Pulling Weeds is exercise!

Now that summer is fully upon us I’ve found less time to run but way more time to do yard work!  I am hoping stretching to pull weeds counts as some type of abdominal exercise!  The flowers I planted this spring could keep me busy everyday!

I have joined the gym again though; we’ll see how that works for me this time.  I still keep finding myself in this loop of 12 – 18 pounds above my goal weight!  I’ve been there for quite a while I just can’t seem to stick to my diet and keep my exercise as consistent as like I’d like.  Maybe all of these summer vegetables and trips to the farmers market will inspire me to get there.

In the meantime I will keep plugging away and getting out doors as much as possible.  I did finally find a sunscreen that doesn’t make me feel icky too so that helps get me moving on these hot days.  Coppertone Cleary Sheer is a great product.  I’ve always been one to hate having to put on sunscreen but I got some samples of Coppertone from BzzAgent and I have to say I really enjoy the way this feels.  Most leave behind a greasy feeling and a terrible smell but these are light and clean. So while I don’t usually advertise I have to say this one is worth mentioning as we find ourselves outside more and more!  I will really put it to the test in a few days when I go kayaking!  Love the summer fun in the sun!

 

….and she ran

I’ve never been a runner, didn’t really like the idea of running, and to be honest never really could run.  Something would hurt; usually my lungs first, then my knees, back, feet … something would join in. Truth be told though if the breathing got rough I’d just quit trying.

I woke up yesterday and I had to run / walk / move.  I’ve been having a really rough week and I decided the only way to get out of my head was to get moving.

I started off walking.  Then I ran; I did this for about 30 minutes alternating between the two. From time to time I threw in some planks and jumping jacks but mostly I walked and ran.    I am sure an avid runner would call what I was doing a mere jog and I am certain I looked ridiculous but for me it was a run and I can only assume it will get better as I go!

So off I go to try this again….

Trying out Frozen Yogurt at the new Orange Leaf in town

I wish I’d taken a picture of the frozen yogurt treat I got yesterday.  I knew going in that I wasn’t going to get a full bowl of the frozen yogurt but I was curios how much I’d end up with while trying to get  a sensible portion.

Keep in mind when you check out the nutritional facts that a serving is an ounce …. really an ounce; so for that 30 – 45 calorie range they advertise you get maybe a couple of tablespoons of frozen yogurt …. lol; I’d love to see someone actually do that.  I ended up with what I estimated looked like 1/2 cup but weighed in at 6.9 ounces.  I opted not to get any toppings … I was in it for the froyo!

If I hadn’t read the nutritional facts and I’d fixed my bowl anywhere close to what looked like a “serving” to me I can assume I’d have at least 12 ounces; and that would have been only filling the smaller of the bowls about half way.

I have to admit it was delicious!  Absolutely delicious and on this particular day worth the 5 Weight Watchers Points Plus I estimated it to be (I kept getting different results when I calculated; it may really be as much as 7 but I’m sticking with my 5 estimate). Maybe low in fat but ridiculously high in carbs now mater what kind you get.

I couldn’t even begin to guess how many ounces in this pic from their website …. but as long as you keep a portion size in mind or at least aren’t trying to kid yourself about it being truly healthy go for it!  You only live once!

Away from my blog and the gym!

I’ve been away from here for quite some time and maybe it’s time to try to get back into it; the blogging that is!  

I have been continuing on my weight loss journey.  So far I’ve gone from the 220+ I started at to just under 170 pounds.  I quit the gym last fall so perhaps I should rename my blog …. although that is how it all began.  

So without further ado here is a pic of me, my folks, my brother and sisters. That’s me on the far left! This was from mid February so I probably should get a more current picture but if you saw my about me page you’ll notice a difference!

My mom hit her goal weight a couple months or so ago.  I’ve still got a bit to go! I am so glad spring is here; it’s much easier to get active.  I was at my lowest weight back somewhere around October and have since fluctuated about 5 pounds from there; all in all the maintaining is going okay however I’m not quite to the maintaining stage yet!  

To kick start things I challenged my husband last week to see which one of us can lose the most weight in the next month or so.  This week he won by a small landslide …. but no matter which of us takes off the most weight we both win!

…. Hot Dogs

I was craving a hot dog; so as I am sure anyone who eats hot dogs would agree I had to have two! I don’t even usually eat package processed foods either but as they say “you only live once”.  They were delicious…

 

….. hope I didn’t derail my diet too badly!

Downsizing the Wardrobe

I took from the depths of my closet the only pair of “skinny” pants I owned and they fit today.  I honestly don’t remember ever being able to wear them before but I must have fit in them for at least one day a few years ago.

Finding comfortable pants has always been tricky for me; this pair fits pretty good but hopefully they don’t fit for too long.

So now begins the dilemma; do I buy more pants now or try to get by with these until I lose more weight and need smaller yet?

I think I’ll have to break down and by a few things to get me by for a while. Besides between the JC Penney’s coupon and the Kohl’s cash I must be destined to shop this week!

Losing nearly 20 pounds

Just a quick post today but I have to say: Weight Watchers is going great.  I’ve lost 19.2 pounds since I started February 26th.  I weighed in today at 188.6!  Less than a pound to go before I hit the 10% goal; I can surely hit that next week!  I had one week where I didn’t lose any weight but I’ve avoided any gains so far.  I know they will happen in time; but as long as I stick with the program and keep tracking I should continue to see success.

So without further ado: Here is me in October

And here is me today

I still have a way to go, but I think the difference shows; I certainly know I feel better!

How many steps does it take to get to the center of a …… 18,119

I actually managed to wear the pedometer without resetting it today!

I didn’t remember to put it on until I’d been up for a couple of hours but I kept track from about 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today and clocked a surprising 18,119 steps.  I didn’t go out of my way to walk any more than usual.  In fact at the gym I didn’t even use the treadmill (and I missed out on my usual trip to the local grocery).  Can’t wait to see how many steps I take the rest of the week.

 

 

The dirty word …..

So, I did it, I decided to actually diet.  That ugly word that I am sure I said over and over I didn’t need and wouldn’t do.  I’d been losing weight.  Actually I’d gone from the 222 pounds I started at in August  to about 208 pounds in February just by exercising and changing a few habits but I felt like I was in a rut so I decided to join Weight Watchers.

February 26th I went to my first meeting.  Weighing in at 207.6 pounds.  I’ve lost every week so far; in fact it tells me online that I am losing a little too fast.  I weighed in at 195 this past Tuesday!  So happy to get under that 200 mark;  I accomplished that on March 26th just a month after joining.

This weeks meeting was about monitoring activity; hence my pedometer experiment.  Today I did even worse with the pedometer ~ it’s still on the bathroom counter where I placed it last night.  Perhaps tomorrow I will try again to see how many steps I take in a day.

The not so great pedometer experiment

I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted and I have so much to tell but I will start with the adventure of my pedometer the past couple of days.  Yesterday I purchased the cheapest one that walmart sells ~ I figured $5 wouldn’t matter if I didn’t like it or lost it right away.

So I put it on my waist as suggested and wore it for a while.  I don’t even remember how many steps it said I’d taken but it seemed off so I decide to count.  It was almost doubling my steps so I then clip it to my sock and try again.  Surprisingly it seemed to work pretty accurately that way ~ you’d think they would suggest this in the packaging!  I don’t know if it’s appropriate to use the pedometer this way but for $5 I am surprised it works at all.

Here in lies my difficulties; I keep resetting it.  Somewhere into several hundred steps today I decide to sit with my leg tucked under me; then I remember I am wearing the silly device!  Sure enough I’d reset it so I decide to sit like a lady again and try again.

I check it again after 7 hours or so of wearing and it was somewhere over 11,000 steps so I go back to work. After another hour or so I go about fixing the vacuum only to realize I am smashing my pedometer again and sure enough I have reset it!

ugh …. now to try to make it through tomorrow without resetting! Perhaps I will then know how many steps I’ve taken in a day!