We went to Wally World and got what we were wanting. We had to wait in a line in the electronics department, and were fourth in line. The line was very long, and everyone wanted Playstation 3's, and there were only about 20 by our count. Then a clerk came up, let some guy buy one who wasn't in line. She opened a different register. Even though we were assured ours, my husband who has a booming voice raised a STINK! And rightly so. And so the crowd followed. The clerk who did that disappeared FAST. lol I feel really bad for the people in line who weren't going to get one.
I really detest that kind of shopping, but it was a really good deal and worth it. As I figured, honey took off and made it to the electronics department probably 3 minutes before I did, which is why we were in such a good spot in line.
Came home starving, ate a bowl of cereal, putzed a bit, then about 7:30 took a nap. Woke at 11 and ate a light lunch and have been zoning ever since. I do not do well with little sleep.
Right now I'm tyring to pass time waiting for the mailman, as we're expecting a delivery that I have to sign for. If it weren't for that, I'd be in bed sleeping.
I was going to do our Christmas decorating today--too tired. I'm too tired to read. I've just been sitting, going over my Christmas list, and watching out the window for the mailman. Knowing my luck, he'll be a couple hours late because no mail was delivered yesterday. He's always late on such days.
I forgot to mention one thing in my last post. The other thing I'm doing is eating every three hours. That is very difficult for me to do. In fact, I don't like to eat in the mornings--I usually wait a few hours. Food just is very unappealing to me in the mornings. So I've been eating earlier, and as a result, I do ge hungrier quicker. Always try to eat a healthy portion of protein every time I eat.
Tock tock, hurry up mail man, I'm about to drop. I probably won't sleep tonight. It will probably take me most of the weekend to recover from my sleepless night. Ugh.
I have not wokred out today. I don't know that I have the energy to do so. Hopefully after a nap I will. I didn't want to miss today, but sometimes you have to go with what your body is telling you. If I were to start right now, my form would be horrid, and I wouldn't have energy to do much. Futile.
11.27.2009
The "P" Word
Plateau. Such an ugly word to someone trying to reduce their weight. I think I've been in a plateau, as I had 20 some days straight where I was 227 pounds.
I started researching and have tried something different. I think I have really screwed my metabolism up. I was eating my Weight Watchers points allowance, but I hardly ever ate the 35 extra points. I think I was eating too little.
My weight loss has been slow. I know that because I kept my records from 2001 when I lost and ate my points and my flex points and I kept my charts. I also know that comparing myself to other bloggers, I'm getting smoked! That's okay--I'm so happy people are having such great losses. I've just been perplexed as to why mine have been so slow.
So, what I've done is figured my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) here, which for my height of 5'5", weight of 225, and age of 44, is 1732.45. That is what I need to live each day in a resting state.
Then, I plug my numbers into a BMI calculator here. This gives me a number of 2680.25. With this number, I can calculate my calories needed daily. Because I work out 5 times a week, I multiply this number by 1.55, giving me a total of 2689.25. This is what I can consume each day to remain at 225. Well, who wants that? From here, you reduce calories.
Now Bbubblyb (Dawn) suggested an ebook to me a long time ago, which I finally bought a couple weeks ago. I have not read it all, but I did read through the calories portion. If I am satisfied with how this works, I'll share the link in a later post. At any rate, the author says to reduce you calories by 20 percent an start there. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try 30 percent. For me, a 30% reduction would give me 1882 calories per day. That's what I've been eating.
The author further says that to keep your metabolism working, to eat three days at your maintenance number, then three days at your reduced number. I cannot bring myself to eat 2600 calories a day. So I've been doing 3 days at 2200-2400 and then 3days in the 1800s.
Doing this is what broke my 227 streak. My weigh in on Monday was 225.5. This morning I was at 225. (Or I guess that is Thursday morning.) The days I eat high, it stays the same.
So I'm going to continue this for a good month or so. For awhile I was doing WW points and calories, but now I'm just counting calories. We'll just have to see how this works. And I may tweak it a bit as time goes on, too.
I have not read yet how exercise comes into play expect that the author says it's better to get your calorie reduction through exercise than through diet to save your metabolism.
This is my on-going experiment. I hesitated to share it in case I gain or fall flat on my face. But I'm pretty open and honest about what all I'm doing, so if it works--and I'd say it did work to break that mini-plateau I had, maybe it will help someone else.
I am also learning, by scouring the internet, that changing our exercise routine is very important. That's why I am asking for Jari Loves for Christmas. They are very different than the Firm, and I will alternate. I do like Jari Love very much--she's different, it's a dark setting, kind of cool music not something that I would choose, but so far the Get Ripped DVD I've been doing from the library has been fantastic. I alternate aerobics with her DVDs. I'll switch and go back to the Firm for sculpting work in a week or two. I did buy Jari's rotation. It irks me that you have to buy her rotations!, but her videos are so reasonably priced I guess I can't complain too much.
So that's what I'm doing--and putting it here for everyone to see. lol
Time will tell. I did come to a realization, though. As much as I want to lose this extra weight quickly, I've decided to relax a bit and ENJOY THE JOURNEY. I will get there. While it's a race to get my health improved, life is not a race. This journey is not a race. I didn't put all this weight on in a year, it came on over time, and that's how it will come off.
I have always enjoyed exercising when I would make myself do it. Now? I LOVE it. It is just as automatic as showering, brushing my teeth, and eating. Hopefully I'll get up to six days a week instead of five--but those five days a week are fantastic.
I started researching and have tried something different. I think I have really screwed my metabolism up. I was eating my Weight Watchers points allowance, but I hardly ever ate the 35 extra points. I think I was eating too little.
My weight loss has been slow. I know that because I kept my records from 2001 when I lost and ate my points and my flex points and I kept my charts. I also know that comparing myself to other bloggers, I'm getting smoked! That's okay--I'm so happy people are having such great losses. I've just been perplexed as to why mine have been so slow.
So, what I've done is figured my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) here, which for my height of 5'5", weight of 225, and age of 44, is 1732.45. That is what I need to live each day in a resting state.
Then, I plug my numbers into a BMI calculator here. This gives me a number of 2680.25. With this number, I can calculate my calories needed daily. Because I work out 5 times a week, I multiply this number by 1.55, giving me a total of 2689.25. This is what I can consume each day to remain at 225. Well, who wants that? From here, you reduce calories.
Now Bbubblyb (Dawn) suggested an ebook to me a long time ago, which I finally bought a couple weeks ago. I have not read it all, but I did read through the calories portion. If I am satisfied with how this works, I'll share the link in a later post. At any rate, the author says to reduce you calories by 20 percent an start there. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try 30 percent. For me, a 30% reduction would give me 1882 calories per day. That's what I've been eating.
The author further says that to keep your metabolism working, to eat three days at your maintenance number, then three days at your reduced number. I cannot bring myself to eat 2600 calories a day. So I've been doing 3 days at 2200-2400 and then 3days in the 1800s.
Doing this is what broke my 227 streak. My weigh in on Monday was 225.5. This morning I was at 225. (Or I guess that is Thursday morning.) The days I eat high, it stays the same.
So I'm going to continue this for a good month or so. For awhile I was doing WW points and calories, but now I'm just counting calories. We'll just have to see how this works. And I may tweak it a bit as time goes on, too.
I have not read yet how exercise comes into play expect that the author says it's better to get your calorie reduction through exercise than through diet to save your metabolism.
This is my on-going experiment. I hesitated to share it in case I gain or fall flat on my face. But I'm pretty open and honest about what all I'm doing, so if it works--and I'd say it did work to break that mini-plateau I had, maybe it will help someone else.
I am also learning, by scouring the internet, that changing our exercise routine is very important. That's why I am asking for Jari Loves for Christmas. They are very different than the Firm, and I will alternate. I do like Jari Love very much--she's different, it's a dark setting, kind of cool music not something that I would choose, but so far the Get Ripped DVD I've been doing from the library has been fantastic. I alternate aerobics with her DVDs. I'll switch and go back to the Firm for sculpting work in a week or two. I did buy Jari's rotation. It irks me that you have to buy her rotations!, but her videos are so reasonably priced I guess I can't complain too much.
So that's what I'm doing--and putting it here for everyone to see. lol
Time will tell. I did come to a realization, though. As much as I want to lose this extra weight quickly, I've decided to relax a bit and ENJOY THE JOURNEY. I will get there. While it's a race to get my health improved, life is not a race. This journey is not a race. I didn't put all this weight on in a year, it came on over time, and that's how it will come off.
I have always enjoyed exercising when I would make myself do it. Now? I LOVE it. It is just as automatic as showering, brushing my teeth, and eating. Hopefully I'll get up to six days a week instead of five--but those five days a week are fantastic.
Midnight Hours
Ever have nights you can't sleep? Tonight I went to bed at 10, with my alarm set for 3:30. At midnight, I woke up and was wide awake. I stayed in bed trying to lull myself back to sleep, but I couldn't. It was if I had a refreshing 2-hour nap.
So I got up.
I have cleaned the bathroom, gathered all the laundry, sorted all the laundry, folded what was left in the dryer, started the laundry...
I have emptied the dishwasher, did the remaining dishes from tonight, have super-duper cleaned my mixer as it was getting icky, and scrubbed my stove.
I have caught up on a few blogs.
I have balanced my checkbook.
I have made my Christmas list.
I have made a pot of coffee and decided to stay up, hit the shower around 3-ish, and stay up until we hit the store. I can sleep tomorrow. Yuck, but what's a girl to do? I got more done with my two boys asleep than I could have in a whole day with them under foot.
We went to Black Friday sales once several years ago. We had three things to buy: a TV, a quilt, and a something I forget. It was a nightmare. Our son was with us and he was young, and I had to hang on tight to him. People were crazy. My husband went for the TV, and would you belive they were stacked high with no clerk in sight? What happened was he ended up getting a TV down and some poor woman begged him to get her one, and he ended up standing there for a bit grabbing TVs for people. He finally got frustrated, said screw it, and grabbed his TV and headed for checkout. I remember it took me and my son 15 minutes to get to the quilts, and I about had my hands cut from long fingernails as I grabbed what I wanted.
We decided then and there: NEVER AGAIN.
Well, this morning it is NEVER AGAIN.
Luckily, we have one thing to purchase. It's too good of a deal to pass up. We will be hitting Wally-World. I dread it.
The good thing is hubby is going with. He's 6'5" tall. He has a presence. People tend to get out of his way. He walks much faster than I do, so I'll have to put on my running shoes to catch up. We will make a bee-line for what we need, which is in the far back corner of the store, grab and go.
Hopefully it will be smooth sailing.
Then we'll come home, he'll stay up because he's a morning lark, I'll go to bed because I'm a night owl, and we'll see each other again around noon--I hope. lol
Do you all hit the Black Friday sales? There are sure some great bargains, but is it worth it? ??
So I got up.
I have cleaned the bathroom, gathered all the laundry, sorted all the laundry, folded what was left in the dryer, started the laundry...
I have emptied the dishwasher, did the remaining dishes from tonight, have super-duper cleaned my mixer as it was getting icky, and scrubbed my stove.
I have caught up on a few blogs.
I have balanced my checkbook.
I have made my Christmas list.
I have made a pot of coffee and decided to stay up, hit the shower around 3-ish, and stay up until we hit the store. I can sleep tomorrow. Yuck, but what's a girl to do? I got more done with my two boys asleep than I could have in a whole day with them under foot.
We went to Black Friday sales once several years ago. We had three things to buy: a TV, a quilt, and a something I forget. It was a nightmare. Our son was with us and he was young, and I had to hang on tight to him. People were crazy. My husband went for the TV, and would you belive they were stacked high with no clerk in sight? What happened was he ended up getting a TV down and some poor woman begged him to get her one, and he ended up standing there for a bit grabbing TVs for people. He finally got frustrated, said screw it, and grabbed his TV and headed for checkout. I remember it took me and my son 15 minutes to get to the quilts, and I about had my hands cut from long fingernails as I grabbed what I wanted.
We decided then and there: NEVER AGAIN.
Well, this morning it is NEVER AGAIN.
Luckily, we have one thing to purchase. It's too good of a deal to pass up. We will be hitting Wally-World. I dread it.
The good thing is hubby is going with. He's 6'5" tall. He has a presence. People tend to get out of his way. He walks much faster than I do, so I'll have to put on my running shoes to catch up. We will make a bee-line for what we need, which is in the far back corner of the store, grab and go.
Hopefully it will be smooth sailing.
Then we'll come home, he'll stay up because he's a morning lark, I'll go to bed because I'm a night owl, and we'll see each other again around noon--I hope. lol
Do you all hit the Black Friday sales? There are sure some great bargains, but is it worth it? ??
11.26.2009
Gobble, Gobble
I gobbled today. I took 1/2 cup of everything. My Thanksgiving meal came in at a whopping 909 calories, including pie and parfait. It was delish. I'm right on track, surprised that I planned my calories well!
The biggest hits? My pumpkin pies and the pudding parfaits I made. Hubby said it was the best pie he'd ever had. That's saying a lot, because it had no crust! The funny thing is I have always made one of "those" pies every year just for me, and regular pies for everyone else. Go figure.
The pudding parfaits--how silly, pudding and Cool Whip Lite, but it was a big hit. They were 175 calories and each piece of pumpkin pie was 116 calories, not counting Cool Whip. It's amazing how many calories are in Cool Whip. I would hate to think how many calories were consumed in years gone by with my little bit of pie to go with my Cool Whip!
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.
I am very thankful for all who follow my blog, for those who leave comments, and for those whose blogs I follow. I feel very rich with support and friendship. Thank you.
The biggest hits? My pumpkin pies and the pudding parfaits I made. Hubby said it was the best pie he'd ever had. That's saying a lot, because it had no crust! The funny thing is I have always made one of "those" pies every year just for me, and regular pies for everyone else. Go figure.
The pudding parfaits--how silly, pudding and Cool Whip Lite, but it was a big hit. They were 175 calories and each piece of pumpkin pie was 116 calories, not counting Cool Whip. It's amazing how many calories are in Cool Whip. I would hate to think how many calories were consumed in years gone by with my little bit of pie to go with my Cool Whip!
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.
I am very thankful for all who follow my blog, for those who leave comments, and for those whose blogs I follow. I feel very rich with support and friendship. Thank you.
11.24.2009
Cleaning Up My Mess...
I don't want anyone to think that I do these Firm workouts perfectly, just like the instructors and class participants! They are tough workouts.
Just tonight I did my very first ever (probably in 20 years) push up. I usually do them on my knees--girly push ups. Tonight, I did a real one and thought I'd die! But I did it! I couldn't have done another, but I was thrilled with one!
My philosophy is to do my best and push myself. The first time I did a Firm I thought I'd die. Weights, step, arm work? Forget it! I just did the foot moves. I just kept plugging away, building strength and endurance. I am up to 5- and 8-pound weights, although today I was so tired I used 3. Everyone has an off day now and then.
Over the course of almost three months, I have made amazing progress. I can do so much -- but I still have a lot of room to grow. That's why I love the Firm so much, because I don't think I'll ever outgrow these tapes. The cardio kicks my butt still, and the weight work--I can always go up with weights.
I'm not perfect or anywhere close. I just do my best and usually love every second of it.
When I did Jari Love for the first time the other day, I worked my arms to the point of exhaustion. I have never done that before. I didn't think I'd be able to finish, to lift one more time as I was shaking--but Jari encouraged and I did it. I had doms in my arms for two days following.
I look forward to mixing up my routine with an infusion of Jari Love and the Firm. Her workouts are so different--it's almost like starting over, even though I know most of the moves she's doing, she does them straight and the Firm mixes things up.
I don't expect perfection from myself at all, I just expect my best. I usually give my all, love it, and am very satisfied. It's absolutely amazing how quickly you can progress by just pushing yourself a little with each workout.
I don't know how I would do if there were suddenly a Firm class to go to--I'd be in the back row hiding. I'm sure I'd keep up and finish, but with modifications. That's how I've done them all along, and the modifications are getting fewer and fewer, my steps are getting higher as are my weights.
~~~~~~
And we will have Thanksgiving after all. I got my shopping done, although I was disappointed. Only tiny turkey breasts were to be found, expensive at that, so I bought a real bird. More work, but it will be good. I had to get a fresh bird so it would be thawed in time. Not smart waiting until the last minute!
Just tonight I did my very first ever (probably in 20 years) push up. I usually do them on my knees--girly push ups. Tonight, I did a real one and thought I'd die! But I did it! I couldn't have done another, but I was thrilled with one!
My philosophy is to do my best and push myself. The first time I did a Firm I thought I'd die. Weights, step, arm work? Forget it! I just did the foot moves. I just kept plugging away, building strength and endurance. I am up to 5- and 8-pound weights, although today I was so tired I used 3. Everyone has an off day now and then.
Over the course of almost three months, I have made amazing progress. I can do so much -- but I still have a lot of room to grow. That's why I love the Firm so much, because I don't think I'll ever outgrow these tapes. The cardio kicks my butt still, and the weight work--I can always go up with weights.
I'm not perfect or anywhere close. I just do my best and usually love every second of it.
When I did Jari Love for the first time the other day, I worked my arms to the point of exhaustion. I have never done that before. I didn't think I'd be able to finish, to lift one more time as I was shaking--but Jari encouraged and I did it. I had doms in my arms for two days following.
I look forward to mixing up my routine with an infusion of Jari Love and the Firm. Her workouts are so different--it's almost like starting over, even though I know most of the moves she's doing, she does them straight and the Firm mixes things up.
I don't expect perfection from myself at all, I just expect my best. I usually give my all, love it, and am very satisfied. It's absolutely amazing how quickly you can progress by just pushing yourself a little with each workout.
I don't know how I would do if there were suddenly a Firm class to go to--I'd be in the back row hiding. I'm sure I'd keep up and finish, but with modifications. That's how I've done them all along, and the modifications are getting fewer and fewer, my steps are getting higher as are my weights.
~~~~~~
And we will have Thanksgiving after all. I got my shopping done, although I was disappointed. Only tiny turkey breasts were to be found, expensive at that, so I bought a real bird. More work, but it will be good. I had to get a fresh bird so it would be thawed in time. Not smart waiting until the last minute!
Tuesday
We've all had a blah day. Rainy, overcast and ugly...ugh.
Anna Benson did indeed pass away, in Panama where she was living. She was 55. I keep thinking about it--there are no guarantees in life. Here she is, the woman who put home fitness on the map--she didn't start it, but she raised the bar, she preached good nutrition--boom, cancer.
Life is short, live it to the fullest each and every day.
We're not going to have Thanksgiving unless I get my lazy butt to the store. We're just going to have a turkey breast this year instead of a big bird. Yay. I'll whip up some fixings, and a few (yes, few) crustless pumpkin pies. I always make chocolate pie, but this year I'll do some pudding and cool whip in pretty glasses--whatever that is called. Sugar free for me, thank you.
~~~
Yesterday we bought a dirt-cheap, I mean practically giving it away--Schwinn Air-dyne. (Exercise bike.) It's older, but barely used. Hubby has cleaned it up--meaning oiling everything, doing guy stuff, and all three of us are in love.
I think it's a really good thing to not limit ourselves with our cardio. Me? I'd prefer to do a video every day. Yet I'm turning to that rebounder more often, and now we'll have the bike to use. That will be really nice when I don't want to pound my feet on the rebounder or with a video. I'm learning it's also very important to switch up our exercises. We can plateau with exercising just as we can with weight loss. I don't want my body to get used to only one thing, so this is a fantastic addition. That's why I've asked for Jari Love videos for Christmas as well--to switch things around.
My son didn't want anything to do with the bike, and last night we couldn't get him off the thing. It has been used so little that I'm sure it will last a couple years. I'm glad we stumbled upon it. This weekend hubby and I had mentioned that it would be nice to have one and then we just walked right into it! I'd say that's fate--especially because it was cheap!
I need to shower since I just worked out and then hit the grocery store!
Anna Benson did indeed pass away, in Panama where she was living. She was 55. I keep thinking about it--there are no guarantees in life. Here she is, the woman who put home fitness on the map--she didn't start it, but she raised the bar, she preached good nutrition--boom, cancer.
Life is short, live it to the fullest each and every day.
We're not going to have Thanksgiving unless I get my lazy butt to the store. We're just going to have a turkey breast this year instead of a big bird. Yay. I'll whip up some fixings, and a few (yes, few) crustless pumpkin pies. I always make chocolate pie, but this year I'll do some pudding and cool whip in pretty glasses--whatever that is called. Sugar free for me, thank you.
~~~
Yesterday we bought a dirt-cheap, I mean practically giving it away--Schwinn Air-dyne. (Exercise bike.) It's older, but barely used. Hubby has cleaned it up--meaning oiling everything, doing guy stuff, and all three of us are in love.
I think it's a really good thing to not limit ourselves with our cardio. Me? I'd prefer to do a video every day. Yet I'm turning to that rebounder more often, and now we'll have the bike to use. That will be really nice when I don't want to pound my feet on the rebounder or with a video. I'm learning it's also very important to switch up our exercises. We can plateau with exercising just as we can with weight loss. I don't want my body to get used to only one thing, so this is a fantastic addition. That's why I've asked for Jari Love videos for Christmas as well--to switch things around.
My son didn't want anything to do with the bike, and last night we couldn't get him off the thing. It has been used so little that I'm sure it will last a couple years. I'm glad we stumbled upon it. This weekend hubby and I had mentioned that it would be nice to have one and then we just walked right into it! I'd say that's fate--especially because it was cheap!
I need to shower since I just worked out and then hit the grocery store!
11.23.2009
Anna Benson
There is sad news on the fitness forums tonight. Confirmation is from friends of former FIRM instructors. So, it's still speculative and internet rumor, but the people reporting are people that I trust as well as you can trust anyone on the internet...
Anna Benson, the creator of The FIRM, my beloved exercise videos, has passed away due to stomach cancer.
When I did my give-away, I placed the order for the winner. Anna's assistant called me the day after I placed the order to confirm the address this was to be sent to, as it was different than mine. I must admit, I was giddy when I saw "Anna Benson" on my caller ID, even if it wasn't Anna herself. We chatted a bit (lovely conversation) and I asked what Anna was working on next. She paused, then said, "Well, Anna is -- Anna is working on it." I noted at the time there was a very strange sound in her voice when she mentioned this. I just assumed she didn't want to tell me as Firmies "gossip" a lot. Looking back, I know that pause and change of voice was because she knew Anna had cancer.
I would suspect that this is not a rumor and is true. I can only hope that it is a rumor. Nonetheless, I want to thank Anna Benson. While I was years late in finding her exercise videos, they have changed my life. I had an intense fear of weights, lifting, weight work. It was manly! The beauty of her productions, the femininity, the southern belle-feel, the grace--it all changed me forever. I now love weight work more than cardio.
In the few short months I have been working out to The FIRM tapes, I have become stronger, developed definition and physically and mentally felt better.
So Anna Benson will always live on in my heart, and I'll think of her every time I pop a tape or DVD in.
Rest in peace, Anna.
Anna Benson, the creator of The FIRM, my beloved exercise videos, has passed away due to stomach cancer.
When I did my give-away, I placed the order for the winner. Anna's assistant called me the day after I placed the order to confirm the address this was to be sent to, as it was different than mine. I must admit, I was giddy when I saw "Anna Benson" on my caller ID, even if it wasn't Anna herself. We chatted a bit (lovely conversation) and I asked what Anna was working on next. She paused, then said, "Well, Anna is -- Anna is working on it." I noted at the time there was a very strange sound in her voice when she mentioned this. I just assumed she didn't want to tell me as Firmies "gossip" a lot. Looking back, I know that pause and change of voice was because she knew Anna had cancer.
I would suspect that this is not a rumor and is true. I can only hope that it is a rumor. Nonetheless, I want to thank Anna Benson. While I was years late in finding her exercise videos, they have changed my life. I had an intense fear of weights, lifting, weight work. It was manly! The beauty of her productions, the femininity, the southern belle-feel, the grace--it all changed me forever. I now love weight work more than cardio.
In the few short months I have been working out to The FIRM tapes, I have become stronger, developed definition and physically and mentally felt better.
So Anna Benson will always live on in my heart, and I'll think of her every time I pop a tape or DVD in.
Rest in peace, Anna.
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