Thursday, January 28, 2010

Jan 28th - day 10 in Gym

Well even after that great uplift of losing weight, I am already having a tough time working out. I have also ran out of my depression medicine and I know that that makes a big difference.

So this morning I went out to get that refilled. I can not have anything getting in the way of my goal here. I am really unhappy with myself and need to make changes for health and just to feel goos about myself again.

well i decided to get on the scale today to see if anything had changed. Maybe I cursed myself, bcause I saw that nothing had really changed, and possibly gained a pound. Now I know that weight fluxuates a little bit, but it sure is depressing.

That will teach me to get on the scale again before weigh in.

anyway I have been keeping to my schedule, doing the curcuit, then exta cardio usually about 10-15 mintues on the ellipical. I have been working up.

I talkedwith one of the trainers today about how to get rid of the "cottage cheese" look today. She said that you have to drink lots of water, and do the treadmil at a slower pace ( fat burning mode, instead of cardio mode) and do it for as long as you can.

So this is going to be my new focus. There are lots of problem areas that I need to work on. But this is the one that I think that is bothering me the most.

So me and the treadmil are going to be best friends. Which I am trying to get past the thought of last time I was on the treadmil, it really hurt my knees. But I will take it one step at a time.

If the Biggest Loser contestants can do the treadmil, knowing that they are probably hurting in the process, then I can suck it up and join them.

So I will become the fit machine that I am aiming for.

Thanks for your support....

Mandy

Monday Jan. 25th - 7th day at Gym

Well today is the official weigh in date. I am very nervous and anxious to see how i have been doing.

With some things in the past no matter how much I did, or how well I watched what I ate, it was never enough to make changes, and so I gave up and the whole thing.

Which is why I am here again, with an even bigger battle to fight now.

well I got on the scale and to my suprise I had lost 5 pounds. WOW!!! Not as much as they lose on the Biggest Loser, but I will take it. They also have a lot more road to travel down.

well that got me encouraged. I have decided that I will commit to at least 3 months of working out twice a day to see if I get faster results.

well as my journey continues I hope you will follow me.

thanks for stopping by....

Mandy

Jan 21st

Today I went to weights class at the gym. I will not lie it was real tough, but I made it through.

And for that I am very proud.

Today we did lower body: lunges on a half balance ball, then plie squats (wide squats) w/ 26 pound weight, then jump rope, than balance on a bench and pull knees to chest, then my favorite, I don't even know what to call it, we kneeled on the ground then lifted 8 pound ball to one side twisting back and lifting at the same time, then the other side.

I did three sets of 15 each, except the last was three sets of 30 each. that was not the end of the workdout.....

we did core workout also... we then did 2 sets of 20, weighted sit ups all the way up with a 8 pound ball. very difficult.

Even though the workout is hard, I made it through it.

Then my daughter is sticking to her commitment, and for the 4th day this week I took her to the gym after school. She is a trooper.

Yesterday, remember I said I wonder if she will remember to go around again, well she did. We did the circuit twice yesterday. Lets just say that we both slept well yesterday.

Also the weirdest thing happened yesterday, about 7:30 pm when I am usually ready to hit the sack and go to sleep for the evening, I had a strange feeling to clean the ENTIRE house.

I know weird. But it also felt good.

My bathroom has not been cleaned in I don't know how long, because I never felt like it, or was too tired. This new energy is very cool.

Anyway back to today, My daughter did great around the circuit, then she wanted to do some cardio. So we both got on the ellipicals. she was getting very tired, I did only 10 minutes, she struggled to finish out 5 minutes. She is awesome. what a trooper.

anyway I have continued to log my information into sparkpeople.com, my calories intake today was about 1208, and I am within all my ranges. That is improvement. The first day I was over on my fat, but under my protein. not so good.

but the last 3 days I have been doing very well.

hang in there,

mandy

Day 3 – at the gym

Well you may have noticed that all the post were added on the same day. That is because I have been keeping a journal, and decided to make it a blog.

So my daughter and I have been working at the gym for only 3 days now. I'm really sore after doing weights yesterday. I think that I will sign up to continue them, it really gave me a challenge that the circuit does not.

I'm really sore.

Although my husband has been laughing at me saying AWOW... all the time he is very proud of me and our daughter.

Yesterday after we finished our workout, I went to get my stuff and turned around and she was going around the circuit again. This girl has got energy.... If I could only have 1/4 of that life would be happenin.

Anyway it was getting late so I told her that we would do it tommorrow.

What was I thinking.....

Today I worked out at the gym, trying to stick with my routine, in case my daughter decides that she wants a break, then I still got my workout in. Well I'm hopping that she forgot about going around twice today.

I will find out when I pick her up from school.

The soreness is getting better, today I did more stretching and I think that that is helping.

The lady at the gym gave me a website to go to to check my food side of things. It is a good website, lots of information....

I signed up and plan to use if lots... the best part is that is it free... yes you heard me right, it is FREE.

First it asks you lots of questions to set up your personal website. Then you can track food, workouts, and even plan your meals with a grocery shopping list. Now I am just learning about it, so I will tell more as I know, but if you want you can check it out.

The site is www.sparkpeople.com. I would recommend it to everyone who wants to make a change.

well I have to go get the girls, talk to you later.

Mandy

Day 7

Seems so long ago that we started this and it has only been 1 week…. Now we are members of a gym. Now I know that this is a lot of people’s new years resolution to lose weight, which makes a really good time to join a gym, they are having specials right now…but this is one we intend to make a lasting change in our lives.

And those others in our family who could use extra movement in their lives, hopefully we will inspire them as well.

Well I went to the weight training class, and no one else showed up, so it was like a private lesson, and she kicked my but….

You know on the biggest loser how when they want to stop and Jullian and Bob are there to yell at them, well I have a new deep understanding into how they feel.

Although the lady that I was working with did not yell at me, she would not let me just quit. At home I can choose when I want to be done, or when to take a break. Not at the gym you have to finish the routine.

And it gets hard, but you push through it and then you do it again, and it is the best feeling. Not only that but the second and third time you have to do it, you do it better and better.

It still hurts but with the encouragement you get it done without quitting. It was great, she kicked my but, but I thank her for that….

I will let you know how the workout tonight with my daughter goes.

Going to this gym is going to be real good for us. And we are going to reach our goals.

OOOOH I almost forgot the most depressing part. She weighed me and took my body fat with BMI.

Here it goes, drum roll……

my weight is 227 pounds, my body fat is 47.2% (should be at or below 30%) and my BMI is 35.6 (should be between 18 – 24%).

Well today that was depressing but it is not going to stay there for very long.

Day 6

We have been searching for a gym. Around us we have about 3 gyms; Broadmoor, Curves for women and ladies workout express.

Curves has only the circuit training, no classes, but does include the nutrient part of getting healthy, but the circuit training does work out every part of the body and it is planned out, I do not have to do any thinking about the work out.

That is nice.

It is more expensive then the other gyms at $34/mo, if you sign up for 1 year contract. They will also give you your first month free and you pay 1/3 of the joining fee right now.

Broadmoor has no set anything; it’s just the gym, with weights and machines. I would have to come up with the routine, and figure it out. You can pay for the trainer but I can’t afford that.

It is cheaper and my daughter would not be able to workout, she would be too young.

This is the cheapest of the three at $21/mo. Joining fee is high.

Ladies workout express is similar to curves in that it has the circuit that you can do. But they change it; she has different variations of the circuit; 30, 40, 60, or 80 minutes.

They also change the setting on the machines to vary the workout. They also have a few cardio machines so you can do that in addition to the circuit. Also my daughter can workout for free. That was a huge bonus.

They do have trainers and classes that cost extra, but they give you your first one for free. Although the joining fee is higher their monthly cost is lower at $24.95 if you sign up for 1 year contract.

Well I told her that Curves was cheaper to join right now, and she offered me to start at the same price, if I took it right now.

My daughter was with me giving me the look, like yes mom lets do it. So we became members at ladies workout express. Signed up and did all the paper work, and then she asked me when I wanted to come back to work out and that is when it hit me……

I have to do this….

We came back later that day for what I taught was learning the machines, no it was a really workout. It was tough, but we made it. Everyone at the gym was impressed with how had my daughter worked out.

She did a great job, I was very proud of her. When we left I told her that if you do this 3 times a week you will see the results that you are looking for, she said that she wanted to do it every night that she loved it.

She liked it a lot better then the tapes at home. That made it all worth it. I am doing this for myself, but mostly for her. She is young and does not need to live a life full of hard times because of her weight.

She is my inspiration to keep going.

I told the lady that I will probably workout in the morning for my routine while Jamie is at school, and on the days that she wants to workout I will come back for a second workout.

She invited me to come to the next day’s weight workout to see how I would like it. 8:00 in the morning…..

I will let you know how it goes…….until tomorrow

Day 3

Today was slow moving…. Not real motivated. Kind of depressing since we just started, but we are not giving up.

Today we walked up 1/3 the way up Badger Mountain. If you live around here, you know that that is the hardest part of the mountain. We wanted to walk further but our legs and feet could not do any more.

We went down and told ourselves that each time we walk up the mountain that we will walk a little bit more. And eventually we will make it all the way up and enjoy the view.

Today I went grocery shopping, got mostly fruit and vegetables, and you guessed it more salad. Salads are starting to be a craving now. Eating fresh fruit actually tastes good after awhile. WOW who ever knew.

This does get easier as the days go by…

I have started that I am having sweets craving. You may be saying I could never do that because my sweet craving is too high. Well let me tell you for me to go without, or even refuse sweet of anything is impossible.

If it is here I will eat it and probably eat all of it.

So to help me with my craving, I took the advice of biggest loser about the extra sugar free gum, and how chewing it can and will reduce craving. Well I did not believe it, because my craving are some overwhelming at times that I feel like if I don’t get it I will die.

Well I bought two packs of the gum, and every time I have a craving or I THINK that I need to eat, even though I just ate 2 minutes ago, I put a piece of gum in my mouth, and try to think about something else, or go for a walk.

IT WORKS>>>>>>

My disbelieve is gone. Since I have had the gum, I have not had any sweets. The gum does it’s job. The flavor only lasts about as long as the craving. So when it is time to get rid of the gum, the craving is gone. I love this gum. I will not go out with out this back up in my purse.

Their has been some changes is feeling and aches and pains. I forgot to tell you that since I gained all this weight my knee has been really hurting me. I can’t bend it without pain, and if I’m leaning on it, it is very painful.

Well that is getting better. I thought that I would have to go slow, or that it would slow me down, but it hasn’t. It is almost like the body is also happy to be getting healthier. I don’t know if that can happen but that’s what it feels like.
Anyway one pound at a time we will reach our goal.

I have been starting my search for gyms. We like working out but it is too easy to take a break while watching the videos. One day I just watched a series of them and did nothing but sit on the couch to watch.

We (maybe I) need the support of some one like Jullian or Bob yelling at me to keep me going or saying get up and move it.

Anyway I will let you know.

Day1

We are trying different workout videos. Today we did Turbo Jam, and it was a good workout. We have decided that it was good but it was missing something.

In addition to working out, we are choosing to eat a little bit better. My daughter asked my about what would be the best choice from her school menu, and it was exciting to see her come home and be excited that she actually followed through and chose that.

She was very proud of herself as I was as well.

Together we have been choosing salad, putting the dressing on it double portions. So we are working on that. Eating salad is an improvement. I just need (want) more dressing than 1 tbl.

Right now it does not seem like enough.

But baby steps will produce results. Losing 1 lb. at a time, we are going to make our goal a reality.

Biggest Loser 2010

I have been a big fan of biggest loser for several seasons. We have a tradition, my husband and I get our bowl of ice cream, probably about 3 servings with lots of chocolate syrup on top, and we sit down and watch the biggest loser.

While they were being very successful and I in awe of their success, I was slowly gaining the weight, becoming more like what they were trying to get away from.
You know the pictures that they show them eating before they come on the show,

I could relate more to that then the actual workouts, but it was fun to watch them work hard and accomplish THEIR goals. But it was not for me. I did not need it. I was not like them.

Well something hit me this year. I keep hearing the contestants saying that they are the biggest that they have ever been, and how they are hitting bottom and must do something about it just to LIVE. That was nothing new you hear that every season.

It was what Jullian said, in one of the interviews that this is the BIGGEST group that they have ever had, that going to the ranch is the LAST resort, and DO NOT to WAIT to go to the ranch before you do something.

The puzzle pieces were put together; I am the biggest that I have ever been myself. It was as if Jullian was talking directly to me, when she said NOT to WAIT until you get to this WEIGHT before you DO something about it.

WOW!!! What a wake up call.

My kids also have been watching the biggest loser. One of them has also been touched. She said to me, “Mom if I don’t do something about my weight I will end up like them.” She was really scared about that.

So my daughter and I decided to do something about it this year. I wanted to watch biggest loser and have my OWN SUCCESS story, instead of watching them lose weight, while I was gaining.

So this is the story of me, Mandy McCollum and my daughter Jamie on our weight lose journey. Please join us on our journey!!!!