It's weight loss time!
So I'm trying to lose weight. Blah blah boring thing to read on a blog, but since no one reads this anyway, it doesn't matter so much. I'm posting sort of in a hold-myself-accountable kind of way.
Impetus for weight loss: A) I finally reached the same "heavy" weight I was on Long Island. B) My clothes are waaay too tight. C) In photos, I don't feel like I look like "myself". D) John is on a similar track, so I feel it will be easier to pull off if we're encouraging rather than impeding each other. E) After 4 days of buffets, etc., in Vegas, never have I more craved small portions and vegetables. F) I don't feel in shape (though this has really been the case since quitting yoga - I'm not sure how feasibly I can get back into yoga). G)It's amazing how bad my habits have become. I used to be really good about exercising and at least good about COOKING healthily. Now I eat crap at lunch, eat late at night, rarely cook because I'm not home much, hit the gym hardly ever because of packed evenings and a new job where I need to get up at least an hour earlier to make it, etc. Those are the basics.
The plan:
For two weeks I've been writing down what I eat (I did not during Vegas). The first week, it was essentially a rude awakening of how out of control my eating's been. It's both quantity and a lack of regard for nutrition going on. This week it's been to try to stay on target. I've also been writing the REASON why I eat each time (i.e. at a social function, it was free, I was hungry, I was bored, etc.), which has been mildly eye-opening.
I read a book John bought called "The No-Fad Diet" put ought by the American Red Cross which was fairly insightful. Last time around that I tried to lose weight on the eating and exercise track (often I just do the latter), I did Body For Life. I had a lot of problems with it. A) I didn't see much results. B) I just couldn't eat that FREQUENTLY and had trouble with the planning C) The exercise felt too cardio-light D) The free day just didn't work for me. E) It just felt more geared toward male weight loss, for a number of reason.
What I'm trying this time around, diet-wise: A combination of two of the recommended Red Cross recommendations - trying to eat 75 percent less than I usually do, and swapping out "bad" foods for "good" foods when possible. I like that it doesn't forbid, doesn't cause you to hate food, is experimental-cook friendly, and doesn't involve a lot of thought/calculations/money/work. I am doing a variation on "eat smaller, more frequent" meals, but not to the degree that BFL requires. I'm also really trying to cut down on fried food as MUCH as possible - I have a lot of stomach problems, and fried food (and to some degree dairy) is the worst culprit - and yet I still haven't managed to cut down, despite the ickiness. I'm also trying to bring lunch more and eat out less. It helps that I now enjoy being at home - even George is trying to learn to cook, and to do it healthily, and he'll eat stuff when I eat dinner so it's more motivating to cook.
What I'm doing, exercise-wise: My belly dancing lessons don't start till January, unfortunately. Hoping I can TRY to throw in some yoga, despite the work schedule issues. Gym attendance obviously needs to be more frequent - lately it's been around 2x a week, and it really should be at least 4x. That means getting up earlier, going to gym pre-hanging at John's, making sure I don't schedule too many plays, etc., to allow gym time, etc. I'm also trying to take better advantage of the gym. Lately I've been lazy about doing the bike, reading and not really pushing, etc. I'm trying to vary and intensify the cardio, and to re-incorporate strength training (which really was the best thing I got out of the BFL experience). Now that it's not horribly humid out, it's also easier to walk to places more, etc.
So those are the basics! We'll see how it goes! So far, three days of being good. AAANd I resisted free pizza at work, which is sort of amazing ;).
Impetus for weight loss: A) I finally reached the same "heavy" weight I was on Long Island. B) My clothes are waaay too tight. C) In photos, I don't feel like I look like "myself". D) John is on a similar track, so I feel it will be easier to pull off if we're encouraging rather than impeding each other. E) After 4 days of buffets, etc., in Vegas, never have I more craved small portions and vegetables. F) I don't feel in shape (though this has really been the case since quitting yoga - I'm not sure how feasibly I can get back into yoga). G)It's amazing how bad my habits have become. I used to be really good about exercising and at least good about COOKING healthily. Now I eat crap at lunch, eat late at night, rarely cook because I'm not home much, hit the gym hardly ever because of packed evenings and a new job where I need to get up at least an hour earlier to make it, etc. Those are the basics.
The plan:
For two weeks I've been writing down what I eat (I did not during Vegas). The first week, it was essentially a rude awakening of how out of control my eating's been. It's both quantity and a lack of regard for nutrition going on. This week it's been to try to stay on target. I've also been writing the REASON why I eat each time (i.e. at a social function, it was free, I was hungry, I was bored, etc.), which has been mildly eye-opening.
I read a book John bought called "The No-Fad Diet" put ought by the American Red Cross which was fairly insightful. Last time around that I tried to lose weight on the eating and exercise track (often I just do the latter), I did Body For Life. I had a lot of problems with it. A) I didn't see much results. B) I just couldn't eat that FREQUENTLY and had trouble with the planning C) The exercise felt too cardio-light D) The free day just didn't work for me. E) It just felt more geared toward male weight loss, for a number of reason.
What I'm trying this time around, diet-wise: A combination of two of the recommended Red Cross recommendations - trying to eat 75 percent less than I usually do, and swapping out "bad" foods for "good" foods when possible. I like that it doesn't forbid, doesn't cause you to hate food, is experimental-cook friendly, and doesn't involve a lot of thought/calculations/money/work. I am doing a variation on "eat smaller, more frequent" meals, but not to the degree that BFL requires. I'm also really trying to cut down on fried food as MUCH as possible - I have a lot of stomach problems, and fried food (and to some degree dairy) is the worst culprit - and yet I still haven't managed to cut down, despite the ickiness. I'm also trying to bring lunch more and eat out less. It helps that I now enjoy being at home - even George is trying to learn to cook, and to do it healthily, and he'll eat stuff when I eat dinner so it's more motivating to cook.
What I'm doing, exercise-wise: My belly dancing lessons don't start till January, unfortunately. Hoping I can TRY to throw in some yoga, despite the work schedule issues. Gym attendance obviously needs to be more frequent - lately it's been around 2x a week, and it really should be at least 4x. That means getting up earlier, going to gym pre-hanging at John's, making sure I don't schedule too many plays, etc., to allow gym time, etc. I'm also trying to take better advantage of the gym. Lately I've been lazy about doing the bike, reading and not really pushing, etc. I'm trying to vary and intensify the cardio, and to re-incorporate strength training (which really was the best thing I got out of the BFL experience). Now that it's not horribly humid out, it's also easier to walk to places more, etc.
So those are the basics! We'll see how it goes! So far, three days of being good. AAANd I resisted free pizza at work, which is sort of amazing ;).