Sunday, June 28, 2009

8K Completed

I completed my first 8K yesterday! And now I'm off to Bermuda!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Fat Camp is winding down

Fat Camp is almost over- yay! I have my fitness test this weekend and I am very very nervous. I know I can run 5 miles because I did it once before, but that doesn't change how I feel. This week has been difficult to fit in any exercise, and it doesn't look promising that I'll be able to get any in before the 8K- yikes.
I've been working late every night, and when I get home it is always raining (and not just rain, terrential down pours). Maybe I am making excuses, but I don't feel like I have anything left to give in terms of energy with all my working lately.
I am so looking forward to my Fat Camp reward- a cruise to Bermuda! I leave on Sunday and I can't wait! I'll check in before I leave to update everyone on the 8K.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Just me- that's all I can be

No, this is not some fruity rhyming post nor anything overly emotional where I divulge the years of pain my weight gain has brought. This was just a particularly trying week for me emotionally. My emotionally distress caused me to fall ill with a fever on Wednesday into Thursday.

I have not felt like myself. I am finally starting to feel better. I hadn't done any true exercise since Monday thanks to my depressive mood, but I pulled myself together last night to do my 40 minutes of circuit training with Jillian Michaels. I upped my hand weights to 5lbs from 3lbs. I'm definitely feeling it today. I am glad that I did not allow myself to be lazy and skip yet another workout. It made me feel strong and empowered.

I posted a -1.0lb loss the week which felt great. I am a slow loser, but I prefer it that way. I get to eat out more than once a week, and when I go out I enjoy alcohol, appetizers, and desserts- something a strict weight watcher might cringe at, but I've made my own rules throughout this process and they work for me.

I'm looking forward to a run today, let's hope the weather holds out. It has rained 18 out of the first 22 days of June so who knows. I can't wait to be on vacation next week- that's right kiddies, I'm off to cruise to Bermuda on Sunday and I can't wait to say Bon Voyage for a bit.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Fat Camp Progress Report Part 2

Goals from week 2:

Get Active Daily
2 / 7 days or 29% completed
M
T- 4 mile run (5AP)
W
R
F
S- No More Trouble Zones DVD (6AP)
Su

Aim for 23+ APs/Week
11APs this week or 48% completed

Make Breakfast and Lunch 4X/Week
5 breakfasts and 4 lunches or 100% completed
M- Breakfast and lunch
T- Breakfast
W - Breakfast
R - Breakfast and lunch
S - Breakfast and lunch
Su- Lunch

Limit dining out to 30Points a meal
2 meals dining out, both under 30 points or 100% completed
M- Beer, Cheeseburger, French fries, 26pts
R- Steamed shrimp with garlic sauce, brown rice, egg roll, wonton soup, green tea ice cream, 12 pts

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Fat Camp Progress Report

I am happy to report a loss this week at Fat Camp: -1.8lbs.

I am even happier, however, that I accomplished my longest run yet (5 miles in 50 minutes) in preparation of my Fat Camp Fitness test, an 8K the last weekend in June.

My Fat Camp diet and exercise for the past few days:

Saturday
Exercise: 40 minutes of circuit weight training a la No More Trouble Zones DVD
B: 1 1/2c Honey Bunches of Oats with Almond, 1c skim milk, 1c coffee w/ skim milk and Splenda
L: slice of pizza
S: apple, 1tbsp peanut butter
D: 1 1/2 cheeseburgers
Late night drinking and snacking at a party: 5 light beers, 8oz Doritos, 2oz pretzels, 1 small brownie, 1 small piece of vanilla cake with vanilla icing

Sunday
Exercise: Leisurely walking at the mall, light lifting to help clean up from party
B: bagel with 4tbsp light cream cheese, coffee w/ skim milk and Splenda
D:1 1/2c penne w/ 1c tomato sauce, 1 meatball, 1 1/2c salad, 2tbsp light Italian dressing
S: 3 pretzel rods, 1c Corn Pops cereal, 1c skim milk

Monday
Exercise: 5 mile run
B: apple, 2c coffee w/skim milk and Splenda
L: 4oz chicken terriyaki, 1 1/4c white rice, 1c miso soup
S: 2 pieces dark chocolate
D: buffalo chicken salad (4oz grilled buffalo chicken breast, 2oz pepper jack cheese, 8 crushed up tortilla chips, 4tbsp light blue cheese dressing )
S: 1 Italian cookie, 1c International Coffee

Tuesday
B: high fiber, high protein cinnamon oatmeal
L: leftover buffalo chicken salad
D: dining out with a friend from high school....

Monday, June 15, 2009

Fat Camp Frustrations

My weight still does not seem to be changing. I did measure myself again though and I had some more inches lost since June 1st:

Chest: -0.75 inch
Waist: -0.5 inch
Hips: -1 inch
Thighs: 0
Arms: 0

I also feel really healthy. It such a shame that I am so wrapped up in the numbers on the scale. It's just hard to detach myself from them when I have been bouncing between 181-186 for 3 months. I just really want to make everyone really proud of me for succeeding at Fat Camp.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Fat Camp Emotional Eating

Fat Camp has me focusing on my emotional eating issues this week. My weekend family troubles have been stressing me out, and my body is feeling the effects because I have been feeling like crap all week.

Monday- Skipped exercise after work to go grab a burger and beer at a local bar. Trying desperately to get my mind off of things.
Tuesday- Got in a run, but felt like quitting the entire time. I somehow pushed through to finish my 3 miles.
Wednesday- Scarfed Sunchips at a birthday party for my fiance's cousin, but managed to control myself during the cake. Skipped exercise to go to party and make breakfast for co-workers for Thursday.
Thursday- I made a special breakfast (french toast casserole) for my project team at work because some people are leaving for vacations and this was the last day we'd all be together. I decidedly was going to have some for breakfast, which is ok, but I went back for seconds, which is not okay.

After breakfast, I stopped by some of my favorite blogs. Jack Sh*t's post was exactly what I needed this morning- it's all about taking control of your destiny by removing excuses. I realized that the control I was so desperately seeking isn't attainable by overeating. Eating too many Sunchips didn't smooth things over with my family, and it certainly didn't put me any closer to my weight loss goals.

Here's to finishing Thursday strong with some exercise and mindful eating.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Fat Camp Progress Report

I weighed in at 185.2 lbs this week, or no change in weight since last week. My only saving grace is that my fancy scale tells me my body fat% and it is saying that I have had a 3% decrease in body fat from last week. I know sometimes the body doesn't lose pounds, but it decreases in size so I am hoping that is the reason for no change in weight. I'll be sure to take my measurements to help justify the reasoning.

As for my Fat Camp Goals, here is my Progress Report:

Goal
Get Active Daily
4 / 7 days or 57% completed
M- Shred Level 2 and Pilates (3 AP and 1AP)
T
W- Ran 4 miles (8AP)
R
F
S- Ran 3 miles (5AP)
Su- No More Trouble Zones DVD (6 AP)

Aim for 20+ APs/Week
23APs this week or 100% completed

Make Lunch 3X/Week
Lunch made 5 times this week, 100% completed
W - Leftovers from dinner
R - Leftovers from dinner
F - Made lunch at home
S - Made lunch at parent's home
Su - Homemade lunch from my Aunt

Don't splurge when eating out
This is a poorly defined goal because it is subjective. Let's create a more objective goal and set a points limit for all meals and drinks when dining out 30Points. I know that sounds high but the Fat Camp Field Trip meal was 44 Points!

Suggestions for Improvement:
Get Active Daily- This goal may seem unattainable right now, so let's decrease it to 5 days this week
Aim for 20+APs this week- This goal was easily achieved. Up the APs to 23+APs this week to continue to push yourself.
Make Lunch 3X/Week- This goal was also easily achieved. Including weekends, make lunch 4X/Week and Breakfast 4X/Week.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Fat Camp Weekend Activities

The weekend was quite an emotional rollercoaster. The highs were: I toke my mom for her and my very first massages in honor of her 50th birthday. I signed up for my first road race- an 8K to Save the Barnegat Bay- a great race and a great cause that I will get to do with my cousins (maid of honor and a bridesmaid).

The lows were: The priest at my church who was set to marry me and my fiance is leaving to go to another church, but I only found out by reading the church newsletter. I have a meeting all set up with him in a few weeks and he never bothered to say he was leaving.
The kicker, however, was my father leaving before the birthday barbeque and cake for my mom, turning off his phone, and not returning until 5am. Then, my dad decided it would be a great idea to text me late last night claiming that my mom told him that I hate him- awesome.

Exercise was on schedule with a 3 mile run on Saturday and 40 mins of circuit weight training last night. Eating was just ok because I went over my weekly/activity points thanks to the cheeseburger for dinner on Saturday and the ice cream birthday cake.

I peeked at the scale this morning and it doesn't seem to have budged. I'll officially weigh in later and provide an update with the Fat Camp Week 1 in review. I really need help identifying my problem areas because I thought this week went well, but the scale seems to think otherwise.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Fat Camp Field Trip

I took a field trip last night to PF Changs. I'd love to tell you about how I restrained myself, but then I'd be a big liar... instead I'm just big.

Maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself. I did earn all the activity points that I traded for the meal. Unfortunately ,it was all my activity points this week.

Thursday
Breakfast- Peanut butter and jelly
Lunch- Chicken teriyaki and white rice
Dinner- 2 lettuce wraps, 6oz red wine, 2c Kung Pao chicken, 1/2c Beef Sichuan, 1/2 banana wonton dessert

Friday
Breakfast- 1c Lucky Charms (totally inspired by Bare It All's eating habits), 1c Honey Bunches Oats, 1 1/2c ff milk

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Fat Camp Day 3 & 4

Fat Camp Day 3 brought healthy eating choices and the longest run I've ever completed: 4 miles :-).

Unfortunately, the day was marred by an asshole who almost hit me with his car while I was running. I actually jumped out of the way of the car and smacked the hood of his car to get his attention so he wouldn't hit me. I also had a rough night with my fiance which means lots of tears, a late night, and a little make-up nookie ;-)

Breakfast - Oatmeal, strawberries, coffee
Lunch - Leftover "summer pasta" from dinner
Snack- Watermelon, 3 Hershey's kisses
Dinner- Thai chicken wrap

Fat Camp Day 4 is going well so far. Tonight is circuit training with the No More Trouble Zones DVD

Breakfast - Peanut butter and jelly, coffee
Lunch- I'm off to find something in the cafeteria
Snack- Watermelon
Dinner- Tonight it date night with my fiance, but a rule of Fat Camp is to not splurge when eating out, this is going to be a challenge

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Letter from Fat Camp

Dear Grandma,

They have been treating me real well here at Fat Camp. I get to eat 3 whole meals plus snacks!
Breakfast- 1c honey bunches or oats, coffee
Lunch- Naked tacos- rice, beans, beef, lettuce, pico de gallo
Snack- 1 slice bread, 1tbsp peanut butter
Dinner- Summer Pasta (papardelli noodles, carrots, zucchini, squash, tomatos in a white wine sauce with fresh mozzarella cheese)
Dessert- 3 Hershey kisses

I didn't exercise today though, which is a real rule breaker at Fat Camp. I have a feeling I will be punished tomorrow.

Lots of Love,
Ashley

P.S- I can't wait to get out of Fat Camp and have some of your delicious cookies :-)

Letter from Fat Camp

Dear Mom and Dad,

Fat Camp is going well. On the first day, I did the 30 Day Shred Level 2 and Pilates. My core muscles are so sore that it hurts to breath deeply. I ate the following:

Breakfast- fruit smoothie (1/2c mango, 1 banana, 1/2c low fat yogurt), coffee (skim milk, Splenda)
Snack- 1 cup fruit salad
Lunch- Subway 6in roastbeef with light mayonnaise, baked lays, 8oz iced tea
Snack- 2 Hershey kisses
Dinner- 4oz white wine, 5oz tilapia, 1c couscous, 1c cooked zucchini
Dessert- Berry cobbler (3/4 c mixed berries, 2 tbsp oats, 1tsp butter, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp brown sugar) with light whipped cream

Everything was delicious! Unfortunately, I weighed in at 185.2lbs, which means that I still have to lose 21.2lbs to reach my goal. I also took my measurements, so hopefully there will be a change in them and my weight soon.

I'll write again soon.

Love,
Ashley

Monday, June 1, 2009

I'm going to Fat Camp

Cartman at Fat Camp

That's right, I'm enrolling myself in Fat Camp as of today. I have been dissatisfied with my weight loss these past few months so it's time to cut the bullshit.

Motivation:
-I have a cruise coming up June 28th to Bermuda (i.e. bathing suit and skimpy clothes)
-My 24th birthday is July 1st
-My engagement party is July 11th (i.e. short and sleeveless form-fitting dress)
Metrics:
-I'll continue my weekly Monday weigh-ins
-Track measurements every week
-Track food and exercise all month
Exercising:
-Get active every single day- swim, run, Shred DVD, No More Trouble Zones DVD, Step class, Pilates, Yoga
-Aim for 20+ AP's weekly
Eating:
- Make lunch at least 3 times a week.
-No no more indulgences when I eat out because frankly, I eat out a few times a week. Although, I will also be cutting down on the eating out.
My blogging buddy Julia has enrolled herself into Boot Camp, a slightly less demoralizing name than Fat Camp. I hope she fares well!