The Elongator

B2B W11: 125/250, ***, 6 stairs

Today, I discovered the ELONGATOR. This is a phenomenal machine. I was contemplating beginning yoga during this quarter's challenge because my body was screaming for some stretching. I was going kind of batty trying to figure out where to put it. Would I stop going to WW meetings and just do the online program so I could do hot yoga on Saturday morning? Could I take a class in the evening?

Well, when I went to my meeting on Saturday, I realized that I need the support of the meeting for now. I want to get those stars and hurrahs. I want to see what other people look like when they get their 10%. I like the ideas that I get from the meetings. One week someone said that they text themselves bravos and inspirational messages and when they feel like eating a house they look at the text. It's really good for me.

I considered going to the meeting, then going to hot yoga, but the timing was off. I also enjoy going to the gym on Saturday mornings with DBF.

And hell, saying that I'm going to do anything resembling exercise in the evening at this point is setting myself up for failure.

So today, I decided to tryout the contraption that I first saw in the ladies' locker room. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO good. It was just what I wanted and needed. Five to ten minutes of stretching that feels like I elongated my spine and my muscles. Now, I feel tall and lean (even if I am only 5'4" and weigh 258lbs :-).

Oh, and I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, incline 6 intensity 5. Here's looking at you Tony!

A Pivotal Week

B2B W11: 60/250, *, 3 stairs
B2B W10 WI: -3.2 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -13.2lbs
Current Weight: 258.6lbs

I had a mental shift this week. I've been talking all along about choosing to be healthy, choosing to move, choosing to eat wholesome food. This week I shifted into choosing. I shifted from hemming and hawing over how much I HAVE to do this and how much I SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be eating something into doing it because I want to feel healthy. I shifted into really feeling healthy this week. I shifted into being inspired by feeling energized and invigorated. I had the mental battles over what to eat, but once I reminded myself that I'm making the choice to be healthy, the enemy (whatever it was in my head) surrendered. I felt at peace with my choices. I felt that I was moving in stride with what I said I wanted.

It happened through a series of conversations I had with friends. On Monday I was reminded that my life is not an obligation. I do have the power to create it. The activities that I engage in are activities in which I choose to engage. Exercising and eating healthy are things I chose to do at the beginning of the year. I made a commitment to change the way I see food and movement for life, not just a spurt while I'm loosing weight. No one is punishing me. The moment I let go of the battering ram, all of my choices became MUCH easier.

I also watched a Law of Attraction video that let me know that I was struggling against the natural flow of Life. My natural state is health. My being wants to be healthy, that's why it's such a strong desire. All this time I'm MAKING myself do stuff, I'm going against the natural current. I simply reframed my thinking from "have to" to "get to". I get to go to the gym. I started being appreciative of the ability to work on the treadmill. Rather than think about how sleepy I am in the morning, I thought about how exhilarated and invigorated I feel when I exercise. Instead of swallowing my veggies and suffering them until I could have the good stuff, I started to imagine clean, vital blood flowing through my muscles and organs. Healthy blood carrying the nutrients and fuel that I need to live and thrive.

Best of all, I shifted from being my best critic, to being my best coach.

Victories!!!

B2B W10: 375/250, ******, 15 stairs

I RAN AROUND THE TRACK TODAY!!!

TWICE!!!

My pace for 45 minutes was 3.2 mph! For comparison, I usually do 2.9 mph.

I passed the Navy couple!

I didn't want to go to the gym and almost didn't. I even let myself out of it. Then, I thought about how energized and invigorated I feel when I go and I got dressed and got out of the house...IN THE RAIN!!!

I walked down the block and across the street. I ran up the stairs. I did a spectacular workout. I feel energized and invigorated.

Setting a small, easily achievable goal and meeting it is the best thing you can do for yourself on your weight loss journey. I have proven it true for myself. In the first weeks of this challenge I was so excited just to meet my goal. I proved to myself that I can indeed do it. I stopped beating myself up for failing because I was succeeding.

Today, I'm moving from not beating myself up to actually championing myself. I want to be my best coach. I am often my best critic. I tend to see my job as identifying my flaws and punishing myself for them before anyone else has the chance. I do this so I don't get blindsided. That is shifting in me. The best part is that every aspect of my life is benifitting from this new attitude.

Be your own best coach.

In other news, I'm rethinking what I'm going to do for the next challenge. Stay tuned.

Less Than 750 Minutes To Go

B2B W10: 330/250, *****, 12 stairs

I am soooooooooo excited. I feel so psyched just for meeting this goal. I didn't really think I was capable of meeting goals anymore. Shocking and sad to say, but I actually felt that way. Now I'm almost 80% to my first goal of the year.

Wow!

Food is still healthy and wholesome. I'm liking the 2 fruit in the morning. By the time I leave work, I've had 6 servings of fruit and veggies. I have 2 in the morning, 2 for lunch, and 2 for a mid-afternoon snacks. You would think I would have the mentality of oh, it's done. I won't lie. I partially do, but mostly, I want more healthy food!!!!

Exercise is great. I am pushing my intensity on the elliptical. I think of the Anti-Jared and Brandi and Lyn and KK and Diana and Jared and Pasta Queen and all the other wonderful, supportive bloggers. I imagine that the row of ellipticals and bikes and treadmills are filled with us. I think that I could be peddling alongside any one of you and I want to give my all. I also set mini-targets and I get psyched to hit them. Today I ellipticalled at 4 mph on 10/4/4/4 intervals. I burned 555 calories. Next week I want to try intervals at resistance 5. The machine automatically programs the level 10 at resistance 8. One day I will be able to do that.

This Monday I had lunch with a friend of mine and I realized that I view my life as one obligation after another. No matter how beneficial, or enjoyable the activity is at the moment, I tend to view it as an obligation. That goes for my job, my food choices, exercise, church, cooking, and so on. Everything, all of a sudden, has become a chore, rather than a joy. When I had the realization, I decided to change my perspective. And in that moment, just like that I switched. My life is filled with joy. JOY-FILLED!!!

Healthy Me

B2B W10: 280/250, ****, 9 stairs

Wow!!! I have about 25% to go. I remember in the beginning it seemed as though she was running along so slowly. Now the time is just zipping by. It's adding up really fast.

I am doing well with my food. I'm trying something different this week. For breakfast, instead of a breakfast bar, I'm having fruit. My body is just craving more nutrients. The more I exercise, the better I want to eat. The better I eat (meaning more whole, healthy food), the more whole, healthy food I want to eat. It's an upward spiral.

This morning I walked around the track and they were doing a sports conditioning class in the gym below. My goodness! I was so impressed. I now aspire to finish that class in its entirety by the time I get to onederland. They did everything. They ran, did stairs, weight bands, tricep dips, jump rope, abs, lunges, jump squats. It was truly inspiring. I found myself walking around the track faster.

Also, this morning, as I was inspired by that class, I got the inclination to walk with weights. I picked up 2 2.5lb dumbells thinking I could walk with them. HA!!! I ended up standing there doing bicep curls and stopped after 10. I soooooo need to add strength training. Can't weight to start the next challenge in 3 weeks.

I felt so healthy walking the track: healthy skin, healthy blood, healthy heart, healthy bones, healthy organs, healthy muscles:-)

Quick Check In

B2B W10: 230/250, ***, 6 stairs

I'm in training today, but this is just a quick check in. I tried the Macaroni Grill garlic herb chicken penne from the box with turkey sausage yesterday. It was delish:-)

Another Reason to Lose Weight

This came out today at my job.

Effective 7/1/2011, all members who have a BMI (body mass index) of 40% or higher, will be moved to the 70/30 plan and will have to cover dependants as listed for the smokers above. Then in 2012, they will lower the BMI to 30 or 35% restrictions.

Ironically, I was looking at DBF disqualifyers last night and said to myself I need to get below 231 so I'll be eligible for health insurance if I ever get laid off or I become self employed. Seems like I need to do it even if I stay at my current employer. A BMI of 40 means about 231 lbs for me. This is now one of my mini goal. Next will be 205 (BMI 35), then 175 (BMI 30). At 175, I'll be merely overweight, rather than obese. My goal after 150, then 135.

Mini Goals

265.0 - 5% to GOAL!
Met 02/07/09

257.8 - 5% lost
251.2 - 15% to GOAL!
244.6 - 1st 10%
231.0 - eligible for self employment HI
224.0 - 35% to GOAL!
217.4 - Second 10%
210.2 - 40% to GOAL!
205.0 - 35 BMI
196.4 - 55% to GOAL!
182.0 - 65% to GOAL!
175.0 - 30 BMI, just over weight
162.4 - 80% to GOAL!
155.4 - 85% to GOAL!
145.0 - 24.9 BMI, healthy weight
135.0 - GOAL!!!