OK, so I've been lurking for a few days now on the blog, enjoying everyone's posts and trying to figure out my own goals and strategy, besides just being a voyeur.
So, my main goals for the next two months (and hopefully going forward) are to maintain my weight, gain some more strength and tone in my body, and eat more healthy foods (without compromising in taste). On Monday morning I did weigh myself since I usually do to gauge my weight. After leading a six-person team last summer in our company's Journey Across America, it helped me tremendously to shed some most unwanted pounds and find my waistline again. Given my competitive nature, I ended up doing some form of physical activity almost every day, Wii'ing my way into the top ten groups that made it across America! My colleagues even noticed my weight loss and slimmer body, which was especially encouraging.
With respect to my second goal, while my shoulders tend to be very square (no shoulder pads for me!), I am not very strong in my upper body. So I'd like to become stronger and toner (without looking like a football player or short Sumo wrestler). I'm hoping to accomplish this by doing push-ups, and finding those long-lost, 5-pound weights that we have somewhere in this house to do some arm work. I'm setting my immediate goal on the upcoming Dragon Boat race, so when I'm sitting next to Marge in the boat and she yells, "Come on, people....row HARDER!!!" in my ear, I'll still have some reserve left in my upper body to finish and WIN the race. Oh, and I will also be back on the Wii at least a couple times a week since Nan has challenged me to the Chicken Flying game, which will also help my arm strength and endurance....bring it, Nan!!
Last note on exercising....as you all know, I've been playing softball with my company since late April. While not incredibly aerobic, it's been more fun than I thought it would be...if only I could stay uninjured! I do try to sprint whenever I can or keep moving during those games, and the heat does allow for sweating (and hopefully weight loss!). Our last game is next Tuesday so I'm hoping I can get back to tennis for the rest of the summer.
Oh yeah, what else....FOOD!! You all know that I love to eat and I've had periods in my life that it definitely showed (damn those Friendly sundaes), but I really do hate to compromise in taste. I recall that a very good friend of mine came to visit me and brought her own rice cakes as a snack, which looked about as appetizing as corrugated cardboard used for shipping. I know that once I say the "D-I-E-T" word, I will obsess about all the things I can't eat. So I follow the French way of life...don't compromise on quality; just eat smaller portions. When I concertedly want to lose weight, I gauge myself by John's portion and if he's full since he generally eats less than I do at a sitting. Then I'll eat slower and just wait until my brain tells my stomach that I'm "full." However, I do also try to stay away from fried foods and have been eating more salads, though the tiger in me will never give up red or white meat. I also try to eat less carbs, but not totally since I believe they're necessary for my workouts and again, total deprivation leads me to obsession.
That's it for now. Lots of luck to everyone on their personal goals...I know you can all do it!! :-)
This is a post from Annie, Master Gamer! Annie, I think you look great--the best you ever have!
ReplyDeleteI think frequent snacking is okay as long as the snacks are healthy -- nuts, fruit, handful of Cherrios, pieces of bread, spoonful of peanut butter or ice cream -- and it doesn't just fulfill anxiety, worrisome, boredom or sadness. Snacking can keep your blood sugar even. If you skip meals or wait too long in between, then your body/mind goes in survival mode and you will eat whatever is in front of you and make bad, impulsive choices. So, being conscious of where you'll be and for how long and if you have time to eat a regular healthy meal at the proper time is helpful. If you don't know if you'll have time to eat, then pack some snacks to keep you balanced until you can eat a better meal. Then, you won't be scarfing it down, then feel bad, guilty and bloated. We can fall off for sure, but try to be nice to your body and you will feel great!
ReplyDeleteSome people do well with grazing, but snacking for me is hard to curtail. I like nuts, but I can overdo the nuts. It's better for me to put nuts on something on eating as a meal. A piece of fruit, carrot stick, or apple is good for me. But generally, I"m better off having a satisfying meal. If the meal is not satisfying, I tend to go searching for snacks. The ayurvedic diet is to try to hit as many taste notes as possible with aromatics, sweet, salty, spicy, tart, sour, etc., so that you feel satiated. Best to try to do these with spices and herbs, of course, not with a multitude of snacks.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Bets! As you know, I've had periods in my life where I definitely was over my ideal weight (ahem, we won't mention which wedding that was ;-). As for the snacking, I usually try to put my snacks in a bowl (or one handful) so I can gauge how much I've eaten. We all know how easy it is to scarf down a whole bag of Pirate Booty! :-P
ReplyDeleteyeah, you look super, egirl! what is the benefit of the fish oil? keith takes one a day for arthritis.
ReplyDeleteYes, I started taking fish oil because of my carpal tunnel and to help my joints. Here's some more info on the subject: http://www.fish-oil-advice.com/what-does-fish-oil-do/.
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