When you can't sleep, get productive!

I woke up at 3 am today.  I went pee, then went back to bed...and laid there.  For an hour.  So I got up. I had not intended to workout today as I wasn't going to have time. I work from 9-12, and then around 2:30 Nick's parents and sister will arrive, and around 5 we're going out to dinner with some of my family as well, and then coming back to have drinks.

But I was bad last night, and didn't cook, and when I went to go pee I saw that my nails, which I had so carefully painted, had not cured when I went to bed and had those lovely little fabric lines in them.  Ladies, you know what I'm talking about.  So, I drank some Chocolate Silk (I love that stuff surprisingly!) took the nail polish off, and worked out.  The hardest I ever have.

Not only did I set the resistance and the highest I've gone (not for the whole time I up and down it), but I went 3.5 miles all at once, and in only 65 mins.  The first time I worked out for an hour I went one mile.  In one month I have vastly improved and I am feeling good.  I also burned the most calories I ever have in a day.  I'm very impressed with myself.

And that folks, is why you stick with it, you DO improve, but it's gradual.  But in just one month you see drastic changes in your fitness level, and the more fit, the more muscle, and muscle burns calories more efficiently thus less fat.  So STICK WITH IT, and when you can't sleep, get productive!

~Shannah

I'm engaged! AND lost more weight! Happy Day!

Nick proposed last night!  It was unexpected, in a lovely manner, and I cried.  And told him I loved him a billion times but I'm not sure if I ever really said yes!  Lol!

And, to top off that great news, I got on the scale and was down to 206.4!  Since I weighed 210.6 last Monday, I know my calorie counting and workout effort is working!  That's 4.2 pounds in a week and a half!  Not even!  More than I want to be honest because I want my skin to stay tight, but on the other hand it means I'm back to being as close to under 200 as I thought I was before I bought the new, more accurate scale.  I bought a cute maxi dress at wal-mart today to wear out Saturday for our engagement dinner with both sides of the family!  It was 16 and I don't feel like a wale in it.  Lovely!

Thanks everyone and I hope your week is as good as mine is!

~Shannah

Changing The Plan

So, by Wed of last week after not losing any more weight, I decided to start tracking calories too.  And by Thursday I was just tracking calories.  As a result, as of this morning, I lost 2.2 pounds last week!  So, calorie counting it is.  Number one this is tried and true, and number two Myfitnesspal.com allows me to track food just as easily as Weight Watchers, and it still holds me accountable as it shows me when I go under/over/right on my calorie goal.  It also tracks exercise and you can tailor it all to your needs.  It also counts my fat, protien, and carbs, just like WW did.  Only I can see how much of all that I'm eating and what changes I should make!

So, we'll see how well this works.  I think it's the best method just because it's teaching me how much to eat and of what.  It's also opened up more options to me, while closing the doors on some other, poorer options in the sense that I feel some foods just aren't worth it.

Also, I've been on the elliptical like crazy!  I upped my resistance and am improving my time and distance quite a bit.  Which ALSO burns more calroies!  I bought a heart rate monitor today to more accurately track that.  But the calorie counter is weird and attached to the pedometer so we'll see how it goes???

Can you do it today?

A few days ago I read an inspirational blog from someone who had lost an incredible amount of weight.  She had been afraid she wouldn't make it, didn't know if she could live without all of the food she loves ever again, and I feel much the same way.

However, something she asked herself, which I think we should all ask ourselves, is "But can we do just today?"  Can you go without that McDonalds today?  YES!  Can you eat just one dessert today?  YES!  Can you drink more water today?  YES!

And this, my friends, makes the journey MUCH easier.  Look at just today, and things will be different tomorrow.  :)

Making More Changes

So, my WW weigh in was today, since on Friday I was 206 and I have worked out and ate within points I was really surprised to see it at 207.2.  And very upset.   I've also worked out the past three days.

So, I decided that I MUST not be doing something right.

Number One: I've been eating high point dinners. This may be effecting it.  Also had a bit of sodium in there.  So I'm going to try and balance my points throughout the day.

Number two: No more guessing points!  As in, guessing that's 1/4 pound burger and not weighing it, so I bought a food scale.  And realized I have been guessing a bit.

Number three: I will eat all my points!  I have been weighing myself every day, and if I don't lose, I don't eat all my points the next day.  After reading a few blogs, and remembering my sister said you need to use them all to lose, I am going to eat them all.

Number four:  I bought a new scale that also calculates BMI and Body Fat%.  That way, if I'm gaining muscle from workouts, I will know.

Number Five: Weigh myself ONCE A WEEK.  I have been weighing myself daily to hold myself accountable, but I don't hold myself accountable.  Last week I ate McDonalds twice in one day and at Applebee's the next.  Granted I was within points the Applebee's day and manage to somehow not have McDonalds effect my weight, it's not good food.  It's bad food.  Very bad food.

Here is my problem with buying a new scale, it says I'm 210.  Not 207.2.  So I can't imagine I'll have a good WI next week.  It will say I have gained weight.  This is not going to be good for my self esteem.  I was so excited to get o 206, to have lost 26 pounds, 8% of my bodyweight, etc.  And to have that ripped from you SUCKS.  So, now I have to go on that journey all over again.

I still want to be 192 by September 8.  I am hoping I can get there.  That's 11.5 weeks.  That's 1.5 pounds a week.  It'd be nice to do more.  Now that I am exercising more maybe that's what I need.  I was on the elliptical for 2 miles today.  Took forever because I'm slow but that's about 400 calories according to the elliptical (it said it was more but I don't quite trust it 100%)

I will get there!

It's been about a month since Disney and I haven't really gotten any farther in my journey.  I didn't realize that vacation would set me back a whole moth, but it pretty much has.  It was a lot harder to get back into the good eating habit than I thought and in fact this past Friday I actually finished unpacking.  I've been lazy.

I did get my elliptical about a week and a half ago and have been very good about using it.  My work schedule makes it a little difficult (10-6 is a horrible shift to try and get anything done ever), but today I stayed on it for a whole hour.  It was very slow going, I only went 1.5 miles.  Which is sad that my half mile takes 20 minutes of my time but that's the truth!

I also have to say that Fat Free Cool whip is a godsend!  It's 0 points for 2 tbsp and if you go over it's not that many points.  I put it on some strawberries and bananas and it makes for a very delicious treat.  If only fruit lasted longer!  I tend to gobble it up!

I'm slacking I know...

So Disney World was awesome, the weight gain from it, not so much, and then a week later there was Memorial Day Weekend.  Nick and I haven't really gone grocery shopping since before Disney so I'm totally off track on Weight Watchers.  I did manage to get back down to before Disney weight (208), but after the past few days it's gone up to 211. Nick's birthday.  He doesn't realize eating out at wherever he wants doesn't work for me or my diet, but I didn't fight it that much and indulged.  I think once in a while I have to take a few and revert to the old ways.  It reminds me that I give myself heartburn and tummy aches.  Lol.

My dad finally got my elliptical here, but forgot the adapter, so we had to go buy a universal one, and I've done a half mile today and yesterday.  It took 17 minutes for me to do a half mile and I was dripping sweat.  Out of shape much?  Yeah.  And totally more intense than walking.  So no I have no excuses to not push myself.  YAY!  I wanted to be to my goal weight by the end of the year, not sure if that will happen.  I want to be at 192 by September 8.  Nick and I are going to a Cardinals game (his birthday present from me), and I would like to have lost all that.  That's just over five pounds a month.  It IS doable, but can I do it?