That's right, everyone...I've left the 180's behind. I hopped on the scale this evening and was greeted by a friendly little 179.2! If I needed any more confirmation that exercise is essential, there it is.
Oh yeah, I've been exercising...I took 4 30+ minute walks this week! Talk about progress! I don't know where the breakthrough came from, but it seems like it only took one little walk to rev me up...now I don't know why I ever stopped.
So the next thing to organize is meals...I've been eating small portions, but I need to incorporate a lot more veggies! Which means I'll be on a recipe hunt after I finish this post. But man, it's such a boost to see results on the scale. It means I'm less than 10 pounds away from my original goal! WOW! It took me a little while to get my groove back, but now that I've stopped making excuses as to why I can't exercise, I think I'm on my way.
Here's to getting back on track! Now I just need to get the word out that I'm back on my blog! :)
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Progress!
Yes! That's right! We're moving forward, people. I got on the scale Sunday night to find myself down another 1.4 pounds (hooray!!), and although I haven't worked up to counting calories yet, my eating habits have been excellent and I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself at the moment. 11 pounds away from my original goal! I can DO this!
Oh, and I exercised! Man, crazy to think that one walk would be an achievement after the days when I used to be in the habit of doing it at least every other day, but it's been so tough to get myself going that it took some effort to make myself do it. But I did, and it felt AWESOME. I mean it. I got such a high from being out on such a beautiful day, getting my heart rate up, and rocking out to my old workout jams. I don't know why I don't do it everyday, because it feels great. So that's got to become a regular thing. I'm going to try to squeeze another one in before I head off to work at 1...I know Gigi will appreciate it!
Things are moving forward in other areas as well. I've been on the job hunt and have started printing out promising opportunities, rather than simply leaving them open in a browser window until I forget about them. I'm thinking that at the very least I can land some freelancing jobs - it will fill out my resume at least! I'm doing everything with baby steps, but seeing as my half birthday was yesterday, I have to keep in mind that I'm officially on my own in six months. I've taken over my phone and car insurance payments, so I'm inching forward towards actual adulthood. :)
So I've just got to keep my eyes on the prizes: my health, a job, and my own place!! I can't forget that this is actually an exciting time in my life, with so many possibilities ahead of me! Got to quit fretting over what I can't change and attack the things that I can. Forward ho!
Addendum: Just took my measurements too, after realizing I hadn't done so since July! I've lost another 1/2 inch from my neck, 3 from my waist, 1 from my hips (curse you hips!), and 1 from my bust! *happy dance*
Oh, and I exercised! Man, crazy to think that one walk would be an achievement after the days when I used to be in the habit of doing it at least every other day, but it's been so tough to get myself going that it took some effort to make myself do it. But I did, and it felt AWESOME. I mean it. I got such a high from being out on such a beautiful day, getting my heart rate up, and rocking out to my old workout jams. I don't know why I don't do it everyday, because it feels great. So that's got to become a regular thing. I'm going to try to squeeze another one in before I head off to work at 1...I know Gigi will appreciate it!
Things are moving forward in other areas as well. I've been on the job hunt and have started printing out promising opportunities, rather than simply leaving them open in a browser window until I forget about them. I'm thinking that at the very least I can land some freelancing jobs - it will fill out my resume at least! I'm doing everything with baby steps, but seeing as my half birthday was yesterday, I have to keep in mind that I'm officially on my own in six months. I've taken over my phone and car insurance payments, so I'm inching forward towards actual adulthood. :)
So I've just got to keep my eyes on the prizes: my health, a job, and my own place!! I can't forget that this is actually an exciting time in my life, with so many possibilities ahead of me! Got to quit fretting over what I can't change and attack the things that I can. Forward ho!
Addendum: Just took my measurements too, after realizing I hadn't done so since July! I've lost another 1/2 inch from my neck, 3 from my waist, 1 from my hips (curse you hips!), and 1 from my bust! *happy dance*
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Day 1 (again!)
That's right, we're back at day one again. It's been so gosh darn long since I've been on this blog that the address doesn't come up in the suggestions when I start typing it in my browser. There have been too many days to even go back and count since the last time I posted.
Not cool, Campbell. So not cool.
I lay awake last night berating myself for being so bad at following through with things. But I regret nothing so much as not following through with this blog! It helped me so, so much throughout last year, and I have no good excuse for letting it go other than laziness.
Life has not exactly been thrilling since graduation...I'm back working at my trusty daycare, back at the same place I worked at in high school. My resume is underwhelming, my energy levels are in the tank, and browsing job listings stresses me out like crazy because it makes me feel like I'm not qualified for anything. Not to mention that it's January and I'm still living it home...I've basically just been coasting since I moved back.
So that ball of fun, along with a job that can be rather taxing at times, has led to a breakdown in my good eating and exercising habits. I come home exhausted everyday, so that I'm just not mentally prepared to go out for a walk, even if I'm probably physically capable of it. With all these things weighing on my mind, my stress-eating has gotten out of control. Not so out of control that I have a bag of M&M's stashed in my bedroom, but there have been times when it's come close. Happily, I've been able to maintain my weight, but I haven't really lost anything since I got back from England.
My problem is that whenever life gets stressful, particularly when I'm frustrated at myself, the world, or whatever for not working the way I want it to, my strategy is to simply escape. Be it a book or a TV show or an iPhone game, I dig myself a nice cozy hole and bury myself in it, so I don't have to think of all the things I should be doing instead. I do this until I cannot possibly escape any longer, and finally force myself to act.
Well, I'm about at that point right now. In a little more than six months I'll be 26, closer to thirty than twenty and on my own as far as health insurance goes. So I need to find a real job with benefits, or face taking on a full time position at the daycare (again) to get insurance. And I really can't let that happen.
The key for me, I think, is to take control of the things I can control, like eating. I can't make anyone hire me, and it's going to take some hard work to whip my resume into shape, but myself I can take care of right now. I'm in total control of my eating and exercise, and it's purely my choice whether to succeed or fail in that arena. I think that once I start losing weight again, it will boost my self-confidence to the point where looking at job boards and going to interviews isn't such a stressful thing anymore. When I get myself together on the things within my control, then I can start to attack the things that aren't. But as long as I'm feeling down on myself for abandoning my healthy habits, I'm not going to be able to move forward.
So what I need to do first is to get my brain back to a place where food is not my top priority. Back when my good habits were in place, food wasn't the first thing on my mind all the time, and exercising was part of my routine, not some difficult thing I had to work myself up to. Those are my goals for this week - downgrade food, upgrade exercise. If I can get out and exercise twice this week, I will consider it a major success! I'll be up in Asheville this weekend, so maybe Ginny and I can go on a hike.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings, and wish me luck! I know I can jump back on this wagon, so it's time to get busy!
P.S. I'm totally aware that at least my last five posts have been very similar in tone and content to this post. Sigh. Hopefully this time it will stick.
Not cool, Campbell. So not cool.
I lay awake last night berating myself for being so bad at following through with things. But I regret nothing so much as not following through with this blog! It helped me so, so much throughout last year, and I have no good excuse for letting it go other than laziness.
Life has not exactly been thrilling since graduation...I'm back working at my trusty daycare, back at the same place I worked at in high school. My resume is underwhelming, my energy levels are in the tank, and browsing job listings stresses me out like crazy because it makes me feel like I'm not qualified for anything. Not to mention that it's January and I'm still living it home...I've basically just been coasting since I moved back.
So that ball of fun, along with a job that can be rather taxing at times, has led to a breakdown in my good eating and exercising habits. I come home exhausted everyday, so that I'm just not mentally prepared to go out for a walk, even if I'm probably physically capable of it. With all these things weighing on my mind, my stress-eating has gotten out of control. Not so out of control that I have a bag of M&M's stashed in my bedroom, but there have been times when it's come close. Happily, I've been able to maintain my weight, but I haven't really lost anything since I got back from England.
My problem is that whenever life gets stressful, particularly when I'm frustrated at myself, the world, or whatever for not working the way I want it to, my strategy is to simply escape. Be it a book or a TV show or an iPhone game, I dig myself a nice cozy hole and bury myself in it, so I don't have to think of all the things I should be doing instead. I do this until I cannot possibly escape any longer, and finally force myself to act.
Well, I'm about at that point right now. In a little more than six months I'll be 26, closer to thirty than twenty and on my own as far as health insurance goes. So I need to find a real job with benefits, or face taking on a full time position at the daycare (again) to get insurance. And I really can't let that happen.
The key for me, I think, is to take control of the things I can control, like eating. I can't make anyone hire me, and it's going to take some hard work to whip my resume into shape, but myself I can take care of right now. I'm in total control of my eating and exercise, and it's purely my choice whether to succeed or fail in that arena. I think that once I start losing weight again, it will boost my self-confidence to the point where looking at job boards and going to interviews isn't such a stressful thing anymore. When I get myself together on the things within my control, then I can start to attack the things that aren't. But as long as I'm feeling down on myself for abandoning my healthy habits, I'm not going to be able to move forward.
So what I need to do first is to get my brain back to a place where food is not my top priority. Back when my good habits were in place, food wasn't the first thing on my mind all the time, and exercising was part of my routine, not some difficult thing I had to work myself up to. Those are my goals for this week - downgrade food, upgrade exercise. If I can get out and exercise twice this week, I will consider it a major success! I'll be up in Asheville this weekend, so maybe Ginny and I can go on a hike.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings, and wish me luck! I know I can jump back on this wagon, so it's time to get busy!
P.S. I'm totally aware that at least my last five posts have been very similar in tone and content to this post. Sigh. Hopefully this time it will stick.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Day 382
So we whooshed right by the year marker without so much as a peep! I swear my life has been going at lightning speed lately, and I haven't even been that busy. The good news is that I'm down another 2.something pounds since my last post, putting my at 182.4. The 170's are so close I can almost taste them! The bad news is that it took me more than a month to lose it. I mean, not that I'd ever complain about any amount of loss, especially seeing as how I've basically dropped all my good habits except the not-overeating ones. I've been great about portion sizes, which I think is what's saving me. But veggies - sigh. Counting calories - sigh. Limiting carbs - somewhat sigh. Exercise - SUPER sigh. I'm going to walk to work today, as I've been noticing lately how I haven't exercised AT ALL in at least a month. That's a super duper fail, Miss Campbell May. Super DUPER.
I think a lot of it is due to the emotional stress of the growing amount of days between today and the day I graduated, particularly in the lack of jobs (or even interviews) I've gotten in that time. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly grateful for my job at the daycare - income is income, right? But I'd kind of hoped that after $20,000+ in loans and all those years of college education I would have something to show for it besides the same job I had in high school. Alas. That and the fact that I'm ready to move out. Really ready. But rent is a lot harder to pay without aforesaid college loans. Right now I'd have to be making almost double my current salary to afford the cheapest studio I can find in the (very extended) Atlanta area. Ugh. Life as an adult (an adult whose parents still pay all but her Netflix bills) is a drag.
But I had similar concerns a year ago, except there was always this little nugget of comfort in the fact that I was reinventing myself, living healthier and losing weight. Now that that's tapered off, even though I'm still losing weight, I'm missing that nugget big time. I don't know what it is about living with the parents that throws me off...but I settle into this state of complacency that I really hate.
So I'm actively looking for jobs (and apartments) in the hopes that I can break out of the current state of things and start moving forward again. I've planned some meals and I'm going to hit the grocery story tonight after work. I'm going to start logging calories and start exercising again. I'm also going to try to submit two job applications per day, regardless of the likelihood of getting hired, and I'm going to think positive! The next thing will come along soon enough. But if I can cling to my healthy habits, I know I'll have something to look forward to.
Thanks to everyone for putting up with my long silences! Once I get cooking again I'll definitely have some fun pictures to share!!
I think a lot of it is due to the emotional stress of the growing amount of days between today and the day I graduated, particularly in the lack of jobs (or even interviews) I've gotten in that time. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly grateful for my job at the daycare - income is income, right? But I'd kind of hoped that after $20,000+ in loans and all those years of college education I would have something to show for it besides the same job I had in high school. Alas. That and the fact that I'm ready to move out. Really ready. But rent is a lot harder to pay without aforesaid college loans. Right now I'd have to be making almost double my current salary to afford the cheapest studio I can find in the (very extended) Atlanta area. Ugh. Life as an adult (an adult whose parents still pay all but her Netflix bills) is a drag.
But I had similar concerns a year ago, except there was always this little nugget of comfort in the fact that I was reinventing myself, living healthier and losing weight. Now that that's tapered off, even though I'm still losing weight, I'm missing that nugget big time. I don't know what it is about living with the parents that throws me off...but I settle into this state of complacency that I really hate.
So I'm actively looking for jobs (and apartments) in the hopes that I can break out of the current state of things and start moving forward again. I've planned some meals and I'm going to hit the grocery story tonight after work. I'm going to start logging calories and start exercising again. I'm also going to try to submit two job applications per day, regardless of the likelihood of getting hired, and I'm going to think positive! The next thing will come along soon enough. But if I can cling to my healthy habits, I know I'll have something to look forward to.
Thanks to everyone for putting up with my long silences! Once I get cooking again I'll definitely have some fun pictures to share!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Day 345 - Pictures from England
I thought I'd post some of these, since I can no longer take progress pictures in my old apartment. I'm going to have to find a place to do it in the house so I can keep up with my weight loss. But it was so cool to look at the pictures from our trip and find so many of myself that I liked! There were always those few that I didn't, but it's so awesome to see the change in my body on camera.
Hooray for liking to look at pictures of myself for once!
Day 345
Holy weight loss, Batman, can it already be October? That doesn't seem possible! I was under this crazy impression that I had posted recently. Clearly that was inaccurate. Yeesh.
So I hope you guys haven't given up on me just yet. I know I've been making a habit of disappearing for long spans of time, and I definitely took a break over the summer, but I am back and ready to roll. We are less than two weeks away from the one year mark, and I'm committed to getting back into my good habits of blogging, cooking, and exercising. Regularly.
It's been difficult to be consistent with things since I've moved back home, which I expected, but I'm still not sure exactly why that happens to me! Good news is I'm down to 184.6, another 5 pounds from my last post in August. That's about 1 pound every 9 days, which is definitely slower than I'd like. I expected to drop a ton of weight after our trip to England (which was awesome, by the way!), but despite the excessive walking we did and the relatively good eating habits I maintained, I only dropped about a pound. I'm hoping this is due to muscle gain, because we seriously walked everywhere. To the point where we were hurting! So who knows what happened there. Muscles, I hope.
The goal is to get back to where I'm losing 1.5-2 pounds per week, and to accomplish that I've snapped back on Phase One this past Tuesday. I've also been getting in the kitchen more often, and I hope to have some recipes to share this coming week! We just got a new double convection oven, which I'm SO excited about, so I'm ready to get cooking!
As usual, the other difficult part is exercise. The weather has been beautiful lately, and if I can just get myself out of the house, I know I will really enjoy walking more! It's one of those things where if you habitually force yourself to do something, it gets easier with each time. So I just have to take that first step! The nice thing is that I've done it before, so I know I can do it again.
So here's to getting to that goal weight! There have been lots of ups and downs with my weight loss journey this year, but happily it's been mostly downs (at least as far as poundage goes!). So here's to that last 15 until 170!
So I hope you guys haven't given up on me just yet. I know I've been making a habit of disappearing for long spans of time, and I definitely took a break over the summer, but I am back and ready to roll. We are less than two weeks away from the one year mark, and I'm committed to getting back into my good habits of blogging, cooking, and exercising. Regularly.
It's been difficult to be consistent with things since I've moved back home, which I expected, but I'm still not sure exactly why that happens to me! Good news is I'm down to 184.6, another 5 pounds from my last post in August. That's about 1 pound every 9 days, which is definitely slower than I'd like. I expected to drop a ton of weight after our trip to England (which was awesome, by the way!), but despite the excessive walking we did and the relatively good eating habits I maintained, I only dropped about a pound. I'm hoping this is due to muscle gain, because we seriously walked everywhere. To the point where we were hurting! So who knows what happened there. Muscles, I hope.
The goal is to get back to where I'm losing 1.5-2 pounds per week, and to accomplish that I've snapped back on Phase One this past Tuesday. I've also been getting in the kitchen more often, and I hope to have some recipes to share this coming week! We just got a new double convection oven, which I'm SO excited about, so I'm ready to get cooking!
As usual, the other difficult part is exercise. The weather has been beautiful lately, and if I can just get myself out of the house, I know I will really enjoy walking more! It's one of those things where if you habitually force yourself to do something, it gets easier with each time. So I just have to take that first step! The nice thing is that I've done it before, so I know I can do it again.
So here's to getting to that goal weight! There have been lots of ups and downs with my weight loss journey this year, but happily it's been mostly downs (at least as far as poundage goes!). So here's to that last 15 until 170!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Day 301...I'm BACK!
Wow, so did you guys think I fell off the face of the earth? Once I saw how long it had been since I'd posted, I was beginning to wonder the same thing! Let me start by reassuring everyone that my blog silence has not meant that I've fallen off the wagon in any way...I'm still losing weight and am committed to reaching my goals! I got a bit of summer fever and have been slacking off big time with maintaining those good habits of cooking meals and exercising regularly, but I am seriously ready to get reenergized.
As of yesterday I weighed in at 189.6, which is WAY exciting. It's definitely been a few years since I've been in the 180's! But it's not as much as I'd hoped I'd be down by now. I know why the weight has been coming off more slowly...I had a couple of not so great weekends, particularly the one of my birthday! I made my own cake, which was great fun, but I did way too much finger-licking. It reminded me of how easily bad habits can sneak back in. It also showed me, once again, how much sugar is my enemy. I wouldn't say that I overdid it with the cake...I ate way, way less of it than I would have in the past. But having that sugar in my system made me crave it for several days after having it. It interesting, because I noticed that before cake, when sugar wasn't in my system, it was way easier to resist...I rarely even thought about having it. But after the cake, it was a lot harder for me to pass up an opportunity to have sugar. I limited my portions when I did have some, but I wasn't able to easily walk by without a thought as I've been doing lately.
So objective #1 is to rule out sugar. I mean totally! I don't think it will be too hard, especially after I've seen the control it has over me...I'm ready to get out from under that for sure! It's especially hard at daycare, where people like to bring sweets around a lot, but I know if I can be strong and resist that stuff two or three times, it will start getting a lot easier, to where I'll be back to hardly noticing it.
Objective #2 is to be more faithful about blogging! I use the excuse that I'm not cooking, so I don't have pictures to show, but this blog isn't about pictures and cooking! It's about staying motivated and sharing my struggles with others. So I'm going to do that. Even if it's only two or three times a week, it needs to happen. Big time.
Objective #3 is to get back in the kitchen! I haven't been as good about it, just because I'm living at home and am not the only one that goes grocery shopping. And I've been lazy about planning recipes. So that's got to start again. I know mom is willing to help buy the things I need, especially if I do the actual shopping! So I'm going to get some menus going.
This is all starting now, even though there's only 11 more days till we're off for England where I will be out of my routines again. But I think it will be really good for me to be solid in my goals and objectives before I leave, so I don't lose track while I'm there. I'm sure I'll be getting more than the usual amount of exercise (another objective that needs to be revived), but I'll also be given more food temptations with all the eating out (and pubs!). I know my sister will support me (love you sissy!) and I'm sure I'll do fine. But I want to come back from England and jump on the scale to see the benefits of walking around so much, not the consequences of eating out and indulging myself too often.
So it's time to stop using summertime as an excuse (summer is basically over anyways, except for the weather) and buckle up for some serious business! I know I can do it! I'm going to keep chipping away, and I hope you'll all keep cheering me on! Love y'all!
As of yesterday I weighed in at 189.6, which is WAY exciting. It's definitely been a few years since I've been in the 180's! But it's not as much as I'd hoped I'd be down by now. I know why the weight has been coming off more slowly...I had a couple of not so great weekends, particularly the one of my birthday! I made my own cake, which was great fun, but I did way too much finger-licking. It reminded me of how easily bad habits can sneak back in. It also showed me, once again, how much sugar is my enemy. I wouldn't say that I overdid it with the cake...I ate way, way less of it than I would have in the past. But having that sugar in my system made me crave it for several days after having it. It interesting, because I noticed that before cake, when sugar wasn't in my system, it was way easier to resist...I rarely even thought about having it. But after the cake, it was a lot harder for me to pass up an opportunity to have sugar. I limited my portions when I did have some, but I wasn't able to easily walk by without a thought as I've been doing lately.
So objective #1 is to rule out sugar. I mean totally! I don't think it will be too hard, especially after I've seen the control it has over me...I'm ready to get out from under that for sure! It's especially hard at daycare, where people like to bring sweets around a lot, but I know if I can be strong and resist that stuff two or three times, it will start getting a lot easier, to where I'll be back to hardly noticing it.
Objective #2 is to be more faithful about blogging! I use the excuse that I'm not cooking, so I don't have pictures to show, but this blog isn't about pictures and cooking! It's about staying motivated and sharing my struggles with others. So I'm going to do that. Even if it's only two or three times a week, it needs to happen. Big time.
Objective #3 is to get back in the kitchen! I haven't been as good about it, just because I'm living at home and am not the only one that goes grocery shopping. And I've been lazy about planning recipes. So that's got to start again. I know mom is willing to help buy the things I need, especially if I do the actual shopping! So I'm going to get some menus going.
This is all starting now, even though there's only 11 more days till we're off for England where I will be out of my routines again. But I think it will be really good for me to be solid in my goals and objectives before I leave, so I don't lose track while I'm there. I'm sure I'll be getting more than the usual amount of exercise (another objective that needs to be revived), but I'll also be given more food temptations with all the eating out (and pubs!). I know my sister will support me (love you sissy!) and I'm sure I'll do fine. But I want to come back from England and jump on the scale to see the benefits of walking around so much, not the consequences of eating out and indulging myself too often.
So it's time to stop using summertime as an excuse (summer is basically over anyways, except for the weather) and buckle up for some serious business! I know I can do it! I'm going to keep chipping away, and I hope you'll all keep cheering me on! Love y'all!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Day 265
Here I am, finally, checking in for an update! I haven't been cooking a whole lot lately, which has made me lazier about blogging. But I have something to cook tonight, so I'll be posting that soon!
But I had to share some good news, as it looks like I hadn't updated my weight since May (shame!) and my measurements since April (double shame!). I'm down to 191.2 as of this morning, which made me do quite a bit of happy dancing...only 1.2 pounds away from the big FIVE-OH! I also lost another two inches off both my waist and hips, which is freaking awesome. Especially considering how irregular my exercise has been lately, that's great news!
I have, however, started dancing it out again, which is a great way to get moving indoors and also a lot of fun! I just crank up Pandora (yesterday I rocked out to the Michael Jackson channel) and start shakin' it like a fool, ever so grateful that there are no witnesses. :)
I have to say, though, I will be so happy when I have my own place again. Have I said that already on here? I mean, my parents are awesome and we get along great, but something about living on my own makes me much more responsible about eating and exercising. I think part of it is because I buy my own groceries and I'm the only one eating them, so it's easier for me stick with the program. Not that my eating has been bad lately, but it could be better (as usual)! So that's just extra motivation to get a good job and move into my own place!
So I'll try to be better about keeping everyone posted! I doubt many of you check the blog regularly anymore, as I've been so abysmally irregular about posting, but I'm going to try to get better! I think it will really help once I get a solid routine in place. Hopefully that will happen very soon!
But I had to share some good news, as it looks like I hadn't updated my weight since May (shame!) and my measurements since April (double shame!). I'm down to 191.2 as of this morning, which made me do quite a bit of happy dancing...only 1.2 pounds away from the big FIVE-OH! I also lost another two inches off both my waist and hips, which is freaking awesome. Especially considering how irregular my exercise has been lately, that's great news!
I have, however, started dancing it out again, which is a great way to get moving indoors and also a lot of fun! I just crank up Pandora (yesterday I rocked out to the Michael Jackson channel) and start shakin' it like a fool, ever so grateful that there are no witnesses. :)
I have to say, though, I will be so happy when I have my own place again. Have I said that already on here? I mean, my parents are awesome and we get along great, but something about living on my own makes me much more responsible about eating and exercising. I think part of it is because I buy my own groceries and I'm the only one eating them, so it's easier for me stick with the program. Not that my eating has been bad lately, but it could be better (as usual)! So that's just extra motivation to get a good job and move into my own place!
So I'll try to be better about keeping everyone posted! I doubt many of you check the blog regularly anymore, as I've been so abysmally irregular about posting, but I'm going to try to get better! I think it will really help once I get a solid routine in place. Hopefully that will happen very soon!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Day 253
Hello all! I finally got some pleasant news on the scale this week! It's been sort of a difficult few weeks, what with taking a break from my pills and battling the munchie feeling all day everyday. But I hopped on the scale Tuesday, just to see what the damage was, and instead found that I'd lost 2 more pounds! That leaves 18 more to go before August 29, so I've got my work cut out for me.
I know I haven't been the best at keeping up with the blog, but I promise I haven't fallen off the wagon! I don't count calories every day, but most days I'm pretty good about it. I took GiGi for a walk last week first thing in the morning, which felt great, but I have to work up the willpower to drag myself out of bed on a daily basis. Some of the ladies at daycare are doing a zumba class once a week, so I might start doing that, which would help a lot! But as long as I can stay on top of my eating, things should keep going as planned.
Still, it's become clear to me these past few weeks sans medication that I still have some eating issues to deal with. Not that I expected my new habits to stick overnight, but I had hoped I would have a little more control over cravings and such than I used to. But old habits die hard, as they stay. Just gotta keep chipping away at 'em.
But finding myself two more pounds down really gave me a boost! It's funny how weight loss makes me want to put more effort into my appearance...now if only I had the cash money (and goal weight) for a shopping spree! Soon, though. It will be so awesome when I finally get there.
So that's that for now! Hopefully I'll have some yummy meals to post soon. Thanks guys! Y'all are awesome!
I know I haven't been the best at keeping up with the blog, but I promise I haven't fallen off the wagon! I don't count calories every day, but most days I'm pretty good about it. I took GiGi for a walk last week first thing in the morning, which felt great, but I have to work up the willpower to drag myself out of bed on a daily basis. Some of the ladies at daycare are doing a zumba class once a week, so I might start doing that, which would help a lot! But as long as I can stay on top of my eating, things should keep going as planned.
Still, it's become clear to me these past few weeks sans medication that I still have some eating issues to deal with. Not that I expected my new habits to stick overnight, but I had hoped I would have a little more control over cravings and such than I used to. But old habits die hard, as they stay. Just gotta keep chipping away at 'em.
But finding myself two more pounds down really gave me a boost! It's funny how weight loss makes me want to put more effort into my appearance...now if only I had the cash money (and goal weight) for a shopping spree! Soon, though. It will be so awesome when I finally get there.
So that's that for now! Hopefully I'll have some yummy meals to post soon. Thanks guys! Y'all are awesome!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Day 242
So I'm finally hauling myself over here to catch up with everyone! My last post was more of a "I promise I'm still alive" than an actual post, so I'm here for a long overdue real post.
Things have been going pretty well, especially considering I've been taking a vacation from my pills and thus have had more appetite than usual. I had a few days where I definitely overate, and had to rein things back in big time. But I got back to counting calories towards the end of last week, so that's been helping a lot.
Alas, as a result of my slacking in the eating department, my weight has kind of plateaued at 196. But I'm determined to go down another 20lbs by the time Lindsey and I leave for London at the end of August, so I've got to get serious! I'm going to have the house to myself next week - Mom is in Arizona until the end of June and Dad is going to visit her for a week starting tomorrow, so I'm going to have to be extra on top of it with my eating.
Exercise has been pretty hard, too. Daycare wears me out, which is part of it, but the other problem is that because my hours are always different, it's very hard to get myself into a routine. Maybe I'll start taking walks in the evening, as the weather usually gets pretty bearable after the sun starts going down. The toe should be ready to go back into a shoe (again) very soon, so hopefully I can make that happen.
It's a little scary being off my pills, as those feelings of being out of control of my eating have been coming back with a vengeance. But counting calories has really helped my feel like I have power over it. It's definitely a whole different thing without chemical assistance, and something I need to get used to and overcome. So I think this is good for me.
And now for the food pictures! I had a preview in my last post, though it wasn't the best quality. These might be a little better, though they were all taken with my phone. We had the following one night last week...
Another night last week we had something else pretty tasty...
Things have been going pretty well, especially considering I've been taking a vacation from my pills and thus have had more appetite than usual. I had a few days where I definitely overate, and had to rein things back in big time. But I got back to counting calories towards the end of last week, so that's been helping a lot.
Alas, as a result of my slacking in the eating department, my weight has kind of plateaued at 196. But I'm determined to go down another 20lbs by the time Lindsey and I leave for London at the end of August, so I've got to get serious! I'm going to have the house to myself next week - Mom is in Arizona until the end of June and Dad is going to visit her for a week starting tomorrow, so I'm going to have to be extra on top of it with my eating.
Exercise has been pretty hard, too. Daycare wears me out, which is part of it, but the other problem is that because my hours are always different, it's very hard to get myself into a routine. Maybe I'll start taking walks in the evening, as the weather usually gets pretty bearable after the sun starts going down. The toe should be ready to go back into a shoe (again) very soon, so hopefully I can make that happen.
It's a little scary being off my pills, as those feelings of being out of control of my eating have been coming back with a vengeance. But counting calories has really helped my feel like I have power over it. It's definitely a whole different thing without chemical assistance, and something I need to get used to and overcome. So I think this is good for me.
And now for the food pictures! I had a preview in my last post, though it wasn't the best quality. These might be a little better, though they were all taken with my phone. We had the following one night last week...
Sauteed Asparagus with Gorgonzola (SOOO yummy!)
Creamy Cauliflower Purée (aka Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes...also so so yummy!)
Roasted Red Snapper Fillet (also incredibly yummy!)
Yep, that whole dinner was a total win! Everything in it was so good...I wish I could make it every night!
Another night last week we had something else pretty tasty...
I love SkinnyTaste! This was also perfectly delicious. I LOVE coconut so this was perfect for me! Will definitely make it again.
So I'm on my own next week, but I plan to get busy and do some cooking. And exercise. Lord knows my room and bathroom could use a good scrub down! Luckily I'm working mostly afternoons this week at the daycare, which will give me some extra time to get things organized. Gotta keep on keepin' on! Wish me luck!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 237
I know. Trust me, I know. I've been slacking off. But I'm getting my act together today! I need to post so badly that I'm sitting here at daycare typing it out on my iPhone! So forgive the typos that are bound to appear. It's been a munchie sort of week so far, so I'm taking back control by getting serious about counting calories. Ive been taking a pill vacation, so I haven't had the benefit of the appetite suppressant, which hasn't helped things. And I reinjured my toe at work on Monday so exercise has been limited. So Im climbing back on the wagon starting today!
Despite my less than ideal eating habits, I've managed to cook some tasty meals for myself and my dad over the past couple of weeks! Last week we had red snapper (which I loved, surprisingly!) along with gorgonzola asparagus and cauliflower mashies. I'll come back and link up the recipes when I get to a computer! Here's a picture:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Day 229
For shame! I have been the absolute worst at blogging lately. As if you couldn't tell that already. Wow, I knew it was going to be hard to stay in a routine, but I hadn't thought it would be this hard! I think working at the daycare throws me off...my schedule is different everyday and it's hard to be consistent about things. But that's no excuse! I absolutely cannot let this blog fall by the wayside!
The trouble often is that when I work full days at the daycare, I come home totally obliterated...not sure if it's the heat, or the kids, or getting up early, but I come home and am ready to just chill. Got to get myself revved up! Especially to exercise. I've been doing some dancing to get moving, but haven't gotten organized to do any solid 30 minute workouts. This week has been a good one so far, though. I've only been working three hours in the afternoons, which has given me some time in the mornings to focus on other things.
For example, I've finally gotten some recipes organized for dinners, and actually cooked on Monday! I made Super Veggie Beef Burgers from Sarah's Cucina Bella and low-fat baked onion rings from Skinny Taste and both were delicious! I made them for my Dad and me (I actually got to cook for two for once!) and he approved heartily. Everything was so flipping good! It was a great summer meal. It could have used something green, of course, but it was a fun treat. Take a look:
The trouble often is that when I work full days at the daycare, I come home totally obliterated...not sure if it's the heat, or the kids, or getting up early, but I come home and am ready to just chill. Got to get myself revved up! Especially to exercise. I've been doing some dancing to get moving, but haven't gotten organized to do any solid 30 minute workouts. This week has been a good one so far, though. I've only been working three hours in the afternoons, which has given me some time in the mornings to focus on other things.
For example, I've finally gotten some recipes organized for dinners, and actually cooked on Monday! I made Super Veggie Beef Burgers from Sarah's Cucina Bella and low-fat baked onion rings from Skinny Taste and both were delicious! I made them for my Dad and me (I actually got to cook for two for once!) and he approved heartily. Everything was so flipping good! It was a great summer meal. It could have used something green, of course, but it was a fun treat. Take a look:
I took the picture on my phone, so it's not the best quality, but I was too lazy to rummage through my messy room for my good camera. :) Doesn't that look tasty, though? The bean sprouts just made it. Love bean sprouts. And the sandwich thins were way better than big old buns. SO yummy. I never want a real hamburger again!
So tonight red snapper is on the menu. That's right, fish! Lindsey's coming over for dinner so I thought I'd whip up something special. I think we're going to have asparagus and cauliflower mashies with it. Sounds delish, don't it?
Love you all! Thanks Aunt Jane for getting me back over here for a post! You're so awesome! I promise to post about the fish tonight or first thing tomorrow!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Day 219
First thing I did this morning was sit down and start writing out a grocery list so I can make some tasty dinners next week. A) It's high time I posted some pictures and B) my Mom is about to be out of town for a month and I have to have a plan in place so that my Dad and I don't end up at Chick-fil-a every night. I'll tell you what, it sure is nice to have a place to stay while I get my future worked out, but it is a whole lot harder to be responsible and stick to a routine when I'm at the parent's house. Part of it, of course, is the fact that I'm essentially on vacation, at least from school. I've been doing well enough with eating, but exercise is a struggle. Not that that is anything new.
I weighed in yesterday and hadn't lost anything (though when I weighed in on Wednesday I was down a pound, so maybe the scale was fibbing yesterday, lol?), so I've jumped back onto counting calories. At least, until we ate out for dinner and I had a margarita, which I'm pretty sure put me over my count. Yikes! So I'm going to need to get that under control. I have an app on my phone now that I can track my calories on, which makes things much more convenient, so I have no excuse!
And exercise. I've been doing ab workouts, but I know that's going to get boring real fast. The toe is pretty much healed, so I have more options now. I might just have to strap a water bottle on my leg and brave the heat for walks, as walking is really my favorite way to exercise. On the days I work mornings I can probably walk to the daycare, provided the temperature is reasonable...last thing I want to do is show up sweaty for work. Ick. Whatever I do, I simply cannot sit on my tush all summer! Totally unacceptable, obviously. Must get some strategies in place.
But I have been following plenty of good habits, too...like completely avoiding the cookies, cupcakes, bagels, candy, you name it that have been in the kitchen at work over the last two weeks. Between birthdays, graduating preschoolers, and general showers of unhealthy food, there have been a lot of high-cal goodies under my nose at work lately, and I've passed them up with surprisingly little trouble. It's so great to feel like I have control over that! In the past, I not only would have gotten a cookie or cupcake, it would have been on my mind pretty much all day, and every time I went into the kitchen to do something, I would have swiped a little bite. Not anymore! Seriously, all that junk has had very little appeal to me lately. Why mess up a good thing, right?
So anyways. I've got recipes in line and I'm getting ready to head to the grocery! Need to print out coupons first, though. All that fresh stuff gets expensive!
You guys are awesome sauce! Thanks for rooting for me, and I'll be back with (hopefully good) news shortly!
I weighed in yesterday and hadn't lost anything (though when I weighed in on Wednesday I was down a pound, so maybe the scale was fibbing yesterday, lol?), so I've jumped back onto counting calories. At least, until we ate out for dinner and I had a margarita, which I'm pretty sure put me over my count. Yikes! So I'm going to need to get that under control. I have an app on my phone now that I can track my calories on, which makes things much more convenient, so I have no excuse!
And exercise. I've been doing ab workouts, but I know that's going to get boring real fast. The toe is pretty much healed, so I have more options now. I might just have to strap a water bottle on my leg and brave the heat for walks, as walking is really my favorite way to exercise. On the days I work mornings I can probably walk to the daycare, provided the temperature is reasonable...last thing I want to do is show up sweaty for work. Ick. Whatever I do, I simply cannot sit on my tush all summer! Totally unacceptable, obviously. Must get some strategies in place.
But I have been following plenty of good habits, too...like completely avoiding the cookies, cupcakes, bagels, candy, you name it that have been in the kitchen at work over the last two weeks. Between birthdays, graduating preschoolers, and general showers of unhealthy food, there have been a lot of high-cal goodies under my nose at work lately, and I've passed them up with surprisingly little trouble. It's so great to feel like I have control over that! In the past, I not only would have gotten a cookie or cupcake, it would have been on my mind pretty much all day, and every time I went into the kitchen to do something, I would have swiped a little bite. Not anymore! Seriously, all that junk has had very little appeal to me lately. Why mess up a good thing, right?
So anyways. I've got recipes in line and I'm getting ready to head to the grocery! Need to print out coupons first, though. All that fresh stuff gets expensive!
You guys are awesome sauce! Thanks for rooting for me, and I'll be back with (hopefully good) news shortly!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Day 214
Jumped on the scale to some GREAT news today! I waited a couple of days past my usual Friday weigh-in as I wasn't sure how much my less than perfect eating last weekend would effect the numbers, but lo and behold, I hopped on today to see a friendly little 196.4 on the scale! That's another 1.8 pounds, folks!
I'm getting to a point where I'm ready to change my goal weight from 170 to 140. 140 was always the real goal, but I guess I went with the more achievable 170 in the beginning so I wouldn't freak myself out with the knowledge that I had 100 pounds to lose. Now that I'm almost halfway there, I know beyond a doubt that 140 is perfectly achievable for me! But still, I might leave it at 170 until I actually hit it, just to give myself another big milestone to achieve.
Really for the first time now, I'm beginning to notice how much better I feel, physically and emotionally, having lost so much poundage. I really began to notice over graduation weekend, when I not only allowed my picture to be taken, I asked for my picture to be taken, and once it was, I actually enjoyed looking at myself in them. I could picture how those days would have been had this weight loss journey never happened. I would have been uncomfortable in whatever dressy outfit I had found to wear. I would discourage picture taking. I would hate what I saw in the pictures I was obliged to pose for.
That in itself made the weekend so memorable and fun...I didn't feel like a tub of lard, and there was no trace of that hopeless feeling I used to get that I would never find a way out of my weight problems. Now, with so much weight gone, I not only have more energy and optimism, but my whole mindset has changed. And, obviously, for the better.
So the goal for this week is to get some recipes together, cook a few meals, and get some exercise in. I got two bouts of my ab workout in last week, so if I can double that this week that'll be the ticket! Love you awesome people, and I'll be back to check in soon!
I'm getting to a point where I'm ready to change my goal weight from 170 to 140. 140 was always the real goal, but I guess I went with the more achievable 170 in the beginning so I wouldn't freak myself out with the knowledge that I had 100 pounds to lose. Now that I'm almost halfway there, I know beyond a doubt that 140 is perfectly achievable for me! But still, I might leave it at 170 until I actually hit it, just to give myself another big milestone to achieve.
Really for the first time now, I'm beginning to notice how much better I feel, physically and emotionally, having lost so much poundage. I really began to notice over graduation weekend, when I not only allowed my picture to be taken, I asked for my picture to be taken, and once it was, I actually enjoyed looking at myself in them. I could picture how those days would have been had this weight loss journey never happened. I would have been uncomfortable in whatever dressy outfit I had found to wear. I would discourage picture taking. I would hate what I saw in the pictures I was obliged to pose for.
That in itself made the weekend so memorable and fun...I didn't feel like a tub of lard, and there was no trace of that hopeless feeling I used to get that I would never find a way out of my weight problems. Now, with so much weight gone, I not only have more energy and optimism, but my whole mindset has changed. And, obviously, for the better.
So the goal for this week is to get some recipes together, cook a few meals, and get some exercise in. I got two bouts of my ab workout in last week, so if I can double that this week that'll be the ticket! Love you awesome people, and I'll be back to check in soon!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Day 210
So after the craziness of finals, graduation, and the ensuing wedding/after party, I've finally arrived for a new post! I'm really having to crack down on myself and get into a rigorous routine, as I'm officially home for the summer and in danger of sliding into lazy habits if I'm not alert and organized about exercising and healthy eating.
Considering how much cake, candy, and other junk that has been put in front of me since last Friday, I've managed to make pretty good choices. I had a modest slice of cake both at the wedding and my graduation party, which I didn't beat myself up about...I mean, weddings and college graduation are pretty special occasions, right? But those were my only splurges...otherwise I stayed hooked on protein, fruits, and veggies. I got active on Monday to work it all off, spending six hours hauling boxes up from the garage and organizing all the stuff I moved out of the apartment. I still have a ways to go with all that, but at least my clothes are put away! So that burned off a good amount of calories right there. Then on Tuesday I did my ab workout for the first time since I broke my toe! It felt awesome, although I'm still super sore from it. Got to get back in shape! I think my toe is about ready to go back into a shoe, so hopefully I'll be able to change up my exercise and get some walking/treadmill in soon.
I know that after so many weeks of being unable to have any kind of exercise routine, it's going to be difficult to get back on track, but I'm determined to do it! It's another thing that's going to take organization, especially with the heat we're about to have (which means I'll actually have to hit the gym!) but I know I can do it. I just need to keep myself really busy, otherwise I'll get sucked into the laziness of summer and sit around reading and putzing around on the computer all day!
Luckily, I should be pretty booked with three jobs this summer - the daycare, website stuff for Aunt Ann, and an internship with Lil' Ol' Me that I'm super excited about! Let's just say I'll be blogging, tweeting, and web designing my little fingers off. In fact, my laptop will generally just be in my lap a whole lot, so all the more reason to get a schedule going for exercise!
Anyways, I hope all is well with you all, and I plan to have some food pictures to upload soon! Cooking dinner is another part of my organization plans...must have good healthy things to eat!
Considering how much cake, candy, and other junk that has been put in front of me since last Friday, I've managed to make pretty good choices. I had a modest slice of cake both at the wedding and my graduation party, which I didn't beat myself up about...I mean, weddings and college graduation are pretty special occasions, right? But those were my only splurges...otherwise I stayed hooked on protein, fruits, and veggies. I got active on Monday to work it all off, spending six hours hauling boxes up from the garage and organizing all the stuff I moved out of the apartment. I still have a ways to go with all that, but at least my clothes are put away! So that burned off a good amount of calories right there. Then on Tuesday I did my ab workout for the first time since I broke my toe! It felt awesome, although I'm still super sore from it. Got to get back in shape! I think my toe is about ready to go back into a shoe, so hopefully I'll be able to change up my exercise and get some walking/treadmill in soon.
I know that after so many weeks of being unable to have any kind of exercise routine, it's going to be difficult to get back on track, but I'm determined to do it! It's another thing that's going to take organization, especially with the heat we're about to have (which means I'll actually have to hit the gym!) but I know I can do it. I just need to keep myself really busy, otherwise I'll get sucked into the laziness of summer and sit around reading and putzing around on the computer all day!
Luckily, I should be pretty booked with three jobs this summer - the daycare, website stuff for Aunt Ann, and an internship with Lil' Ol' Me that I'm super excited about! Let's just say I'll be blogging, tweeting, and web designing my little fingers off. In fact, my laptop will generally just be in my lap a whole lot, so all the more reason to get a schedule going for exercise!
Anyways, I hope all is well with you all, and I plan to have some food pictures to upload soon! Cooking dinner is another part of my organization plans...must have good healthy things to eat!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Day 201
Oh my gracious we've passed day 200 and I didn't even know it! Well isn't that just dandy, as I swooped right under 200lbs last Friday to a exciting 198.2!
So I just turned in the very last paper of my college career, and of course the first thing I had to do was scoot on over and give my poor neglected blog a little sugar! More Splenda, really. But you get my drift. I wish I could be more jumping for joy over the fact that I don't have to write another paper for a very, very long time (Fate, don't even think that's me tempting you to set me on a path to grad school!), but I had to get up at 5AM this morning (it was really more like 4:45...thanks Gigi) to make it back to Athens for an 8AM final.
You may ask: Did you do that on purpose?
No. No I did not.
I was just hanging out with mi madre last night around this time, uploading Lindsey's graduation pictures to Facebook and generally just hanging out. I just happened to check our class website somewhere in between all that, being all extra prepared and looking up what time my final was scheduled on Wednesday. I look at the date my professor posted, which clearly says "May 10." I think, hmmm, that's funny, today's the ninth, but tomorrow is Tuesday...
Yeah, it clicked into place pretty fast. I buried my face in my hands and groaned, "Mom, I have a final tomorrow at 8AM."
Hello, 5AM.
Happily, I made it back to Athens safely, despite my grogginess, and against all odds somehow plowed through that three hour final. Yes, it took me all three hours, which is great on an English exam as it means you have enough info in your head to keep your pencil scrawling away for three hours straight. Despite the fact that I hadn't reviewed half of the material, I think I scraped through pretty well. We'll see on Monday!
Oh, and I made the same mistake with the other final paper that I mentioned in my last post as being due Wednesday night, but somehow I figured that one out several days ago. I have no idea why I was unable to apply this knowledge to my exam. All's well that ends well, I guess! At least I got done with everything a day earlier than expected.
But yeah, I am wiped out. You may have already guessed, but I didn't cook anything tonight. Maybe tomorrow, when my vacation begins!!!
Love you all. Can't wait to venture into the one hundreds with you guys!
So I just turned in the very last paper of my college career, and of course the first thing I had to do was scoot on over and give my poor neglected blog a little sugar! More Splenda, really. But you get my drift. I wish I could be more jumping for joy over the fact that I don't have to write another paper for a very, very long time (Fate, don't even think that's me tempting you to set me on a path to grad school!), but I had to get up at 5AM this morning (it was really more like 4:45...thanks Gigi) to make it back to Athens for an 8AM final.
You may ask: Did you do that on purpose?
No. No I did not.
I was just hanging out with mi madre last night around this time, uploading Lindsey's graduation pictures to Facebook and generally just hanging out. I just happened to check our class website somewhere in between all that, being all extra prepared and looking up what time my final was scheduled on Wednesday. I look at the date my professor posted, which clearly says "May 10." I think, hmmm, that's funny, today's the ninth, but tomorrow is Tuesday...
Yeah, it clicked into place pretty fast. I buried my face in my hands and groaned, "Mom, I have a final tomorrow at 8AM."
Hello, 5AM.
Happily, I made it back to Athens safely, despite my grogginess, and against all odds somehow plowed through that three hour final. Yes, it took me all three hours, which is great on an English exam as it means you have enough info in your head to keep your pencil scrawling away for three hours straight. Despite the fact that I hadn't reviewed half of the material, I think I scraped through pretty well. We'll see on Monday!
Oh, and I made the same mistake with the other final paper that I mentioned in my last post as being due Wednesday night, but somehow I figured that one out several days ago. I have no idea why I was unable to apply this knowledge to my exam. All's well that ends well, I guess! At least I got done with everything a day earlier than expected.
But yeah, I am wiped out. You may have already guessed, but I didn't cook anything tonight. Maybe tomorrow, when my vacation begins!!!
Love you all. Can't wait to venture into the one hundreds with you guys!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Day 195
So I literally had to drag myself over here to post. Not that I don't love y'all and this blog, but it's finals week and I'm pretty swamped. I'm mostly done with a final portfolio for one class due tomorrow at 3, at which point I have to crank out a final paper for Friday at noon. Then I have to read read read and write write write to get ready for my final next Wednesday and finish writing another final paper for Wednesday night. Whew. Then I'm DONE. Oh yeah, and a college graduate!!
Can you guys believe how close we're getting to Day 200? I know I say this every time I hit a big number milestone, but I never thought I'd make it this far. And going strong! I'm going to break that 200lb mark this Friday, I just know it. We'll go above 200 in days and below 200 in pounds!
Although this may be partially due to studying through meals and forgetting to eat. Like tonight...I pounded out 9 straight hours of portfolio work, then realized around 8 that I was practically faint with hunger...and I never get faint with hunger! Somehow, I summoned the energy to put together a nice spicy shrimp dinner, but not enough to track my camera down and take pictures. Ah well. So I need to make sure I have snacks handy. At least I haven't gone to the other extreme and stocked up on bags of candy in order to munch my way through finals! YIKES. That would be some serious bad news.
Oh, and I forgot to post about last Friday's weigh-in! Sheesh I'm behind. Anyways, I was down another 1-point-something on Friday, putting me ONE puny little pound away from the big 40! (Or is 199 officially when I hit the big 40? Whichever.)
It's occurred to me just now how weird it will be after graduation, when I won't have to write constantly. Hopefully that will mean better and more frequent blogging! Gotta keep those writing skills sharp somehow, right? Although I can't say that I do my most inspired writing on here. It's much more of a stream of consciousness thing. :)
Actually, at this point I'm pretty surprised that words are coming out of me at all. Considering the amount of use my keyboard has seen today, I should be speaking in random dingbats and long strings of periods by now. Like @#(*(&$%! and ................
So comparatively, I'm doing awesome.
Wish me luck and strength to get through the next few days! Hopefully I'll be back here to post at least by Friday...gotta let you guys know if I broke 200, after all!
Can't even do calories right now. Suffice to say I did not exceed 1000. I didn't have anything green either. *shame and chastisement*
Can you guys believe how close we're getting to Day 200? I know I say this every time I hit a big number milestone, but I never thought I'd make it this far. And going strong! I'm going to break that 200lb mark this Friday, I just know it. We'll go above 200 in days and below 200 in pounds!
Although this may be partially due to studying through meals and forgetting to eat. Like tonight...I pounded out 9 straight hours of portfolio work, then realized around 8 that I was practically faint with hunger...and I never get faint with hunger! Somehow, I summoned the energy to put together a nice spicy shrimp dinner, but not enough to track my camera down and take pictures. Ah well. So I need to make sure I have snacks handy. At least I haven't gone to the other extreme and stocked up on bags of candy in order to munch my way through finals! YIKES. That would be some serious bad news.
Oh, and I forgot to post about last Friday's weigh-in! Sheesh I'm behind. Anyways, I was down another 1-point-something on Friday, putting me ONE puny little pound away from the big 40! (Or is 199 officially when I hit the big 40? Whichever.)
It's occurred to me just now how weird it will be after graduation, when I won't have to write constantly. Hopefully that will mean better and more frequent blogging! Gotta keep those writing skills sharp somehow, right? Although I can't say that I do my most inspired writing on here. It's much more of a stream of consciousness thing. :)
Actually, at this point I'm pretty surprised that words are coming out of me at all. Considering the amount of use my keyboard has seen today, I should be speaking in random dingbats and long strings of periods by now. Like @#(*(&$%! and ................
So comparatively, I'm doing awesome.
Wish me luck and strength to get through the next few days! Hopefully I'll be back here to post at least by Friday...gotta let you guys know if I broke 200, after all!
Can't even do calories right now. Suffice to say I did not exceed 1000. I didn't have anything green either. *shame and chastisement*
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Day 189
Dead dead dead tired. I've been working like a dog on website projects, as it's probably one of the few times I'll have a chance until finals are over, and for some reason it's totally drained me...probably all the staring at the computer. Once I finish posting I'm closing this puppy up for the night!
But despite my lack of energy, I did make a delicious, scrumptious, crispy-cheesy-moist-flavorful-yet-healthy dinner! Tonight it was Chicken Rollatini, not too difficult to make and the results were awesome. Take a look...
But despite my lack of energy, I did make a delicious, scrumptious, crispy-cheesy-moist-flavorful-yet-healthy dinner! Tonight it was Chicken Rollatini, not too difficult to make and the results were awesome. Take a look...
I know it looks really breaded, but most of it is actually grated parmesan cheese. And you can't really see, but it's stuffed with spinach and ricotta. So good! It was a nice, filling pick me up after a long and trying day (week, really!) Plus it used up my leftover ingredients from the chicken nuggets, so it was all around perfect.
So tomorrow is my very last class as an undergraduate! Then the fun of finals can begin!
Anyways, catch you guys tomorrow for the weigh-in. I'm feeling pretty positive about it!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Day 187
Whew. So it’s been a trying past few days. Not in the being healthy department...that’s going great! I even made a tasty dinner tonight:
I left my chocolate bunny behind.
That’s right, folks. Mom and Dad gave me a chocolate bunny in my Easter basket (yes we still get an Easter basket...you are never too old for an Easter basket), along with a little bag of mini Reese’s cups, jellybeans, a stuffed possum toy (don’t ask), and a pretty mug. It was sweet of them to put candy in mine, as they didn’t want me to be left out of the festivities, and so the decision was left to me about what to do with it.
I noticed an interesting, though slightly disturbing, behavior upon receiving my basket. I was possessive of it. It’s a difficult emotion to explain...I guess I was excited about having some candy, and was afraid that someone would say, “Oh, you’re dieting Campbell, let me eat that for you.” Not that I don’t mind sharing, but for some crazy, irrational reason I was worried that it was all going to get taken away. Even though the candy had been freely given to me, I was scheming about how to get it up to my room without anyone noticing. Although that was more due to the fact that I didn’t want anyone to see me eat it than the possibility that someone might take it away.
Then I noticed the way my sister handled her candy, immediately opening her bag of Reese’s and passing it around the table. It was no big deal. It was just a bag of chocolate, freely available at any gas station, grocery store, drug store, movie theater, you name it. I’m so glad this caught my attention, because it clued me in to how wrong my own behavior was.
Frankly, it was a little frightening that even after six months of habits-changing, my brain could immediately revert back to the old food-hoarding behavior. But it was also encouraging, in that I noticed the behavior and put a stop to it. In the past, I would have done whatever I needed to smuggle that candy out of the house and back to Athens with me. Which is silly, as I have a car and money and am free to go to the store and get candy whenever I want...but like I said: irrational.
This time, however, as I was packing up my things and preparing to stow away the chocolate bunny (happily, Daddy had finished off my Reese's cups for me at that point), I thought, What if I left it behind? The answer to that was, It wouldn’t really be that big of a deal. After all, I know what chocolate tastes like. And because I was having somewhat troubling behaviors towards this particular chocolate, I felt that it was especially important that I just walk away.
So I did. And it was way easier than I thought it would be. I never even missed it! It was so much more rewarding to have control over that behavior and ignore the urge to sneak the bunny. So that was a huge win for this weekend! Headline: Campbell Triumphs Over Chocolate Rodent!
In other news, I made a SCRUMPTIOUS dinner tonight, and it was so super simple I couldn’t believe it. The recipe is Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets from Skinny Taste, one of the new blogs I've found. It was absolutely to die for. Crispy and moist with incredible flavor, thanks to the parmesan cheese and Italian style panko bread crumbs. Despite the fact that they are technically breaded, these nuggets are surprisingly low in carbs and fat, especially because there are no eggs involved in the breading process. That was seriously the best dinner I've had in a long time!
But more on that in a minute. First, last Sunday was Easter, and holidays tend to be times when I struggle more with eating well. But even though I splurged a little with a twice baked potato and a few jellybeans, I did something really big...
I left my chocolate bunny behind.
That’s right, folks. Mom and Dad gave me a chocolate bunny in my Easter basket (yes we still get an Easter basket...you are never too old for an Easter basket), along with a little bag of mini Reese’s cups, jellybeans, a stuffed possum toy (don’t ask), and a pretty mug. It was sweet of them to put candy in mine, as they didn’t want me to be left out of the festivities, and so the decision was left to me about what to do with it.
I noticed an interesting, though slightly disturbing, behavior upon receiving my basket. I was possessive of it. It’s a difficult emotion to explain...I guess I was excited about having some candy, and was afraid that someone would say, “Oh, you’re dieting Campbell, let me eat that for you.” Not that I don’t mind sharing, but for some crazy, irrational reason I was worried that it was all going to get taken away. Even though the candy had been freely given to me, I was scheming about how to get it up to my room without anyone noticing. Although that was more due to the fact that I didn’t want anyone to see me eat it than the possibility that someone might take it away.
Then I noticed the way my sister handled her candy, immediately opening her bag of Reese’s and passing it around the table. It was no big deal. It was just a bag of chocolate, freely available at any gas station, grocery store, drug store, movie theater, you name it. I’m so glad this caught my attention, because it clued me in to how wrong my own behavior was.
Frankly, it was a little frightening that even after six months of habits-changing, my brain could immediately revert back to the old food-hoarding behavior. But it was also encouraging, in that I noticed the behavior and put a stop to it. In the past, I would have done whatever I needed to smuggle that candy out of the house and back to Athens with me. Which is silly, as I have a car and money and am free to go to the store and get candy whenever I want...but like I said: irrational.
 |
| I'm so cute...don't eat me! |
This time, however, as I was packing up my things and preparing to stow away the chocolate bunny (happily, Daddy had finished off my Reese's cups for me at that point), I thought, What if I left it behind? The answer to that was, It wouldn’t really be that big of a deal. After all, I know what chocolate tastes like. And because I was having somewhat troubling behaviors towards this particular chocolate, I felt that it was especially important that I just walk away.
So I did. And it was way easier than I thought it would be. I never even missed it! It was so much more rewarding to have control over that behavior and ignore the urge to sneak the bunny. So that was a huge win for this weekend! Headline: Campbell Triumphs Over Chocolate Rodent!
In other news, I made a SCRUMPTIOUS dinner tonight, and it was so super simple I couldn’t believe it. The recipe is Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets from Skinny Taste, one of the new blogs I've found. It was absolutely to die for. Crispy and moist with incredible flavor, thanks to the parmesan cheese and Italian style panko bread crumbs. Despite the fact that they are technically breaded, these nuggets are surprisingly low in carbs and fat, especially because there are no eggs involved in the breading process. That was seriously the best dinner I've had in a long time!
Beats Chick-fil-a hands down!
It made my night, as I've been pretty drained between end of the semester school stuff and lack of sleep (owing, I'm quite sure, to my lack of exercise. I've got to get back on track with that!). Hopefully I can get to bed early tonight and recharge. The nice thing is that I have all week next week to get all of my projects done, so I can take it somewhat slow. 17 more days and I'm a college graduate!
Almost forgot! Here's the calorie count:
Breakfast
Low-fat nutrigrain waffles — 140
1 tbsp honey — 64
¾ cup Puffins cereal — 101
Skim milk — 43
Coffee w/ cream — 60
Lunch
Apple slices w/ reduced fat peanut butter — 222
Dinner
Baked chicken nuggets — 230
1 tbsp blue cheese dressing — 65
Green beans — 26
Snacks
Sugar-free Jell-o pudding — 60
Total: 1011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Day 183
We've hit our six month mark! Can you guys believe it? I've kept up with this thing for a whole six months. Wow. I have to say, I never thought it would happen.
But it has! And what's more, weigh-in today went great...another 2.8lbs off! That puts me a tiny 2.3 pounds away from the 100's! I seriously did a little dance this morning when I got off the scale. I really think it's been helping me to track my calories. I must have been going over more than I realized, because the weight has been coming off a lot more easily lately. Which is surprising, as I haven't been able to exercise as much as I like. Although I did get some dancing in today while I was cleaning up my room today. I hoping I can get this foot in a shoe very soon!
So I'm in the ATL for the weekend and Easter. No Peeps for me this year! Don't really like them anyway, lol. :) I might not check in again until Monday, so I hope everyone has a great weekend! Here's today's calorie count:
Breakfast
Egg McMuffin - 300
Lunch
Sigh...skipped again.
Dinner
Delicious quiche compliments of Mom - 400
Side salad w/ spring mix, goat cheese, tomatoes, avocados, craisins - 120
Snacks
12 chocolate chips - 45
Total: 820
Didn't do as well with eating my calories today...I jumped in the car to head home right around lunch, and then when I got here I shot off to the mall to meet Mom and Linz to do a little window shopping. As I always say...got to get better about eating lunch!
But it has! And what's more, weigh-in today went great...another 2.8lbs off! That puts me a tiny 2.3 pounds away from the 100's! I seriously did a little dance this morning when I got off the scale. I really think it's been helping me to track my calories. I must have been going over more than I realized, because the weight has been coming off a lot more easily lately. Which is surprising, as I haven't been able to exercise as much as I like. Although I did get some dancing in today while I was cleaning up my room today. I hoping I can get this foot in a shoe very soon!
So I'm in the ATL for the weekend and Easter. No Peeps for me this year! Don't really like them anyway, lol. :) I might not check in again until Monday, so I hope everyone has a great weekend! Here's today's calorie count:
Breakfast
Egg McMuffin - 300
Lunch
Sigh...skipped again.
Dinner
Delicious quiche compliments of Mom - 400
Side salad w/ spring mix, goat cheese, tomatoes, avocados, craisins - 120
Snacks
12 chocolate chips - 45
Total: 820
Didn't do as well with eating my calories today...I jumped in the car to head home right around lunch, and then when I got here I shot off to the mall to meet Mom and Linz to do a little window shopping. As I always say...got to get better about eating lunch!
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