Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit

I've NEVER seen something like this! I hope they fix the bandwidth on his blog/website because I'd be interested to see how this plays out.

Read the article!


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/why-a-personal-trainer-is-making-himself-obese-on-purpose-2583990/

Cheers,

~M

Quick Clean Up!

Cleaning your house in 30 mins or less by doing small chores throughout the day.

It's a good article!


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/how-to-clean-your-house-in-30-minutes-or-less-2580107/

Best,

~M

Diet Game Changers (So they Say)

So apparently there is a new food "pyramid" plate thingy out, which I will post about as soon as I review all of it.

I'm not going to comment on my super long absence because I have nothing positive to say! LoL The more I TRY to lose weight the fatter I get. So who knows!

But I do still want to use this blog and maybe inspire others to be more healthy and happy. :)

So check out this Yahoo! web link I found today. Seems interesting!

http://health.yahoo.net/caring/6-simple-diet-game-changers


Best,
~M

Snack Food!!

From the Eat This, Not That website. :)

Snacking is good. Thank God!!

50 Best Snack Foods

~ M

E-Food Journal

I've linked this website before, but now that I'm making a very conscious effort to post food and exercise every day, I'm going to relink it to you all.

My friends Maria and Lisa are my support on this site which has been fabulous. I haven't posted my weight gain and loss because I fluctuate 5lbs up or down every week. It's too disheartening to post! LoL.

Lose It

I hate saying that I'm disgusted with the way I look, but I really am getting to that point. But I must not hate myself TOO much because I still can't drag myself to the gym. I just wish I had a private indoor pool to swim in every day. Oh how wonderful that would be!

Anyhow, now that I'm back from multiple conferences and travel, my eating schedule can go somewhat back to normal. As such, I want to share a Meg Recipe with you for my own Pepperoni Panini! It's a great, fast lunch food that keeps me fairly full!

Pepperoni Panini
Calories: 290

Ingredients:
- Nature's Promise 90 Calorie multi-grain flatbread
- 5 small slices of pepperoni (lean or turkey)
- 2 slices low-fat provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 1tsp of marinara or pasta sauce (I use Prego 5 cheese or garden)

Make sammy out of ingredients and place in microwave for 30-45 seconds.
That's it! :) Enjoy!

~M

Lazy Blogger... Lazy Exerciser

All of it is falling by the wayside it seems... and not the pounds. LoL. The semester is in the final stretch and as such so am I. I haven't posted on any of my blogs much lately, so for that I am sorry. I did come across a very cool website for sneaky ways to burn calories!

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-sneaky-ways-to-burn-calories-without-sweating-2468566/

I have been taking stairs more frequently (but still not all the time). My eating habits are MUCH better minus my three lattes (with skim mind you) a week. And I've been doing crunches and yoga stretches most mornings to wake up...

But I'm not getting any smaller.

Actually I'm seeing MORE fat rolls and stretch marks! ICK! It's bad enough that I only see my boyfriend once every few months and I'm just getting wider and wider with each trip... but I'm also going to be part of two weddings this summer. TWO. I need to look good in TWO sets of photos by July. Plus a trip to the islands in early August to top it off (which is awesome but that means a bathing suit needs to be purchased).

Maybe I've reached the point of no return? The women in my family (minus my beautiful sister) are all on the thick side. Though I was naturally rail thin up to my sophomore year of college, I am not losing any weight or toning up at all. And sadly I come up with as many excuses as possible to avoid the gym. My first qualm is that I'm so busy that when I have downtime I want to REST, not work out. The next is that I tend to see already skinny, fit people at the gym. That's not good incentive for showing up and having my flab bounce around on a treadmill in front of the beautiful people. And finally, it's exhausting. I do suppose if I stuck to it I would be less exhausted, but I don't enjoy it. Some people love to work out. I'm not one of them. I used to love sports and swimming, but sitting on a stationary bike or panting on an elliptical has never been enticing to me.

I'm my own lazy, chubby worst enemy! :(

~ M

The Ever-Expanding Waistline

Oh sadness. I feel that I am on such a downward and slippery slope here. Though my eating habits are not superb (I am easily talked into eating bad things), I have been eating better than I used to. Yet I am still expanding... and not in a happy way. I dare not weigh myself right now. I shudder to think of what I am at right now. Hopefully not larger than when I started this venture, but I can't be sure. /sigh

So Lent is upon us. And though Christian, I do not usually give up something for the 40 days and 40 nights. However, this year I figured I should and will. However, there are contingencies to my idea. I am nixing the use of elevators. The contingency is if I'm with my roommate who has an injured foot and thus cannot take the stairs. I'm also giving up "multiple caffeine sources" per day. Meaning I am limited to only one coffee or soda a day. I would get rid of it completely but honestly I can't manage the withdraw headaches at the moment. I know that's not the point of Lent at all, but it's a smaller concession that I can handle for the time being.

Is anyone else celebrating Lent? If so, by all means feel free to share. :)

And any tips for a non-work-out gal would be great. <3

~M

Shame on Me!

I've been so slack lately about ANY blogging. My sincere apologies for those who hang on to every word. <--- sarcasm.

Life has been good but busy as of late. And I've been eating burgers. Before you scold me too much, hear me out. I've been VERY good with my standard calorie count per day. I got calculated to consume around 1,350 calories every day, which I've stuck to for weeks. I did, however, recently take a trip to Chicago to visit the boy. The 2nd thing I like going to Chicago for is Culver's burgers. They're a midwest thing so I NEVER get them here. They're so nasty and so delicious! The 3rd thing I like going to Chicago for is Nuts on Clark Popcorn at the airport. Delish. So this week I'm trying to make up for my missteps over the past weekend.

I also need to get back on board with the blog. My dear friend LaKesha has started steering me back to center. She and I are both registered for Lose It which is a self tracking weight lose/diet website.

www.loseit.com

It's great because you can post to buddies' walls for motivation. It's essentially an online food and fitness tracker. I just need to be vigilant about posting updates. I urge any of my buddies who are also dieting or changing eating habits to log on and look me up! I'm listed through my gmail account.

And for the fast food lovers much like myself... when you do fall off the proverbial wagon... at least get these:

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/7-fast-food-meals-under-350-calories

Cheers,
~M

Take Your Time... Enjoy it

Do you eat food or experience flavors?

I'm well into the meat (no pun intended) of the "French Women Don't Get Fat" book and I've had some "aha!" moments that I feel I should share.

Life is busy and crazy and it flies by. I work a lot, and as such my time to do much else is fairly limited. This definitely affects how I eat and enjoy food. Or don't enjoy it. I spend my days either zipping through meals that lack nutritional value, or go so long without eating that my stomach considers eating itself. Or I eat something I immediately regret. Sound familiar to any of you out there? I hope not, but I have a sneaking suspicion that at least a few of you can relate on some level.

So while I cannot afford the time to do this too frequently, I have been able to slow down some of my eating habits. And it truly is as the author of this book says... it's art. When you make it art. It's an experience, an indulgence, a masterpiece. When you make it a masterpiece. It doesn't matter if you're eating a piece of toast or the finest surf and turf or the most decadent tiramisu. If you take the time to enjoy your food, it will become a better experience overall, and may even have the ability to slow your appetite.

Think about what you're eating. Enjoy it slowly. Purposefully. For example, I am having leftover chili that roomie made for the Super Bowl. (Side Note: Kristen's chili is to DIE for). So it's leftover night. But I loved every minute of it. Whatever you're eating next, try a few things:

- Take smaller, non-heaping portions and chew them thoroughly before droppin em down the hatch.
- Close your eyes when you chew. Focus on the flavor of each part of your meal. So chili was a grand experience of figuring out each part of what I was eating.
- Try to look at your food as a thing of beauty, rather than just a way of sustaining life. (and trust me, a Snickers bar can totally be beautiful... so can a glass of water).
- Stop eating when your body tells you "I'm done!" rather than when your plate is empty. Mama always taught me it was better manners to leave something small on your plate.

As I mentioned before, I haven't really lost much weight. I think maybe 4ish pounds, if that. But like most women, it fluctuates. And I'm sure I have enough water weight to start a community pool. So perhaps a detox/cleanse is in order. But I haven't done that in years... ick. But regardless of the slow progress, I am enjoying myself. I have hiccups in the plan and I still have some bad things to eat every couple days, but I am slowly casting these things off. Cold turkey is not my style... unless it's covered in gravy. :)

~ M

Photos from Artful Food Blog and Cake Journal.

Drink Like a Fish

Water. Not booze. ;)

So I've started "French Women Don't Get Fat" and thus far I am enthralled. It reads as a novel of the author's life as a french woman who was transplanted to the States and then back to France and eventually returning the the US. Her plight sounds very familiar to my own. Tempted by food and over time your waistline changes. She even notes that the book is aimed at women who look to lose up to about 30lbs and change their eating habits... NOT DIET. I'm likin this chick already! ;)

So the first step is liquid refreshment. I totally need to up my water intake each day. I probably only have 2 glasses of H2O a day, plus a soda or coffee or some other drink (OJ or green tea). However, nowhere near the 6+ glasses a day that are the standard we should (but don't) follow.

The other thing is widening my variety of meal options. Especially since I work such strange hours. Thursdays are nice because I teach right after breakfast and am done by lunch. So all my meals can be made at home. No prepackaged bullshit to contend with (pardon my French lol). Sodium content is and probably will always be an issue for me, so I need to keep better track of that. Lots of those quick meals to go are packed with it.

My dear friend Lisa has made a few posts on here and talked to me at work as well. I admire her healthier lifestyle and of course she is teeny tiny to show for it! Good for you girl! :) I'm excited to take some of her snacking advice and get that stuffed mushroom recipe (hint hint!)

I fell of the proverbial wagon last night with a burger and fry love affair. It was what I imagine an extramarital affair would be like... dirty, scandalous and remorseful. The crisp of the fries were delicious, as was the nastily slapped together patties and cheese on my burger, but it didn't do what I expected it too. It wasn't satisfying. And while I miss the taste of that grossness, I just felt worse after. I was tired, sluggish and my pants tightened around me in discomfort. No more of that! I'll allow myself the random treat... a Sweet Tea, Caramel Latte, maybe even a couple DD munchkins. But if I get a burger it can't be from McDs. Homemade or gourmet. Even then, the calorie count is something to behold. ;) So yes, for shame on me. But I had to share. It's all part of the journey right?

~ M

I Need Fast Food

Don't panic. It's a play on words. (Though I do miss McDoubles). I need fast or easy made and portable foods for lunches on campus. Especially on Mondays and Wednesdays. I already feel into running behind and grabbing a bagel at Dunkin along with my coffee (which follows healthier parameters). However, this is a money sink and it won't help me lose weight.

What ideas do you have? I've ended up taking a Special K bar and some Soup at Hand to work with me this week. By the time I get to class I'm starving! Then I run the risk of totally gorging myself when I get home.

So any ideas or possible solutions would be fantastic! ;)

On the recommendation of my good friend Cora, I have purchased the book "French Women Don't Get Fat." It should be arriving any day and I'm excited to check it out! :)

In the meantime, I'll probably get some good exercise in from shoveling all the snow we got last night. That was ridiculous!

Best,
~ M

Articles Like This Give Me Hope

... and cravings!

I love myYahoo!. It gives me tons of different news stories and editorials to scroll through. Naturally I read the news and entertainment crap for... well... entertainment. And then I also check out all health articles and recipes! For all you ladies (and gentlemen) who share a sweet tooth, here is our saving grace:

10 Smart Cures for Your Sweet Tooth

I'm a salty and sweet fiend. You know... the best of both worlds. I crave both usually around the same time. Tonight I was good. A small cup of pistachios and a Special K snack bar (Chocolate Chip). Tomorrow I'll have to fill you all in on Kristen (roomie) and my epic grocery shopping journey to find healthy food on a budget. Some things were great and some we really had to sink money in.

Cheers!

~ M

Special K Challenge Done!

Hello all!

Sorry for my long hiatus! I've been out of town and trying to prep for the new semester of classes which is looming in front of me. Yesterday was my last day of the Special K Two Week Challenge. I'm bittersweet on this. I'm sure I lost a jeans size (yay!!) so that is a benefit. I'm cinching my belts a bit tighter as well. However, I don't look like I'm any smaller and the scale registers me at an amazing 169... one pound lighter. LoL.

So I didn't lost the 6lbs I could have, but I attribute that to me cheating a few days and having babyish workout routines. I'm not trying to overdo it, but perhaps I need to focus a little more all the same. So now I need to try something new. Not a diet per say, but just a way to track myself so I'm not overeating or under-eating, and still have a regular workout schedule. Ideas? I can use all the help in the world!

I need to cut out sodas. Or at least cut down. But I do need a caffeine fix every day or you'll get a grumpy Meg. :) The other thing I want to try is Acai berries in some form. I saw pills of them and drink mixes, as well as foods. Does anyone know a lot about it? I got this off WebMD:


Acai Berries

So yes, we'll see. I still need motivation for all this. My goal remains the same: 30lbs. But it's soo easy to go back to bad habits. Just keep pushing me and I'll feel the need to not let you all down! :)

Best,

~ M

Tips for De-Cluttering

^^^^ No, that's not my bedroom. I just wish it was. I got this photo from yahoo.com.

So today, I'm gonna branch away from the dieting stuff to give you some tips on reorganizing and de-cluttering. I am copying the following from a Yahoo! article I found this morning. This is NOT my original writings. The link is here:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/10-steps-to-a-clutter-free-life-2435859/

10 Steps to a Clutter Free Life

* by HybridMom, on Mon Jan 3, 2011 10:39am PST

Ours is a culture of abundance. Even in this time of economic recession - most of us have more ‘stuff’ than we really, truly, need. Clutter, whether it be too many tasks on our agenda, too many thoughts pulsing through our minds, or too many belongings in our homes, seems to be a societal epidemic. When we slow down a bit and take notice, however, we find that more stuff actually creates more stress. Additionally, the state of having too much stuff to care for, clean, and manage means less time for connecting with family and friends, taking care of yourself, and nurturing your soul and creative spirit.

Reducing physical clutter in the home creates a sense of calm, and allows energy to flow freely throughout. New possibilities emerge and creative solutions to old problems seem to appear from nowhere. Here are some things you can start doing now to make it happen:

1. Designate one spot for all incoming mail/paperwork and go through it daily.

2. Unsubscribe from email newsletters, blogs, and retail email lists that no longer interest you. Its YOUR inbox, after all.

3. Before purchasing anything, from new socks to a new smartphone, ask yourself: “Do I love it?” and “Will I use it?” Think twice unless the answer to both questions is a resounding “Yes!”
7 Proven Ways to Add Balance to Your Life

4. Commit to clearing clutter from one area of your home each day for a week and schedule ten minutes daily to do it. Start with something totally feasible, like your coat rack or medicine chest.

5. Meditate for five minutes each day. This will help de-clutter your mind and give you the clarity to keep what’s essential and part with the rest.
52 Simple Ways to Be Healthier

6. Eliminate clothing from your closet and dresser that hasn’t been worn in the last calendar year.

7. Find a home for clutter-prone items, you know, the things that wind up on the kitchen table, living room floor, and bedroom dresser. Designate a place for them and make a habit of putting them there, every single day.

8. Create clutter-free zones in your home. The entryway is a great place to start. If there is clutter in the entrance, 98% of the time there is clutter throughout the house. The kitchen table is another good choice. Keep what you love and use, recycle, donate or toss everything else. Be ruthless!

9. Use “maybe” boxes. If, in the course of de-cluttering, you’re not sure what to do with an item, put it in the maybe box. Note the date on the box and store it out of sight. If you don’t go looking for those items within six months to a year, it’s time to get rid of those things.

10. Evaluate your commitments. Most of us are over-scheduled, which is it’s own form of clutter. Make sure your commitments are reflective of your values and your priorities. Say no to new commitments without guilt and drop whatever commitments no longer serve you. Your life needs space for free flowing energy, just like your home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there you have it. Some things to consider for the day. I've already been working on a "corner" of something every day or so, but it is daunting when you think about it. My room is a mess at the moment and I'm not sure where to start, but I think this is some solid advice, so we'll see.

Happy Cleaning!

~ M

Woah I'm Halfway There!

And definitely living on a prayer lol. I am done with the first week of the Special K Challenge, and I'm feeling bittersweet. I like the plan and the support system they have in place, but I wasn't always good this week. So this weekend has put a kink in the diet and the blogging. My roomie is back in town and brought some of her family with her to visit and for us all to go to a NHL game in D.C. It was a TON of fun, but I know I wasn't as good as I should have been on the diet. It's hard to find health food in a sports arena. I also gave myself two days in a row to let my muscles rest. So this week I need to stay on track!

I was going to weigh myself today, but honestly I'm too scared to! I am pretty sure I haven't lost any weight. :( Now I do get that part of that may be muscle gain, but all the same, I'm not seeing too much of a difference yet. But I'm not discouraged. I did notice that I can run up two flights of stairs without feeling like someone just punched me in the gut... which is progress. :)

Tomorrow I'm back on track and hoping for a more steady week 2. I'm starting to research other diet plans for after the Special K challenge. I was considering Slim Fast, but they are sort of expensive and the food is more limited. I could continue Special K, but I don't want to get sick of the food and steer away from the goal. I figure I'll try something else for a while then do another 2 week challenge further down the road. But again, I'm up for ideas!

Goodnight all!

~ M

Day Five: Temptation Abound!

Cold weather makes me lethargic. It looks a bit like snow outside so I had a hard time getting up this morning. That has kind of put a kink in the whole day and messed with my lunch schedule. So I'm going to get scolded here and that's okay, but I am being incredibly truthful on this blog so you have a right to know. I went to Dunkin Donuts today. *Winces!*

BUT in my defense I tested out a few new things to make this less of a painful experience. I did NOT get a doughnut even though they were staring at me and making suggestive gestures (as only doughnuts can). However, I DID get a bagel. :( With reduced fat cream cheese though! And I know what happened. I had every intention of only getting a coffee, but I had a late breakfast and no lunch at that point so my stomach was screaming at me! Still it's no excuse. That was not part of the diet plan so I'm going to have to really watch calories for dinner tonight. And even though I planned to take an exercise break tomorrow, I think I'll get up early and do some more yoga to help ease the broken rules of today.

So according to the Dunkin Donuts website, the bagel with reduced fat cream cheese was 450 calories and 12 grams of fat. Shame on you Meg!

But back to the point of the trip. Like I mentioned before, I always get a medium iced caramel latte with skim, no whip and no sugar. So today I was testing the waters by getting a small latte light with no flavoring. It was a jolt of bitterness and I've never been a bitter coffee drinker. So I did put two Splenda in. Drum roll please!!!!

According to www.dunkindonuts.com it was only 80 calories (plus about 10 more for the Splenda) and 0grams of fat! WOOOOOOOT! With the Splenda it wasn't that bad, so at very least I can manage that if I need a coffee fix. I do miss my caramel though. :(

But for future reference for my own taste there is a DD Smart menu which is aimed at lower calories, higher fiber and less fat. They have egg white sammies and wake up wraps that are low cal. So that might be a replacement for bagels on days when I just don't have time (after the Special K challenge is done of course). Which on the same token I think I've lost... maybe... a pound. Whoopdy do. I'm not expecting miracles, but with the massively lower calorie intake I'm surprised. A lot of people go through an early purge of pounds and then level off. Apparently my body doesn't roll like that.

But anyway, that is my confession. I need to get back to the routine. Off to organize classwork until Kristen and her family arrive! <3
~ M

Day Four Diet: Namaste

On the request of a few different people, I am taking it easy today exercise-wise. I planned on using the little elliptical here, but when I woke up I could barely move! Thus, I've upped my water intake and decided on some Yoga to relax and stretch. Let me just say this... as someone who really has never done Yoga, that shit is NOT easy. It is yet one more reminder that I have been out of the game for a while! I used to be incredibly flexible and agile. Today I kept grunting and groaning and scolding the woman on the DVD that people's bodies just don't bend that way! :) But I do feel looser which is nice. And I would like to keep up with the Yoga. I felt better, not exhausted, when I was done. Tomorrow I'll do some small exercises in the morning and then take a break from it on Saturday. I'm going to a hockey game anyway so I don't think doing the downward facing dog in the middle of the Verizon Center is uber appropriate! :)

Food-wise I'm a little hungry, but it's still better than before. I got a Subway sub yesterday which was a nice treat. I do believe some coffee may be in the works though. I'm starting to get caffeine headaches since I haven't had much of it lately. I haven't had a soda in well over a week which is massive for someone like me!

The last good thing I've found out with this diet is the Facebook link that Special K has. They offer a discussion board for other women and men who are doing the challenge. It's good to see that others have the same questions as me and sooo many are willing to offer up advice! :) Not sure what I'm going to cook up for dinner tonight, but it's gonna get chilly, so some Progresso Light soup may be nice, as well as a toasted roast beef and provolone sammy. :)

Namaste!

~ M

Cardio Kills!

Hey guess what? I'm out of shape! Who knew? So as mentioned before, I'm changing my workout routine every other day so I don't get bored or too frustrated. I started out with 200 reps on my mini elliptical machine I have in my apartment with a 3lb weight in each hand for punches. That hurt. Then the next day I did a Denise Austin cardio routine DvD and that hurt. Plus she smiles wayyyy too much for the pain she was putting me in. If I heard her say "Doin great! Lookin Good!" one more time I was gonna cardio kick a hole in my TV. So to change it up again today I popped in a Special K 10 Minute Solutions DVD I got for Christmas. It's great because its designed with the Special K Challenge in mind. You can order it from Special K for "free" with Special K Stamps which I assume is something you get when you buy their food. Here's the link:

http://www.specialk.com/Promotions/Dvd

So this girl was less chipper about how great I was doing which was very refreshing. Her encouragement came in the form of explaining why I was doing each lunge or kick. "Imagine yourself in those short shorts. That's what this is for." That I can commit to. However, there will be no short shorts for me... maybe form fitting capris... but that's about it. :) Regardless, I like the cardio kickboxing routine. I feel silly dancing to hip hop whilst working out, so at least this is more like something I would train for. I still flail but it's a start.

So anyway, now I'm in pain. But at least I know it's doing something. I'll go back to the elliptical tomorrow I think, but this DVD will be helpful as well. I'll have to move my DVD player to my room though. I can't imagine working out to this in front of the roomie! lol. I'm sure I look like a hippo doing jumping jacks. :)

The diet is fine. I had my fruit and yogurt cereal this morning along with a One a Day Vita-crave vitamin. So far I'm not starving myself which is nice and different for me from diets in the past. My only concern now is where to go after these two weeks are up. What diet to try. I can't eat Special K for the rest of the year! Ideas? Something that won't make me revolt?

Time to go clean out my room and trek to Goodwill to donate our old china.

~ M

Out with the Old... Revamping the Home

Day Two of the diet is going well thus far. Although, I am craving some Dunkin Donuts munchkins right about now. :( My body is in full revolt of this new "physical activity" idea. I did a cardio DVD today for... wait for it... 15 whole minutes, and I thought I was dying. Way to go Meg. You are officially a lazy ass. :) But at least I kept up with the workout routine. Although, I'll bet my neighbors got a good laugh as I did it in front of our huge living room window! It will be worth it in the end though, right?

Special K diet and exercise aside, I'm slowly redoing my universe... i.e. the apartment. My roomie and I are both pack rats and sloppy ones at that. It's sad because I used to be fairly neat. Not anal, OCD neat, but much more organized than this current version of myself. That has GOT to change. I'd say that the only tension I carry around in my home is the lack of beauty and organization that is surrounding me. I'm sure Kristen, the roomie, would agree. This space is NOT currently conducive to doing efficient work. I just hope she won't flip out with my new "I wanna redo my life!" attitude.

So I'm starting small. I'm surprising roomie with new dishware. When I was celebrating the New Year in Pennsylvania I visited the Wilton Armetale store my sister masterfully works at. I proceeded to buy a Jeep-full of stainless cookware and a new 32 piece set of china (see above photo for the design). There are both black and white pieces, all with the "Reggae" design. I'm simply in love with them. So today I packed up our old mismatched dishware and will ship them off to our thrift store in the morning. The new stuff has been washed and put away. I went ahead and reorganized our kitchen counters while I was at it. So the kitchen looks better! YAY! Now... my room and desk need overhauling. The sad part is that I'm so anxious to do all of this I just want it done quickly. The sooner I realize that is NOT going to happen, probably the better off I will be. I need to pace myself.

In the meantime I'm looking for a new planner for 2011. I've been looking at Covey planners on my friend Christine's recommendation, but I'm having a hard time finding one! Any ideas? I'd love a GMU planner like I had last year but they don't have them listed on the website. *Sadface*

By the way if you all are interested in Wilton Armetale (which you should be cause it is AMAZING) you should go to their website. Support my sister's store!

www.armetale.com

Tomorrow lets see how much I can get done to my room before Kristen returns from her family's home. :) Plus a new workout DVD to try!!!

Cheers,

~ M

Day One Diet: The Beginning of the End

So to start the year off right I've decided to ease into the whole diet idea instead of totally changing my lifestyle cold turkey. I see dieting like quitting smoking (even though I have never been a smoker). I feel that easing into the change is better than just jumping into it. So to start the diet plan I am using the Special K Challenge which has been promoted all over the TV as of late.

The idea behind this is to eat Special K products throughout the day and have a solid and healthy dinner in the evenings. The nice part of this is they track your progress and have you choose a plan that suits your taste. It's a two week process where you can lose up to about 6lbs which is a start. Ultimately I'd like to be around 30lbs lighter by the Fall, but lets do baby steps so it's not overwhelming.

www.specialk.com

The other thing I'm starting is a fitness routine. My roomie and I bought a portable elliptical machine recently and I've resolved to start with 200 reps every other day. With a workout DVD I bought for each day I don't use the elliptical. It has stretches, kickboxing, yoga and cardio for 10 minute sessions. This works for me because I HATE working out. It has never been something that has appealed to me. When I was younger I loved sports and swimming. However, college and grad school has made me rather lethargic when it comes to working out. Thus my dilemma. I SHOULD weigh around 140 and be toned. HA! So again, baby steps for me. After this two week session of working out and the Special K Challenge, I'll find a similar plan that works for me that allows me to eat foods I still enjoy as well as diet foods. And I'll enhance the workout routine so that it hopefully will become second nature to me.

Now I should note again that I am an incoming PhD student. I work as a professor 5 days a week and will be taking two evening classes. So the challenge will be to manage my studies and the lack of being home to make full meals every day. No fast food! I might allow a sweet tea from McDs here and there but otherwise I can't allow myself to cheat! Now my big dilemma is that I am a Dunkin Donuts junkie. I get an iced caramel latte with skim, no whip a few times a week, as well as a bagel. It's not horribly unhealthy but it certainly doesn't help me LOSE weight. Plus it's a money sink. So I do have coffee I'll make here, but I don't want to totally lose my treats. So I'll allow (to start) two lattes a week. That's IT. When I get further along I'll lower that to once a week. My biggest issue with diets in the past was that I couldn't eat the foods I enjoyed. Weight Watchers worked a bit but I was still always hungry so it was easy to "fall off the wagon."

So far today I did the 200 reps while watching CSI: NY (yay Gary Sinese!). I've also had my "breakfast" ... but I had to go grocery shopping so it was closer to lunch. Chocolatey Delight Special K cereal. I'm jonesin for some baby carrots and OJ so that might have to happen soon. Right now I'm optimistic for this. I took a photo of myself this morning in a bathing suit (which I'm NOT open enough to want to post on here so, my apologies, you'll have to imagine my 170lb glory). That was motivation in and of itself. I'll take sporadic photos to post on here for you all to see progress and I'll take bikini photos for myself to see where I want to be.

Here goes nothin!

~ M

Intro to "Losing It"

Hi there. It's the 3rd day of 2011 and I need to make a change. I'm starting this blog for my own personal benefit. I doubt anyone else will read it and that's fine. I have a blog for my friends to read about my day to day life. This one is different. This is my weight-loss and fitness blog. This will also be where I vent about cleaning up and cleaning out the mess in my life and home.

My New Year's Resolution was to "trim the fat" from my life. That consists of losing weight, toning up, simplifying my living space and streamlining my schedule so life is a bit easier to manage. My issue with resolutions is that I rarely keep them for more than a week. Thus, this is my kick in the ass to stay on track.

For background here is what we are working with:
- I am 25 years old and an incoming PhD student in Higher Education. I teach college Communication classes at a public university and community college.
- I am 5'6" and currently weigh around 170 lbs which is the largest I have EVER been.
- I am out of shape. I'm not fat and not skinny, but I'm displeased with the reflection in the mirror. I am also a chronic pack rat. I need to clean up and clean out!

If anyone wants to read this blog they are open to do so. And if you have any tips along the way please feel free to share. This is just one young woman sharing her journey in finding balance and simplicity.

~ M