Silliness

Haha! Just this morning I was thinking to myself that I need to cut back on cheese again. And ice cream. Not that I've been having that much, but enough for me to notice the effects on my sinuses and skin (battling hives and sinus infection as I type). Then I see this in my horoscope:

Aug 9, 2011

Today's Wellness Horoscope for Taurus

Presented by Horoscope.com

When you have found something in your diet you'd like to improve on, give yourself adequate time to adjust mentally as well as physically. For instance, if dairy is very prevalent in your diet, don't eliminate it all together! This kind of enthusiasm is counter-productive. Try backing off of ice cream and cheese, while still relishing your morning latte. The whole self needs to be able to distinguish what is going on. Instead, gradually convince yourself of why and how you will reduce dairy in your diet.

It amused me and I thought I would share. :)

Aside from the occasional cheese (and ice cream), I've been doing pretty well with my eating habits. I've worked fruits back into my diet and have been drinking loads of water (too hot not to). Still could do better with the veggies though. I'm gonna try one of Wendy & Jess's recipes this weekend to make my veggies more appealing.

Still maintaining my 16lb loss. :)

Days 7 through 1 & beyond - Ultimate Cliff Hanger

Sooooo...Um, yeah. It's been a minute. A very hot minute!

I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging with my progress, but life just got completely hectic. So hectic that I haven't even exercised consistently for the past 2+ months. Now that's not to say that I haven't exercised at all. I have - just not as much as I would've liked. Not being lazy or anything, but I really have been that busy and that drained from being so busy.

But I'm trying to manage things better. Because, if I don't take care of myself...well...you know the drill.

So what have I been doing since I last wrote? Well, I've been walking to and fro the office (instead of taking the bus from the train) to maintain some kind of physical activity. And, when I've been able, I turn to Cardio Core Express for a quick cardio boost. I've also been doing a pretty good job of maintaining a healthy diet. So all has not been completely lost!

Oh, and I did finally try 6 Week 6 Pack. I was majorly disappointed! Not because it was a wack workout, but because it was a strength training workout. I thought it was a cardio workout that focused on the abs (similar to Cardio Core Express), but I was wrong. It's a core strengthening workout that incorporates some cardio - but not enough to get my heart pumping in the way that I wanted.

The verdict: 6 Week 6 Pack is a great core workout (trust - I felt it the next day!), and I will go back to it once I get closer to my target weight. But, for now, I'm shelving it to continue focusing on shedding lbs/burning fat.

And now, the news you've been waiting for: Since I began this self-challenge, I have lost a total of 13lbs.

I'm actually amazed that, after not working out consistently for so long, I've managed to maintain the weight loss. But that's the power of healthy eating for ya! I feel so much better when I put good food into my system. And so sluggish when I eat unhealthy things. I've fallen off a bit on eating as much veggies as I was before, and drinking enough water has always been a challenge, but I'm a work in progress. :)

I haven't re-taken my measurements recently, so I can't update you on those numbers, but I can give you two funny, if not slightly embarrassing stories (well one is anyway).

So I was going to a sound clash with E one night, but was running late. The weather had suddenly become blazing hot so jeans were not an option. As I was getting ready, I decided to put on a trusty outfit because I knew it fit well and looked good - no preening in the mirror or multiple outfit changes necessary. E had already gone outside so I put it on, hopped in the passenger seat and did my makeup as we drove along. We got to the venue and I had to go to the bathroom. When I got in there I was horrified! I saw myself in the mirror and my clothes looked super baggy, like they were about to fall right off of me. In my rush to get out the door I never paused long enough to notice that I looked like a motherless child - lmao!

In one sense, I was pleasantly stunned to see that I had made so much progress and hadn't even realized it. It actually felt good to know that what had once been a curve-hugging outfit was now completely loose. But then I still had to make it through the night, and I felt really sloppy. So I found a spot (E was the emcee for the night so he was up on stage while I was in the crowd) and kept miself steady fi di night! LOL!! I enjoyed myself just the same (who cares - it was dark!), but made a serious mental note to never run out the house without giving myself a once-over in the mirror again - lol.

The other story is not embarrassing really, but it does show that it hasn't completely sunk in that I've lost this weight...I went to this clothing store (you know the one ladies, where everything is super cute, runs super small, and the sizes don't go past a certain number) to browse around. To my surprise/delight I found several items in my size. I went to the dressing room to try them on, not expecting much (remem, most everything there runs small), but to my surprise everything was actually a bit too big on me. I needed a smaller size. Well that made my day! So now I just have to make sure I keep it up.

As a matter of fact, I'm starting 30 Day Shred all over again. And I'm doing it with my bestie. She had started a while back, but fell off so now we're doing it together. Starting tomorrow Monday.

I never did finish Level 3 so I'm hoping to get through all 30 days this time. And, although I complained about wanting a higher level of cardio, I can't front - I had great results using Shred. I felt healthy and toned.

So I'm gonna start going to bed early again to get enough rest and have enough energy to wake up pre-dawn. :) Either way, I'm enjoying the season!

Days 31 through 18 - Caught in the shuffle of life...

Sheesh! These past two weeks have been hectic (to say the least!), clearly evidenced by the fact that I have not posted a thing since Day 32. Lots has been going on so (apologies) writing has been the furthest thing from my mind. And, I'm sure you're wondering, my blog hasn't been the only thing to suffer. My workout routine has pretty much gone down the drain. I've either been too exhausted or not at home, so my 4:30am fitness plan was not cutting it.

I did kinda sorta keep up my eating habits, but I won't pretend that comfort food wasn't involved. In any case, I did not go buck wild crazy...so, even though I've only exercised twice in the past two weeks (using Cardio Core Express both times), I've been able to maintain my weight by eating relatively decently.

Not enough water though. Whenever I know I'm gonna be here and there, I am very conscious of the amount I drink...not wanting to be caught without a place to "go." So I'm trying to regulate that this week as well.

I can def feel the difference in my body though. I'm back to having low energy and feeling sluggish. I'm eager to shake it off.

I attempted to get up and exercise this morning, but was so exhausted and stiff that I shut my alarm off and crawled back into bed. Sounds old-lady-ish, but I'm gonna try and hit the hay at 8pm tonight. I need to recoup. And it may give me a fighting chance at an early start tomorrow. I'll see how I feel...and I'll keep you posted.

How about you all? Have you been keeping up with your health and fitness routines? Spring has definitely sprung, friends. Hope all is well!

XOXO

Days 59 & 58 - Walk-a-thon

My body is still thirsting for rest so I haven't been getting up pre-crack-of-dawn. I have been doing a lot of walking though...so I still get some cardio in - even if it's not as vigorous as I'd like it to be. I've been keeping up with my healthy eating habits so I'm not too worried.

Speaking of thirst...One thing I do need to be better at is drinking more water. I've been trying to help my GI tract out with digestion, so I've been drinking less water at mealtimes. Problem is, I usually do most of my drinking before, during and after I eat, so I'm kind of lazy about drinking in between. As a result, I've been a little dehydrated lately. Gotta work on that.

Matter of fact, I'm going to grab a nice, cool glass right now!

xo