bettyjoan

[bettyjoan]

Scott, thanks for doing this--I know that the more accountable I am, the more successful I will be. Oh, and I definitely don't need a secret challenge alias.

10% weight loss is about what I'm shooting for as well. I'm at 138 currently, so losing 13 pounds would bring me to 125--a number I haven't seen on the scale in quite some time! The only fly in the ointment is that I am a triathlete, so when I'm training, I tend to gain muscle--definitely a good thing, but not always synonymous with weight loss. I really feel, though, that getting down to my goal weight will make me leaner and meaner for my races, as long as the weight loss is achieved through healthy means. I'd like to reach 125 by the beginning of May, since my race season is basically June through September.

I find that keeping a food/exercise journal is a really good strategy (there's that accountability thing again). I don't get into the nitty gritty of counting calories (it's exhausting and not particularly productive), but I just write down what I eat and when, and then I scribble some notes about how I'm feeling. That way, I can draw conclusions about what's working and what's not, and I can start to see the causational relationships between my choices and their results.

Looking forward to participating in this forum!

[bettyjoan]

Down to 136.2 as of this morning. I've been really proud of my willpower in terms of this week's food and beverage choices, and I'm already feeling better and more balanced than I was last week. I normally LOVE soda (the no-calorie diet variety, but still...), but I think I've only had one since Monday. Even more miraculous is the fact that I haven't had any alcohol since Sunday. Instead, I've been drinking a lot of water and hot tea.

Eating out tonight due to a meeting--we're going to Moe's (a burrito joint), so it should be relatively easy to stay on track, as long as I skip the chips, cheese, and sour cream. It would be great if I could bring myself to order a burrito "bowl," but I just can't say no to a tortilla. You have to let yourself have SOME fun!

Exercise has been a challenge this week. Because of scheduling, early (and I mean EARLY) mornings are my ideal gym times, so I was on the crossramp machine at 4:45 AM on Tuesday morning for about 45 minutes of cardio intervals. I plan on jogging before my meeting tonight (it's supposed to be in the 50s today--heat wave!) and hitting the gym for swimming and spinning on Saturday and Sunday.

Keep on keepin' on, everyone...

[bettyjoan]

Scale said 135.2 today, but it has been all over the place this week. I've been making good choices nutritionally (LOTS of fruits and veggies this week, and not a whole lot of meat), but I haven't exercised as much as I wanted. I dunno, I was just feeling meh this week. The first-time release of Bell's Hopslam in Atlanta didn't help, either.

I did do 30-40 minutes of cardio intervals on Tuesday, and I did some light upper body weightlifting (from which I am still sore, grrr) on Wednesday, but otherwise I've been pretty slack. Tri training officially starts next weekend, so hopefully my strict training calendar will help me with motivation AND direction.

My husband got this "Cardio Point" analysis done at the gym, where they test you to figure out your individual heart rate zones and where you burn the most fat calories. He found it really helpful, so I may sign up to be tested myself--if exercising could be more efficient and if results could be better tied to particular levels of effort, I think I'd feel a lot smarter about this whole thing.

[bettyjoan]

Having a bad day week month. Need junk/comfort food STAT. Only have veggies. Damn this diet.

[leleboo]

Having a bad day week month. Need junk/comfort food STAT. Only have veggies. Damn this diet.

Veggie-filled mac and cheese? Roasted veggie soup? Veggies can become comforting. (You can do it ... just think about our March plans as the reward!)

[bettyjoan]

Veggie-filled mac and cheese? Roasted veggie soup? Veggies can become comforting. (You can do it ... just think about our March plans as the reward!)

I should have specified - I'm at work, and all I have are RAW veggies. I ate them, and I feel all haughty and superior because I didn't cave and go to the snack bar for some Cheetos, but they weren't satisfying. I hope that some warm, comforting veggie food once I get home will improve my outlook on life. I think being home is really the key to that all working out.

And YAY for our March plans! I was thinking about them today and wishing February would just go away.

[bettyjoan]

Almost at 139 this morning. What. The. HELL.

Looking back at my food journal for the week, I was very carb-heavy. It was a pretty lousy week at work, so things like bread (which I've been baking a lot of lately), pasta, and beer were really comforting to me. The only thing I can do is try to be better and more balanced going forward. And to not eat my feelings.

I was mediocre with exercise this week--a spin class on Monday, a swim on Wednesday, and a bike/run on Saturday. That is NOT going to get me to my finishing goals for my triathlons this year, so again, the only thing I can do is learn and move on.

[KMango]

Almost at 139 this morning. What. The. HELL.

Looking back at my food journal for the week, I was very carb-heavy. It was a pretty lousy week at work, so things like bread (which I've been baking a lot of lately), pasta, and beer were really comforting to me. The only thing I can do is try to be better and more balanced going forward. And to not eat my feelings.

I was mediocre with exercise this week--a spin class on Monday, a swim on Wednesday, and a bike/run on Saturday. That is NOT going to get me to my finishing goals for my triathlons this year, so again, the only thing I can do is learn and move on.

The juxtaposition of this and your latest post on the dinner thread cracked me up.

(learning and moving on)

(amen, sister friend)

(this week needs to be better for me, also)

[bettyjoan]

After jumping up over 140 (WTF???), I managed to find my way back to 138.8 after my time in DC. I walked a lot while I was in town, and I did have a few days where all I ate was a bagel or a cup of soup, but I also had big nights at Ray's, at Mi La Cay, and at Againn. I guess when you're having fun, your body responds well.

After this weekend, it's on like Donkey Kong. Back to an athlete's diet and workout schedule...details to follow...

[bettyjoan]

This week, I am trying to adapt (slightly) and follow some daily meal plans that I found in Runner's World and Women's Health magazines. Here's what the beginning of the week has looked like...

Monday:

7:30 AM - coffee (a must), hard-boiled egg, one slice wheat bread with almond butter, banana

10:15 AM - Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup raspberries, sunflower seeds

12:30 AM - thyme-scented barley salad (with apples, dried cranberries, and shallots), 2/3 grilled chicken breast, Granny Smith apple

7 PM - romaine/butter salad with sauteed shrimp, hearts of palm, avocado, grapefruit, and a citrus-shallot dressing

9:30 PM - angel food cake (a slice, not the whole cake)

Tuesday:

7:30 AM - coffee, oatmeal with walnuts and dried cranberries, hard-boiled egg, banana

10:15 AM - cucumber slices, green tea

Noon-ish - turkey sandwich on wheat with tomatoes and avocado slices, Granny Smith apple

7-ish - Sauteed tofu with bok choy (and probably either brown rice or extra veggies, I can't remember what I have in the house)

Other than coffee, I'm trying to only drink tea or water (though I must admit, the Diet Cokes sneak in every once in a while). So far, I've felt pretty satisfied, though I do find myself craving sweets at various points during the day.

Exercise-wise, my knee has been acting up, making it even more apparent that I need to drop a bit of weight to take some pressure off. However, I had a good run on Saturday, and I'll be biking tonight and swimming tomorrow. After that, I'll see how I feel in order to plan out the rest of the week.

[porcupine]

bettyjoan, I admire your dedication and tenacity.

After jumping up over 140 (WTF???), I managed to find my way back to 138.8 after my time in DC.

I'm wary of giving advice, but for what it's worth, what worked for me was ignoring the numbers. Numbers are misleading. I rarely stepped on the scale, because the variation - like you're seeing - made me think I wasn't making any progress. Even a monthly weigh-in could be dispiriting. What if that day was in the middle of a localized spike?

So long as the long term trend is downward, it's working, so stay with it

[bettyjoan]

Not really sure I'm seeing any major differences on the scale, but I did 31 HILLY miles on the bike this morning, and I felt really strong (my coach even said I had an "aggressive riding position"). I hope that as the tri season progresses and I move into marathon season (signed up for my first, Chicago, on 10/10/10), my fitness and my weight will continue to improve.

[bettyjoan]

Since I've been food journaling in earnest (I started on March 1), there have been...

* 71 total days

* 35 days during which alcohol was consumed

* 28 days during which I exercised (defined as more than a walk with my dog, which happens much more frequently)

* 4 business trips (DC, Salt Lake City, Tampa/St. Pete, and Minneapolis/St. Paul)

* 1 surprise retirement at my office, equaling a dramatic increase in my stress level

* 1 30th birthday (my own, which involved much eating and drinking)

My lowest weight during the time frame was 137, and the highest was 142.6. Mostly, I hovered around the 139-140 range.

My lowest POINT, however, was this past weekend - I just felt really bad about the way I looked, the way I felt, the way I had been treating my body, etc etc. Husband and I resolved to support each other more and encourage good eating and more exercise. There's really no excuse for my lack of gym time - I only have 39 days till my first race of the season (in DC, woo hoo!), so I need to get my @$$ in gear.

I am definitely less concerned with the number on the scale than I was at the beginning of the year, but I don't want to feel as "blah" and self-conscious as I did a few days ago. So, I'm back on the wagon, for reals. Hopefully, work and life will cooperate a little more this time around - it has been TOUGH to be disciplined with all of the change that's been going on for me professionally.

[bettyjoan]

I know it's 2011 and not 2010, and we're smack in the middle of summer rather than preparing for it, but I thought I'd follow up anyway...

After running his first half marathon in March, my husband approached me and said that despite all the running we were doing (I was training with him until I broke my ankle 3 weeks before the race), he didn't feel like we were as healthy as we should be. I agreed - we were using all of our running to justify eating crap and drinking beer. It happens to a lot of beginner athletes - you overestimate how much you're burning and underestimate how much you're consuming. So, we decided to really watch our intake, using a computer/smartphone app called MyFitnessPal, and I'm very proud to say that we've been successful.

My husband has lost 15 pounds, and after I reached an all-time high of 146, I've dropped about 12 pounds and am back in the 133 range. Goal #1 was to get back to 135, so now that I'm relatively stable in that area, goal #2 is to inch down to 125 (which I believe was my original goal for the Fit For Summer 2010 challenge).

Bottom line - it is hard work, but it can be done. To all those out there still working on themselves - you can do it!

[Anna Blume]

Congratulations! All the meals you post in Dinner topic seem compatible w your goals.