Wasn't that a nice blog that I wrote yesterday morning before the weigh-in?  Didn't it say all the right motivating things?  Wasn't it a good "look ahead not back", "don't beat yourself up", "tomorrow's a brand new day", "blah blah blah" speech?  Today it's a different story and I'm thinking that yesterday's blog was/is a bunch of baloney.   Today I'm kicking myself for wasting the last month.  What an idiot! The weight gain I had at the official weigh-in was minor (only .2 pounds - less than a quarter of a pound ((did someone say quarter-pounder?)) but bottom line a gain is a gain.  @#$%  Guess the lesson about making things harder for myself hasn't sunk in yet.  Back to square one.  The days FLY by sometimes and you have to make time to think about it EVERY DAY or before you know it, three/four weeks have gone by and you're kicking yourself.  Fooey!  Get with the program! Barb P.S. Great job to everyone in the contest for making it through the first month!  It was encouraging to see all the positive results for contestants - keep doing what you're doing!  Seeing it in the paper next Sunday gives an extra boost/incentive to keep working!

First weigh in - done.  Well, not officially since it's only 10:00 a.m. and we don't meet at Slim & Fit until noon but in my mind I'm already thinking about the second month of the contest.  If there's a loss, it will be minimal and I need to work harder and if there's a gain, then I need to work harder.  Period.  Get out the straw and move on!   Last year I had a very strong start in the first month as far as weight loss goes, but walking one time around our neighborhood would wear me out.  This year will be a weak start in the weight loss department but since a "normal" walk in our neighborhood is now three times around with jogging in the cul-de-sacs, that's still a major accomplishment.   And for some reason at the beginning of this contest when the starting gates opened, I went and sat in the bleachers for the first three weeks!!  It wasn't until this past weekend that things started to click in my thick brain about concentrating on the healthy choices that need to be made and what needs to be done to reach my goals.    Looking forward to seeing everyone today!  Barb

Second spinning class - done!  There were actually several people I knew at Fitworks on Monday evening, including Meghan who ended up on the bike next to me during class.  And I must say that the second class was (I hesitate to say easier because it wasn't) - but it was more familiar.  Surprisingly, the bike shorts did help.  When I first saw them in the store (after taking the first class),  I thought "Is that all there is for padding?" - I was thinking sofa cushion size would be what I needed. (can't you just picture it??!)  And I was fortunate to be able to get a pair of capris rather than shorts.  Trying them on at home, two thoughts immediately came to mind:  1) Extremely thankful that the News Herald pictures are taken when wearing regular clothes and not spandex like on the Biggest Loser and 2) these pants will never see the light of day because sweat pants will always be worn over them.  My husband jokingly asked if he should get the camera and then quickly/safely retreated to the family room and shut the door.  Wearing knee braces also helped with the ups and downs (literally) during the class.  Since I'm still a rookie at this, I had questions for the instructor afterwards to clarify exactly how to increase/decrease the tension during the course of the class.  When I showed her what it was set at and what I did, she said "oh, you have it set a lot more than it needs to be!!"  WHAT!!??  So I was climbing hills when I could have been on the flat road and when the rest of the class was climbing hills, I was working on mountains!!  Brother..... Lesson to be learned:  Don't make things harder than they need to be!  (and when you think about this, it can definitely apply to a lot of other things other than a spinning class!).    The nurse from the doctor's office also called today to let me know that all the blood work is normal.  So, as much as I was hoping that she would call and say again, "You have jigglyarmitis;  take these pills for five days and it will be gone", I need to buckle down and get to work on attitude, activity and stop procrastinating!  As my son says, "Here's a straw - suck it up!"  I do feel like a few of the cobwebs have cleared from my brain and I'm getting into more of a routine for eating smart and working out. Lesson to be re-learned:  There's no magic pill for weight loss and exercise - it's going to take discipline and work.  Rats!   It's nice to have longer daylight hours - an outside walk in the evening has always fit better into the schedule and that doesn't work very well when it's dark at 5 o'clock in the afternoon!  Best to take advantage of the nice weather when we have it-- Barb

Read an article this week that said that CC Sabathia has lost 25 pounds not only because of the physical therapy and rehab he's doing after knee surgery but also because he gave up his daily box of Captain Crunch cereal!   A box of cereal a day seems like so much but I could put (and probably still could) a sizeable dent into a box of Cocoa Puffs.  Cocoa Puffs have always been a weakness (even though I can remember clearly Grandpa Huetig asking me years ago why I was eating a bowl of rabbit turds -- even THAT didn't faze me!).   Peanut butter is another problem food for me because I like it so much and can eat a lot of it in a short amount of time.  I know that it's more of a fat/oil rather than a viable source of protein and I shouldn't/can't rely on it, but it's so easy!!  I still make an extra half a peanut butter sandwich in the morning to keep in my purse for the day.  It's better than hitting the drive-thru window of a fast food place if I get hungry and if you happen to forget it's there and find it three days later, it may be smashed but it's still edible (!) and it sure smells a heck-of-a-lot better than a turkey sandwich!  It's the "by-the-spoonfuls" that have to be eliminated.  (since I don't buy chocolate chips anymore the temptation to mix them together isn't there but still...)   "Healthy choices, healthy choices, healthy choices" - in eating, snacking, activities - this is the mantra for today and this week. Barb P.S.  The plan is go to the second spin class tonight. (and I'm putting it in writing!)

Another dud week. What a bummer.  And this negativity has got to stop!   I have definitely fallen into the procrastination "start tomorrow" trap and I can't get up.  What is with this??!  I'm getting very fed up with my attitude and downright laziness - even the warmer weather and sunshine this week couldn't shake this mindset.   I did go to the doctor this week and then back again for blood work so maybe it is something else besides fatness and I'll find out next week.  Best to find out first, and if it's just fatness, then I need to get going with some swift kicks to the behind to get myself going.  My doctor is great and she did say " You had very bad infections in January and it will take awhile to get over them - you are no young chick!"  And she's right, and even though I didn't expect to bounce right back, I also didn't figure I'd roll off into a corner and hibernate!  Sometimes it's hard to go to the doctor when you're overweight and not feeling well - you could find out it's just the extra pounds that are causing the symptoms and since you already know you need to lose weight, it makes it more frustrating.  BUT, if it is something else and you're just blaming pounds and the fact that you're not a "young chick" anymore, it might be a treatable issue and you'll feel better in the long run.  Round and round your mind can go and it can be very tiring.   It's too bad that having your brain run around in circles doesn't burn extra calories -- but then again who wants to walk around with a pea-sized head??! Barb

(I know that the required two blogs per week aren't really supposed to be on the same day so a thousand lashes with a whole-wheat noodle!)  Since the week flew by, I have to squeak two in today, especially since I did want to tell about the spinning experience.  Hopefully I'll get on track with blogging at the beginning and end of each week which was the intent of the requirement (sorry, Laura - I'll do better!)   Anyway, a spinning exercise class involves a room of high tech exer-cycles with an instructor in the front (on an exer-cycle too) with a headset on, giving instructions.  (When I first mentioned last year that I wanted to take a spinning class, my oldest son offered to put his bike up on blocks and yell at me, but I declined.)    I'm not sure what the draw of a spinning class was except that I hadn't been on a bike in decades.  To me, large people on tiny bikes only look good at a circus.  Being so heavy makes it hard to get up on a bike, much less balance so that you don't fall off, and then there's the fear that after you get off the bike, the bike seat will have been swallowed up by a part of your anatomy never to be found again. So after losing a bunch of weight, I kept thinking about taking a spinning class.   After signing up at Fitworks, I signed up for a (one) spinning class.  Thankfully a bike was available in the back row and the instructor and a very nice lady next to me helped me get the seat, pedals and handles adjusted.  And the very nice lady next to me gave me the best piece of advice, "keep your weight on the back of the seat, don't grind forwards" which meant nothing to me at the time but I said thank you anyway.  I kept wondering why everyone in the class was already pedaling and that's because when the class starts, it STARTS!!  The lights go off, the black lights go on, the music is loud and the instructor says GO!  Faster, faster, break-aways, sprints, "to the right" means adjusting the tension so that it's harder to pedal, up, down, jumps, three different positions for your arms and hands, hills, steep hills, steeper hills.   oh. my. gosh.  This is what I was thinking after only two minutes into the class.  After five minutes, I was trying to figure out why I had ever thought I wanted to EVER take a spinning class and after ten minutes, the very nice lady's advice became clear, because it's very easy to lean forwards when you're just hanging on and pedaling, and you have to think about keeping your pelvis tilted forwards. (this is so you can walk after the class is over!!).    The class is 45 minutes long and after fifteen minutes, I decided that my goal was to just keep pedaling.  I did follow some of the instructions as far as tightening the tension, and I managed to get up and down a few times and I did keep it going pretty fast (you don't have much of a choice) - only once did I stop because my water bottle fell on the floor. @#$% At first I wasn't going to get it because I was thinking I wasn't going to be able to get back on the seat after getting down, but you do get some water breaks (while still pedaling of course) and you definitely need to stay hydrated.    When the class was over, my shirt was soaking wet with sweat, my hair was soaking wet with sweat and my legs felt like jello.  The nice lady next to me said that I'd done really well for my first class and I didn't even care if she was lying.  The instructor came over and said she'd noticed that I kept it going and did really well for my first class and I didn't even care if she was lying.  The instructor said she hoped I would come to another class and to go out and get some bike shorts because the padding would definitely help.  I smiled and nodded and said thank you for the good workout (or something like that--).  In my head, I'm thinking "Holy crap - I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow".    But I could, and I did, and even though I haven't been to another class yet, I did get some bike shorts (to wear under sweatpants) and some knee braces so that I can follow more instructions as far as the ups and downs when I go again.  My legs did hurt for about three days but last year when I first started adding some jogging to my walking, my legs hurt for awhile too.  This class is definitely a challenge that I'm going to conquer, not the other way around!  Barb

This was not a terrible terrible week but it was not a good week either.  The second week of each month is busier than than the others because of extra scheduled commitments and I could really tell this time.  It's that darn sleep that interferes with scheduling every time!  How can a person get everything done that they want to do if you have to sleep??!   And with the headaches, sneezing, and general blah feelings - I think I'm getting sick which contributes to the "I don't feel lIke doing anything" attitude.  Since the first of the year it's been a sinus infection, double ear infection, kidney infection and anemia.  Minor issues in the grand scheme of illnesses but enough to make a person drag.  And I've definitely been dragging.  For me, exercise is the key that helps everything fall into place, and I just haven't gotten into a decent routine yet.  Wah, wah wah, - enough with the whining already.   I did make it a "rule" that I have to walk some laps around the Madison Senior Center before I go home and that has worked out pretty well.  The first week was three, then five, now seven and next will be ten.  If I add the driveway into a lap, it's about 400 steps per lap so ten laps will be about two miles.  There's a neat walking path around the pond at the back of the Senior Center with exercise stations at different spots and that will be a good addition (once the snow melts!).  Walking/jogging with a winter coat stinks but it has to be done.    I'm going with the prediction of the groundhog that says that we'll have an early spring.  Fingers crossed! Barb

So, what's my plan for this year? First of all, it definitely helps to have a plan and think about it.  Since the mental back-and forth battles are the most challenging (and tiring!), if you plan ahead and then think about what you can and will eat, can and will do as exercise, can and will do when you sit down to relax -- it really helps.  (and if this blog sounds a little lecture-y, it's because these are the things that I have to tell myself over and over again to stick with the program!)   The eating plan from last year is a definite winner.  It calls for eating 5 or 6 times a day with protein at each time.  It also called for adding calories after a certain amount of time which absolutely goes against the grain of everything you think about dieting, but it works! You don't want your body to go into starvation mode by cutting too many calories and you don't want to walk around hungry all the time because that will backfire and then you will eat everything in your pantry.  I also eat everything - and by that I mean that I don't eliminate any food groups.  This isn't supposed to be a strict diet for six months - this is supposed to be healthy eating program for life.   Cooking on the weekend and getting my food ready for the week is also important.  On the weekends that I didn't, I could tell that it was easier to grab something (or two somethings) that wasn't the healthiest of choices.  And since I still have family at home that aren't the slightest bit interested in having anything with chunks of vergetables in it (the word they use is "contaminate"), and I personally prefer food that is contaminated with a lot of veggies - having it ready to go makes cooking the rest of the week much easier.    I did join Fitworks gym mainly because I know that strength training is important and I want to take some of the classes that they offer.  I also need the flexibility of working out when my schedule allows and that's pretty tough some weeks.  In another blog I'm going to write about my experience with the spinning class.  All I will say is now is:  oh.  my.  gosh.   One day at a time! Barb

There is a definite sense of de-ja-vu (sp?), as I sit and type out this first blog of the 2011 contest.  Two blog postings per week are required this year, so I'm definitely going to have to work harder at that part of the contest too!   The plan is to "finish what was started" in last year's contest.  When the first of the year rolled around, I was planning on being a silent contestant but then it dawned on me that I still have just as much weight to lose as last year really, which would warrant another shot at being an official contestant.  I sent in an essay at the last minute and Laura agreed to let me be a "footnote" contestant (participating but not eligible for prizes which is just fine by me!)   And taking two years to lose 50% of your original body weight is pretty common in the reading I've done - especially if you want to do it smart and then keep it off.  Since I feel like I've wasted too much time (years!) on this weight issue, I truly want to keep it off.    And like so many people who've worked on dieting and exercising, I've lost weight but never reached my goal weight and this time around I'm determined to do it.  Being 5'2" and weighing over 180 pounds still puts me off the charts, still has me on meds that my doctor says I can get rid of by losing more weight, and still has me using the CPAP machine at nights.  Since the ultimate goal is to get rid of the meds and CPAP machine, my work is cut out for me.   Last year my routine was centered around Curves but since the Painesville and Concord branches are now closed, there went my weekly workouts and Monday night yoga class.  It's still a bummer that they had to close, and I know that I'm not the only one that has had to re-think an exercise place and routine.  It did make me realize that I need to rely more on myself to be disciplined to exercise - the place isn't as important as taking the time to exercise and be active because if that place is no longer available, you can't just throw up your hands and say I can't exercise anymore because I can't go to that certain building.  But that was another excuse that I used for awhile --   One thing that I definitely remember from last year is the feeling of dread as it gets closer to the first article/pictures being published.  But I already know that a lot of people think that it's crazy to go public two years in a row with this ongoing weight-losing battle.  Sunday and the "revealing" will be here and over soon -- bring it on!  We're ready!! Barb H.