Week 21 (and a half)

It's tough to post when you feel like you're not making any progress. But I guess that's the concept behind accountability, eh?

So last Thursday when I went to see Dan it had been another hard week. We're up to a month's worth of really tough weeks. Gah! I didn't lose any weight, but at least I didn't gain any. That's really saying something because, well, Halloween candy.

My most difficult time is the weekend. Typically I ride my bike to see Dan and then I don't exercise again till Monday. Maybe even Tuesday. And since the routine is unreliable on the weekends, so is my eating.

Now, when I cheat, it's not like I fall off the wagon completely. I've learned enough over the past 5 months to know that my body really hates it when I eat crap. I feel it (very uncomfortably) for up to two days after. So, a bad day for me is like only 80% following my plan. Even that takes a while to get past, so more than feeling guilty, I really FEEL bad about eating poorly. You know?

Well, this last weekend I did better. I did skip Friday (ate fine though), but on Saturday I took a monster walk. I found an excuse to go out and made it even longer. I would guess it was at least 5 miles. Very pleasant.

I did skip Sunday, but I got my weights yesterday! Even better, I got my weights in today too. That means that doing them tomorrow will be a full workout. Woo hoo!

Yeah, I'm supposed to spread them out. I'm thinking I need a good bike ride in the middle of the day (when it's warm enough), and then with the weights in the evening maybe it won't be another bad week after all. That would be nice.

Back on the wagon, dang it!

Week 16 - Stalled (oh my, I have a shape again!)

I feel often like I've lost momentum, but then something comes along to remind me why I started this journey.

This morning I woke up and lounged in bed for a few minutes till my bladder forced me to get up. While I was still ignoring it, for some reason I felt my upper arm. I've been embarrassed by my arms for a long time. There is bulging in gross ways, floppy softness in other gross ways. I've got the Relief Society arms (or "bingo arms" to the non-LDS readers) that old ladies get when they've lost weight and their arm fat flaps.

But when I felt my arm this morning, I noticed a difference. The back of my upper arm doesn't bulge quite the way it did before. I had to take a picture to mark the exciting occasion. I would put a "before" picture, but I don't really allow pictures of the most embarrassing parts of me to exist. It has only been since I started this plan that I've been willing for the fat to show up in all its glorious disgustingness.

When I went to see Dan, I had to admit that I was scared. I've been consistently failing on the weekends and I wasn't sure I wanted to see the scale go up again. Amazingly, it went down. Okay, so it was only a pound, but I'll take anything I can get.

Every single week I leave Dan's office energized and excited to start anew. I want to succeed, dang it! And by the end of the weekend I feel like a total failure. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the desire to socialize and play. Bike rides on city streets aren't really a social thing, especially in the winter when everyone is bundled. It's not like we can go to the park (brrr!) either. The weights bore me to death and every single week I struggle to do them.

I think I'll work on them right now. Get in one session of weights while watching LDS General Conference. After the weights, I'll get some more cleaning done. Then I'll feel both spiritually and physically productive. Maybe I won't feel quite so guilty next time I go to see Dan.

Week 14 - A setback

I've resisted posting this week because I gained a pound this week. Dang it!

I just wrote a long and boring post about my week. Eating out (I tried to be good, honest!), flat tires, and today's super long bike ride - 16 miles in all.

Apparently I can't be interesting when I'm exhausted. Really though, I want to announce my intention to get my weights in. That's been the most difficult part, and I hear from people that it's the most important.

Oh, and I'm going to coach some friends on a similar program to mine. I'll call it a trial run - to see if I've learned enough to give real help to those in need. I'd venture to say I need to be following my own advice though.

I'll report on Tuesday. Hopefully I will have started with the Llama family (just a nickname, don't worry), and will have done at least 2 days of weights.

Thanks, everyone, for allowing me to be accountable to you. It means a lot to me.

Week 8 - Making headway

This last week I was good. I mean really good. I still wasn't 100%, but I was close. I even exercised a lot.

And it paid off. I lost another 6+ pounds of fat, putting me at close to 30 pounds down. We took measurements today since I broke the 20 pound mark by a bunch, and I've lost everywhere. I'm even down to 49% body fat - down from the original 54. Yay!!!

I now weigh 311 pounds. That's still about 10 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, but it feels great. Maybe by the time the weather cools for real I'll be able to wear my fat jeans again. haha

Seriously though. I know these aren't true before and after pics, but people have asked and I really like what other people have done (Brandi) to show progress. I'll be taking the pics once a month till I'm all the way done.

Oh, I figured out how to get in my cardio exercise every day. All errands are done on the bike or on foot. Well, most anyway. Great "secret", eh? Really though, I take the kids with me (most often just the toddler) if it's within a couple of miles and I don't have to carry anything super heavy. It's worked wonderfully.

This next week I'm doing the weights 4 times instead of 2, and still getting cardio in at least 4 days. I think I did at least 5 last week, so that shouldn't be too hard.