2 more weeks and the result is ................

Not what I expected for 2 weeks of eating properly and exercising. Last week I wanted to try something different and change it up a bit to see if I would get the same results as the 6 lb week. I came home at night and instead of doing Cardio on the boring treadmill my friend and I worked out to Gallad (Fit TV) everyday @ 6:30 pm. He incorporates light weights and little cardio that help define abs, rear, arms, and legs. I like Gallad he is sort of funny and he has a beautiful Hawaiian beach scenery and skinny/fit good looking people training with him. That definitely motivates me to look better, get in a bathing suit and take the red eye to Hawaii. My basement with a scenery of walls is not doing it for me J. Anyway, so Friday morning came and I was all cheering couldn’t wait to see my hard work pay off. I step on the scale “Drum Roll” and it’s a big huge Goose Egg! No weight lost none, ziltch, notta. I couldn’t believe it. I thought for sure something. I went back read some old emails and comments and tried to figure out what happen. My first week was obviously water weight and after reading everyone’s comments, people said I might not lose the second week. I am hoping maybe it was gaining some muscle mass and burning fat in place of it. Let me know what you think?

Being a little discouraged I decided to step it up some this week and back off of Gallad to see if this would be different. I made sure that during lunch I walked a little more and farther. I came home and did the treadmill at a higher speed and lasted as long as I could which was about 30 min @ 3.5. I only did it 3x this week. I really should have stepped it a little more. That was my exercise for the week. Now on to my eating. Saturday I had a birthday party during the day and a wedding reception at night. I was confused on what to eat, when to eat and first of all what to drink. I decided to just take a cheat day since it would be “rude” of me not to eat some really great home cooked food. I knew it was all pretty unhealthy food, but I couldn’t turn it down when they are excited about me trying it. So, I did small portions at each function. I rolled my own cooler of beer in to the birthday party and the out door wedding reception and had some Beck’s Light with only 64 calories ea. Granted I was better off drinking bug spray, I would have been a little tipsier and no calories. I have gone into soda rehab and I can say my name is Crystal and I have been Soda sober for 21 days now. Clap! Turkey on wheat with some spicy mustard has been my savior. Thank the lord and Butterball I love turkey. I have been eating 6x a day with small portion meals and light snacks in between. This morning I get up and decide to face the scale again “Drum Roll” and I lost 2 more lbs this week. So 8 all together. I’m kind of excited. I hope that is a good number for 21 days of eating healthy and exercising. I know I really need to step up my cardio this week and I am going to try harder and harder to last longer.

I have taken all of your advice and website information to get great ideas on being creative with food and its working. I love all the dishes I have been trying. Self, Spark-people, Healthy living, Women Health Magazine have all been great tools for ideas and workouts.

Please let me know what you think on my progress so far and if I need to change some things.
Thanks
Crystal

I lost (6lbs) (6bls) (6lbs) (6lbs) in one week

I lost (6lbs) (6bls) (6lbs) (6lbs) in one week. I’m so excited. I weighed myself this morning and the scale did not say “to be continued”. Thank you to everyone that has emailed me and commented with advice on how to change my life style. So far it’s working. I have been taking your advice and incorporating it into my everyday routine.

No trainer, No gym, and No expensive diet plan. I’ve done all these and have never lost 6lbs in one week. One thing I do have is great friends and support from everyone. I hope next week is the same results but, I promise I wont get discouraged and quit if its not. Besides I have a really embarrassing picture of myself in a “to small” Victoria Secret bikini on Tracey’s computer just waiting to go up in one year. No one wants to see that so the more advice you have the more chances you have to avoid that picture.

The thing I was unable to conquer is getting up in the morning and exercising. I’ve done it once on Monday but, oh my it’s such a pain in the ass. I’m trying to get addicted to working out so that my body just gets up and does it with out me having to open my eyes. Maybe one day right? I come home @ 6:30 and the first thing I do is put on my work out clothes and just do it Walking around the 3 buildings at work during my lunch break is so much more energizing then going to Taco Bell or Boston Market in traffic for an hour. If any of you see a girl that looks like she just rolled out of bed walking around your building over and over again peeking in every now and then, don’t be alarmed it’s just me trying to losing weight. Luckily I don’t have to dress up for work so it’s convenient to exercise at work. I learned some office exercises from a book called Keeping Fitness Simple by Porter Shimer. This book is absolutely great boredom material. I work with 3 guys so they pick on me for doing random lunges to the copy machine or water cooler.

Thanks again to everyone that has helped keep the motivation going and if you have any great low fat recipes please let me have a peek at them. My Friend and I are always looking for a good recipe. I still need some good exercise training as well, so I will be getting some DVDs that you recommended over the weekend.
Don’t forget Friday is weigh in day!

Crystal

I'm doing something about it!

I had an email come through that said “You need to realize what made you gain weight in the first place. What were the excuses you were making”? I then made a list of all the excuses I gave myself and friends for not eating right or working out. After reading my excuses, I began to cry and be so ashamed of myself that these were excuses that should have been coming from single mothers, paraplegics, and people with muscle and bone diseases.
For example: I leave for work at 6:30 and get home from work at 6:30. I don’t have the time to get home, work out, and prepare a good healthy meal that I thought took over an hour all before 7:00. I say 7:00 because that is the time that books and the internet has told me not to eat past.

WAKE UP CRYSTAL! You don’t have children to feed, bathe, pick out school clothes, and then read a night time story.
If my best friend finds the time to this and stays thin and eats healthy with out going to a gym, then there is no excuse for me.
I will say that there have been big changes in my life that stressed me out and I didn’t know how to deal with them other than turn to food that I craved. That just made me tired and I could sleep it away. While I was swimming in my own self pity I was only making things worse by gaining weight and losing self confidence. We all know what lack of self confidence can do to a person. I really don’t have to go into that.

Since Thursday when I first went on the Bert Show my mindset has truly changed thanks to them and everyone’s inspiring emails and comments. I have tried this time and time again but, this time I realized what was really wrong with me and why I wasn’t successful. I didn’t listen to loved ones and kept procrastinating. I only got pissed off when they were trying to help by telling me not to put that taco in my mouth. They just wanted me happy again.

Well guys GUESS WHAT? I’m doing something about it. I have started walking on the treadmill everyday, some days longer than others. If I don’t make it the whole mile I just start making up dance routines to make my self laugh and feel better. My friend/roommate has paired up with me and helps me pick out food and even though she is 105lbs she still will eat the same stuff with me so that I don’t feel alone and crave what she is eating. I couldn’t be more thankful for her. My other friend is taking some boot camp classes and she has been showing me some exercises that they do. Today it hurts to laugh, she really kicked my butt last night.
Tonight I’m going home to start FIT TV at 6:30<-- I never knew it existed. I’ve been getting emails on the fitness DVDs and I have a few in mind that I’m going to buy.
Fat Free Yogurt and whole grain foods has become my best friends. Right now I am just trying to watch my portions. I feel like I still have a little while till I get the hang of it, and being able to determine what to eat at what times.

Friday is weigh in day and I’m truly nervous about it, I will let you know how much first thing Friday. I will put pics up after 10lbsß so I feel better about myself.
Thank you to everyone that has given me pointers and ideas on my new lifestyle. Your input is so helpful and motivating!
Crystal

My boyfriend said he would not shave his face until I lost 50lbs!

I am writing to get some help from you. My boyfriend said he would not shave his face until I lost 50lbs. I hate when he doesn't shave, it is so gross on my skin and he looks really homeless when he is not clean cut. He loves me and I complain to him all the time about losing weight, so he has now challenged me for motivational reasons only. My 10 yr reunion is next year. I want to blog about my journey through this lifestyle change and weight loss challenge.

I have been trying to lose weight for a while now and my success has bombed every time due to excuses that I make up for not exercising or eating right. During my high school years and and college years I was in great shape and athletic. Now that I am out I have gained so much weight and it really gets me down.

My Mom passed away 3 yrs ago from Lung Cancer and I have been under so much stress taking care of my family. I have let myself go and produced so many excuses why I cant lose weight. I use junk food for comfort. I have never had any nutritional or exercise guidance. Growing up my home was full of Honey Buns and and easy bake dinners. It didn't matter then because I would work it off the next day playing sports.

My whole demeanor has changed since I cant fit in my pants anymore. I never want to go anywhere and be seen. I want to see old friends,but I'm so embarrassed of myself that I keep giving them rain delays. My dad asked me the other day if "my treadmill ran away", then he patted my belly. I don't want to be in a swim suit at the pool around anyone.

My Point to this blog is I need some insight on what exercises I can do at home before, during or after work to help me lose weight. What are some basic foods I can eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? This is going to be a whole new life style change for me and I want to do it the right way out of my home with out spending money on pricey Hollywood fad diets or personal trainers. My Goal is to help myself and others use resources to be thin and healthy for a lifetime with out lifetime memberships to the gym.