So I decided to sign up for sparkpeople.com, a site that helps you keep track of your food intake (calculates calories, fat, etc. for you all day long). I just logged breakfast... My sweet husband brought me my favorite bacon-egg-cheese croissant with a side of glazed donut, and a little bottle of 2% milk.
Sweet mother of thighs. 60 grams of fat!!! 83 carbs and... wait for it... drumroll please...
1,027 calories.
Knowledge is power, right?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Vacation Happens.
It's always really hard to keep "healthy" on vacation... especially when you have the kinds of vacation we had this past week. We headed to the Frio River for some family fun and tubing. Joined by my mom, her sister, my sister & kids, and my cousin & kids, we all stayed in a big house together and did the family-meal thing for most dinners. Lunch was sandwiches, and most of the time breakfast was cereal. I did my best not to overindulge, to only eat until I was full, and to prepare myself reality-based portions and not just cover my plate. I mostly had Raisin Nut Bran for breakfast, but my sister and I could not resist the pie lady's wares... nor did I pass on the cheese dip or my cousin's deliciously crafted brisket.
Floating the river just isn't the same without a cooler full of beer, so I can safely say I didn't really do my absolute best to keep my tip-top-healthy business going on. I did have a reallllllly good time, though : )
I did make it a point to get out each morning while it was still cool and go for a walk or run. I kept up with my Couch-to-5k plan while I was out. Being in the Texas Hill Country has its benefits-- wide open spaces aplenty.
I logged 11.35 miles on vacation! I finished up week 1 of c25k, and got started on week 2. I set my alarm for 6:10 a.m. each day, got up, leashed up the dog, and headed out. It was BEAUTIFUL to watch the sun rise over the landscape, and see all of the early-morning animals out and about (lots of deer and jackrabbits, colorful birds, and some fabulously frolicky skunks). There were very few people to watch my jiggly body jiggling, but the best thing of ALL was that unlike Houston-- there was no humidity so we had very cool mornings. I'm very proud of myself for making it happen!
I carried my phone with me, enabling the GPS device and using the "Runkeeper" app to log my distance and speed (I may have mentioned it before, but I have not been able to find an arm-band type phone/ipod holder that fits me comfortably, so instead I got a very small fanny-pack thing made especially for distance runners to hold energy gel packs. It holds my phone and my inhaler and fits around my waist). We didn't have Sprint service in the remote location, so I wasn't able to get the Pandora Radio to run. In the end, though, it was probably best because it was so peaceful to run to the sound of the Mourning Doves and the wind. I still ran the c25k app to help me know when to run and when to walk.
The last morning we were there, I did w2d1 of c25k, and then walked for a total of 4.68 miles. There was some exploring I wanted to do down the River Road so I figured hey, why not walk it? It didn't hurt that it got the dog all walked out for our 5 hour drive home. Halfway through I stopped at the river and let him flop around in the cold water and have a few drinks. He was good as new! It's so evident that the heat and humidity really slows us down in Houston.
But alas, here we are back home in the real world for the forseeable future, so we will be back on the wagon and suffer through the crazy humidity one again. I'm beautifully golden brown and tanned, but I am feeling incredibly flab-a-lanchey and would like forge on to reduce the super jiggle. WHEE!
Floating the river just isn't the same without a cooler full of beer, so I can safely say I didn't really do my absolute best to keep my tip-top-healthy business going on. I did have a reallllllly good time, though : )
I did make it a point to get out each morning while it was still cool and go for a walk or run. I kept up with my Couch-to-5k plan while I was out. Being in the Texas Hill Country has its benefits-- wide open spaces aplenty.
I logged 11.35 miles on vacation! I finished up week 1 of c25k, and got started on week 2. I set my alarm for 6:10 a.m. each day, got up, leashed up the dog, and headed out. It was BEAUTIFUL to watch the sun rise over the landscape, and see all of the early-morning animals out and about (lots of deer and jackrabbits, colorful birds, and some fabulously frolicky skunks). There were very few people to watch my jiggly body jiggling, but the best thing of ALL was that unlike Houston-- there was no humidity so we had very cool mornings. I'm very proud of myself for making it happen!
I carried my phone with me, enabling the GPS device and using the "Runkeeper" app to log my distance and speed (I may have mentioned it before, but I have not been able to find an arm-band type phone/ipod holder that fits me comfortably, so instead I got a very small fanny-pack thing made especially for distance runners to hold energy gel packs. It holds my phone and my inhaler and fits around my waist). We didn't have Sprint service in the remote location, so I wasn't able to get the Pandora Radio to run. In the end, though, it was probably best because it was so peaceful to run to the sound of the Mourning Doves and the wind. I still ran the c25k app to help me know when to run and when to walk.
The last morning we were there, I did w2d1 of c25k, and then walked for a total of 4.68 miles. There was some exploring I wanted to do down the River Road so I figured hey, why not walk it? It didn't hurt that it got the dog all walked out for our 5 hour drive home. Halfway through I stopped at the river and let him flop around in the cold water and have a few drinks. He was good as new! It's so evident that the heat and humidity really slows us down in Houston.
But alas, here we are back home in the real world for the forseeable future, so we will be back on the wagon and suffer through the crazy humidity one again. I'm beautifully golden brown and tanned, but I am feeling incredibly flab-a-lanchey and would like forge on to reduce the super jiggle. WHEE!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Day One of the rest of my life...
Well, I went out and did week 1 day 1 of "Couch to 5k". I took the dog, which I probably maybe shouldn't do because he gets tired before I do : ) It was hot, and I was sweating, but I finished it. WHEEE!
I paid attention to my cereal box's serving size when I ate breakfast (raisin nut bran w/skim milk), an noticed that I've probably been eating well over 2 servings most of the time. For lunch I had a turkey & ham sandwich on those "sandwich thins" with hummus and mustard. I had a side of tortilla chips (12 chips = 1 serving) with more hummus, and a giant tumbler of water with one of those Crystal Light "on the go" single-serving packets. I don't like them at full-strength, so my giant tumbler with one packet was just about right.
I had an afternoon snack of some pasta (the kind made with flaxseed and stuff that's better for you than white flour) tossed in olive oil with mixed veggies and Tony Chacherie's seasoning on it. I would have waited until dinner, but I had a job this evening, and I knew I'd be working right through dinner time.
After my job I was hungry and driving home and stopped in front of my neighborhood McDonald's, staring longingly... with some John Mayer lost-love-song playing in the background. Pining for McDonald's and the ease of a drive-through and the crispy hot fries and sweet Coke.
Instead of the easy way out, I went to the store and got some things that should help keep me on track... salad mixed greens, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, brussel sprouts (I love them roasted!), some chicken tenderloins that I plan to cook and leave in the fridge to use on salad, some fat free hot dogs, those short cans of diet dr. pepper, uh... and some California rolls. I know white rice sushi probably isn't the ace healthiest choice I could have made, but surely there are worse things (like the tub of fried chicken, or half-pies that I walked right by, thank you very much). So all in all, I think I have made healthy choices today ; )
I'm going to throw some steel-cut oatmeal in my rice cooker this evening so it'll be on standby in the fridge for me in the mornings.
Thanks for pushing me off to a great start : )
I paid attention to my cereal box's serving size when I ate breakfast (raisin nut bran w/skim milk), an noticed that I've probably been eating well over 2 servings most of the time. For lunch I had a turkey & ham sandwich on those "sandwich thins" with hummus and mustard. I had a side of tortilla chips (12 chips = 1 serving) with more hummus, and a giant tumbler of water with one of those Crystal Light "on the go" single-serving packets. I don't like them at full-strength, so my giant tumbler with one packet was just about right.
I had an afternoon snack of some pasta (the kind made with flaxseed and stuff that's better for you than white flour) tossed in olive oil with mixed veggies and Tony Chacherie's seasoning on it. I would have waited until dinner, but I had a job this evening, and I knew I'd be working right through dinner time.
After my job I was hungry and driving home and stopped in front of my neighborhood McDonald's, staring longingly... with some John Mayer lost-love-song playing in the background. Pining for McDonald's and the ease of a drive-through and the crispy hot fries and sweet Coke.
Instead of the easy way out, I went to the store and got some things that should help keep me on track... salad mixed greens, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, brussel sprouts (I love them roasted!), some chicken tenderloins that I plan to cook and leave in the fridge to use on salad, some fat free hot dogs, those short cans of diet dr. pepper, uh... and some California rolls. I know white rice sushi probably isn't the ace healthiest choice I could have made, but surely there are worse things (like the tub of fried chicken, or half-pies that I walked right by, thank you very much). So all in all, I think I have made healthy choices today ; )
I'm going to throw some steel-cut oatmeal in my rice cooker this evening so it'll be on standby in the fridge for me in the mornings.
Thanks for pushing me off to a great start : )
Hi there, I'm the chesty pear.
Hi! I'm a 35 year old woman in search of inspiration, education, and overall transformation into a healthier person.
I've decided that today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I'm not going to bother worrying about anything in the past. Nothing can stop me from moving forward from today toward a better lifestyle.
Oh, and I'm chesty and pear-shaped!
I stepped on the scale this morning and hit 234 pounds.
While it's not the highest I've ever hit, it's definitely the highest I've hit in a while. I'd love to use some cool excuse like "yeah I've been lifting a lot at the gym" but unfortunately, that's not the case. The reality of the situation is that I've been eating irresponsibly and not exercising much.
It's unsettling because in October of 2008, my husband and I went on a miraculous healthy-lifestyle-change spree that resulted in a loss of about 40 pounds for him, and near the same for me. I went from 259 to about 215 pounds. Everyone told me how great I looked, I could shop in regular clothing stores, my lower back pain disappeared. It was really cool to have accomplished something like that knowing I did it all "the right way" and didn't do anything cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater like drugs, supplements, weight-loss aids, liposuction, etc. It was all good old hard work.
During that time, I went to the gym and power-walked on the treadmill (also did some outside walking). I did short little circuits of weight training. My goal at the beginning of 2009 was to be able to run a mile by the end of the year. I started the "Couch to 5K" progressive program that interval-trains you into being able to run a 5K, completed it, and ran my first 5K in March. I finished it in about 34 minutes (not fast, but I did run the entire thing, never walked once).
I even suited up early in the morning on vacation in Las Vegas and ran down the strip! I stopped at the MGM Grand at the end to play a $21 credit I had in a video blackjack machine, then jogged/walked back down the other side of the strip. I felt fantastic at the end, like I was She-Ra, princess of power.
Then I kind of didn't run for a while... a) I had nothing to work toward once I had reached my 5K goal and b) I rested a little, slacked off, then it got to be summertime and my excuse was "It's too hot to run".
Would you believe it? Here I am and the pounds are coming back. I've also really slacked off where my food intake is concerned... and by "slacked off" I mean "started eating total crap again". What I learned from my weight loss is that refined sugars and most packaged foods aren't all that great for me. Fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, and minimal whole, healthy grains are the way to go-- they're what my body needs/wants, they're good fuel, they will keep me going and satisfied without undermining my weight loss and fitness goals.
The only problem with all of that happens to be that I'm like everyone else out there who struggles with weight loss and obesity. Candy, potatoes, pancakes, donuts, oreos, cakes, crackers, fruity pebbles, pasta and chips are freakin' delicious (did I mention how easy they are?), and it's hard to make healthy choices when for some stupid reason I want those things so much! To make matters worse, when you're social and on-the-go, you're faced with not-so-healthy options all the time. Turning down the beautiful platter of cookies or vat of queso dip your hostess has provided isn't just difficult because you want a cookie, it's difficult because it's what's available to you. There's no nearby platter of grilled chicken and asparagus.
So here I go again, trying to dig my healthy lifestyle and inspiration out from under the piles of excuses and bring it back into the limelight.
I know in the end it's not about weight, it's about fitness... but let's face it. Weight can be a very good indicator of fitness progress, especially when it's clear you have a good amount of excess stored body fat to work away. For me, 234 is too much-- so here I go. Come along! Share in my journey. Encourage me, start your own path toward a healthier life, or just laugh at me along the way.
I've decided that today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I'm not going to bother worrying about anything in the past. Nothing can stop me from moving forward from today toward a better lifestyle.
Oh, and I'm chesty and pear-shaped!
I stepped on the scale this morning and hit 234 pounds.
While it's not the highest I've ever hit, it's definitely the highest I've hit in a while. I'd love to use some cool excuse like "yeah I've been lifting a lot at the gym" but unfortunately, that's not the case. The reality of the situation is that I've been eating irresponsibly and not exercising much.
It's unsettling because in October of 2008, my husband and I went on a miraculous healthy-lifestyle-change spree that resulted in a loss of about 40 pounds for him, and near the same for me. I went from 259 to about 215 pounds. Everyone told me how great I looked, I could shop in regular clothing stores, my lower back pain disappeared. It was really cool to have accomplished something like that knowing I did it all "the right way" and didn't do anything cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater like drugs, supplements, weight-loss aids, liposuction, etc. It was all good old hard work.
During that time, I went to the gym and power-walked on the treadmill (also did some outside walking). I did short little circuits of weight training. My goal at the beginning of 2009 was to be able to run a mile by the end of the year. I started the "Couch to 5K" progressive program that interval-trains you into being able to run a 5K, completed it, and ran my first 5K in March. I finished it in about 34 minutes (not fast, but I did run the entire thing, never walked once).
I even suited up early in the morning on vacation in Las Vegas and ran down the strip! I stopped at the MGM Grand at the end to play a $21 credit I had in a video blackjack machine, then jogged/walked back down the other side of the strip. I felt fantastic at the end, like I was She-Ra, princess of power.
Then I kind of didn't run for a while... a) I had nothing to work toward once I had reached my 5K goal and b) I rested a little, slacked off, then it got to be summertime and my excuse was "It's too hot to run".
Would you believe it? Here I am and the pounds are coming back. I've also really slacked off where my food intake is concerned... and by "slacked off" I mean "started eating total crap again". What I learned from my weight loss is that refined sugars and most packaged foods aren't all that great for me. Fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, and minimal whole, healthy grains are the way to go-- they're what my body needs/wants, they're good fuel, they will keep me going and satisfied without undermining my weight loss and fitness goals.
The only problem with all of that happens to be that I'm like everyone else out there who struggles with weight loss and obesity. Candy, potatoes, pancakes, donuts, oreos, cakes, crackers, fruity pebbles, pasta and chips are freakin' delicious (did I mention how easy they are?), and it's hard to make healthy choices when for some stupid reason I want those things so much! To make matters worse, when you're social and on-the-go, you're faced with not-so-healthy options all the time. Turning down the beautiful platter of cookies or vat of queso dip your hostess has provided isn't just difficult because you want a cookie, it's difficult because it's what's available to you. There's no nearby platter of grilled chicken and asparagus.
So here I go again, trying to dig my healthy lifestyle and inspiration out from under the piles of excuses and bring it back into the limelight.
I know in the end it's not about weight, it's about fitness... but let's face it. Weight can be a very good indicator of fitness progress, especially when it's clear you have a good amount of excess stored body fat to work away. For me, 234 is too much-- so here I go. Come along! Share in my journey. Encourage me, start your own path toward a healthier life, or just laugh at me along the way.
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