I Did It!

I reached my intermediate goal!

The program I am with focuses on 6 month cycles: 6 months to lose 10% of your weight, 6 months to focus on maintaining that loss, repeat as desired. So I began in late October with a goal to lose 20 pounds. At my weigh-in this week I found out I'd done it!

For my 6 months of maintenance I get to up my calorie intake from 1400 daily to 1800 (and if we're being honest, I've been over both numbers most days!) but continue to eat healthy foods more often than refined grains and other processed foods, and keep my activity levels up (to a goal of 180 minutes weekly).

So here I go... having started off my day with a donut. Stupid workplace potlucks!

First 5K!

Hi ladies!

Just a quick note that I competed in my first 5K this weekend - as a walker, of course. My goal was to beat 60 minutes, but I surprised even myself with a 51:34 time! Yay!

I found having an event to work towards MUCH more motivating to keep me on the treadmill than just willpower alone. I'm already looking for another event to sign up for!

Hope you all are enjoying this wonderful, spring-y weather! :-)

Updates

If you all are so inclined, it would be great to post updates!
Here's mine:
I've lost 35 pounds in the last 4 months, thanks to Optifast!
I feel so much better! I still have at least another 20 pounds to lose, but we're on the right track :)
The scariest part was going back to food. I was terrified that I'd just gain it all back, but I've lost a couple more pounds since then, so that's super exciting!
I have trouble exercising. I can't seem to unstick my butt from the couch!
I have arthritis in my knees, and it tends to hurt when I exercise, so I use that as an excuse.
It's not that bad though, so I need to get over it!
I'd love to have you all around to give me a push and get me moving!

Yay

Look at everyone dropping in to give a status update. Neat!

I scrolled back through my old posts to figure out where I left off. Two years ago I got fired up about health and weight loss when I got diagnosed with an endocrine disorder-- the kind of thing that left untreated leads to diabetes and heart disease. So, I take my pills, eat whole grains, measure my portion sizes, and use my gym membership. In those two years I've lost about 30 pounds., and dropped my total cholesterol 70 points.

I've still got a long way to go-- my bad cholesterol is 26 points too high, my BMI is 32, and my tummy still sticks out farther than my rack. I'm working on it.

This year's goals include: no fast food, adding a 2nd gym day to my weekly routine, and mostly just keeping off the weight I've lost.

It's good to hear from others about both struggles and successes. I hope everyone is having a good 2011!

Posting for Bethany

She can't post from work, so she asked me to do it for her!
"I want to know about the recently purchased treadmill. I want one, but I have no idea what kind to get. Does she love it? Does it incline? Does she run or walk on it? Is it comfortable?"
Thanks!

I just happened to check out my old blog today, and saw the Doughty Dozen! Guess I'm not the only one who forgot about it ;)
Here's a healthy baking tip I learned this week.
Whole Wheat pastry flour can be used in place of white flour in any recipe that uses baking soda/powder!
I made banana bread and blueberry muffins with it, and they turned out great!

:-)

I see the link to our little blog all the time as I update my personal blog, and have often wondered where the winds scattered us! Thanks for the "Deep Space Nine" link, and for bringing a smile to my face!

My own personal journey has improved the last couple of months, as I've bought a treadmill, taken to eating better, have lost 20 pounds and am signed up to walk a 5K in March. Good times. :-)

Best of luck, all!

I miss the doughty dozen

I do.  I miss it.  Not that I was ever good at posting here, and of course toward the end, it was mostly little ineb. But I love her and I loved the recipes and the walking and, well, I miss it.

It won't come back, of course.  But I've started something similar with some seminary friends of mine, and thought I should put a link here, for continuity's sake.  It's sort of like when your favorite TV show ends, but a year or two later there's a spin-off.  Doughty Dozen: Deep Space Nine or something.  I should have called it that, actually, now that I think about it.

Anyway, it's at http://wholenesslife.blogspot.com  Feel free to ignore it or whatever.  Or love it, as I hope to do.  Or at least go make some bok choy.  Something.

Ow ow ow ow ow

My likes and dislikes about the gym:

Dislike: The fact that everything hurts. Strange muscles I didn't even know I had. I can't walk across the room without raising a litany of four-letter words. The outside of my feet hurt. How is that even possible?

Like: The pain means its working. And it recedes enough after 24 hours that I'm ready to go again.

Dislike: That it took me four bloody months to go. Four months, and a new anti-anxiety medication.

Like: But I went! Three days in a row! And I love it! And that fact makes me feel courageous and healthy and strong and powerful and awesome and productive and other positive adjectives!

Dislike: I don't know what to do with the fancy machines there.

Like: The wellness minister at school will tell me what to do with them, as soon as she reads my email. Also, I get a free physical training session once my free trial week runs out and I actually start paying them.

Dislike: There are too many people there.

Like: I manage to go anyway, defeating my hangups about being around that many people at one time.

Dislike: I am surrounded by good looking people, and I know I am not one of them. I am fat and sweaty and gross.

Like: Except, for some reason, I don't feel fat and sweaty and gross when I'm at the gym. I feel awesome. And kind of hot. And I have to admit, it's nice to walk on the treadmill for a while and have some nice things to look at. And think, gee, I'm also pretty attractive. And certainly not the fattest person there, not by far. And that makes me feel good too. Which is perhaps not very nice, comparing yourself to others to make yourself feel good, but bleh on you.

Dislike: Changing in the locker room is a more uncomfortable experience than if I were to preach naked.

Like: The way I smell when I'm all sweaty more than makes up for it. Why is something so gross so nice? I smell like a boy, which is a nice change of pace. Heh. Also, I get to go home and take a shower, and the hot water is relaxing at the end of a stressful day. And then I curl up in bed and my cat curls up next to me and it's just a nice way to finish off the day.

God, what happened to me? I'm all happy and stuff. This is March, and I'm supposed to be depressed. But I'm not. Yippee, I think I like the gym. I don't know how that's even possible, but it's true. I've spent a whole hour on the treadmill for three days in a row. Last night, I walked four whole miles, and burned 600 calories. Which makes a total of 11 miles altogether. And I can't wait to go back.

YESI'MAWESOME!

Afternoon strolls

I went for a few walks this weekend. Let's count it as 15 minutes on both Friday and Saturday. I haven't been to the gym yet this weekend... maybe next week ;)

L'il bit o' walkin'

I snuck out of the house on xmas day. My little stroll shouldn't have taken more than 10-15 minutes, but the roads were covered in ice, so it was more like 20. It was good that way.... I needed the break.

Yesterday I walked about 2.5 miles. I think it took 45 minutes. I didn't check the time-- I was with a boy and thus distracted.

Exam Week

Went to the gym again last night. I like exam week cuz there's less people at the gym. So far this week I've jogged 4 miles and walked 1. We'll see if I am able to go on Friday too.

I'll be offline next week but I'll blog again the last week of the month. Happy Holidays!