Weight Loss Max

I think it symbolizes something about our personalities in the sneakers we choose. I was in the gym looking down at my dirty “work-out” sneakers and made the executive decision that after five years of on and off exercising plus wearing them for anything that required major walking it was time to invest in a new pair. Don’t get me wrong, I have other sneakers. Cute ones that I wear more to match an outfit. But for anything that really required more then a casual stroll my old dirty sneakers have been there for me.

I surveyed every ones sneakers at the gym.  I have always gone for the solid white look for serious sneakers.  They make some really loud ones for men with neon stripes and soles that look like the bottom of rocket ships that are about to take off. As for the women, I didn’t notice any high tops, which used to be in for the ankle support, plus they looked really cute with a pair of slouchy socks. 

I went to a sporting goods store to pick up something new but it wasn’t such an easy task. There are sub sections on sneakers. We had our walking section, basketball, running, hiking and more. Wasn’t I embarrassed when I picked up this cute little black number to find out that you are supposed to use them for wrestling. I did find something in the running section. I figured runners need good support shoes. They are gray with purple stripes. I have worn them a few times. I have actually got a few compliments on them, maybe my co-worker-outers were sick of my dirty sneakers as well. While they are much cuter then my faithful old pair they are not as comfy as my others. Guess it takes five years with the way I exercise to break them in.

One of the most common reasons people go off their diet programs is the boredom of eating the same old things.  After a certain period of time for me just the word chicken begins to turn my stomach.  When my husband and I did “The Core” option for Weight Watchers I thought it would be wonderful because I didn’t have to concentrate on portion size.  Well, to this day I can’t get myself to consume any fat-free dairy product with out getting nauseous.

I came up with an easy desserty type thing last night.  I laid down some wax paper, sliced and banana and rolled it in almond butter.(One tablespoon is 90 calories and it is high in protein).  Then I froze it.  It was good!!! 

Ever try to stay on your diet while meeting you non dieting friends for dinner?  All of the sudden you become the uncool one who is pooping the party.  Everyone looks at each other and rolls their eyes as you make your custom order, requesting everything dry and substituting fun french fries for extra boring side vegetables.  Then the appetisers come and nobody can comprehend that you won’t have one. They talk about their potato skins like they are in this special club that you are unable to be a member of with out the initiation of at least a taste. Talk about your peer pressure!

Is it jealousy?  Possibly.  However, just like any thing else we must do what is right for us.  After all would I jump off a bridge because my friends did? 

Who hasn’t heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Although I have heard this I have never been the wake up eat breakfast type.  I know people that wake up hungry, they literally open their eyes and go right down to the kitchen and eat.  On an Oprah episode she said that if you don’t wake up hungry then you probably ate to much the night before.

I basically started my non breakfast routine as a kid.  I guess not leaving enough time to eat in the morning, I never ate breakfast and it just became a habit.  I do remember at about 11:00 sitting in class and my stomach would start making loud grumbles and I was sorry that I didn’t eat something. Now that I am not in class I have sort of made my breakfast a brunch that basically lasts straight through dinner and beyond. 

In the last weeks I have been trying to eat a breakfast every day.  I have been eating a small amount of protein along with some kind of grain(not bread) and it really does keep me eating better for the rest of the day.  The couple days that I just couldn’t get myself to eat before I left for the day I found myself hungrier and eating more in the pm.

When they first weighed me in to get my starting weight for my new fitness program I was one pound thinner than I was at the doctor the Friday before.  Since this was only Monday and I had spent the entire week-end eating one continuous last supper, it didn’t seem to make sense but I accepted the smaller number.  They re-weigh you every thirty days.  After a week on the program I was definitely feeling more fit.  I felt less bloated immediately and I could see a difference in the way my jeans were buttoning.  Feeling the need to verify my interpretation of my progress I jumped on my home scale to see my dazzling new number.  Wasn’t I surprised to see according to my scale at home I had gained two pounds.

I did not obsess about the increase.  I did strip down and jump back on the next morning to see that I had lost  a pound and a quarter over night.  Although I knew it might not have been completely accurate  I did feel better.  I know I wasn’t weighed in the same tank and shorts plus I know that my weight fluctuates and obviously so do the scales.  Until I have really put some time into this thing I assume I won’t see major results number wise.

Whole foods include any foods that are not processed or altered from their original state. Various theories about the way different foods are processed are concluding that processed foods are contributing to the obesity epidemic. The “non-fat” goodies that we consume, are loaded with sugar and other chemicals to make them taste good and apparently we aren’t fooling our bodies the way we thought we were. Everyone has heard the hype on avoiding trans-fats and they are even banning their use in restaurants and packaged foods because of their proven health risks.  Some take it to another level and only go with raw foods(foods not cooked) as to not take away any of the original composition of the food at all.

My new meal plan has me eating three meals and three snacks a day. Each one includes a different type of protein. So far this seems to be something that could work for me because although the portions are small, they are spread out so I can eat something every time I get hungry. I think the protein is key because supposedly it keeps you feeling full. My food choices are limited which will take some getting used to but I know in order for me to loose what I want to loose I will have to cut out all the junk. I do intend to save calories for a glass of wine a night. This diet plan doesn’t allow for it but as long as I don’t go over my calories I don’t think it will cause to much harm.

In my new exercise class the instructors walk around and continuously check every one’s form.  They tell us to tuck in our elbows, look straight up, point our toes and stuff like that. Prior to starting,  they took me around from machine to machine to show me the exact process to set each one up for my work-out. Of course I am on my third week there and I still can’t jiggle the seats to go in the proper position.  I have a different seat number and a different weight level for each one, which is recorded on a chart.

On one of my off work-out class days this week I was feeling energetic so I grabbed some weights and fooled around on the big ball for a little.  What ever I did I obviously didn’t do it correctly because my neck is bothering me and my abs and back really hurt.  Not the “good hurt” that they are supposed to.  The hurt that make you feel like you were in a car accident or fell off a building.  My lesson for the day is to take the time to do it right or don’t do it at all.

Personally, I have always been a sweet-n-low girl. The pink packets. I actually prefer it to sugar in drinks because it mixes better. I just came back from a restaurant that only had the yellow packets and the blue ones, Splenda and Nutri-Sweet. I don’t mind the blue and yellows but the pink have always been my preference because I think it is sweeter and again I think it just mixes better. I do know some people that are very fixed in their preferences and will carry their preferred kind with them. They make little carrying cases just for that.

Recently I had heard about another no-cal sweetener called Stevia. One of the advantages of using this sweetener as opposed to the others is it is 100% natural where the others are loaded with chemicals some that are even found to possibly cause cancer. It is made from Stevia Leaf Extract, Well, I tried it. I wish I could say it was good but the after taste stayed with me all day.

All my park walking friends find it necessary to power walk.  I have one friend that kept asking me to meet her, I told her that I don’t walk fast and she said that she didn’t either, well, here I am ready for a stroll on a beautiful day but it was all about the cardio. I did try and keep up with her but I probably held her back and I hurt my shins in the process.  I know it is good to raise your heart rate and burning fat is the name of the game but for me it takes away the whole enjoyment of the nature thing if I am gasping for air. Everybody seemed to be on the athletic agenda on the walking trail.  It is like this whole little sub culture going on that I was not aware of.   I noticed some people had little electronic doodads that told them the distance they were going. There was a woman with a her ipod and hand weights and boy did she mean business, she must have passed me three times to my once around. 

From this experience I have come to the realization that I am completely out of shape.  Hating cardio all this time has given me a major excuse that I am going to stop using.   All these park runners looked so energetic and healthy.  I am going to pick up my pace and try to start pumping my heart.  Flat abs are important to me but with out a pumping heart they wouldn’t do me much good.  Gotta go at my pace though,and build up. My shins are killing me from trying to keep up with the Jones.