OFF the Slippery Slope

If I were to give myself a grade for the past few days, I think I'd get a D+.  I have MANY excuses, of course.....but it really just boiled down to going a bit nuts for a few days in a row there.  In fact, after day three of being nuts....I wondered....."wow, I guess I will just gain back all my weight now..this must be what happened in the past".  Seriously.....I mean....how bat-crap crazy is an attitude like that after 8+ months of working my butt off?

Forget that......I am BACK ON TRACK today and off my slippery slope.  I will consider it a holiday induced insanity attack.  Or....I will just consider it a holiday, in general, and now it is time to re-focus on my goals and stay on my path to wellness and health and fitness. 

So, here are my excuses.  PMS (to the max), kids had 5 (yes....count em.....FIVE) half days in a row which completely messed with my schedule and added some stress (both good and bad) to the mix.  My gym closed for five days.  And, well....Thanksgiving and food and such.  All of this led to not enough exercise and too much eating of food that is not good for me. 

There.  Those are my excuses, and I will admit that they are not enough, even collectively, for me to "give up" on my journey.  The good part is that I have been quite busy hustling around cooking for everyone, cleaning, putting up Christmas lights and the tree and such...hauling things to and from storage, etc.  I might not have been at the gym, but I was moving around quite a bit.

My song from this day forward "I can see clearly now the rain is gone." 

Instead of detailing my lack of exercise and my inappropriate food mistakes.....I will tell you about today.  Today I have had 1400 calories, I did 60 (yes....sixty) minutes of kettlebell exercises and also went on a 3 mile run with my 13 year old.  Take THAT......lazy-and-bad-food-eating-me!  LOL  Today was not punishment, though.....today was just a "get back on track" day.  It feels good.  It feels better than the crazy days.  I am back in control and motivated to continue along my merry little way now.  Hopefully...it will not be eons before I post my 185 pic.  I was 192 this morning.....um...yeah.  Not good.  I liked 188 better so I had better get back down there (and beyond) asap. 

Here is hoping that you were all much better behaved that I was over this holiday!  How did it go for you?

Couldn't Resist...

Given the title of my blog...could not resist posting this link about butt exercises:  http://exercise.about.com/od/butthipsthighs/tp/butt.htm

Squats really are hard if you are not used to them......but they TRULY get easier each day.  I promise!  On my first day, doing a set or two of 10 was a challenge.  Less than two weeks later.....I did 4 sets of 10 this morning...with a 15 pound weight.  (with my Russian comrade!)  Then I did some one leg squats at the gym this evening. 

I will not lie...walking up stairs is a bit painful tonight....but......I am hopeful that my next eco buttprint picture will reflect some of the squat work I have been doing the past couple weeks! 

Happy Friday to everyone!  Make it a good weekend...take advantage of it and get in some fun exercise and maybe cook ahead some healthy meals for next week.  Make good choices, too....make the next 5 days good food-choice days...so you can splurge a little on Thanksgiving (for those of you in the US).  :)

8 months and still going strong!

It has been 8 months since I started my journey of fitness and fat loss.  So far in my journey I have lost 65 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle....and my bodyfat has gone from 49.5% to 31.8%.  I have also gone from not being able to jog slowly for 90 seconds straight (back in April 2009)...to being able to run 7.5 miles straight.  I have built my upper body strength to help me address some neck and back issues.  I have learned how to better respect my body and to treat it the way it deserves to be treated...by giving it nutritious foods and consistent exercise.  These are some fundamental changes...that I hope to maintain for the rest of my life! 

But.  (There is always a "but"...and, in my case.....a "big butt"...LOL)  My scale has been stuck for the past 3 weeks.  BUT (ha....a double but)......I was reviewing my data today and the lightbulb went on!  My scale is stuck because I am building muscle....and the numbers reflect this.  Phew...this is a HUGE relief--as I was sort of worried that this was getting MUCH harder now as I got closer to goal....and, really...it is not....and I am still going strong.  I am a happy girl now and definitely feel even more energized to finish 2009 strong!

Here is my deal for the past 3 weeks.....check it out...as it might help you understand what is going on when your scale seems stuck even when you are doing all the right things.

10/28 I was 190 pounds
11/19 I am still 190 pounds

Sucks, right?  Nope.  Keep reading.

10/28 my fat percentage was 34.3%
11/19 my fat percentage is 31.8%

So....what does that mean?  That means that since 10/28 I have lost 5 pounds of fat and gained 5 pounds of muscle.  That ROCKS!  Almost everyone loses some muscle when they lose weight...it is hard not to....because your body needs more muscle to haul around 250 pounds than it does to haul around 190 pounds.  And, if you do not eat enough protein when you lose weight, your body will burn/use muscle as fuel and muscles will decrease.  When I lost 80 pounds back in 1997, about 15 of it was muscle.  I did not care or understand that then.....all I cared about was that the scale was moving downward.  I also did not understand what losing significant muscle would do to my chances of maintaining my weight loss..... 

I have FINALLY learned that maintaining/building muscle is essential....because the more muscle you have...the HIGHER your metabolism is and the more calories you burn each day just sitting around (which also means the more calories you can eat without gaining weight....my favorite part of that equation).  If having more muscle means I can eat more to maintain my weight.....sign.....me......up!

So...hot diggety dog.....my scale is the same....but my body has made some MAJOR changes in the past 2-3 weeks.  I'll take it!  Whoot! 

I have decided that even though I still have a ways to go, I am now considering where I am at as my "final stretch".  (It goes along with my "finish strong" mentality....and helps me visualize reaching my goal.)  To reach my (thus far) end goal of 23% body fat.....I *only* need to lose another 22 pounds of fat.  I have already lost 65......so I am officially 75% of the way to my goal!  And, if I put on another 5 pounds of muscle...then I *only* need to lose another 16 pounds of fat...which puts me at 80% of my goal. (nice how it works that way, huh?)  I am not putting a timeline here.....I am going to take this one day at a time and be as healthy as possible along the way. 

From this point forward I am going to do FIVE POUND buttprint posts, instead of 10 pound ones.  Keep an eye out for 185......180.....175...etc.  And watch my bodyfat percentage (I just updated my old pics over on the right to include that info for prior buttprints).....as that is my magic number moreso than the total weight. 

Once I reach my goals I still plan to blog.  Maintenance is my biggest life-long challenge at which I have always failed......I am going to really have to work hard at that.  The main reason maintenace has not worked for me in the past is because I always lost too much muscle when I have lost weight.  Hopefully...I will not struggle as much this time because I have paid SO much attention to lean muscle this time around and have made fitness such a key component to my journey.  (crossing fingers)

Ok....weekend is coming....so is Turkey day.  Be strong.  We all need to make good choices.  We would be wise to go for mostly meats/proteins and veggies and go very easy on the sugar and flour....we can do it!  Oh....and maybe add in a couple extra exercise days in the coming week, too, right?  What is your plan to enjoy Thanksgiving but not go overboard with food?

From Russia with Tough Love....and a Run

Hello all of you fine people in blogville!  I hope that the week is treating you well. 

Just wanted to let you know that I have exercised twice since my post on Monday.  I did a kettlebell DVD yesterday with Pavel Tsatsouline called "From Russia With Tough Love" made for women....and.....well.....let's just say that it was very entertaining and very vigorous. He is quite Russian...and keeps saying "Comrades Ladies" as he talks to the two women helping him in the DVD and to the people watching. He also said "this exercise will make you a better woman" several times. All in a VERY deadpan voice. He also punishes his helper ladies with pushups if their form is incorrect....even when he asked them to show the viewers incorrect form....he still makes them do pushups. Oh....it just cracked me up......my laughing through it made it not seem as torturous as it was. :) I now officially love Comrade Pavel and will think of him as my new personal trainer a couple times a week. Here is a brief bit of his bio: Master of Sports, is a former physical training instructor for the Soviet Special Forces, currently a subject matter expert to the U.S. Marine Corps, the National Nuclear Security Administration/U.S. Department of Energy, and the US Secret Service. 

LOL.  Trust me...this dude is a badass! 

So, today....I was inspired by Diane over at http://downhourtraining.blogspot.com/ to just suck it up and go run OUTSIDE even though it is picken cold here.  It took me a long time to get ready...I kept finding "really important" things to do before I finally headed out the door.  I wore two layers on the bottom and three on top...and mittens.....and had a hood if I needed it.  And, it was FINE.  Nice, actually.  I decided to return to my paved bike trail and attempt another 7.5 miler....and I was determined to RUN the whole 7.5 miles this time instead of making it to 5.5 miles then walking the rest which is what happened on my two prior attempts (August and October).  So, I went slow....had my music, brought some food along to keep me hydrated and energized (macadamia nuts and grapes were my choice today...I did not feel like hauling water with me but grapes have lots of water in them)....and...I DID IT.  I ran the whole 7.5 miles....and enjoyed my little picnic along the way...ha ha.  I did not go very fast, but I kept going the whole time.  It took me 46 minutes out then 51 minutes back.  So, that was 97 minutes of straight running (well...maybe it is called jogging at that pace....but whatever.) 

Now I am sore.  Which, is ok.  A good sore.  I had to set up an event this evening and I will say that I moved a wee bit slow! 

So.....am I ready to do a half-marathon on 12/31?  During most of my run today (especially around mile 6 to 7.5) I was telling myself "NO WAY, JOSE!".  So....I am not going to register yet.  I will do another long run next week and see how I feel then......the jury (in my head) is still out.  It is HARD for me to run 7.5 miles.  I went slow....but, my legs (mostly calves and quads) really start to hurt around 5 miles.  At the end of my run I did not think it was remotely possible to be able to do an additional 5.6 miles....that would almost be like running out and back AGAIN....egad.  So, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I'll play it by ear for the next couple weeks and decide.  But, hey.....I bet I am totally ready for a 10k if one comes along!  :)

Alright, comrades.  Enjoy the rest of the week.  Make good choices and treat your body with the respect it deserves.

Sorta Stuck, but not discouraged

I'm sort of stuck weight-wise right now.  It is ok, though.  I'm not freaking out.  It makes sense.  I realize that it is going to take some extra effort to get these next 20-30 pounds to vacate.  This is weight that has been here for quite a long time....it is happy and quite well established on my butt and thighs.....and is waiting for something extreme like an eviction notice before it splits.  It is going to take some doing. 

As of today I am ditching my "very" low carb campaign.  A month or so is enough of that.  While it was quite effective, especially at first, it is just not feeling right any more.  I am going back to my "low" carb plan (about 100-120 grams of carbs a day) that I did quite well on for the first several months of my journey.  I have missed fruit....that is the main reason why I am ditching the very low carb thing.  So, I am adding fruit back in.  Grains...are still just not my friend...so I am keeping them on my banned list for a while still. 

I'm basically keeping with my "paleo" diet for now.  Meat, eggs, veggies, some nuts, fruit....and a small bit of cheeses/dairy here and there.  My sis is a nutritionist and her motto is "If your Great Grandmother would not recognize it, it is best not to eat it". That makes good sense to me.  Processed food causes trouble for me.  I try to get a gram of protein a day for each pound of lean body weight.....that means 130 grams of protein a day for me...which can be a challenge sometimes.  But, the protein has been essential for me  on this journey.  It has helped me not lose any muscle this time around.  (phew)  That has been my biggest mistake in the past...losing muscle along with fat and completely ruining my metabolism.  Not this time!  My carbs are coming from fruits and veggies.  Fats come from nuts and healthy oils.  Pretty basic stuff. 

Am I perfect in my eating.  NO!  No no no.  I have been mostly perfect, though.  I have been challenged a bit by the weekends.  What has been my saving grace is my ability to not beat myself up when I mess up...and to get back to work the next day. 

However, it is time for me to get totally back on the ball so I can finish this year off strong.  No more dilly-dallying on weekends.  2009 is almost over....only 45 days left.  I'd really like to break into the upper 170s by the time 2010 rolls around.  I might drop my calories a bit....my 1300s have been edging toward 1400 more often than not.  Might be time for some 1200 calorie days.  And, I might have to bite the bullet and exercise more than 3-4 times a week.....maybe......4-5 times a week.  Hm.  (thinking on that.....it becomes a bit of schedule nightmare for me)

I hit the gym today and a lovely young trainer shared with me how to do some "one leg" squats.  They hurt.  In a good way.  I'm going to keep them in my lineup.  I did my regular weight machines for 45 minutes, then did about 15 extra minutes of work on my quads/butt/hamstrings with her one-leg squats and a couple other exercises.  I want to be able to ski this year and not die from pain.  But, when it was time for my run.....it was very hard...because my legs were S...O....R....E and rubbery!  Oops.  So, I did a slowish run (aaaaah.....could even be called an "easy" run, I guess) and got in 3.5 miles in about 41 minutes.  Not a bad exercise day at all.  And, so far....a perfect eating day. 

Finish strong.......that is my new motto.  How do you plan to finish off the last 45 days of 2009?

Another Award..and passing it along.....

A big thanks to Beautiful Dreamer for giving me the Superior Scribbler Award! 

The Rules & Regulations are as follows:


-Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to five most deserving blogger.

-Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom s/he has received the award.

-Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog, and link to The Scholastic Scribe, which explains the award.

-Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr Linky List. That way, they'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honour.  http://scholastic-scribe.blogspot.com/2008/10/200-this-blings-for-you.html

-Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

I am going to pass this award on to the following five blogs (ok, I lied....six).  These are ones I find myself visiting most often, and ones who I think will follow up and pass this on to five more blogs:

http://100in12.blogspot.com/

http://www.watchmybuttshrinking.com/

http://downhourtraining.blogspot.com/

http://amazonrunner.blogspot.com/

http://tiffskinnyjeans.blogspot.com/

http://weight-off-musings.blogspot.com/

Thanks, and congrats.  :)

I'm a Squatter

After college I lived in Africa for two years (Peace Corps) and had to squat every time I used the bathroom....since our "bathroom" was called a "long drop" and really was just a hole in a concrete floor of an outhouse.  It requires some skill to be able to squat and do your business....several times a day....!  My legs were strong, then.  Not so much, now.

I decided that squats need to make a regular appearance in my day.  I made this decision after I did some squats with the kettlebell last week and was sore for....let's see....three days!  I realized that running was not really getting the same leg muscles as squats get. 

Squats are great for butt, hamstrings, and quads.  And....they require NO special equipment, no gym membership, nothing.  Just you and your body can do these...anywhere.  Some folks do 10 every time they use the restroom each day.  (not a bad idea...especially if you drink lots of water and are in there a lot...but I would recommend squatting AFTER you use the toilet...not before....LOL)  You can do squats with weights, if you want....but....really...without weights works well too!

Enjoy the nifty squat video I found.  I have noticed that women tend to be able to go down further than men when they squat.  The lady in my kettlebell video nearly touches her butt to the floor when she squats (which is what I was trying to replicate....ow!)  Be sure to avoid the "common mistakes" he mentions.  Happy squatting!  Maybe we should do a squat challenge?!?  Hm!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EASDW3pAO7U