Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Beatings! Well I just finished 3 of my 5 circuits for today. I thought I was going to die so I am taking a small break and hope to continue it in a few minutes. I am glowing like a pig right now, but it feels good. I figured I am paying for the damn workouts from Jillian I may as well start using them. We'll see how they go from here on out. I am trying not to wear my muscles out too much, since I have March for Babies on Sunday. That's 8.5 miles. Maybe I will even jog a little bit of it. We'll see. I know I will be very sore on Sunday afternoon so I changed my workout schedule this week. Instead of Friday being a cardio day and Sunday being a strength day I switched the two around. Because I know I will be very sore and worn out on Sunday after March. Anyways, I think I have cooled down a bit. Better go warm back up and finish this damn workout.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Reflection
Ok, I can guarantee this is going to be very long. Mainly because I have already written it out and just need to type it up now. So on with the reflection about my life and my plea for help.
What is wrong with me? Why can't I lose weight and get it under control? I have everything a person needs to lose weight. I just can't seem to do it. The first thing people trying to lose weight need is knowledge. They need to know what to do before they start. I have the knowledge. I have read numerous books, articles, and websites about losing weight and changing my life. I am a member of Sparkpeople.com which has a plethora of information. I have also read most of the articles on that site. I am a member of Jillian Michael's website. She has many resources there. I listen to her podcasts and watch the BL for tips and information. Heck, I could almost be a health expert with all the knowledge I have about healthy living.
The second thing that people trying to lose weight need is fitness/exercise equipment. Well, ok, they don't need it, but it is nice to have available. I have more than my share of equipment. I have a membership to the MAC Express. Which means I can go to the gym, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have cardio machines with individual TVs on each machine. They also have a weight machine circuit. I have been trained on all the machines, so I know how to use and what weights to use. Also, I have a small home gym going with all the equipment I have at home. I have 2 balance balls with DVDs. I have a set of 5 lb dumbbells, with a 2 and 3 lb set at my parents house to go get. I have 2 Jillian Michaels DVDs, a cardio striptease DVD and many other exercise DVDs. I even have a Nintendo Wii to work out with. I have Pilates bands, an exercise mat, resistance tubing, a pedometer, (actually a few of them), and tennis shoes. I even have a Gazelle to workout on. On Friday, I will have an aerobic step coming. Like I said, I have a small gym at home. It just isn't set up like a gym.
Another thing people need to be successful at losing weight is motivation and reasons for losing weight. I have many of those too. First and foremost, is my health. Or should I say my future health. Both of my parents have heart diesase. In fact, they had it before they were 45 years old. Next up, diabetes. My dad has diabetes. My mom is insulin resistant, which is the precursor to diabetes. Both my grandmas have it and have had severe complications from it. I don't ever want to start counting my aunts and uncles that have diabetes and are overweight. Another motivation for me is to get pregnant and have a very healthy pregnancy. (No, Josh and I are not trying now or will be in the near future.) I want to look cute as a pregnant woman also. If I got pregnant now, you wouldn't be able to tell. I would just look like I was getting fatter. Another motivation for me is to feel sexy for once in my life. To feel desirable to my husband for once. I also want to look good when I go out dancing with friends. I also have motivation to make my family proud, which has been a strong motivation for me in the past. I have many other reasons to get healthy such as: have more energy while teaching, have my students respect me more, look better naked, be bikini ready when we go back to Jamaica, live an active life with Josh and my (future) children, and to live to be old and spunky. I also just want to succeed just for me! To prove to myself I can do this! I can succeed!
Most people who want to lose weight have an ah-ha moment that sets them on this path to lose weight and get healthy. I have had many of those, too. My first one, I think, was when I went to the doctor for a physical last fall and weighed in over 200 lbs. That was a moment that I realized if I didn't change my ways I would end up just like my mom. Which don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but I don't want to deal with all the health problems she has. My second ah-ha moment came when I was out with friends dancing. There were mirrors on the walls and glanced a them while I was dancing. Oh my God! I couldn't believe how big I had let myself get. I decided I needed to slim down to look hot when out with my friends.
Another thing people need to help them lose weight is support. Whether that support comes from friends, family, online forums, or meetings. I have support. My husband is very supportive. He even is trying to lose weight sometimes. My parents are supportive. In fact they want me to lose weight so I don't have the health problems they are currently facing. I have a great friend, Tracy, who is very positive about weight loss and encourages me every time I see her. She, herself, just lost a lot of weight and looks phenomenal. Like I said before I am on Sparkpeople and Jillian's website. They both have great online forums with many people to support my weight loss goals. I usually read and post everyday for a while then fall off and don't post for a little while. We have even started a Biggest Loser competition here at work to support each other.
One final thing that a person trying to lose weight needs is accountability. They need to be held accountable for their actions and in actions. As I have been writing this I have begun to realize that this may be the one thing I truly do not have. Sure, Josh asks me if I have worked out today. Or Tracy asks me about my Gazelle. But if they do not constantly ask me about it, I don't consistently feel like I should be doing something, so I have something to tell them about or make them proud of me. (I thrive on praise and people being proud of me.) I have joined many challenges on Spark people and done my own reward systems, but they don't seem to work for me. Usually I lose interest or give myself the reward without earning it. I need to be held accountable. In some way I can't get away from. If they start to hold me accountable on Spark people, I just stop going to the website to avoid the embarrassment. If Josh starts holding me accountable I get upset and stop talking to him. Tracy doesn't push me enough to get mad at her. I have recently (like today) been thinking, maybe I need to post a bulletin on Myspace/Facebook to have all my "friends" help hold me accountable. With many people checking in on me, maybe I will be more apt to sticking with my program.
My plan is to eat between 1300-1700 calories, complete a Jillian Michael's routine and/or a cardio workout, and drink8 glasses of water everyday. I will also track my calories through Spark people. I will post to my blog a least 3 times a week about how I am doing and what I need to work on for the next week. Also the embarrassment of failing and everyone knowing will hopefully be enough to keep me from slipping after a few weeks.
Ok, that's enough for now.
What is wrong with me? Why can't I lose weight and get it under control? I have everything a person needs to lose weight. I just can't seem to do it. The first thing people trying to lose weight need is knowledge. They need to know what to do before they start. I have the knowledge. I have read numerous books, articles, and websites about losing weight and changing my life. I am a member of Sparkpeople.com which has a plethora of information. I have also read most of the articles on that site. I am a member of Jillian Michael's website. She has many resources there. I listen to her podcasts and watch the BL for tips and information. Heck, I could almost be a health expert with all the knowledge I have about healthy living.
The second thing that people trying to lose weight need is fitness/exercise equipment. Well, ok, they don't need it, but it is nice to have available. I have more than my share of equipment. I have a membership to the MAC Express. Which means I can go to the gym, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have cardio machines with individual TVs on each machine. They also have a weight machine circuit. I have been trained on all the machines, so I know how to use and what weights to use. Also, I have a small home gym going with all the equipment I have at home. I have 2 balance balls with DVDs. I have a set of 5 lb dumbbells, with a 2 and 3 lb set at my parents house to go get. I have 2 Jillian Michaels DVDs, a cardio striptease DVD and many other exercise DVDs. I even have a Nintendo Wii to work out with. I have Pilates bands, an exercise mat, resistance tubing, a pedometer, (actually a few of them), and tennis shoes. I even have a Gazelle to workout on. On Friday, I will have an aerobic step coming. Like I said, I have a small gym at home. It just isn't set up like a gym.
Another thing people need to be successful at losing weight is motivation and reasons for losing weight. I have many of those too. First and foremost, is my health. Or should I say my future health. Both of my parents have heart diesase. In fact, they had it before they were 45 years old. Next up, diabetes. My dad has diabetes. My mom is insulin resistant, which is the precursor to diabetes. Both my grandmas have it and have had severe complications from it. I don't ever want to start counting my aunts and uncles that have diabetes and are overweight. Another motivation for me is to get pregnant and have a very healthy pregnancy. (No, Josh and I are not trying now or will be in the near future.) I want to look cute as a pregnant woman also. If I got pregnant now, you wouldn't be able to tell. I would just look like I was getting fatter. Another motivation for me is to feel sexy for once in my life. To feel desirable to my husband for once. I also want to look good when I go out dancing with friends. I also have motivation to make my family proud, which has been a strong motivation for me in the past. I have many other reasons to get healthy such as: have more energy while teaching, have my students respect me more, look better naked, be bikini ready when we go back to Jamaica, live an active life with Josh and my (future) children, and to live to be old and spunky. I also just want to succeed just for me! To prove to myself I can do this! I can succeed!
Most people who want to lose weight have an ah-ha moment that sets them on this path to lose weight and get healthy. I have had many of those, too. My first one, I think, was when I went to the doctor for a physical last fall and weighed in over 200 lbs. That was a moment that I realized if I didn't change my ways I would end up just like my mom. Which don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but I don't want to deal with all the health problems she has. My second ah-ha moment came when I was out with friends dancing. There were mirrors on the walls and glanced a them while I was dancing. Oh my God! I couldn't believe how big I had let myself get. I decided I needed to slim down to look hot when out with my friends.
Another thing people need to help them lose weight is support. Whether that support comes from friends, family, online forums, or meetings. I have support. My husband is very supportive. He even is trying to lose weight sometimes. My parents are supportive. In fact they want me to lose weight so I don't have the health problems they are currently facing. I have a great friend, Tracy, who is very positive about weight loss and encourages me every time I see her. She, herself, just lost a lot of weight and looks phenomenal. Like I said before I am on Sparkpeople and Jillian's website. They both have great online forums with many people to support my weight loss goals. I usually read and post everyday for a while then fall off and don't post for a little while. We have even started a Biggest Loser competition here at work to support each other.
One final thing that a person trying to lose weight needs is accountability. They need to be held accountable for their actions and in actions. As I have been writing this I have begun to realize that this may be the one thing I truly do not have. Sure, Josh asks me if I have worked out today. Or Tracy asks me about my Gazelle. But if they do not constantly ask me about it, I don't consistently feel like I should be doing something, so I have something to tell them about or make them proud of me. (I thrive on praise and people being proud of me.) I have joined many challenges on Spark people and done my own reward systems, but they don't seem to work for me. Usually I lose interest or give myself the reward without earning it. I need to be held accountable. In some way I can't get away from. If they start to hold me accountable on Spark people, I just stop going to the website to avoid the embarrassment. If Josh starts holding me accountable I get upset and stop talking to him. Tracy doesn't push me enough to get mad at her. I have recently (like today) been thinking, maybe I need to post a bulletin on Myspace/Facebook to have all my "friends" help hold me accountable. With many people checking in on me, maybe I will be more apt to sticking with my program.
My plan is to eat between 1300-1700 calories, complete a Jillian Michael's routine and/or a cardio workout, and drink8 glasses of water everyday. I will also track my calories through Spark people. I will post to my blog a least 3 times a week about how I am doing and what I need to work on for the next week. Also the embarrassment of failing and everyone knowing will hopefully be enough to keep me from slipping after a few weeks.
Ok, that's enough for now.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Beatings and recovery!
Today has been a day of rest and recovery. I did a jog/walk yesterday around my neighborhood (which is a mile) and out to the forest (which is another mile). I got a ride home from the forest, but then I went up to the gym and did the weight machines. It felt so nice to say I have been consistent for 3 days now. I am so excited to continue my journey. This week is going to be hard however. We have prom next Saturday and I will probably be spending most weeknights out in Atkins setting up for it. I have made a deal with Josh that we will get up in the morning tomorrow and go work out before work. We will see how this goes. (Hopefully he doesn't read this before tomorrow morning.) I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Beatings! Beatings! Beatings!
Ok, so I have only had one beating, but it sure was a beating. Tonight I went up to the gym and did weights and cardio. I completed each of the machines at the MAC twice doing 12 reps each time. Most of my weights were low compared to the other guys that were using the machines. But I sure felt it after I was done. I also decided to do 30 minutes on the elliptical. Right now I feel beat, but that is what a beating is all about. No pain, no gain right?
We worked on goal setting in my class today. (which I need to go back and revise the lesson plan I created for today. I need to include more about SMART goals and how to write them.) I took a leap of faith today and told my students about my personal goal to lose 15 lbs by the end of the school year. I also told them they can ask me about this goal when ever they wanted to. Maybe that will help me become accountable. I hold them accountable for their grades. They can hold me accountable for my weight loss. Mainly right now I am concerned with drinking my water and getting in my exercise (especially my weight training). I think weight training is going to do me the most good right now because muscle burns more calories while resting. If I have more muscle then I will burn more calories in general. Yeah for burning calories!
We worked on goal setting in my class today. (which I need to go back and revise the lesson plan I created for today. I need to include more about SMART goals and how to write them.) I took a leap of faith today and told my students about my personal goal to lose 15 lbs by the end of the school year. I also told them they can ask me about this goal when ever they wanted to. Maybe that will help me become accountable. I hold them accountable for their grades. They can hold me accountable for my weight loss. Mainly right now I am concerned with drinking my water and getting in my exercise (especially my weight training). I think weight training is going to do me the most good right now because muscle burns more calories while resting. If I have more muscle then I will burn more calories in general. Yeah for burning calories!
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