Weigh In!!

So it's a day late but I'm here!

Let's get this party started (inhales) ok!

Current Weight: 230lbs (I shouldn't be surprised but it really was a blow to see this number on the scale in the gym this morning)

Work Out Achievement(s): This is where most of my news is. So after my last post I talked about my Whip It wannabe outing to the local skating rink and then finally going back to the gym that night where I ended up burning over 800 calories.

Yesterday I got busy not doing much and long story short I skipped the gym. So this morning I was determined to go (I admit it helped that right now the house cable, phone and internet has been temporarily turned off and I felt restless all morning in an attempt to read my Dexter book...) so I changed and drove to the gym.

I checked my weight. I did a double, triple and quadrouple take.. bit my lip, walked out from the lockers, chose my favorite elliptical machine, cursed the heavens when I found out my earphones were malfunctioning (you know when only one ear works and the other refuses to so much as attempt to try.. and it always ends up being the right ear that stops working in my experience.. anyway) and started the darn machine.

I decided that I would change up the program and do something a little different this time. I changed the resistance, the music and the machines program. I don't know if that helped but I managed to burn 454 calories in 30 minutes so that must be an ok thing right?

After that I decided I was going to challenge myself more on the treadmill. I started a healthy jog at 4.5mph with a 3.0 incline.. put my towel over the machine face and started jogging.

I told myself I would jog until the cd I was listening to finished.. and when that didn't feel like a good idea (since I was already dying after the second song but not enough to lose my breath.. just enough to make my legs burn) I told myself that I would remove the towel and see where I was in 10 minutes.

Once that time passed and I took off the towel to see what the monitor said, I got a happy surprise. I had just finished 1 mile in 13minutes 42seconds; the fastest I've ever done yet! And I wasn't even exhausted or completely winded yet!

With the happy news that I had broken a new record I continued my jog for a little while longer and finally stopped a few minutes later with a total of 222calories burned in 15 minutes... which I think is also a record for me..

I told myself not to feel sorry for myself. This weight gain was not a surprise knowing how and what I was eating this last month and that I had to look at everything else in perspective.

I am now able to jog for atleast 10 minutes straight; something that was absolutely impossible 6 months ago.

When before I had to stop after 15 crunches between sets to let the burn in my sides recede, I can now do 50 crunches in one sitting and go up to 200 crunches before I even feel a slight warmth in my abs.

I can keep up with one of the fastest techno songs in my workout collection and then beg for more of those crazy beats Ilove so much. (gotta love Techno!)

I can wear skirts. I have the beginnings of a figure. The person I see in the mirror usually has a genuine smile on her face and even strangers can sense that I am happy. HAPPY! Something that two years ago seemed so foreign, so far away and so fake I am now radiating in public!

Today was a day of Acknowledgements. And it's only 3pm. LOL

Today is a good day.

Goal(s): So it's the last day of Augst (eeek! I can't believe it!) tomorrow is the start of a new month. It's a new start for me.

I will be adding my new weight to the record on the side panel in this blog --->
It WILL reflect my lack of progress for this summer. But at the same time it's going to allow me to start over.

I have most of this month off. I have absolutely NO excuse to NOT be going to the gym, not eating better and not getting out!

I'm at a good start (a running start if you will.. hehe) and I think that if I can just work on going to the gym, and burning more than 500 calories each day, everyday this week. Just this week! I will be on a good start to getting a routine going again and slowly start to work on taking care of me again.

Don't you think? This is definitely 100% do-able.

I will try and report my progress more often on this blog to keep my head in check and not in the clouds with a bucket of icecream. LOL.

Thank god fall is coming. No offense to summer lovers but the heat has never been my friend, always makes me lazy, couch potato-y, and makes me crave cold sugary beverages and ice cream.

Fall has always been my favorite season. I like wearing coats and neutral colors. Scarves and umbrellas. The weather is cooler the foliage changes color and I *want* to go outside and step on crunchy leaves with cool knee high boots!!

(mmmm knee high boots)

It's an obsession I can't wait to indulge in again. LOL

Have a happy last day of August everyone!

If you have any suggestions on ways I can start a good routine either with exercise or meals please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm always eager for advice~




We can do It!


love
-w0rld

I'm here! I swear!

So I was planning on writing this big fancy Weigh In post this past Monday. Talking about how I went to the gym at 4:45 a.m... to find it closed (outrage! I mean it's called a 24 Hour Fitness for a Reason!!) that ended up infuriating me more when I weighed myself and saw that the entire previous week of me going for a walk every day after field work (which was hard to do especially since I was so tired and we kept working an extra hour every day to get our work done.. but I freaken' did it!) hadn't worked in my favor; which ended up making me do the hardest, sweatiest, hard-core work out I'd done in a while (not to mention I got to talk to this cute geeky nerd outside the 24 hour doors while we waited for the staff to open the doors at 5 a.m.) and ended up having a good day after all.

But no. I didn't post that Weigh In. And then I got home. And ate cake, ice cream, soda, juice and meat. Mmmm meat.

So then I didn't WANT to post something new because all I would have to report is how badly I was doing.

But then the weekend rolled around (<--- this is a pun.. you'll see why in a second)

My sister had introduced me to the film Whip It


and we both fell in love with the idea of buying skates (though we both preferred rollerblades to old fashioned skates since we thought we were too cool for school~)

and so I made plans with my sister, and my favorite cousin to go to the local Roller rink and try out our roller legs.

I hadn't used skates since I was in sixth grade and it showed. My poor sister gave up on the whole venture after she fell twice in the beginning and hated that my lil cousins (who came with us) were doing a better job than she was
"Some people are just naturals Girly! Cmon! Let's go back! Try it!" was what I kept telling her but in reality I was in no shape to be teaching others to skate since the whole time I was out there I had to make sure I kept my balance and not get too crazy in case I fell.

I never fell. And in the end I was able to gather some speed and even dance around a little bit to the music they kept playing... although my right leg was much more sore than my left and I need to stay away from rental skates (maybe one foot is bigger than the other but they were uncomfortable)

It was fun as hell! At some point the guy who gave us the rental skates came up to me and we had a nice little chit chat on pointers and classes they had and etc (Idk if this guy came up to all the girls that were having trouble but I like to think that my addictive smile broke his shell and pity to help me out.. lol)

What's the point of all this roller rink talk?
What.a.work.out!!

My legs could definitely feel it. I still have a wish to get back on the skates and learn how to get better.. Sadly my little sister no longer has dreams of Whip It grandeur and doesn't feel enthusiastic to return... but I do hope to go back~

Tonight I went to the gym.(2miles in 30min on the treadmill and a total of 803 calories burned when you combine elliptical with the 'mill) I Finally returned after a week of vegging out on the couch and catching up on True Blood. LOL

my favorite character.. I think I'm not alone when I say "Mmmmmm.."

There WILL be Weigh In tomorrow.

I hope everyones weekend was as fun as mine.

love
-w0rld

Weigh In

Ok so I went to the gym this morning and got to weigh myself

Current Weight: 225 lbs (so much for losing 30 lbs but it's ok I made it there once I can do it again!)

Work Out Achievement(s): I was able to walk a mile today on the treadmill but it was at a leisurely pace so I don't know exactly how many burnt calories went into it today but it's still better than if I had done nothing and overslept so I'm counting this a success.

Other than that and the walking I did in Vegas I admit not much more exciting has happened yet.

I'm about to head out to the field again so hopefully that'll bring me back and keep me active. Gotta plan out my meals very specifically too this week... which brings me to:

Goal(s): So since Vegas screwed me over in the weight issue I think I need to just push myself as much as I can to get past this plateau this week. My birthday is this Tuesday and my goal was to reach 215 lbs by then. At this point in time I'm 10 lbs away from that.

I'm not saying I'm going to attempt to lose 10 lbs in 2 days (lol like that's even healthily possible~) but I am going to have to really push myself this week to get past this and leave the 220's behind me by next week and especially before September.

This means that the little cheating things I've been doing (eating an extra helping of bread at dinner and having the 'occasional Starbucks' because "well I'm spending all this time in their cafe at Borders stealing their wifi.. I might as well buy a drink so they don't think I'm just mooching and taking up valuable cafe table space") need to stop right now.

I need to be strict. Say no to extra helpings. Don't supersize my portions because "I'm hungry" and stop making excuses to not go on walks after work because "I'm tired".

I need to push myself and get past this wall I'm in. No more excuses. No more laziness. No more "aww cmon" or "I'll do it later"

To start this I'll probably try and see if I can jog the park that's near my room tonight after I finish all my errands for the day and the sun goes down a bit. (Reno is hot!!)

My 24th birthday is in 2 days. One of my long term goals and 'positive thinking fantasies' I have is seeing myself on my 25th birthday at a healthy weight in a beach with a giant smile on my face (and short hair) looking great in my wrap skirt and tank top outfit... something that I would NEVER even consider wearing before.



Something like that... minus the midriff showing off thing... yeah..

This WILL happen you guys. I can see it. I'm on the right track and these little obstacles that are going on right now are what are going to make it worth it later.

"Just watch" is what I keep telling myself when the other part of me gets doubtful.


Just watch.

love
-w0rld

Back from Vegas!

How was it?

Let's list it:



Cosmo
Martini
Shots
Screwdriver
Cocktail
Newcastle
Gin
Tequila
Rum
...and Coke
...........oh and complimentary cheap Champagne

not to mention:

buffet wristband
Tournament of Kings
midnight missions to find coffee that lead to Krispy Kream
getting a free dessert because the restaurant "forgot" to put in an order.. for pizza
Starbucks after Starbucks after Starbucks in every corner of every casino we passed..

What does all this mean?

That Elina had fun. LOL

It also means that I ate a ton and didn't notice it until I listed it just now because none of it was planned.. most of it was eaten while on the run and on the move... and I just plain didn't want to think about it.

But believe me when I tell you that besides all that crazyness my friend and I must have walked atleast 1-2 miles every night... our last night we walked half the strip.. and obviously walked it twice to get back...

My feet hurt like crazy. I think it was more than worth it.

This week was not the best I ever had when it comes to food and weight management, but I do believe it helped me actually have time to relax. Actually interact with real people (don't get me wrong I love having internet friendship, messages and etc but one does actually need real human interaction every once in a while). I was able to let loose a little bit, laugh, cheer and I admit right now my voice is hoarse.. so that should mean something right.

I feel good. If it ended up costing me a few extra pounds so be it. I have to remember that wellness is more than just "calories in vs. calories out" and I don't regret a single thing.

I'll be going back to the field on Monday so I'll be doing my Weigh In tomorrow I think... check the damage. LOL

I leave you with proof of how much fun on the strip I was having. LOL


Have a great weekend everyone!

love
-w0rld

Weigh In --BREAKTHROUGH!!

Hello Everyone,

So the last time I left off in a slightly better mood with more determination than I'd had all summer.

I admit that when I went back to the field (after raiding Trader Joe's for my weeks worth of food.. that was a pretty penny lol) I still wasn't sure if what I was doing was right. I ate a LOT of bread and cheese which I've mentioned before as my nemesis and although we did hike quite a bit most of the week I just DIDN'T feel any progress going on.

My pants fit the same as before and my breath was labored like before...

So you could imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale this morning and found this:

Current Weight: 221 lbs (I finally lost some pounds again but best of all this weight means that I FINALLY REACHED THE 30 lbs LOST MARK!!!) wooop!


Now of course this also means that in the whole up and down of it all I was only able to lose 2 lbs the month of July but right now that sounds wonderful . This is what I needed to get myself up again. A little progress that means a lot. :)

Work Out Achievements: So I mentioned in my last post that I was going to attempt to work out in my tent every night after work.

Well after the first couple of nights I stopped doing it. We hiked up to our work site in the morning and hiked back at the end of the day and that (besides the general, "climb through a fallen tree" and "pick up a bucket full of soil back and forth") was all the exercise I got a day.

I'm guessing those hikes actually did work ... and I like to think my positive thinking was also a factor.. LOL

Goal(s): This week I'll be celebrating my birthday in Vegas with one of my friends. I will try to NOT eat too much junk and not take in too many empty calories that I like to call booze. (I'm not a big drinker anyway but Hey! It's my birthday!) lol

My actual birthday is actually next Tuesday but I'll be in the field for the actual day so... yeah...

other than that I'm going to take advantage of the beautiful Las Vegas strip and walk the hell out of it. LOL.

When I get the chance I'll post the pics of my hikes through the Yosemite National Forest (not the Park) and Mono Lake that I did the days right after my last post.

Have fun everyone and Thank You. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and simply showing me you're there. It really, really, really, REALLY helps (really.. LOL)

love
-w0rld