New Year – New Blog Update

Talk about spoiled! Driving with the top down on a sunny, 70-degree day in January!

Happy Sunday!  I seem to begin every new blog post this way lately…it’s been far too long since my last post.  To be honest, I really don’t know why.  My new position as a new teacher advisor does make my work day a bit longer than when I was teaching, but I also don’t have any grading, so that’s not really it.  I think I’ve just gotten out of the habit.  When something exciting or fun happens, my first thought is “I’ll put it on Instagram” rather than, “I’ll write a blog post.”  Maybe it’s just that my interaction with social media has changed?  In any case, I do still love writing and getting my thoughts out, and I would like to blog more often in 2015.  Anything would be better than what I’ve been doing in the last 6 months, right?

Romance Update – Currently there’s nothing on the horizon in terms of dating.  Since my last update, I’ve gone on a few dates.  A few of them were promising, but then things just sort of fell apart.  It seems to be the norm with online dating that people just kind of disappear.  Things are going well, we’re texting or talking daily, we may go on a date or two, text and talk less frequently, and then it’s just radio silence.  It gets really disappointing.  As much as I really want to meet someone and get into a relationship, this whole process is very frustrating.  Right now I’m on a bit of a break because I just wasn’t seeing many people who interest me.  When I’m out and about, watching football or enjoying a meal with friends, I don’t get approached by guys.  Maybe it’s too intimidating to come up to a group, or maybe I’m just not giving off the approachable vibe.  Friends in person or on social media tell me how pretty I am (without trying to sound conceited), and I’ve lost all this weight and I look so much healthier, so why is it that I can’t seem to meet someone?  I’m not giving up, but it’s hard not to lose hope.

Fitness Update – Just like blogging, I haven’t been in the gym much in these last 4-5 months, but that doesn’t mean my fitness routine has gone totally out the window.  4-5 times a week I workout at home. Cardio is either jumping on my home elliptical or doing a HIIT routine.  For toning, I’ve been following the plan that ToneItUp.com puts out every Sunday.  I really enjoy their workouts because they’re easy to do and I notice a difference in the way my body looks and feels when I do them regularly.  But I do miss going to the gym because there is a better variety of equipment there. Plus, seeing other people pushing themselves really motivates me.  So I want to start going to the gym to workout or take classes at least twice a week moving forward.

Weight Update – I’m pleased to say that I’m at my lowest weight to date – 170.0.  I’m soooooo close to getting into the 160s!!  I know that if I just stick to eating protein and veggies, limiting starches like rice, potatoes, and bread to midday meals most days, I will reach the next weight category soon.  Moving forward, my plan is to continue doing what I know how to do – prepare flavorful, healthy meals and keep indulgences to once or twice a week.

Remembering Why I Love Blogging Update – Two weeks ago I participated in the SF Hot Chocolate 5K, and as my cousin, her friends, and I were waiting for the race to start, a woman came up to me and said, “Do you have a blog?”  When I said yes, she introduced herself as a longtime blog reader.  I was stunned that someone who reads my blog recognized me on that dark, early morning and took the time to say hello.  She said some other really heartwarming things, and it put me in such a great mood.  It also made me feel very guilty about the infrequency of my blog posts lately.

Body Consciousness Update – As I’ve written about so much in the past, even though I’m so proud of how my body has transformed with my weight loss, I’m also very self-conscious of the way my body looks.  Lots of loose skin that will never tighten up or show muscle tone not matter how many squats and lunges I perform.  I was talking with a male friend recently, and he really gave me a pep talk that helped me change the way I think about my body.  He and I got into a long, deep conversation, and he told me that the way I feel about myself is really all in my head.  When I explained my fears about someone seeing me naked and getting an unpleasant surprise because the way I look in clothes is so much better than without, he said I was crazy.  He told me that anyone who sees me has a very good idea of how I look, and that the loose skin that bothers me so much isn’t something that would put most guys off; at least not someone who is worth getting that intimate with.  He told me that I have a beautiful body, and his sincerity with the entire discussion assured me that he wasn’t just staying things to make me feel better.  He also said that I really need to get over this insecurity, because he’s sure that it spills over into the way I interact with the men I’m dating, and that it’s been holding me back in a major way. I can’t disagree with him.  Ever since our conversation last Sunday, I’ve been doing my best to reframe the way I think about my body.  You guys know how determined I can be, and I’ve decided to channel that determination into this new appreciation of how I look right now.

So that’s what’s been going on.  I hope you’ve all been doing well, and if you’ve read this far, I want to thank you for continuing to support me, despite my long absences.

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December 2014 Goals: Staying on Track, but Being Realistic

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  I spent mine meeting with friends, proctoring the SAT,  beginning to decorate for Christmas (I’m going to put up a tree this year), and enjoying Sunday Funday (although the 49ers dismal loss to the Raiders yesterday dashed their playoff hopes, so it wasn’t THAT fun, obviously).

After spending a week following the Fit Girl’s Guide 28-Day Challenge, I realized on Friday afternoon that it just wasn’t realistic for me at this time of year.  You guys probably figured that out when you read my post about it, but it took me a little longer.  I enjoyed the food on the meal plan, but as I mentioned in my meal prep post, I like a little more variety than it offered, especially at dinner.  The plan was very well-balanced and included clean, healthy foods, and I have already decided that the sweet potato street tacos are going into my regular repertoire because there were delicious.  I also loved the supportive community I found on Instagram, whose daily posts offered motivation and inspiration.  And I did lose weight – 1.6 pounds after just 4 days on the plan, which was great.

But when I looked at the reality of this season, and of my life in general right now, I realized that the challenge wasn’t something I wanted to continue.  In general, my life is very social, meeting with friends and going out to eat at least once or twice during the week.  The holidays bring even more social occasions, and after giving it a lot of thought, I decided that I didn’t want to give up those opportunities. So I’ve decided I’m taking myself out of the challenge.

Which doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my goal of losing weight this season.  Far from it.  I know how to plan and cook great meals, and make healthy choices even when eating out.  I also know how important it is to me to workout – the calorie burn is a key to losing weight, but beyond that, I love the way my body feels when I’m active daily.  Even those crazy sore muscles two days after a hard workout. Which means that I can lose weight and enjoy the social fun of the season. If you think about it, that’s the ultimate challenge, isn’t it?  I know I can do it.

So here’s the plan for the remainder of December:

• Go back to my high-protein food plan.  For me that means my daily protein grams should be 10% of my overall caloric intake.  (If I eat 900 calories, I should have 90g of protein). Some of you may balk at “only” eating 900-1000 calories in a day, but remember, I’m a WLS patient, and even when I eat out I can’t consume the same amount of food that someone with a normal stomach can.  So for the rest of my life, I’ll never really eat more than 1200 calories in a day, if I’m eating healthy. (Obviously those calories can go much higher if I’m eating crap). Back to my food plan – Besides the protein, I like to include veggies at each meal.  Carbs like rice or wraps aren’t completely out of the question, but I’m going to limit them to one meal per day.  So if I have a wrap for lunch, I’ll eat a “lean and green” meal at dinner.  If I have rice with dinner, lunch will be a salad or other protein/veggie combo. I bought the ToneItUp Nutrition Program during their Cyber Monday deals, and I’m looking forward to trying some new, healthy recipes from that guide.
• Cardio + TIU toning 5-6 days a week.  This one will be a bit of a challenge because I tend to be great at it for 3-4 days, but then the week continues, I get more tired, and my workouts fall to the wayside.  At this point in my weight loss journey, I know that my body responds quickly to workouts.  When I’m consistent I lose weight; when I let them slide, I maintain.  This fact is going to spur me on during those afternoons/evenings when I start getting lazy and want to “negotiate” reasons why it’s ok to skip the day’s workout. No skipping workouts this season!
• Limit my alcohol intake.  In general, I only have alcohol 1-2 times a week, when I’m out with friends.  I plan to continue this during the holidays.  Someday when I’m in maintenance, I foresee having a daily glass of wine (if I’m so inclined), but while I’m still trying to lose weight, I only want to imbibe when I’m with friends and family in a social setting.  I’ll use baths and working out as a way to unwind from a long day when I’m by myself.
• Continue being active on social media.  That means logging everything in MyFitnessPal daily.  Checking in on Instagram with my workout pics. And writing/reading blogs.  I love the support and inspiration I get on MFP and Instagram, which is why it’s a daily part of my life.  If you’d like to add me as a friend and/or follow me on IG, please do.  And leave your IG name in the comments, because I’d love to start following you, too. In terms of blogging, I know I’ve gotten less consistent with writing these past 6 months.  I guess because I only like to write when there’s something interesting to say.  And because I am so active on IG, that seems to have replaced the quick daily posts I used to write.  Maybe I’m evolving as a blogger?  I will still blog on here regularly, and read your blogs as often as I can.
• Enjoy the season. Even though this isn’t necessarily going to help me with my weight loss goals, it will make me happy, which is all part of leading a healthy life.  This year I want to: go ice skating, enjoy the decorations at Christmas in the Park, send Christmas cards, sit by cozy fires, listen to holiday music, light glowing candles, watch my favorite holiday movies, and wrap presents.

Those are my goals for December – completely doable and realistic.  Wish me luck!

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#WinterWonderlandChallenge: Week 1 Meal Prep

 

I meant to post this last night, when I was doing my food prep for Week 1 of the Fit Girl’s Guide Winterwonderland Challenge, but I had a lot going on and the time escaped me.

One of the main things I really appreciate about the Fit Girls Guide is that they provide a super organized grocery list for each week, organized by area of the store. That’s how I make my own lists, so this really appeals to my OCD side.  The other thing I like is that the meal plans are developed to get the most out of each item on the list, for virtually no food waste.  As someone who throws away more food than I’d like to admit, I’m happy that I’ll be able to cut down on this.

Even though the list was really organized and clear, I still spent over an hour at Trader Joe’s.  Partially because everyone and their brother seemed to be stocking up for the work week and partially because there were a lot of items on the list.  Here’s my haul, which I tried to divide into food groups:

 

I had some items in stock already, so not every single thing I’ll be eating this week is here, but it gives you an idea.

Now that I had the groceries, it was time to meal prep.

 Week 1 breakfasts actually call for Cherry Pie fridge oats, but since I’m not a fan of frozen cherries, I decided to go with a mixed berry medley.  These are the overnight oats that I love.  Oatmeal, chia seeds, almond milk, almond butter, honey, Greek yogurt, and the frozen berries.  I really enjoyed these this morning and liked the not-too-sweet taste that the 1 tsp of honey added.  I usually put protein powder in my overnight oats, but this version had a really clean, hearty flavor that I preferred.  And the stats aren’t too bad, either: 285 calories, 19g protein, 36g carbs, 7g fiber, 8g fat.

Next up were the lunches – chicken & veggie power bowls.  Because I’m someone who needs variety in all things (life, exercise, food) I made sure to make a few of the suggested variations on the traditional bowl.  I also cut down the quantities to make it more post-wls friendly. Also, instead of steaming the kale, I decided to sautee it with onions, garlic, and a tiny splash of olive oil.  I’m not eating as many snacks as they suggest on the plan (because I just can’t fit that much food into my post-vsg tummy), so I figured a bit more healthy fat in my day would be just fine. Plus I know it’s going to taste fantastic. I’ve never made anything like this for lunch, so I’m excited to try them and see how I like them.

From left to right:

Pasta Primavera Bowl: less than a cup of sauteed kale w/ onions, 2.5 oz of lemon chicken, 1/3 cup of whole wheat pasta, 1/2 roasted zucchini, 1/2 cup roasted crimini mushrooms, 2T marinara sauce, 2T mozzarella cheese.

Faux-otle Bowl: less than a cup of sauteed kale w/ onions, 2.5 oz of lemon chicken, 1/4 cup black beans, 2T mozzarella, 1 oz roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup brown rice, 2T hot salsa (on the side).

Traditional Power Bowl: less than a cup of sauteed kale w/ onions, 2.5 oz of lemon chicken, 1/4 cup black beans,  1/4 cup brown rice, 1/2 roasted zucchini, 1/2 cup roasted butternut squash.

 

Last up, I hard boiled eggs that I’ll have for snacks this week, par-steamed the sweet potatoes for tonight’s “street tacos,” and chopped up a few other veggie for lunches and  the pita pizza dinners I’ll alternate throughout the week.  I’ve never done meal prep quite like this, but I actually really enjoyed it.  I’m  glad I decided to add the variety to the power bowls, because I know myself, and I can’t eat the same thing for 7 days straight at lunch.

Since the dinners aren’t make-ahead, I’ll post pictures of those on IG and make sure to write a post with a photos from both meals later this week.

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous to start this plan, because it’s less protein and more carbs that I’m “supposed” to eat.   But I decided to take a chance and try it out because it’s super healthy, completely clean, very well balanced, and seems really satisfying.  Plus, I’m far enough along from my wls that I can eat a bit more normally (albeit much less).

Here’s to the start of a great week, and a fantastic month.

 

 

 

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Sunday Scoop

I have quite a few updates to cover, so let’s dig right in, shall we?

Dating

I’m actually glad I waited to update this, because I was confused for about a week or so, and then as it usually happens, things clarified themselves pretty quickly.

Let’s start with TR.  Technically, we’re not dating, since we were getting together for dinner “as friends.”  Still, it had been a few months since we’d seen each other, and I was a bit nervous about how it would go. It was nice that TR had asked me to bring Sofi, because the dogs automatically eased whatever awkwardness there would have been.  Both dogs love playing together, something that TR commented on a few times that evening.  He’d prepared a really special dinner for me: grilled Italian sausage, risotto made from scratch, grilled onions & bell peppers, and a beautiful salad with artichoke hearts, chopped olives, tomatoes, and a yummy vinaigrette. We also had some really great red wine.  The fact that he put in so much effort to make such a lovely dinner really made me feel special.  We enjoyed the food, took a long walk after dinner with the dogs, and then came back and watched a bit of TV.  Things definitely stayed at the friend level, but being around him reminded me of how much I enjoyed hanging out with him.  We have so many things in common – our Italian heritage, our love of local sports teams, cooking/eating great food, and our dogs.  He’s classy, fun, and there’s just something there.  On my part.  And maybe on his too, because he mentioned that he never got my recipe for pesto when I cooked for him in the summer, to which I replied, “so are you saying you’d like a live demonstration?” He said he did.  So we have plans for him and his pup to come over soon so I can make pesto for him and he can copy down the recipe.  (Or maybe it’s just an excuse for us to hang out again?). One of my friends asked me why I’m still hanging out with him, because if I had my way, we’d still be dating, and he says that he doesn’t want to since I don’t want to have kids and he does.  She thinks I’m setting myself up for disappointment, and that it must be so difficult.  I told her that I really do like spending time with him, and that if I’m honest, I am hoping that somehow he changes his mind and decides that he’d like to start dating again at some point.  And besides, it’s not like I’m not dating other people and pinning all my romantic hopes on him. But I do see her point, and maybe I’ll eventually feel like the situation is too frustrating.

Moving on to the sheriff…he came over two weeks ago and we hung out watching Sunday Night Football and getting a little more physical (I’ll spare the details, nothing too serious happened). One good thing is that my worries about the way my body looks weren’t an issue that night at all.  I’ve come to realize that if I’m with the right person, someone who makes me feel like he adores me, the issues I have with my body won’t really come into play.  The evening left me very confused because I just wasn’t physically attracted to sheriff, and I’m not talking about anything that happened when we were making out, but more in just how he looks in general.  I know that sounds pretty shallow, but attraction is important.  So I began the week not knowing what I was going to do, if I wanted to continue seeing him, or if I should cut it off.  We were texting everyday, but I was moving more toward letting him go.  And then this past Tuesday, when the Ferguson verdict came out, he texted me some photos that were in very poor taste, bordering on racist.  We hadn’t even said hello or good morning, and he was sending me photos about the looting and rioting that were really disgusting.  Not that I condone looting and rioting, but I know he was doing it to see if he could get me going. I didn’t reply to the first photo, because he’d sent it in a group text, but after the second photo came through to just me, I had to respond:

Me: not funny

Sheriff: I think it’s hilarious

Me: that’s the crux of the problem

Sheriff: (I won’t repeat his response, but he went into this whole diatribe about how the liberal media was making it about race, when it clearly wasn’t about race)

WTF? Is he serious right now?  This was just too much for me.

Me: Listen, I don’t want to debate this with you. Those pictures you sent me were in poor taste and showed a side of yourself that I don’t want to get to know better.

And that was that.  Problem solved.  Confusion over.  No response, and we’re done.  And to be honest with you, I haven’t given him a second thought since.  I knew that dating someone who holds such different ideologies from me wouldn’t work.  At first I thought his views were more moderate, but those photos and his subsequent response showed that he and I hold much different views on race, justice, etc.  So it’s time to move on.  And before you think I’ve made these decisions because of TR, I didn’t.  The confusion with the sheriff started before I went over to TR’s for dinner, although after the dinner I did feel like the connection I feel with TR was lacking with the sheriff.

At the moment there are no other people on eHarmony that I’m interested in, but I get new matches daily, so who knows.  Plus, I’m actually hoping to just meet someone when I’m out and about.  There’s no rush, and I don’t feel any pressure to “get a boyfriend,” so I’m just going to stay open and see who comes my way.

Health

These past couple of months my weight has been at a standstill.  Mostly because I haven’t been putting as much effort into working out and eating as I should have been.  I haven’t been going wild with food, and I have been getting in workouts a few times a week, but I’ve basically been in maintenance mode. Which actually makes me happy to know that I can successfully maintain my weight…when the time comes.  But that time isn’t here yet.  I have 20 pounds or so to lose, and I’m determined to get back on the losing track.

I know lots of people would look at the calendar, see the holiday season coming, and say, just get back to it in January.  But that’s not me.  Why let a whole month go by without working towards my goals?  After all, I’m not that into sweets, so holiday treats don’t tempt me, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are just two days, two meals, really.  So there’s no reason not to start back tomorrow, December 1st.

As luck would have it, I was on Instagram the other day when I saw that Fit Girls Worldwide posted about a Winter Wonderland 28-Day Challenge that was beginning December 1st.  So I decided to buy their guide and join in on it.

The meal plan is fairly simple, full of well-balanced meals that are pretty easy to make.  The guide comes with a shopping list for the week, which makes it very convenient.  Because the meal plan is all about eating clean, healthy food, it does require meal prep.  Luckily I don’t mind cooking, and I love that the guide gives tips on how when to prep which meals, which makes it very organized.  I am going to have to modify the portions, but other than that, the meal plan looks good.  At first I was put off a bit that there are only two different dinner ideas for the week, because I am all about variety. Then I realized that the meal guide is perfectly planned so that it uses up all the food on the shopping list for the week, and I know that I normally throw out extra food that I can’t eat when I cook too many different dinners. So sacrificing a bit of  variety for less food waste is something I’m willing to try.  The plan doesn’t include as much protein at each meal as I’m used to having, but I’m willing to give it a shot for 28 days to see how it works.

Making December Spectacular

My goal for this week is to be active each day, include 5 TIU workouts, stick to this new food plan, and check in a lot on Instagram.  I’m looking forward to starting the last month of the year tomorrow with a renewed energy and a great plan.  I’m motivated and excited!

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Monday Musings – Weekend Wrapup

It’s been quite an eventful weekend, so I thought I’d do a wrap-up post to catch you guys up.

Halloween

This Halloween was quite eventful for me.  Not only did I go as Vampira on the Halloween boat cruise last Friday (10/25), but I wore two different costumes on the 31st.  I wore a cozy, comfy Eeyore costume to work on Friday because the other teachers who work at the district office with me decided we should go as animals.  I didn’t have a costume idea in mind at all, so luckily my mentoring partner had the Eeyore costume and let me borrow it.  It definitely wasn’t the most flattering thing ever, but since the day was rainy and cold, it was pretty perfect.  When we stepped out to get some goodies for a Halloween lunch we were having later that day, so many people at the grocery store came up and told us how cute we looked (she was wearing a similar giraffe costume).

I was heading to Tinkerbell’s house on Friday night for a passing out candy Halloween party.  I knew I wanted to be comfortable, so the Vampira costume was out; but I also wanted to look pretty, so the Eeyore outfit was out too.  I found the perfect thing on Amazon – a Wonder Woman tshirt, complete with cape and headband.  I decided to put the false eyelashes I wore for Vampira on, too, and I loved the way it looked:

closeup of the makeup

I had a great time that night, passing out candy to the tons of kids who showed up at Tinkerbell’s house, spending time with her family and friends, and just enjoying  the evening. One of the best parts of the night was that so many people told me how thin I looked.  People that had seen me just a few weeks ago asked how much more weight I’d lost. I’ve actually stayed the same for the past couple of months, although I do know I’ve lost inches. I also think it was the new (size 10!!) jeans.  It always feels awesome to get complimented about weight loss and looking healthier.

Dating

Thanks for everyone’s positive and encouraging comments about my date with Fireman.  We had a great night, but throughout the week I hadn’t heard too much from him.  The week before he was really attentive via texts and calls, and I knew this week he was on vacation (although he was staying home), so I wasn’t sure if he was just extra  busy.  I heard from him almost everyday, but his texts didn’t have the same flirtation that they had the week before.  And I just knew that something was off, and that probably he’d lost interest.  So finally yesterday I just texted him and asked, and he responded with the fact that he had a great time on our first date, and that he thinks I’m beautiful, BUT (I knew there was a but coming), he just didn’t feel a love  connection and didn’t think he could commit to a second date.  I was disappointed, but since I had the feeling that’s what was going on, I wasn’t surprised.  It’s not so much the fact that this particular guy wasn’t interested, but more the fact that I seem to be so unlucky in love.  I really don’t know what it is.  I know my bold personality isn’t for everyone, but there has to be SOMEone out there who would appreciate it.  As luck would have it, last night seemed to be a busy night for me on eHarmony, with several matches contacting me and wanting to move through the question process.  So, we’ll see.  I’m not going to get overly excited, but I’m going to keep an open mind. Sometimes it’s hard not to lose hope and get depressed, but I’m not into dwelling in that headspace for too long.  I like to look on the brighter side of life, so that’s what I’m going to do.

 November Goals

• Blog 2-3 times a week, comment on blogs on the days I write
• Exercise: cardio 6 days a week, toning at least 3 days
• Continue eating healthy
• Log food/exercise in MyFitnessPal daily
• Read 30 minutes a day
• Run the entire Turkey Trot 5K
• Go on dates

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Happy Sunday! I’m Back!! (Mega Post)

Geez, it feels like forever since I’ve written a blog entry, right?  I’m so sorry.  I think about this blog all the time, but lately I just don’t have enough hours in the day to get in the right mind space to write a good post.  I’ve missed it so much, though, and really want to make the blog a priority again. Since this is a “catch-up” post, it’s going to be long, so sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy…

Please don’t take my lack of writing as a sign that I’ve “fallen off the wagon,” because that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I’ve been maintaining my weight since my last weigh in post, probably because I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time as I should be to working out.  Most days I’ll fit some cardio in, but lately I’ve been really hit and miss with the toning workouts.  My food has been great, though, which is why the scale is holding steady at 171.

I really, REALLY want to see the 160s soon, but to do that, I know that I need to kick my workouts into high gear, drink plenty of water, and make sure my protein intake is high.  I’m 21 pounds from my ultimate goal weight, and I would really like to make more progress towards that goal before the end of the year. So for the rest of this month, and actually, for the rest of the year, I’m going to make sure I’m on point with my food and my workouts.  Except of course on the holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, & Christmas Day – I’m going to allow for indulgences, although I’ll probably get a workout in on all of those days to help compensate.  Which is not to say I’m not going to enjoy a glass or two of wine with my friends or family or have a few beers on SundayFunday while watching the 49ers – I want to enjoy life, but I also want to make sure I’m getting in a good calorie burn on those days to keep it all in balance.

Speaking of balance, in order to make sure I’m not totally abandoning this blog or all of my blogging buddies, I’m going to get back in the habit of setting aside an hour a day towards “blogging.”  If I have something to write, I’ll make sure to post, but if not, I want to visit all of the blogs I love to read but have been neglecting lately.  Blogging is still a passion of mine, and what I attribute much of my weight loss success to.  It’s been an amazing vehicle for my emotions, struggles, ideas, and inspirations.  And reading blogs is just as important as writing my own.  So it’s time to get back into it, full force, no matter how busy I am.

I’ve really been enjoying my new job, even though I am getting used to the longer hours.  The thing is, on a daily basis, I’m working later than I did when I was teaching, but the fantastic part is, once I’m home, I leave work at work. No hours spent grading essays on the weekends. Or more accurately, no hours guiltily agonizing over the essays that I should be grading, but aren’t.  I do miss the interaction with my students and the colleagues at the high school where I’d been working for the past 10 years, but this new phase of my career is really nice.  It’s a welcome break from all the stress that comes with being a teacher, especially an English teacher.  Plus, I adore the new teachers that I’m working with, and I think I’m really making a difference in their professional lives, which in turn has an effect on the hundreds of students that they’re teaching.  All in all, I’m really glad that I made the move.

In terms of life, things are good.  I’ve been seeing friends and family here and there, enjoying football and baseball season, and I checked two major items off my #FriskyFall Bucket List:

Going Apple Picking: I was able to tag along with my niece’s Girl Scout Troop (my sister is their troop leader).  We headed to fun little apple orchard in Watsonville, which coincidentally is owned by a family who’s grandkids attend my niece’s elementary school.  I love that we supported a local family!  It was a really fun day, and the apples we got were delicious.

Heading to a Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Patch: My sister and I headed up to Half Moon Bay a few weekends ago to get our pumpkins for all of our Halloween decorations.  Sure, the local grocery stores have pumpkins for sale, but nothing like the variety available at  the pumpkin patches in HMB.  Plus, it’s a nice drive, and we took advantage of the sunny day and drove the Beetle with the top down.  Wheelbarrow in hand, we explored the entire pumpkin patch for just the right pumpkins, and boy did we!

 

There have been a couple of milestones that I’ve enjoyed while I’ve taken some time off this blog.

The first was going to my 25th high school reunion.  What a difference 5 years made!  I remember how I felt before my 20th reunion: very embarrassed about the way I was looking, how much weight I’d gained, the fact that I was single, and just sort of nervous about seeing all these girls I went to school with after so long.  I ended up having a good time, but when I saw the photos we took that night, I wasn’t happy with the person I saw.  Fast forward to this year – I couldn’t wait for the reunion because I felt so confident in everything I’d been doing. Not just my weight loss, but my overall outlook in life.  I was still single, but it wasn’t as much of an issue because I knew that there are lots of possibilities in that area.

Next up, on the NSV list is the purchase of new, size 10 jeans!! I’d been wearing my size 12s all spring and summer, and while I knew they were a bit loose, I didn’t realize how much until one of my colleagues saw me at the SAT and told me how baggy they were on me.  The next Monday I was at the mall, and was so proud that I found several pair that not only fit, but looked good.

As you can see, the boot legs are still too long on me, even though they’re “shorts;”  I have to take them to the tailor to have them hemmed. This is a new first for me.  I never remember owning and wearing size 10s –  ever!  I’m really proud of myself, and this is a great NSV because even though my weight loss has stayed the same, I’m still loosing inches, which is so nice.

One last NSV is all about Halloween. My Halloween costume, specifically.  It’s been so long since I’ve been able to wear any costume I want, right off the shelf of a costume shop.  In the past, I’ve had to select from the slim pickings of the plus size section or the super-expensive plus size costumes available online.  Not this year!  I knew I’d have my choice of whatever costume I wanted.  Such an amazing feeling.  So when I went to a local vintage clothing store to see what they had to offer, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted.  I knew it would either be a 50’s-esque retro dress or something dark and gothic.

I went with the latter because I’d purchased this cool “buried bauble” from Bauble Bar, and knew it would be great for Halloween.

So when I found this costume, and then realized it was on sale for 50% off, I knew I was going to transform into Vampira for Halloween (more on this in another post).

So that’s what’s been going on in my life.  I’m really going to make more of an effort to write more posts, because I really still enjoy it.  In fact, I have some fun to share with you in my next post, so I’d better end this one so I can start that one.

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Weekly Workout Schedule: September 22-27

 These past couple of weeks my workouts have been a bit hit and miss.  Last week I got in cardio workouts 5 days, but the toning kind of fell off as the week progressed.  This week I’m going to focus on getting all my workouts in – toning and cardio – no matter how busy or tired I get.  I just feel better about every aspect of my life when I’m completing both parts of my workouts. Here’s this week’s plan:

~
Monday: PM: Walk Sofi
Tuesday: AM: C25K, W5D1 + TIU: Bikini Abs
Wednesday: PM: elliptical + TIU: Love Your Arms & Abs (x3)
Thursday: PM: TIU: Insane Cardio + TIU: Bikini Booty
Friday: PM: C25K, W5D2 + TIU: Bikini Arms (Beach Babe 2 DVD) + TIU: Shoulders (x2)
Saturday & Sunday: bike ride/ walk Sofi + C25K, W5D3 (Sunday Runday)

+ walk with Sofi every day

AM = early morning workout before work
PM = afternoon/evening workout after work

I’m looking forward to this week’s workouts!

Keep me accountable!! I post my daily workouts on Instagram, so follow me (or look at the sidebar of this blog) to see what I’m doing!

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WonderFALL Weigh-In: Week 68.5 Post-Op VSG

Autumn has (almost officially) arrived! Which means that life is back to normal – school’s in, my schedule is busy, and obligations abound. But I won’t use those as excuses to slack on my goals. The great thing about fall is that the weather is cooler, which means that those wonderful fall fashions will keep me motivated. Plus, crisp temperatures mean that it’s never “too hot” to workout. I’m going to relish my nightly cup of steaming hot tea as another way to keep my water intake up. I look forward to all those hearty, satisfying and wls-friendly soups, stews, and crockpot meals that I’ll create for myself. This year, the changing season will mark new milestones that I haven’t seen in 5, 7, 10+ years! Bring on fall 2014 – it’s time to reach new heights! Wednesday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the work week, and will give me a positive outlook for the weekend. Throughout the fall, I’ll be giving Wednesday weight loss updates called WonderFALL Weigh-Ins.

Week 68 was busy, hectic and long.  So much so that I didn’t even have time to write a weight loss update.  I actually didn’t even have a chance to weigh in at all until this morning.  So, here’s a midweek weigh-in update. Even though the week was super busy, I did a good fairly job with my meal planning, eating, and exercising.

So, how’s the scale looking?

When I weighed in this morning, I was 171.0, which is a loss of 1.2 pounds this week, and a loss of 106 lbs since surgery! I’ve lost a total of 144 pounds from my highest weight!! I have 21 pounds to go to my ultimate goal weight of 150 pounds. I’m really happy to see this loss, especially because I haven’t really been putting as much concentration on weight loss this week.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made great meals, gotten in some solid workouts, and continued to eat within my meal plan.  The nice thing about this point in my journey is that I don’t have to think about all of these things as much as I used to.  They’ve become such a habit, such a way of life, that I can go on “auto-pilot” during a crazy week and still see a good result.  That makes me feel awesome.

This week shouldn’t be quite as busy so I’ll have more time to concentrate on working out and meal planning.  I’m not going to go into too many details here, because I’ll write a weekly workout plan post in a few minutes.

I’m so close to reaching the next weight category – the 160s!!  I can’t wait to hit that section, because I haven’t been at that weight since I was 18 years old.  It’s so cool that now at 43, I’ll be even fitter than I was when I was 18. Back then, I wasn’t wearing size small and medium tops or size 10/12 pants, and I think the difference is that I’ve really changed my entire body with the cardio and toning workouts I’ve been doing.  It’s amazing to see such a transformation in my body, and each time I hit a new NSV with clothes, it’s so surreal to me.

 

 

Until Wednesday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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WonderFALL Weigh-In: Week 67 Post-Op VSG

Autumn has (almost officially) arrived! Which means that life is back to normal – school’s in, my schedule is busy, and obligations abound. But I won’t use those as excuses to slack on my goals. The great thing about fall is that the weather is cooler, which means that those wonderful fall fashions will keep me motivated. Plus, crisp temperatures mean that it’s never “too hot” to workout. I’m going to relish my nightly cup of steaming hot tea as another way to keep my water intake up. I look forward to all those hearty, satisfying and wls-friendly soups, stews, and crockpot meals that I’ll create for myself. This year, the changing season will mark new milestones that I haven’t seen in 5, 7, 10+ years! Bring on fall 2014 – it’s time to reach new heights! Wednesday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the work week, and will give me a positive outlook for the weekend. Throughout the fall, I’ll be giving Wednesday weight loss updates called WonderFALL Weigh-Ins.

Week 67 was a pretty good one. I made some great meals, got in a few strong workouts, and even took a long walk when I wasn’t feeling that great over the weekend.

So, how’s the scale looking?

When I weighed in this morning, I was 172.2, which is a maintain this week, and a loss of 104.8 lbs since surgery! I’ve lost a total of 142.8 pounds from my highest weight!! I have 22.2 pounds to go to my ultimate goal weight of 150 pounds. I can’t lie, I’m disappointed that I didn’t see a loss on the scale this week, because I’ve been putting in work and eating right.  But when I look at the week, I did skip two weekday workouts and I wasn’t feeling great this weekend, so I didn’t do as much as I normally would have.  I ate a lot more carbs and less protein than I should’ve late last week (in the form of a chicken pesto pizza that lasted for 3 meals). I’m not too upset about this maintain, because I know it’s only temporary.  It also shows me that at this point in my journey, I need to push harder in order to see a loss on the scale.

So far this week (the past two days), I’ve been getting in strong workouts, following the Tone It Up Frisky Fall Challenge.  This morning my legs are really feeling the squats, lunges, and other moves that I’ve been doing.  I love pushing myself with the toning workouts.  I’ve also resumed C25K, and I was pleasantly surprised that I felt strong in my runs even though I’d taken so much time off from running training.  My main workout goal this week is to make sure I get in all my weekday workouts, not allowing myself to skip any because I’m tried, which usually happens around Thursday or Friday.

In terms of food, things are going well. As I mentioned above, toward the end of last week and into the weekend I wasn’t making the best food choices.  I kept my calories under my daily goal, but I wasn’t eating enough protein and veggies.  I know this is a main reason the scale didn’t move this week.  I know better.  I know that in order to lose weight, I need to eat well, not just keep the calories within my limits.  It’s much more important to keep WHAT I’m eating in check.  Eating out several meals in one week doesn’t lead to weight loss.  It would’ve been better for me to eat that chicken pesto pizza for just the one meal and leave the rest.  I need to release myself from the idea of “wasting food,” and continuing to eat a heavy carb and fat with little protein meal several times just so that I don’t feel wasteful.  Indulging for one meal is one fine, but eating that same meal three times because I have leftovers isn’t good for my weight loss goals. From now on if I go out and indulge in a meal that doesn’t really fit in with my plan, I’m going to enjoy that one meal and leave the leftovers at the restaurant because it’s just not worth the damage it does. So far this week, I’ve done a good job with balancing my protein, veggies, and carbs.

If anything, this maintain is going to spur me to push myself harder this week.  I don’t want to see another maintain on the scale next week, and I’m determined to make sure that I see a new loss.  I’m so close to a new weight “decade,” and I’ve love to move into the 160s next week which is completely doable – I’d only need a loss of 2.4 lbs.  I’m going to keep that number in mind and use it to motivate myself in my workout and in my food choices.  Here’s to moving forward!

 

Until next Wednesday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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#FriskyFall is HERE!

As I mentioned yesterday, the Frisky Fall Challenge from the Tone It Up girls begins today! Eight weeks until Halloween.  Eight weeks of workouts to get me closer to my weight loss goals.  Eight weeks of motivation and inspiration.

To join in on all the fun, I made these Frisky Fall Goals:

• I’m determined to get a workout in every single weekday, no matter how tired I am or long the day is.
• On the weekends, I plan to have “active rest days” full of bike rides, walks with Sofi, and early on a swim or two if the weather allows.  I also want to continue to be really social with friends and family, which means girls’ nights, lunches, 49er games, and dinners.  I’m also hoping for a few dates.
• I’ve never been apple picking before, and there’s a great nearby farm that I can’t wait to go to with my nieces (they’ve been apple picking several times with the Girl Scouts, so they’re experts).
• Half Moon Bay has lots of pumpkin patches, and it’s right by the beach, so I’m going to go in late September/early October to beat all the Halloween crowds.
• I always eat healthy, but when the weather cools down, the tendency can be to eat foods that are higher in calories. I can’t wait to make low calorie, healthy crockpot meals, and start incorporating overnight oats into my morning breakfasts.
• KandisTIU created another great chart, which I’m going to use to track my miles for #150byHalloween (you can go to her FB page to get the chart for yourself):
• I wasn’t great about posting my progress towards my miles for the Back To School Challenge on the blog, but I did check in daily on IG, and I’ve decided that that’s the best method for me to track my miles for this challenge. I will post the previous week’s miles on my Sunday Workout Schedule posts, too.
• If you’d like to follow my progress, make sure to watch for my posts on Instagram, or on the sidebar of this blog.

What are you goals this fall?

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