DAY 3!!!

So, it's really day 330-something of my new lifestyle quest.  Yes, it has almost been a year already--can ya believe it?!?!?

For me at this moment, it feels more like day 3.  Ya see, somehow I let myself fall into a rut resembling a giant vat of excuses.  None of them particularly solid, inventive, witty excuses.  Just plain old half hearted "reasons" why it was justified for me to take a break from the program that I uprooted my whole life for.

My trek out of the rut began with a call to my mom a few days ago.  This "discussion" kicked off with a lengthy confession (on my part) and loud chiding (on hers).  It was JUST what I needed, and JUST why I called.

And now my (rather robust) ass is back in gear (again).  And I am genuinely, desperately hopeful that it will stay there.

My low is 61 lbs down....and I am clamoring to get past that number.  Well, at least I have been clamoring for the last 3 days.  Prior to that, I was eating a vat of Halloween candy almost as large as my vat of excuses.

Where the Hell Have I Been?!?

Excellent question.  Less excellent answer.

I'm right here.  And for a time I was doing everything but focusing on the "new" lifestyle plan.

My excuses have excuses.

But bottom line is the facts are the facts.

I am less than proud to admit that I had gained back 8 lbs of the 61 lbs I had lost.

I have since lost 5 lbs, so I'm currently 3 lbs from my lowest weight.

That's the good news.

The other news is that I "should" be down 110 lbs by now.  Yes, I said 110.

So, I'm a bit off pace.

BUT, I've regained focus and recommitted.

And to celebrate I elliptical-ed for 45 minutes today--an all time Aryn high.

Here we go (AGAIN)!

Calamity Jane

My incredible boyfriend has taken to calling me Calamity Jane.  I'm guessing that it may be on account of the uncanny number of items that have gone awry in the house since my arrival a mere 2 months ago:

-Minor middle of the night toilet flooding incident (may I add that I saved the day on this one by hearing the gusher at 3am...boyfriend would likely point out that I caused the issue to begin with)
-Sprinkler system leak
-Gigunda driveway crack
-Not so minor water pipe leak (I dug a giant hole in 100+ degree heat in an effort to save the day; ends up the hole wasn't exactly in the right place)
-Entry way concrete upheaval
-Kitchen sink garbage disposal explosion (it was grrroooossssss)
-Shower soap dish shattering
-Bathroom faux-drawer face accidental removal (what is the point of a false drawer?!?)

Truth is, I had a hand in only roughly 25% of these incidents....

In similarly catastrophic news, just as I am mostly recovered from my back tweak, I find myself with a raging cold.  I clearly am not meant to cardio this week (or last, for that matter).

Can I Get a What What!?!

Exciting times:

-Down 3.4 pounds last week.  61 total.  Finally out of the rut and back in the game (I think).
-Found myself on the elliptical this am for the first time in 8 days. Managed to get through the whole workout despite my busted (but improving) back.
-Wore my skinny-skinny jeans on Sunday night.  The jeans that I haven't fit into in 4+ yrs.  And I looked damn good!
-Mostly stuck to the plan on Sunday for Mexican food sans blowing the week.  Managed to work a lo-cal mojito into the plan.  Came in a dozen or so points under for the day--big save!

Big smiles...huge!

A Precarious Position

Well, I've managed to put myself in a pickle this week--a points pickle.

Here's the scenario:
-I ate my way to -5 points for the week, going into Sunday.  This means I've downed 5 more than my allowable weekly and activity points.  The goal is to have weekly/ activity points remaining---or at least be even.
-In an attempt to salvage the week, I walked the 5 points off this am.  Normally, this would leave me just ducky, as I only have to stay within my 43 daily points today to call this week a "success".
-This is soooo not that kind of day.  I've committed to going to one of my fave upscale Mexican restos for dinner.  One that specializes in fancy margaritas and delicioso fajitas.
-To compound things, my fabulous boyfriend has a ton (like 80+) weekly/ activity points left, so he is free and clear for dinner tonight.

UH OH.

My options:
-Say "fuck it".
-Show supreme restraint.

The early decision is to go with the latter.  I am currently planning to have a grilled shrimp salad and a mere 12 tortilla chips.  Sounds yummy.  Ok, not at all--but--sometimes you just gotta suck it up and make a good choice.

May the force be with me.

My Superstar Boyfriend

My boyfriend has taken to this Weight Watchers thing like a champ!

He has been counting his points for every morsel that enters his mouth---even when he big time transgresses.  And has kicked my ass with the activity points--you know, by working out every day this week...sometimes twice.  You should see how effective he has become at "guilting while not guilting" me into good choices.  And encouraging us to eat at home instead of going to Houston Resto Month every night of the week.   When he is having a bad day and I offer to go out and snag him something sinful, he politely yet pointedly declines.  And when we do go out for Mexican food he manages to have a salad no dressing instead of the 2 margaritas, quesadilla, and mountain of chips that seem to sneak their way into my mouth.

All of this while maintaining full time employment. ;-)

Yay and Boo

So, last week I dropped 1.6 pounds.  And I'm thrilled.

I know that being pleased seems odd, since I formerly was averaging 4lbs or so a week.  But as of late I've been in the < 1 pound range....soooooo 1.6lbs seems like a win to me.

In the loss column is my poor busted back. Not quite sure how I did it--somewhere in between the leg press and the lunges.

Thus I haven't been able to work out since Monday.  Bitter sweet.  I mean, I HATE working out...but I also hate the thought that my ass is expanding due to lack of activity.

So, tomorrow I will go to the trainer.  And get this back, back on track.

Wish me luck!

The Thing About Weekends

The thing about weekends is that they can undo your entire week.  Blow it to smithereens--like your 5 days of do-gooding never existed in the first place.

At least, that's what  I hear.

I'd imagine that it could happen if you, for example, make a hasty decision that Houston Resto Month is absolutely positively not to be missed.  Twice.

Or maybe if you were to host a last minute grilling (and drinking) Sunday bash.  A soiree that includes cupcakes--double oreo and cream cupcakes.

Or perhaps if you were to eat an entire slice of red velvet cake for Sunday breakfast under the guise of having made it to the gym 6 days this week.

I feel for the person who had that kind of weekend.....

Utter Frustration

I was so perturbed after my run in with the Weight Watchers scale on Monday that I couldn't bring myself to write yesterday.

All of last week's effort resulted in a whopping .6 (point six) pound loss.  Uber lame.  No idea why.

Rather coincidentally, the meeting topic was what to do when you feel like you're stuck.

Yup, that's me.  A 3 pound loss in 4 weeks=S-T-U-C-K.

So, here's the plan to get outta my rut:
-Eat all daily points; leave weekly and activity untouched
-Limit my fruit/ veggies to the recommended 7 servings per day (as opposed to constant gorging on fruit)
-Drink 8 glasses of water per day
-Work out a minimum of 8 times per week (I'm really going for 2 times per day x 6 days, but will settle for 8 times total)

2 days into my new strategy, things seem to be going well.  I've done all of the above successfully since the beginning of the week.  It's a total pain in the ass.

GOD HELP ME THIS WORKS.

Pat on the Back

I am gonna go ahead and give myself a giant pat on the back.

This weekend was a toughy.  Boyfriend's family was in town all weekend.  And the primary activity is generally very gastronomically focused.

I could bore you with a sob story detailing each and every heart wrenching eating decision I had to make. How I went to a baseball game and only had three sips of a diet soda.  That the house smelled like bacon all weekend; bacon that never touched these lips.  But I'll give ya the cliff's notes version: aryn= success (this week, anyway).  I ended the week with 31 (of 49) weekly points leftover and earned an additional 28 activity points that I didn't touch.  Yahoo!

God help me this will pay off at tomorrow's weigh in.  Pretty freakin please.

Grrrrrrr......

I am frustrated with myself.

The long and the short is that I clearly am a much better planner in my professional life than I am in my personal life.

The long and the long is that I put myself in a pickle.  I had planned allllll day to have one of my fave diet friendly eating out meals this evening--turkey burger with avocado and black beans.  However, by the time I got to dinner I had eaten my way into a WW point corner.  I had only enough daily points for the burger.  No avocado.  I had to miss out on the BEST part.  And am bummed.

I am fully aware that this is a pretty silly conundrum.  Gotsta take pleasure in the small things, ja know!

Oh, and I lost 1.2 pounds last week.  Not huge, but not so bad considering my weekend performance.

Oh What a Night (Weekend)

Last weekend was the most amazing weekend of my life.  And I'm not particularly exaggerating.  No, really.  Just an uber special weekend.

Last weekend was also an eating failure--both boyfriend and I ate and ate.  Not so good.

We have great excuses--we were at a wedding that boyfriend was a groomsman in so we didn't choose the food.  We had to have a piece of wedding cake--after all, it is tradition.  We were on vacation!
Etc., etc.

Truth is, I am utterly responsible for how I ate.  The frustrating part is, I'm pretty sure I undid the 4 days that I busted my ass last week to move the needle.

Truth also is, that I wouldn't give up last weekend for anything.  

Ass Kicking

In the last 24 hours the following have kicked my ass:

-Weight Watchers: The sad, pathetic, depressing bottom line from last week is a POINT TWO pound loss. Yup, you read it right.  Worked out 6 times, stayed under my weekly points, didn't booze it even once....big sigh.

-Kickboxing: Definitely kicked my ass, but I most certainly kicked back.  If ya haven't tried it, you absolutely should!

-My shins: It's not a great sign to wake up in the middle of the night with screaming shins.

-Zumba: In case there was ever a question as to whether I have rhythm, there has been a definitive answer--I possess no rhythm whatsoever.  Zero. Zilch.  Nada.

-My boyfriend's WW effort: My boyfriend joined Weight Watchers in show of solidarity.  What a swell guy!  In the last 4 days, he's down 4 pounds.  Mind you, this is while eating pie, Wendy's, and ice cream to ensure he uses all his points.  Good for him.

One Step Forward

Well, it's almost my weekly D-day....Monday...Weight Watchers day.

And I have reason to be hopeful that this week's results will leave last week in the dust:
-I worked out 6 out of 7 days.  Haven't done that in at least 3 months.  And I feel it in every muscle fiber.
-I came in under my weekly points and managed to rack up 28 activity points-- the latter remained untouched.  Better than last week, but not perfect.  Need to stay away from those weekly points.  I remember it being easier to do.  I dunno.
-A drop of booze did not touch my lips.  Boring, I know. But good.
-Managed to drop my trips to the scale down from 6 or so times a day to every other day-ish.

So, manana we shall see.

Four for Four

Outside of the whole point 6 pound weight loss issue, this week started in grand fashion.

I am 4 for 4 in workout sessions--it's Thursday, and I've gone to the gym (and worked out) every day.  Haven't done that in what feels like eons--and is really three months.

In the vein of patting myself on the back, I went to Mexican yesterday (boo) and came out unscathed (yay).  I counted and recorded each and every chip that went into my mouth.  And had just chicken fajita meat and pico--no tortillas, no sour cream, no rice and beans.  BUENO!

Going into the weekend, I have the vast majority of my weekly points at my disposal and have earned a pretty healthy number of activity points.  We will see if I can manage to not blow my week, a la last weekend.

I'd better make it, as I have a fair amount of ground to make up.  I'm currently sitting at a 54 lb loss--"should be" closer to 80 by now.

Onward.

ARGH

Lost .6..yes point 6 lbs last week.  The equivalent of a big shit.

Sucks.

I felt sufficiently deprived all week, so I truly expected better results.

The reality of the week is a bit different.

Truth is:

-I exceeded my daily point allotment 4 of 7 days.  Not awesome.
-I ended the week 72 points over where I shoulda been.  That's almost two days worth of points.
-I worked out once.  Yup, I said it.
-At the beginning of the week I vowed to stave off the booze.  Yeah, well...I had no fewer than 9 drinks.  Oops.

So, basically, I got what I deserved.

Closing Time!

Well, it's my last official day at Live Nation.

Which means it's also my last official day of having an excuse to not do cardio. Yup, my laziness has come to a not so abrupt end.  It is time to get this metabolism rollin again.

Especially important as there seems to be a lot of toasting going on today.  Toasting my time at the company, toasting my leaving the company, toasting the rain, toasting to drinking at 3pm, toasting just to toast, etc, etc.

Shaping up to be a veeeerrrry tempting weekend.  Which generally translates into an insanely fun weekend.  Unsure how it will play out on the scale.  That's where the real trouble starts.

Go go willpower!!!

Skinny Jeans

Today I am wearing my skinny jeans--from 4 years ago..you know, the last time I made a real run at this weight loss thing.

Here's the wacky part.  Though I am sporting my skinny jeans, I feel decidedly fat in them.  Which is odd, b/c I weigh less now than I did 4 years ago when I thought I was a super hot in these jeans.  The weirder thing still, is that when I look back at pictures I look waaaaay thinner then than I do now--though I am definitively lighter currently.

Also odd are my recent trips to the scale.  Yes, trip(S)..as in plural.  When I weighed myself this morning I was 4 lbs thinner than I was 8 hours earlier.  Perhaps I am sleep walking--on the treadmill.

That MUST be it. 

If only....

Flat

Flat is the word of the day.  And sadly, I am not referring to my stomach area.

Flat= My weight loss.  Last week, despite reasonable efforts, my weight remained flat.  Maddening.

Flat= My mood.  I'm clearly in a rut this week.  Dunno why, really.  I need some umph!

Flat= My hair.  The humidity this summer is a killer.  Save me San Francisco!

Flat= The soda I am drinking.  Opened it before a 4 hour long meeting--drinking it now.  Ill planning.

Flat= My portfolio.  When, oh when, is the market gonna reach 14k?!?

Ok, reaching on that last one.

Anyhow, you get my point.

Old Habits Die Hard

Got some news today that makes me want to eat and drink myself into blissful oblivion.

In the scheme of life, the "big" news is no big deal.  But it's definitely something that would generally trigger some poor choices.

There will be none of that today.  No room for cheating.  I'm a little over a third of the way to my goal  and I must stay on track.  Focused.  Head in the game.

Last week is a toss up--was in a few situations in which food got the best of me.  Stayed within my allotted points overall tho, which I guess is a win.  Will see today at the big weigh in.

To be continued.......