Eating Right, BUT...

I've been eating very well lately. Lots of fruit, veggies, low-fat stuff.

I made Shrimp Scampi last night and it was delish!

But I have not been working out at all... Well, I did the 20 minute Turbo Jam workout on Tuesday.

I was barely on the wagon before I fell off!

Yesterday I was bad... I ate crap, cooked fattening chili, and did not exercise.



Today is already better. I will not be working out because I have a hair appointment after work and damned if I'll get all sweaty after, but at least I'll eat right.

Two Days in a Row! (Sort of)

I did not do any cardio last night (no Turbo Jam) and I did not do abs... My abdominal muscles ache from the ab ripper routine still!

But I was not a total sloth, though! I worked my shoulders and biceps. That's something at least! And I cooked! Dinner! At a reasonable hour!

Does playing Wii Olympics and using a remote to "run" count as a workout? No? Damn!

Time To Party...

Come on move your body...

I did Turbo Jam for the first time since November 10th last night. Cardio Party Mix 1, to be exact.

I did not finish, but I did okay and then I did the Power 90 Ab Ripper 200 workout (6 minute ab routine).

I did not stuff my face with a bunch of crap last night, either (well, nor did I stuff it with anything as I did not cook dinner and let my poor neglected husband starve).

So. Go me! I think...

Note To Self

Self,

There is no such thing as low fat, low calorie Chinese Food.

Sincerely,
Me

Mind Over Matter...

So. I "broke up" with my vending machine this morning...

Of course, I have this need for sugar in the afternoon...

I keep repeating to myself as I drink the large ice water that Dr Pop recommended for just such a situation, "mind over matter, mind over matter, mind over matter."

It's not working, as my rumbling tummy and slightly shaky hands will attest, but I'll be damned if I give in!

Dear Vending Machine,

It's time for a break.

It is not you, it's me.

It is not your fault that your owners fill you will Butterfingers, Pop Tarts, and cookies. It is my fault that I cannot resist feeding you a dollar so that I can punch the buttons to release the sweet, calorie-loaded goodness.

So I am breaking up with you for a while.

I need to think about my health. My body is craving fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole grains and all you can offer me is fat and calories.

Maybe one day we can be friends, but that day is not today. I'm still too vulnerable.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Pop

So, uh, yeah. I'm getting in gear. The scale does not lie and this morning it told me a brutal and bitter truth. It's time to focus on my nutrition and exercise. I just got back on www.sparkpeople.com to track my calories, nutrients, and exercise.

I'm dusting off this blog to track my progress as well.

Wish me luck!

New Stuff Coming Up!

New year, new resolutions, new workout and diet drama...

TurbOHMYGOD this is hard!

Damn.

12 minutes of Cardio Party Mix 1 and I'm wiped! I gotta get into a regular routine again!

Back in the Saddle Again...

...Out where a friend is a friend... Sorry. Got carried away with the song. :)



They say that it can take anywhere between two weeks and two months to create a good habit and I say it takes just one day to break it. As I documented very well on these pages, I started the very good habit of eating well and getting exercise back in the spring. And with one walk through the sliding doors of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport last May 25th, I broke with all the good I'd accomplished.



Here I sit in the middle of October and I'm disgusted with myself. I fully believe that it is perfectly okay to cheat on a diet. You should not deny yourself the treats you love as long as you enjoy them in moderation. I just wish I'd followed my advice more carefully and precisely. Instead, for the past almost five months, I've been more sporadic in working out and eating well than I have been in indulging my bad habits.



Until this past week. I'm far from perfect, and I have a love of eating bad things, but I worked out three days. On Friday, I got my cholesterol test back and for the first time since I'd started getting tested, I'm below 200! Well below 200 with no medication. I realize I have to keep it up and I'll admit that I didn't do so well so far today, but I'm proud of myself.

Skinny B!tch

So, I've heard a lot about this book in recent weeks.

My husband even picked it up and read the intro and thought it was funny. It has been on my "must read" list for at least two weeks, too.

Last weekend, I paid a visit to my hairdresser. He had it on his counter and I picked it up and started reading. Yes, these girls are funny, witty, skinny, and make some excellent points.

Sadly, this diet will NEVER work for me for the following reasons:

• It asks me to give up over the counter medicine for colds, etc.
• It asks me to give up caffeine.
• It asks me to give up diet drinks.
• It asks me to give up all alcohol except for organic red wine.
• It asks me to give up all artificial sweeteners.
• It asks me to give up sugar.
• It asks me to give up all meat (beef, poultry, fish, pork).
• It asks me to give up eggs.
• It asks me to give up dairy.
• It tells me that the only places I can find what I need are over-priced markets such as Whole Foods and Sun Harvest.
• It tells me I have to be a vegan to be a skinny bitch.

Sadly, this diet is unrealistic for me in so many ways. I will just have to go back to eating a balanced diet with a focus on eliminating junk food and adding more veggies, fruit, and lean protein into my diet.

Sad but True

I have done very little in the way of diet and exercise from the moment I stepped on the plane to Mexico back on May 25th. I thought I had finally conquered the laziness with my single-minded determination to get into the best shape of my life. I was wrong.

So here I sit, on August 13th, and my physical activity is laughable. My diet is an artery-clogging, cholesterol-raising joke. It is too hot to exercise outside, and after more than a year of Turbo Jam, I’m just not all that excited about indoor aerobics.

But enough of beating myself up. I have been doing some good things:

I swam twice last week. Actual swimming. Not much, but it’s something.
I play the Wii. Don’t laugh. I have backup that this is actually a calorie-burning workout! See?!?!
I still eat lots of salads.
I haven’t managed to gain back the weight I lost.

So there’s a silver lining in my black cloud. The truth of the matter is that it will take minimal effort to go back to my early-summer self. So why am I still so damn lazy???

Stress Eating?

Yeah, I'm a stress non-eater... Seriously. My best diet is to put a ton of pressure on me.

Right now I'm really wishing we hadn't sold our punching bag prior to moving into the house we live in now. It would be very useful at the moment.

You CAN go back!

I'm getting back on the wagon, slowly but surely.

Last week, I ran/walked and went swimming.

Yesterday afternoon, I ran/walked in the HOT! HUMID! heat.

Now. If I can keep up with that and start back to eating healthy food, well I'll be all set!

24 Days And Counting...

It's been 24 days since I even came close to a hint of a workout. My hiatus ends tonight. I'm sick of myself.

Time to get back into the swing of things...

Okay people, it's been two and a half weeks since this body has ingested anything remotely healthy or done any physical activity over and above the normal movement from bed to shower, car to desk stuff.

I looked at my vacation pictures over the past three years and I do realize that I mistakenly thought I was in rock-hard shape last year. I definitely looked better this year. I really want to keep it up.

BUT... Here come the "buts"...

It's so HOT!
I've not been feeling well since we got back
I've been so busy
I'm exhausted
Did I mention how HOT it is?
Who has the time?
I'm sick and tired of salad and of cooking.
It's so much easier to microwave a burrito.
I've taken my bikini photos. Why bother anymore?

I'm totally boring myself with my excuses. I need some motivation, people. Something to move my bone-tired ass off the couch and out the door while listening to some good tunes on the IPod. Should I attempt to get up early and do my workout in the morning? Stop laughing, Dr Pop! ARGH!!! Maybe I should insist we go to the pool after work each day and just swim some laps. But what about laundry? And cooking dinner? What about those??? I need some help and I need some advice and I need some freaking motivation!!!

What are y'all doing?

Countdown? To What?

Even though summer won't officially begin for a few more days, for me the season officially begins around Memorial Day Weekend.

Now that the "countdown to summer" is at an end, and I completely revised my eating and exercising habits up until the plane to Mexico took off, I'm in need of something else to work towards.

I didn't exercise at all on vacation (unless you count the numerous strolls in town I did, or the half mile sprint through the airport on Saturday in order to just miss a flight) and I ate a lot of BAD but YUMMY stuff six times a day. I guess my new goal is to go back to my healthy self. Sigh!

Three more months of swimsuits...

Goals

So. Everyone who reads this (all three of you) knows my goals...

1) Make healthier food choices
2) Exercise regularly
3) Get bikini-ready in time for my trip (in 9 days...)

And guess what? I'm doing it! I slip up from time to time, but I have really been making a solid effort to eat right (no McDonald's, pizza, junk) and exercise 3 to 4 times per week.

While my butt and abs could still see some improvement, I'm so happy with myself and the results I've been seeing. And every time I feel lacking in motivation, something pops up to get me right back on track.

Keeping up with things on here has been a tremendous help! This is a lifestyle change for me. And I think it may be working. :)

Seriously. Why?

Two f-ing pop tarts at 4 PM. That would be 400 calories. And I ate them both in under 2 minutes.

ARGH!!! I have 10 days left!

Did You Know?

Alcohol makes you retain water?

As does PMS?

And foods high in sodium?

Yeah. I'm de-toxing from the weekend right now. I had to get my system in shape for the massive amount of indulgence that will be occurring in less than three weeks! ;-)