The Good:
I went for my thirty minute walk today. It was just challenging enough for me to break a little sweat. I felt my muscles warm up and my heart beat. I loved the fall weather in California, warm with a slight drizzle. I will do this again tommorrow. One day I may even be back up to my 6 miles a day. For now I am happy to know that 1.5 miles is better than zero. Happy walking!
CLM
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
October Update, okay it is a little late!
The Good:
I have followed up with my doctor and as it turns out I most definitely have a digestive disorder. I am still undergoing testing and taking medication until they can pinpoint the exact nature of my condition. The basically puts any real diet plans on hold.
The Bad:
I had to temporarily move in with my grandma who is 84 to help take care of her. So I basically have no schedule for exercise and my equipment is still at my house. I find I have no time for myself and that is not good. I have the motivation and a plan for exercise, but I seem to be lacking the time and space. Oh yeah I fell off my walks at lunch time and on the weekend this month!
My Progress:
Well I weight 149 last time I went to the doctor last week.
My Plan:
For now, provided it doesn’t rain I will walk every Saturday and Sunday morning and throw in my 30 minute walks during lunch again. Eventually I would like to add some evening walks and cycling when I return home!
What I have learned:
I need to be flexible with my exercise plan so that I do not abandon it completely when things go wrong. I need to find a better way of measuring my success besides weighing myself. I will keep up with the scale monthly just to monitor things.
CLM
I have followed up with my doctor and as it turns out I most definitely have a digestive disorder. I am still undergoing testing and taking medication until they can pinpoint the exact nature of my condition. The basically puts any real diet plans on hold.
The Bad:
I had to temporarily move in with my grandma who is 84 to help take care of her. So I basically have no schedule for exercise and my equipment is still at my house. I find I have no time for myself and that is not good. I have the motivation and a plan for exercise, but I seem to be lacking the time and space. Oh yeah I fell off my walks at lunch time and on the weekend this month!
My Progress:
Well I weight 149 last time I went to the doctor last week.
My Plan:
For now, provided it doesn’t rain I will walk every Saturday and Sunday morning and throw in my 30 minute walks during lunch again. Eventually I would like to add some evening walks and cycling when I return home!
What I have learned:
I need to be flexible with my exercise plan so that I do not abandon it completely when things go wrong. I need to find a better way of measuring my success besides weighing myself. I will keep up with the scale monthly just to monitor things.
CLM
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sept 19th Update!
The Good:
I have continued to walk before work and at lunch. I have reccently read two health books. The first is, "Making the Connection", by Bob Greene and Oprah Winfrey. This book talked about 10 steps to healthy living. The key concept was to exercise in the morning 5-7 days a week in the zone for 20-60 minutes and eat a low fat diet with atleast 5 fruits and vegetables and whole grain daily. You are asked to eat three meals plus two snacks and stop eating before you feel stuffed. This book was really nice, because it has Oprah's personal struggle and victory with weight during the time she ran the marathon! Go Oprah!
The second book I read was " The South Beach Diet", by Arthur Agatston. This book basically outlined a nutrition experiment performed by a cardiologist trying to find a way to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. Along the way he discovered that his patients were losing weight. The basic principals of the diet are that they are three phazes. On phaze one which last for 2 weeks you may eat healthy fats and vegetables that are low in sugar. The book provides a frobbidden foods (starches ie, potatos, corn, carrots, rice bread 99% of packaged goods and fruit). During phaze two which last until you reach your goal weight you may slowly add back healthy carbs like fruit and whole grains. During phaze three you may eat anything you want. You do not have to exercise while doing this plan. You may go back to phaze one if you slip at any time. They do have a second book, "Super Charged", which includes an exercise componet of daily interval trainning and strength trainning exercises. Thie diet seems like it would work well for a meat eater and a person with no aversion to eggs or diary, since the diet heavily relies on these foods.
I have attempted to adapt the diet to the vegeterian soul by using the principles of the diet rather than the menu and meal plan. Instead of eggs for breakfast yesterday I ate 16 walnuts ( your daily allowance) and a non-fat vanilla yogurt. I also added veggie burgers and with that adustment the diet seems to be ok for now. I am going to give this diet and run for 4 weeks since I don't have a meal plan right now anyway.
My first day:
The Ups!
I made it through breakfast, lunch and dinner sticking to the principles. I even had some fish and salad for dinner! I was not hunngry!
The Downs!
I stayed up late watching movies and ate a late snack of toostie roll candy and then to stop the bienge I went and at a few pieces of cheese and a sugar-free fudge pop and a sugar -free popsicle.
What I learned!
I definitely eat in response to things other than hunger and I have not found the cure to that! When I watch tv, stay up late, and stressed or depressed I eat. I need to work on this. I have been keeping a food journal and I have noticed I tend to start snacking as soon as I get home. I am winning the battle of temptation at work, saying no to the office cookie, drinking my water and sticking to my plan. When I get home I just let loose and destroy all my hard work! I need to fix this leak!!!!!!! I need to learn how to singnal my body that the fridge is closed for business and find another way to destress!
My progress:
Yikes spikes!!!!!!! I am back up to 246lbs! Now lets anaylze this shall we. I have been walking and I have been eating smaller portions, but I have not been eating well at night. According to Bob Greene sometimes our weight naturally fluctuates during the month. Oprah went through a pattern of lose a few pounds, gain some and then lose some each month. I also have to factor in water weight and that womens weight changes do to our cycle. I did feel discouraged when I looked at myself in the mirror the other day. I have to remember that it is all about the journey and that losing as much weight as I am going to lose will not happen over night. I need to focus on Daily Renewal (Bob Greene's lingo) and making sure that I am commited to wining daily.
Health Concens: All my test came back negative, but my weight is still putting my in grave danger. I am meeting with a nutritionist next month and I am continued to seek medical advice to see if there are foods I may be unable to digest properly. I have my doubts about wheat, soy and diary. I rely on these foods being a vegeterian. I may have to become some what of a vegan. Oh for those who a wondering I am a pescaterian. I eat fish occassionally. I reccently learned walnuts have omega 3 fatty acids so I may not need the fish as much. I am not a vegeterian my moral or social principles. I can relate to both meat eaters and vegeterians, I just choose not to eat meat.
Highlight of the journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last saturday I was invited to walk Harder Road a hill leading to the Cal State Hayward campus. This hill is no joke and when I was a student there I did the hill a few times. One day I walked the hill at noon in the Spring time and I actually had to lay down on the ground when I neared the top of the hill! Another time I was forced to walk from the bart station up to the campus because of a lack of funds. As I walked that hill I cursed the straw berry milk shake I ate and vowed not to drink them any more if I could just climb that hill. Fit or not that hill can take anybody out! So being out of shape and having only been walking the flats I was a little apprehensive to say the least. Early saturday morning it started rainning and I was so happy. At least it would not be hot! I met my friend and we mounted that hill and each step was intense as the incline grew gradually. When we neared the top I got dizzy and had to bend down and breath but I made it!!!!!!!!!!! We walked back down and did the whole thing in 35 mintues and we were in the zone the whole time!!!!!!!
A few thoughts!
Bob Greene talks about working out in the zone. He measured it by how hard you think you are working a whether you are breaking a sweat. I remember Volley ball and Basket Ball practice and pushing myself as hard as I could go. I also remeber the games when I was working hard, but never felt like it because the adrinelin was pumping. This is an old concept, but has me thinking about interval trainning and what I can do to make my workouts count!
The reasons I can't give up!
1. I am still not comfortable with my body
2. It is difficult to move around
3. I need more energy
4. I want to feel happy and free
5. I want to be able to wear normal clothes like pants and button-up shirts
6. I want to be healthy
7. I want to feel great!
Thats all for now folks! Until next time, "Don't give up, Keep moving forward, No turning back!"
CLM
I have continued to walk before work and at lunch. I have reccently read two health books. The first is, "Making the Connection", by Bob Greene and Oprah Winfrey. This book talked about 10 steps to healthy living. The key concept was to exercise in the morning 5-7 days a week in the zone for 20-60 minutes and eat a low fat diet with atleast 5 fruits and vegetables and whole grain daily. You are asked to eat three meals plus two snacks and stop eating before you feel stuffed. This book was really nice, because it has Oprah's personal struggle and victory with weight during the time she ran the marathon! Go Oprah!
The second book I read was " The South Beach Diet", by Arthur Agatston. This book basically outlined a nutrition experiment performed by a cardiologist trying to find a way to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. Along the way he discovered that his patients were losing weight. The basic principals of the diet are that they are three phazes. On phaze one which last for 2 weeks you may eat healthy fats and vegetables that are low in sugar. The book provides a frobbidden foods (starches ie, potatos, corn, carrots, rice bread 99% of packaged goods and fruit). During phaze two which last until you reach your goal weight you may slowly add back healthy carbs like fruit and whole grains. During phaze three you may eat anything you want. You do not have to exercise while doing this plan. You may go back to phaze one if you slip at any time. They do have a second book, "Super Charged", which includes an exercise componet of daily interval trainning and strength trainning exercises. Thie diet seems like it would work well for a meat eater and a person with no aversion to eggs or diary, since the diet heavily relies on these foods.
I have attempted to adapt the diet to the vegeterian soul by using the principles of the diet rather than the menu and meal plan. Instead of eggs for breakfast yesterday I ate 16 walnuts ( your daily allowance) and a non-fat vanilla yogurt. I also added veggie burgers and with that adustment the diet seems to be ok for now. I am going to give this diet and run for 4 weeks since I don't have a meal plan right now anyway.
My first day:
The Ups!
I made it through breakfast, lunch and dinner sticking to the principles. I even had some fish and salad for dinner! I was not hunngry!
The Downs!
I stayed up late watching movies and ate a late snack of toostie roll candy and then to stop the bienge I went and at a few pieces of cheese and a sugar-free fudge pop and a sugar -free popsicle.
What I learned!
I definitely eat in response to things other than hunger and I have not found the cure to that! When I watch tv, stay up late, and stressed or depressed I eat. I need to work on this. I have been keeping a food journal and I have noticed I tend to start snacking as soon as I get home. I am winning the battle of temptation at work, saying no to the office cookie, drinking my water and sticking to my plan. When I get home I just let loose and destroy all my hard work! I need to fix this leak!!!!!!! I need to learn how to singnal my body that the fridge is closed for business and find another way to destress!
My progress:
Yikes spikes!!!!!!! I am back up to 246lbs! Now lets anaylze this shall we. I have been walking and I have been eating smaller portions, but I have not been eating well at night. According to Bob Greene sometimes our weight naturally fluctuates during the month. Oprah went through a pattern of lose a few pounds, gain some and then lose some each month. I also have to factor in water weight and that womens weight changes do to our cycle. I did feel discouraged when I looked at myself in the mirror the other day. I have to remember that it is all about the journey and that losing as much weight as I am going to lose will not happen over night. I need to focus on Daily Renewal (Bob Greene's lingo) and making sure that I am commited to wining daily.
Health Concens: All my test came back negative, but my weight is still putting my in grave danger. I am meeting with a nutritionist next month and I am continued to seek medical advice to see if there are foods I may be unable to digest properly. I have my doubts about wheat, soy and diary. I rely on these foods being a vegeterian. I may have to become some what of a vegan. Oh for those who a wondering I am a pescaterian. I eat fish occassionally. I reccently learned walnuts have omega 3 fatty acids so I may not need the fish as much. I am not a vegeterian my moral or social principles. I can relate to both meat eaters and vegeterians, I just choose not to eat meat.
Highlight of the journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last saturday I was invited to walk Harder Road a hill leading to the Cal State Hayward campus. This hill is no joke and when I was a student there I did the hill a few times. One day I walked the hill at noon in the Spring time and I actually had to lay down on the ground when I neared the top of the hill! Another time I was forced to walk from the bart station up to the campus because of a lack of funds. As I walked that hill I cursed the straw berry milk shake I ate and vowed not to drink them any more if I could just climb that hill. Fit or not that hill can take anybody out! So being out of shape and having only been walking the flats I was a little apprehensive to say the least. Early saturday morning it started rainning and I was so happy. At least it would not be hot! I met my friend and we mounted that hill and each step was intense as the incline grew gradually. When we neared the top I got dizzy and had to bend down and breath but I made it!!!!!!!!!!! We walked back down and did the whole thing in 35 mintues and we were in the zone the whole time!!!!!!!
A few thoughts!
Bob Greene talks about working out in the zone. He measured it by how hard you think you are working a whether you are breaking a sweat. I remember Volley ball and Basket Ball practice and pushing myself as hard as I could go. I also remeber the games when I was working hard, but never felt like it because the adrinelin was pumping. This is an old concept, but has me thinking about interval trainning and what I can do to make my workouts count!
The reasons I can't give up!
1. I am still not comfortable with my body
2. It is difficult to move around
3. I need more energy
4. I want to feel happy and free
5. I want to be able to wear normal clothes like pants and button-up shirts
6. I want to be healthy
7. I want to feel great!
Thats all for now folks! Until next time, "Don't give up, Keep moving forward, No turning back!"
CLM
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Update Sept 5
The Good: I have offically lost two pounds. Hopefully it isn't just water weight. I walked for at least thirty minutes to 1 hour each day of this week. I went for a few walks before work and some during lunch time. I went to have some blood work done to check for thyroid or diabetes today.
The Bad: I ate all manner of junk food, sweets in particular.
The Ugly: I have not stuck to my Bike routine. I get busy after work and I go to bed to late for an am workout. I am still trying to develop and exercise routine, walking at lunch seems to work. I have not set up a real eating plan, because I have health problems with digestion and I need to figure out what I can and cannot eat.
The plan: I want to lose 5lbs per month. 3lbs to go for this month to reach my goal. I will post a perdiction chart and I will update my monthly weigh in. I am going to try the bike workout for 30 minutes from today until tuesday and then I will pick it up again from Thurday until Tuesday. I will only take Wedensday's off.
Thats all for now!!!!!!!!!
CLM
weight 245lbs
The Bad: I ate all manner of junk food, sweets in particular.
The Ugly: I have not stuck to my Bike routine. I get busy after work and I go to bed to late for an am workout. I am still trying to develop and exercise routine, walking at lunch seems to work. I have not set up a real eating plan, because I have health problems with digestion and I need to figure out what I can and cannot eat.
The plan: I want to lose 5lbs per month. 3lbs to go for this month to reach my goal. I will post a perdiction chart and I will update my monthly weigh in. I am going to try the bike workout for 30 minutes from today until tuesday and then I will pick it up again from Thurday until Tuesday. I will only take Wedensday's off.
Thats all for now!!!!!!!!!
CLM
weight 245lbs
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today is Sunday morning. I wanted to update my progress from Saturday and my plan for today. Yesterday I was not feeling well, so I did not get my walk in. I did drink a fruit smoothie for breakfast. I had some tortilla chips for a snack. I also ate about 5 peppermint candy, they helped with stopping my nauesa and dizzyness. I drank at least 32oz of water. I had a black bean salad and some potato salad for lunch. For dinner I had a veggie riblet and some rice. For dessert I had a slice of apple pie.
So far, this morning I had some fruit juice and a bagel for breakfast. I will try to make a bean salad for lunch and dinner and I will go shopping and prepare my food for this week. I will ride my bike for 30 minutes tonight!
Have a wonderday day!!!!!!!!
CLM
So far, this morning I had some fruit juice and a bagel for breakfast. I will try to make a bean salad for lunch and dinner and I will go shopping and prepare my food for this week. I will ride my bike for 30 minutes tonight!
Have a wonderday day!!!!!!!!
CLM
Friday, August 28, 2009
For the love of walking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On Saturdays I will walk 6 miles to break up the Bike routine. I love the way my legs feel after the bike, but I need to see nature and get air in my lungs atleast once a week. Another modification to my eating plan is an eating out guide!!!!!!!!!
1. Only order water
2. fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice are approved
3. Grilled fish with vegetables
4. All vegetable sub with dressing no larger than a six inch
5. whole black bean and rice burrito, hold the sour cream and chips!
Need to add these safe guards!!!!!!!1
The dessert clause : I am allowed i small cup of sherbet a night or a fruit-cup, or a popsicle that is all fruit or low in sugar. I can have fresh fruit any time!!!!!!!!!1
CLM
1. Only order water
2. fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice are approved
3. Grilled fish with vegetables
4. All vegetable sub with dressing no larger than a six inch
5. whole black bean and rice burrito, hold the sour cream and chips!
Need to add these safe guards!!!!!!!1
The dessert clause : I am allowed i small cup of sherbet a night or a fruit-cup, or a popsicle that is all fruit or low in sugar. I can have fresh fruit any time!!!!!!!!!1
CLM
The Plan
I will update my blog at least every friday!!!!!!!!
So here is the plan for September!!!!!!!!
Exercise
Everyday except Wed
Bike while watching one episode of the Cosby Show aprox, 30 minutes.
10 crunchies, 5 reps of 5 sets of curls and raises with 3lb weight.
Food
Meal one : 8am 1 yoplait light, 1/2 cup fiber one and a table spoon dried fruit
Meal two : 11am pb&j or veggie burger and a fruit-cup
Meal three: 2pm 1 yoplait light, 1/2 cup fiber one and a table spoon dried fruit
Meal four: follow weekly schedule
1. haystack( aka taco salad, lettuce, tomato, black beans and five tortilla chips) Ceaser free dressing
2. baked potato with broccoli
3. red beans, brown rice and greens
4. haystack
5. pasta with red sauce and grillers crumbles and a green salad
6. Navy beans, string beans and potatos
7. haystack
8. Tuna sandwhich
9. Black eye peas, greens and rice
10. haystack
* I will shop and cook and plan the meal for the entire week on saturday's!!!!!!!!!
Note: I do not count calories although I will eat smaller portions!!!!!!!! The goal is to eat healthy, as long as I stay away from junk and follow the eating plan I should be okay.
I will weight myself at the end of every month! My true measuring stick is this old pair of black pants in a size 16. When I can fit them I know I am doing right!!!!!!!!!!
So here is the plan for September!!!!!!!!
Exercise
Everyday except Wed
Bike while watching one episode of the Cosby Show aprox, 30 minutes.
10 crunchies, 5 reps of 5 sets of curls and raises with 3lb weight.
Food
Meal one : 8am 1 yoplait light, 1/2 cup fiber one and a table spoon dried fruit
Meal two : 11am pb&j or veggie burger and a fruit-cup
Meal three: 2pm 1 yoplait light, 1/2 cup fiber one and a table spoon dried fruit
Meal four: follow weekly schedule
1. haystack( aka taco salad, lettuce, tomato, black beans and five tortilla chips) Ceaser free dressing
2. baked potato with broccoli
3. red beans, brown rice and greens
4. haystack
5. pasta with red sauce and grillers crumbles and a green salad
6. Navy beans, string beans and potatos
7. haystack
8. Tuna sandwhich
9. Black eye peas, greens and rice
10. haystack
* I will shop and cook and plan the meal for the entire week on saturday's!!!!!!!!!
Note: I do not count calories although I will eat smaller portions!!!!!!!! The goal is to eat healthy, as long as I stay away from junk and follow the eating plan I should be okay.
I will weight myself at the end of every month! My true measuring stick is this old pair of black pants in a size 16. When I can fit them I know I am doing right!!!!!!!!!!
The Begining!
Yesterday I got on the new scale I purchased and to my utter disbelief it read that I was 247lbs. I was so shocked and embarrased. I wanted to start a blog about my journey to get healthy. I had begun writing before I weighed myself when I thought I was 230lbs. I was so sad about the news that I was 17lbs heavier that I erased everything I wrote and was going to chicken out of doing a blog. Instead of being depressed I am starting over. I chose to blog my journey, because I know that it will keep me accountable!
So let me back up and tell you how I arrived at my present condition and tell you a little about myself.
For starters I am a twenty-five year old, African-American woman residing in the Bay Area. I reccently graduated Cal State East Bay with a degee in Ethnic Studies. I am a Bay Area native, al though I do have tons of family that live in Louisiana. I feel like my whole college experience was about getting to know myself and now I am on a journey to love myself, get healthy and enjoy my beauty. I am not the best grammar student in the world, but I will attempt to make my blog readable. Forgive any mistakes along the way.
So, here is a little of my body history. I was a normal weight baby and an active child playing jump rope and tag daily. I was addicted!!!!!! When I entered high school I played a ton of sports, including ; volley ball, basket ball, batminton and I ran cross county. My average weight was 145lbs and I am 5ft 3inches. I started gaining weight in college, do to inactivity and a pizza habit. During my senior year in college I started walking and I was able to get down to 150lbs and a size 12 by graduation in June of 2008.
The victory was short lived, because I began eating candy and cracker snacks at my job in a poor response to stress. I stopped walking, because of bad weather and I did not adopt an indoor routine. I started eating ice cream and pizza again and by January of 2009 I was back up to 200lbs. I got depressed and the weight kept piling on. By August of 2009 I weight a total of 247lbs and am now a size 24.
This is a blog about my journey to get healthy. My goal is to start a daily exercise program and adopt healthy eating habits. I aim to kick my sugar addiction and my habit of eating when I am stressed. Goodbye, (French fries, grilled cheese, taco bell, pizza and ice cream)! By making these changes I hope to get back to a healthy weight range and dress size. The rewards I am most looking forward to is having my energy back!!!!!!!!!!!! Cute clothes wouldn't hurt either. The biggest obstacle in my way is food. I love exercise and just bought an exercise bike and free weights so that kicks the bad weather excuse. I just need to come up with a daily routine. I have no idea how I am going to tackle the food thing, but this is the begining of my journey. Stay tuned as I figure it out!!!!!!!!!!
Carolyn aka CLM
So let me back up and tell you how I arrived at my present condition and tell you a little about myself.
For starters I am a twenty-five year old, African-American woman residing in the Bay Area. I reccently graduated Cal State East Bay with a degee in Ethnic Studies. I am a Bay Area native, al though I do have tons of family that live in Louisiana. I feel like my whole college experience was about getting to know myself and now I am on a journey to love myself, get healthy and enjoy my beauty. I am not the best grammar student in the world, but I will attempt to make my blog readable. Forgive any mistakes along the way.
So, here is a little of my body history. I was a normal weight baby and an active child playing jump rope and tag daily. I was addicted!!!!!! When I entered high school I played a ton of sports, including ; volley ball, basket ball, batminton and I ran cross county. My average weight was 145lbs and I am 5ft 3inches. I started gaining weight in college, do to inactivity and a pizza habit. During my senior year in college I started walking and I was able to get down to 150lbs and a size 12 by graduation in June of 2008.
The victory was short lived, because I began eating candy and cracker snacks at my job in a poor response to stress. I stopped walking, because of bad weather and I did not adopt an indoor routine. I started eating ice cream and pizza again and by January of 2009 I was back up to 200lbs. I got depressed and the weight kept piling on. By August of 2009 I weight a total of 247lbs and am now a size 24.
This is a blog about my journey to get healthy. My goal is to start a daily exercise program and adopt healthy eating habits. I aim to kick my sugar addiction and my habit of eating when I am stressed. Goodbye, (French fries, grilled cheese, taco bell, pizza and ice cream)! By making these changes I hope to get back to a healthy weight range and dress size. The rewards I am most looking forward to is having my energy back!!!!!!!!!!!! Cute clothes wouldn't hurt either. The biggest obstacle in my way is food. I love exercise and just bought an exercise bike and free weights so that kicks the bad weather excuse. I just need to come up with a daily routine. I have no idea how I am going to tackle the food thing, but this is the begining of my journey. Stay tuned as I figure it out!!!!!!!!!!
Carolyn aka CLM
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