Skinny Dreamer

Day 185 ( I think)

2011-06-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

I have started doing Weight Watchers. My last weight loss journey didn't seem to be cutting it for me. I quit my job of 10 years. That caused me to have a lot of stress and anxiety. (Long story) So of course my diet and exercise routine went down hill. I gained about 3 lbs back. I am now a stay at home mom. Probably will be for another couple months. I started Weight Watchers about a month 1/2 ago. I have since lost 11 lbs. Bringing my total to 19 lbs since January 1st. I seem to really be doing well with this. I try to exercise when ever possible and it does make me feel better when I do. Just wanted to give everyone a little update. I will check in soon :)

DAY 48,49 and 50

2011-02-21T18:01:00.001-08:00

I lost 1.8 pounds this week. YEAH! I have lost a total of 12.8 pounds. I haven’t exercised for the last 5 days. I am banning exercise for the moment until I can figure out my eating. I need to focus on how many calories a day I need to be eating. It will take me a couple more days and then I can’t get back to it. I am feeling a change in my clothes finally. My pants fit a lot better and I don’t feel like my stomach is a volcano erupting over my pants. It is a good feeling. I just hope I can hold everything together and keep on my weight loss journey. Hope everyone had a good weekend. Keep up the good work!!

DAY 47

2011-02-18T20:42:00.000-08:00

It has been a long, stressful and horrible day all at the same time. I am going to keep this short and sweet. I hope this weekend doesn’t go by too fast. I need the down days. Weigh day tomorrow. Hope I lose some weight. I will keep everyone updated. I am sure you are all waiting on pins and needles. I can only hope tomorrow is a better day!!! I am just going to keep on smiling!!

Talk to ya soon :)

DAY 46

2011-02-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Come to find out I might be having an issue of not eating enough. By not eating enough it can cause you to gain weight, not lose weight! Not that I have gained, but I’m not moving very fast. Why is this so?

Apparently it has everything to do with your metabolism. The higher your metabolism, the more fat your body burns. If you have a low metabolism, then of course the amount of fat your body burns is reduced.

Skipping meals or not eating enough actually helps your body to become really good at storing fat. My body is a pro!! Why? Because it needs to, in case it is starved again in the future! Your body needs fuel to work properly, so if you don't provide it with enough, it will take as much as it can the next time you feed it and store it as fat so it will have fuel the next time it is starved of food.

DAY 45

2011-02-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

When you lose weight, where does the lost body fat go?

Body fat breaks down during a series of complex metabolic processes.

When you burn more calories than you consume, your body uses fat (triglycerides) for energy. This causes your fat cells to shrink. In turn, triglycerides are broken down into two different substances — glycerol and fatty acids — which are absorbed into your liver, kidneys and muscle tissue. From there, the glycerol and fatty acids are further broken down by chemical processes that ultimately produce energy for your body.

These activities generate heat, which helps maintain your body temperature. The resulting waste products — water and carbon dioxide — are excreted in urine and sweat or exhaled from your lungs.

DAY 44

2011-02-15T16:03:00.001-08:00

I started running yesterday. It felt good to accomplish my first day. Runningplanet.com suggested I start off slow and work my way up. I walked for 4 minutes and ran for 1 minute. I did that for 25 minutes. Once I was done my face was bright red and I was sweating quit a bit. That just goes to show you how out of shape I really am. Today my body hurts all over. Even though I have been working out for 44 days now, it was rough on my body. Everything hurts!!! My hips even hurt. How does that happen?

It made it really hard for me to work out today too. I knew I wouldn’t be happy with a rest day so I went ahead and did Zumba anyway. My legs were mad at me the whole time. I felt a lot better after I showered. My legs and I made up. I think exercising today help work out those sore muscles. So here I go on my jogging adventure. Hopefully tomorrow my soreness will be gone.

P.S. I didn’t have ANY candy yesterday. It was hard at times, but I kept thinking about the bigger picture and where I want to be in a couple months. Skinny… here I come!!!

DAY 41,42 and 43

2011-02-14T13:53:00.001-08:00

Still at 11 pounds lost. I did ok this weekend, but I could have done better. We celebrated Valentine’s Day Saturday night by having a nice dinner at home with the baby. We took the night off from our regular “eating healthy” routine. We had Ribeye steak and artichokes with mayo. Then for desert we each had a candy bar. It was VERY delicious!!! I can’t believe I ate that much. It was nice for one meal, but I don’t want to make a habit of it.

Today is a new day and I am ready to get back to my routine. I have to get my mind and body ready to start my running. It is going to be very hard to do this in the rain. I was hoping to go out to the track, but I may have to settle for the tread mill.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY EVERYONE!!

DAY 40

2011-02-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

I watched an episode of The Oprah show yesterday. Jennifer Hudson was the guest. Jennifer has lost 80 pounds using weight watchers and exercise. She went from a size 16 to a size 6. I couldn’t help but wonder what I would look like as a size 6. How inspiring is that? She has also recruited her whole family to join in and they have lost a total of over 1,000 pounds. She looked wonderful and also seemed happy.

One of the things she had mentioned was her shopping experience once she had lost the weight. She said she would still walk towards the XL clothes even though she was a small. She said her mind hasn’t caught up with her body. I feel the opposite sometimes. I feel like my body isn’t keeping up with my mind. In my mind I am as skinny as I was in high school. I was 125 pounds to be exact. When I go into the store I pick up the medium and then said to myself “wait... you are too big for this.” It is funny how that works. I guess if I think thin it may come true someday.

Still dreaming of skinny :)

DAY 39

2011-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

With a little planning and strategic portioning, your favorite snacks can help you nip cravings in the bud, stave off hunger, and fight feelings of deprivation. All of the snacks listed here are 150 calories or less, so you can give in to your sweet tooth or satisfy your mid-afternoon stomach growl and still fit into your skinny jeans. And with so many choices—from sweet and chocolaty to salty and savory—there’s a nibble to match every mood.

Satisfy a Sweet Tooth

1 cup berries or fruit salad topped with a dollop of reduced-fat whipped topping
6 ounces plain, non-fat yogurt drizzled with 1-2 teaspoons honey
1 frozen fruit pop or Italian ice
2 Tootsie Pops
100-calorie snack packs (such as Lorna Doones, Chips Ahoy!, and Honey Maid cinnamon rolls)
2 small cookies
Half sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
8 vanilla wafers
Microwaved sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg
2 graham cracker sheets (two squares per sheet)
35 Jelly Belly jellybeans

Get Your Chocolate Fix

1 oz. dark chocolate (preferably at least 70% cacao/cocoa)
Two fun size chocolate bars (Snickers, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, etc.)
1 regular pack Pretzel M&Ms
1/2 cup low-fat chocolate pudding
Chocolate-flavored 100-calorie snack packs (such as Oreos, Grasshoppers, and Fudge Grahams)
One low-fat hot cocoa packet mixed with 6 oz. plain nonfat yogurt
4 Dove Promises mini chocolates
5 Hershey Kisses
1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips mixed with ½ cup whole grain cereal
Chocolate-covered strawberries: 1 oz. dark chocolate melted over 5 whole strawberries
¾ cup Chocolate Cheerios
1 serving (50 pieces) Chocolate Goldfish Grahams
16 mini chocolate rice cakes

Salty Satisfaction

1 ounce baked chips (potato, tortilla, vegetable, lentil)
1 ounce soy crisps
1 ounce pretzels
4 cups air popped popcorn (optional seasonings: cumin, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, cinnamon, etc.)
100-calorie bag microwave popcorn
Salty/savory 100-calorie snack packs (such as Cheez-Its, Sun Chips, and Ritz Snack Mix)
¼ cup plain or flavored almonds
½ cup pistachio nuts (in the shell)
2 Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges spread on 2 Light crackers or 4 Triscuits
Half a baked potato topped with salsa and/or nonfat sour cream
Half a medium avocado, drizzled with fresh lime juice and lightly sprinkled with kosher salt
¼ cup hummus and 10 baby carrots (or celery sticks)
Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons light cream cheese

Thanks to By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. @ joybauer.com

DAY 38

2011-02-09T10:39:00.001-08:00

After talking with my husband last night, I think the best thing is to extend my work outs 2 days a week to start out. I can do an hour of exercise on my days off from work. Once I do that we can see where things go. Here is my new workout schedule.

Monday- 30 minute cardio

Tuesday- 1 hour cardio w/ weights

Wednesday- 30 minute cardio

Thursday-1 hour cardio w/ weights

Friday- Rest or 30 minute cardio

Saturday- 30 minute cardio

Sunday- Rest day

Once I start the new running schedule I am sure it will change again. I have 5 BIG events this year. I will succeed at this!!! Hope you all are on board :)

P.S. WATER, WATER AND MORE WATER!!!!

DAY 37

2011-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

I have a fire under my butt to get this weight off. I am considering getting up early to get a longer work out in. This hasn’t worked very well in the past for me but it is the only time I have to step things up. (Usually, I get dizzy or faint if I don’t eat before exercising first thing in the morning, but I don’t like to eat first thing. I’m not a morning person.) I can’t help feeling that I should be working out for longer periods of time. 30 min is good but it could be better. I will have to brainstorm to make this work.

I looked up how to prepare for a 5K run last night. It seems that in order to run a 5K you have to be able to run at least 2 miles with out stopping before you can attempt a 5K. Well… guess what? I can’t run for 5 minutes let alone 2 miles. It recommends training for 8 weeks prior to the race. I think I should start now. The race is in September and as you all know my father said he didn’t think I would do it. I need to prove that I can, not only to myself, but to my family & friends, too. I am tired of being fat!!!!

Wish me luck!!!

DAY 34, 35 and 36

2011-02-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

Good news! I am feeling lots better and I have lost a total of 11 pounds!!!! I was very excited when I got on the scale on Saturday. At first I was thinking it dropped because I was sick, but nothing changed with my eating habits. I haven’t exercised very much but it didn’t seem to effect me much.

Okay. Now the bad news… I went to a Super Bowl party on Sunday. I ate like a pig. This has been planned for a while and I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. By the time I made it home last night I was sick to my stomach and wondering why I had to have that last rice crispy treat? Oh well it is a new day and I can’t beat myself up for something that can’t be taken back. I didn’t bother getting on the scale this morning. I knew it would spit out some horrible number that I don’t want to see. I will have to work really hard this week to get back to the place I want to be. I think I will avoid the scale until Saturday. It will be better for me and… the scale for that matter.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

DAY 33

2011-02-04T15:50:00.001-08:00

I am still feeling horrible! No exercise today. Dinner is in the crock pot cooking so I won’t have to do that later. Hopefully I will be feeling lots better tomorrow. It is weight in day. I will leave you with this little advice to think about.

Master one new habit at a time, before going on to tackle another habit. Maybe putting some exercise in your daily routine is the first step. Then you can start cutting out soda and so on. The objective is to develop habits that will lead us to a thinner and healthier life.

Most people are in too big of a hurry to lose weight. I include myself in this statement. It took years to gain the extra weight but suddenly we expect it all to come off in a couple of months. We all think that the only way we will lose weight is by totally eliminating our favorite foods--pasta, bread, cheese, or whatever. We only need to lower our calories enough to achieve gradual weight loss. The answer to losing weight is not to deprive yourself of your favorite foods but, rather, to learn how to eat the foods you love.

Talk to ya soon!!

Day 32

2011-02-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

I have a cold! BLAH! I hate being sick. (Like that isn’t a given.) Who likes to be sick? I guess you could say I am not full of life. I usually don’t complain too much about having a cold but this one seems to be kicking my bootie.

I had my cream of wheat and a glass of orange juice for breakfast. I did manage to work up enough energy to work out this morning. I will say I don’t think I worked as hard as I should have. For lunch, I had a left over baked pork chop and some broccoli. It was pretty good considering I can’t taste or smell much. My son even ate some “Broc” for the second day in a row. He isn’t much of a green veggie person, but I think we might be convincing him other wise.

Dinner tonight will consist of chicken and asparagus. Yummy! There is nothing like BBQ chicken in the middle of winter. I love all the sunny days we are having. If it were warmer I would be in heaven. Oh well. Guess I better enjoy the cooler weather while I can.

DAY 31

2011-02-02T13:29:00.000-08:00

DRINKING SODA
Researchers say you can measure a person’s risk of obesity by measuring his or her soda intake. Versus people who don’t drink sweetened sodas, here’s what your daily intake means:
½ can = 26 percent increased risk of being overweight or obese
½ to 1 can = 30.4 percent increased risk
1 to 2 cans = 32.8 percent increased risk
More than 2 cans = 47.2 percent increased risk

That’s a pretty remarkable set of stats. You don’t have to guzzle Double Gulps from 7-Eleven to put yourself at risk—you just need to indulge in one or two cans a day. Wow. And because high-fructose corn syrup is so cheap, food marketers keep making serving sizes bigger (even the “small” at most movie theaters is enough to drown a raccoon). That means we’re drinking more than ever and don’t even realize it: In the 1950s, the average person drank 11 gallons of soda a year. By the mid-2000s, we were drinking 46 gallons a year. A Center for Science in the Public Interest report contained this shocking sentence: “Carbonated soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet.”

Bonus Tip: When it comes to making us fat, soda is only one of the big offenders. Other sugary drinks can add belly fat fast too. You can be slurping more than an entire day's worth of calories, sugar and fat--in just a few minutes.

Thank you to David Zinczenko of Men’s Health

I drink one soda every two weeks. I guess I am not doing too badly. At one point I was drinking 1 to 2 cans a day of Pepsi or Dr. Pepper. I really like it, but I am trying to make an effort not to drink it. Please join me!!

DAY 30

2011-02-01T16:13:00.001-08:00

I consider myself a “live-to-eat” kind of girl. I don’t eat because I have to. I eat because I love the taste of food. Food is a pleasure for me. I have found I need to find pleasure in healthy eating too. You don’t have to eat food that tastes like cardboard. It may take a while to find those things or may take a while to prepare those foods, but your body and mind will thank you later.

Have you ever seen a beautiful skinny women walking down the street and thought to yourself, wow I wish I looked like that. The second thought is what a @#$%&. You are probably laughing right now because you know I am right. If you aren’t laughing you are a better person than I. The other thought is I bet she has never eaten a cheeseburger. The truth is she probably does eat them, but only half a cheese burger and it probably only happens once a year.

You don’t have to starve yourself. Get some whole wheat bread or buns. Get some ground turkey, season it up and pop it in a pan. Next thing you know you will have a great tasting burger. Use light mayo, mustard, pickles, low fat cheese, grilled onions, tomato, lettuce and maybe a little avocado. Get some baked fries from the frozen section and you are good to go. You can still have the foods you love just modified.

Keep up the good work everyone!!

DAY 27, 28 and 29

2011-01-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

Well, today is the last day of January. I didn’t meet my weight goal for this month. My goal was 10 pounds, but that’s ok because I still feel good about what I have accomplished. My total weight loss for January is…..8.6 lbs. My goal for the month of February is 4-6 lbs. I am giving it a range this time to give myself some wiggle room. I have been doing Zumba a lot more than anything. I have found it gives me the best aerobic work out and burns the most calories. In addition, I’m still doing the Wii at least twice a week. It helps record my activities and has some great strength training exercises.

My husband and I have a friendly competition going on. He holds the number one spot for the “plank”. I am only two points behind him. Watch out J It is always good to have some goals to reach for and by us competing it helps me stay motivated to beat him. I will say, I hold the number one spot for “hula hoop” and “skiing high jump”. He pretty much kicks my bootie at everything else. If you haven’t seen my husband before, you should know he is good shape and very competitive. Good luck everyone for the month of February. If you have made any new goals let me know in the comments section below!

DAY 26

2011-01-28T13:57:00.000-08:00

There is a show on MTV called “I used to be fat”. My husband and I have stumbled upon this show once or twice in the last couple weeks. In this show they follow a teenager for 110 days. They are assigned a trainer and teach them to eat right. It shows them exercising and eating healthy and changing before the cameras. The problem I have with the show is that these people are loosing 90+ pounds in 110 days. That is a lot of weight quick. This can’t be healthy. What is worse, loosing all that weight quickly or being obese? I would be interested to see the studies on this.

These people are working there tails off. They are exercising for 8-10 hours a day. There is no way I ~~could~~ would want to work out for 8-10 hours a day. I have to say they look great at the end of the show, but how quickly will they gain that all back? I hope they don’t gain it back but chances are they will because they lost it so quick. If you get a chance to watch it, let me know your opinion.

Wish me luck tomorrow with my weigh in. I am keeping my fingers crossed :)

DAY 25

2011-01-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

Good news!!! I feel like I am coming out of my funk. I do feel a little change in my clothes. A very small amount that only I would notice. I haven’t given up and I have continued to eat right and exercise. I promised myself last Sunday that I wouldn’t get on the scale until this Saturday. Saturday is our official weigh day. There is only two more days to see if it shows in the numbers. I will keep everyone posted J

Someone told me “Life is what you make of it.” Well if that is true then I better make it a good life. I need to set myself as a priority and make this work. Why? I want to be healthy and look good at the same time. I don’t ever want my child to say “Hey mom come play with me!” As I think to myself no way I am too fat to do that or I can’t fit in there. That feeling is horrible. I want to be able to play with my child and have him live a happy, healthy life because of the example we as parents set for him. I hope everyone is doing well. Keep up the good work!

Talk to you soon

DAY 24

2011-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

Aging and your Metabolism

Are they related? Well, yes and no.
People think that because they age they automatically have a slower metabolism than when they were younger. Well yes, your metabolism does slow as you get older, but not for the reasons most believe. It does not just slow because you get older, but instead because you stop moving as much.
Your metabolism works off two main things: genetics and lean muscle mass. If your parents were lethargic/athletic/ping-pong pros, you will be more disposed to lead that kind of life based upon your genetics. Not all people are that way though. The main reason metabolism slows with age is based upon your lean body mass. When you're younger you move more, and as people get older they move less. Therefore the lean body mass of an individual will decrease unless they continue exercising or begin to exercise more. Also, if you have very little lean muscle mass then you will not burn as many calories in a day as someone who has lots of muscle mass.

In closing, if you want to make sure your metabolism doesn't slow as you begin to age then exercise and move to stay in shape, keeping that lean muscle mass in check.

Thank you to www.Lifetips.com

DAY 23

2011-01-25T14:12:00.001-08:00

5 Reasons New Year's Resolutions Fail

Estimates vary, but in general, the number of people who actually keep the resolutions they make on January 1 is low—roughly 1 in 10. In fact, most of us barely make it out of the gate: 75 percent of resolvers lapse in the first month or two. So what are 90 percent of us doing wrong, and how can we get it right this year? Here are the five most common missteps. Set the stage for success and a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!

1.) Your goal is too broad

2.) No one’s got your back

3.) Everything else is the same

4.) There’s no backup plan

5.) You didn’t allow wiggle room

I am doing my best to not become part of that 75%.

TIP: If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If it can't go bad, it's bad for you.

By Lucy Danziger, the Editor-in-Chief of SELF magazine

DAY 20,21 &22

2011-01-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

I seem to be in a funk. My total weight loss is 6.8 lbs. I don’t think I am going to make my goal of 10 lbs this month. I can’t say it has been from lack of trying. I really feel as though I have worked my butt off. Hence the “funk” comment. I haven’t even noticed a change in my clothes. I probably wouldn’t be this upset about the weight if I noticed my clothes were fitting different. I am starting to think there is something wrong with me. I have never had this much trouble in the past. If I don’t see more changes soon I think I will go see my doctor.

It has been one of those weekends. I wish I could go get a hamburger and French fries and say screw the whole thing. Don’t worry I won’t do it. I have come too far to turn back now. I will continue to think happy thoughts! Wish me luck :)

Good bye for now!!

DAY 19

2011-01-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my official weigh in day. It doesn’t seem like there is much difference from last week’s weight. My pants feel the same too. I can’t help but think I should be doing something different. Am I doing something wrong? I hope I have lost at least 1 lb. I guess we will just have to wait until tomorrow to tell. I had a moment this morning where I was feeling really good about all the hard work I have been doing. Then I saw a recent picture of me that looks…..well…..horrible. I keep thinking I am going to see this drastic change soon, but it isn’t happening. I think seeing a picture of the way I look just makes me realize how much I don’t want to look like that anymore. I have a couple big events coming up this year that I would love to look skinnier for. I know it is a slow process but I want if off now!!!

What is better motivation, a picture of yourself thin or a picture of yourself at your biggest? I think a picture of me at my biggest is more motivating than a picture of me thin. I know I feel like a skinny girl trapped inside a fluffy women’s body. Plus it helps me to remember why I am doing all this hard work!

Hope you all have a great day!!

DAY 18

2011-01-20T14:26:00.000-08:00

I pinched a nerve in my back last night while exercising. It didn’t feel good at all. I wasn’t able to do my jumping jacks last night. It seems to be gone this morning, thank goodness. I am back in the saddle again.

I have found a couple really good tips that I would like to share.

TIP# 1- Have all your meals in a designated place without distractions (i.e., not in front of the TV). That way your eating episode has a beginning and an end. Eat slowly; stopping to put your fork down between bites, feeling yourself becoming fuller. Making an effort to be mindful no matter what you’re eating can help break the tendency to binge, experts say.

TIP #2- Find healthy outlets for emotions. Turning to food to “numb out” emotions like anxiety works temporarily, but after the food is gone the stressful stimulus still remains—along with a hefty dose of guilt. Find ways to experience negative emotions with a response other than eating. Try deep breathing or meditation, calling a friend or going for a brisk walk. “The more you practice these alternative behaviors, the more automatic they become,” notes Ramirez. Eventually, reaching for a bag of chips can stop being the default reaction to stress.

Thank you to eatingwell.com for those tips

Day 17

2011-01-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

What is the determining factor to convince someone to start living a healthier lifestyle? Are we that lazy that it takes something on our body to stop working before we decide it might be a good idea? I can speak from experience when I say, sometimes that doesn’t even help. Why are we so hard headed about it? It does take more work. It does take more time. Trust me when I say, your body & health are worth it. Don’t take for granted what you have right now. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Haven’t you ever heard the saying “You only have one body so take care of it.”? Don’t look back 2 years from now realizing you are 30 lbs heavier than you were two years ago. Do you know how long it takes to sweat off 30 lbs? It takes a long time. Get off you bootie and do something about it now!

P.S. - I got this advice from a really good friend. I thought I would pass it along because it seemed to work with me.