Time to do this right!

I've been browsing various  weight loss and fitness blogs and have become very inspired; so much so that upon awakening this morning, I was determined that I was going to do this thing the right way.

 I got out of bed and searched through my drawer to find an old bikini(that I had no business looking at let alone putting on) and decided that I would take some before photos.  I immediately uploaded them to my comp and let me tell you, there is nothing like a photo to put things into perspective.  I know that I am overweight but dayum!


I think that I have been plagued with a bout of reverse anorexia.(if such a thing does exist)  I look at myself and see myself thinner than I really am. ( I'm serious, I really do).  It isn't until I look in the mirror or at a photo that the "Ugly Truth" sets in.   Case in point,  I bought a swimsuit dress, cover up thing... similar to this: Of course I will never wear it out anywhere, (Well I did wear it a few times to drop off and pick up the kid but I never got out of the car.) Anyway, I usually wear it around the house to lounge in and when I look down at myself, It doesn't look too bad, I don't look overly fat or anything like that.  Sure, I have a little tummy bulge but nothing that I haven't seen on anyone else..... as a matter of fact, I actually kind of like the way this looks on me.

  Now, fast forward to the beginning of this month, I'm taking a road trip and want to be able to drive in comfort. This dress is extremely comfortable and  it keeps me cool so I figure ...why not wear this dress? I put it on and decide to look in the mirror( mind you, I've never looked at myself in the mirror while wearing this dress before) and I couldn't believe what I saw, I looked like a stuffed sausage..... so of course that wasn't going to get it and I quickly changed my outfit.  Prior to that, I thought that I looked perfectly fine. (which translates to thinner than I really am)

Anyway, back to those bikini shots.  My gosh, I have a lot of work ahead of me...I mean a whollllllle lot of work!  I know that diet is 95 percent of weight-loss and I really need to figure out a doable way to incorporate good, healthy, tasteful, clean eating into my diet.  I currently have the mindset that I do not want to cut out anything from my diet.  Moderation is the key.  I sometimes get the kind of cravings where I want what I want.  It doesn't happen all that often but you know how it is when you cannot be satiated until you get what you want. I just cannot deny myself and maybe that's part of the problem as to why I'm the weight that I am.

I really don't eat a lot (I know you're thinking they all say that, admit it..that's what you're thinking aren't you?)  But in my case it's true.  Some people crave candy, chocolate or sweets, and I do get a sugar craving once in a while but my weakness as of late has been Flaming hot Cheetos,  I love them and could eat an entire bag in 1 or 2 days.  I once attended a nutrition seminar and I can remember the nutritionist saying that that particular kind of Cheetos is actually the worst for your body.  I'm  proud to say that I haven't purchased any flaming hots in about two weeks so that's good.

I guess I will do some more research on nutrition although I'm  pretty sure I know just about everything that I should or should not be eating.  I just have to put it into action.

  I see a lot of people have had success on Weight Watchers but I wonder if you will have to be on  the WW program  for the rest of your life to maintain or keep the weight off.  I don't want to follow any particular program and then when I start to eat "normally" again (not meaning unhealthy or large portions but in a normal manner, not cutting out any particular food or food groups) I gain the weight back.  That's my dilemma but i'm working on a plan.


Getting it right and tight,

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Tzatziki Sauce...Love this stuff!

Classic Tzatziki 

A traditional Greek dip and gyro condiment, tzatziki also makes a tasty topping for sandwiches and even hamburgers. Serve with pita wedges or crudités.


Yield

14 servings (serving size: 2 tablespoons)

Ingredients

1 cup grated seeded peeled cucumber
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

Place cucumber on several layers of paper towels; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Combine cucumber, yogurt, and remaining ingredients, stirring until well blended. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

                                              Tzatziki sauce used as a condiment for my grilled

                                       chicken breast Sandwich.  I probably should have

                                       taken a photo of the sandwich uncovered.  It was

                                       delicious and the "kid" who is  an extremely picky

                                       eater, Loved it too!  

Nutritional Information

Calories:9 (0.0% from fat)Fat:0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Protein:0.8g
Carbohydrate:1.8g
Fiber:0.1g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Iron:0.0mg
Sodium:72mg
Calcium:24mg




Getting it right and tight,

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It's Not Enough That....

I'm overweight but do I have to be Apple shaped too? Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with the "Ideal" Shape. I tend to gain most of my weight in my belly and waist area as opposed to the hips, thighs and butt as is most desirable.  Add to that the fact that I am no longer in my 20's then I may as well kiss my hour-glass dreams goodbye!

I don't understand it because I come from a family of pear shaped women. My mother says "Oh, you got that from your dad's side" as she walks past me with her badonkadonk. Hell yeah, I'm jealous!. I would love to have a big butt as opposed to a big gut, I mean who wouldn't?

It's no secret that people who are apple shaped are more prone to having obesity related health problems. Oh great, one more thing that we apples have to deal with!  The fact that abdominal (visceral) fat, which surrounds your internal organs, can greatly impair their normal physiology means that it is imperative that we work hard in losing the weight.  So what's an apple shaped gal to do?

Thank God I don't have any medical problems from being overweight so I don't need to take any medication, but we all know that losing belly fat is 10 times harder than  losing in other areas, at least for me it is. If only spot reduction actually worked ~sigh~. Truth be told, If I had a flat stomach... (well, it doesn't even need to be flat, just significantly smaller) I'd be good!

Just one more thing before I go...I mentioned that I ended up doing p90x Legs and Back yesterday. Well, based on my recollections of my previous attempts at completing the p90x program, I fully expected to wake up to soreness in my quads and hammies (hamstrings). I was surprised that neither one of those muscle groups were sore but rather my gluteus, I've never felt a soreness there before. now either I'm doing something right or I'm doing something wrong. I won't complain because I could always use a bigger derriere.

So what are you, an apple or a pear and how has it been losing weight for you?


Getting it right and tight,
 

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Help! I'm Really Needing One of These Right About Now

What is it that I need you ask?  A Swift Kick In the behind is what I need. I'm at it again, instead of getting up and getting my workout over and done with I keep putting it off.  first I need to check  my social networking sites, then I need to eat breakfast, Oh now I need to wait 2 hours to digest the food, but I really need to do laundry.  I'll just do double tomorrow to make it up.  When will this stop?

I know that you have to do things consistently for a few weeks in order for it to become a habit but I am just ready for it to kick in already.  This back and forth with me has got to stop. Is it two weeks before  it becomes second nature?   Right now I do not love working out (at one point I did relish going to the gym and actually enjoyed lifting weights.  Cardio, on the other hand is something that I probably will never enjoy and unfortunately its what I need the most  being as heavy as I am.)

 How do I get to the point of at least not minding cardio? I know I'll never be a lover, but can I at least get to the point where its "Eh, I must do it and I don't mind doing it."   I was up at 3:a.m. this morning ( who knows why), went back to sleep and woke back up at 5:15 am.  I thought about getting dressed and going to the track to walk for an hour  but  of course, I talked myself out of it and ended up laying back down.

Now, one thing that I do know about myself is that I'm a morning person.   If I don't get it done in the morning, then 9 times out of 10, it won't get done.  So..I am currently bent over and I welcome any and all kicks to my butt to get me in gear!

Udpate:   Thank you so much Nicole for you  words of encouragement.  Your comment got me to thinking. I realized that If I want to see the results, I need to put in the work.  I have been singing this same, sad weight loss song for the past 10 years and guess what?  The weight hasn't magically disappeared.  I am in worse shape now than I was initially when I realized that I needed to lose weight and have been steadily increasing in weight year by year.  I have got to stop it with these excuses.  I know I'm long winded but I said all of that to say this:  I did It!  I completed p90x leg and back  today!.  Yes, my legs are like limp noodles but I finished.

  

One more thing.  I have been subbing the pull ups with different free weight exercises. I have  bands but I don't think they are effective enough.  I saw a few pull-up bars (the kind that don't need to be mounted with screws) in Wal-Mart but I really don't think that the moldings in my doorway will hold up.  I can't do a pull-up anyway but I really want that bar!

Getting it right,

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Week1 Day 3 ( should be day 4)

I'm so proud of myself for getting up and getting it moving for the third day . (this really should be day 4 for me but I took the weekend off)
Anyway, I don't know what to blame, my head or my body, but whichever one is at fault was on it today. I so didn't feel like doing anything and managed to talk myself out of it with excuses for a few hours until my willpower took over and I said "I WILL WORK OUT TODAY!"

I did P90x Shoulders and arms and while I did take breaks due to shoulder pain, I powered through and even managed to do 1 round of the bonus round. I probably could have completed the second round and have no idea why I did not except laziness set in.

I can't believe how out of shape I am. There was a time when I could complete this workout no problem. I didn't have much trouble today save for pain in my left shoulder. I don't know what it is but whenever I do any type of shoulder work my left shoulder gives me hell. My right is just fine and I have no idea why that is. I'm sure that my form is correct and normally the pain isn't so great that I have to stop but this time it was. After each shoulder exercise, I had to stop to massage my shoulder before continuing on and that has never happened before. Any Idea why that is? I did do the stretching exercise but maybe that isn't enough. Maybe I need to look up some more shoulder stretches since I am just now getting back into it after a too many years to count long hiatus.

Anyway, I'm not only glad that my will power won out but also that I was able to finish the workout. I'm not done either, Oh no! I plan to add some form of cardio in a lame attempt to make up for the missed Saturday workout!

Getting it right,
 

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Meal Logging

I'm trying something new. Meal logging! We'll see how this works out, here goes!

Breakfast: 8:12 a.m.

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Lean Cuisine Steam Fresh Meals

I'm a fan of Lean Cuisine meals. I usually pop one in the microwave when I don't feel like cooking. Imagine my surprise when I was walking through the frozen food aisle at my local grocers and saw the new Lean Cuisine Steam Fresh meals. I grabbed one (Chicken Alfredo). It sat in the freezer for about two weeks before I tried it out (I'm also a fan of the steamfresh frozen veggies as well, beats boiling or steaming the old fashioned way).

Anyway. I decided to make this on the weekend for lunch and it was okay. I say okay because I have my favorite Lean Cuisine meals and while I absolutely love the Chicken Alfredo with broccoli, this had a different taste. I think it was the seasonings, but anyway, the kid and I shared this meal.

                            Sauce  looks a little watery (could be because the plate was big)

Nutrition Basics

Calories	280
Fat	7g
Fiber	4g
Protein	20g
Sodium	680mg
Carbohydrates	33g
Diet Exchange: 1 ½ Lean Meat 1 ½ Starch 1 ½ Vegetable ½ Skim Milk
Weight Watchers® Points® *	5

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And on the Seventh day....

Well, in this case the 6th ( and for me because I started midweek) the third....He rested. Yesterday turned into a rest day for me. I fully intended to do day 3 of p90x but my time, literally, got away from me. Today I will definitely workout though. It is just too hot for everything, Too hot outside PERIOD!! Hot inside (even with ac) hot in the car (even with ac)...just HOT!

I've been trying to get to the beach for a while now but because the kid has summer school, my hopes of getting there early enough to find parking at all (never-mind GOOD parking) is virtually nil. I refuse to take public transportation. Not that I'm too good for it but I just cannot see myself lugging a cooler and beach paraphernalia around on a bus or train, and don't even mention the 90 plus heat-wave going on.

I tried today but no one wanted to get up. The summer is winding down and I haven't been swimming yet. I didn't buy pool passes this year(regrettably) because we have been doing a lot of traveling but it would figure that during the hottest summer we've had yet, I didn't buy pool passes. Yes, I could pay as I go but let's see, 9 bucks a day times 4 or 3 on occasion, (every day or dayum near) is more than triple the little $150 plus I would've paid had I made the deadline before the season started. I may cave and buy it but I want my money's worth. I missed out on June and half of July and my pride won't let me purchase so close to the end of pool season, I'll feel cheated in some way. lol don't act like you all don't know what I'm talking about.  You know...YOU KNOW!

Anyway, I'll get to the beach eventually. Wish me luck!

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