Highlight of the Day: PIZZA!!!!

I ended my week dieting and exercising like a good dieter and exerciser (is that a word? If not, I just made it one!) should. I worked out not two, not three, not four, but FIVE days in a row!!! Which is a personal best for me. I still break a sweat, but the room has quit spinning and I don't have to close one eye to walk in a straight line. That sounded a little more like what happens when I drink too much, but it's the same head rush. Maybe i'll give up having a couple drinks on the weekends once this is over and just push myself at the gym. Who am I kidding? What do I look like, a saint? Come April, bring on the beer!!! :)

As a result of two weeks of strict diet and exercise, I've finally climbed off of the weight loss plateau. 7 pounds and an unknown amount of inches have been subtracted from my rather hefty physique. Ashley and I are going to start measurements on Tuesday so that I don't get discouraged again when my weight loss tapers off. I helped my family move some pretty heavy antiques on Saturday and didn't have to pretend that I was holding up my end of furniture. I was actually putting in noticeable effort. Pretty cool!

But.... the most awesomely amazingly great thing about this week is..... I GOT PIZZA!!!!!! Okay, it wasn't a Pizza Hut ham and pineapple pizza full of tomato-ey sauce and greasy gooey cheese. It was veggies and sauce and cheese on an English muffin.... but it still counted as pizza. I'm a happy girl! But now I want Pizza Hut, and Papa John's, and Spinelli's, and Wick's.... sigh. Some day I'll get to enjoy a piece of pizza, but for now, I'm content!

All is Quiet on the Western Front

Like the subject of this post indicates, everything has been pretty quiet this week. Which means that I don't have nearly as much to report.

I'm getting used to the smaller portions, and I don't feel nearly as hungry as I did before. I'm amazed at how little time it took for me to adjust to healthy portions, and you can bet I'm happy about the end of the stomach-growling phase. I used to easily chug two Diet Cokes with my meals, and now I'm finished eating before I drink half of one! I feel bad about wasting half of a syrup-filled, carbonated drink that I paid for, but that's half of a syrup-filled, carbonated beverage that is not coursing through my veins. All of these small hints have indicated to me that this challenge is definitely about a lifestyle change; it's a marathon, not a sprint.

I can leave the gym now without feeling like my leg muscles would rip and coil up. I tell ya - that feeling of inescapable pain has been the hardest thing about this challenge. Every time I would go back, I would leave hurting worse than when I walked in the door. I missed a workout on Monday (I thought it was on Tuesday - oops!) and Ashley came down with the flu on Wednesday, so I've put it on myself to get to the gym this week. I worked out Tuesday night pretty hard and did the same on Wednesday. AND I DIDN'T HURT! Maybe it's time to up the weights and increase the incline on the treadmill, but I don't want to speak too soon!

I'm off the Aleve, and Epsom salt baths are no longer a necessary part of my evening routine. I can watch TV with only a little twinge of yearning for a Big Mac. I sleep better. My afternoon tiredness has gone away. The weight has kind of hit a plateau at the moment, but I feel that my clothes are fitting better than they did last week. I win!

Lessons Learned

Well, I survived the weekend. Barely. But I did learn a couple of valuable lessons.

1. TV is a bad, bad thing when on a diet. - After working out on Saturday morning and getting together with some friends on Saturday night, I deemed Sunday my "lazy day". No schedule, no leaving the house. As I was laying on the couch relaxing all of the muscles that I brutally beat on Friday and Saturday, I settled in to catch up on some of my beloved television shows that I missed during the week. I bet that 80% of the commercials I had to endure were for food. I kid you not. Don't these TV executives know I'm on a diet?!

Forget eating my turkey sandwich on whole wheat.... I want a Big Mac! Make that 2 for $4, actually. And because I know I can't eat these things, I want them even more. By no means am I implying the food I'm receiving from Home Cuisine is unappetizing, but those Dairy Queen chicken tenders with gravy look so good, it's riDQulous (like the pun?)!

2. I eat when I'm bored. - As Sunday came to a close and I had eaten all of the food that was given to me for the day, my mind began to wander. My idle hands and idle mind floated to the pantry (figuratively speaking - I don't need to torture myself by actually looking at the food too!) for no reason other than boredom. Being mentally and physically stimulated during the week helps to keep my mind off of the food that I shouldn't be eating. Keeping a schedule and forcing myself to stay with the task at hand has worked quite well for curbing the appetite.

 I better stock up on some good e-books on my Kindle so this doesn't happen every weekend. Or maybe I'll watch "Food Inc." and "Forks Over Knives" on Netflix to help combat my fast food cravings. Nothing like the cold, hard truth to keep you from doing something you shouldn't.

I'm also very pleased with myself for making it through an entire week of working out! Thank goodness Ashley keeps changing up the exercises and is creative; otherwise, I'd get bored with it (kind of like what happens every other year I vow to work out more). I couldn't sit down all the way without my legs giving out on me and letting me fall the rest of the descent on Saturday, but this pain is different than what I've felt before. It's well-earned and I know my work is paying off. I already feel like I possess strength I didn't before, and my mind and body are benefitting from this new lifestyle. I am more conscious of how much and what I eat, and I feel more rested and full of energy.

I'm going to take care of myself the rest of today by getting a facial (well-deserved, might I add) and relaxing my muscles. The games begin again tomorrow. I'm no longer scared of what Ashley's going to make me do or whether I'll get through the session without puking or passing out. We're making strides here, folks. Bigger strides than I could ever hope for!

Success!

Exciting news is in order as week one comes to a close - only Saturday and Sunday left to go! In 5 short days (working out and having ready to eat meals 3 of those 5)...........

I'VE LOST FOUR POUNDS!!!!!!!

So, I know four pounds may not seem like a lot right now, but it's proof that this plan is working! Woo hoo! I'm actually excited to step on the scale now. I didn't know that was something to get excited about, until now. I have more motivation than ever to keep the momentum going.

Like I mentioned yesterday, the snow was a bit of a hindrance on my gym routine. Being a native Louisvillian, I'll admit (unlike others here in this city) that I am the worst driver ever in any amount of snow. My muscles tense up, I white-knuckle the steering wheel, and I brake like it's my job. So, obviously, I didn't go to the gym. Annnnd..... I felt guilty about not going. So, I did a little Zumba and some situps and pushups in the living room. The guilt I felt has to be a good sign.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday were quite tasty. Peach crisp and vanilla yogurt, southwestern turkey salad, and miso chicken with broccoli and wild rice. Mmm mmm good. My stomach still hasn't adjusted to the smaller portions, though, so I'm still battling the mindless snacking and greasy food cravings. Last night, the delicious Toll House break n' bake cookies sitting in the fridge were screaming , "Bake me! Eat me!". So, I made a compromise. I baked the cookies and demanded that my step-dad eat every single one of them. I got to smell the cookies (and I may have snuck a half of one..... 25 calories!) while they were baking, then hand them off.

The trade worked well. He enjoyed the warm cookies, and they were no longer luring me in with their irresistible chocolatey goodness. Apparently they lured the dog in too. The dog scarfed a dozen cookies in no time flat and didn't even leave a crumb! After the initial shock of "OMG she ate chocolate!! She's going to croak!!" wore off, my step-dad grew angry that he didn't have that last dozen to enjoy. He was able to eat 28 (27 and a half) cookies before they went to the dog. So don't complain, daddy-o.

I have my first of two personal training sessions in two days this evening, and I'm ready to conquer it! Howver, the true test comes on Saturday evening (if I'm able to move). I'm going to a friend's house where there will be beer, wine, liquor, and appetizers. I'd rather work out again. I'll let you know how that goes on Monday.

Day 5 - 179 lbs. Still plenty to go.

Disclaimer: My step-dad works a very rigorous job at UPS, so he can eat those cookies and burn them off the next day. I wish I could do that.

Traffic, Snow, and Lasagna

As I'm walking into the gym yesterday to meet with Ashley for my 5:30 training session, my phone rings. Ashley says that she is so sorry, but she is stuck in traffic after an appointment in Lexington. She won't be able to get back in time to meet with me, and she already had to cancel her 5:00 appointment. Inside, my muscles are all doing a little (actually, a HUGE) cheer, thanking Lexington traffic for the day off.

Honestly, though, I was getting excited about trying my hand a second time with Ashley. I had taken her advice to heart - I consumed an ungodly amount of water (94.8 ounces!) and made sure to eat a nutrient-dense breakfast and lunch. However, I can't credit the food to me - I'd still be eating a McDonald's hamburger if it weren't for Home Cuisine. So, the news from Ashley about having to reschedule was a little bittersweet.

I was already at the gym and had put my things in a locker, and I wasn't going to just walk back out and look like a lazy bum. The head fitness trainer instructed me to hop on the elliptical machine for 20 minutes, and I re-scheduled with Ashley for Friday at 5. Please be informed that I will be hitting the gym with my relentless, albeit lovely, personal trainer two days in a row - Friday at 5 and Saturday at 11. Yikes! Somebody better have a wheelchair ready on Saturday afternoon!

I was beyond proud of myself for keeping a steady pace on the elliptical for 20 minutes; I haven't gone that long on a machine in about a year. My toned-down workout helped me work up a sweat and increase my heart rate, but my muscles were still getting a bit of a break. Regardless, I came home and was starving. I was excited for dinner until I remembered what I was having: that itty-bitty lasagna.

I bucked up, warmed the lasagna up, and pulled it out of the microwave. It smelled like it was going to be pretty awesome, I can't lie. I stuck my fork into the lasagna, and expected to pull out part of a noodle. Instead, the layers were broken up by slices of zucchini and squash. Can someone please tell me how something can be called lasagna without pasta?! Anywho, I ate part of the vegetables and cheese (I'm not going to call it lasagna - sorry I'm not sorry), and it was good. I was a little disappointed since I did expect a slice of lasagna, but I ate half of it anyway. My tastebuds are pretty well "American-ized"; pasta-less lasagna doesn't fall in that category. So, half of the food went in my stomach, and half went in the trash. I ate a small salad with less than a tablespoon of dressing to compensate for what I didn't eat.

The potato chips in the pantry continued to taunt me, so I was in bed reading a book at 9:00, far too early for me to call it bedtime. I'm getting a little break today since it's snowing outside - my little car and snow have never been friends. I'm prepared for Friday's session, but I can't promise I'll be as jazzed for Saturday.

Sorry for the longer post, but the lasagna has been a hot topic around the office, so I figured I'd be as detailed as possible :)

Round 2

I was so excited to go pick up my food after work on Tuesday, I couldn't get out of the office building fast enough. The woman at Rainbow Blossom handed me my bag of food, and it was much more than I had expected. I couldn't wait to get home to open my bag of goodies.

I walked through the door of my house, and promptly headed to the kitchen to put all of my food on display. Spinach salad, pork tenderloins, southwest turkey salad, English muffins and eggs, granola and yogurt, lasagna. I had quite the spread. I began to separate the food out by day and thought that something was missing from Wednesday's dinner selection. All I had was a serving of scrumptious-looking lasagna. I thought surely something was missing from this equation. Nope. That's my dinner. Just lasagna.

I talked myself through this apparent digestive dilemma and reasoned that lasagna was a pretty heavy food. If I ate in small enough bites and savored it, I could make this dinner last. Wednesday night hasn't rolled around yet, so I'll let you know how that goes in a future post. The serving sizes are pretty generous (besides that lasagna), given that I'm only eating 1,200 calories a day.

I ate my breakfast at 9:00 this morning (eggs, an English muffin, and a cup of fruit) and wasn't hungry until after 12:30! I couldn't tell you the last time I sailed through three hours without thinking about what I'm going to eat next. I could definitely get used to this. Kudos to Mae at Home Cuisine (http://www.homecuisineonline.com/) for making such filling yet healthy meals!

The next hurdle I'll be clearing is my second personal training session at 5:30 this evening. I am not nearly as sore as I expected to be, since I have been religiously keeping up with doses of Aleve and taking Epsom salt baths. I'm a little scared to get back on this horse since I felt so sick on Monday, but I've heard from so many sources that once I power through this and I gain just a little more strength, I'll be good to go. Let's hope you're right, people.

P.S. - I received an encouragement email from a colleague over in Belgium! How cool is that?! I am officially overwhelmed - I have people cheering for me in other countries! Woo hoo!

Feeling the Burn

I met with my trainer, Ashley, last night for Round 1. I had a trial run with her a few weeks ago, so I assumed that this time would be like the last. Boy, was I wrong.  After ten minutes on an elliptical trainer, we began to "kick tail" (Ashley's words) for half an hour.

Lunges. Push-ups. Mountain climbers. Shoulder presses. Squats. Planks. Down to the floor, then up on my feet, again and again.  Having eaten small meals and only one bottle of water throughout the day was definitely not enough. Needless to say, I was red-faced, shaky, and I felt like I was spinning around and around in circles. Ashley advised that I eat something before working out and drink plenty of water next time. I think I'm going to take that advice to heart.

Regardless of my long list of ailments, I made it through all of my first session! It was HARD, but so worth it! Today, though, my body is like a wet noodle. My legs, arms, shoulders, back, and abs were begging for mercy this morning; this afternoon, they have quieted down to a dull roar.  I'm taking the day off from the gym and will be nursing my muscles to prepare for Wednesday's beatdown. To be honest, I am a little nervous. At the moment, this is much harder than I anticipated. I am down today, but most definitely not out. The encouragement I receive from Ashley on a daily basis is motivation enough to keep it going.

I pick up my first batch of food tonight; tomorrow begins the strict diet regiment. Yesterday and today, I have been closely monitoring my caloric intake and portion size so that I am not thrown for a huge loop when I am given meals the size that a restaurant would deem too small for a young child. Learning about these portion sizes have brought to light exactly why it is so hard for Americans to be fit, healthy, and maintain a healthy weight. I admit, this will be something I will have to get used to since I have been partaking in these gigantic meals for years. All it takes is a little adjustment period.

So, for tonight, I'm going to pop a couple Aleve, soak in an Epsom salt bath, and mentally and physically prepare myself for tomorrow. It can only go up from here!

It All Starts... Today!

I woke up this morning, feeling anxious, excited, nervous, and hungry. Today is the first day of the rest of my new and improved life. Eek! While I was getting ready for work, my phone signaled I had a new text message.  My personal trainer, Ashley, started my day off right. I am always encouraged by her "You Can Do It!" attitude, and that little reminder of the support I have behind me was what I needed.

My first food pick-up is not until tomorrow evening, so I am on my own for the next two days to make healthy, yet filling, meal choices. Oatmeal for breakfast - good one. A chicken breast with some pickles for lunch - on the right track. I'm winning so far!

I have my first personal training session with Ashley this afternoon at 5. To be honest, I am a little scared. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine being paired with a better trainer (I'll probably rave about this girl throughout my journey!).  The outpouring of support from friends, family, co-workers, and my trainer has been overwhelming. I feel like I'm not only doing this to improve my quality of life, but to make everybody proud. What a great feeling to have such a strong foundation to start with. I can't thank everybody enough!

LET'S DO THIS!!!

Day 1 - 183 lbs. Plenty to go.