Food Scale

In the blink of an eye today, my food scale died.  I bought it less than a year ago.  Boom, dead.  As I measured out my lunch, I could barely see the numbers.  Then I went to tare it and it turned off.  Put new batteries in, nothing.

Panic!!!  I cannot live without a food scale.  So to Amazon I went (small-town living, I searched last fall and only found junk here).  I do not care about looks, I do not care about anything but accuracy.  And my scale was the most accurate food scale I had ever owned.  Ever.  And I've owned a few in my day.

I ordered the same, damned scale.  Horror.  Please work this time.  THIS time I will save the receipt/info and if it dies again, the company will get a letter from me!  Right now, though, I need accuracy.

I am down a half pound this morning.  Yay!   I'm shrinking, but it was nice to see the scale move.  Let's hope BOTH continue.

Tonight I am a little panicked about eating.  I will measure the old-fashioned way with measuring spoons.  It is not nearly as accurate--for me.  It is what it is.

LET NOTHING STAND IN THE WAY!!!

Calorie Burns

I keep looking back to the period of time when I lost over 40 pounds in only four months.  I worked my tail off.  Looking at my Fitbit records, I averaged above 40,000 steps a day and 3,000 or above for a calorie burn.

There's no way I can move that much now.  First, I don't have time. Second, I have issues with my feet. Third, I don't have the energy!  So the task at hand is to work out smart.

This coming week is the week of experimenting.  I have a list of workouts in DVD that I will do and check calorie burns.  Ranging from Ilaria, Cathe and even Christi Taylor, I will do them and log the burns.  Then, I will log burns on my treadmill.  I have interval and endurance programs I can do on it.  Also will check my burns for kettlebells and weight training both at the gym and at home.  I will do Alwyn Cosgrove's progression of 15 kettlebell swings then 15 burpees, then 14, then 13 down to one.  That's supposed to be a great burner.  I will modify the burpees and do them on a chair or lower stool, though.  I hate burpees, but no matter.

I will find what works.  I will make this happen.

I am not showing a loss from last week on my scale.  However, this morning I put on a pair of shorts that I bought at the beginning of the summer that were tight.  I can put both arms down the sides now.  They are just TOO BIG!  WOO-HOO.  I have been told I'm gaining muscle, losing fat the body is changing, even though the scale isn't.  Thing is, I want it both.  I want the muscle gain and the scale lower.  It will come.

This is a process.  I have to have the patience of Job to get through this and figure it out.  If my feet weren't wonky, it would be easy.  Instead, I must deal with the given circumstances.

I have a plan, and will stick to it.

Eating has been great.  I'm "in the groove" with that very well.

It's all good.  I LOVED those loose jean shorts.  Last week my capris were falling so much I kept pulling them up.  YES!!!

Moving forward, the week of tons of hard work and lots of experimenting is about to commence!

Never Give Up

It seems the older I get, the slower the weight comes off.

That's okay.  Not how anyone wants it, we all want it off yesterday, but steady progress in the right direction is okay.  My favorite quote of all time:

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. ~Earl Nightingale

It all adds up.

Down 1.5 for a total of 9.5 since my restart.

I think back to the time, not so long ago, that I lost over 40 pounds in four months.  I walked daily, a lot.  I averaged above 40,000 steps a day.  I cannot replicate that today due to the problems with my feet and time. I knew then that I had the luxury of time which most do not.  According to my fitbit, I averaged over 3,000 calories burnt daily.  I have not hit that yet since my restart.  I am continuously looking at ways to improve my calorie burn.  I've been averaging 2400-2600.  Amazing, that 500+/- makes a huge difference. I am so limited due to my foot issues, but that is no excuse to give up.

The bike I love at my gym I can no longer use.  It hurts my tailbone terribly.  Last night I rode my real bike, outside.  It never hurts my tailbone, but I do not enjoy riding in traffic at all.  Nor big hills.  I am wondering if a trainer and indoor usage would be a good solution.  Perhaps for winter.  Ellipticals hurt my knees and feet, both.  The recumbent bikes hurt my feet terribly.  So it's slow walking at an incline and the bike at my school gym.  Sad, it's an hour away and I don't get to use it daily.

I broke down and did a Richard Simmons video yesterday just for fun.  Love the music and energy, but alas the beginner-level workouts that he produces are just not enough for me to get a big calorie burn.  My heart rate only averaged 114.  That is not good enough.  It is not productive use of my time.

So, never give up--will continue to look for my sweet spot. It's all going in the right direction, just tweaking along the way!

Just One Pound?

Yes, just one pound!  That's how much I lost this week.  Same as last week.  Since my re-start, I've lost a total of 8.  When you think about ONE pound, it doesn't seem like much!  They add up, though!  I'm three pounds from my first mini-goal.

One pound is always a good thing and a step in the right direction.

I am happy!

49

Today is my 49th birthday. My, how time flies.  I was asked what I wanted for my birthday, I shared what i wanted, and told to order it.  My Champion EZ Barbell arrived and I love it!  I also got a kettlebell DVD which is on its way and lifting straps.  It's a fitness birthday.

I could go to a nice restaurant for dinner, but instead, much to the family's dismay, I chose Subway.  I can count my calories, get some veggies, and get full.  No chance of messing up there.  I may get an ice cream cone at McDonald's for 150 calories.  Or not.  I need to check their website, it's been awhile.  

My birthday gift to myself was the best:  On plan.  I've been on plan, working out, counting calories, not dinking around, since June 17.  Ten days now.  You have to love yourself, and that was the best thing I could do for myself.  I have lost pounds, my body is changing, my legs are screaming at me LOL.  Yup, that is the best gift.   

YES!!!

I am really psyched this morning.  I have lost 6 pounds since June 17.  While technically some of it has to be water, I KNOW it's not all water.  My body is changing. My core has changed. The fat is loose.  My belly button has changed shape.  The consistency of the fat is completely different than when I started.

My hard work is working.

I struggle with the foot pain still, I have extensor tendonitis, peroneal tendonitis and the neuropathy left.  They say for foot problems to ride a bike. Some days the foot pain on the bike is worse than walking--so I get off the bike and walk on the treadmill. Much better.  Adapt and overcome.  I refuse to let anything stand in my way.

I got new shoes which helped on the bike.

I have worked my way up to 70 minutes straight cardio. I do steady state.  I have ready every study out there, I know they all hate steady state.  However, it works FOR ME.   That's not to say I never do interval training--I do with kettlebells.  But every single day I do 70 minutes of steady state.  I do some form of weights daily.  Yesterday I trained my back.  Today I will train chest.  I also do kettlebells.

I will also be adding in one of my beloved videos daily.  Class FIRMs, Kick Butt and FitPrime all three by Anna Benson and can be found at Fitness Favorites, plus some Ellen Barrett for the yummy, stretchy feel good stuff.

I am happy.  I'm in the groove.  I don't know if blogging was the key to getting me going or what.  I'm on a roll.  My calories have been perfect.

When you do the work, it works.  That's the easy part, the hard part is the mental work.

Live in the moment.  Don't look forward to what will happen, enjoy the NOW.  I'm working a meditation program as well, and that is changing my perspective on LIFE.

It's all good!!!!  

The day I last entered a blog post was a bad day for me.  Something happened that shook me to my core. I am still not recovered from it, and I don't think I ever will be.  However, it was the impetus to start something new...

I started researching meditation.  I need to relax.  My stress was sky-high after that day.  I've started a program I found on cassette at the library by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  He runs some big stress-reduction clinic through an east coast university.  Or something like that.  I really like it.  I've only listened to the first few cassettes, but have already been putting the breathing techniques to work.

Someday I will conquer the demons in my mind.

Yesterday, for the first time in nearly two years, I walked a 5K.  I was thrilled.  That night I did a kettlebell workout.  Today depression hit me hard and I was weepy all day long.  I have to beat this.

Tomorrow, the plan is to get to the gym in the morning.  That is the best anti-depressant there is--for me.

Yesterday and today my calories have been spot on.

Bad things will happen in life.  None of us can avoid them.  I personally need to learn to not let them consume me.  That is when I get all messed up.

Moving forward.

A quote that helps tremendously:

"You have made some mistakes and you may not be where you want to be, but that has nothing to do with your future."  Zig Zigar



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