burnin those pesky calories!

I just finished working out with Jillian. Yep, she kicked my ass again. In my defense I haven't exercised in 12 days because I had a killer cold. 12 days is a long time! I found myself pooping out much quicker than I had when I was exercising almost daily before I got sick.

So, I'm sitting here post workout, completely exhausted but proud of myself that I did it. I was actually craving it. I have been hoping to feel better for the past few days so I could get back into the swing of things. I honestly could have waited a few more days I think because I found myself blowing my nose between circuits but I got through it without passing out so all is well :)

Here's to hoping Monday's weigh in is better than last weeks now that I'm not as sedentary :)

weigh in

I gained .8 pounds this week but it was expected. Actually, I thought I would have gained a lot more than that. I've been sick for a week now and it's been miserable. So, I haven't been able to exercise which honestly has been really hard to deal with. I was actually craving it but if I tried I'm sure I would have passed out because of how congested I've been.

It's funny how the biggest reason I want to feel better is so that I can exercise. I never really thought I'd feel that way. I hope it lasts!

So, hopefully I'll feel better later this afternoon so at least I can hop on the elliptical a little to get back in the swing of things. Damn you cold!

weigh in

I lost 1.8 pounds. I should be happy but I'm not. I ate really well and exercised 6 out of the 7 days. I was expecting to lose more.

I know part of the reason it wasn't more and that was because of yesterday. I basically ate an orange for breakfast and a piece of toast for lunch so that I could eat a burger at dinner. Not smart.

I went to bed last night with my heart pounding. It's not that it was beating any faster than normal but you could tell it was trying to work harder to break down that stupid burger. So, although I didn't go over my points that much this past week I need to learn not to eat something huge the night before a weigh in.

So, I'm going to try to come to the realization that 1.8 pounds is still a loss. It's just hard because I know how hard I worked this week and it seems like the results of the scale don't reflect that. But it's my own fault.

I'll change my mindset at some point today. I just need the initial shock to wear off.

lesson learned

Tonight a very bad decision was made. Hot dogs were eaten (yes that word is plural). It seemed like a good idea at the time. Looking back I have NO idea what made me do it. I never want to see another hot dog again.

But I'm taking some good away from this. I just learned what not to do. Don't waste precious points on over-processed parts of some sort of animal. You'll just end up regretting it and feeling nauseous.

Good job, jackass!

empty calories

Today was the first day since I stopped drinking soda that I wasn't craving it when lunchtime came around. This is HUGE. I've been drinking mostly water with meals for the past week and it's been painful. I love to have something tasty to drink along with my meals and this has been the hardest part of getting back on that horse. I've got to break that habit.

But it is getting easier. I don't pout as much when I have to drink water at lunch or dinner. And if I do start to pout, I remind myself how many empty calories there are in a lot of drinks and how I just don't have room for those empty calories now that I'm actively doing WW again. I have 27 points a day and there's no way in hell I'm wasting any of them on silly drinks. Well, that's not entirely true. 2 points were taken up today by some Snapple. But I had room for it today, and that's the difference.

weigh in

I'm feeling sore in muscles I forgot I had and it feels great! One more reason to love that Jillian Michaels workout. She's hitting the spots that I normally miss. And the best part...I stepped on the scale this morning to see that I've lost 4 pounds!

I've got some plans in place that I didn't have last time, thanks to my husband. I'm thinking positive and aiming for another great week.

the one and only

A few days ago, David and I were in Target. We were in the fitness aisle and I perused the DVDs while he checked out the free weights. I wanted to get another workout DVD to rotate in with the ones I currently have. (If I do the same workout over and over I get tremendously bored.) And there she was...Ms. Jillian Michaels. I knew that I needed to get one of her workouts. So, I added her 'Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism' DVD to my cart. I previewed the DVD that night and told David "yep, she's going to kick my ass".

I sit here, writing this, covered in sweat. I just completed the warm up, 3 circuits and the cool down. And yes, she kicked my ass. But I LOVE HER! I was afraid that she would be crazy like she is in 'The Biggest Loser' but she's not. She's just the right amount of motivation and no nonsense.

There are 7 circuits in the workout but even the DVD suggests that beginners take it a little easy and do a few circuits, not the whole thing. So, I listened.

Even though I didn't do every circuit, I found myself on the verge of tears during a very hard exercise but I didn't give up and I pushed through it. That's where her motivation really helps and I did feel proud of myself when I finished.

This workout is a far cry from some of the other workout DVD's I have that are so upbeat and cheery it makes me want to roll my eyes. It's going to be hard to keep using those after this! Oh, and I thought that I would hate seeing incredibly fit people do the same exercises I was struggling to complete. I mean, there are no even slightly out of shape people standing with her, just two other perfectly sculpted bodies. But at the end, even they are covered in sweat! A sign of a truly awesome workout.

This one is definitely a keeper and I'm actually looking forward to doing it again (although maybe not tomorrow)!


'Fitness to me isn't about a crunch or a push up, it's about taking your power back.' - Jillian Michaels

poison

I gave up soda 3 days ago (Coke Zero, Diet Dr. Pepper). Please wish me luck! I just can't bear to keep putting poison in my system voluntarily, so out the door it goes. Bye, bye aspartame!

I gave up Crystal Light a little while ago because of the same reason but this new one is a HUGE step. I would say that for the past year I've been relying on soda to get me through the day because I don't drink coffee.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that I will have a soda now and then but it will be the real thing, no more diet. But since it has so many calories that treat will be for very special occasions!

Any ideas on what to drink to get a little caffeine boost that's low in calories and contains no aspartame? I'm looking into teas but I'm not a big tea drinker. I just want to make sure I have a backup plan so that if days like today (where I'm so tired I can barely see straight) come around I am prepared with something that can give me a little boost!

resolutions

Losing weight is probably one of the top resolutions made by Americans for the new year. Some gym's get more memberships in January than they do for the rest of the year. And yes, a lot of people fizzle out and quit going to the gym but that is no reason for the "regulars" to look down upon them for wanting to take that first step to try and better themselves. Taking that first step of joining a gym and actually going is HUGE when you are out of shape and overweight. And I am convinced that it's people like the ones below that help deter new people from sticking to the gym. I've seen the dirty looks that fit people give overweight people, especially in the gym. Things like that just make it even harder for the overweight to keep on it and keep coming back to the gym.

Why not lose the holier than thou attitude and suck it up that you can't get to your equipment as fast as before. Be happy that people are TRYING to change themselves for the better and stop being so selfish. That's just my two cents. This vent is brought to you today by the following status message and subsequent responses. They may be half joking but they are also half telling the truth and it makes me sad...

Am I blowing this out of proportion? Maybe, but it hit a nerve and I'm sure that I'm not the only one that, at the very least, feels that the last comment is ridiculous.

back on that horse

I'm minutes away from going to work out. I've got my workout clothes on and I'm about to drink a full glass of water before I head into the basement.

This will be my first workout in months. That's right, MONTHS! I'm not proud of it but what's done is done. I can't change it and I'm not about to make excuses about it. The important thing is that I'm getting back on track.

I credit my husband for this. He has been so motivated and dedicated to losing weight and has now lost 35 pounds. I am so proud of him and I even asked him today if he could give me just a smidge of his motivation. I just don't seem to have it but I know that once I get back into the routine it will be easier to actually want to work out. So, I'm reaching out for help from him. I've asked him to help motivate me so now he will be my personal trainer of sorts. He will tell me when I should work out and I will listen without giving him attitude. Well, maybe a little attitude :)

But I'm hoping that I can be a little more like my husband and start working hard to get myself back into better shape.

Here goes nothing...oh, and I've changed my ticker to reflect the weight gain, not a pretty sight and it was like a brick hitting me in the face when I saw the new number but this is me wiping my slate clean and starting from scratch.

PS: And by no means is this a new year's resolution. It just happens to be January 3rd!