Play-doh's Journal

[Jheny]

Happy anniversary! Great job on keeping focused after your celebration.

[muffintop]

Happy Anniversary. I hope you enjoyed every bite!

[play-doh]

Hey! Thanks to both Muffintop and Jheny for the anniversary congrats. I'm still enjoying every bite of that dinner... in my memory.

Last night, I have to admit, I was feeling pretty weak-willed and full of cravings. I blew off my treadmill workout, which was a mistake. Then all evening I hung around the kitchen, opening cupboards and saying, Hmmm, what shall I have? At last I broke down and had a bowl of Kashi cinnamon harvest cereal which tastes full of sugar.

I would have been wise to stay away from the scale this morning, especially considering that I'm cramp-y and bloated, but I stepped up anyway. I can't worry about it too much nor should I be surprised by the number there. Still, today, I promise to eat better and do my workout. It'll probably take me a week, maybe two, to get back to the 137 I hit recently.

Today's weight: 141

[play-doh]

Great workout!!!

I did my usual 60 minutes of 3 minute intervals and it felt so easy. Too easy! But I don't want to overdo it, so I only cranked up the speed a little bit. Then I decided to burn some extra calories by going longer. So, when my regular workout was finished, I walked while watching TV. My total calorie burn was 650!

Week 1, Workout 5
Incline 4.5
3 minute intervals: 2.8 & 3. 8 - toward the end I switched to 3.0 & 4.0
60 minutes
400 calories

Bonus:
Incline: flat
3 min. intervals: 3.0 & 4.0
approx. 35 min.
250 calories

Total 650 calories

[play-doh]

Tomorrow we're taking the kids mountain biking for a couple of days. While of course there'll be exercise in my future, there'll also be restaurants and forbidden foods... and drinks. So, that makes me a little nervous.

I'll try my best. What else can I do?

I had a good treadmill workout today, similar to yesterday, but less minutes on the "bonus" part. I burned about 540 calories.

The weird part is that afterward I had huge cravings. I really wanted to eat the chips we have for the kids in the cupboards. Instead, I had four cracker sized pumpernickel bread slices with ICBINB spread on them. I was happy with that. I'll have a huge veggie salad later today.

Treadmill workout (week 2 - workout 1)
Similar to yesterday
540 calories burned.

Have a great weekend everyone. See you Monday!

[play-doh]

Oh, my gosh, what a fun weekend in the mountains! But oh, my gosh, (how many times can I say oh my gosh?) did I blow my eating plan right to the moon and back. Whatever that means...

Let's just say, I ATE A LOT!!!! For about two full days!!!

We did have an amazing bike ride though that burned muscles that I apparently don't use much, namely in my butt. So, thank goodness for exercise. At least it made me feel better.

We came back home yesterday and I got right back on track in my eating. I also did a long treadmill workout burning 600 calories. My weight went up, as I'd expect, but at least my new high weight is lower than it used to be. I'm hoping to get it back to 137 by Sept. 1.

Today's weight: 140.

[play-doh]

Deleted because I accidentally posted it twice.

Ooops!

[play-doh]

There is a key to making this WOE work: If you get off track, get back on.

That's it.

This is probably the third time, maybe the fourth, that I've tried SBD and while I'd always lost several pounds in a month's time, I would blow it for a day or two, then consider the whole thing a wash and go back to the old ways of eating. I feel safe to say that until now, I thought of SB as a DIET, not a way of eating permanently.

Before, I wanted to lose weight fast, maybe for a holiday or for a party. But this time, I recognize that I need to change my mindset forever if I'm going to lose weight and keep it off. I've observed some of my thinner, healthy friends and they avoid desserts and greasy foods as if it's second nature to them. It's not worth it to them to eat that kind of food unless they're really craving it, which does happen.

But the foods that an overweight person might eat every day are a thin person's treat.

That's the mindset I want. And I think I'm getting it. Chips, for example, are a special and rare treat. Not an everyday side dish.

Today's weight: 139.2

[muffintop]

Well done. Thanks for sharing your lightbulb moment. I think that it is starting to sink in with me.

[play-doh]

It was a lightbulb moment, for sure, and yet it's such a basic truth. Sometimes commercials and diet books make weight loss sound like something that happens magically, but it's really quite simple. It's all making sense to me now.

I did my 600 calorie burn on the treadmill yesterday. The problem with working out in the evening is that I drink too much water before bedtime and have to get up a lot. But it fits best in my schedule to workout at 6pm while kids are doing homework.

I did get on the scale this morning, but I'm going to try to resist checking for a few days.

Today's weight: 139.0

[play-doh]

Since I work from my office at home, it's hard not to get to a dull spot in the day and wonder... Hm, what's in the fridge? I think it was that kind of casual munching mentality that put me in this chubby place to begin with. So, now that kids are in school and work pressure is on, I'm having to force those munchies away. A good breakfast of eggs and spinach helps a lot.

Last week I got sick. Just a cold, sore throat, runny nose thing, no big deal. But still, all I wanted were carbs. Whenever I get a cold, I crave Skittles and Diet Coke. Yeah, don't ask me why, I don't get it either. I managed to steer away from the candy, but I did eat pizza and some (organic, for what it's worth) cheese puffs.

Then when I started feeling better by Saturday, I knew I'd be wise to get back on the treadmill. Oh, people, sad news: The treadmill honeymoon is over. I loved it when I first got it, but on Saturday, I simply couldn't face it. Finally, yesterday, Sunday, I made myself do the 600 calorie burn workout. I was glad I did, of course. I will do it again today...

I do not know what I weigh, but I'm hoping to see 137 return by Sept. 1st.

[play-doh]

My child-like self has been sneaking food in hopes that my mother-like self doesn't notice. It's a pathetic little game.

Seriously, I don't know why, but I've been casually, in a hum-de-dum sort of way, stuffing little sugary odds and ends into my mouth for the past two days. I've got to stop before it takes a real toll on my weight loss.

I did get on the scale yesterday and I weighed 139. I didn't workout yesterday but that's because I had to do some things for my kids. I did a 400 calorie burn workout this morning and hope to do another 200 this evening. But the big challenge will be in not slipping on the goodies I have hidden in my kitchen for my children.

Mind you, the treats I keep my kiddos are healthy, but nonetheless SBD unfriendly. Both my kids are strong, energetic, and they never get sick. But both are way under the charts in their weights. So a little organic ice cream won't hurt them, but, uh, it's not a good idea for me. Darn it.

[play-doh]

Ugh, it's so hard to be perfect in life, but if I could just get it together, I'd be losing a lot of weight at a much faster pace.

A perfect SB day for me would look like this:
- 600 calorie burn workout on the treadmill
- vegetables with three meals (although I don't usually have a veggie for breakfast, I do have one with my mid-morning snack
- no sneaking of little bites of sugary or greasy tid-bits
- Lots of water consumption
- no wine or other alcohol

But if it's not thing on that list, it's another that will give me a run for money. One day, it'll be the sneaking of treats, the next it'll be a martini at a party, the next it'll be "no time for a workout." I just can't seem to get everything on that list accomplished in a day.

About two ago I got down to 137, then scooted back up to 139. I told myself I'd get back to that 137 by Sept. 1. Counting today, that's just four days away. But this morning I weighed in at 138.6, so that's just about a pound and a half I need to eek off.

Do you all think if I follow all my rules to a T that I'll see 137 on Monday?

We'll see.

Today's weight: 138.6

[play-doh]

I don't know what to make of this. I mean, I really couldn't believe it when I saw it. I stepped on the scale twice to make sure, and I still don't believe it.

This morning I weighed 136.2

Yep. One thirty SIX!!!! SIX!!!! How did I do that? Granted, I had a perfect day yesterday, including a 400 calorie burn workout. I craved something sweet after drinking a cup of coffee so I put some sf maple syrup in a spoon and ate it. Gross, I agree, but it did the trick.

But, still... I'm finding it hard to believe the scale.

My weight on Monday is what counts. If today's scale reading is a fluke, we'll soon find out. If not, and if I don't get all cocky and eat too much when we go out tonight, then I should meet my goal of 137 on Monday. Or less! Oh my gosh, do I dare hope?

Anyway, even though I think my scale was just trying to make me feel good, for handy-dandy reference, I'll write my weight in as usual:

136.2

[Jheny]

WOOHOO! Congrats! I will check back on Monday to make sure your scale wasn't just teasing you. Have a wonderful weekend!