"My Skinny Summer" Weight Loss Journey

[Firiel]

Oh good! I'm glad to hear you are feeling better!

[IAmFCA]

I agree with the others, BigKK, she was overwhelmed with emotion and maybe not with any sort of emotion she could articulate. I cried once, a long time ago, because I suddenly felt so vulnerable and safe at the same time. So ... naked. Yeah, a good thing.

 

On the work out side of things: I ran a 5k this weekend and set a 5k PR. So, YAY! More interesting to me is that the whole time, I thought I sucked. I thought I was stinking up the joint. Because I was pushing myself harder, and so I misread the feeling of effort as the feeling of failure.

 

Lesson: When I feel like I am about to give up, that is a GOOD feeling. That means I am riding the curve of possibility, nearing my limits. I am trying to learn to embrace and desire that feeling. I think I did when I was racing at 17? But my races were short, so the discomfort didn't last long. Now, I am going 3 - 13 miles, and I need to learn to seek pride in exhaustion.

 

And I need to keep training. Ya.

[Fudgie]

I am definitely making strides in terms of physical fitness. I went on the treadmill for today for an hour, 4 miles, (4 mph). It was rough!

I have given up on the incline for now. I used to go slower up an incline but it was making me nauseous a lot.

(lots of things makes me nauseous actually)

 

I also found a brand of protein bar I really like. 20g protein, very little sugar, not much fat. It's awesome because eating is such a chore for me, I'd rather have the ability to eat something without having to prepare it.

[JA0371]

Fudgie, what's the protein bar?

[Fudgie]

"Pure Protein". They have many different kinds. The one I eat most often is chocolate chip, 200 calories, 3g of sugar, 5g of fat, and 20g of protein.

They also happen to be one of the cheapest ones I can buy.

 

I can only eat about 1/2 at a time because it's pretty dense so what I'll do is I'll eat about half of it in the early morning, and then half a few hours later.

Or I'll eat half before I work out, and then eat the other half when I am done.

 

The flavour is okay. Nothing craveable or anything to write home about but that's fine with me.

[JA0371]

Thank you..and congrats on all the health improvements you're making!!

[Fudgie]

Thanks! It's amazing how being so much healthier can make you feel so much better, in addition to losing weight.

 

I got some blood work done recently and everything is in a "normal" level or better. I used to have high cholesterol. No longer, I'm not even "borderline" anymore, I'm 120. LDLs are super low now too.

 

I just feel so good, inside and out.

[Fudgie]

Grr, can't edit my post but I wanted to add: late last year (2013) my cholesterol was over 220. Yikes, yikes. Not something I wanted to see in my early 20s.

I don't eat a plant-based diet either. My diet is mostly lean protein sources, some dairy, some fresh fruit.

 

Which leads me to another point that I'd like to add: get blood work done once yearly, if you can afford it. My insurance allows me to do that, thankfully, although currently I am having it done every 3-4 months to insure I'm recovering okay and not having vitamin deficiencies (I have none thus far, but I take supplements). But it's SO, SO cool to get healthier and see that blood work come back and see that you're really improving. To me, that is worth way more than losing weight. I can actually SEE how I am so much healthier on a deeper level. Test results don't lie. It's just solid proof that getting healthier is saving your life and allowing you to live longer.

[sharky988]

Hey all!

 

Well, since Friday I've been in and out of the hospital -- with my DAD, not for me! He's right now paying the price for a sedentary lifestyle that included years of smoking and so-called "healthy" eating that resulted in decades of obesity -- LOTS of meat, low-fat dairy and whole grains, not enough fresh fruits and veggies -- so, there's been NO EXERCISE for me at all since then as I've been driving back and forth to be there with him plus take care of my son. Blech!!!

 

And yeah -- getting healthy whole foods/vegan options at a hospital is VERY difficult. Thank God for salad plates and hummus, that's pretty much what I've been living on there, and then picking up vegan Taco Bell or getting smoothies for dinner!

 

So, these past few days have been a wash.

 

I am NOT happy. I'm able to hold fine with the diet, but exercise is really a challenge right now.

[BigKK]

I don't know what I did to my shoulder, but I played tennis last night...and my right arm is swollen, and I may have to opt out of weight lifting tonight. Although I feel like I NEED it, people are starting to irritate me, and I need my release

 

 

Funny side note: I went in for a check up. At 6'1 230 lbs, they brought me a print out 30.3 BMI, I am OBESE!! A nurse came in, had her head down, and was just looking and reading from the chart... "so...your BMI is high and quite a risk factor, you're actually in the obese category" As she's finishing category, she looks up at me. And I said "yeah... I know I'm obese but I can't do anything about it" she gets confused and embarrassed and leaves the paper and leaves. Doctor comes in, and I hand him the paper... "yeah so apparently I'm obese" and he laughs, and throws it in the trash. We discuss BMI's for a few minutes. Anyway, yeah good times. I used to get letters from my HMO about being obese and pamphlets about the risk factors for being obese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to hear Sharky... hopefully he's okay and makes a change for the better.. It's never too late!

[sharky988]

I love it -- obese with a 32 inch waist!!

 

Dude, be careful with your shoulder. I tore my rotator cuff and you DON'T want to ever do anything even close to that!!! So give yourself some real time to recover, don't push it. A tear can put you out of commission for months!

 

My dad's okay -- grrrrrrrr, it's just frustrating because I try SO HARD to help him with diet and exercise, and he never listens to me until he ends up in the hospital! But I realize now I have to make a real time commitment, I have to help him with meals and find time to drive him to an exercise class every day, pick him up and drive him home!

 

But enough of all that -- what's going on with Miss K????

[redrose85]

I don't think 30 is even at the top of the obese spectrum lol! Sharky, be kind to yourself. It sounds like you are still on track despite all of these hurdles. Pretty sad that hospitals don't have options for healthful food, but sickness pays and crap food is a quick way to a hospital bed and bill!

 

Did 6 am spin today. Whooped my butt again.

[sharky988]

I don't think 30 is even at the top of the obese spectrum lol! Sharky, be kind to yourself. It sounds like you are still on track despite all of these hurdles. Pretty sad that hospitals don't have options for healthful food, but sickness pays and crap food is a quick way to a hospital bed and bill!

 

Did 6 am spin today. Whooped my butt again.

 

Yayyyy for spin!!!! And whooping of butt.

 

Thanks I'm doing my best to stay on track! This has turned into a ridiculously complicated two months. I just have to ride it out this week with my dad and resign myself to lots of hospital time. I can resist the urge to fall back on comfort foods. Today I'll bring healthy snacks from home.

[redrose85]

Yayyyy for spin!!!! And whooping of butt.

 

Thanks I'm doing my best to stay on track! This has turned into a ridiculously complicated two months. I just have to ride it out this week with my dad and resign myself to lots of hospital time. I can resist the urge to fall back on comfort foods. Today I'll bring healthy snacks from home.

 

I am super proud of you! The biggest obstacle really is ourselves when it comes to getting, and staying, healthy. I was just about my biggest obstacle today... wanting to stay in bed. But I got up, and gulped down a coffee and boiled egg, and was good to go.

 

I used to go to spin quite often, but then stopped going to all gym classes altogether. I like going again though. There isn't much of a community feel in my gym, but sometimes it's just nice to have someone else dictating your workout. I did arms and core today, with a bit of legs. One exercise that worked all three was the plié/tondu (sp?) with a medicine ball held high in the air. With each tondu, I shift my outstretched arms to the side and cinch my obliques. Oh, I have obliques now. They ache pretty much constantly, but the muffin top is going away! I try to work a group of muscles all at once... ie/. hammer curls while squatting, triceps while on a bosu ball, etc... I need some more ideas though, so I don't get bored. Helpful websites, tips and tricks...all much appreciated!

[Fudgie]

You make me want to spin again! I can't wait to go spinning again. Used to go years ago. I want to go again when I am 20 lb or so lighter.

[JA0371]

I would like to try too....but I would much rather be outdoors on a real bike. I can ride for hours...

[redrose85]

^ Yes. I am planning to get myself a bike for my birthday in Aug. I was definitely feeling the pull to the outdoors instead of the gym this morning, but I lose track of time

[BigKK]

So I did this group workout thing this morning... it's called November projects... it was really neat.

 

About 70 or 80 people, and I think I was one of 15 guys. It's all about team work, and self improvement, they time you, and are very encouraging and positive.

 

You do a lot of partner work and get to know the person while working with them for about 8 minutes... a lot of cute fit girls, I'm not really single anymore but it was still nice to be in good company...I think I will bring over a few of my single friends. Since I could totally see this being a perfect place to meet people in a low pressure environment.

 

It was mostly endurance work, and I had my butt handed to me, EXCEPT during uphill leap frog...I won hahaha

 

 

Tonight is my birthday party, tomorrow morning I leave to the festival, so I will bid you all farewell for the weekend and hope everyone stays on track. I probably won't...but hope to stay physically moving a lot. We have plenty of sandwich gear, cliff bars, and fruits and vegetables... she eats pretty healthy like me, so it's nice when someone declines on a bunch of junk food.

 

Ah yes, I added a new pic of myself on my profile, I'm the one in the glasses...the goal is to be comfortable doing that without a shirt next time

[redrose85]

Happy birthday!!!

 

That class sounds great! I tried a new class tonight and was one of three women... They were all over 50 lol. So much for meeting new people!

[redrose85]

How are we all doing today?! I tried on dresses and bikinis yesterday. I am decidedly apple shaped but happy with how things are progressing.

[Fudgie]

I need to buy new clothes because mine are falling off. I used to wear a 4x shirt. I am in a 1x shirt and it's getting really loose and baggy on me.

[redrose85]

Amazing!!! Yes clothes shopping is getting to be more enjoyable

[Fudgie]

Hey, I'm almost out of the plus sizes! So close!

It's also such a nice feeling to get into clothes and say "oops this is too big" rather than "omg, I was bigger than I thought, this is too small!"

[redrose85]

Yes! Tells more than a scale ever could.

[Moontiger]

Wow, just discovered this thread! Thought I would share what's been happening in my health journey.

 

I started working with a personal trainer about six months ago. I've gone from 130lbs to 122. But more importantly, my body fat percentage has gone from 23% to 17.5%.

 

I'm hoping to drop my BFP a little more before the end of the summer.