SBD: Update

Just a little update since my last post. I am still concentrating on weight loss. On December 14th's weigh in I hit 17 lost total. I didn't lose anything between that weigh-in & the next on December 21. Christmas & The New Year came; I gain 1.5 lbs and have stalled at that weight for now! Looking back at my numbers from the first time doing this, I see that a plateau is normal for my body at this point in weight loss mode. So I am just plugging along! If the pattern holds true, I'm due for a big loss at the weigh in after next! ;)

SBD: Monday Weigh In

Scale did not budge! I thought I would see a large loss because I have drastically cut my Diet Pepsi consumption. I went one week having only one. That is a HUGE thing for me. I was up to about 8 or so cans per day. I have replaced it with a coffee or tea in the morning and lots of water!!

Slow & steady wins this race...

SBD: Monday Weigh in

Down another 2 -- 14.5 total!

I will post my menu plan sometime tomorrow. Bob is out of town (returns tomorrow afternoon), Olivia works, and tomorrow we will go out to eat, as is the tradition when one of us returns from a trip out of town. Therefore, there was no urgent need to plan the Monday or Tuesday menus.

SBD: Weigh In

Down another 1.5 for a total of 12.5!

SBD: Phase 2

Down another 3 for a total of 7.5.

Beginning today I can gradually add back in whole grains & fruit. Oh how I have missed you fruit! :)

This is My New Year's Day

January 26 must be a good day for me to begin something!

Five years ago today I changed my eating habits. More than half the weight has crept back on! I am still eating healthy (most of the time), but had kind of stopped "moving" in the couple months. I did maintain the loss of 6 lbs from the fall.

That brings me to what I started doing today! I started "moving" again! I went to a local indoor pool and swam a little over 1/2 a mile! It felt so good to be back in the pool again. I don't think I have swam since the triathlon! YIKES!

Weight Loss Journey

I have moved to Phase 2 and am down 1 more pound -- coming off slowly, but at least I found something to get the number on the scale going down rather than up. The 2 weeks on Phase 1 must have been what my body needed to get moving.

I spoke with my doctor last week and am going to continue with what I am doing until early Feb. She will test my thryoid levels again & we'll discuss the need for seeing an endo then. Other than the uber slow metabolism all the symptoms that motivated me to have my thyroid levels checked are gone so I don't think there is any reason to run to a specialist at this point. When we have my numbers in Feb, it may paint a completely different picture, but for now I am comfortable with this path.

SBD Week 2

Forgot to update you all on my weight loss progress from week 2 of phase 1. I lost 2.5 lbs from Nov 3 - Nov 9. That brings my total to 5, and more importantly, I had to buckle my belt one notch smaller. :)

South Beach Diet "Revisited"

Most of you probably remember my post earlier this year about trouble with weight gain and other symptoms that had me thinking I had hypothryoidism. Most symptoms are gone or aren't as severe, but not the weight gain. I have gained more weight since then. I still eat healthy foods and appropriate portions, I exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Since nothing seems to be working, I have gone back to South Beach Diet Phase 1.

I never "left" SBD, but none of my doctors suggestions have worked so this is the last resort. If going back to the SBD Phase 1 works, I will move on to Phase 2 to lose that weight that has crept back. If Phase 1, again, does nothing, I will schedule another appointment with my doctor who will probably refer me to an endocrinologist.

My fingers are crossed that this will work!! Today is Day #2!

Not Hypo

Oops...saved as a draft instead of publishing this baby!

Well, all my blood work came back fine. My cholesterol wasn't just fine -- it was excellent! :) I credit that to eating whole grains & good fats! Thanks to learning South Beach Diet way of life! :)

I do not have hypothyroidism at the moment, but the doctor believes my body could be headed in that direction since my number was on lower side of the normal range. She will test again in a year. If I don't start feeling better and my metabolism doesn't speed up, she will refer me to an endocrinologist.

For now, she had a few suggestions for boosting my metabolism based on the food/work out journal I keep. She thought my caloric intake was a little low for the amount of activity so she suggested I raised my caloric intake about 100-150 calories. She also suggested adding one more strength training workout to my week. I am going to make those changes and see how it goes!

Anyone know of other ways to boost a slow metabolism?

Training for the Future

I found this Couch-to-5K program few years ago, but had forgotten about it when I began training for my triathlon. By the time I stumbled upon it again, I thought it was too late to change up what I was already doing.

Next year I want to be able to run the entire 3.1 miles, and this afternoon I took the first steps to assure that happens.

Triscuits, I Think I Love You

While grocery shopping a few weeks ago, I picked up Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Triscuits. Today, I had my first taste of them! Oh my, they are SO good and pretty good for me too. As long as I don't eat the whole box...lol! I didn't! *snicker* I topped them with Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss Cheese! It was a nice treat for my morning snack! :)

Training Totals

Here are my training totals for the week so far.

Mon: 40 minute bike
Tue: 35 minute run
Wed: REST
Thu: 30 minute swim
Fri: 50 minute bike
Tot: 155 minutes

My training schedule calls for 215 minutes total this week. I have a 25 minute swim and 35 minute run left to complete. I plan to do those over the weekend.

I continue to do a light strength program while training for the tri. Since I posted about the 8.5 lb loss on May 8, I have only lost another half a pound. While I the numbers on the scale aren't moving much, I do see a difference in my body and how my clothes fit. Most importantly how I feel. I enjoy biking, running, and swimming. I plan to keep it up after the tri!

I have been eating healthy and only have one Diet Pepsi a day. (One soad per day is a HUGE improvement for me.) I need to to track what I am eating to see if I am eating enough calories to fuel my body for the increased exercise. I am wondering if that is why the pounds are coming off so slowly. I don't mind them coming off slowly. Those are the ones that stay off, but I am curious to see if that might be the cause. I am so close to getting into those capris & shorts from last year.

Two Months and Counting

The triathlon is two months from today! Here's where I am at:

1. I am up able to run a little over 2 miles at this point. When I started training a month ago, I couldn't even run a mile. (The run is 3.1 miles.)

2. I am able to swim 600 yards without stopping. (The swim is half a mile which is 880 yards.)

3. I am able to bike 15 miles without being too run down. (The bike is 12.4 miles.)

4. I have lost 8.5 lbs! (Still have a little to lose to get into my capris from last summer.)

5. I have DRASTICALLY cut my Diet Pepsi consumption. Until about two weeks ago, I drank Diet Pepsi ALL day long. I probably had 8-10 cans a day. The most I have had on any day since I got sick is ONE. This past Friday & Saturday I didn't have a single one. I have replaced the sodas with water & iced green tea.

6. I have passed my fundraising goal of $250 and haven't sent out letters other than to online contacts. (I need to get these out this week!)

I think I am in good shape, but need to keep it up! This week is a heavy training week with workouts Monday - Friday. Next week is really light. Then it builds as the date gets closer with light workouts the week prior to the event.

Three Years

Today is the third anniversary of the day I changed my eating habits. I struggled with weight most of my life. I was tired, uncomfortable, and unhealthy! I knew I needed to make a change so I did! I had wonderful success and lost 69 pounds in about 18 months.

One of the old habits has crept back (skipping meals), and with it I found a few of those lost pounds. I started tracking EVERYTHING I eat and am making sure I am getting enough calories. (Did you know your body will go into starvation mode if you don't get enough calories and losing weight will be difficult?)

I know once I am back to eating as I should and regular workouts those pounds may come off. If they don't, I am okay with it. As long as I am doing healthy things for my body, my body will decide what weight it is comfortable at. In the beginning, it was about the number on the scale and on the tag of my jeans. It was a big step, but I have come to realize good health doesn't have a magic number.

If I can do, it anyone can!!!!

Workout: 15 minutes treadmill, 20 mintues upright bike, and 30 minutes elliptical (back to weights on Monday!)

The Y-M-C-A!

I finally got back to the Y after a long break! It felt good to be working out again. I didn't realize how much I had missed it! The strep & sinus infection are all cleared up, and I won't allow myself anymore excuses. :)

Workout today: 35 minutes on treadmill* & 35 minutes on upright bike!

*I hate the treadmill, but all my favorite machines (the ellipticals) were being used. :(

Beautiful Days

Today (and yesterday as a matter of fact) were the most gorgeous days! I will take a little lot of rain anyday if it means I can enjoy two days like we just had. The sky was the most glorious blue with a few lovely puffy clouds. The temps were in the low 70s and a I see a few trees beginning to change color.

While weather wise the day was beautiful, it was a little stressful. As some of you know, just about everyone over 45 on my dad's side of the family has or died from some sort of heart ailment. We got a call last night that my dad was going to be having a heart catheratization. I believe this was his fourth since 1997. Apparently, he has been having pain in his back (near the shoulder blade) and down his arm off and on since March, and didn't tell anyone. Thankfully, my stepmom noticed how much pain he was in and made him go to the doctor.

The procedure went fine, but he did have to have a pretty severe blockage clean out and a stint placed there. Another area the balloon was used. He was home about two hours after the procedure. He is doing well other than being tired.

I worry about this man constantly. After the first cath he stopped smoking for awhile, but now smokes as much as before if not more. He hasn't changed his eating habits. He does have one thing going for him and that's excercise. He delivers fuel oil for a living and that is no easy job! Just wish he would listen to the doctors, my stepmom, my brothers and I when we tell him he needs to make changes. Both his parents and one brother died of heart disease. His other brother had 6 bypasses when he was 52. My dad is just one stubborn man!

That is one of the things that motivates me to maintain a healthy weight and excercise almost daily.