30 Day Shred-Level Two

I graduated to Level 2 of Shred today!!!  Woohoo!!  I was really nervous about how much harder level two was going to be, but I was actually pleasantly surprised.  Don't get me wrong, it was definitely harder...I was a sweaty mess when it was all over.  BUT I think that I enjoyed the actual exercises a little better than level one.  There were moves that I have never done before.  Challenging, but still fun (as fun as exercising can be).  I had to stop for a second or two a couple of times...especially during the plank jumping jacks...but I got back into it and finished.  I'm excited for day ten when I can breeze through the routine non-stop.   

I also completed 4.38 miles doing C210K.  It was hard today for whatever reason.  I really had to push myself to finish.  The whole time, I kept questioning whether I want to continue the program or not...which was less than motivating.  But I did it.  I finished and I'm proud of myself for the day.

Oh!  Something new that I found today on another blog is Dailymile.  The website logs in your cardio work out for the day and keeps track of your last workout, your miles for the week, and your total miles.  It's another cool little way to keep track of your workout.  I have a little widget thing on the blog (on the right hand side) that displays my progress.

Okay...workouts done!  Gotta go find me something to eat!

Goal Update

I was reviewing some of my former entries and I realized that I'm really good at setting goals...but not so good at keeping them.  I saw things like yoga 2 or 3 times a week...no coffee...no "whites."  A lot of stuff that I am clearly not following.

So, I decided that I needed to update my current goals...making my current food and workout routines more, as they say, transparent.

In terms of food, I'm following Geneen Roth's (Women, Food, and God) advice of not denying myself anything.  If I feel like coffee...I'm gonna get some coffee.  If I want some white potatoes...I'm gonna eat some white potatoes.  I do believe that this is a healthier way to live and will hopefully keep me from binging on foods that I have denied myself in the past.  I am NOT following Ms. Roth's eat without distractions advice.  I tried, but I just can't.  I enjoy eating in front of the television.  Eating and watching TV is actually quality time that I get to spend with my fiance (and Michael Scott and Liz Lemon and Benson & Stabler).  That approach might work for some...but it's not something that I'm putting on my goal list. 

One bit of good advice that I heard the other day was regarding desserts.  I don't know if I read it on a blog or in a magazine...or if I saw it on TV, but someone was saying if you eat dessert every day its no longer a treat.  I liked that so I decided that desserts will be a special treat for me.  And when I say desserts, I'm including things like Skinny Cow vanilla ice cream sandwiches and other low cal treats.  I can treat myself once or twice a week, but that's it. 

My biggest goals with food right now are continuing to practice portion control and eating when I am hungry.  I still have difficulty leaving food on my plate, so I am trying to practice not putting as much food on my plate...and no seconds, of course.  Does that make sense?  I have been eating every four hours or so and all of my meals are around 300-400 calories.  I eat a snack somewhere in there if I'm hungry.  But since I haven't been burning as many calories during the day (compared to when I do when I am working), an afternoon snack isn't as dire.  So, I do all that and I log my calories into selfdietclub.com and that is about it.  Pretty simple and it seems to be working.  On an average day, I eat no more than 1500 calories.

As far as exercising, I'm still doing JM's Shred.  Yesterday was actually my last day of level one (WOOHOO!!...though I feel like I'm gonna miss it a bit).  I am excited to see what level two has to offer, and I will hopefully find some time to write about it later.  I'm happy with Shred...mixes up cardio, strength, and abs...makes me sweat like a pig every time...and it's only 20 min.  Doesn't get any better than that!

I'm also still doing Couch to 10K...though I have brought it inside to the treadmill.  I got tired of having to make sure that I woke up in time to beat the Georgia heat.  So, I have been doing it after Shred, three days a week in the afternoons while watching BL.  I actually almost gave up on C210K this week.  When I ran last week, I ran sooooo hard that I thought that I was going to die.  I was happy that I pushed myself, but I think that I pushed a little to hard...so hard that I didn't ever wanna do the program ever again.  So, when I did it again on Wednesday, I didn't push too hard and jogged at a speed that I felt comfortable with...and I survived.  I'm actually excited about doing it again today.  (Excited is actually WAY too strong of a word...not dreading would be a better word to describe my feelings about running today.)  One cool thing is that I am up to running 50% of the time...big accomplishment from day one when I was running for 30 second.

On the days that I don't do C210K, I walk on the treadmill for an hour.  The walk is usually 3+ miles at 4 mph.

And that is it.  That is my weekly schedule.  Seven days a week.  I have 20 more days of Shred and 8 1/2 more weeks of C210K.  I will probably revamp my workout schedule after Shred.  I really need some yoga in my life, and I think that is what I will incorporate after I finish.

Okay, I feel better now and I'm livin' a lil more authentically.

Going Public

So, I have been contemplating the idea of sharing this site with (some of) my friends...but I have been a little apprehensive for a couple of reasons.

1.  I don't want knowing that people may actually read this to inhibit what or how I write.  I don't want to hold back because something might sound dorky or that I'm embarrassed about the way that I feel about something.  I like using the site as a private little diary.
2.  Ummm...did you see my before pictures.  That one from behind still frightens me.
3.  Who cares, right??!  I mean, do people really care that I drank a peanut butter and banana smoothie for breakfast.  Not sure if the site is really that interesting.  My fiance didn't seem overly interested about even looking at the site. 
4.  After this summer, I'm not sure if the site will even still be in existence.   Once school starts, who knows if I will still update.  I mean...a dissertation...a new class...and a wedding.  I probably won't have the time.
5.  I feel more comfortable with the idea of strangers reading it.  Not sure why.  Well, I think that I know why, but I can't really put it into words.

So, it sounds like I don't want to go public at all, right?  Let's see...reasons to share.

1.  The reason that I started blogging is because some website said that it could help motivate me with my weight loss journey.  The site also recommended sharing with friends and family so that they can help encourage you.
2.  I have had weight and/or exercise conversations with 3 friends this week alone.  Maybe it could be a cool forum to talk about issues of weight loss (though I don't think that everyone is quite as obsessed as I am)
3.  I think that it's getting better every day...which makes me want to share.  I added the pics and the labels and the recommended blogs.  Who am I doing that for if I'm not willing to share, right?

Okay.  I'm still undecided.  Am I just embarrassed?  Or shy?  I don't know.  Maybe after I lose goo-gobs of weight, I can share my journey.  I don't know.  Maybe I'll start with just one...

UPDATE:  I did it.  I am now public...I mean, if you count four people as the public.

Happy

I wanted to post because I was sitting here and an overwhelming feeling of happiness came over me.  I don't know if it is because of my wonderful smoothie this morning.  I don't know if its because I am still on summer vacation.  I don't know if its because I continue to get my daily exercise in...but it just hit me.

I've said this before, but its worth saying again.  I feel like I'm getting it.  I freakin' drank my breakfast and it was enough.  There was a time period at the end of the year that I wasn't satisfied unless I had a latte from Starbucks and a white bagel and cream cheese.  There were months that went by and I was not moving.  I feel myself changing.  And yes, I still secretly hold on to some of my vices...but I am learning that that is what balance is about.  I'm always trying to find balance, and I feel myself getting closer.

Of course, I wonder and worry whether this time will be it.  I have had successes before where I thought that I would never go back.  And no, this time doesn't feel different...I don't think it does.  I can only take it a day at a time...and hope that I have learned.  And hope that I will be able to remember how hard it is to get the weight off.  How hard it is to put in the work necessary to to get this fat off my thighs.  We will see.  But for now, I am just happy.

RECIPE FAVES: My First Smoothie!

So, for years (yes, years), I have been saying that I am going to start drinking smoothies for breakfast.  But up until now the idea of drinking my breakfast was less than exciting.  But this morning, I decided to use some of the food that I had in my house to make my very first smoothie.  Here's the recipe that I used.

Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie

This simple recipe includes bananas with peanut butter
Ingredients:

1 banana cut into chucks
3 tbsp of peanut butter
1 cup of skim milk

1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt
1/2 scoop soy protein

Directions:
Blend the banana, milk, and soy protein until well blended. Next mix the yogurt with the peanut butter together before blending them. Add them to the blender and blend till smooth, creamy texture is formed.


Instead of soy milk, I used skim milk...and then I added some vanilla soy protein powder that is probably rotten because I bought it years ago.  I also used Kroger Carbmaster vanilla yogurt instead of just plain yogurt.

As one serving, it would have been way too many calories.  Around 535.  So, I split it in half, putting the other half in the fridge.  267 calories is definitely a light breakfast...so I think I might grab an apple (even though I know that will be carb overload).  The smoothie was actually pretty good.  I don't know if it is my new refined taste buds or if it really is tasty...either way, I'm pretty happy with my new found concoction.

UPDATE:  No apple for me.  When I put my calories in, half a smoothie was around 372 calories...which is a whole meal for me.  It's okay...because I AM full.  May have some green tea though.