The Facts of Gym Life

I'm pretty sure that I've covered the fact in a previous post that in another life in a galaxy far far away I used to be a gym rat.  Minimum of 5 days a week, 2 hours a night, know everyone in the gym and who they're cheating on their spouse with kind of gym rat.  So what the heck happened?  Well - my boyfriend was a gym rat with me, but his rat-ness became a monstrous obsession.  He couldn't walk past anything reflective without stopping to check his appearance.  He even got all of his friends on the gym bandwagon, even though they had to drive at least thirty minutes to go to our gym.  I guess after he cheated on me, then left me for another woman who he married less than a year later three days before our anniversary in the place we were supposed to get married I just couldn't stomach the place - or him and his friends any longer.

Fast forward about seven years to today - I'm happily engaged to dearest, and with the exception of an occasional facebook run-in I don't much have to worry about the ghosts of boyfriends past.  Except for this week.  In the the past four days alone I've run into the previously mentioned ex's sister while out to dinner, and his best friend... at the gym.  Holy tamales he still goes to my gym.  Yes, I consider it my gym (regardless of the fact I haven't been regularly in years) because I was the first of all of them to go there, and I actually live in this town.  Also I heard from my "first love" this week who proclaims that I was/still am the love of his life.  *Yikes* I'm ready for dearest to come back home from work!

Toss in the fact that even though there is a whole row of free treadmills, men have to take the one right beside me, men who bathed in $5 cologne and still didn't manage to cover up that weird beef stick smell coming off of them in waves.  Thankfully I was able to dismount the treadmill and bounce away before losing the fiber bar I had for a snack this afternoon.  *insert disclaimer - this applies to women too, there is no need to wear any perfume/cologne at the gym much less bathe in it*

No wonder I haven't been to the gym in so long!

In more positive news... I've reached  one of the milestones that I've been pushing for.  I'm no longer considered "obese"  Yay!  Now I'm just overweight - but not for long!  I can't wait to have less knee pain, and not get winded when I go up my stairs.  I can't wait to be able to keep up with Dearest, and do all of the activities we keep saying we're going do - hiking, camping, rock climbing, white water rafting, bicycling, and more!  I'm sure he'll be thrilled with the possibility of my snoring being less bear-like as well.

Still Hanging On

So, as typical I got a bit disheartened by this whole journey.  Don't get me wrong, I still want to be healthier and skinnier, and all that jazz but sometimes it just gets old.  So after about a seven month hiatus here I am again.  Thankfully this time I was able to maintain instead of gaining everything back.  Woot woot!  At least I don't feel like I'm starting from scratch all over again.

Since I was here last, I do have some pretty cool and scary news - I'm getting married!  Dearest finally popped the question and now I'm trying to *not* hyperventilate while I plan this wedding!  I have found my dress, but I haven't bought it yet because I'm stubborn and in denial that my wedding dress will have to be *that* large.  I really don't want to wear a size 18 wedding dress!  *tear*  I mean really, that's like four sizes larger than my normal clothes that I wear every day!  Silly designers.  I tried on one dress that fit perfectly and was a size 12.  I shouldn't get so hung up on a size, but hey let's be real - I'll always be hung up on that, at least until I get back to a smaller size.  I was heartbroken when I went to try and dresses and the woman told me oh you can't have that dress, it doesn't come in "women's sizes".  What?? Thankfully it wasn't *the* dress, so I wasn't upset over that - I was just upset that she had me trying on "women's sizes" and that they constitute a size 14 as such!  Sorry - I think that's a crock.  Yes I have hips, and boobs and curves - don't go making me feel guilty about it then try to cover it up saying oh, well you're just a "real woman".  Bull hockey.

Anyway, I've also gone back to weight watchers.  I went with their online program, and thankfully the automatic draft has kept me attached.  Yes, I took about three months off - but I'm back since I didn't cancel my draft.  I really want to be down to 135 for the wedding, which is possible - that's about 38 pounds I just have to find the gumption to un-velcro myself from the computer and the couch.

Speaking of which it's a beautiful day, I should definitely go enjoy it!

Weigh In Wednesday

Wow, it's that time again.  Weigh In Wednesday.

I'll admit I was a bit scared of this week's weigh in.  Last week was hard, and full of emotions.  When Dearest came home from work I felt like I should cook him a "real dinner", one of his favorites.  We also celebrated Valentine's Day by going out to eat at a fancy restaurant.  Where I had wine, and lobster ravioli, and more wine.  Oh and dessert.  Add that on to eating pizza, fast food, and a failure to keep up with my tracking, and yeah - I was pretty concerned.  So when I discovered today that I had lost - anything at all I was stoked.

Today's weigh in:  174.6  for a loss of 0.6 lbs.  and a total of 16.4

*whew*

Thankfully I've convinced Dearest to go running with me.  To be honest I actually enjoy running alone, but it will be much nicer to have him push me, keep me motivated to go.

Yesterday and today were full of spring cleaning of both the yard and the house - and I'm pooped!  I'm ready for a nice dinner and some couch cuddle time with my lovelies.  Here I come!!

Weigh In Wednesday

Alright, it's *that* time again -  weigh in time!

I'm not going to lie, I had a hard week this week.  Someone very special to me passed away, and the week has been filled with family, tears, and all kinds of emotions that I'm just not really comfortable with.  I don't do well with emotions.

Add being sick all week and then there was also that Valentine's Day thing that happened... but I'm proud of myself - as much as I wanted to I didn't go out and buy myself a giant box of candy... or a tiny one for that matter. Now when one of the ladies at work offered me a cupcake though, well I couldn't resist.  Somehow this week my planned meals just never seemed to go as planned.  I still kept up pretty well with my food tracking, although I didn't get everything down.  That's why I'm happy to say that this week I lost.

This week's loss: -3.2 lbs  (um yay!)
Waist: -0.5"
Hips: +(-) 0
Thigh: -0.5"

This brings me to a total of - 15.8 pounds

Still Here, Still Fighting

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First of all - Happy Valentine's Day all!

I'm trying really hard to NOT run to the store and buy the biggest box of chocolates they have on the shelf.

The past two years my Valentine has been working on Valentine's Day - so no celebrations for me.  Last year my co-worker's husband was out of town too, so I bought a little box of chocolate for the both of us.  That gave me an excuse.  The small box - not so bad.  The $30 Russell Stover sampler box.  BAD.  I've never seen such a ginormous box of candy!

*Ahem* ... moving on..

I know my posting has been rather irregular lately, what can I say - I'm such a blog slacker.  I want to assure you all though that I am indeed *still* on track.  I'm still a "loser".  I haven't however kept up with my exercise.  The weather is lovely, but the virus I've had all week certainly is not.  Hoping I can rejoin that boat next week!

The Giving and Taking of Inspiration

One of the hardest things for me to hang onto on this journey is motivation.  I start out hardcore, to the nines, balls to the walls, and then - kind of like this post... I see something.. shiny - over THERE!

Then I come back a few months later, ready to try again.

This time, I'm trying to reign in my OSS (Ooh Shiny Syndrome), and stay on track (another reason why I started Weight Watchers).  I'm proud, super proud of my progress so far.  I've even refrained from the hardcore, balls to the walls mentality.  In so doing, I haven't struggled to be perfect, to work out every day I said I would, and to let myself go with my brother to Cracker Barrel and stuff my face with pancakes covered in blackberries and whipped cream.  I also haven't burnt out.

I'm currently on week three of my Weight Watchers plan, and I've tracked everything I've eaten, EVERY day.  That was a hard thing for me to keep up with last time I was on the plan, so yeah, I'm proud of that.  Even when I'm tempted to say screw it - I have no clue how many points was in what I ate at the restaurant, I still put it in there the best way I know how.  Even though the scale and the measuring tape said I didn't lose a darn thing last week, I'm okay with that.  I know that is going to happen from time to time.  The reason I'm okay with that is because although, yes I really want to be skinnier, I REALLY want to be healthier.  I want to be able to go hiking with Dearest and not feel like my heart is going to explode, or be ill at him because I can't keep up.

After my brother and I gorged on pancakes and eggs and the like, we went to Wal-Mart.  He bought a set of resistance bands to go with his P-90 workout.  I bought a jump rope.

I'm also very proud of my brother.  Weight struggles have always been a family affair.  He's currently at his lowest adult weight!  He told me he was in the shower the other day and realized he had lower abs.  "I've never had lower abs!  Or upper abs for that matter." he proclaimed.  He's around 5'7" and only nine pounds away from *my* goal!

I'll tell you proudly, that right now - even with the pancakes and other randoms - I'm eating healthier than I ever have.  I'm eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and opening doors to foods I before would have never considered.  Thanks to guys like *Bitch Cakes*, JewliaGoulia, and Ex Hot Girl, this month alone I've tried and loved so many new things.  I've learned that although I don't like the texture of shredded coconut, I really enjoy fresh coconut (not to mention how cool it is it whack it open before you eat it).  I really enjoy hummus, something that always sounded so strange and icky to me and I eat it now on so many different things.  I also tried lentils, which were delicious too!

This week's shining moment for me though, was a comment made by a co-worker.  She came out of her office to ask me how much weight I've lost, and to tell me that I had inspired her!  She said that although she didn't join weight watchers, she is starting to make small changes in her daily routine and her eating. She told me that she normally will drink up to eight cans of Dr. Pepper a day.  Even reducing those and replacing them with water will make a huge difference for her.  What can I say, I was touched, and proud.  I'm happy that not only am I doing things to better myself, but that I must be doing something right to inspire both of my co-workers!

I'm happy that while I'm here, getting inspiration from blog land, I can pass that inspiration on to others around me.

Now, without further ado I believe it's exercise time.

Weigh In Wednesday

Well it's a blah morning here.  Weigh in Wednesday has rolled around yet again, and my results are not what I had hoped for.

Weight: 180.0  for a loss of 0 pounds this week.

Waist: + 1 inch
Hips: no change
Thighs: no change


So while I'm glad that I didn't gain this week, I'm still not jazzed.  The only thing I can figure is that I slacked on my water intake, oh and well dear old Tom..

At least today is my "Friday".  I've just got to make it through tonight, then I'll have my week off.. assuming I don't get called in that is.

*insert large sigh here*