My First Run after Operation

Here's a plot of my heart rate (blue) for 2-mile walk just two days before my operation. Notice how the heart rate jumps all over the place, fluctuating between 80 and 140 bpm.

Now look at this chart. Notice the red line. While walking (miles 0 to 1, and 1.5 to 3), the heart rate fluctuates between 100 and 105, and then when I ran a half mile (miles 1.0 to 1.5) the heart rate goes smoothly up and then smoothly back down after the run.

The bottom line: my heart is more stable and steady than it's been in 35 years.

So I feel like I'm back! I started running.

I'm also back to watching my calories. Beverly and I have (almost literally) thrown away all the candy, and we're back cooking great meals and avoiding between-meal snacks. Since Monday, I've lost 7 pounds. Ok, most of it was getting back down after gorging myself in St. George the week before. But I'm still 4 pounds below my pre-operation weight.

Beverly and I walk everyday for two miles. I'm going to start including some running, and try to get up to running 2-3 miles before I see my cardiologist on August 22.

Andrea's check-in

This week has gone well for me in the workout department:

Monday-9 miles running
Tuesday-power pump aerobics class
Wednesday-ran 3 miles + 1 hour kickboxing class

Now if I could get my eating under control!

I'm reading a book I borrowed from Melissa called "Inuative Eating." I'm hoping for some ideas to help me.

Checking In

I'm happy to report that Scott and I have "detoxified" our house (removed all the candy) now that our company (except Steve) is gone. I told Steve he had to hide the raspberry fritters he bought.

We've also begun to walk 2 miles every morning again. That's a huge start for me. My weight got so high after our trip to St. George, that I was worried about my health. That shows you what "pigging out" can do.

This morning I was down 4 lbs. Yippee!

Checking In

After my quick start--counting calories and working out--I've lost steam. I got a cold and so put working out on the back burner, then replaced the candy in my office and well...I've already established I lack self-control in the candy department. My last weigh in showed me back up three lbs. I wonder sometimes what's going to make the difference so I work for long-term change.

How's everyone else fairing? Better I hope.

Pioneer Day: Andrea

Work out: A+
Ran 5 miles

Eating: F
It was a holiday here in Utah so I let myself cheat--kind of like every day.

Thursday, July 24: Daily Report (Sheri)

Please see yesterdays post.

Wednesday, July 23: Daily Report (Sheri)

Work out: none...woke up with a headache, sore throat and completely wiped out and so skipped the work out.

Eating: almost the exact same thing as yesterday...too much candy.

Weigh In: skipped today.

Wasn't a very good day for weight loss. I hate being sick and exhausted.

Wednesday 23: Andrea

Because I had such a lousy day yesterday I was determined to get a work out in, even though Nate left this morning at 6:00 am. So, when my kids were up and breakfast was eaten, I put them in the double stroller and walked/jogged for 4 miles. It was HARD. Pushing the extra weight was hard and it was HOT! Anyway, I felt good about forcing myself to workout. It was a good thing too because Steve, Julie, Brent, Rita, and I, along with our kids went to Olive Garden for dinner. So the trend continues: my eating isn't going so well.

I'll try again tomorrow.

Work out: A- (could have been better had I not had to push the kids)
Eating: F (Olive Garden pasta, yummy, but fattening!)

Tuesday, July 22: Daily Report (Sheri)

Work out: treadmill 45 minutes after work (Coming into work today I was motivated by the idea of working out after my shift--that's a good sign.)

Eating:
--Breakfast: the usual
--Lunch: pizza (I didn't even look at the calorie/fat content on this one. I already know its bad.) 1/2 an ice cream bar (For once being able to share with Abbey helped.)
--Dinner: salad with chicken
--Candy: Twix, Kit Kat, Air Heads (Someone left candy in my office for me and I lost control!)
--Snacks: almonds, grapes

Weight: same (I should rethink the daily weigh in and just do it once a week.)

I'm happy with the workout, but not happy about eating. Self-control around candy just isn't my thing. Somehow I've got to avoid eating the candy in my office and make sure its only there for people who stop in. And I got lazy with lunch and went with what was easiest.

Tuesday, July 22

Working out: F-
didn't do one

Eating: F-
didn't count calories

Parenting: F-
totally lazy

Marriage(ing): F-
totally ornery

My day didn't go so great. I probably gained a few pounds too.

Monday, July 21: Daily Report (Sheri)

Work Out: walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes after work--in the gym at work (wasn't too bad, no one else was there so it was quite). Surprisingly enough I enjoyed this, it might be a better option then trying to work out at home before work.

Eating: started out with my new usual--a bowl of Special K Red Berries. Lunch small portion of chicken & rice. Because of my small lunch I felt hungry most of the day. I snacked on Mrs. May's All Natural Almond Crunch (from Costco) and had 2 granola bars. I hate being hungry all the time. For dinner I had a large salad with chicken. Ate grapes on the way home from work. Had a "Skinny Cow" (low fat ice cream sandwich; 140 calories, 1.5g total fat) and a couple more clusters of almond crunch. Because I didn't count calories I have no idea if how I did.

Morning Weigh In: down a pound from the last time I weighed myself.

Monday, July 21: Daily Report

Exercise: A+
I ran 1.5 miles to aerobics and then did a hard hour of kickboxing.

Eating: F-
I ate a good breakfast, but then had licorice for lunch. I had a taco for dinner, with my homemade refried beans. That wasn't too bad, but the tons of rice crispy treats were.

My Challenges to Weight Loss

This week I've thought a lot about my goal to lose weight, but just thinking about it doesn't mean its going to happen. Here are some of the challenges (maybe I should just call them excuses) I face meeting my goal:

1. My Work Schedule. I'm scheduled to work 1pm to 10pm Sunday through Thursday, which means I start getting ready at 11am, leave the house at 12pm and on a good day I'm home by 10:30pm. Normally I'm not in bed before 1am, which means I tell myself I'm too tired to work out before work and then I tell myself I'm too tired to work out after work. Being overly tired and stressed contributes to poor eating and limits weight loss--lucky me.
2. Work Itself. While I limit my caloric intake at work and do a good job avoiding overeating while there, sometimes my caloric intake is so restricted at work (because I get too busy to have snacks) that when I get home I'm overly hungry and therefore overeat. What's worse, it's late at night and I go to bed soon after eating.
3. Days Off. I overeat on my days off. While at work not only am I busy but I'm also not 50ft from food. To make up for stressful, long days at work, I'm extra lazy and you guessed it, don't work out.
4. Abbey. I know its mean to blame a child for lack of weight loss, but having Abbey around is a challenge. First of all, its difficult to work out when she's crying and wants attention--Eric is already at work and there is no one to get her things or pay attention to her. And second, I find it harder to keep track of what I eat when I make her food she then gives me to eat for her. I know she's not out to sabotage me because she's just so dang cute, but a girls gotta wonder...J/K.

So here are a some of things I'm going to do to overcome these challenges:

1. Make a plan to workout before work. This will mean going to bed earlier so instead of snoozing on the couch I can get on the treadmill. If I tell myself 10am that gives me time to get a quick walk on the treadmill in before I have to start getting ready for work.
2. I'm going to plan my day better, keeping snacks at work I can eat at my desk.
3. On my days off, move activities farther away from the kitchen where I'm tempted to graze.
4. Use more self-control and put Abbey's leftover food away instead of finishing it up for her.

Week 1 Review

I weighed in this morning and lost a big fat 0 lbs. I could be annoyed, but at least I didn't GAIN any.

This whole weight loss thing is hard for me because it seems that it has to be on my mind 24/7 for it to work. I seem to forget so easily and pop something into my mouth (or lots of things) and just slip from the plan. This week I did two aerobics classes that kicked my butt (I've been sore all week), plus I ran 8 miles on Saturday. I wish that were enough for me to automatically lose weight, but it just isn't. For me the exercise has to be there as does the proper eating. I started out well in that department, with counting calories on my mind, but by Wednesday it slipped and I was out of sync. I know counting calories is the key for me, but for some reason, despite trying multiple times over the past year to buckle down and do it, it just isn't happening for me. So, I'm back at it tomorrow. Hopefully this will be the week where I can do it.

Here's my workout plan for the week:

Mon: run to and from aerobics (approx 3.5 miles) and do the kickboxing
Tuesday: run to and from aerobics and do the "power pump" class
Wednesday: off--Nate is going golfing at 6 am
Thursday: it's Pioneer Day so I'm not sure if there is aerobics. If there is, run to and from and do it. If not, just run
Friday: Off
Saturday: Long run 12 miles
Sunday: Off

Here's my eating plan:

-count calories and eat less (1600 cals is my goal)

Checking in

How's everyone doing?

I've counted calories 2 1/2 days and walked for 20 minutes today and that's been it. But I've dropped 3 of the 4 lbs I gained in Utah so I guess that's ok.

I'm in too. I'm at my highest weight ever. I have to say, however, that I feel I'm being sabotaged by our family, and not just by the reunion with all its treats. Yesterday Suzanne bought doughnuts, and today Steve is making chocolate chip cookies. I'll never lose weight if this keeps up. I simply don't have enough self control.

I'm In!

I weighed myself on Sunday morning and determined that I needed to lose 15 lbs. to be at my "satisfied" weight and 20 to be at my "thrilled" weight. I ate well most of Sunday, but it went to pot when I attended a work retreat from Sunday night until Monday afternoon. But, it's Tuesday and I'm back on track. I woke up early and attended a 6am aerobics class at the church. It was hard work. I plan to attend that 3x a week and run 3x a week. Hopefully that amount of exercise, along with better eating, will help me lose this blasted weight!

Calorie-Count.com

I know Fitday.com is a popular website for the calorie counters, but when I started counting calories I started using Calorie-Count.com instead. I thought I'd share two of the tools I used often--and need to begin using again:

1. Allowance: Calculate Calories Needed for Goal Weight. In this tool, you answer several basic questions including current weight, target weight and activity level and then you can either enter a goal date for 'target weight' or leave the goal date blank and a goal date will be assigned. The nice thing about this feature is that you are able to determine if your goal is realistic--keeping in mind the 1 lb a week rule. It also tells you the number of calories you should eat in order to reach this goal.
2. Recipes. This tool you use to analyze recipes for which you may not have the calories or nutritional information for. You enter in a recipe and number of servings in the boxes provided and then 'analyze' that recipe. The tool then gives you the calories and nutritional information for said recipe.

I'm not familiar with Fitday.com so it may include similar features. For me, to be successful counting calories online I had to find a website that I liked. I think that's the key: finding what works and then somehow sticking to it.

Importance of Calorie Counting

I agree with Sheri. Counting calories--or at least writing down what you eat--is highly effective. I have lost large amounts of weight on two major occasions in my life, once in 1978-9, when I lost 45 pounds and again in 2000-2001 when I lost 65 pounds. On both occasions, I write down what I ate and counted calories.

I can tell when I'm really serious about weight loss: I start to track my food intake.

So what will it take to motive me (us) to keep a food journal? I hope we can work together on this and make it a high priority in our lives. I need the help and encouragement.

Welcome!

I recently read information on a study that found "Keeping a food diary -- a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs -- is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. The study involving 1,685 middle-aged men and women over six months found those who kept such a diary just about every day lost about twice as much weight as those who did not." (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080708/lf_nm_life/diet_diary_dc;_ylt=AovXjJEpeKNkufEh6bWK49wDW7oF)

Because of this I've decided to create this weight loss blog and have invited others to participate. My hope is that by using this blog as a food diary, we can work together to meet our individual weight loss goals. I'd like this blog to be an open, positive, supportive place for me to work towards my goal of losing 20 lbs.

Enjoy!