Working Out

I've posted before about exercise being a key to fat loss.  With the warm weather, I've begun interval training outdoors again (I just couldn't manage treadmill running over the winter - I was overwhelmed).  Running is wonderful for those with little time - you can accomplish a lot, and you get started just by putting on some shoes and heading outdoors. 

Even just an easy walk is a great way to start.  Work up to 30 minutes of walking, and then start adding in some interval running.  Right now (and I'm still just a beginner myself) I do a 5 minute walk to warm up, then I run for 1 minute and walk for 2 minutes for 6 rounds, and then walk for 5 minutes to cool down.  That's 28 minutes, 6 of which are running.  I'll do that until it begins to be easy, and then I'll adjust the rest time down and increase the rounds, or adjust the running time up.  You really can fiddle with it anyway you want, so long as you increase the time you're actually running. 

I'll also stay on a 1:2 interval, but push harder during the runs - I'll try sprinting for a minute, or at least going faster. 

Within the next couple of months, I plan to head back to the gym and start lifting weights again, but for now, I'm just creating a routine of starting the day with exercise.  That will help keep the weight off long term.

Getting back to workouts....

I injured my shoulder about 6 weeks ago.  After 3 weeks of trying to work through/around it, I finally had to let it rest.  It was bad enough that working was agony - and I work at the computer!

It's starting to get better, so I decided to start running again.  I do interval runs only, 5 minutes of warm up walking, then 6 rounds of running for one minute, walking for 2.  Then a 5 minute cool down.

Interval running burns more fat than "steady state" cardio does, and gets you into shape faster. I don't know if it's desirable to do the hard, hard, intense workouts - I know trainers who promote them, but I believe I can reach my goals with a much gentler approach.  What good does it do me to work out hard if I keep hurting myself?

My plan is to maintain my nutrition, plenty of vegetables and fruit, lean protein,  a gallon of water a day, and stay off the Diet Coke.  I'm using this weekend to start easing myself into it.  Then I'll do the "hard core" dieting during Lent, appropriately enough.  :)  Actually, 40 days ought to be enough time to take the bulk of the weight off and get used to a new eating plan.  I will also do the interval runs every day except Sunday.  I may run tomorrow anyway to establish the habit.  (There is a major winter storm supposed to be coming in tonight, so the weather will be a factor in running tomorrow.)

So, anyway, I just finished my run, and it was very difficult this time.  I was winded - I hadn't been winded during an interval run in ages.  The lack of exercise has been showing up in a tighter (almost uncomfortable) fit to my jeans, not just on the scales.  But since I know what to do, I'll keep up the hard work and know it will come back off.  Then it will be a matter of working off the rest of the extra weight....

Headed the wrong way....

My weight is edging back up, partly due to a shoulder injury (can't work out without re-injuring myself) and eating too many processed foods.  Evidently cheddar-jalapeno Cheetos are not good for weight loss, lol!  I am finding myself unable to stick to my diet plan - any diet plan. Too much emotional eating....

 I'm still anxious to reach my goal weight of 125, though.

I did get my interval run in this morning and last night.  I run intervals because I hate running, and because spiking the heart rate burns more fat.  I think for me, activity is almost more important than nutrition - partly because when you're more active (at least for me) there's less tendency to eat junk.

Changing tactics

Well, it seems that I have to be very careful about exercise.  I have injured my shoulder trying to do heavy workouts requiring a lot of focus early in the morning (when I'm honestly not yet awake).  I have decided to stick to interval training in the evenings for now.  I'm also watching what I eat very carefully.  The weight is coming off more slowly, but it is coming off, and that is what counts!

Tips?  Guess what, there's an app for almost anything you want to do!

The top thing I've found for weight loss is water.  Lots and lots of water.  Temperature doesn't seem to matter.  I found a "Drinking Water" app for my android phone that allows me to keep track of how much water I'm drinking. 

I'm also using "Lose It" for tracking food and exercise.  I don't know how accurate it is, but it does help keep track of approximate values, so I'm not scarfing down everything in sight and wondering why I don't lose weight!

Killer workout

Just finished another killer workout.  Trimetrics has us raising our heart rate, intertwining cardio and weight training, in a way no other trainer does.  It is amazing.  Of course, I feel like  a dork some of the time because I have balance problems and bad knees, but that's ok.  I finished class today drenched in sweat and almost done with my first 1/2 gallon of water.

Back to Working Out

I am re-starting my exercise program tomorrow.  Boot camp on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Couch to 5K on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  This is going to take a lot of self discipline.

I've looked hard at my nutrition and eating habits.  I eat fine, plenty of veggies and protein, easy on carbs.  Nothing extreme, which I think is how nutrition should be.  I should have a healthy relationship with food, not worrying about everything I ever put in my mouth.  I've eliminated sugary foods and most carbs, focusing more on fresh stuff.

Now I need to get back to exercising.  When I have lost a lot of weight before, I worked out every day, sometimes twice a day.  I'm going back to that.  Couch to 5k, developed by coolrunning.com, is designed to help a non-runner (like me) work up to running 3.1 miles a day (5k) comfortably in a 9 week program.  It's interval training, which should make my trainer, Mat, happy - he preaches intervals and tabatas. 

I've been injuring myself a lot (shoulder, hip, knees), so I will probably take longer than 9 weeks. 

One of my challenges with working out is simply that I have so much to do, I need to get up early in the morning to do my workouts, and I don't like getting up early.  However, my alarm is set, and I'm planning on a 6:30 wakeup every day to get this in. 

And, she's off.....

Haven't been working out....

Between bad knees, an injured shoulder, and a pinched nerve in my hip, I feel like I'm falling apart.  I've taken 3 weeks off from boot camp, hoping that the rest will help my poor body heal.  I do feel a lot better, and I think I'll be able to return to my regular workout schedule next week.

Nutrition has been going well, except I still don't like vegetables, and I still don't like salad, and I know I'm going to have to eat grilled meat and salad to get this weight off. 

Good Nutrition + Exercise is Vital to Weight Loss

One of my personal frustrations is the idea that one can lose weight, permanently and healthily, by dieting alone.  It ain't gonna happen. Good nutrition (not a strict calorie-restricted diet) and exercise go hand in hand for a great, healthy body.

I do work with the HCG protocol, yes.  And it's calorie-restricted.  Except....I don't really restrict calories on it.  I eat my protein servings (three a day, not two, since I work out hard), of chicken breast or steak, and then scarf down veggies like no tomorrow.  And I'm full all the time.  I avoid carbs when HCGing. 

And it works for me!

But again - I work out and so I require extra calories.  A protein bar or shake after exercise, and a larger portion of protein at meal time, an extra apple - that's not going to stall progress.  Better yet, since I do work out, I get better results - sometimes up to 2 pounds a day.

Don't shortchange your body.  Give it good exercise and high quality nutrition, and you'll lose weight in the long run.

Returned to Boot Camp

Yes!  I'm back to boot camp after 3 weeks off.  (No, not the military type - Mat the Trainer is an amazing trainer - no one else around does what he does!)  It felt so good to be using my muscles again.  I'd been stressed to the limit with Tim's hospital stay just before Thanksgiving and trying to get all my clients caught up for the end of the year.

I am a firm believer in the importance of exercise.  I always feel better all over after I work out (even if I do squawk and complain before and during)!  I sleep better, the weight drops off faster, the little black cloud that follows me around lifts. 

My weight is up, largely from uncontrolled emotional eating.  Remember the stress I was telling you about?  Couple that with the holidays - and I ended up with a gain.  That's OK though - I can take it off!  I've already proven that to myself. 

I'm excited to be back to boot camp, and excited about the possibilities 2011 brings!

Exercise is Indispensable to Effective Weight Loss

I would love to be the one to tell you that you can achieve your ideal weight and keep it without exercise.  I'd love to lay on my couch all day, reading books and eating eclairs and always weight 125 pounds. 

But it ain't a'gonna happen. 

As important as diet is, exercise plays an important role in achieving and maintaining weight loss. 

For one thing, muscle is much denser than fat. That means that with weight training to build your muscles, you can gain pounds AND lose inches, ending up at a smaller clothing size but a heavier weight.  Over time, the more muscle you carry, the easier it is to release extra fat stores from the body. 

Fat doesn't burn calories, either.  It just hangs around, making the rest of your body work harder to live.  Muscle is active, and simply gaining muscle means that you are burning more calories by sitting on the couch than a fat person is.  Pretty snifty, huh?

Then there's the fact that working out daily has important after effects all day long.  A weight training session in the morning can help you burn more calories all day. Exercise relieves stress, too.  I've gone back to my habit of walking when I'm angry instead of inhaling bonbons.

I don't advise anyone to begin a strenuous exercise regimen on the HCG protocol.  During active dieting, start with a walk around the block, and ease into a more strenuous program after the maintenance portion is completed.  I recommend an interval approach, like that used by EXL Fitness.  (And if you're in Utah, come down to EXL Fitness for a 2 week free trial.  Tell Mat that Donna sent you.)

Car is broken down

One of the accidental fallouts of having no car over the weekend is that I've walked and walked and walked.  7 miles yesterday.  5 miles today.  Walking is a great form of exercise - more so when you're hauling little kids along, and lugging bottles of water!

It's hard to believe that last year I was struggling to walk a mile, and now I have hiked to the summit of Mt Timpanogos (about 9 miles to the summit, one way - about 17 miles round trip) on August 21 and after that,  a little jaunt into American Fork on flat roads is nothing.

So today, I ate whatever I wanted.  I don't foresee a gain in the morning.  But I do need to drink more water - I have a headache from dehydration.  And I'm sunburned.

It's been about 3 weeks since ending my last round.  I'm beginning to think about starting another.

Progress so far...

I started this round at 167.  I am currently 157.0.  That's 10 pounds in 10 days.  Not bad at all.  I'm branching out a bit more from grilled meat and salad this round, doing low-carb recipes, and seeing how my body reacts.  Truth be told, I'll be low-carb for a while, I'm sure. 

I'm still struggling with emotional, boredom, and late-night eating.  I'm making better food choices, though, and binging doesn't seem so attractive.  Except, of course, when it is.

It's a dramatic improvement overall.  I'm about 1/2 way through my round.  Very excited to see the changes in my body and appetite!

Today's weight - 157.0 goal 125.0

You'll Gain it Back!

Shortly after losing my 1st 20 pounds, I talked to a friend and told her what I was doing with HCG.  Her response?  "You'll gain it back!"

Well, yeah, if I start eating fast food three times a day and gorge on ice cream and Swiss Cake Rolls, I'm sure I will gain it back.  Resetting your metabolism doesn't overcome the bad habits we all got into to get into this mess!

However, being on the strict protocol for three weeks helps break the sugar addiction, break the carbs addiction (bread goes right to my hips), and creates new habits.  I was just reminded of how much I like oranges.  And cucumbers, sliced up with some salt on top.  Yum!

It's true, lettuce is never going to be a comfort food for me, but by sticking to the protocol for three weeks (and then following instructions for stabilizing - where I suspect a lot of people have trouble) I am able to find other means of comforting myself besides eating.

I start looking at food as FUEL for my body.  Not only that, but on only 500 calories a day, if I'm going to put something in my mouth, it had darn well better be so delicious it's worth every calorie.  And I want to savor every bite.  So not only do I start looking at food as fuel, I also start appreciating the sensuality of it even more.

(I mention that because I remember times when I would wolf down food and not even taste it.  Taking the time to taste your food helps slow down eating.)

Daily accountability - I went to the pool yesterday with my kids, so I didn't post.  I'm still worn out.  And boot camp this morning did me in!  Current weight 158.2 goal weight 125.0.  Total loss to date - 6.8 pounds.

Exercise on HCG

Pounds and Inches states that little exercise is needed, mostly "strolling" around the block.  However, I have worked out (off and on) for years. I don't feel right unless I work out.  And, now that I'm over 40, every little bit of calorie expenditure helps.

But 500 calories a day isn't enough for a hard, strenuous workout.  Really.

I listen to my body, and scale back if I feel like I need to.  It's frustrating in a lot of ways, since I've lifted heavy weight before and the weakness kinda catches me off guard.  At the same time, I don't want to get hurt.  I do want to  maintain muscle and lose fat.  HCG helps with that a great deal.  Exercise does a lot to help that as well. 

So what I personally tell people (for what it's worth), don't BEGIN a workout routine, other than easy walking, while on the protocol.

If you're already working out, CONTINUE your workouts by all means.  Be prepared to scale back.  Listen to your body.  Mine says "Get your butt up and get a wiggle on!" 

Oh, and work out with a trainer if you don't have one.  You want someone who will push you to, but not beyond, your limits, and will understand that your strength will change while you're on protocol.  I recommend Mat the Trainer at EXL Fitness in Orem, UT.  He's been putting up with me for months, so he knows what he's in for if your on HCG.

Daily accountability - Weight this morning 160.2 Goal weight 125.0. 

Day 1 Very Low Calories (VLCD)

That would be today.  It's a relief not to eat so much any more.  I'm drinking lots of water and (yes) Diet Coke, although I'm trying to lean more towards the water.  Dinner tonight will be salad with grilled chicken breast for me and hamburgers for the kids.

I also went to EXL Fitness for the next phase of boot camp. It felt sooo good to get my body moving after three weeks (!) of inactivity.  Our bodies are meant to be moved and used.  They're not for holding still.  I even made it almost all the way around the building without stopping to walk, and I got my 20 straight-legged situps in (with Mat cheering me on).  Thankfully he didn't make us do bear crawls!  I hate those (walking on  hands and feet with your butt up in the air).

I'm planning on a long walk tonight and tomorrow, and then boot camp again on Wednesday.  I'm pretty tied up emotionally - I feel like I'm holding myself together with baling wire and twine, all my emotions in a tight little knot in the pit of my stomach - so maybe the long walk will help.

Today's weight = 165.0, goal = 125.0

Women and Weight Training

Weigh training, or strength training, has been my exercise of choice for as long as I can remember. My dad lifted weights, and I loved the ability to see myself as a strong woman.

Because I do a lot of strength training, my scale weight is higher for my body size than most women. I am 155 pounds and wear a size 6.

2 things brought the importance of building muscle to my attention. One is a friend of mine who lost over 100 pounds on HCG. She is currenly 20 pounds lighter than I am, and wears a 12 - 14 instead of a 6.

The other was a conversation I had with a co-worker several years ago. She was a beautiful woman, but she was overweight and ashamed of her body. She always wore these long, flowing tents. One day she commented on how nice I looked in my tailored suit (I had recently lost 40 pounds at the time). I told her that one of my secrets was lifting weights, so I could weigh more, and eat more, and be smaller.

"I couldn't do that. I don't want to get big," she said.

I really had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, "But you already are!"

In order to gain muscle, it is necessary to produce testosterone. Ladies, this is the MALE sex hormone. We produce testosterone, but in very minute amounts. After all, we don't want to sing bass or put hair on our chests. We do want to be able to gain muscle.

Women gain muscle weight at a much slower rate than men. Our muscles aren't designed to get big. All the working out in the world will not put big huge muscles on us, unless we're supplementing. And even then it is difficult.

What we want is strength and definition. A beautifully toned body is incredibly sexy. We want strength and endurance, and curves where there are supposed to be curves. You know. Breasts, hips, and a little waist.

When we carry muscle, our metabolism increases. We're able to eat more. We get more out of our cardio, because muscle at rest burns calories - fat does not.

Strength training done right is nothing but beneficial for the ladies. Don't be afraid of it. Embrace your inner athlete and enjoy becoming a strong woman.

For top strength and cardio training in Utah, see Mat the Trainer at EXL Fitness in Orem.

Accountability and Weight Loss

My first round on HCG, I did lose an average of a pound a day.  My boyfriend, Tim Boone, was a huge support at that time.  He'd ask me what I was permitted on the protocol and took me to restaurants that would cater to my needs.  He travels a lot for work, so I'd text him every morning with my loss of the day. 

Accountability is important for any venture.  If I don't show up for boot camp, Mat texts me to let me know that he noticed, and he checks with me to see if I've done my cardio. 

That's really part of the reason for this blog.  I need to hold myself accountable - to the entire Internet, if need be! - so that this next round will be as successful as the first one was. 

Where I Started in My Weightloss Journey

I started working with EXL Fitness back in August of 2009.  At that time, I was pushing 200 pounds. Not quite there, but close enough to make me nervous.  My size 14 clothes were getting to small.  I didn't have the idea that I was grossly overweight - but I also knew my health was on the line.

That first boot camp work out kicked butt - mostly mine.  I worked with Pam Gover, and was startled to see how weak I had become over the 8 years of my now-ended marriage.

When I was single, I worked out all the time, sometimes twice a day, every day, and was very active and athletic.  With 2 kids born during my 30s, I didn't have the stamina to do what I had done in my 20s.  I was unhappy in my marriage, and ended up sleeping all the time, dragging around the house, and choking down my misery with Bavarian creme eclairs.

After working out a couple of months, I was getting stronger, but I didn't feel like I was losing pounds like I wanted to.  So on October 24, I began using a homeopathic HCG.

When I started the drops, I was 190 pounds, size 14, and had a waist measurement of 34" (and that was with my gut sucked in as hard as I could manage).  I remember being just devestated when I took my measurements because when I was younger, my CHEST measured 34", not my waist!  I knew I had a tummy, but I kept excusing myself saying it was from having kids (I have 5, 4 by c-section).

As of today, my waist measures 28", and I am 155.  I'm so excited about my success (yes, I still have 20 - 30 pounds to go) that I want to share it with you....what I did, what I'm doing, and how you can achieve the same thing. 

It's entirely doable.  It isn't an easy fix.  But if I can do it, you can too.