MIA

I know I haven't posted anything here in awhile - it's because I WENT BACK TO WORK! Bleh. Yes, my beautiful 4months off has come to an end. Last week I had to take the elevator up to the dreaded 4th floor again. And do you think they were easy on me? Giving me a chance to get back in the swing of things? Learning all the things that have changed since I've been gone? NO WAY. I was the only one with 5 patients at 1900 and then 6 at 2300. Thanks guys. But enough about that - that's just my excuse.

Weight wise I've done pretty good. Down another 2lbs. Not to shabby for minimal exercise, but I have been cutting my portions way back. Not sure how working nights will play into this weight loss thing. A messed up sleep pattern can totally wreck your progress, but then again I run my A off at work so maybe that will help. We'll see.

I plan to get some good workouts in this week since I'm off until Friday.
Until then - it's sweat time.

ps - good job Mom on the 15lb loss!!!

Happy Saturday

Got up this morning and met a friend for a 0630 bike ride. Ended up doing about 65mins, roughly 16miles. Felt great to burn over 600 calories so early.
Now I'm off to eat some egg whites and salsa - yumm. I'll have a great rest of the day knowing I got my workout in.
Have a great weekend.

FIRMalicious

It's been a rough week. I haven't felt like doing anything and I think there may have been a binge day in there too. I guess the only thing that keeps me going is that I keep trying. I may not be successful (yet) but I keep trying.

Today marks my DD 4month birthday - oh how time flys. So I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by trying out a new workout DVD that I've had for about two months. I just haven't wanted to try it - until today. Boy am I glad I did!

The FIRM - 500 calorie workout

(only $9.95 from Wal-Mart, but you might find it cheaper online)

It guarantees you'll burn 500 calories so I tested it with my HRM, and guess what? I burned 658 calories in 60mins! That's as much as I burn running for 60mins!!! Fantastic. AND, I did mainly the beginner variation with hardly any weights. The thing I really like is that it's hard. It's not like a pansy DVD that I've tried before - and believe me I've tried A LOT of them. I hate it when you're not pushed or don't even break a sweat after a week of using it. Not this one. Once I master the beginner then I have the option of weights, which I'll start with 5lbs since I don't own 3lbs, then move up to 8lbs, 10lbs etc. I can see myself benefiting from this DVD for awhile.

If you're a beginner beginner and have a hard time keeping up with fast paced steps then this might not be for you. But if you're looking to burn over 500 calories in an hour, use weights and cardio combined, do some push ups, ab work etc., then you'll like this one.

I'm so happy with the way I spent that hour. I feel much better today!

New Week

Last week I got the sickness. I was so sick that no exercise happened. Today I'm feeling better but still a bit congested in the head. I'm going to call last week a draw and start this new week fresh and ready to get my big butt moving.
Pretty happy that the scale was back in the 178's again even with a crappy week. Moving on.

Freak Out Moment

I had a freak out moment yesterday. I dodged a very would-be embarrassing moment. I was gone for most of the day (thank goodness!) and when I returned home late in the evening there was a message on my phone from an old friend - whom I haven't seen in 5 years.

She was in town!!

She wanted to meet!!!

I was supposed to call her!!!!

Now, before I go on let me say that I REALLY like this friend and would have LOVED to see her - if it weren't for my weight. Luckily by the time I got home she was surely on her way home and no longer in the danger zone. For this I was grateful. How sad is that?

I knew and lived by this friend back when my second son was born and I lost all (and then some) of my baby weight. I didn't feel like it then, but I looked fantastic. I couldn't let her see me like this, not after 5 years, not when the last time she saw me I was 128lbs! She probably wouldn't recognize me or worse, she wouldn't be able to hide her "surprise" face at seeing me. Not that she'd do it on purpose, but who could blame her?

This is what I've come to. Hiding. Is this not a kick in the pants to step it up a notch? I'll have these moments again, that's for sure. I want next time to be different. It NEEDS to be different.

This mornings chow: Oats with PB and a handful of chocolate chips. Sweet tooth in the morning? Oh yeah! Thanks Mom!

And the scale goes...up

I weighed myself on Wednesday and didn't like what she told me. How I hate her sometimes. Though I didn't see the ugly ugly 180 again, I did gain 1.4lbs. BUT, with the way things went while out of town - I'd say ok to that. Just need to step it up and be REAL good with my calories. I may sneak another weigh in on Mon - haven't decided yet. I'll do it only if I feel like she'll be nicer to me. If not, no way.

Have to get a run in tonight after it cools off. If I don't go in the morning, I have to wait until at least 8pm. I hate when I miss my morning workout time.

Crunching Numbers

I'm back. I did ok out of town. Not the greatest - well not great at all come to think of it. I was on "vacation" ya know. So I have to get back to it hard this week. I did two work outs on Monday and got my run/walk in this morning. I was supposed to weigh in Mon, but for some reason didn't - or today. I will do it first thing in the morning. I better not see the big 1-8-0 again.

While I was out on my run this morning I started to think about things I've read over the years. Some people say you shouldn't or don't have to workout to lose weight. I'm not sure how I feel about that. If you just play the numbers game, calories in calories out, then I guess you wouldn't have to workout if you kept your calories in check.
BUT, you would have to workout to change your body. That butt won't get off your thighs by just losing weight and your "bye bye" arms won't firm up by just cutting calories. You HAVE TO WORKOUT to change your body.

But hold the phone for a second. There is a gray line here. I know from prior experience that working out may sometimes NOT work in your favor. I'm talking about the gigantic hunger monster that shows up the night of or day after a really hard, long workout. It's that monster that can't be satisfied and needs to eat everything in the house - including the house. I've met with this monster many times. The problem is you end up consuming MORE calories by feeding him than you would have if you hadn't worked out. Get it?

So say I burn 800 cals on a nice long bike ride. That's awesome right? Well, that night (or the next day) the hunger monster shows up and DEMANDS I eat and eat and eat. I end up eating an excess of 1000-1500cals (depending on the severity) and therefore not only counter acted my ride, but now have a nice surplus for my body to store as fat. So, the question being - Should you exercise? The answer is YES. The success will happen if you can control that hunger monster - if you're strong enough to beat him and not feed him. And guess what will happen, he'll feed off your fat! Hooray.

But I'm weak. And if you're weak like me here's a plan I've done many times (actually on accident) that will still make working out work for you when you DO feed the hunger monster.

Work out hard. Real hard. For three weeks if you can. 5-6 days a week, hour long sessions etc. Then, take a week off. What this does is, for the weeks you're working out you're building muscle and increasing your BMR. Sure you may be feeding the hunger monster too so you may not see the scale going down much (just don't let it go up). But the beauty lies in the fact that you've built up some nice muscles that now require MORE energy.

So the week off your body will be requiring more calories to fuel itself, yet you won't be famished from working out and thus your body will turn into a fat burning furnace - all the while keeping your calories in check. I used to do this all the time and had no idea why when I stopped working out I'd lose like 4-5lbs. Keep repeating this cycle. Of course if you can work out and tame the monster then you're probably too skinny to be reading this blog anyway. ;-)

So that's my take on working out.

You don't need to work out to lose weight.

But you do need to work out to change your physique and build muscle - which looks better than "skinny fat" any day of the week.