Shorter workouts this week

I need to do something different this week because last week didn't go so well and I'm thinking that I may be hitting a plateau.

So first, I will be working out less. I have been doing 90 minutes on the elliptical or 60 if I run or do a DVD. But now I will be doing some strength training and then 30 minutes on the elliptical or the C25k. I will be trying to make the cardio more high intensity and in the "fat burning" zone. I need to finally get a heart rate monitor so I can better keep track of that as well as my calories burned. (If anyone has tips or reviews on certain ones, feel free to let me know! I think I know what I want, just haven't pulled the trigger yet.)

I have been reading the 5-Factor Fitness book, written by the guy who trained Halle Berry and Jessica Simpson and started following his fitness plan today (which is the strength training stuff). I might also follow his eating plan too, but I'm not sure yet. If you guys are interested, I'll do a little book/diet review on here.

The other thing I am doing is writing down everything I eat and counting the points of it. I am actually in a habit of eating less than my daily points and am actually finding it hard to eat all my 30 points for the day, which I know sounds absurd and maybe annoying. WW says that you really should eat all the 30 pts tho, so I don't know. Calories in - calories out?

Attitude of Gratitude: My sister is home and we're having a good time together.

Weigh In

This week has been frustrating since the scale hasn't moved at all- or I should say, the scale hasn't moved down at all. I gained .2 lbs this week. I hate having a gain when I have been being good. If I had cheated and/or didn't work out, I'd be totally fine with a small gain. Because it would have been justified. I am usually a believer that the scale doesn't lie. But this week, I just don't know.

What I do know is that I did have some M&Ms earlier in the week, but even so, I don't think I went over my points for the day. Also yesterday, I went out to lunch and had a roast beef manhattan without the mashed potatoes and only ate half, but it was still a "bad" meal.

I have also stopped tracking and writing down what I eat because on the whole, I typically eat well and haven't been overeating. But now that I've gained, I will go back to tracking.

I'm very conflicted on the workout front. This week, I've done the elliptical, a workout DVD, running outside, lifted weights... so you would think that is varied enough for my body not to get bored or used to it.

Goals for this week- Strict eating, tracking points. Work out every day, do C25k, but maybe make the workouts shorter and more intense.

Attitude of Gratitude: I fit into a pair of size 12 jeans that I haven't worn since college and they actually look good.

Unofficially Pissed

So here's a riddle. What does working out for over an hour 7 days a week and eating well get me this week? Apparently a 1.1 lb gain! Yeah!!

My weigh in is tomorrow so I can't officially be pissed, but today the scale says 187.4, which is 1.1 lbs higher than last week. GRR!!!

C25k still a b*tch

Yep, I said it. I'm not really one to swear too much, but man this C25k thing (and by that, I mean running in general) sucks! It was warmer today so I did Week 2 Day 4... yeah there are typically only 3 days per week, but I am doing week 2 over again because running for 90 seconds is still hard.

I did the whole thing and was so beat when I got home. I just laid on the floor with the fan on high for like 15 minutes.

And I usually do somewhat high intensity on the elliptical for 90 minutes! Shouldn't that make me more in shape than I feel when I run?? Today I just did the C25k for 30 minutes and was done with my workout. I debated doing some time on the elliptical but was so tired and over it so I didn't.

I read a lot of blogs with people who run all the time, and I don't know how you do it! I don't know when I will ever be able to run a whole mile without stopping. It just feels sooo far off. So you guys are my heros!

Attitude of Gratitude: Finally warmer weather, hopefully it sticks around!

Stylish Blogger Award

ThunderThighs (love the name!) gave me a Stylish Blogger Award! Thanks!

The rules:
1. Post a link back to the person who gave it to me. (Just Call Me Thunder Thighs)

2. Give it to other blogs that I L.O.V.E. and stop by their blogs to let them know (they are in no particular order BTW, and if you click on them you'll be taken away to their wonderful blogs)

3. Tell 7 things about yourself.

The bloggers I would like to pass the award on to are...

• A New Dawn for Me
• Confessions of a Compulsive Dieter and Emotional Eater
• Try, Try Again
• Recreation
• Diaries of a Fat Girl
• Spoonful of Me
• Size 16 is Fat
• Twelve in Twelve

Ok, so here goes. 7 things about me...

1. I love music and will listen to pretty much anything if it has good lyrics, even embarrassing teeny bopper stuff. (I really like Miley Cyrus' latest album)
2. I have thick wavy hair, but always straighten it. Unless I am having a lazy, do-nothing day and then I love to just put it up in a bun or ponytail.
3. I love reality shows. If I could only watch on genre of TV, it would be reality. I'm a sucker for Jersey Shore, Real Housewives, Bethenny Frankel, you name it.
4. I prefer to spend my money on experiences rather than things.
5. I have been on and off with the same guy for over 8 years now, and even now that we are off and I have been feeling like it is completely over, a part of me still wonders if we are meant to be, especially since he seems to think so. I'm very conflicted about it.
6. I love blogging but feel like I run out of things to talk about and worry that my blog might get boring.
7. Speaking of boring, I am the most boring shoe person ever. When I'm not forced to wear heels and such because of a job, I wear flip flops, uggs, or sneakers. That's it.

Eat more to lose weight? I'm confused.

I have read in several different threads on the Weight Watchers website about eating more points, or using up activity points and the weekly points allowance to help LOSE weight. Huh? I don't get it.

I know all about how if you skip meals, your body holds on to fat because it thinks its starving. But if I eat my daily points, or sometimes just below it, my body isn't starving...

Losing weight is a numbers game. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you lose weight. Right?

I know there are other variables, but wouldn't eating more make you lose LESS weight? Someone said something about eating more points to help push you out of a plateau, which I am curious about.

Right now I have been losing weight by eating my daily points and not using activity points or weekly points. Some days I even eat below my daily points. Also working out every day on the elliptical, with sometimes a C25k or a DVD workout. I kinda think if I ate more, I wouldn't lose as much...

Anyone got any info on this? Maybe from your own experience? I know I'm doing fine as I am and I'm not worried or complaining about anything, just curious what everyone's take on this might be.

Attitude of Gratitude: I went shopping and very easily found my mom a good Mother's Day gift. I love when those things can be stress and hassle free.

Compliments don't get old

I thought I might get tired of hearing people tell me I look good and I've lost weight, but I got to say, I really haven't. I don't always like it when the attention is on me, but it does feel good to have my weight loss being noticed. I have spent so much time (years...) being self-conscious and unhappy with how I looked so it is nice to actually feel good about myself now. I still have a ways to go to get to my goal, but I can say that I am actually happy with how I look right now.

By the way, I'm really not vain, I promise! My mom is the one who usually notices things like when certain clothes get baggy and will tell me that I look smaller and I love hearing it. Especially because it just reminds me that all my efforts and actions (which are not always easy!) are actually making a noticeable difference!

Of course I notice when my clothes fit different, but in general sometimes I don't see that I am losing when I look in the mirror on a week to week basis. I really wish I had started taking measurements from the beginning or kept a pair of my old jeans. (I take everything to Goodwill now- no holding on to fat clothes "just in case"!)

C25k: Haven't run yet this week, it is still too damn cold! Ugh its in the 40's in May. Something is not right about that. How are you doing Gen? Reading Erin's blog, Size 16 is fat, makes me scared about the coming weeks! I may repeat some weeks...

And thanks for all your comments on the fruit front! That's why I love blogging, so much support and helpful opinions. I think I'll change up my breakfast every once in a while, but not worry about it too much. Especially since I am still losing... For some reason tho, I am worried about a plateau.

PS- I have seen some comments from Chubby McGee and kinda miss that blog. Can someone tell her to add me? :)

Attitude of Gratitude: I found a cool new way to cook veggies. Like broccoli, I cut it up, saute it in a pan with some garlic, pine nuts and Creole seasoning and it is so good. Try it! I am doing the same thing with green beans tonight...

Too much fruit?

Every morning I have been having a fruit smoothie. I change it up with different fruits, but it's always a banana, usually an orange, maybe some frozen berries or peaches, a handful of spinach (which you can't taste), some yogurt and ice. For WW, it's only 1 pt. It's really good, easy to make and very healthy. I looove it!

But... I am starting to wonder if that is too much fruit. Some diet programs actually discourage you from eating a lot of fruit because it is still a carb, it has sugar, etc. And here I am eating probably 3 servings of fruit every morning before I work out. Do you think this is bad?

I might take this week and have Egg Beaters instead, and just see what happens. I like mixing the eggs with cheese or spinach or tomatoes or salsa.

Do you guys eat a lot of fruit? Especially since with WW, all fruits are 0 pts... but I still wonder if having 2-3 servings every single day might be counterproductive when I'm trying to be so strict. Or am I just overthinking things? (Hey, that happens...)

Attitude of Gratitude: I actually spoke with my ex and it wasn't bad. I never thought it'd be possible, but maybe we can be friends. We'll see.

April - 11.7 lbs lost

Last month (at 198.0), I said that my goal for April was to lose 10 lbs. Instead I lost 11.7! I am 186.3. Very proud of myself!

This was a very good workout month. I worked out 28 days out of 30. My mentality has been that if I don't have a concrete reason not to or some real time constraint, then I do it. Just gotta do it.

These little stickers kinda help because I'm like a first grader - I feel better when I get a sticker.

Also my eating was good this month. I stayed on track pretty much every day I think. In general, I have been giving food less thought. I don't write my food or track it anymore, sometimes I count it up in my head, but I just try to eat healthy and stay away from carbs and processed foods. (Of course there are also those days when it's a pain.)

My goal for May is to lose 10 lbs again. I'd say 8 just to be safe, but why be safe? Having another 10 lb goal will push me to keep working hard. I'll be happy with 8, but still going for 10. I'm worried a plateau might be coming honestly. But I will work out every day that I can, still do the C25k thing, and eat healthy. So I'll say it; by June 1st, I will be 176.3 or lower. Hopefully.

Attitude of Gratitude: Osama Bin Laden was killed by our troops! Proud to be an American!

Weigh In

So this whole week, the scale has hardly been moving at all. I was getting so frustrated because if I'm eating right and working out, especially if that working out involves running (which I hate), then I better be getting some results from it.

And I did! I lost 2 lbs this week, putting me at 186.3.

I'll do a little April wrap up post later today or tomorrow. I definitely met my goal, so yay for that!

What should my goal weight loss for May be?