Back tracking

I fell back to a scary place... My emotions got the best of me I'll blame it on TOM or PMS but I started feeling really down and just really bad about my weight. There was a run in with some old friends Krispy Kreme, Ben & Jerry, the pizza parlor and even the 7 11 carrot cake I have not had in over 2 years! What caused the back tracking I can't say...a blast from the past has been calling and I have been considering recycling this ex but in all honesty I know better...but I dabble and I get caught up and I get frustrated and well... I get down.



Last year I told myself in 12 months if I am not back to my lowest weight loss (45.6 pounds) I will look into weight loss surgery. A year of effort to get back on track was a safe bet well its July and at my last weigh in I was at 13 pounds loss... at least 10 more than last December. I HATE THE IDEA OF HAVING WLS!!!! But I hate being overweight more... so I posted this fact on a message board I've been on for at least 8 years and I was shocked at how encouraging most people were. Maybe shocked isn't the right sentiment... disappointed I think may be the most appropriate descriptive term. I know they were being supportive but it made me wonder where is that level of support when I post that I returned to the gym or had a good day food wise?


I did not post it to "test" them but it made me think about where I get support from and how that plays a role in this journey. Similarly, I have not been to the gym since last weekend and my workout buddy and I spoke today and she worked out and I was in bed all day and she didn't say "well think about doing 30 mins or something?"

Maybe I am not clear on what my wants and needs are and that isnt fair to others. I always work off the assumption people will give me what I would give to them. But in reality if I don't say it how can they know?

Anyway I went online looking up weight loss surgery info and ended up on you tube watching various videos and good lawd now I know the meaning of aversion therapy lol I went to the gym and did 60 mins on the elliptical after my research lol! I don't think I've ever done that before! Ever. I bought a new book by Kathy Freston called Quantum Wellness-A Practical & Spiritual Guide to Health & Happiness. Sounds right up my alley. I'll let you know how it goes!


I also bought Oxygen Magazine and my girl Alicia Marie had a great pic & quote!



"I can't
is a
state of mind
I won't
entertain"

2 Days in the life of a Core-ie

What is Core? Well WW has 2 Plans one is the tried and true Flex Points Plan and the other is the Weight Watchers Core Plan. On Core you can eat as much of the approved foods as you like as long as you eat only when you are hungry and stop eating when you are satisfied. There is no counting of calories or points involved in this plan unless you have foods not on the Core Food List. The way my old WW Leader described it is Core is anything you'd find in the Garden of Eden.
Here's some info on Core
Step1) Choose any vegetable and fruit to eat at any time of the day when you are hungry.
Step2) Eat non-creamy soup. The soup can be canned, frozen or homemade with Weight Watchers Core food item ingredients.
Step3) Consume whole wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes and as many grain products as you choose. Eat as much high fiber cereal with no added sugar as you would like until you are satisfied.
Step4) Eat lean meats such as fish, poultry or eggs. Drink only fat-free milk.
Step5) Cook with healthy oils such as canola oil and olive oil. You can also have safflower, sunflower and flaxseed oils with the Weight Watchers Core diet plan.
Step6) Drink coffee or tea without added sugar or cream. Have as much of any sugar-free beverage as you desire.
Step7) Add condiments to your food such as capers, cocktail sauce, extracts, flavorings. spices, herbs, horseradish, hot sauce, ketchup, lemon or lime juice, mustard, fat free salsa, soy sauce, steak sauce, sugar substitutes, taco sauce, teriyaki sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

If 0 is starving and 5 is full, you want to keep yourself in the 1 to 4 position in relation to hunger.
Stop eating when you are satisfied and no longer hungry, not when you are full.


I like Core b/c its a way to eat healthy and stay on track. With the Flex points most people tend to over indulge in processed foods which can stall weight loss as someone once said to me a point isnt always a point! Think about it an apple is 1 point while a lowfat ice cream bar can be 1 point too. Now that ice cream will no doubt have more fat, sugar, and unhealthy carbs vs the nutritious apple but they are both only 1 point. Core forces your to see how many points you can "waste" on things like 100 calorie packs of candy, chips, etc. those items are fine in moderation however I have learned that for consistent weight loss I can not have them every day what works best for me is to have them a few times a week max.

Day 1 back on Core
B- 2 eggs
3 slices Canadian bacon
salsa
strawberries w/ 1 pt vanilla yogurt *
S- peach
L-Ground beef w/ tomato sauce
ww pasta
S-Apple
D- baked salmon
boiled cabbage and carrots
WW ice cream toffee bar *2pts

S- Puffed Wheat cereal
ff milk
Activity = 5 Points for Body Pump -3 pts for non core

Day 2 on Core 7-21-08
B- 2 eggs
3 slice Ca bacon
1 laughing cow *1 pt
S- pear
banana
grapes
L- ground beef
ww/ pasta
mixed green salad

---
peach
apple
grapefruit
1 point yogurt
D-bbq spice pork chop
cabbage and carrots

No workout tonight...

Well the Post Boule "Tour"

I am not a big girl yet so I don't go on the Official Post Boule Tour rather I create my own post Boule adventure! So Saturday I went to the gym and did 40 mins on Lippy and Sunday I did Body Pump. My body was HURTING from all the walking I did last week. I think I forgot how much of a good workout commuting can be! My thighs were on fire for days! Well its Monday, already and I am back to my real life. Alpha Kappa Alpha, sweet AKA! I had such an amazing time being able to be apart of the number at a time like this to celebrate 100 years of sisterhood, sacrifice, style and most importantly service to all mankind is beautiful beyond measure! I am truly blessed to be a member and to be fortunate enough to be able to take part in the celebration!

But now its back to life...back to reality... The reality is I ate a lot of food I would not have normally had I am not there yet in terms of not considering every opportunity to eat out a celebration of some sort. I was low on veggies, on water, on sleep lol but I did what I could. I am proud that I jumped back into my routine a trip is a quick way to fall off track and stay off.

I decided to do Core Plan for Weight Watchers this week. I went out shopping dropped about $100 on lean meats, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, and canned beans. I also cooked a few items on Sunday ground chicken white bean chili, seasoned pork chops, lean ground beef w/ whole wheat pasta, fresh corn and cabbage and carrots. Whew! Variety is the spice of life right?

AKA Boule Check in!

Wellll unlike most of my Sorors I had to work this week. Granted I finagled a schedule that is...hummmm....unique...lol... so I can make it to everything. I am a delegate sooooo that is important. I missed the fireworks but I am sure they were spectacular! I have not even looked at the gym, to be honest I didn't even bring workout clothes because I I didn't need the added stress of trying to fit time in to workout then feeling guilty because I couldn't do it. I am mainly talking public transportation and my thighs are BURNING ME!!!!! I don't even think my thighs hurt like this when I did the Baltimore Half Marathon last year!!! Tonight is the formal and I can't wait I love my dress I will post pics! Its a cute black, baby doll style dress that is pleated at the bottom it looks really good on. I haven't found a moment to meditate. Well I guess I have been doing a lot of thinking about my ex who wants to be my next (lol) I see pros and cons but I am using Boule to distract me. He's called and texted everyday since we began speaking again and that's nice. A/w off to do some work!

AKA Boule!

Well its the official week of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Boule its a fashion mavens dream. My Sorors are soooo fly! I love it! The venue (the Dc Convention Center) has been transformed into AKA Land and I am loving it!

My workouts are on hold I am normally the Soror who keeps the gym thing going but I have to work and be a delegate and there is too much going on so I didn't even pack one pair of gym pants or tshirt. I maybe should have but I'll get a lot of walking in anyway.

I am at a relationship crossroads my second date didn't pan out :0( but a ex from the past has popped back up again... Ahhh choices, choices anyway gotta run I'll try and post pics and my WI update on Wednesday

Bummer :0(

Well I went back to WW I have not weighed in since 6/17/08 and I was pretty much off the wagon since then food wise and just got back to working out this week so I was up 0.4 I am not happy but I'll take it because in the long run if I did weigh in I am sure that would have been a loss. I feel bummed out anyway but I know I can't be a slave to the scale. On the positive side I made it back to the gym, I am cooking again, eating out less and feeling stronger and tighter. So my good thought for the day is "My future is brighter than my past!"

Oh and I did not do Pilates yesterday my house was too hot even at 10pm my AC needs to get fixed ASAP. I should have done at least 10 minutes but I was just too hot. I was also a bit sore from Body Pump my triceps are really sore doubt I could hold myself up even if I wanted to! lol I plan on going to the gym today and maybe I'll do the Pilates moves there.

Back to Body Pump

Well today was my first day back to Body Pump! Eekkk! I've never been a fan of weight lifting but I have learned a lot over the past 2 years and one of the biggest lessons I've learned is weight training is the best way to lose weight and inches. I read a great book called The Cardio Free Diet. The book basically explains the importance of doing weights in order to lose weight. The catch is cardio can be damaging on the body while weights are less harmful (if done properly) and it helps create more lean muscle mass and the more lean muscle mass you build the more fat you can burn even while sleeping! Furthermore, muscles takes up less space that fat which explains why two people who weigh the same weight can wear difference clothing sizes. This website has some great articles on the topic of women and weights be sure to check it out !http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/.

My issue is cardio is fun, its entertaining and engaging...Weight lifting is not so much fun but I have found that Body Pump is a good marriage of the two best aspects of each.

Here's some info on the class

BODYPUMP It's the fastest way to shape up and lose body fat.

BODYPUMP™ is a toning and conditioning class with weights and is for just about everybody. It's perfect for both males and females who want to add strength training into their aerobic workout. The simplicity of the class makes BODYPUMP™ a great starting point to develop strength and confidence. Hot sounds and compelling choreography keep you going through each 45-minute or 1-hour workout.
What will BODYPUMP do for me?
Burn up to 600 calories per class for fat loss
Improve your strength
Improve your general fitness
Shape and tone your muscles
Improve you bone density (helps ward off osteoporosis)
Give you a sense of achievement

Yeah it does ALL that and more! I came home and did 10 minutes of Pilates my own hodgepodge of moves from the dvd and Body Flow class and I was done! It was a great weekend!!!

Sister Act

What can I say BIG SISTERS RULE!!!!! I was at the gym on the treadmill watching the Williams' sisters it was a great (yet quick) match! Both sisters look great and really fit! Serena has slimmed down quite a bit and looks great! Venus defeated Serena 7:5, 6:4. Today's victory now makes Venus Williams a five-time Wimbledon champion. Congratulations to Venus Williams!



Not to be denied a win at Wimbledon Serena & Venus win the doubles final, defeating Raymond/Stosur 6:2, 6:2. This is now the sisters' 11th doubles title and seventh Grand Slam doubles title. They are 7-0 in Grand Slam doubles finals.




I like the Williams' sisters they are fit and stylist and really exemplify sisterly love!

Change that station!

Last night I found preacher Joel Osteen on the tube and his sermon was so on time. He was talking about the importance of controlling your thoughts. It was reminiscent of The Secret in that YOU control your thoughts and the more positive thoughts you have the more positivity you bring into your life. He explained that if you are tuned into the "Poor Me" station you need to RETRAIN YOUR MIND to reject those thoughts. The bottom line is a lot of us (who are overweight) got there because we accept the negative reports that seep into our minds. "Oh I can't lose weight," "Oh I only lost 5 pounds," "Oh I'll never be thin." A good point Joel made was that we sometimes wake up in the morning and start having negative thoughts and we passively accept those negative thoughts. He gave a good suggestion for combating that instead of accepting it he suggested that we counter that with "No thanks I'm not dwelling on the negative" then insert something positive such as "This is going to be a good day" or "My future is brighter than my past."

It was so on time for me because I slip back into old habit of negative thinking about my weight, my romantic relationship (oh lack thereof), and my finances and I find myself feeling bad which for an emotional eater is a welcome mat to bad habits so I am taking Joel's advice and paying closer attention to what station I am tuned into and being on the offensive and guarding my mind against the negative and latching on to the positive and the hopeful thoughts that remind me I can do anything I put my mind to because God is in control and I can have victory over any challenge I face!

Here are some examples of how I have begun starting my day please consider them!

I am strong
I am beautiful
I am caring
I am loved
I am secure
I am fearfully & wonderfully made
I am blessed
I am smart
I am treasured
I am healthy
I am happy

Gratitude Journals are another way to start the day off in the right state of mind

I am grateful for my family
I am grateful for my friends
I am grateful for my new job
I am grateful for my health
I am grateful for my home
I am grateful for my car
I am grateful for my ability to learn new things
I am grateful for my life



Today I did Body Flow which will get in my Day 5 of Pilates & meditation. I know it may be in my mind but I do feel tighter. My abs already feel stronger and I woke up this morning sore in several parts of my body like my back, arms, and of course the abs. That Pilates twist seemed easy but it was a good move I feel my obliques.

I took my "before pictures" today with my workout buddy I'll post both ( before & after) on or about Aug. 1st 2008!

Pilates Challenge Day 4

Well I made it through the Pilates Challenge Day 4~ God bless Dai b/c I am not a fan of Pilates however I've learn in the past 4 days to appreciate its benefits. The reason I was not a fan of Pilates is because it is hard as hell! But it is a serious workout and tons of stars swear by it
stars such as :
Jennifer Aniston
Kim Catrall
Courtney Cox
Cindy Crawford
Jamie Lee Curtis
Daisy Fuentes
Danny Glover
Hugh Grant
Lucy Lawless
Madonna
Gwyneth Paltrow
Sarah Jessica Parker
Martha Stewart
Rod Stewart
Sharon Stone
Patrick Swayze
Uma Therman
Charlize Theron
Tina Turner
Vanessa Williams Ok well you get the idea I mean all you have to do is look at recent photos of Tina, Vanessa,
SJP & Kim Catrell and know its at least worth a try, right?
But let me be clear...Pilates bodies are made and not born and your earn every inch of lean muscle you develop!

I've been doing the On Demand workouts but I remembered I had the Winsor Pilates DVDs! But I also remembered that was what turned me off from Pilates years ago lol then I found an unopened 2 disc set of Caribbean Workout Pilates! Now I can't tell you when I bought it but I can tell you it cost $5.50! lol so I opted to try it instead. It has 5 different Pilates workout and I decided to do the Stability and Posture workout. It was a great workout I still had to do a ton of modifications but I learned some new moves like the Pilates Twist. Some others I know from Body Flow so that was a nice suprise and I felt confident doing those moves but it was a great workout it was only 20 minutes but I worked up a sweat very quickly!

If you haven't tried Pilates I would say give it a try for at least a week and see how you feel. Don't feel pressured to do it perfectly or even do the entire workout just do what you can and set a goal of improving every time you do it again. Well all have to start somewhere! Another thing about Pilates is that even a 10 minute abs workout can be a great workout!

"Punish the body to perfect the soul"-Mark Twight

Whewwww today was a good day! I did a 75 minutes SPECIAL RMP (Spinning) Class at the gym today!!!!!


Talk about punishing the body! It was a RUSH I am glad I went! I love working out its hard to get back into the routine but when you do it feel soooooo good. Now for a nap! :0) Happy 4th!!!

Italian Vogue...Where are you???

Well with all the hoopla about the all Black July issue of Italian Vogue you would think someone would have told the local bookstores! I have searched high and low but who knew Italian Vogue is the least popular of all the editions in print, even German Vogue can be found at the Barnes & Noble in Owings Mills. Alas I found 2 stores that actually carry Italian Vogue but the July issue is not in yet... I will keep you posted! Here is a slideshow of some of the historic images.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/18/style/0619-BLACK_index.html

Hump Day

Well today feels like a Hump Day for real. My longggg commute yesterday took its toll on me I didn't get up until 6 am and I was going to catch the 6:18 bus (hummm 20 minutes south from where I live mind you lol). I somehow made it to the 6:48 am which got me to work in DC at 8am. My goal tonight is to catch either the 6:30 Spin class or the Body Combat class. I am really trying to get back into going to the gym at least 2 times a week. Since it is a 3 day weekend I have some cushion. Oh I changed my mind about going to New York so that allows me some "me time." I am hopefully going to catch a movie, workout, and have a second date with an interesting gentleman caller oh and most importantly relax!

Today is Day 2 of Dai's July Challenge I did mediate on the bus this morning and what was nice was the driver plays classical music so it helped me to really relax and focus on my breathing. As I did that I went through some Affirmations some examples are "I am strong, I am confident, I am healthy, I am smart, I am beautiful, I am a magnet and I attract healthy and happy people to me, and I am fearfully and wonderfully made." When I start my day with my I AMs I always feel better I got out of the habit of doing them but will work on that during this challenge as well.

The Pilates I will tackle when I get home from my cardio workout at the gym. The ab workout is hard! I was so tired yesterday I did not really talk about it but trust me that 10 minutes is a killer, a killer I tell you but I am looking forward to when I can do it with ease. I also have a Pilates DVD I may do that instead but we'll see either way it will get done!

July is here & so is the Pilates challenge!

Where did June go people?!? Who knows but here we are! Well today is the first day I wanted to make my weekday return to the gym butttt the best laid plans...I caught the wrong bus and the traffic was horrendous! It took me 3 hours to get home...I did do day 1 of Dai's July challenge I did some mediation throughout the day and did 10 mins of Pilates for abs on ON Demand. My workout buddy called me b/c she didn't see me at the gym and that gave me the push to do the exercise at 8pm. Glad I was able to follow though! Below is a lil info on Pilates taken from good 'ole Wikipedia.


History
Pilates was formed by Joseph Pilates during the First World War with the proposal to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed mental and physical health are essential to one another. He recommended a few, precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching,and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created "The Pilates Principles" to condition the entire body: proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement.

Mind over matter
According to practitioners, the central aim of Pilates is to create a fusion of mind and body, so that without thinking about it the body will move with economy, grace, and balance. The end goal is to produce an attention-free union of mind and body. Practitioners believe in using one's body to the greatest advantage, making the most of its strengths, counteracting its weaknesses, and correcting its imbalances. The method requires that one constantly pay attention to one's body while doing the movements. Paying attention to movement is so vital that it is more important than any other single aspect of the movements.

Breathing
Joseph Pilates believed in circulating the blood so that it could awaken all the cells in the body and carry away the wastes related to fatigue. For the blood to do its work properly, he maintained, it has to be charged with oxygen and purged of waste gases through proper breathing. Full and thorough inhalation and exhalation are part of every Pilates exercise. Pilates saw forced exhalation as the key to full inhalation. “Squeeze out the lungs as you would wring a wet towel dry,” he is reputed to have said. Breathing, too, should be done with concentration, control, and precision. Breathing, not only oxygenates the muscles, but proper breathing reduces tension in the upper neck and shoulders. Pilates breathing is a posterior lateral breathing, meaning when inhaling you breathe deep into the back and sides of your rib cage. At the same time as you exhale you feel the engagement of your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and maintain this engagement as you inhale. It should be properly coordinated with movement. Each exercise is accompanied by breathing instructions. Joseph Pilates stated, “Even if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly.”

Centering
Pilates called the very large group of muscles in the center of the body – encompassing the abdomen, lower back, hips, and buttocks – the “powerhouse.” All energy for Pilates exercises begins from the powerhouse and flows outward to the extremities. Physical energy exerted from the center coordinates one’s movements. Pilates felt that it was important to build a strong powerhouse in order to rely on it in daily living. Modern instructors call the powerhouse the “core”.

Concentration
Pilates demands intense focus. For instance, the inner thighs and pelvic floor may be assessed when doing a standing exercise that tones the triceps. Beginners learn to pay careful attention to their bodies, building on very small, delicate fundamental movements and controlled breathing.

Control
Joseph Pilates built his method on the idea of muscle control. That meant no sloppy, uncontrolled movements. Every Pilates exercise must be performed with the utmost control, including all body parts, to avoid injury and produce positive results. Pilates emphasizes not intensity or multiple repetitions of a movement, but proper form for safe, effective results.

Precision
Every movement in the Pilates method has a purpose. Every instruction is vitally important to the success of the whole. To leave out any detail is to forsake the intrinsic value of the exercise. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement, rather than many halfhearted ones. Eventually this precision becomes second nature, and carries over into everyday life as grace and economy of movement.

Flow or efficiency of movement
Movement should be kept continuous between exercises through the use of appropriate transitions. Once precision has been achieved, exercises should flow within and into each other in order to build strength and stamina.