Thought of the Day

http://gingc.tumblr.com/post/62079366232

Daily LOL

Source: http://funeralformyfat.tumblr.com/post/60688150352

Readers, let's try this.  Report back!

New Goal: Produce Annihilation

Source: http://asmith9502.tumblr.com/post/60183837758

New goal: For a hungry day eat more and don't worry about the extra calories but make it fruits and veggies only.

One Month Checking In

Welp, it hasn't been my best month.  I went back to work after a long vacation and the new routine has been challenging my new healthy lifestyle thing, to say the least.  

Then skirmish went down like this:

Large ladies represent my fitness/schedule struggle.  Now you understand?

Now, it hasn't been as bad as it has been in previous falls, but I certainly haven't lost any weight.  I also haven't been counting calories because I am not put together enough to be making deliberate meals.  Every lunch is a kitchen sink lunch: lettuce + anything edible in the fridge.

No cats were harmed in the making of my salads.

But some nights I can't decide which is worse, my hunger or fatigue.  I think that I may be turning that corner, however.  There's a bit of an adjustment going on here and I know that this part is temporary.

Anyway. As for working out, I didn't miss a single weight lifting routine the entire month! Yay!  Triumph!  Remember, I am using Chris Powell's plan because he's sexy and I want to be sexy.  Here is how I progressed:

Day 1
Goblet Squat: 16 kg
Hammer Curl/Press: 15 lbs
Dumbbell Deadlift: 40 lbs
Dumbbell Pullover: 8 lbs
Planks: 50 seconds/46 seconds (2 rounds)

Day 30
Goblet Squat: 24 kg
Hammer Curl/Press: 15 lbs
Dumbbell Deadlift: 60 lbs
Dumbbell Pullover: 15 lbs
Renegade Rows: 12 lbs

I didn't switch over to the renegade rows until about 2 weeks in.  But before that, I improved my plank time to 80 seconds/68 seconds/60 seconds (3 rounds). And I know it doesn't look like I improved with the curl and press but I did On the first day, I couldn't complete more than 8 reps a set.  By the end, I was able to do 12 on the first set and 10 or so for the next two.

I'm getting stronger.  I can feel it but I sure can't see it because I need to get the food in check. I hate counting calories but I just don't trust myself not to. So for month 2, here are my goals:

1. Continue the CP plan without missing any workouts.
2. Add 2 cardio days, one being interval training. Bf says that cardio will give me more energy.  It's worth a shot!
3 Count dem calories.

Thought of the Day

"Working out at the gym to fit my underwear"

~ Weezer "Pork and Beans"

Yup.  That and my skinny jeans.  They just don't fit like they used to...

It's probably been a month since my last good outdoor run. 

Ran twice this weekend.  Okay, so it was only 30 minutes each day but I have to start somewhere, amiright? And at that, I'm sore!

Tomorrow begins month two of Chris Powell's 5 month program and I'm a little nervous because I took last Monday through Friday off because I was sick.  I know, through the wondrous power of logic, that I didn't lose all the muscle I gained in the last month, but it sort of feels like it.  Wish me luck, readers!

Here's to cardio.

Here's to lifting heavy.

Here's to counting calories.

Here's to keeping promises to myself.

Trials and Triumphs, and Cartoon Cats

Losing weight and changing how you think about eating isn't a linear process.  It's a little more Paula Abdul, you know "two steps forward, two steps back":

But you know, somewhere in that back and forth, you learn and you do find a way to slowly move forward.  Okay, so most people probably learn a lot faster than I do, but I've always been partial to learning the hard way.

Anyway.  Here are this week's notable trials and triumphs to remind myself yourself that this is a process and messing up is okay because there's something to be learned from it.

Trial: I went to a friend's BBQ on Friday.  It's always been pretty difficult for me to make responsible decisions at social events and I have been known to write them off as "special occasions" now and again, thereby justifying any binge eating I do.  But this isn't the first time that I have been presented with a social engagement since my journey has begun and so I should have learned something from the last one, right?  Well, yes and no.  The BBQ took place soon after work.  I left work a little later than I wanted to finish some stuff I was working on.  Then I hit the gym for a lift session.  By the time I got home, there was no time to cook something healthy to bring to the BBQ so the bf and I hit the neighborhood Whole Foods and grabbed veggie burgers, our favorite buns, and a bag of chips, because you have to bring something to the party besides your incredible wit, am I right? A BAG OF CHIPS! What was I thinking?! 

looks like a simple bag of chips, but it's actually real, active, kryptonite.

It's much too early in the process to be tempting myself with my very favorite chips.  Le sigh. I ate them, of course I did.  Them and a couple other chips that were on the table.  It was definitely a bit of nervous eating since I was at a party with a group of people I had just met. 

Triumph: That said, I didn't drink a single beer.  Instead, I brought tequila, fruit, and seltzer to the party.  So this was a bad party move because I ended up leaving the bottle there, but in the end I'm proud/happy with my decision.  I also didn't eat a quarter of the burger bun because I started feeling really full.  Stopping eating when I'm full is a new thing for me.  

Lesson Learned: I know that I could have defeated the chip temptation if I had made a plan before arriving at the party.  Next time, I will state said plan aloud in front of the bf.  Telling another person present would keep me honest and I know he would encourage me as well.

Final Thought: Although it wasn't perfect, I definitely ate differently than I would ever have in the past.  I enjoyed more conversations than food, chose a responsible drinking option, and stopped eating when I was full.  I'm counting this blip as a reward meal for the week and I enjoyed the extra calories/salt/fat with little no guilt.

Daily LOL

This tumblr post. LOL

Daily LOL

This is what I look like in the kitchen. Pretty accurate.

Just Your Average Saturday

Don't eat the screen.

I made those biscuits.  I smoked that tempeh.  I baked that tofu.  This book and this recipe made it possible. Happy weekend!