The incredible shrinking ass!

I decided last week that since I could now pull my jeans down without unbuttoning them, and the only way to keep them up was to cinch the waistband down with a belt, it was time to buy some new jeans. I do not generally like shopping for jeans, but since I'm still about 2 months from being able to wear all of my 10's (which are the only size I kept from pre-prego days) it was necessary to pick up a couple of pairs of 12's. The 14's were really starting to look like clown pants... gapping at the waist and bagging in the butt. So today I went to the mall (oh joy!) and bought some new jeans... and somehow... it wasn't traumatic.

Typically buying jeans means finding 8-10 pairs and being able to fit comfortably into maybe 2 of them, and having possibly 1 look decent enough to wear out in public. Today I walked in to the G@p, pulled 3 pairs of 12s off of the shelf, tried them on, and walked out with the two I liked the best.

HUZZAH!

The incredible shrinking ass strikes again!!

3 good workouts and a detox...

I got in 3 good workouts this week... granted they were on wednesday, thursday and friday... but they were all in the morning, so that's good for getting the habits back in place. I'm finally getting over my cold, tho my right tonsil has decided to freak right the fuck out. I got checked for strep and bacterial tonsilitis, but it looks like its just annoyed by the virus related post-nasal drip. Joy. The NP I saw said the only things that would help are sudafed (the real stuff, not the new pe crap that doesn't work for shit) and hot salt-water gargles.

The salt water, and a lot of herbal tea, seems to be helping, but I decided against the sudafed for reasons I will go into now!

I have had an excruciatingly emotional week, and when that happens I often feel the need to do something rather drastic to detox from the experience... In this case I have decided to embark on a 10 day dietary detox. I am removing as many sources of toxins from my diet as possible for the next 10 days... meat, dairy, caffeine, refined sugar, etc... it isn't about weight loss... that is happening just fine with the regular diet and exercise I've been doing. This is about feeling healthy again, exerting some control on what I take into my body, and I will, in fact, be monitoring my weight VERY closely to make sure I'm not dropping too much fluid (and thus weight) too quickly.

I started Friday, I'll finish up next Sunday... the caffeine withdraw is always the worst part of a detox for me. I've had a horrendous headache since mid-day yesterday... but typically by day 3 the headache lifts and I start feeling a LOT more energetic and focused.

I'll keep ya posted.

The Hardest Part...

is just getting out of bed.

My alarm goes off at 5am every week day. My bedroom is kept at around 64-66 degrees, which is great for sleeping, but not so great for walking bare-footed on bamboo flooring at 5am. The hardest part is, has been, and always will be just getting out of bed.

I did it yesterday, and today as well. I plan to do it tomorrow and Monday and at least 3 other days next week. Once I'm up its easy, slide into the sweats, lace up the shoes, jacket, shuffle, keys, out.

Its just the getting out of bed that seems to so often elude me

When I do make it out tho... its this half hour of quiet time after I return home that really appeals. Just, quiet. The only sounds are my fingers on the keyboard and the slight whoosh of the warm air in the vents as the furnace clicks on to warm the house for the morning wake. This is MY time... I can sip my coffee, read my email, post, or just sit quietly and relax. Solitude and peace are hard won with 2 young sons, 2 middle aged cats and one perpetually adolescent dog... oh, and that husband person too. ;)

My weekend in Connecticut was FABULOUS, other than the raging hangover I had on Saturday due to mixing lights and darks on Friday night (gin and red wine... don't ask, it was ugly). I got to hang out and really get acquainted with a wonderful woman who is destined to be a fast friend. I got a weekend away from hubby and the kids in a brand new state (and we went to Massachusetts as well, so that's two more states to add to my list)... and I was able to demonstrate that there are REALLY wonderful people on the internet, and that you shouldn't be afraid to meet them in person.

Huzzah!!!

Weekend off...

I'm flying off to Connecticut tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with a friend I've known only online thus far. We'll be driving half way to Boston to meet up with another internet friend.

Meeting people that you've met online used to be a tabooed occurrence but just last month one young man from Eugene, Oregon spent his winter break (5 weeks) traveling from one coast of the US to the other and back using only the hospitality and generosity of people who volunteered to help him in an online forum. You can read all about it here: The Human Baton

More than 300 people drove, lodged and played tour guide in an effort to show that there are a LOT of people out there who are not the predators and pedophiles that the media loves to sensationalize.

Yes, those elements are still there, but there in EVERY facet of human society... what matters is that the rest of us are out here too.

So, with that said, I'll be staying with Linda and her husband, and meeting up with Ruth. I'm going on an adventure that was facilitated by the internet... maybe more of us should take chances like this.

continuation

My belly (and thus waist measurement) is getting smaller.

The latest rage in the fitness book aisle at your local mega-book store is Drs. Oz and Roizen. "You on a Diet." Dr. Oz has been on Oprah several times now (cause, you know, that's the true test of any diet-related publication, right?), and even did a show on Discovery about his book/plan. What he focuses on isn't weight, its waist measurement... he's decided that the largest healthy waist measurement for a woman is 32.5" (you can suck it in when you measure) and for men is 35". Ideally you want to get below those numbers to maximize the health benefits of getting rid of belly fat. Interestingly enough, one of the main eating points they make is to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch nearly every day... "people who restrict food choices lose more weight."

In my case, I have definitely found that to be true. The fewer choices I have, the more likely I am to make a good one. The other thing they emphasize is emptying your kitchen of the crap and resolving to NEVER bring it back in. I got to do a lot of that when I moved... brand new kitchen and empty pantry to fill with nothing but healthy foods. I think I've done pretty well so far. There are a few crackers and such for the kids, but they're minimal and kept on their shelf, which I rarely look at anyway.

Right now my waist is 32". According to the good Dr's I am below the danger point... I am, however, no where near healthy... at least not in my book. I think that overall "You on a Diet" is a very good idea for the average, sedentary, overweight American, and I'm glad it focuses on the tape measure instead of the scale... but for someone who really wants to be fit and healthy, its really just a starting point. The only exercise recommended is 30 minutes of brisk walking every day and some basic resistance exercises done with zero weight. Like I said... a good starting point.

In any case, its worth checking out of the library, but I wouldn't buy it myself. Most of the info is online anyway at their website (Google "you on a diet" and you'll find it).

Enjoy!

New Progress Pics

So... 14.5 lbs down from the last set on Sept 1, 2006:

Latest progress pics.

I, personally, don't see much of a difference. I mean, except that I'm super pale compared to the September pics, I mean. Hair is longer, ass is still fat, arms still flabby. In any case, it is what it is, and there will be another set March 1, 2007.

To be fair: 237-167=70 total lbs. lost, which is pretty damned cool.

Back at it...

Got my ass out of bed at 5 this morning to meet with my Personal Fitness Coach at the Y at 5:30am. Holly is great, very motivational and will put together a quick program for me to start with to get familiar with everything they have at the Y... the facility here is HUGE. Three pools, extensive cardio and free-weights, two full nautilus type circuits, Hot-Tub and Sauna in each of the locker rooms, etc. I was impressed.

I'll be back in tomorrow, Thursday and Friday mornings. I have 3 weeks to get myself back in the morning habit before I'm back in school full time, and even if I just do 30 minutes on the eliptical it will be worth getting out of bed to reinforce the habit.

I forgot to take pics yesterday (I know... blah blah blah). It will happen tomorrow. Year end weigh in was 167... so I missed my goal by 7lbs, but I am officially 3lbs UNDER pre-pregnancy weight at 8 months post partum, having gained 67lbs with the twins.

As for my other goals, they were mostly job and moving and pregnancy oriented:

I gave birth to two very big full term baby boys on May 1st.
I quit my job on June 9th.
I moved to Wisconsin on June 10th.
I started school at UWOshkosh in September.
I got back into a fitness routine.

So I missed the weight goal by a few pounds... I think the rest of the success for the year more than makes up for that.

New goals being formulated and percolated in the brainspace for now... I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow, when I've had some decent sleep.