WOW-----A Compliment

One of the neighbors commented on my weight loss.  That made me feel really good, but as usual I tried to downplay the compliment.  Why would I do that?  I have lost 12.6# since early November.  That is a safe rate of loss. I would prefer faster but I am happy with this rate if I don't do any backsliding. 

This is what I am thinking.  My goal was to lose 50#.  I have lost 12.6#, which is 25% of what I want to lose.  That is really wonderful, if I feel this good after losing 25% of my goal, I can't wait to get to  my goal.

So the compliment made me actually mindful of accomplishing that milestone and appreciating my dedication to get to this point.  I also feel  there won't be any backsliding...because I just feel different about the whole process right now.  And that is something I have to really think about before I blog on it.

So right now I am just thinking.....

I can, I will!!

Chair Workout on Dr. OZ

I was watching Dr. Oz today and saw a group of women doing "chair" exercises.  The idea was to workout using a chair since everybody has one.  I thought they were great exercises and done pretty easily with variations built in to increase the difficulty for a more advance exerciser. 

I was also another site that had an interview with Denise Austin.  She was talking about her eating plan but also about what she called "fidgetcise".   These are moves you do while, brushing your teeth, talking on the phone, waiting for the water to boil, etc,etc. 

Doing moves during dead time at work has been of interest to me for quite a while.  In fact, I exercise at work whenever I can.  I think most people have opportunities to slip in a pose, move, or stretch here and there during their work day.  When it comes to moving the body, it all adds up.  I like this trend!!

I can, I will!!

I Am A Very Lucky Person

In a recent post, I mentioned the fact that I am unusual because I never gone over my highest weight.  Articles I read indicate that "yo-yo" dieters usually gain everything they lose plus when they are on the upswing and today I figured out why:

Exercising pretty consistently and eating healthfully between 55 and 80% of the time has saved me from extreme obesity.  How lucky that I  incorporated healthy eating and exercise in my life when I did.  Now I just have to increase the percentage of time I follow those healthy habits.

Since the reason is so simple, shouldn't I have figured this out before.  Better late than never!! 

OR

My Mother's favorite " You can't learn any younger".

The one I am using:

I can, I will!!

Gone For a Few

We have been in Laughlin since Friday visiting with Rex's brother and celebrating Rex's birthday.  Love the hotel we are in they have FIT TV and so have been working out with that  and taking the stairs down from the 12th floor.  No I haven't been taking them up....I know what a cop out.  Maybe I will once before we leave tomorrow.

I'm just keeping on keeping on.

I can, I will!!

Simple? Ya Right!

I have spent a lot of time trying to be successful at weight loss, in fact I have spent years and years.  Apparently so have a lot of other people, considering that weight loss products are over a billion dollar industry .  If it took money to solve the problem...we'd all be thin.

What do all of us "weight challenged" people want?  We want to take a pill or a drink and BAM be transformed into someone with a perfect figure and weight.  Yup that is what we want -no muss, no fuss-with fabulous results.  We live in the age of "instant" gratification and by golly, we want it NOW.  Why isn't that possible (after all, they can put a man on the moon)??  Why does it have to be so hard??  Why does the challenge NEVER end??

I think we all have to learn something.  Instant gratification DOES NOT exist when it comes to weight loss.  It is a LONG, HARD process that has to come together on many different levels.  I marvel at the many different  experiences the various bloggers I read are having and have had along their journeys.  In all sincerity, I am in total awe of some of these young women.  Their personalities come through and  they sound like the kind of  people you'd like to know.

From many different sources, I am learning the following "rules for success" regarding weight loss.  Following them will most likely ensure your success with this problem.

1.  Move more, eat less.......just no way around this.  As far as eating less, it means healthy foods the vast majority of the time.  Moving---start somewhere and as you progress  keep "upping" the ante.

2.  Hard work and determination.......weight loss doesn't just happen.  It takes of LOT of hard work (both mental and physical) and determination.  You have to have the absolute desire to conquer that layer of fat on your body.

Now I haven't conquered these "rules", but I honestly think I am making progress, internally if nowhere else.

Everyday is a revelation!

I can, I will!!

Making Progress

I went to the gym today...I know-the commitment I made this week was to go on Tues. and Thurs., but today is Wed.  What's up with that??  I had a whole list of errands to do on Monday-- library, post office, and bank.  WHY DIDN'T I REMEMBER ABOUT THAT GREAT AMERICAN, MARTIN LUTHER KING?? 

Since I seem to be oblivious of holidays, I ended up doing the errands yesterday (Tues.)---Yes you can use twice the gas to run errands!!  That is what happened to my gym yesterday.  So I went today.  I love going to the gym, some of the weight training I have been doing is making a difference.  I feel different internally, and am trying to determine if anything is visible externally.  I've decided to take pictures on or about Feb. 4.  I think that even though I have been having slow success with the scale, I am making progress with my body.  I feel stronger and actually more streamlined...and am hoping pictures will confirm that.

I just do not understand,  I can exercise my "resistance muscle" 5 or 6 days a week, walking past pastries, cookies, chips, and host of other goodies, but let me give in ONE day and it totally screws up my week.  I keep backsliding.  Since I have been thinking about this, I am wondering if those proportions are accurate.  May the 5 or 6 days isn't quite right....so that might have a great deal to do with a scale that isn't moving or staying moved.  I have way too much up and down..

Judith Beck, I am going back to page one and starting over.....I have to get this right.  2010 MUST be my year to put all of the pieces together.

I can, I will!!

I Cannot Believe It!!

I have another follower.  I can't believe it and feel so flattered that someone besides Rex took the time to become a follower.  That amazes me.  I must admit, that the longer I write this blog, the more I would like others to read it and comment.  I would like feedback.  I have learned SO much reading other peoples blogs that I feel sorely lacking. I am so in AWE of the accomplishments  these bloggers have achieved and at, what, I consider a young age.  Makes me feel very envious of their drive, ambition, and ability to actually get things done.  How do they do that??

I read bloggers in their 20s that have published a book (http://www.pastaqueen.com/), been listed in  the newspaper, (http://www.priorfatgirl.com/) and one who has taken a paid blog for Glamour Magazine and started one of her owe (http://www.karinaworksitout.com/)  that is wonderful-- I am totally amazed by them. 

I continue to work on my challenges and making positive choices on a daily basis.  Success is the yardstick and will be obvious.  I want what makes me happy!!

I can, I will!!

Did It!!

I  mentioned that I went to the gym to give up my membership, because I was going to use the Wii Fit Plus for exercising for now.  Since I have NO sales resistance I didn't give my membership (although they lowered my price) and came up with a new plan.  My plan is to use the gym for weights.  This week I made the commitment to go to the gym Tue., Thurs., and Sat., to do my strength training and use the Wii the other days.  And you know what??  That is exactly what happened.  Which I must admit is the not the way things usually turn out.  I am proud of myself.  Next week I am going on Tue and Thurs.  We are getting company from out of town on the week end so Sat. will not work out.

I am proud and I am working my way toward my goals.

I can, I will!!

Weight Loss Really?

I happened to notice the sentence under the title of my blog.  It says "A Weight Loss Journey".  I think maybe that is too specific.  This blog seems to be evolving in ways I hadn't anticipated.  A sentence in a recent post (of mine), indicated that weight loss could (and maybe should) be a byproduct of reaching other goals.  I actually have been concentrating on studying subjects other than weight loss.  Studying in 2010, studying things that interest me, and trying to think of life in different ways.  Weight loss specific information  is also something I continue to study, but no longer exclusively. 

I also think that, so far, 2010 is going to be a year in which I actually act on the information I have been acquiring for many, many years.  So anyway, because I am trying to study  different ways to improve myself and my life, weight issues will be fought on more than one "front".

Now I am trying to come up with a more accurate sentence under my header.  (Note on 1-12-10..I changed the sentence today).

I can't believe I almost forgot about this:  the Wii said my BMI has moved from obese to overweight.  The right direction.....again.  Success  builds on success...something I am learning every day.

But as always:

I can, I will!!

I Impressed Myself!!

Today I got my weight training routine from Jesse, the trainer, at Bullhead Health Club.  I have committed to going to the gym to do this routine 3 days a week.  The other days I will continue using the Wii Fit Plus system.

One of the machines he is having me do is called a "roman chair".  It is tall and you hold yourself up with your arms.  It is hard to explain but anyway there is also platforms on each side so you can rest your feet.  Jesse was going to have me do lift up one leg at a time to build up strength....nope I can do both now!!  That impressed me because I have never been on that machine before.  Cool!

I am also still reading the Beck book and working on incorporating the skills in it.  I will be doing more reporting on that soon.  Nothing is easy but I feel the skills in this book will help me if I implement them and actually take the time to learn them properly.  It will be an ongoing process but worth every minute.

I can, I will!!

Bullhead Health Club

I finally got back to 187.8 today.  Isn't that what I weighed about a month ago?  Yes it is...back in the right direction!!

I have been working out using the Wii Fit Plus and I really, really like it.  It is fun to see my progress graph daily and I like the the yoga poses.  I have been doing the free run for 20 minutes just about every day, although yesterday I upped it to 30 minutes.  Doing this is what makes me think I would like to train for a 5k.
That is some thing I am still planning on working on.

Anyway since I got the Wii and have been using it, I decided to give up my gym membership at Bullhead Health Club.  So on Monday I went there to do that.  I HAVE NO SALES RESISTANCE!!  The owner happened to be there.  He lowered my monthly rate and set me up with an appointment with the trainer.  I really do like the gym when I go, getting there is the problem.  Since I didn't quit I decided I would make a commitment to go 3 days a week...Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and just not worry about the gym on other days.  The other days I plan to continue with the Wii.  In the past everyday I would stress about it if I didn't go and feel I should do more if I did go.  No win for me...

This morning I had my session with Jesse the trainer.  Jesse is probably 24 or 25 and really into his job.  I like his enthusiasm and I think we will get along well.  Today was a baseline measurement day.  When I tell people, "yes I do work out" and "yes I do eat really well"--I can see in their faces..Ya Right!  So if I eat so well and work out, why am I so fat?????  Goes back to all the sugar I eat.  Did I mention that I have come to the conclusion that there is not enough candy in the world to satisfy me? 

But Jesse was measuring things like endurance, heart rate, blood pressure, and could see that those things are good.  So then I did a test involving stepping up and down on a step that is about 15" high to a metronome.  This test lasts 3 minutes and before starting he said he has given this test to about 90 people and only about 7 have completed the whole 3 minutes.  Now he has to say 8.....AND I am the only one my age (59) that has lasted 3 minutes.      Yup I DO work out!!!

I can, I will!!

Body Abuse

I am a victim of "body abuse".  Who do you suppose is the perpetrator of this abuse?  Why myself, of course.  Sunday we went to the bar to watch the Viking and Packer games......I usually have water to drink but NOOOOOOOOOO, I had the bright idea to drink JD and diet coke.  Big, Big mistake.  Rex had to drive home.

Unfortunately that was not the end of the abuse....I then went on to eat two, not one, but TWO gigantic bowls of ice cream with banana, peanuts, chocolate sauce, and butterscotch sauce.  Did I mention that I had two of those.  Needless to say, I was up most of the night sitting on the toilet.  Yup I did a great job of abusing my intestinal tract.  After I sobered up and was sitting there experiencing the result of my self inflicted abuse, I was thinking, how many times can I do this to myself, and expect my body to forgive me and not fail?   I am thinking I must be on borrowed time with this abuse and it has to stop....2010 is my year to change for the better and appreciate my body for the wonderous machine that it truly is.  I need to take care of it because I am not getting another one no matter how much I whine.

I can, I will!!

Resistance Muscle

Jen at http://www.priorfatgirl.com/ recently mentioned a book that she is going to read and conduct a discussion group about.  I can honestly say that Jen is one of the most helpful and inspiring bloggers I read.
At any rate, I got the book, "Beck Diet for Life" by Judith S. Beck, Ph.D. from the library and am currently reading it.

The basis of the book is to use Cognitive Therapy to deal with your addictions, be they eating disorders, depression, or something else.  As I am reading the first few pages, I have learned about something called the "Resistance Muscle".  It is the muscle you exercise every time you find a way to not cave in to your cravings.  It is a logical technique to combat the "red devil"  on your shoulder.  As with anything else, success leads to more success.

 I am going to describe my first challenge since reading about the "resistance muscle".  Where I work, the management provides us with a free buffet to eat at once during our shift.  I usually don't eat there, but carry my own food to work.  ALTHOUGH there are occasions when something special is on the line.  About the only special thing  that appeals to me are desserts.  At work Friday night they had a really cool chocolate ganache covered cake.  Now ordinarily I would have gotten one of those immediately but I talked to the server and he said he had quite a few and not all of them were in the cooler and, if asked, would bring one out.  So I decided to wait until my next break to have one.  During the time between deciding to have one on my next break, I thought about that "resistance muscle" and  how I would define it for my use.  On my next break, I didn't even consider having it.  So, rest assured, I WILL continue reading and studying this book.

Stay tuned for more....so far I like it enough to actually read and think about it.

I can and I will!!

I AM AN ATHLETE

I have exercised or worked out for many, many years.  I am also on the point between obese and overweight on the "BMI" scale.  Yesterday morning I weighed 189.4# and I think I go from obese to overweight at about 187.something so I am close to becoming overweight.....cause for celebration.  How can someone in the obese BMI category say that they exercise or work out.  Because it is the truth, I do workout.....and for the most part I do it well. I am obese because I overeat. Plain and simple.  I have no problem moving or exercising.  Food has always been my downfall.   I have done exercises OFF AND ON since I was a sophomore in high school, which if my math is correct is about 43 years ago.  Can that possibly be correct???  43 YEARS ago???

Yup it can be.....and that is actually OK.  I feel like I am in pretty good shape and doing physical chores certainly does not bother me.  I sort of feel that I have an "edge".  I have had both exposure to, and experience with, many different types of exercise.  Like going to agym with weight machines, tread mills, elipital machine, balls and bands,  a huge variety of exercise videos,  and walking,  That gives me a huge base of experience that allows me to keep up and not get frustrated with things like the Wii program.  I am used to using and moving my body.

So why do I think I am an athlete?

Because when I am standing at the kitchen counter I can actually FEEL my abs and they feel incredible.  I am finding that I think up ways to burn calories in so many everyday situations.  I can do a 20 minute free run aerobic workout on the Wii Fit Plus daily.  I can do the first 13 yoga poses daily on the Wii Fit Plus.  I can do several of the weight training exercises daily with Wii Fit Plus also I am usually averaging 10,000 or more steps a day.

In fact I am seriously thinking about training for a 5K which would be an amazing goal to strive for.  I even went to the local Chamber of Commerce to find out when they are scheduled.  Apparently it is too hot in Arizona to have 5ks.  Oh , well that sucks.  So I am looking for a 5k training schedule online to see if I honestly think it is feasible goal.  Will keep you posted on that "project".


I think 2010 is going to be a year of incredible growth for me personally.  I feel there is something inside me that needs to be discovered and nurtured.

I can and I will!!