So excited!

This is definitely the year of new beginnings.  Although the universe has been preventing me to work out by putting obstacles in my way (badly sprained ankle, strep throat and now debilitating pain in my lower back - all this within 3-4 weeks), I signed up for the 5k run on December 31st with my coach (who will cheer me on while I swear, grunt, pant and possibly cry! - She's been forewarned!).  The running room hosts the resolution runs every year and when my coach mentionned it, I signed the two of us up!  My hubby thought I was crazy as 1) I've never ran in my life and 2) it's during the winter and he knows how much I hate the cold.  I signed up for it anyways!  It'll be my first 5k and I am looking forward to getting better and to start training!  I'm so excited! 

So... who's with me?

My new pal!

I've been logging everything I eat (the good and the bad!) for the past week with my new phone application, thanks to my coach's advice.  So far so good!  3lbs down!  I count, measure and weigh everything I eat and enter my food in my food journal.  I love this new app!!!  Love the barcode option too!  One quick scan of the barcode and voila!  Calories entered!  This application (My Fitness Pal) ROCKS!  It takes in consideration your weight, your height and your age and calculates how many calories you need to eat per day, in order to lose weight.  For those who don't have access to applications on their phones/blackberry units and still want to log your food in, you can access it free, online : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/  This app also logs in the exercise you do (you enter it in) and tells you how many extra calories you are allotted that day.  I did some major weeding at the front (OMG, the pile of weeds was huge!) and logged it in.  I don't think my coach was convinced at how much I had done, until I sent her the pic!  She told me to show them who's boss!  LOL!  Burnt lots of calories that day! 

I used to do sparkspeople before, but this is simpler and I really like it!   I'm hooked to my new pal!

Challenging myself for a future goal!

Many of my friends have participated in the Army Run this year, be it running or walking, and it has given me the itch to join the masses next year.  I'd like to challenge myself to be able to run the full 5K. 

I've been seeking advice from my coach (my amazing cousin!) and she has told me that with training, I could do it!  Run for a bit, walk for a bit, run for a bit more, walk for a bit more.... "don't overdo it!" she says.  Yeah... I doubt that!  It's going to be tough as I've never really jogged before.  Will definitely need a good sports bra!  LOL!

I've been dying to start working out again but my ankle still has not gotten better and bruising has now shown up, after 2 weeks.  I may have to go see the doctor.  They'll most likely say that it's sprained, but because the swelling has not really gone down and there's still pain (no crutches needed now, thankfully!), I may have to go and get it checked out.  :(

Once my ankle is fully recovered, a friend of mine suggested we do the "Couch Potato to 5K running program" together.  This sounds like a great idea and a great running plan.  Am excited about starting!!!! 

So, who's with me for next year's Army Run?!

thems the breaks!

left ankle that is swollen and sore

right ankle that is just fine!

 

Just to be clear, it's not broken.... just badly sprained and very swollen.

On Sunday, thought to go for a nice walk and burn some calories.  3/4 of the way on my route, I twisted my ankle and heard a loud snap.  Ouch!  Figured I'd still be able to do my walk (while limping) so took an extra 20 steps that realized that I still had to get home.... Stupid me, instead of calling my dear husband (who was fervently working on basement renos) I limped all the way home.  Once home, I asked my husband to help me and he iced my foot right away.  Been using his crutches and have been nursing my ankle as I start dance classes next week!  Oh, how nice it would be to not have weak ankles!

What do zumba, bellydance and ballroom dancing have in common?

 

ME!

Not only am I still bellydancing (on my own as the school closed), I have added zumba (am so hooked) and ballroom dancing to my dance repertoire! I’ve been pestering my husband to do ballroom dancing for years …. And he still says no… *sigh* So, I have found myself a dance partner. My dance partner’s first class was this past Tuesday and he absolutely loved it.  He was sad though that he did not have a dance partner and has been looking for one for a while now. I told him: “Look no further, you’ve found her!  ME!” Call me crazy, but he wants to do competitive ballroom dancing…. I thought to myself, WHY NOT! I’ve never danced competitively but have danced in front of others, on stage, so I don’t have stage fright, so why the heck not?!  DO IT!  I am so looking forward to it!  It’ll be difficult as there will be hours and hours of practice time, but I think it’ll be a great way for me to get fit and to have fun with something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. September 20th will be my first class and can’t wait!

I heart zumba!

So last night was my first zumba class ever..... and I HEART ZUMBA!  I am hooked!  I was so proud of myself!  I went to a class by myself, not knowing anyone, hopped into a car with a stranger (my mother in law's co-worker, not just a random person off the street - don't worry!!!) and experienced something that I always wanted to but never knew where to go.... I thought I was going to die in class and was counting down the minutes at the beginning but when the class ended, I said to myself: "that's it?  I could have kept going!"  Those first 20 minutes were killers as my muscles have not moved that way in a long time and thought that my legs would give out, but once they started warming up to the new latino moves, OMG, it was awesome. I've never sweat that much in my life!  I can't wait until the next time!!!  Next week, am going to be going to 2 classes (this week's a bit hairy) and the following week, am going to add a 3rd day in (once I get all the details at the Wednesday class). 

I came back home last night and went on and on about the class to my hubby (who feigned interest) and also told him that there was 1 man in the class, sweating his butt off and working out with us fine ladies.  I think I'll try to convince my hubby to come with me next time!  ;)

Get out there and sweat!

So going out at lunchtime these past few weeks have been horrible.  If it wasn't battling strep throat, it was being prevented to go outdoors by the copious amount of rain we've been having lately!  Feeling depressed about not getting my buns out there, I have been looking for alternatives.  I tried walking around in the building but the familiar faces of the folks I work with (including my bosses) keep eyeballing me as I pass them a few times while they are having their morning or afternoon coffee...  Feeling as they're judging me, I quickly scrapped that...

Last week, I got a call from my mother in law, saying that a friend of hers lives in my area and does Zumba in the surrounding towns.  I have always wanted to try it!  So I got her number off of her and gave her friend a call.  I start Zumba on Wednesday!  If it all works out, I should be doing Zumba in the evening, 3 times a week!  I can't wait!  This week I'll be doing Zumba on Wednesday and Thursday.  There's hopes to find a class for Tuesday, but I have to get more information off my mother in law's friend.  For those of you who don't know what Zumba is, it's a Latin inspired calorie burning dance/fitness program.

This will be great as I recently received a letter from my bellydance teacher, saying that they have closed the school and won't be teaching anymore.  Finding an alternative to bellydancing is difficult, especially when you live in a small town, so Zumba will be great!  I'll still be able to shake my ''thang'', Latino-style!  If any of you wish to try it out with me, let me know! 

Time flies!

Time flies when you're having fun! These past few weeks have been filled with events (wedding, trips, family visitors, holidays, etc...) and as such, my lunch hour walks have been put on hold. I am happy to report that although my eating habits were not all filled with fruits and veggies at my regular scheduled eating times, I still managed to maintain my weight loss, which is a big thing for me. I am very proud to have kept it off all these weeks!   Now that I am back at work and following my scheduled eating and workouts, I am hoping that I'll lose more weight! 

Great day!

So I tried my new phone app today and recorded my workout.  5.63km!  (see pic above) WOOHOO!  Walked with a co-worker of mine and we thought that we had been gone for 1/2 hour but to our surprise, we had walked for exactly 63 minutes (and 12 seconds.... but who's counting!)  ;)  We were so happy to have done it, felt amazing (besides being sweaty!) so we're doing this again tomorrow!  My hubby told me of a spot that has stairs (about 50ish) so I'm going to drag her there tomorrow during our walk, to sweat and to burn more calories....  YAY!  :)  Can't wait to do this again tomorrow!  We said that we'd shave a few minutes off every time and keep trying to beat our record.   If we do, maybe we can explore further.... was also thinking of walking to my hubby's work to say "hi"!  I had asked my co-worker if she had met him and her response was: "only in pictures".  LOL!  Guess I'll have to change that!  :)  Also looking into getting my bike all ready to hit those trails around my work.... my co-worker might join me on that too! 

Weight update:

Still no sign of weight loss but am not going to get bummed about it.  Those extra long walks will do the trick to shed more unwanted pounds...  On another note, someone at work stopped me today to say that I had lost a ton of weight and that it showed!  yay me!!! :) 

Stepping out of my comfort zone

The Parliament building from the path I took!

Today was a big step for me.... I stepped out of my comfort zone and went out for a walk, down a path, that I've never been down before.  For those who don't know me, I am petrified of walking downtown alone.  I have this fear of getting lost and not being to find my way back.  Well, today, I downloaded a new app for my phone (tracks the distance you've walked and how long your trek was) and went out to explore around my workplace.    Found a really nice bike path going along the water with hills and different terrain, followed it and saw some really nice sights and got some great fresh air (and don't forget burning those extra calories!)  Also saw some potential spots for geocaches too, that I might explore tomorrow!

 My new app was good, but found another one that was better and am looking forward to trying that one out!   Note to self though: Don't wear long dark jeans when it's hot and humid out while walking at lunchtime and get better running shoes!    Boy was I sweaty when I got back to the office!  The fan at my desk was my friend for many minutes! (as was my water bottle!)  This being said, I had remembered a colleague of mine mentioning that there were shower facilities in our building... so I went to him and asked him if he had time to show me.  After speaking with the Commissionaires and getting codes to get in, he and I explored our change rooms.   I was happy to see that I could change, do my work out, shower and change back into my work clothes.   YAY!   Our building (in another Phase and Tower) has a very small gym.  Perhaps in the cooler months (like winter!) I will join.  For now, I'm just going to enjoy some free vitamin D that the gorgeous sun gives me and workout with my wrist weights. 

Fridge cleanup!

So I cleaned out the fridge last night.  Got rid of sugary drinks and some alcohol to make room for more veggies (as my crispers are full of green goodness, much to Marc's dismay).   Felt good to clean up!  Makes me happy that I now have room to store my spaghetti squash!    Bad stuff out, great stuff in! :)

Speaking of squash, last night's featured veggie was cubed  butternut  squash, on the bbq.  OMG, yummy.  I added garlic, onions, a little bit of butter (so that they would not stick to the foil) and last ingredient: CINNAMON!  Recipe?  Nope!  How did I come up with cinnamon on my butternut squash?  My taste buds told me that it would be yummy.  Who knew?!  LOL! (yes, I hear voices in my head.... might not be a good thing.  Tee hee...)   I even had leftovers, to which I will have tomorrow as snack! :)

It's difficult not to weigh myself every day, as I know I shouldn't, but it has become an obsession of mine (to which I will stop and choose a day in the week to weigh myself and stick with it).  Good news though!  1 more lb less!  Total of 16lbs!  YAY ME!  *pats herself on the back* .  Although not losing weight as quickly as I would want, I am still very happy that those numbers are going DOWN and not up.  It's also a healthy way to lose weight.  One pound at a time!  :)  I WILL GET THERE!

Although ashamed at the initial weight and measurements, I will share them with you as this acts as a reassurance that I am doing this for a healthier me!  This journey won't be a short one but it will be a rewarding one! 

Date	May 26, 2011	July 12, 2011
Weight	261.3	245.4
Neck	16	16
Upper Arm (left)	17	16.75
Upper Arm (right)	17	16.75
Chest	51.5	50.5
Diaphragm	48	44.75
Waist	52	49.25
Abdomen	54.5	52
Buttocks	52.5	51
Upper Thigh (left)	28	25
Upper Thigh (right)	28	26
Calf (left)	18.5	17.75
Calf (right)	19.5	18.5
Upper knee (left)	16.25	16.5
Upper knee (right)	16.5	16.75

 

Now that my back is much better, I am able to take my walks at lunchtime and try and burn those calories!  :)  Next measurement update: Next month.  I don`t want to measure myself every week.  I am already weighing myself too much as it is!  LOL!

 Stay tuned folks!   xoxo

I can do it!

Somehow, this time feels different.  The whole "acceptance" of myself in a large body isn't enough anymore.  Although exuding sexiness and confidence in the body I currently have, I know I can be the person I've always wanted to be.  I've sabotaged myself enough and am working hard at breaking the hold that food has on me.  Why choose now to change?  I think that it's because I have come to the realization that I am getting older and that I have to take care of myself so that I can enjoy a longer, healthier life with my darling husband.  The biggest eye opener for me was that at the age of 36, my mother was diagnosed with MS.  When I was 20, I thought 36 was old, but now that I am at that age, I feel young and still feel like I am in my early 20's!  It really hit me and knew that I had to make a change.  Both of my parents also have Diabetes and as such, am at a higher risk.  May 26, 2011 is when I decided to change my life, for the better.

My fear is to fail.  Fail to lose the weight, fail to have the motivation to continue eating healthily, fail to be motivated to workout and shed those many unwanted pounds. How am I overcoming them?  By sharing my goals and my journey with you, I am ensuring that I take charge of my life and am accountable for the the choices I am making.  I will share my ups and downs.   

The road to weightloss will be long and difficult, but I will stay stong and focused! 

My goals:

Weight:  Lose 40lbs by October. 

Promiss to myself:

Even though I may have small setbacks, I promiss to get back onto the horse and continue my journey to a better me.  I promiss to love myself no matter what and to stay focused!  I can do it and I WILL do it!

So the journey to weight loss has begun....again!

Well, as the title says, here's my journey to weight loss, again!  For 5 weeks now, I've watched what I eat and have worked hard at finding out what triggers my eating.  I have determined that I eat when I am bored and eat when I am sad.  What have I done to help remedy this?  I COOK!  Yes, sounds odd, but I've been re-discovering food.  I read each label, put back my "normal" choices of snacks and regular meals and have opted for a more natural, fresh, organic way of life.  My husband's not a fan of all the greens I've been feeding him, but I know that it will benefit us both in the long run.  My sisters in law are both an inspiration to me with all their great meal plans (and blogging!) as well as my inlaws as they seem to know everything that you need to know about cooking fish on the bbq! 



The pic you see in sepia was taken early May, 2011.    After 5 weeks of my "new life", I am 15lbs down and am happier.  It may not show a lot, but am feeling more confident and my hubby loves it!  Now to kick myself in the butt for those fantastic workout sessions I've been meaning to try!  My lunchtime quick walks around work isn't cutting it!

Early May, 2011

July 6, 2011