Getting Back on the Horse

I stepped back on the treadmill this evening.  Then I stepped off.

 

Just kidding!!!

 

I decided it was time to see how my foot would hold up, and how I would hold up.  I decided the best way to start was to start over.  So I am restarting Couch to 5k from the beginning. 

 

Week 1, Day 1 is a 5 minute walking warm-up followed by eight one-minute runs with 1 1/2 minutes walking in between each run.  I could feel the pull in my legs, but in a good way.  My foot held up and the runs weren't as bad as I had pictured in my head.   As per my Fitbit Force, I burned 238 calories so I am happy with my first time results.

 

I referred to my Fitbit Force there.  I love it so far, but it wasn't always love.  In my previous post I mentioned that I received one as a Christmas gift and I was super excited, however the band was too large and we returned it and ordered a smaller one off of Amazon.  It finally arrived last Tuesday, but sadly, it didn't work.  It wouldn't turn on, it wouldn't even charge.  I requested an exchange, and Amazon was to ship me a new one and upgraded me to next-day shipping at no charge.  Well, they accidentally sent two!  And it's a good thing they did.  The first new one charged and turned on but would not connect to my computer or iPhone.  I spent quite some time trying to get it to work and was getting really frustrated.  Finally, I opened the second one.  It charged and it connected to my computer and iPhone.  Honestly, if they hadn't sent me two, it would have been returned and I would have chosen another type of monitor.  I'm glad I was able to finally get one to work though, but I will definitely keep a copy of my packing slip as proof-of-purchase just in case!

One Pound Means So Much

One-sixty-eight.  It took almost four months to get here from 169, but I really did struggle in the months since reaching 169.  The last week has felt "easy" again, so maybe I can start making some additional progress toward my ultimate goal of 160.  I have said before that you have to be ready to make the changes, and I guess this time I am.  Only time will tell, so we will see how things are going in a couple of weeks. 

My Fitbit did not come on Friday, so Amazon refunded my express shipping charge as they had shipped it too late in the day to make it here on time.  I would definitely say they have great customer service.  I had hoped to have the weekend to figure it out, but no such luck.  Oh well, maybe next weekend.

I did receive my new olive-oil sprayer on Friday.  I have missed my sprayer.  My old one had stopped working properly and I kept forgetting to look for a new one so I purchased one for $9.99 off Amazon and I love it.  I'm not sure if I have ever recommended purchasing an olive-oil sprayer before, but I really do recommend it.  It is so much better than a canned non-stick spray, and you use so much less oil than if you were to pour the oil directly into the pan.  I also use it when I'm cooking meat that needs to be turned in the oven (like my chicken wings), and to spray homemade oven-fries to keep the fat content light and to make them crispy.  It's the small things that keep me happy! (And the small things that keep it healthy!) Just make sure you follow the directions for proper spray.

 

 



Happy New Year!

As the New Year begins, I am already committed to getting back on track.  I started this past Saturday, minus another holiday celebration on Monday.  The good days will out-weigh the bad always now.  It will be time to start getting some exercise in again too.  I'm not sure how my foot will handle running but I do plan on giving it a try very soon. 

I asked for a Fitbit for Christmas, and I received a Fitbit Force (even better).  Unfortunately, the band was a size large, and I require a small.  It has been returned as there are apparently no smalls available anywhere, I never realized it was such a popular product.  I was so sad that I was not going to be able to play with my new toy as that was part of my motivation.  However, I was able to find it on Amazon, yay!  I even paid for express shipping so hopefully I will receive it on Friday. 

I promise that I won't stop by to write every day as my posts are not exciting enough to ever warrant that.  I do hope to stop by and visit when I can with news of how things are coming along.  Remember, if it was easy, then everyone would do it.  Don't let those road-blocks stop your own journey in its' tracks, just consider it a detour.

Just Stopping By. . .

Dear Blogger,

I have been absent, I know.  I have been maintaining though.  Exercise is almost non-existent, food has been more naughty than usual but still usually controlled.  I must figure out the next path to take on this journey.  Christmas is coming so I may be detoured for a little longer, but I'll get back eventually.

I am lucky.  I have friends that inspire me.  I've seen some of their journeys (via social media) and they don't know it, but it reminds me of where I'm going and that I am not alone.  My lovely coworker (the one who gave me the flowers) is the most inspiring. Her achievements and her continued commitment to her own weight loss remind me to remain committed to keeping my own weight off.  There are also a few people that I grew up with, some more open with their achievements than others, but still it reminds me that I can do it too (maybe not quite to the same level as some, but that's my choice).

My New Years' resolution will be to get my ass back in gear.  I know it's a few weeks away, but I know that's what I want so I can say it now.  For now, I will wish you all a Merry Christmas (no political correctness here)! 

 

The Two Me's

I have discovered that there are two "Me's" happening.  The first "Me" is the semi-healthy Me who knows how great she feels after a run (or other exercise).  She knows the "high" that comes with it. Then there's the other "Me".  She's the lazy-Me.  The one who prefers to sit her tired ass on the couch.  Currently, that lazy-Me is winning.  Lazy-Me is beating the semi-healthy Me to death with a stick (metaphorically, of coarse).  Lazy-me is quite happy sitting on the couch, and semi-healthy me is letting her win.

I know I haven't been around here much, and I truly apologize.  I should be keeping this up to date but again, Lazy-Me is winning.  I would like to say that in terms of the food I have been eating there have been bad and good days.  I haven't gained weight but I'm pretty sure that as long as I'm not gaining the Lazy-Me will keep winning for a while at least.  I am hopeful that if I do notice a gain that the semi-healthy me will be back to kick Lazy-Me's ass!

Unsolicited Advice on How to Dine-Out

And now for some advice that you didn't ask for (but since you are reading this blog, maybe it interests you).

How to dine-out successfully (or semi-successfully)

If you know in advance that you are going out to a particular restaurant for a meal, go to their website and find the nutrition section.  Pick your meal from there so you know what you should order when you get to the restaurant.  Pay attention to the starters and sides too.

If you want to start with a salad, a simple garden salad is usually the best choice depending on the dressing, so check out what choices the restaurant offers and the nutritional info.  Check out the soups too, sometimes the choices have less calories than the salad with dressing.

 

Check out the side dishes in advance too.  Side dish choices sometimes vary at some restaurants depending on the day or season.  I suggest being aware of several so that if the one you want is unavailable you will still be able to make an educated alternate choice.

Beware of  buns, biscuits, and breadsticks!!!  For example, a Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit has 150 calories and 8 grams of fat.  I can't resist them so I do sometimes have a second one but I am very aware of the extra calories this adds to my meal.  A breadstick at the Olive Garden has 140 calories and 2 grams of fat.  If you can resist the bread choices, even better, but one of my goals in this journey is to not feel deprived so I factor the bread choice into my meal and because I am planning my meal in advance I can factor my choices into my overall day!

I hope this helps you, I know it helps me.  I won't lie though, sometimes if I'm going out, I let that day be my "bad" day for the week.  However, I have noticed that I can't even eat as much "bad" stuff as I used too.  I get too full!  (And if you didn't get the chance to preplan your meal because of last-minute plans, search the app-store on your smart phone for a restaurant nutrition guide to keep on your device just-in-case.)

One Step Back

I have been neglecting my posting duties.  I probably had stuff to say but between life and sometimes laziness, I haven't stopped by to write.

You know that saying that goes you take two steps forward and one step back? Well, I'm taking that step back right now and I'm here to say that it's okay if that happens.  As long as you remember to step forward again.  I have been unmotivated and I have been letting myself make bad choices.  I knew that I would be miserable if I didn't let myself take this step back and I knew it would pass.  I have already decided that I need to get my ass back in gear on Tuesday as that will mark two weeks from my last run.

I'm sure I have mentioned before that even when I'm bad, I'm not horribly bad. I am always conscious of what I'm eating, the portion, and the overall amount of bad choices I make in a day.  I will never sit down with a big bag of chips again, I will never take more than two cookies, although I might eat the whole chocolate bar instead of half (but I haven't).  Most importantly, I am aware of the consequences of my decisions.

So when you "slip" or "cheat" or "fall off the food wagon" or whatever you want to call it, remember that you can choose to get past those bad choices and go forward again.  I have used this illustration earlier in my blog but it's always good to remember. . .

Thanks for reading, and I will try to stop by a little sooner next time!