Fresh meat
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:54 pm
Ok, so I actually started last Friday 7/1, and I don’t think I’ve slipped (maybe an errant piece of fruit before a workout??), but I haven’t been writing it down, so, to satisfy my borderline anal-retentive need to track things, I’ll start at Day One. First, a little about me <cue the old Dating Game music>.
I’m pretty active. I workout 5-6 times a week, which means swimming, running, kickboxing and step classes, and strength training (I know, this is sometimes more than 5-6, but sometimes they are combined, e.g. if it’s a short run I might also swim or lift). I do running races and triathlons (only the “sprint” distance, so far!). Also, I walk to and from work (2.5 miles each way) unless I’m super late or it’s pouring (like today). I live in the city and don’t own a car, so I also walk to the grocery store, etc. It might sound like a lot, but please understand that this is not overdoing it for me. I’ve never struggled to keep it up, it makes me feel good, and helps with some of my medical issues. I never run into the issue of forcing myself to exercise (also known as the-best-recipe for non-stick-to-it-edness) because if I don’t feel like working out on a given day, I just don’t. It’s my lifestyle and it’s been this way since I was a kid. Sorry if I sound defensive--I know this might be different from the experience of a lot of folks on here—but you all seem so accepting of everyone’s different circumstances, I just don’t want people to pin the “obsessive” label on me…
I am 30 years old, 5’4”, and I think I look and feel best at around 125, which is where I was in the summer of 2002. Currently I’m around 145--not technically overweight (or not very, at least, especially considering my muscle mass), but I’m over what I think my weight should be and always has been, until about two years ago [insert boring, self-pitying sob story about my divorce, knee surgery, diagnosis of a weird kind of arthritis, etc.]. Anyway, it may seem odd that I could be this active and still need to lose 20 pounds. Yes, I too, scratch my head at life’s little quirks. To look at me, you wouldn’t say I was heavy, I don’t think, and I don’t think anyone would guess my true weight (I’ll see if I can find a recent pic). In any case, I want to lose around 20. (I know my fitness and speed would increase dramatically by losing it!).
I haven’t tried any kooky diets because I’ve never thought anything but a calorie deficit was logical…but the logical thing also always seemed the hardest to do, with either counting calories, weighing food etc, or adhering to the vague advice in health and fitness magazines etc to reduce portion size (doesn’t hold me accountable enough, maybe?) or have a healthy snack (too much leeway for me), but I am definitely good with rules (I find the comically strict thing to ring true for me) so if I know I can’t have a snack (or sweets), I just can’t, end of inquiry. Add in S-days to eliminate the deprivation issue and la viola!
I think my problems (aside from an injury and a medical condition that sidelined me from exercise for a while) are portion control and emotional eating. These issues are new for me in the past few years--I was a skinny little kid and a very slim teenager and young adult, with no eating issues to speak of (being suddenly single and alone can do things to a person, apparently… I think for me this will be a reconditioning to where I was before—it’s amazing that three years of relative unhappiness could have derailed me so much, but hey, live and learn…but I digress). SO! the one plate thing and no non-meal eating should be right on for addressing my particular issues—in fact I’ve already seen pretty startling results over the last week.
Whew. Sorry to be so long-winded. I promise I am usually much more charming. Anyway, look for me on the daily check in board. Like I said, I’m about a week into it, but today will officially be Day One <cue Darth Vader music>.
Yeah.
I’m pretty active. I workout 5-6 times a week, which means swimming, running, kickboxing and step classes, and strength training (I know, this is sometimes more than 5-6, but sometimes they are combined, e.g. if it’s a short run I might also swim or lift). I do running races and triathlons (only the “sprint” distance, so far!). Also, I walk to and from work (2.5 miles each way) unless I’m super late or it’s pouring (like today). I live in the city and don’t own a car, so I also walk to the grocery store, etc. It might sound like a lot, but please understand that this is not overdoing it for me. I’ve never struggled to keep it up, it makes me feel good, and helps with some of my medical issues. I never run into the issue of forcing myself to exercise (also known as the-best-recipe for non-stick-to-it-edness) because if I don’t feel like working out on a given day, I just don’t. It’s my lifestyle and it’s been this way since I was a kid. Sorry if I sound defensive--I know this might be different from the experience of a lot of folks on here—but you all seem so accepting of everyone’s different circumstances, I just don’t want people to pin the “obsessive” label on me…
I am 30 years old, 5’4”, and I think I look and feel best at around 125, which is where I was in the summer of 2002. Currently I’m around 145--not technically overweight (or not very, at least, especially considering my muscle mass), but I’m over what I think my weight should be and always has been, until about two years ago [insert boring, self-pitying sob story about my divorce, knee surgery, diagnosis of a weird kind of arthritis, etc.]. Anyway, it may seem odd that I could be this active and still need to lose 20 pounds. Yes, I too, scratch my head at life’s little quirks. To look at me, you wouldn’t say I was heavy, I don’t think, and I don’t think anyone would guess my true weight (I’ll see if I can find a recent pic). In any case, I want to lose around 20. (I know my fitness and speed would increase dramatically by losing it!).
I haven’t tried any kooky diets because I’ve never thought anything but a calorie deficit was logical…but the logical thing also always seemed the hardest to do, with either counting calories, weighing food etc, or adhering to the vague advice in health and fitness magazines etc to reduce portion size (doesn’t hold me accountable enough, maybe?) or have a healthy snack (too much leeway for me), but I am definitely good with rules (I find the comically strict thing to ring true for me) so if I know I can’t have a snack (or sweets), I just can’t, end of inquiry. Add in S-days to eliminate the deprivation issue and la viola!
I think my problems (aside from an injury and a medical condition that sidelined me from exercise for a while) are portion control and emotional eating. These issues are new for me in the past few years--I was a skinny little kid and a very slim teenager and young adult, with no eating issues to speak of (being suddenly single and alone can do things to a person, apparently… I think for me this will be a reconditioning to where I was before—it’s amazing that three years of relative unhappiness could have derailed me so much, but hey, live and learn…but I digress). SO! the one plate thing and no non-meal eating should be right on for addressing my particular issues—in fact I’ve already seen pretty startling results over the last week.
Whew. Sorry to be so long-winded. I promise I am usually much more charming. Anyway, look for me on the daily check in board. Like I said, I’m about a week into it, but today will officially be Day One <cue Darth Vader music>.
Yeah.