I’m re-approaching my highest weight ever and this makes me very unhappy. I am rapidly running out of clothes that fit and this makes me very unhappy. I feel like a frumpy cow 90% of the time and this makes me very unhappy. I would be happy to feel merely frumpy, thankyouverymuch.
In the past I have kept all my weight loss (ahem, I mean healthy living) efforts on separate blogs because I am anal retentive and like to keep things organized, but that has not been working for me for awhile because I can pretend those other blogs do not exist. But this one has, like, actual readers and whatnot (hi, readers!) and I feel like if I blab about it all here, I can hold myself maybe more accountable? This is the plan anyway.
So here’s the deal.
I have no scale in my house, but I think I weigh about 220 pounds. (It’s scary to say that out loud. Even if this is not out loud.) Pushing a size 20. I’m 5’9″ and have a large frame so my ultimate goal is about 170 pounds. Not sure what size…? 14? I was 160 when I graduated high school and I think I looked good (of course I didn’t think so then. I would smack myself upside my head if I ever fell back in time, I tell you what. So 170 is my goal and I will reevaluate when I get there. If it ever happens. *sigh*
I am going to try again getting up each morning and doing at least 20-30 minute exercise videos. I have a fairly good variety – Walk Away The Pounds is my favorite, followed by a hula one I have. I’m not fond of bellydancing (because they expect you to, like, have rhythm or something. Pft.), and I have a few “[insert body part here] of Steel” VHS tapes I got at Target’s Dollar Spot a couple years ago I have yet to try. Also, I think Denise Austin has a show on at that time of morning. Anyway, so I will mix it up with the cardio, and I will begin again walking around town more often. Also I think I will force Melissa to take me to the brand-new gym on the corner.
I will begin a simple weight routine at home, as well, to keep the muscles strong. Or do it at the gym.
And the food. *sigh* I don’t eat terribly (um, when I can stay away from the fast food, that is), but I’ve developed a bad habit of using too much EVOO thanks to watching too much food TV. (Like, seriously? When you cook ground beef, you do NOT need to pour oil in the pan! It comes with it’s own fat content!) So I’m looking to lower fat and using more spray oil instead of pouring it straight from the bottle.
I’m also ditching sugar. Mostly. I mean, I cannot deny myself a Starbucks here or there, can I? But I will cut waaaay back on that and drink most of my coffee at home. Lastly, I’m lowering my gluten intake because the Blood-Type Book told me so. Okay, there’s a little more to it than that, but either way, I feel that it won’t hurt me and with my family history of diabetes, I should probably watch the carbs in general anyway.
So this is my plan. I will bore you with updates here and there and if I don’t, please give me a nudge or a smack. OK? OK.
Z E B R A B E L L Y . C O M 
First off, I want to give a woot-woot to A with his long hair (and his other woman, lol!) Also, you look adorable in that picture. And you are adorable now! Good for you for taking positive steps for your weight AND your health. Dude, bellydancing is harder than it looks, but it’s a good workout. It seems to me that you generally eat healthily but there’s always room for improvement. Just an idea…have you ever gotten your thyroid checked? I forget. I know some women can have their thyroids go underactive after they have kids, and that can cause you to gain weight and also feel blah/moody/etc. I have an underactive thyroid myself. Sometimes it’s even “subclinical”. Oh, and hey, surfing is good exercise, especially the paddling ;). Good luck in your healthy endeavors…it’ll be good for you and the fam.
Yes, I’ve had my thyroid checked and it came back normal. Of course that doesn’t mean I don’t have problems, but I can’t even go there until I get everything else under control. I have been eating too many sugary nighttime snacks.
And surfing is SCARY exercise!
surfing in CA where the waves are bigger could be a little scary. Come out here to the East Coast and I’ll take you and you won’t be scared :).
Perhaps for your snack at night you could have maybe some fruit like watermelon or cantaloupe, and even have some soy ice cream with it? I got some of that stuff last week. Even Avocado likes it! “So Delicious” was what it’s called, and it has fiber in it. Yum.
so delicious is part of the problem! alex brings it from the discount store for cheap! but i am down w/ fruit so long as i am truly hungry and not snacking out of habit.
Surfing IS scary exercise (I have wave nightmares).
Kudos to you for “going public” with the effort. Also for not owning a scale. YAY!
I am on that boat with you, I weigh as much now as I did the day before I gave birth. Ugh. I wish I could feel better about it but I LOVE the clothes I have that are in my “real” size and am still holding on to the hope that I will fit into them soon. I think I will invest in an exercise dvd, though, that seems like a good idea.
I’m with you, sister. My weight is increasing at the same rate that my self-whatever is declining. I keep putting exercise classes on my to-do list (I discoverd I do best in the group environment for exercise) like it’s something I have to pick up from the store or a package I have to mail. I just don’t know anymore…
Right there with you on this one. I just fell out of control sometimes, like my body is BETRAYING me with all this craziness.
Sigh.
I really have to come up with a plan and follow through (not like the six months I had a gym membership and went, um, never).