Quickie Weigh-In

This week, I'm at 190.3lbs  As long as that number keeps going down, I'm happy. I don't mind the small losses... for now LOL

I'm going to bed early to tend to my aching head with a couple of Ibuprofen. Good night all :)

Simplify and Unclutter

Since it's still so freaking cold outdoors, I've been looking at the indoors and not liking what I'm seeing. Stuff not put away, disorganization and in a couple of nooks and crannies - chaos. There's a good site called the Unclutterer that inspried me to get off my butt. 

No, I'm not a hoarder, I swear, and my house would only need a half-hour to look presentable to guests. It's just that I'm a former pack-rat and every so often, if I'm not vigilant, things can get out of hand quickly... especially when they burst out of the closet.

I've divided the tasks but I started with easier ones first. Organizing, trashing and recycling stuff from my bureau to my purse to the bathroom and powder room:

-Medicine Cabinet: I have really no use for expired Tylenols from five years ago. Lots of old stuff gone. 

-Lotions: Twelve body moisturizers! I really only need three: normal, extra-strength for dry winter thighs and shins and super-extra-strength for summer sandal feets.

-Potions: For my facial skin care routine, I seemed to have about twenty different treatments, from zit cream to wrinkle cream. I'm down to five including a good sunscreen.

Shampoos, conditioners, hair care products, brushes, mascaras, eye shadows, lip balms, foundations, powders, soaps, nail care products, nail polishes have all been pared down to the essentials. Now it's much easier to find what I need, especially in the morning when I need to get out the door quickly.

Next up, not so fun: Bills and organizing other important records. Blah, Yuck and Double Yuck. I'd been chucking everything into a big plastic storage box so there's a lot of work to do there to make sense of the chaos. Have found my shredder at least!

Clothes will be after that, then electronic files and e-mail, and then will finish up with some fun stuff: DVDs, books and photos. This will keep me busy and out of trouble for many an evening until the Spring LOL   

I'm taking better care of my body so why not take better care of my life?

Course correction and Wednesday Weigh-in

For the past week or so, I've been struggling with getting a good night's sleep all the way through the night. It's an issue that crops up from time to time and I've the tools and the meds to deal with it. Hopefully by next week, things will be better and back to normal.  With less quality and quantity sleep, I've been sleeping through my alarms (all three of them!) waking up an hour or so later than I should, then rushing to shower, grab breakfast, and get my ass out the door. Yep, I've been a little late for work or like yesterday, waaaaaay late. 

It's a domino effect, without a decent breakfast, my day is totally off-kilter. I'm hungrier through the day and then ravenous by five o'clock. Not good! Since Thursday (except for the weekend), I've been eating larger portions at supper. So not good at all!  Tonight, I'm feeling too full. So I've decided to prep my breakfast for tomorrow and for Friday, so I don't have to worry and there won't be repeat of today! On the breakfast menu: Omelettes with mushrooms, onions, baby kale, green and red peppers. If I don't have time to eat at home in the morning it's ready to pack in my bag or work.

Since we're in another deep-freeze, walking outside for an extended period is out of the question due to frostbite warnings. I'm happy to say my exercise equipment in the basement is not getting dusty!  My man and I have been working out together as his work schedule changed for a few weeks. It's a nice change from being on my own.

Weigh-in this morning: 192lbs.  Not surprised. Even though I am down from last week's bloat, I know lately I've not done a good job controlling my food intake. I am going to do better next week.

When your partner in crime is struggling

This weekend was good and bad. I'd rather get the bad out first... so my man has some weight to lose too, probably about 30-40lbs or so. While I've been making my changes towards a healthy and more fit way of living, he still has many of his old habits, especially when it comes to food, mainly he eats extra large portions. On Saturday he brought "treats" into the house. Cookies, ice cream and candy. My cardinal rule is that if you really really want a treat, you go out for it, get a small portion and it doesn't cross the threshold. 

He said that he bought the stuff to eat while watching the football games and  because he went into the grocery store hungry and wanted to eat everything in there... Hmmmm.... Let's just say I had to call him out on that one so we sat down for a couple of hours and talked about what is really going on. He tends to keep a lot of emotions bottled up, but we eventually got down to the nitty gritty: it was an issue at work and had some fears cropping up. I was able to offer some possible solutions and he was able to tell me what he needed from me.  This is what people mean when they say the key to a long-lasting relationship is hard work and lots of communication! 

The good was on Sunday, when it was still mild enough for us to take a long walk before the deep freeze. We wanted to do a healthy outdoors activity together and when it started to snow we acted like a couple of kids and made  some snow angels... Awwwww! LOL  Then we tackled some indoor house organizing, the usual chores, and prepping meals for the week... yep back to reality.

Wednesday Weigh-in

My good old friend has arrived for the monthly visit and I'm retaining water like nobody's business. Up to 193lbs. This go-round hit me harder than usual. Was so so tired and slept for 12 hours and I had to call in sick to work because the cramps were pretty strong. I just stayed in bed for the rest of the morning with my hot water bottle and watched old movies on the laptop. By the afternoon I was feeling well enough to do some yoga. Ah well, I don't mind so much really... just glad it doesn't happen more than once a month!

The weather is still wacky here, warmer now but melting snow is making more icy surfaces. I've been able to do a couple of brisk walks through my neighbourhood but was interrupted a few times to get out of the path of cars since there isn't any sidewalk here.

I've been listening to more podcasts on the iPod lately, especially on the bus to and from work and before going to bed. There's a good one called Balanced Bites They not only focus on food, but also other issues concerning health and being active. I found it through the cookbook I've had since last year called 'Practical Paleo' by Diane Sanfilippo, who is also the host of the podcast. I've also been catching up on episodes of Savage Love... but that's another story folks ;) 

Thinking

and planning improvements for these upcoming wintery months. 

About Food:

I changed up what I eat last year and tried the Whole30. Lots of veggies, some meat, but more fish and fowl and eggs. Some fruit. Very little processed food, very little refined sugar, limited fats, limited grains, low sodium. I feel better eating this way but I do go off the rails once in a while... I'm far from perfect and some days (less than before) I do still find comfort in food.

I've started:

• Measuring portion sizes on meats and fats
• Having as regular meal times as possible with no snacks of fruit or Larabars between meals
• Keeping to my food template 
• Staying completely away from nuts. These days I just can't control myself around them.
• Experimenting eating a new veggie once in a while. Organic if possible. This week was tomatillos. Not bad!

About Exercise

CONSISTENCY! I've been lacking in consistency. 

I've started:

• Being active 6 times per week. 
• Using the exercise equipment I have! Even though the streets are so icy here, so few chances for walking outdoors at a brisk pace, I've got a perfectly good elliptical in the basement. 
• Making the basement a nicer environment to work out in. Right now it's your standard 70s wood-paneled fluorescent-lit cave... blah. I'm just happy the previous owner removed the shag carpeting!
• Strength training with my free weights and using the exercise ball to strengthen my core
• Yoga/Pilates for flexibility and stress relief

Someone suggested printing off a blank calendar for each month, posting it on my fridge at eye level to log the exercise I do. A smiley face for a workout or activity completed and a frowny face for slacking off. 

A planned non-scale victory once there is no more ice:

Conquering "Mo-Fo Hill". This is a hill in my neighbourhood that rises 150ft at a steep angle. In 2012, I would be gasping for breath not even mid-way, now I'm almost able to walk up it quickly only taking deep breaths. I want to be able to do it with ease!

Had a talk with my brother who had these words of wisdom, Star Wars-style, as only brothers can come out with:

Year in Review 2013 and Successful January Jeans Results

Glad to see this year go! Although there have been some nice moments, a few great moments, a large part has been an emotional struggle for me.

Good things:

• Trying the Whole 30 in May and discovering that way of eating makes me feel better!
• Using the car only when necessary, not to get groceries or other errands that I can walk to
• Turning to food less and less for comfort
• Relationship with my man and our plans for the future
• My family's support - they are the best! 

Not so good things:

• Not keeping strict control over portion sizes
• Not doing the necessary amount of activity to loose weight
• A sleeping disorder, still dealing with Rice Krispies knees and another health issue
• Dealing with grief
• Didn't do my best every day to work towards my goal of health and fitness

January Jeans Results from 22 November 2013 to 7 January 2014

Starting weight 195.5lbs,  current weight is 190.2 lbs = Success!

I knew that the holidays would be a test. Last year, relatives, in-laws and friends treated me with kid gloves as I was fresh with grief. This year, only my own family would be remembering and would be feeling a little sad. It would have been easy to drown those fleeting sorrows in food, but I couldn't let myself do that. 

Also, some relatives equate the food they make with love, and if you reject the food, you are rejecting them. I was able to limit the tears, yes tears!, from some of these relatives by telling them how important my health is to me and that by over-indulging it is actually harmful. Most of the others understood that with the large number of parties, visits to relatives, get-togethers, ect, my man and I were attending that I couldn't eat everything served.

Thanks to Marion and the participants of the January Jeans Club. Your posts and comments have helped to keep my focus  through this crazy busy,  carb-filled minefield of a holiday season!

Quickie after New Year's post

I'm still on the road visiting relatives and there is no scale for me to track my progress right now. My pants don't feel tight if that's any indication :D

The last celebration is this weekend for the Epiphany or the Three Kings Day. Another big meal and special dessert cake is on the agenda.  I'll be back home on Sunday and will weigh-in on Tuesday for the January Jeans pledge.

My New Years Eve and Day were good and filled with laughs. I did indulge, but I did not over-indulge. There was no point especially when the food at the relatives' party wasn't to my taste anyway. (Three varieties of pasta and white bread sandwiches). I did eat a lot of veggies (hold the dip!) had lots of fruit and had some lightly breaded chicken skewers and a few rounds of bruschetta. I had some desserts and could have really gone overboard there, but I know I would have only regretted it.

 

It is bone-chilling cold here with frostbite alerts for the past few days. -25C/-13F during the day. Much colder at night.  It's so cold outside that my nostrils freeze and can only breathe through my mouth!  Even the snow-man begs me to take him inside at night, ha ha! We expect "warm" weather this weekend. The photo below is by Ryan Remiorz of the Canadian Press showing Ice Fog on the St. Lawrence River.

Exercise strategy while away from home:

- I've been finding shopping malls that open early so I can do some nice, safe, warm walking. There were even some brave ones running, going up and down the stairs and working up a sweat!

- I also went to a gym near my inlaws' place and asked if I could "try out" their facilities for free for a couple of hours.

- Swam a couple of times at the local "Y" and at a hotel that had a heated pool (that felt so good and loosened up my back!)

 

For those facing these cold temps, bundle up, wear your long-johns and keep moving!