I realized after I had my breakfast that I should have weighed in this morning for an August 1st weight.
My goals for August are:
1. Lose 4 lbs.
2. Walk every day -- 20 minute minimum (what it takes to walk around my subdivision)
3. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.
I also want to start doing some kind of weight training or resistance training, but I haven't formulated a plan about that yet, so it probably won't happen this month.
Progress as of today: 11 lbs lost so far, only 22 lbs to go!
Just logging in my weigh-in for the day.
I broke my walking streak yesterday. It got too outside before I could get in a walk and then I had a sinus headache in the evening. It was terribly humid outside yesterday.
So hopefully I will start a new streak today. This morning was my last morning of ESL classes (where I volunteer), for the summer term, so I was unable to walk this morning. I will take a short walk around the neighborhood this evening, weather permitting. I usually take it easy on weigh-in day.
I'm so sick of summer though. I welcome some cooler temperatures. Not cold, just a wee bit cooler with not so much humidity....
Progress as of today: 11 lbs lost so far, only 22 lbs to go!
Hope it cooled off enough for you to get out for a nice walk this evening!!
Still walking, still drinking water, still watching portion sizes, for the most part.
Lately, I eat and it sits heavy in my stomach. I was thinking about this during my walk this morning. While it is "full" almost to the uncomfortable, in some ways, it is comforting too. This is very odd. I know that when I say "full", it is not because I have eaten too much, because LOGICALLY, I know the content of what I have eaten.
Then there are --- or rather, now I can say "were" --- times when I felt that no matter WHAT I ate, I could not get to that point of feeling full.
I think this goes hand-in-hand with my recent bouts of feeling (not) fat. This is quite different for me to be experiencing, after years and years of a dysfunctional relationship with my physical self.
Since I am currently unemployed, one of my biggest passions is ESL literacy advocation. I love to help beginning students in ESL classes. Not so much the advanced classes, where they are more comfortable with English -- or at least not so afraid to try -- but the very beginners who seem to be floating adrift in a world of English.
THESE are the people I want to help.
Anyway, I was helping in this one class for nearly a year, when this other lady started helping out too. I could not help these feelings of competation with her, even though, LOGICALLY, I knew that there was no reason to feel this way.
She is retired. Her husband is passed. Her children are grown with children of their own. She lives in an apartment. So she has quite a bit less than I do, at this present time. And yet, she has more freedom, in some ways. So of course, she is going to be able to volunteer more because she has more free time. I have my children, my house, my husband --- all of these things to tend to. I think I was feeling resentful, yet, again, LOGICALLY, knew that this was irrational.
And she would say to me how happy she was with her life, how "full" she felt. Between her ESL work and her work with the homeless and the health clinic (for those disenfranchised), she was content.
So I'm wondering if my feelings of "full" and "not fat" are somehow a sign that I am headed in the right direction. I think I am. Yesterday, during my walk, I told myself that I am not doing this to achieve some vanity goal of thinness or numbers on the scale or cardio minutes. No, this time, I'm doing this because it's what I need to do to become a better person.
But thank God for that Logical Self, because she's the one that keeps me in check!
Progress as of today: 8.5 lbs lost so far, only 29.5 lbs to go!
everything you are feeling sounds wonderful. Our bodies do tell us and give us signs when we are treating our minds/bodies well! Apparantly, when we take our time, take small steps, and try "a little less," it works out to our benefit a little more!
Between the months of feb-april, maybe even January, I was headed in a very positive direction. I was losing weight, almost 10 pounds. It is when we try to take the little steps that everything works in our favor. The moment we get greedy, want to much too fast, that's when the ball stops!
So keep on keeping on! :-)
Trying to stay current and accountable here on DD...
I don't feel as fat as I am. I feel as I felt when I was in the mid to low 140's, but I know that I am in the mid to upper 150's. This is what I weighed when I was in high school -- and felt fat. This is what I weighed after Baby #1 (after all the hormones settled) -- and felt fat.
Not only FELT fat, but WAS fat.
But now, even though the numbers are the same as they were back then, I do not FEEL this heavy. I know I am because I'm in a size 14 (sometimes, 16). So I am not as I was when I was in the 140's (size 10-12) or 130's (size 8-10).
Last week, I did the minimum 20 minute walk around the neighborhood most of the days. This week, I have been trying to extend myself and do a little more. Yesterday, I mowed a big yard in really hot weather. Then I came home and went for my 20 minute walk.
This morning, I went for a longer walk, and I plan to get in another short walk tonight.
It is my hope that a couple of days of double workouts will help bring better results on the scale this week.
Progress as of today: 8.5 lbs lost so far, only 29.5 lbs to go!
You're really doing well getting to your goalweight.
Very interesting entry. Also, I shop at the thrift stores, too. :-)
Happy Sunday!
Feeling slightly more on track today. Truthfully, I did not lose weight because I did not put forth the effort. That is to say, I did what I could under the circumstances of stress I am under.
While I did not plunge into food or alcohol to sooth my nerves, I was not entirely careful with portions or choices. So I have only my efforts to blame, which is fine, because then it makes sense: Didn't lose weight because I didn't try hard enough.
What's really maddening is when you do all the right things, bust your donkey at the gym, drink tons of water, abstain from any treats --- and then you don't lose anything. Or worse, you gain a couple of pounds. *chuckle* I've had that happen to me so many times.... This time, doing that is not worth it to me. But I do have to put forth a little more self-control if I want to see some progress on the scale.
I have taken up knitting again, to help with my anxiety at night. I stopped in the middle of a project I was working on because I was running out of yarn for this particular item. I guess I didn't think it was worth the $4 for another skein of yarn, but now I have decided that this money must be spent for my peace of mind.
A lot cheaper than therapy, anyways...
Progress as of today: 8.5 lbs lost so far, only 29.5 lbs to go!
Feel like quitting... Been really really hard to get myself to do ANY cardio the past couple (few?) days. I don't get up early enough, so that when I am finally ready to face the world at 9am, the sun is already out, blazing away, heating up the humidity....
Most days it's very hard for me to get out of bed. If I can at all afford to sleep in, I do. Then I oversleep. So I sleep some more, until I realize that I have no other choice than to get up and try to live another day...
Progress as of today: 8.5 lbs lost so far, only 29.5 lbs to go!
This week's weigh-in was not so successful. Up 1.5 lb but I expect GREAT numbers next week.
Three reasons for this week's weigh-in:
1. Salt cravings took over night before weigh-in;
2. Portion control on salty food went out the window -- stress eating or mindless eating -- just lost count of how much I was eating.
3. The ol' TOM, which seems to get worse as I get older.
So the combination of all three factors -- I was sunk.
The weather has been unbearably humid in the Chicago area. If I don't get out there and walk first thing, I can forget it. Today there was a breeze, so I was saved, but still very sweaty when I was done walking.
Then later, I went for a bike ride with my daughter (10). I love to do this with her but so many times she's playing outside with the neighbor kids. So this was really nice. Plus, it's a nice change of pace every once in a while.
I've been doing well on the water too.
I just have to keep thinking positive and looking forward. It's been really really really hard lately....
Progress as of today: 8.5 lbs lost so far, only 29.5 lbs to go!
You're doing great with your exercise~I admire those of you who get out there in the nasty weather and get it done. I live in WV and the heat and humidity are horrid~Thank God for my treadmill because I know myself and know I wouldn't get out in this nasty crap!! Yuck!!
Wishing you a beautiful Friday!!
Well, if you have been keeping track, I met my weight loss goal for this week!
And let me tell you, friends, this was NOT easy. With the extremely hot and humid weather, the only time to walk is before 8am. This has not been easy for me to do -- not happening, but there's always hope, I suppose.
I had been craving salty foods like crazy because of the heat/humidity. I am guessing this has something to do with all the sweating. I try to be pretty diligent about what I eat 1-2 days before weigh-in, and then I relax the day of weigh-in and then I get back on the wagon.
This week, though, I felt my resolve slipping the night before weigh-in! Oh dear, I thought, this will not make for a pleasant weigh-in. But I managed to meet my goal and I am happy with that.
The weather has not been conducisve to exercising outside, either, but I make sure to get in at least a 20 minute walk a day. My walking streak is still going strong!
My husband and I *FINALLY* canceled the gym membership. Maybe some day we can join another gym. He has a chronic disease of the joints (AS, for those of you who are familiar, which is very similar to RA), so he needs a gym that has a swimming pool. And I hold it in my heart that some day, our financial situation will improve enough to where at least he can join a gym with a pool. Perhaps some day I will be able to own my own elliptical. Until then, I must be disciplined enough to exercise at home.
For those of you who asked: My notorious neighbors are ladies in their 40's! Most if not all work for the schools as teachers. Great role models... but I digress. It's unfortunate though that these women have not outgrown the cattiness and clique attitude of high school.
One of my neighbors is particularly interesting, in a totally superficial, materialistic way. I used to think she was the ringleader of this group, but now I can see that she is really just a follower. It was funny to see how she reacted when my husband went over there to speak with her about the misbehavior of her son. Some day, I shall have simulateously have the courage and the opportunity to confront her myself (in a non-violent manner, of course; see my reference to "in your face" in the previous entry).
Progress as of today: 10 lbs lost so far, only 28 lbs to go!
My weight-loss goal for this week is 1 lb. I will be making REAL progress if I achieve that. Between heat, humidity, craving salt things (because of the sweat) and TOM coming up, I have no idea what the scale will grant me this week.
Before I tell you what happened to me yesterday, let me preface it by saying that most of my neighbors do not acknowledge or talk to me. This is deliberate and intentional. I am "on the outs" with the neighbors, as they say.
So yesterday, one of these notorious neighbors was sitting outside with 2 of the neighbors who WILL actually talk and wave to me. (The husband of this couple is incredibly warm, friendly and forgiving.) He had gestured to me to come sit with them, but I just waved to him, because I didn't want to associate with that notorious neighbor who was sitting with them.
But then, something came over me, and I decided that I was going to stick it in her face and if she didn't like it, then she could leave.
So I grabbed my lawn chair and went over there and sat down -- right next to her! Not only was she forced to actually acknowledge me but I started talking to her, "Oh hi, how are you doing, are you still subbing at the schools" blah blah blah and she was forced to speak with me.
And she did!
Progress as of today: 9 lbs lost so far, only 29 lbs to go!
Thank you all for your comments! Yes, I remember many members here. I am honored that you remember an ol' Donkey like me.
I decided to go ahead and show my progress bar. I had debated showing just how much weight I had gained during my depression or not, but I guess now that I am "in a new set of numbers", I feel a little more OK with showing you where I've been.
The stress here has been unbelieveable. Yesterday we were without power for most of the day because the eletric bill hadn't been paid. Let me tell you, that sucks. My volunteering activities have been disappointing lately to say the least, as well. Maybe it's because I see people getting paid for a job that I think I could do better. Or maybe it's because I show up and do nothing because the teacher cannot learn to delegate to the volunteer.
However, through all this discouragement, I have managed to keep walking and drinking water. I am glad and proud that I am able to do this. If I had managed to keep this in perspective when I was sloping downhill into despair, I might not have gained as much weight.
Some of you may remember that when we first moved to the house we live in now, there was a huge debate (in my house and in my head, LOL) about which gym to join. There was the Basic, affordable gym, with cardio and weight equipment. And then there was the La-Dee-Dah expensive gym that had all the amenities.
Well, this is no longer relevant as we are going to cancel the membership we have had with the Basic Gym (the one I decided on). Financially it is necessary but more than that, I am no longer motivated to attend that gym. I started getting freaked out because too many people knew me there. In October I stopped going because I was afraid to be recognized by the staff and patrons.
This time around I am focusing more on portion control and moderate exercise.
Progress as of today: 9 lbs lost so far, only 29 lbs to go!
Good to see you're doing all you can to keep on keepin' on! Enjoy your 4th of July weekend!
Thanks always for your support!
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yeah, exercise plan is something that doesn't come in a sudden. I had my MONTHS of trying to elaborate a plan, seeing places, timetables, networks, contracts, money issues, etc... But then, I know that aerobics doesn't work with me. I'm not the one who starts doing exercises at home - happened before but it won't happen for a long time as I know myself, way too lazy, and I need some competition...
moogy on 08/01/2010:
They are good acheivable goals. You go for it girl.
hollybelle on 08/01/2010:
Great, realistix goals. You have inspired me to walk EVERYDAY in August.
just42day on 08/01/2010:
great goals for August! Good luck w/them all :)
V on 08/01/2010:
We all know you can do it!
WI3 on 08/03/2010:
Great goals, Donkey! I am so glad you are back :)
loveray on 08/04/2010:
this is a great goal list. you can definitely do this!! xo