone! -- Nikki
Monday, November 2, 2009
Break a Sweat
I don't want the gentleman who so eloquently put it on Facebook, "update your shit hommie," to think I'm only updating because of him... :-)
I was planning a new post this evening regardless. Tonight I want to talk about winning a battle with discouragement. This morning I weighed in at 258 on my home scale. If you recall from a previous post that I had decided to go with the home scale starting number 261. Ok so I've lost three pounds but dude I'm starting my fourth week. When I did weight watchers before I lost more than that in the first week and lost a steady one to two pounds every week thereafter and I wasn't even working out. As my husband gently reminds me, that was oh say 10 years ago.
So I'm fat AND old! That's how I was feeling this morning anyway. I felt so discouraged this morning by a number! Immediately following the moment of truth I walked over to my closet, all the while talking to my husband about how I was trying to overcome these overwhelming feelings of defeat. I put on my clothes and I realized, I feel great in my clothes. All of my pants are fitting better and I feel lighter on my feet. So should I focus on this rather than the number on the scale?
I should be ok with the loss of three pounds. I should feel great about the way I'm feeling in my clothes. But you know what? I'm not going to lie. It feels like crap.
What am I going to do with this feeling of crap? I'm going to fight it. I'm going to TNT tomorrow and going to work my butt off. I'm going to continue to follow my points system. I'm going to attempt to do some freakin' cardio this week. I'm just going to do better that's all. Keep on swimming as Dorie would say. This leads me to another great topic...
Why the heck can't I get my butt in the gym to do more cardio? I don't get it! I feel great after a good cardio workout. I know its good for me. I know it will help me take the weight off faster. I just don't get why I get caught in this I'm home and not going back out vortex as soon as I come home. I'm always envious of those people who appear to enjoy their workouts at the gym so much so that it seems they would die without it when I come in there feeling like I'm going to die just getting through it! Why didn't I get the skinny gene and the ra ra I want to workout gene? So as I change my attitude about the number, my goal is to change my attitude about the cardio.
The comments that I've been receiving are so welcome! They have honestly been helping me get through. Keep them coming and by all means if you have any suggestions about tricking my brain into thinking that an hour on the treadmill is just as enjoyable as say.... eating a triple layer of chocolate fudge cake bring it on!
Until next time.... BREAK A SWEAT!
Nik
I was planning a new post this evening regardless. Tonight I want to talk about winning a battle with discouragement. This morning I weighed in at 258 on my home scale. If you recall from a previous post that I had decided to go with the home scale starting number 261. Ok so I've lost three pounds but dude I'm starting my fourth week. When I did weight watchers before I lost more than that in the first week and lost a steady one to two pounds every week thereafter and I wasn't even working out. As my husband gently reminds me, that was oh say 10 years ago.
So I'm fat AND old! That's how I was feeling this morning anyway. I felt so discouraged this morning by a number! Immediately following the moment of truth I walked over to my closet, all the while talking to my husband about how I was trying to overcome these overwhelming feelings of defeat. I put on my clothes and I realized, I feel great in my clothes. All of my pants are fitting better and I feel lighter on my feet. So should I focus on this rather than the number on the scale?
I should be ok with the loss of three pounds. I should feel great about the way I'm feeling in my clothes. But you know what? I'm not going to lie. It feels like crap.
What am I going to do with this feeling of crap? I'm going to fight it. I'm going to TNT tomorrow and going to work my butt off. I'm going to continue to follow my points system. I'm going to attempt to do some freakin' cardio this week. I'm just going to do better that's all. Keep on swimming as Dorie would say. This leads me to another great topic...
Why the heck can't I get my butt in the gym to do more cardio? I don't get it! I feel great after a good cardio workout. I know its good for me. I know it will help me take the weight off faster. I just don't get why I get caught in this I'm home and not going back out vortex as soon as I come home. I'm always envious of those people who appear to enjoy their workouts at the gym so much so that it seems they would die without it when I come in there feeling like I'm going to die just getting through it! Why didn't I get the skinny gene and the ra ra I want to workout gene? So as I change my attitude about the number, my goal is to change my attitude about the cardio.
The comments that I've been receiving are so welcome! They have honestly been helping me get through. Keep them coming and by all means if you have any suggestions about tricking my brain into thinking that an hour on the treadmill is just as enjoyable as say.... eating a triple layer of chocolate fudge cake bring it on!
Until next time.... BREAK A SWEAT!
Nik
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