get back in shape

well i’ve accidentally dieted and lost somewhere between 5-7 lbs. (my mom keeps very little junk food around haha) which should kick start/make it easier to start working out again. damn that freshman 15!! (kept it on for my sophomore year, ready to get rid of it before junior year)

its not bad yet but the longer i stay clean fatter i get. thats not me

I absolutely ate better at college. Salads! Oh, how I pine for a good salad! All the ones I’ve had here in the two weeks I’ve been back (about 3 total) have been drenched in dressing and way smaller than I’m used to. I’m thinking like half a pound of spinach with cucumbers and tomatoes with some light vinaigrette. But nooooo… we had KFC tonight. I would be only slightly inclined to think that the grilled chicken is significantly healthier than the fried. Oh, and a night or two ago I got to explain to my family what hummus is. That really goes to show how different Kenyon is from here… and several days ago I was explaining hipsters.

But I digress. In terms of exercise. I recently put quite a few hours into WiiFit, plus several hours of cycling, but nothing for over a week with my sickness. And now I’m ordered (by Mom, not doctor) to stay off the bike until I’m done with the antibiotics. Argh. I’m trying to get used to riding in heat so I can use my bike for transportation in Arizona, but frankly I’m not sure that’s going to work, because I don’t know if I’m even going to live within 5 miles of anywhere I’ll have to go. Maybe I can bike to the… post office, or something. Oh, and I think I might pick up parkour if I have spare time… which apparently I won’t. We’ll see.

Last week I started walking to work with the goal of doing this at least three days a week, weather permitting. I managed to do this goal, and extend it to the weekend where I explored from Somerville to Boston and back by foot on Saturday and Sunday. God it feels good to be outside this time of year! I think the winters here in Boston just suck the life out of you, especially when you spend several years here. I forget how beautiful this area is sometimes.

The bonus is that I am already starting to see an improvement in just over a week. I think I might be down about 3-5 pounds which I think is an acceptable pace for real weight loss.

I joined the BSC on Sunday evening, which will make staying in shape much easier. I have a gym at work, but it is hard to motivate myself to come to work on weekends just to work out. Now I can work out right near home or IB, or pretty much anywhere. I know this is the honeymoon phase so to speak, but I feel like I am taking small steps, that are manageable. In the past I think I burnt out because I wanted unrealistic results in an unrealistic time frame.

I think stress and lack of steady exercise is what compounded a mild funk these past few months. I have also started to cut back on drinking and certain foods.

I did break my two week streak of not smoking last week, which previously broke my month streak. Well sometimes you just have to trade one vice for another. All in all though I feel like things are really coming around. Work is a lot more relaxed these days, and that definitely put a serious strain on me and personal life. I feel terrible that I let it drag me down for so long, and that I let it come between me and friends.

I’m taking my sneakers to work and walking 2- 2.5 miles most days (part way home, then I get on a bus). I’ve also started running again this week. I’m trying to do yoga at least three times a week. That’s a lot of exercise, so it might be hard to keep it all consistent. So far, I’m not seeing a lot of results but I’m not sore from exercising any more and I’m hungry all the time, which I seem to remember is how it begins. I’d like to lose a few pounds, but it’s not about the weight for me, it’s about being fit and active and strong. I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll get back to this… I just have to persevere.

I’m really doing well staying on track. My workouts have been great, my diet very good, and no drinking for the past few days… got to keep the momentum going!

I skipped my gym workout yesterday morning and grabbed my running stuff as I ran out the door, ran at 3 o clock just at the time my brain is about to shut down… Did a kick ass hill workout, and then made it to the gym this morning. I am sore, and a little tired, but I feel GREAT!

I worked out like a fiend this weekend; felt wondeful. Last week was awful and stressful with a death in the family I had been over eating, not working out, and drinking… the trifecta of failure that has earned me this 35 pounds and the loss of my beloved fit physique.

However, I did get two good workouts, and have brought my running clothes and scheduled myself for a 45 minute run at 3 pm today. Also brought food from home and ate a healthy breakfast.

Simply must stop two things: Drinking at home (the occasional while out is ok) and eating at night; I’ve never done that before I keep waking up with a scratchy throat and end up eating… NOT GOOD.

All in all, the progress is more forward moving than back at this point, but I DON’T want to stagnate. I want to be looking as fit and as hot as possible by July 1, and that means every day, every workout, and every bit of food counts between now and then.

Not a good start to the weekend. I worked out on Friday and felt great, and then I drank. Not good. Saturday I drank again. Did not make it to the gym at all. Sunday I had a fantastic workout, but feel I ate too much. Was just ravenous! Although I did prepare a very healthy snack when I was feeling snacky on Sunday.

Today is so-so. Didn’t go to the gym this am, but did bring all my lovely healthy food to work; veggies, my homemade whole wheat bread, and a single portion of lowfat cheese. Strawberries. Lots of water.

Keeping on, keeping on… I want to get my beautiful hot body back! I want to wear my gorgeous clothes! I want to make my husband crazy with lust and just bursting with pride (he already thinks I’m hot; just to think how he’d react to seeing me at my very best…. ah, heaven!)

My biggest problem is INCONSISTENCY. I do well, I do fabulous for a day or two or three… and then blow it. Must resist that. Must anticipate that and head it off. I want to be gorgeous and ready for the summer… can’t afford to let a day slip by!

I joined a gym late November, 2007, and went almost everyday (mainly because the gym was right on top of where I worked, so it motivated me to go). In February, I got a personal trainer. I didn’t lose a ton of weight (a little over 20 pounds (my goal was at least 30)), but I ended up losing fat and gaining muscle. Which is an awesome thing.

So my last session with my trainer was the beginning of October. I was in really really awesome shape at that point, and super proud of myself for actually going to the gym as much as I did and getting a trainer, even though it cost me a lot of money.

Then October 22nd came, and I was off to begin a 9 month long volunteer program called Katimaik. I kept telling myself how I would continue going for runs and I was hopeful that some of the other participants in my group were exercise junkies like me. We went on a few runs every now and then, but it stopped after the first month – mainly because Edmonton is super cold and running outside in dry, cold air is really not good for me.

One of the reasons why I didn’t lose as much weight as I could have, was because I haven’t been able to ditch my bad eating habits. We were only in Edmonton for three months and I had been doing surprisingly well, but near the end of the trimester I started buying a little bit more junk food than I should have.

I blamed it on the fact that we don’t get to eat a lot of sugar in the program.

But when we got to Ontario, that’s when I hit rock bottom. There was a corner store right near our house and I would go there at least once every week, if not more, and buy junk food.

When the sun started shining, and the snow started melting, I didn’t have an excuse to put off running. So I went out one day, and I was alarmed at how out of shape I was. It was really quite depressing. So then I started thinking, ’ I never really ever ran outside back home anyway, I usually did all my running on a treadmill. I’ll just wait to get back on a treadmill to build up my stamina again.’ So after that, my running days were over.

Near the end of that trimester, there I was with a noticeable double chin all over again, and my Lululemon sweater fitting a little bit too tightly for my liking.

Now we’re in New Brunswick, and there’s an ice cream shop near the house. Great. Just great. Another way for me to GAIN weight. And it doesn’t help when my whole group goes practically every day.

So this is my goal: I want to start going for runs again. I want to own up to what I let myself become and not put the blame on any obstacles (aka Katimavik).

Did a good hard cardio workout. Tomorrow I will do strength training. Also brought all my own food today, so am planning to eat well again today.

Have lost two pounds as result of no alcohol, good dietary choices.

Still have about 28 pounds to go, and want to be toned and in great shape by the “end” of this. Then my new goal will be maintenance. Off to a good start and feeling very positive!