Weekly Check-In

Alright... so here is the nitty gritty truth of the matter... I've done well!  Food is my go to thing for when I am sad, happy, stressed or feel overwhelmed.  I'm an emotional eater to the n-th degree.  And there has been all of the above in the past 3 days.  And one day I almost posted a plea blog for a solution to wanting to drown my sorrows in chocolate and wine... but I sucked it up and didn't do it.

Here is how it broke down:

I didn't add any additional sugar to my teas or anything else I had.

I did let myself have a cookie when I felt like my day was crap and I wanted a treat (best part?  I didn't go for the second one or the other offered treats from friends).

I didn't add salt to anything I ate (and I ate boiled eggs... plain... not bad)

I did NOT work out.  My back decided it hate me on Thursday night and I've been slowly stretching it out ever since... maybe a little pool time later today if I think I can handle it.

I did monitor my portions (except for last night when I got to go to a friend's house for a Diwali feast... but I did abstain from booze during the event).

I avoided fried foods altogether, even when a quick meal from a fast food joint seemed like it would be so much easier.

Through the whole time of saying no to most treats (I did have that cookie and dessert last night... deliciousness) and in choosing healthier foods I NEVER ONCE felt deprived or like I was on a diet.  That is SUCCESS right there.  Limiting simple things and just making better choices is easier than forbidding things for forever from my life.

Let's hope the next week sees me continuing to succeed and to even hit the gym and time or 3!!

New Goals

Okay... clearly I've been trying and failing for quite some time now.  So, now it's time to get serious.  I think I've just not been ready. And by that I mean that I kept ignoring the information that my body was telling me.  I was ignoring the pain in my back and hips from carrying all the extra weight (I have been wearing the same size for 3 or 4 years but it's not about the gain, it's about the wear and tear).  I was ignoring the headaches from eating foods that weren't good for me.  I was ignoring how much I hated looking in the mirror or at pictures.  But no longer.  I know I may have said that before but I'm really and truly done with looking and feeling the way that I do.  So it's time for a change and I am the only one who can make that change.

Here are the goals I am making:

1. Run a 10 km race in under 1 1/2 hours (I'm slow but that time would be quick for me)

2. Walk/jog a 1/2 marathon

3. Work out 3-4 times a week

4. Avoid fried, fast or processed foods (this is going to mean less or no drinking)

5. Absolutely no added sugar (going to use honey or agave syrup instead), no added salt


Okay... I think we will start with those 5 goals.  I've already stopped adding sugar to anything and I don't even miss it.  I still use salt sometimes but I think it will be easy to give that up as I don't really need to add it most of the time.  I've walked a 5 km race just recently and was able to do well with that so I think training for and running/walking to other two is doable.  The hard goals for me will be avoiding the fried or fast foods (had fried, fast food for dinner... made it my last meal of that sort), it will also be hard for me to push to do the workouts.  I just get so lazy once I get home... I think I'm going to start packing my workout gear to school and changing there before hopping the train home... that way I can go straight to the gym when I come home... it's the going upstairs to change first that kills the workout mojo.  But if I'm already changed when I get on the train, there is no reason to go upstairs.

Okay... I know that there are literally 3 readers but I'm really going to need your support, help and accountability push to help me complete these goals.  Also, let me know what would be some good timelines for the races... when should I have those completed by?

Finally Getting Back on Track

I don't know if you are like me at all but I'm one of those people who needs the fear of failing in order to get back on track in pretty much ALL areas of my life. And this is most true when it comes to my health and well-being. 
Since moving to Singapore I've begun to set a few goals for myself (working out at least 3 times a week, swim as often as I can and learn some new sports) in regards to fitness and health.  In order to ensure that I would actually work out at least 3 times a week, I signed up for the Great Eastern Women's Run 5K.  It's smaller than what I was doing before my knee injury and surgery but I know it's what I need in order to get back on track.  I hit the elliptical yesterday in the gym and was pleased with my cardio but once I switched to the treadmill I could tell that I had a LOT of work to do once impact was thrown into the game.  I've also started doing yoga in the mornings that I go to work and it's been an awesome way to get my blood going and my morning started.  Finally I've started swimming almost daily in the pool that is downstairs.    So I feel like I'm off to a good start for my fitness goals... I've even been given the opportunity to learn to play Gaelic football, ultimate frisbee, and field hockey. I'm excited to have all these opportunities to learn new sports and find new ways to make my body better. 
So that's where I am in the

Successes and Failures...

I think that choosing a healthier lifestyle is full of ups and downs, successes and failures.  I'm just beginning my journey (again) and I've already experienced both.  I weighed myself when I first got home (260 lbs... failure) and again this morning (3 weeks later: 262.5.... success of a sort since I didn't mind my diet or really workout at all).  I've successfully kept sugar out of my coffee (one of my short term goals that is now becoming a long term goal with an extension to tea). I've failed to eat small portions or even healthful choices.  These are things to take on in my next chapter as I move to Singapore.  Just like I removed sugar from my hot beverages, I'm going to removed packaged sweets from my diet.  Eventually I'd like to remove at least 75% of all packaged foods if I can. And I'd like to add more workout time into my life again.   But we'll see.  Let's keep moving one little success at a time.  There will always be failures but as long as I don't allow that to derail me completely, then that will be okay. 

Another Day... Better Choices

While I am still struggling to make the best choices for my meals and exercise, I made some better ones today.  Today, I chose a iced green tea over an iced latte or frappucino. I chose a shrimp (not fried) and spinach salad over a burger, sweet potato fries over regular fries.  I also chose sushi over fried foods.  Portion control is still a problem as is regular exercise.  One step and day at a time, right?

AM Good.... PM Bad

I started out good this morning... I measured my cereal and almond milk.  I had blueberries with it and I went for a walk... then I got to my destination, walked with my friend and then ate fried food and gelato... *sigh* and then I walked home, went to another friend's house and had coffee (no sugar!!!) and a piece of pie... came home to a delicious and healthy dinner and then promptly had cake for dessert... *sigh* Tomorrow I'll start well again and see what else I can do to do well throughout the day.  Hoping it's better than today.

New Lows...

...or highs as the case may be. I'm on summer vacation and I've really just let things slide. Actually if I'm being honest, I've been letting things slide since my knee injury and especially right around the surgery and recovery time. I'm at an all time high in my measurements and weight. I simply can't wait around any more to get started with being healthy. I don't know if I want to take huge drastic steps all at once because when I do that I seem to set myself more for failure than I do for success. I do, however, think that I really need to get back to controlling my portions and being active. So this entry is my pledge to get back into that part of my life... Summer vacation be damned. Please lend me your support and positive thoughts and prayers so that I feel like I have a support network. I'm going to try and make a pledge to track my a progress like before but with a little more regularity and honesty. Thanks!