Ohhh Lawd

Reasons for me missing the last, like, four months of blogging and/or dieting:

The end of the school year hecticness
I got a really cute puppy ( see right picture).
It's sooooo hot in the summer in Montgomery.
All around laziness.
I lost my drive, my mojo, and my inspiration somewhere.

Reason I am now getting back on that horse:

I went to the doctor who told me that my blood pressure numbers would eventually cause me to take meds. I am only 20....something. Needless to say, I freaked.

So I joined Weight Watchers with my family. I have now lost 7.5 lbs and lost ten points on my blood pressure. Since I didn't remember how much I gained, I'm just starting from here with the competish.

2legit, are we still doing the competish? Because I'm laying the gauntlet back down if we are. I don't know what that means but I've heard it before at really crucial moments in action movies.



(l love you like)peanut butter and chocolate,
Laura

Ugggggghhhhhh.....

Would be the "word" to describe how I feel right now.

So I'm sick...on my Spring Break. Awesome.

Things I don't really want to do while I'm sick: think, move, do an in-depth blog post.

Things I want to do while I'm sick: sleep on the couch, waiting on the meds to kick in.

It's sad too, because I had a really good post where I talked about making any recipe low fat. (Teaser: I chased an older lady down in the grocery store because I had a question about a red beans & rice recipe. She had on a Mardi Gras sweater, so I just assumed).

I have managed to continue with my 5k training. Yesterday, during one of my two minute jogging spurts, I'm pretty sure my body did a total double-take, asked "Are we really doing this?" and decided to rebel. Long story short, yesterday was hard and the first time I actually thought about giving up on the whole thing.

But I didn't

Weight loss update: As of last Wednesday weigh-in, I have lost 10.4 lbs, 6.4 of those go towards the competish. Yay! I'm also proud of my fellow competitor for losing the big 20! No really, I am.

Countdown Until Cotton Row: 78 days.
Countdown until I go to the doctor because I can't stand having a cold: 24 hours at the least

Let's Get Physical!

Let's talk about my workout routine. Usually ( I say usually because I've been off the band wagon), I do some type of activity for thirty minutes at least six times a week. Whether it is walking/slow jogging, doing some kind of aerobic video, or doing circuit training at the gym, I want to do something. Also, I get bored of doing the same excersise over and over again. I like to shake things up.

Speaking of shaking things up, I'm in Athens for the weekend. Today, I went with my mom to her gym to do Zumba. I've done Zumba before and really enjoy it. I loved today too, the only thing is that the room we were in was covered in mirrors. Now, I love to dance and I'm just going to throw this out there--I dance in my apartment by myself if a good song comes on TV or my Itunes. However, my apartment is not covered in mirrors. Neither was the room in the last place I took Zumba. I was a little self-concious today. I know that the other people aren't looking at me because you are too busy watching the instructor to look (and make fun of) other people. I just don't like me looking at me, you get me? Even at the gym there are mirrors for you to watch yourself as you are doing weights. "Why?", I ask.

Anyway, I digress....lately I have been walking a lot. With the weather we've been having, it's almost a sin not to go do something in it. There are two awesome girls from work (Hey Jenny and Angie!) that I walk with at least twice a week at school. I also like to walk at my local park or around my apartment complex. I also tried the workout videos on Netflix that my nemsis (and sister, Michelle) told me about. They are really good and all I have to do is log-on.

Basically, I will try anything once as long as it's a good workout.


I take that back. There is one workout I will not do. I will let the picture talk for itself.

***Weight Loss Update: I have lost 6.8 lbs on Scale Back Alabama. Although I only think that 1.8 lbs count towards the competish. Things are looking up! Or down, hopefully if you are talking about the scale. :)

Love and Love Handles,

Laura

It Just Got Real, Y'all

Michelle asked me to blog about my top ten favorite songs to work out to, but instead I’m going to vent. (Sorry, shellbug*, I’ll get to the list next time).

Although the competition (that I’m going to win) hasn’t technically started, I’ve been doing this non-diet for about a month. So….

I’ve had a frustratingly, bad day this week. Who hasn’t had bad days? However, couple that with bad choices here and there…and that leads to either weight gain or no weight loss at all.

That’s what I do. I let life’s little problems (and let’s be honest, they may be annoying and dramatic at the time, but they are insignificant in the long run) get in the way of real change. I could lay blame on a variety of different places, but in the end, I am the only thing standing in the way of me.

Aaaand, I just sounded like a Grey’s Anatomy episode.

So, how do I stop myself?

Pray? Slap myself? Tell myself to get over it?

Or do I just give up completely? Being honest, usually this would be the point in the “diet” where I would give up. Throw up my hands and scream “WORLD, YOU WIN!.”

Except this isn’t a Grey’s Anatomy episode. Bad days happen, good days happen, and amazing days happen and this episode doesn’t end at the sixty minute mark. So, I am not going to stop just because life got annoying for a day. It will be annoying again, but by taking care of myself, I’ve learned that I can make those days better.

In order to do that, sometimes you just have to admit your mistakes and move on. My mistakes being that I made delicious corn flake cookies (like rice crispy treats, but with corn flakes and peanut butter), I went overboard at the Stupid Bowl, and I missed a workout.

There. There it is. Now I’m going to pick myself up and get back on that metaphorical horse.

Also, Michelle has lost 8 lbs, so she is bringing her A-game. What’s a letter better than “A”? I’m bringing that.

Laura

*Michelle’s nickname since she was little. I still call her that even though she’s in college.

Morning Glory

I am not a morning person. I naturally don’t wake up until around 9. Due to my job, I have to get up around 5:30. Then, I hit snooze and actually get up at 5:45 when my alarm goes off again. I don’t talk until I get to work, so needless to say, I’m not hungry that early in the morning either.

Therefore, fore with, and how fore, breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day. The foods you have for breakfast are not my favorite and I’m just not in the mood for it. But what is the most important meal of the day? Say it with me people: BREAKFAST! One of my doctors told me one time that I should eat like a king (or queen) for breakfast, a prince(ss) for lunch and a peasant for dinner. Yeah, I’m more of the opposite. I just like dinner food better.

So Sunday morning I’m trying to eat good stuff for breakfast and it totally blows up in my face. A name brand yogurt that will remain nameless because I don’t want to get sued (but let’s just say has a familiar celebrity spokes person if you like horror films) has a cherry flavor with 20 grams of sugar!!!!!!!!! Per serving. Doctors say you should get 40g of sugar on a 1600 cal diet.*I should have known, because that first bite tasted AWESOME! Of course, I didn’t look at the nutrition label before I bought it. I just thought it would be good for me to eat and didn’t think that it would have double the amount of sugar that a regular human is supposed to have in a day. Lesson learned: Always check out the nutrition label, even if you think something is “healthy.”

I think what I’m going to have to do is start actually getting up at 5:30 (Gasp!) and making myself breakfast. I’m going to copy Michelle and start making oatmeal. I’m going to mix in some low fat peanut butter to add taste (I don’t believe oatmeal has any) and some protein. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Now for something completely different----Michelle and I have decided to make this somewhat of a competish. She who loses the most gets some sort of prize. We just decided today that whoever loses the most by February 14^th, 2012 receives a plane ticket to wherever she wants to go. However, we can’t go over $400. We both love to travel, so this is perfect for us. Sadly, it would also take us a year to save $400. We will also check in each week to see how each other is doing. That being said, our family is very competitive. Don’t play rook with us and don’t come watch an Alabama football game with us. So, there’s no way I’m letting my baby sister win this.

I’ve got my game face on!!!!

*My source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/reduce-your-sugar-intake-0

Superrrrbowl!

Happy Super Bowl the (what number is it?)! Somehow, I woke up at around 8:30 this morning and, for anyone who knows me well, this is not something I ever accomplish. And I'm also extremely awake! I think I've had this much energy before...when I was 9.

As I'm sure most people in America are, I am going to a Super Bowl get togetha, and the food of course will not exactly be at the top of a Weight Watchers list. So, I've devised a little plan for today so that I can still eat the food I want tonight. So far, for breakfast, I've had half of a delicious blueberry bagel. Now, normally, if you eat the entire bagel (at least this brand), it's around 270 caloriese and, since I HAVE to have cream cheese, it'll be almost 300. This normally isn't a very big deal, but since I do plan on eating Super Bowl food tonight, I have to keep it light (it even rhymes). Half the bagel is obviously 140, and then I had half a tbsp. of cream cheese (the serving size is 2 tbsp. 30 calories). Then, the most tasty part, I had a yoplait light white chocolate strawberry yogurt. SO GOOD. So, instead of almost 400 calories, I've topped out at 250 for the morning.

Since I have to work, I won't get to snack, so I've planned to have a light lunch at work and wait it out until tonight. The last time I watched the Super Bowl, Janet Jackson showed her nickels*. I was at my youth pastor's house...you can probably see how awkward this was.

Last night, Laura sent me an awesome looking recipe from Food Librarian called the Basque Potato Tortilla. Since it was taken from a book, I had to google the actual recipe and, though I'm sure it still may be different, it's as close as I've got at the moment. I'll definitely save more on that for later when I actually make it, but I felt it necessary to go ahead and share it. Let me know if you make it before I do!

Laura and I came up with the idea of making our weight loss a contest. We couldn't figure out a prize, though...maybe you could! Leave us a comment or send us a message on facebook and let us know. The best idea we had was $100...not a nail biter, right?

Have a good Super Bowl Sunday and pray for me as I try not to eat my weight in chips and dip (or burgers, fries, wings, pigs in a blanket, other various football food). I'll mostly be watching for the commercials (and the girl from Glee).

*Nickels is obviously the replacement for...no, I can't say it. It rhymes with ripple. And I absolutely hate the word. HATE IT.

This is Just My Motivation...Running Away With Me!

“Always a bridesmaids, never a bride.” “Three times a bridesmaid….” Blah, blah, blah.

This June will mark the third time I have the privilege of standing up and supporting a great friend in her wedding. My fourth time will be next year. I don’t believe in the stupid sayings, because unlike most people, I love weddings! I love the tradition and the love that goes into this day that represents these two people who are (hopefully) made for each other. And a great reception doesn’t hurt either

Although this day is so far from being about me, let me be truthful in saying that I am, as of right now, making it about me. Mostly because I do not want to stick out like a sore thumb on the best day of my friend’s life.

I’ve always been a “big girl”-- A term I hate. There are currently no terms that could describe me that I would say I love (“heavy” would be another one). Right now, I look like the “big girl” in the beautiful bridesmaid dress. All the other bridesmaids are cute and tiny, like little Tinker Bells. I’m going to look like the Jolly Green next to them.

So, this is my motivation---to NOT look like a Jolly Giant next to all the cute, petite fairies around me. Yes, I want to ultimately be healthy and live a long life. But I reeeeallly want to look good in that dress. I have to take one step at a time or I tend to burn out. Believe me when I say this—I have been on diets since I have been in 6th grade and when they would tell me how much I needed to lose in the long run, I probably gave up then and there. The wedding is my short term goal. After June 25th, we’ll see what happens next.

I’m not on any kind of specific diet, per se. I’m writing down everything I eat. I’m exercising (which is a big deal for me). I’m cooking at home and not eating out a lot (let it be known that I’m probably a wee bit addicted to fast food). What’s most important is that I have help. I’m not an “ask for help” kind of person, but I’m working out with friends, which is so much more fun than by yourself. Oh, and this awesome blog that my sister came up with and asked me to co-author.

HOT BRIDESMAID DRESS, HERE I COME!!!!!!

Step 1-Admitting there's a problem

My name is Michelle and I am a foodaholic. I'm 21 years old, in college, and muffin topping my pants.

The following is a list I have compiled showing the factors in which I have diagnosed myself:
1. I eat when I'm bored
2. I eat when I'm sad
3. I eat when the TV is on
4. I eat when I'm mad
5. I finish my plate NO MATTER WHAT.
6. I give pmsing as an excuse to eat multiple chocolate deserts.
7. I sneak food from my signifcant other (I even say I haven't eaten dinner when, yes, that last snack from Zaxby's probably should have counted).
8. When someone eats in front of me, whether I've eaten or not, I froth at the mouth like a rabid animal. 
(tune in for more on this list as it develops)

I stepped on my handy scale last Sunday afternoon thinking,"I highly doubt I've gained THAT much." Oh, how the scale can be such a stupid beyonce*.  So, on Monday morning I woke up determined (and a little doubtful) that I could lose weight my own way. And, unfortunately for my addiction, that's what I plan to do.

Me on the left, Laura on the right. Thanks blender for hiding the gut

First things first: a plan. The one thing I know for sure is that no commercialized diet has ever helped me cure the itch. Sure, they might have worked for a few months, but after I would lose a good amount, I felt it was okay to "cheat". And so cheating became a long lasting affair and, needless to say, diet and I separated. I won't list any names as I'm sure there are diets out there that work for different people. I commend you for this as I am immensely jealous of you, but lend an ear (or an eye) and hear me out. A diet may be a good solution to lose weight, but is it something that, after weight lost, is long lasting? What I need is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. A lifestyle of portion control and calorie counting (and skinny jeans). I won't dare to limit myself and what foods to eat, but when I crave food that I gain weight just looking at, I will only have a small portion of it and move on. Oh, and one more thing, I won't eat after 7.
 

Technically, my day 1 was Monday, but seeing as how I don't actually feel like writing down everything I've done or eaten, we'll call this Day (blog) 1. This morning I had a bowl of oat meal with milk at around 9:30. Around 11:45, I had little pack of peanut butter crackers. I went to the gym and burned over 600 calories, played basketball with a friend, and had a 6inch veggie delight from subway.These are really good with mustard and light mayo if you need the mayo. It's about 230 calories and tastes like a salad in a sandwich.
The only drink I've had in the past four days is water. I know that it's not the only thing out there, but it's easy, free, and comes right out of the sink. Now, even though I did get a bag of baked chips, I felt too full to eat them, so I'm saving them for another time.

As for how I feel, I feel great. I have a lot more energy, I pee a lot, and it isn't quite as hard to suck in my stomach. But, here's the thing, I have a very old track record of starting things and quitting them shortly after. So, my biggest plan is to not think too much into this, but take it a day at a time. Let's not beat ourselves up over one day of indulgence, but celebrate it by working a little harder the next day.

More to come tomorrow and feel free to share your plans!




Beyonce* is a word I've come to use in place of the B word. Pay close attention to more slang since I'm a huge fan of it.