Weigh-In Wednesday – Cinco de Mayo Style

This has been a great week in many ways, but most of all with my positive attitude and the fact that I’ve been so much more active lately.  The other great thing about the weather warming up?  I naturally drink more water.

I’m really pleased with the scale results this morning, and anxious to share the news, so here’s the scale shot:

Which means I lost 3.4 pounds this week, for a total of 8.5 pounds lost.  WhoooHOOOOO!

I attribute this weight loss to three things:

• post-TOM weight release
• increase in activity with the walks I’m taking, even though they’re not “power walks”
• increase in my water consumption

I feel so incredible seeing this weight loss.  Not only does it show me that I am on a roll, but that I can keep it up beyond the initial “shock to the body” that occurs when you change something about your eating or exercise.  I am completely encouraged and motivated, although I do know that I won’t have this big a loss every week.

Which leads me to my other check-in for the morning, with the Sisterhood’s 21-Day Challenge. My goal is to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, and with the exception on Saturday, I did it all week.  I always bring water with me to work, but I need to get in the habit of bringing it with me on the weekends to.  That way, when I’m doing my errands or driving here and there, I can keep sipping the water, because we all know that the little sips add up.

So that’s it, folks.  The mini goal of the week is to keep it up, because it’s obviously working, and that feels fine!

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Weigh-In Wednesday – Perspective

This past week was a struggle for me.  As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had some issues around keeping things in perspective in terms of getting off track of this healthy lifestyle.  The post really resonated with so many of you, and the comments were truly insightful.  For anyone who’s been struggling in any way regarding weight loss, I highly recommend that you go back and read them.  You’ll definitely come away with a heightened awareness about your own journey.

The thing I realized after reading everyone’s comments and spending some time really thinking about it was that often I make an insignificant slip-up seem like a much bigger issue.  It’s that perfectionist side of myself that I’m trying to combat.  In reality, I probably wasn’t over my Points by much this weekend, and I did get in some good exercise.  No one feels like they’re on track in all aspects of weight loss (or life, for that matter) 100% of the time, and I am working on reframing my thinking so that I’m able to bounce back from setbacks much more quickly than I have in the past. 

After all of that worry and strife, let’s see what the scale showed this morning:

 which means I gained 1.3 lbs this week, for a total loss of 5.1 pounds overall. This is actually a fantastic result, considering I just got TOM.  I usually gain between 2-5 lbs, so this is actually a smaller gain than I have had in the past 3-4 months.  I’m attributing that to my increased water consumption (minimizing bloating), and increased exercise over the past few weeks. 

Which really shows me that I need to get a grip on myself sometimes.  I’ll never be a calm, mellow person – that’s just not in my nature.  But I can probably be a bit more zen about this weight loss journey.  Every speed bump is not a cause for alarm. 

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Did you guys see Biggest Loser last night?  I won’t ruin anything for those that haven’t seen it yet, but I will say that I was overwhelmed, inspired, and just so moved by the entire episode.  It was exactly what I needed to help put things into perspective.  Even though I’m a very positive person overall, sometimes I focus so much on the pounds and what’s not going well, when I should also focus on is how much I’ve grown in terms of my abilities.  BL reminded me of that.  Also, can I just confess that I have had the biggest crush on Michael since the beginning of the season, but it has solidified even more last night.  He really seems to be coming into his own now, and I find him very inspiring.  Even if you’re not a regular view of the show, I really recommend going to the website and watching the episode, because it’s worth it.

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Lots of us are in the middle of 21-day challenges.  I’m working on water consumption, Scale Warfare‘s wearing her GoWearFit, and Seattle Runner Girl is getting up early every day. 

Well, the girls at The Sisterhood are in on the fun too, and have started their own version of  the 21-day challenge for everyone to join in on.  They just ask you to commit to starting or changing 1-3 habits for the next 21 days and then reporting back weekly to them on how you’re progressing.  I’m going to join in, because I can use the extra accountability.  How about you?  Do you have something you’d like to work on (I’m sure you do).  Why not join in on this challenge and make (or break) a new habit?!

My new habit: drinking 8 glasses of water per day.

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HYC Update – 9 more weeks

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

AprilshowersbringMayflowers.AprilshowersbringMayflowers.AprilshowersbringMayflowers. Or, at least that’s what I am repeating to myself today to keep me from missing the sun too much.  So far, it’s not working that well. 

This week marks the downhill slope that educators and students alike look forward to throughout the school year.  Only 9 more weeks (including this one) before we are out for summer vacation.  Let the countdown begin!

In her post this week ScaleJunkie  asked us what our short term goals were.  I responded that my goal was to stay motivated throughout the next 9 weeks and basically “keep on keeping on,” which means:

• track my Points everyday
• eat within my 28-Point target
• exercise 4-6 times a week (at least)
• drink 8 glasses of water each day

Speaking of water, my 21-day goal (inspired by Seattle Runner Girl) was to drink 8 glasses of water a day.  I have to be honest, it’s been a struggle, especially on work days.  Some days I’ll get all 8 in and then some, and other days (like yesterday), I’ll barely get 2 glasses in.  The thing is, I like drinking water; as I mentioned before, it’s the nature of my job that I really can’t go to the bathroom whenever I want to.  In fact, there are only 2 set times I can actually go, and I have to rush to fit that in. 

So, instead of making excuses, I’m just going to TAKE ACTION and do another 21-day challenge beginning today with the same goal – drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Bottoms up!

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This & That Thursday

And I couldn’t be happier that this week is flying by.  I don’t have one specific topic share with you that would fit a whole blog post, so I thought I’d give you a few tidbits:

• Spring Break is next week, and I cannot wait for a glorious week off.  No specific plans other than to get lots of activity in.
• Ever since the extra credit assignments, many of my students have continued to watch and talk about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. A few of my colleagues have told me that they’ve overheard our mutual students talking all about the assignment and the show.  I’m really happy that I gave them an assignment that has excited them enough that they’re discussing it outside of class.  The show seems to be a big hit, and it’s catching on, which is awesome.
• Yesterday was the first day of the 21-Day Challenge that I’ve made my water goal.  I got in all 8 glasses and then some!
• I had an epiphany yesterday: So often I try to be “perfect,” and that’s when the self-sabotage rears its ugly head.  If I allow myself treats from time to time I think it’s a better way to make it a lifestyle, rather than getting so frustrated and ending up with a binge.  As long as the Points are counted and tracked, I’m not going off plan by indulging every once in a while (not every day).
• I was contacted by the people behind a new iPhone App – PumpOne Fitness Builder.  I just downloaded the app and look forward to trying it out.  It’s supposed to be like a mobile fitness trainer with tons and tons of workouts.  I’ll give it a full review after I’ve tried it for a while, but you guys know how I like to try new things and how much I love gadgets.  I may even be able to give a few of you a chance to try it too.  Stay tuned.

I hope everyone has a great day.  Only one more day ’till Friday!!!

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Weigh-In Wednesday – Week 13

Thirteen weeks.  Thirteen is considered  an unlucky number (Friday the 13th and all), but 13 has always been my lucky number.  My Spanish teacher in high school once said, “In Spain, Friday the 13th is never an unlucky day.  How can a FRIDAY be unlucky?  It’s the start of the weekend?”  And from that point on, I rebelliously chose 13 as my favorite.  The question for this week was whether 13 was going to prove lucky on the scale.

I’ve been doing a lot of exercise lately, and I’ve been eating well, but my TOM is on it’s way (all the tell-tale signs are there).  Plus, I was sick on Friday, and I couldn’t keep anything down.  Which might have the opposite effect, knowing how my body reacts to things.

Which means I gained 4 pounds this week, for a total gain of 5 pounds in 2010. When can I get off this rollercoaster?  I’m disappointed, but because my weight keeps fluctuating up and down, I’m becoming almost apathetic to the changes.  Which isn’t good.  I still have the desire to lose weight, but I seriously don’t know what I need to do to see success for several weeks in a row.  Although, as I mentioned above, I’m about to get TOM and I did have a strange week in terms of being sick, so I’m not going to be too upset.

As I mentioned, my eating has been good, but I know that I can do better in terms of sticking to more whole foods, rather than a few low cal processed snacks that I tend to gravitate towards.  My exercise is going well, and on Friday you’ll read about all that I’ve been up to; I’m actually really proud of all that I’ve been doing, because I’ve stepped it up a lot.  The one thing that I keep falling short on is my water. Water.  A key component to flushing toxins out of the body.  It helps hydrate from the inside out.  And I like water, so what’s the problem?  Well, one of the things is that I don’t get to take bathroom breaks whenever I’d like at work.  Since we operate on a bell schedule, I can only go at certain times during the day, so it makes drinking a lot of water between 8am-3pm difficult.  But I can’t let that stop me.  I can and should be drinking more water when I get home.

So, I’m going to join Seattle Runner Girl’s 21-Day Challenge.  And my goal for these 21 days is going to be to get in my 8 glasses of water each and every day.  Period.  Whatever else I drink during the day (coffee) won’t be factored in.  And once I achieve my goal for those 21 days, I know it will be a habit that sticks.  For the next 21 days, I’m going to Twitter my water intake each day so that you guys can keep me accountable, too.

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