Starting weight: 176.4 lbs.
Last week weight:  140.0

Current weight: 138.2

Current loss:  -1.8
TOTAL LOSS: -38.2

So far going strong.  

Workouts have been on point (about to head to the gym after I post this to attack chest, shoulders and tris).  Nutrition has been better but there's still room for improvment.  I'm not sticking to my plan 100% like I should be, but kind of using it as a guide for my everyday eating.  So far it seems to be working and I really like it!  The hardest part about the plan:

too much food!!

Yup, I'm stuffed.  I'm used to eating 5 or 6 times a day, but because the plan calls for a lot of veggies throughout the day, I'm always full.  Never had this problem on a diet before.  =)

ENOUGH!

Alright, truth be told.

I haven't been around the blog much because things have been pretty bad on the health and fitness front for me.  No bitching or complaining, but long story short, I'm sitting about 10 lbs. heavier than my lowest weight of 128.

I can give you all the excuses in the world for why it happened, but instead I'm moving forward and doing something about it!

 

I had enough!

Workouts are still happening but not as often and intense as I would like.  Working with other personal trainers helps a ton because we'll usually pair up to workout (workout buddies!!) but I still find myself making excuses to why I can't do an extra 20 minutes of cardio or why I HAVE to go out to buy my lunch.

But no more!

I'm not making any promises about how often I'll be blogging but I AM making a promise that health and fitness are back to being my number one priorities.

To get my eating back on track, I'm following an awesome diet plan, made by an awesome woman, whose concept and ideas behind the plan are things I strongly believe in.  Fighter Diet.  If you don't know, educate yourself with the link!

So official re-starting stats:

Starting weight: 176.4 lbs.
Last week weight:  ???

Current weight: 140.0

Current loss:  ???
TOTAL LOSS: -36.4

Flashback Friday: Since I'm on a trip...

I'm on my trip right now but here's something interesting (I hope):

Flashback Fridays are a re-posting of my previous blog entries.  Sometimes I need a good kick in the butt and these old posts remind me of how to get it done.

Why I flash-backed to this post:  This was an a-ha moment for me when I first wrote it.  I also chose it because the post kinda describes a trip and since I'm on a trip right now... perfect!

_______________________________________________

Original post date: 8/13/09
Original post found here.

So I know this is only day four of my promise to myself, but guess what... I've learned something already.

In order to get to the future, you have to live in the present.

So common sense and so NOT profound.

Why didn't I know this before? Well it's not that I didn't know it, I just didn't listen to it. I mean the main quote of my blog is "one step at a time..."

When some people start out losing weight (like me), they get into this super-motivated-I-can-do-anything mode especially when the first 5 lbs. are lost because those are always the easiest. They (I) set up goals and picture themselves as what they want to look like at the end of the journey but they forget about the journey itself.

It's like planning a trip. You decide you wanna go to Fitville and you plan all these must-do-activities for when you get there: where to eat, where to stay, what to visit, what to do but without even planning on how to get to Fitville, you'll never get there. Without knowing how you're going to get from your house to the airport, then from the airport to the hotel in Fitville, your goal is already impossible to accomplish.

This is exactly the same thing with weight loss.

It's awesome to know what you want your body to look like and do when you're at the end of the journey (btw, a weight-loss journey never ends... takes you straight to Maintenance Land!) but you also have to know how to get there. Going back to when I started out, I knew what my goal destination was but getting there was going to be the tricky part. I set weekly and monthly goals to help me along the way but that's like only planning the airplane ride then the car ride from the airport to Fitville. What about how to get from my house to the airport?!

The past four days have made me realize that my weekly/monthly goals are way more attainable if I break them down even further... into daily goals.

BRILLIANT!!

It's as simple as telling myself I just need to get through today - eat clean TODAY and get in a good workout TODAY. Don't worry about tomorrow today, worry about tomorrow when it gets here. By breaking down my goals to the smallest amounts possible not only makes the goal seem that much more achievable, but it also lets me see the goal... I mean really see it!

Currently my weight goal is about 20 lbs away. Instead of focusing on the entire 20 lbs. I'll focus on just the next two lbs., then the next two, then the next two and so on and so on. But instead of just focusing on the two lbs. I'll focus on what I need to do to get rid of those two lbs. I'll focus on my workouts each day and break it down even further and focus on pushing myself during the workouts.

Just get through the next 5 minutes of running and when I've done that, I'll focus on the next 5 minutes. If I'm able to really give it my all for each 5 minute increment and just repeat it, my workout will go by in no time and I'll probably have pushed myself harder than normal. It's a win-win situation.

Applying the same idea to my nutrition each day - hell, each meal - and I should kick those 20 lbs. in no time! Amazing it's taken me this long to really realize and apply this to my life.

Counting calories: Their role in my journey

I'm on my trip right now but here's something interesting (I hope):

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a calorie counter.  With all the bad/crazy connotations that calorie counters are associated with, I'm proud to be one.

Why?  Because counting calories saved my life.

Lets look back almost 4 years ago, to the beginning of my journey (don't worry, this will be a very brief history).

September 2008.  This picture pissed me off so much, it started my journey:

 September 2008.

I knew right then and there, I needed to change my lifestyle, but I didn't know where to start.  I've tried Weight Watchers before and counting points just wasn't my thing.  Back then (2006ish), almost nothing had WW points listed on the box like today so figuring out the points was too much trouble.

So for me, calorie counting was my next try.

I found a site (My Food Diary) that offered a several-week trial offer so I signed up.  I promised to give my full 100% effort to this site till the end of the year (3 months away) and then reevaluate if counting calories was my way of losing weight.

Long story short, I lost over 20 pounds in 3 months and the rest is history.

April 2012

Yes, weight-loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out and I honestly believe that's why I've gotten to where I am today, but my calorie counting today is VERY different than what it was 3 years ago.

Today, I still like to keep my calories in a certain range (1300 - 1700), however the make-up of the calories I eat take precedent over how much I eat.  1700 calories of clean, whole foods will make a big difference in your body composition compared to the same amount of calories coming from processed food.

Do I plan on counting calories for the rest of my life?  No.  It's all about reevaluating where I am on this journey and finding something (new or old) that will work for me.

Vacation time!

I haven't mentioned it much here on the blog, but later today I'm leaving for a two-week vacation!  I'll be visiting Oregon, Nevada, and end up in California and I can't wait!!!

The last trip I went on was to Vegas a couple of years ago and I came back home with NO weight gain.  That's one of my goals for this trip too, but I'm actually hoping to lose weight.  I know, it's vacation.  But if I didn't gain any weight in Vegas, it's very possible to lose some on this trip.  Here's why:

• Vegas = buffets, beers, and sitting down gambling
• Oregon/Nevada/Cali = LOTS of walking around, access to gyms, much healthier food

I'm also bringing some things to give me a slight edge on weight-loss. 

Since Anthony won't be joining me on this trip, I'm bringing one of my other loves.

Yup, I've brought my Bodybugg out of retirement (read my reviews here and here).  Although I won't be tracking my calorie intake on my trip, I'm really curious to see my calorie burn and step count.  I'm hoping to see a burn of 2500+ and a step count of 20,000+.  On any given day (sitting at a desk for 8 hours + my workout), I burn about 2100 calories and get about 8500 steps, so my goal numbers are doable, right?

Another thing I made sure to pack:

My supplements, including protein powder, fish oil, multi-vitamin, creatine, and BCAA's.  I'm bringing ALL my supps because I've googled the closest gyms to my hotel and I've got my workouts planned into my schedule, so here's hoping that I'll be in a gym (or two) over the next couple of weeks.

I'll have very limited access to the outside world while I'm away (just how I like it!) so I'll be catching up with you guys in two weeks!  Hope you enjoy the scheduled posts coming up.

Typical day of eats

Some of my buddies over at the Ready for Summer Challenge wanted to see what a typical day of eats looks like for me.  Gotta warn you... it's nothing fancy, in fact it's kinda boring.

I usually stick to the same things day in and day out simply out of convenience.  It makes weekly grocery shopping easier, meal preps easier, and counting calories easier.  Maybe it's time I change things up with new recipes.

Anyway, here we go.

Meal 1 (~ 400-450 calories)
a.k.a breakfast... or my first meal of the day.  9/10 times it will be between three choices: protein smoothie, oatmeal, or eggs.

Clockwise from top left corner: smoothie goodies in the blender, cocoa almond butter oatmeal, veggie egg scramble, pumpkin spice oatmeal

Oatmeal is normally reserved for my training days and eggs usually only happen on the weekends when I have the time to cook something.

Smoothies are definitely my go-to breakfast.  Smoothies will ALWAYS have 2 cups of baby spinach, 1/2c of frozen fruit, protein powder, Shakeology, and flaxseed oil.  Sometimes it will have coconut milk, almond milk, almond butter, coffee, chia seeds, spirulina powder, or egg whites.  Yup, pasteurized egg whites make smoothies thick and creamy.

Meal 2 (~ 100 calories)
This meal saves me from going insane between breakfast and lunch.  It's a smaller meal that will ALWAYS have protein, and either carbs or fat.

 Clockwise from top left corner:  apple and nut butter, egg spinach "muffin", banana nut butter wrap, hard boiled eggs/egg whites, turkey muffins, protein powder and rice crackers w/ nut butter.

When it gets super crazy and I don't have time to pack up my meal 2, I grab a handful of raw almonds to snack on (I keep a two-pound bag at my desk at work).  I also keep single-serve packets of protein powder at work, too.

Meal 3 (~ 350-450 calories)
LUNCH time!!!  Again, I'm a creature of habit so 9/10 times, it's salad for lunch.

Salads with all different kinds of protein, fats, and carbs.  

Chicken breast, salmon, eggs.  Olive oil, avocado, nuts.  Carrots, pumpkin, fruits.

 

Boring?  Maybe, but I love them and it works for me.  Some of my coworkers ask me why I don't eat "real food" for lunch... COME ON!! How much "real"er does fresh produce, minimally processed protein and smart fats get?

Meal 4 (~ 150 calories)
Depending on when I workout, this meal will either follow Meal 2 or it will be a straight protein shake.  Workout before Meal 4 = whey protein shake.  Workout later in the night = same as Meal 2.

Whey protein shakes!

Meal 5 (~ 350-400 calories)
By far my favorite meal of the day.  I don't know why since it's usually smaller than breakfast or lunch, but I think it's because I actually have the time to prepare something.

First row: whole roasted chicken, sweet potato covered in chicken breast and salsa, veggie egg white scramble w/ feta cheese.

Second row:  baked chicken breast w/ broccoli and sweet potato, grilled veggies and chicken, turkey breast w/ salsa and broccoli covered with cottage cheese.

Third row:  stir-fried steak and broccoli, mixed veggies with chicken, veggie omelet.

Dinner foods actually range from soups to stews, to baked zucchini lasagna to salads, so it's always changing.  And a couple times a week Meal 5 will be eaten out.

Meal 6 (~ 150 calories)
Typically only eaten if I'm starving at night and will usually be a hard boiled egg or two. 

Right now, since I'm working on building serious muscle, I've been drinking a casein protein shake right before bed.  Casein is a slower digesting protein so your muscles have a protein source when you sleep.

Total calories for the day:  1500 - 1700 cals

Don't get me wrong... as much as I'd like to think I eat like this EVERY day, it doesn't happen.  Schedules get busy and sometimes I have no choice but to grab something quick, but 4-5 days a week my daily eats look like this.

I still reserve one meal a week to indulge in pure evilness: 

Might take me longer to lose the weight, but it keeps me sane.  

This is a way of living and I don't ever see myself giving up certain foods completely.

It needs to be said

A shift has happened.

Something inside of me has changed.

As of lately, I've lost switched my focus on this journey from weight-loss to building muscle.  I know what you're thinking... how is this bad?

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about it but I think I took away the weight-loss focus because I haven't lost weight... not because I don't want to lose any more.  Make any sense?

Basically, I'm afraid to fail at losing weight.  I already gained back some of the weight once, and now that my initial goal-weight is thisclose, I'm FREAKING  OUT!!! 

Right now, "weight loss" is still a work in progress so in my mind, when I tell people I'm trying to drop pounds, it gives me permission to mess up (right, right?).

Accidentally overeat three days in a row?  

No big deal, I'm still learning on this journey.

Skipped exercise all week long?  

Everybody on this "weight loss journey" does it, so it's okay.

Focusing on building muscle, on the other hand, lets me think it's okay to overeat because you need extra calories to build muscle.  True.  It also lets me think having no loss or a gain over several weeks is okay because you're supposed to gain weight when you build muscle.  True, again.

But I've been lying to myself... the scale hasn't been moving which is why I switched my goal... not the other way around.

I was kidding myself about not focusing on weight-loss because even though I'm 10 lbs. away from my original goal weight, I'm still about 15 - 20 lbs overweight for my height.  And even with some muscle gain, I should still be seeing a loss on the scale.  Tomorrow I have my measurements taken with Trainer L so I'll know for sure if I'm still moving in the right direction... even if the scale isn't.

Since it's now been said, I'm bringing back the focus on losing "the last 10 lbs.".

(source)

Breakin' it down!

Week 1 mission: Smaller goals

"To start the challenge off, we want to encourage everyone to break your larger challenge goals down into bite-sized goals each week."

Mission accepted!  Lets take a look back at what my goals are for the challenge and I'll add in my smaller goals in red.

NSV Goal

• Success story.  The other week I was talking to Anthony and told him that one of my NSV goals is to be featured on the "Wall of Success" at our gym.  The catch is I don't wanna ask to be a feature, I wanna be asked... big difference.  This goal can't really be broken down smaller.  As long as I stick to my exercise/nutrition goals below, I'll hopefully hit this.
• Donation time!  This weekend, I'm spending the time to try on ALL my clothes and sort them into piles of too big, too small, and just right.  By the end of the RFSC, I want to fit into the "too small" pile and have to donate the other piles of clothes.  Same for this goal.  Being consistent with my goals below will let me hit this NSV.

Exercise Goal

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May.  Breaking down this goal by writing out exactly what I need to do each day.
• Sun:  back, biceps, and hamstrings weight training + 5-mile hike
• Mon:  high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the stairmill
• Tues:  plyo + full-body weight training
• Wed:  shoulders and abs weight training
• Thur:  back weight training + 20 min HIIT
• Fri: chest and abs weight training + 20 min run
• Sat:  plyo + arms, back, and legs weight training
• Something new.  Based on where I am at the end of my current program, research and choose my next routine.  Can't break this one down.

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  Meal planning for the week is done, just need to buy, prep, cook, and portion out my meals.
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc.  Stocked up on avocados, salmon, a new to me cooking oil (macadamia nut oil), almond butter, and coconut oil.  My meal-planning has me eating healthy fats at every meal this week!
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  Going to try this recipe as my "new eats" this week.

Who cares? Well, I do!

The other day I received an email from a friend asking me about the clean-eating challenge I'm doing because she really wants to clean up her diet.

After emailing back and forth for a while, she asked me if the boyfriend is doing the challenge also.  I said no.

"So no one holds you accountable?  Why can't you just eat a spoonful of ice cream then?  No one would know and you can just lie about it."

Ummm…. no!

What do you mean no one holds me accountable and no one would know about the ice cream?  I hold myself accountable and I would know about it.

It's funny how most people wouldn't think of cheating on their significant other or breaking a promise to their kids… so why is it so different when it comes to treating ourselves right?  I understand that sneaking a spoonful of ice cream isn't anywhere near cheating on someone, but it is cheating on me.  Broken promises - "I'll start tomorrow" - and putting myself last got me over 60 lbs. overweight.

So isn't it about time I started treating myself right?

And speaking of the clean eating challenge… it's tough! 

Look at all the red for days I didn't make it.  Granted, those days weren't cheat meals, but if I ate even one bite of something not clean, I crossed off the entire days as a 'not-clean-all-day-every-day' day.

Looking at last week, it looks like I didn't do well (I fell short on 3/4 goals) BUT I'm not worried about it.  My trainings have increased in intensity and duration, which can account for my extra calories, and my motivation is still going strong.  This week will be a challenge because my gym is closed for a week of renovations (boo! and yay! at the same time) but I still plan on getting in all my weight-training sessions at home.   Yay, for Trainer E, who I see for our first official personal training session this Friday.

Costco vs. Sam's

Happy Monday!  Hope you guys had a great weekend.  Mine was spent working out, hanging out, going shopping and cooking up a freakin storm on Sunday.  On the menu for this week:

• Jamie Eason's turkey muffins - SO YUMS!
• Jamie Eason's cinnamon swirl protein bread
• pork and squash soup
• hard boiled eggs
• shredded baked chicken breast
• enough lettuce to last three weeks - or in my case, several days

Working out
Remember I mentioned the boyfriend and I were checking out a new training facility and possibly a new trainer?  Well, we did on Saturday.

Anthony and I got to EC Fitness and my first thoughts:  I love the space!!  It's floor-to-ceiling windows, roomy, CLEAN, and since they limit the amount of people training to 3 max... it really is personal training.  Anthony and I had the entire facility to ourselves!

Basically, everything I hate about training with a trainer at the gym is gone - no waiting for machines/equipment, no feeling intimidated about who might be watching me - and everything I love about training with a trainer is still there - one-on-one attention, motivation, customized program, the wealth of knowledge.

Since Trainer E used to work with my current trainer, Trainer L, at the gym, E knows his style of training and can compliment the training or do something totally different... it's completely up to me.

Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys, but I signed up... for an intro price of 5 sessions for $100,  you TOTALLY can't beat that.  And the best part... Anthony bought a trainer package as well!!!  YAY!

Shopping

Why do we - Anthony and I, a household of two people - need membership to Costco AND Sam's Club?

9 lbs. of chicken breast, egg whites, almond milk...

... 5 dozen eggs (!!!)...

... 5 lbs. of blueberries...

Tip: rinse them in a 1:10 ration white vinegar to water.  No mold!

... bananas, clementines...

... spinach, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, strawberries, Greek yogurt and even more blue berries.

That's why!

Eating problem.

Hello, my name is Annie and I have an eating problem.

(Admitting it is the first step, right?)

That's right, I'll be the first to admit that I have a messed up relationship with food.  Like so messed up that I thought about going to therapy for it.

I sleep so i don't eat.
I can't wait till events/parties are over so there won't be food in my face.
I think about food 24/7. Shopping lists, recipes to try, what's in the refrig right now, etc.
I feel guilty if i don't eat something... then feel guilty if I do eat it.
I over-indulge once my day goes bad.
I over-indulge if I had an excellent day before.

No way to live life at all!

So I think it's perfect that March is "National Nutrition Month" AND one of my March goals is focusing on eating clean at every meal, 6 days a week (leaving one meal available as my cheat meal).

Follow me on Facebook to get more details and participate in the challenge.

Today is day 6 of the challenge and so far..

I'm rocking like a freakin ROCKSTAR!!!!

Between this challenge and my new workout program, I'm expecting some great results for March.  I know I'm talking big only one week into the month, but mindset is what sets us up for success. 

It's not too late to join in on my clean-eating challenge!  

What have you got to lose (besides unhealthy habits and weight)?

Dealing w/ an exercise-hating boyfriend/girlfriend

How was every one's weekend?  Mine was filled with food, family, friends, football and feeling WAY to stuffed WAY too often!

Saturday
Workout: GAR training + 15 min. step-mill HIIT
Happy belated birthday lunch with family from out of town.  So much good food, but even better company!

 Ahi poke avocado "stack".

 Seafood pasta with garlic bread for Anthony.

Ahi fish tacos for me.

Wish I got pictures of every one's food cause it all looked good.

Sunday
Workout: Full-body weight day + 20 min treadmill run
If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know if there are no food pictures, it's because I was busy enjoying the food in other ways - ie. stuffing my face with it.  Let's just say there was all-day grazing on Korean bbq, chips, homemade dips, brownies, cookies, drinks and so much more.

_________________________________________________

With all this eating and semi-exercise going on I thought it'd be good to address another issue that can challenge us when we're trying to get healthy:

the "I-hate-exercise" significant other

I had several emails ask me about where Anthony stands in all this exercise and nutrition obsession and even though he supports me in everything I do, making healthy eating choices and exercising are not his thing.

So how do I deal?

Well first of all, if losing weight and getting healthy has taught me anything, it's that the person has to want to do it for themselves.  No amount of doctors' orders, family comments or significant-other nagging would have kept me on this journey.  The decision that I was doing this for me has kept me here.

And since I'm a sucker for bulleted lists, here are some things that worked for me:

• This should be a no-brainer in any relationship but do things that interest them so they're more open to doing the things you like.  For Anthony, that means I spent some time learning video games and he won't ever admit it, but I can kick his @$$ in some of them!  In return, we get up early on Saturday's to exercise and hit up the farmers' market.
• Ask what he wants to eat for the week and find healthy recipes/alternatives for the meals he suggests. 

• When it comes to going to the gym, I always ask Anthony if he wants to join me, but I never make him join me.  If he says no the first time, I leave it at that.  I'm actually surprised how often he'll say yes.  Like last night... after Superbowl... with bellies super full... and at 8:00 at night... we were at the gym.  WIN!
• With completely opposite working schedules (he works night, I work days), finding something we both like to do is super important since we have such limited time together.  For us, that's hiking.  And our doggies love us more for this too!

• Who says shopping is only for girls?!  It's amazing what a new workout outfit or shoes will do to remotivate anyone.  Did I ever mention that Anthony's now a fan of Lulu?
• I'm a biggie for grab-and-go snacks so I prepare enough for both of us.  That way we both have healthy options to snack on and more times than not, Anthony ends up eating the stuff I prepare over the prepacked crap that's been in our pantry for months.
• Introduce and encourage them to new fitness things/equipment.  The other night we were at the gym and I decided my current boyfriend (Anthony) should meet my new love.  It was love at first one-legged-burpee for him!

 (source)

• Do the old "okay, we'll just stay at the gym for 20 minutes" routine.  Chances are, once you guys are there and working out, he won't want to leave after only 20 minutes.
• And if all else fails, bribe him.  The first time I got Anthony to wake up at 5:15am to go GAR training, I bribed him with Denny's breakfast - my treat - after the run.  Worked like a charm because he liked the training so much, he ended up going to several more on his own!

What are some of your tips to getting family and friends more active?

Cheat meals vs. cheat days: Part II

In my first post about cheat meals, I discussed my reasons for including them in my weight-loss journey: Cheat meals vs. cheat days:  Part I

In this post, I want to talk bout how I've made cheat meals - sometimes totaling over 2000 calories for one meal! - work for me.

(source)

When I decided to lose weight, I was totally "Gung-ho" about the process... cutting my calories, eliminating as much sugar and salt in my diet, over exercising, upping my good carbs, cutting the bad carbs, watching my fat intake, etc.  Sure, this worked for the first couple of months but I started to realize there was no way I could keep this up for life... it's no way to live!

Instead, I needed to find a balance.

For me, that balance came in the form of allowing myself one cheat meal a week.

Like my last post, I want to emphasize it's a cheat MEAL, not a cheat DAY, okay?  Moving on...

Here's what works for me to avoid a full-out cheat DAY:

• Don't deprive yourself of anything - Not just during cheat meals, but throughout the week.  I'm human.  I have cravings for pizza and ice cream and if I feel like I really want it, I'll have some even if it's not a cheat meal. I found out the hard way that when I deprive myself of anything, it creates an out of control cheat DAY... that takes a couple of weeks to recover from.  So not worth it.
• Save your cheat meal for the end of the day - I know special occasions happen anytime of the day, but if you're planing your own cheat meal, try to make it the last meal of the day to avoid feeling guilty and turning your cheat meal into a cheat day. 
• Portion control - Pretty self explanatory but you can still lose weight and eat ANYTHING during a cheat meal if you watch your portions.  Just because it's a cheat meal, doesn't mean you go bat-s**t crazy eating two gallons of ice cream!
• Fail to plan, you plan to fail - Plan ahead if you know you'll be eating a lot.  Whether that's keeping your nutrition extra tight for the other meals during the week or if that means you putting in an extra 15 minutes of exercise each day, having a plan will lessen the blow of the cheat meal.
• Adjust your workout routine - And I'm not just talking about adding in more exercise minutes, I mean move your cardio and weight-training days around.  If I know a big cheat meal is coming up - um, hello, Super Bowl - I adjust my workouts to include weight-lifting days before and after the day the cheat meal will happen.  Why?  The cheat meal will feed my exhausted muscles from the previous day and it will refill my glycogen stores for a super pumped weight workout the next day.
• Remember what your goals are - Again, a pretty simple one.  Even though I allow myself a cheat meal a week, it doesn't mean I always eat it.  If my nutrition wasn't great and my workouts lacked my normal energy - or the complete opposite, and I had stellar nutrition and AWESOME workouts - I'll choose to skip the cheat meal for the week because it's not worth it. 

Of course this might not work for everyone but it's things I do to keep my cheat MEAL a MEAL and not a DAY.

Have a great weekend.  Don't forget why you're on this journey while the big game is playing this Sunday.

Eye on the prize!

Cheat meals vs. cheat days: Part I

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes on my last post.  It was a great weekend that was filled with so much food!  Italian, Mexican, sushi, desserts, alcohol, Chinese and fast-food.   No pictures because I was too busy stuffing my face but let's just say this is the most I've eaten in a L-O-N-G time.

Don't get me wrong, I indulge in stuffing my face at least once a week - in fact, I promote having a high calorie filled meal once in a while - but this weekend was gluttony overkill and my body is hurting from it.

My goal of seeing the 120's by the end of this month are pretty shot but is it because of my one weekend of bad eating?  I think so.

With the end of January comes the end of many New Year's resolutions so it's a good time to revisit cheat meals and their place in the weight-loss journey.

Notice i said cheat MEAL, not cheat DAY (like the two days I just had).  In my opinion, there is a huge difference: one will keep you sane on this journey and the other will destroy you!  (Okay, not really destroy you, but if it helps keep the cheat days away, then yes, it will DESTROY you)!

I've touched on this subject before and as we know, weight-loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out.  A cheat meal once a week will put you over your calories for one day, but if your nutrition and exercise are on-point the other days of the week, there shouldn't be that much damage done.  For example, I've steadily lost about a pound a week since November and you better believe I take full advantage of my cheat meals (half a medium pizza... sure).

Some people might say I could have lost more than a pound a week if I didn't include the cheat meals, and that's true, but I'm comfortable with my progress so far.  It's not a race to get to my goal weight... it's about finding a balance that I can do FOR LIFE.  Including a cheat meal once a week is my way of balancing out my cravings and I believe it helps my body "recover" from a week of lower calorie days... simply put, it kinda shocks the system to keep it guessing.

On the other hand, depending on how bad your cheat days are, it can have major consequences.  Let's take a look at my birthday Sunday:

Breakfast:  pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast (839 cals)
Snack: yogurt and almonds (200 cals)
Lunch: Chinese dim sum (estimating 1000+ cals)
Snack: popcorn (300 cals)
Dinner: pizza and Mexican (1200+ cals)
Dessert: ice cream (350 cals)
TOTAL calories for the day: 3889+ calories

That's over 2300 cals just to maintain my weight... not even lose weight!  That also means all the hard work I put in to create a nice calorie deficit is washed clean within a day, setting me back another week to reaching my goals.  Totally not worth it if it wasn't my birthday.

Some tips to stay clear of cheat days:  Cheat meals vs. cheat days: Part II (coming soon).

"But being healthy is too hard!"

Lunch time at my office has become somewhat of a circus.  My office is right next to the kitchen so I hear everything that goes on and being that we're still in the New Year resolution "high", a lot of talk has been health/food/weight-loss talk.  It's amazing, and a little sad, how much "old school" information - Atkin's Diet, 'fat buring zone', Richard Simmons (!!) - I hear being passed around in that kitchen.

What's even worse is that people have noticed that I've been losing weight so they stop in to see what I'm eating for lunch... E.V.E.R.Y  S.I.N.G.L.E  D.A.Y!

A lot of times this food-stalking leads to small talk and the inevitable question, "How are you doing it?"

When I answer them,  they can't believe that I watch my food portions, count calories, monitor my macro-nutrients, make it a priority to get in my workouts, etc.  Most people tell me "That's crazy!" or "It's too hard to do all that".

Really, people?  REALLY?!?! 

 You're telling me it's too hard to make an effort to be more active or watch what you eat? 

Isn't it harder living with joint pain?

Isn't it harder to be uncomfortable in your skin?

Isn't it harder to get around in the world?

Isn't it harder to keep having to take medication on top of medication to keep your cholesterol/blood pressure in check?

Trust me, it's much easier living healthy than it is to be overweight.  Or in my case, obese (by America's standard BMI chart).

 5'0" and 176 lbs = BMI of 35 = OBESE!

I  always tell my food-stalker co-workers that they don't have to do things the way I do.  I do things the way I do because it worked for me.  They still brush off the information as if it's something they will never do... like they were expecting me to tell them that I take some kind of magic pill.  One co-worker even said, "Damn it! So exercise and diet actually work?  I guess I should listen to my doctor".

I say give exercise and healthy eating a one month chance.

I did back in 2008.  In one month I lost 10 pounds and I haven't looked back.

Salad over ice cream for the WIN

Blah Happy Monday!  Hope you had a good weekend.

I received an email the other day from a reader who wanted to know how I "keep it together so well" in regards to exercise and nutrition.  The truth is... I don't.

I admit, I feel confident in what I'm doing in the exercise department (GAR training and power-lifting keep me consistent with cardio/strength) but when it comes to nutrition, that's a whole different story. I mean, we all know what we should and shouldn't eat but that really doesn't mean anything unless it's put into practice.

Case in point, this weekend.

On Friday, I ate dinner earlier than normal because I had a gym date and by 10:00pm that night, I was starving!!  And even though I have healthy grab-and-go snacks - think whey protein, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast - all over the house, this is what happened:

But strawberry ice cream has strawberries in them...

Yup, ice cream... straight out of the container... with a big spoon.

Even if I only had four several spoonfuls, it's several spoonfuls of calories, sugar and saturated fat my body didn't need. FAIL!

So when Saturday night rolled around and I had to eat dinner early again because I had another gym date, I planned ahead.  Instead of using my normal big salad bowl, I decided I would fill up on salad (instead of ice cream) by busting out my HUGE mixing bowl.

Huge mixing bowl and half-eaten salad that could have served a family of four!

This is my "normal" salad bowl and although it's wider, it's much shallower than the mixing bowl I used.

 

Salad over ice cream... never thought I'd be that person but so happy to say I am... sometimes.

The rest of the weekend was pretty low key.

Yesterday I skipped GAR training - to do a full-body workout - however I planned to miss it from last week.  My schedule was going to be a little tight this week so I had to rearrange my strength/cardio days but I plan to knock out a 5-miler this afternoon.

I also spent time catching up on some reading:

Finding, trying and not loving a new trail mix:

I love ginger in almost anything - food or drink - but crystallized ginger is just not my thing.

And prepping my grab-and-go snack for the week:

 Eggs, ground pork, spinach, garlic, onions, tomatoes and herbs.

Recipe I used follows my egg 'cupcakes' recipe but turned into a 'pie' instead.

Overall a good weekend.  Here's hoping this week is just as strong.

Weigh-in Wednesday and spiral slicing

Starting weight: 176.4
Last week weight: 133.0 

Current weight: 132.0 
Current loss: -1.0 

TOTAL LOSS: -44.4

I can't say it enough... consistency with training and nutrition pays off!  Even though this weekend consisted of sushi, dim sum, and a Chinese New Year treat, weigh-in went well today and I attribute that to consistent weight and GAR training - even though I missed one weight session this Saturday.  Here's to making this week even better!

__________________________________________________ 

This is for my friend, Kyle, who is doing a great job with his new vegan adventure. 

Joyce Chen veggie spiral slicer. 

I have had this little piece of equipment for a couple of months now - found it a discount store for under $10 - and I love it!  Although I haven't used it for anything except zucchini, it does an amazing job at creating "spaghetti strands", ribbons, and round slices.

Last night I used it to make spaghetti noodles for Gina's Crock-pot Italian Turkey Meatballs recipe:

 

And I know nothing can replace the chewy, starchy, carby goodness that is real pasta, but this is a good substitute for my non-cheat meals... even Anthony likes it and that's saying a lot.  Now to try it on a lot more veggies...

Goal changes/updates

Second week into January already?!  That was fast!

And I've faltered from my goals... ALREADY.  Check it out below (click to enlarge):

Didn't meet my Great Aloha Run training or weight training goals (or my water goal for the week) but I blame it on being sick.  Remember the other week I was sick and then blogged about how happy I was when it was done... yeah, it wasn't done at all and I just got worse.

sore throat + horrible cough = lost voice + no exercise

Totally bummed to start the year like that but I did get my first 2012 workout - an upper-body weight session + a 3-mile run - done last week Wednesday.

 Sweat makes the sick germs go away.  =)

By the way, I added a 7th goal to my original 6... taking pictures of my food.  I'm documenting my eats with pictures (when I remember to) and posting them on my Weekly Meals & Exercise page.  So far it's helping a lot.  I noticed I need a lot more color in my meals and I snack too much.  At least twice a day I have an unhealthy snack... Cheetos, cookies, ice cream... so that needs to get cut down.  Even if it's only 100 calories worth of crap, it's still crap.  It's not doing my body any good so why eat it?

Yeah, as if it were that simple!

Anyway, moving on.  This past Sunday was the 4th official in-training run put on by the GAR volunteers.  I've said it a million times, but running is hard.  I never considered myself a runner.  Even when I played sports, I not only hated the 1 or 2 mile warm-ups we would do before practice or a game, but I H.A.T.E.D them!

But the hardest part of in-training runs: waking up at 5:15am on a Sunday morning.  I keep going because I know if I miss one training... I can kiss the rest good bye.  The training is broken up into groups:

•  jogger group - run the entire time
• 10 min/mile jog, 2 min walk group (I'm in this group)
• 5 min jog, 2 min walk group
• 2 min jog, 5 min walk group
• 1 min job, 5 min walk group
• walker group

We did a 5-miler and by the end of the 5 miles, our "10 min/mile jog, 2 min walk" group of 15 was down to 4.  I considered it a HUGE victory (and NSV) when I finished with the other three people.  =)

GAR is in about a month so hope my knee can stay pain-free and I hope to crush my 2008 GAR time of 1 hour and 45 mins.

Weigh-in Wednesday, barbells and a delivery!

Starting weight: 176.4
Last week weight: 141.6

Current weight:140.2

Current loss: -1.4
TOTAL LOSS: -36.2

What a relief!  My trainer has been gone for three weeks and I was determined to pull a good number the next time I saw him and I did.  He actually didn't believe the number and had me jump on the scale again.  Such faith. 

Today I also started barbell training.  I'm really comfortable with dumbbells and have used them for the last three years but this past weekend I did some light barbell work on my own and LOVED it!  My lower body has never felt so strong!  With dumbbells, my grip gives out before my legs get tired so I was never able to push my lower body to fatigue by weight (changing the tempo of your lift with lighter weight gives a good fatigue too).  Enter, the barbell!  I asked my trainer to teach me more but because he already had my workout planned for today we went over the easier barbell moves like chest and shoulder presses.  Next week we'll hit deadlifts and squats. I can't wait!

And to change the topic a little, my mom's work building just started FarmRoof.  FarmRoof is exactly that... farming on the roof of buildings. I know it's nothing new but the concept is pretty new to Hawaii and her building is the first building in downtown Honolulu to have it.

 Picture from FarmRoof website.

She signed up to receive weekly boxes of veggies delivered to her at work and because the delivery comes with two boxes, she emailed me right away to see if I would be interested in buying one of the boxes.  Fresh veggies weekly for $5... OF COURSE  I'll take it!

I really hope this concept catches on because the rooftops of so many buildings are pretty much wasted space.  Plus, everyone could use more veggies in their life.

Can't stop... won't stop

Hey Bloggies...

I'm still going at it but took an unexpected day off because I wasn't feeling good.

Fri: day off (yay!)
Sat: no exercise  =(
Sun: 45 min circuit training
Mon: 45 min elliptical

On Saturday I had a lovely wedding to go to and the reception was at a restaurant known for their buffet.  To say the least, I ate too much in too little time so I was sick, sick, sick for the rest of the day.  It even carried over to Sunday but I manage to get in my circuit training in the afternoon.

So last night, I got on the computer to check some emails and catch up on my favorite blogs.  The first blog I pulled up was from Jen, A Prior Fat Girl.  It was a pretty normal post for her but as I got to the end of the post, something clicked inside of me.  She wrote:

"I used to just nod my head at people who made a bunch of food towards the beginning of the week, like “yeah yeah, that sounds nice” but I PROMISE it sets you up for success."

She is so absolutely right!  

When I was consistently losing weight last year, it had a lot to do with meal planning.  The minute I read that sentence (I didn't even  finish the rest of the post because I was so motivated) I shut down my computer, and headed to the grocery store to buy ingredients for my planned week of meals... at 10:15 pm. 

I quickly avoided the drunk people looking for a late night snack in the store, grabbed a bunch of stuff and headed back home.  By 11:45 I was done with my lunches for the rest of the week and tonight Anthony and I will cook dinner for the rest of the week.  THANKS, JEN!

Failing to plan is planning to fail... keep it in mind, people!