The (Revised) Gym Plan, and an NSV!

Everything is moving along quite nicely. When I left you on Thursday, I was stoked at my 3rd loss in a row. I did end up being able to get in all of the planned meals that day, but I did have to force myself to eat a bit, since I really wasn't feeling well.

I went to the doc on Friday, and thankfully got lotsa different meds, which have me feeling so much better. I feel HUMAN again. After my doc's appt, I met with my trainer for our first session. He warmed me up on the treadmill for a while, which I didn't really like (I feel like it's a waste of the session), then we went and did some strength work (triceps and glutes, both of which I'd really like to get toned). I decided to go ahead and buy a package of 12 sessions with him, and plan to meet once a week. Next week, I told him I'll come in a bit before our session and warm up on my own so we can spend the entire session on strength. He thought this was a great idea, which I was relieved by. I definitely want someone who is on the same page as I am. He's cute too, which doesn't hurt ;-)

I've refined my exercise plan a bit. Once I (hopefully) start working again, I'll probably need to shuffle it around, but this should be good for now.

Sunday - Pilates session (55 minutes) and Cardio (45 minutes)
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Cardio (going to shoot for an hour, but 45 minutes at the minimum)
Wednesday - Pilates session (55 minutes)
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Cardio (30-45 minutes) and Personal Training (1 hour)
Saturday - Rest

I may try a few different classes out on Saturday afternoon if I'm in the mood (Zumba, etc). For right now, I'm still sticking with the treadmill for my cardio, but have started adding incline which ups the calorie burn pretty significantly (same pace/time as before, but working up to 5% incline brought me from 340 calories to 470 calories according to the machine). Once I've done this for a month or two, I'm going to try a spin class.

I also did a bit of shopping online tonight, and got myself lots of fun accessories - all in pink, my favorite color. I got a HRM finally, so I can accurately track the calories out (I went with the Polar FT4F), a new water bottle to replace the one my sister got me for Christmas that has already gotten ruined in the dishwasher, and a new pair of sneakers. I'll be all matchy matchy in th gym, and my OCD likes that for sure.

I have a really fun NSV last night - lots of people have been commenting that my face is looking really thin, which is nice....but I got a great compliment from a surprise person! As I've mentioned, I work at a comedy club. Last night, none other than C*h*r*i*s R*o*c*k came in. Now, I've known him for years, but haven't seen him in a while. It took him a few minutes to recognize me, and when he did, his face got all surprised and he said "Hi! Shit, I didn't realize that was you!" So I smiled and said hi back, and he came over and said to me quietly "You got so skinny! You look great!" It made me smile a whole lot :)

I'll leave you with 2 pics from Friday night. Went out with the BFF and decided to rock the new boots, along with a cute new denim miniskirt. I was trying to get a cute pic, but decided to take a goofy one first:



Doncha love how I look deformed? The way my shirt is falling, it looks like I have a pointy rib cage, and one leg looks way smaller than the other because of how I'm standing. The face is pretty silly, too..



This one is better :)

Have a great week, everyone!!!

xoxo

A Loss 3 Weeks in a Row!

Woo! This morning's weigh in was 222.2 - down 1.4 from last week, almost 8 from the start of my little re-commitment 3 weeks ago, and 52.8 overall. Yeah!!! Honestly, I was hoping for more, but I guess it's at the point where the dramatic weight loss settles down a bit to a comfy pace. Pus I've been faithfully going to the gym every other day, so I'm sure I'm gaining muscle/retaining water from muscle soreness...whatever that theory is, haha.

Speaking of the gym, I AM SO IN LOVE WITH PILATES. I went ahead and bought a package of 24 sessions. I originally had a comp session, and then I bought 2 more, so that brings me to 27. I'm planning on going twice a week, so that brings me to May. I found a quote that I love: "In ten sessions, you will feel the difference, in twenty you will see the difference, and in thirty you'll have a whole new body"(Joseph H. Pilates). Well, I am only 2 in, and I already notice a difference. I feel different, and I'm moving differently. My core is already getting stronger.

I also have a personal training session tomorrow - it was supposed to be Monday after my fitness assessment, but the trainer asked if we could reschedule so he could have time to design a program. I didn't mind, so the comp session is tomorrow. I'll decide after that if I want to buy a few sessions for that, to round out my fitness plan a bit more. All I need to do now is work up the nerve to try a spin class. I'm thinking 2 Pilates classes, 2 days of cardio, and 1 trainer session a week should be the major push I need.

After my trainer session tomorrow, I am treating myself to a massge, and adding on a paraffin hand/foot wrap. I can't wait - my body is definitely feeling the effects of all of my activity and it'll be a nice escape for a while.

I've got a lot going on for someone who isn't working a day job at the moment - between the gym, obsessing over my daily tracking, mounting a job search, and then my newest addition, prepping to go back to school...I'm a busy bee! I'm also still sick, which is getting pretty annoying that it's lingered for so long...finally going to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully I'll get some drugs.

Because of the sickies, my appetite hasn't been that great, but I AM trying to eat enough calories to keep my metabolism up and running, especially since I haven't cut out the gym (I've felt good enough to go). Here's a screenshot of my "plan" for today:



Unfortunately, as of 5:15PM, all I've made it through is the 2 cups of tea (that's what the half and half entry is - I only input the things that have calories) and the Kashi hot cereal. I have a lot to eat before this day is done!!! Oy.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Lazy Sunday, Sickies and NYC Brunch!

Well, my cold from last week is hovering on the brink of full blown bronchitis (I describe it this way because last night I would have said full blown, but today I strangely feel better?) Either way, I'm feeling run down and crappy, so I slept until 3 this afternoon (!!!) and don't plan on taking off my PJ's at all today.

We had the NYC brunch yesterday, and it was great! A lot of people weren't able to make it because of the snow, so it was Catherine, Monika (a non-blogger), Jacquie and her adorable two girls, and myself. We had a lovely time just chatting about band issues, life, etc over a yummy yummy brunch for a few hours. I hope we didn't bore Jacquie's girls too much :) We somehow did not take any pictures, but hopefully we'll do another brunch again soon and we'll remedy that. Even though it was snowing, I was bound and determined to wear my boots, so I wore my snow boots to/from the restaurant, and changed once I got there into my new smokin' boots.

After brunch, Monika and I took a cab uptown, and since she sometimes goes to the gym I just joined, I may have a sometime gym buddy! It'd be nice to have someone to work out with every now and then. Since I was sick, and had had to go into work every night this week, I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do so last night. Luckily I got the call that I had the night off, and instead of taking a nap like I planned, I hauled my butt down the block to the gym for some quality treadmill time.

All is well on the tracking front. I had a planned no-track day yesterday, and went off the rails a bit, but I am back on my best behavior today (will probably come in way under calories/protein as I don't feel much like eating).

It's going to be a busy week - tomorrow I have my fitness assessment and complimentary personal training session in the morning, then an orientation for the outplacement company that my former employer provided access to as part of my severance package. Then I'll head to the Bronx for some hang time with mama, sister and the kitties. Tuesday I'll run some errands around the Bronx, then mama and I are going to get some spa pedicures (what a hardship, I know!) Wednesday is a planned gym day (most likely just treadmill) then work at night, Thursday is a work night, and then Friday I'm hoping to do another Pilates session, followed by some treadmill time, and I'm going to treat myself to some time in the sauna and a massage :) I also have tentative plans to go out with my BFF Friday night so it'll be another planned no-track day (I'm allowing myself one a week, as long as it's worth it!)

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and has a lovely week!

xo

3 More Gone, and My First Pilates Session!

Let's start with my happy news of the day: weigh in was 223.6, down 3 pounds from last week, and the lowest weight I've seen in more than 10 years! I'm down almost 6 pounds since I started tracking and working out 2 weeks ago. Coincidence? I think not. Less than 40 pounds to go before maintenance for a few months, then plastics.

Today at the gym, I went to my complimentary Pilates session. I FREAKING LOVED IT. It was a different type of workout than I've ever experienced. What I always tell trainers, gym people, etc is that I don't want to build any more muscle (except my core), just tone and define what I already have. Some of the ab work was really really hard, and I am already feeling sore, but such a good sore. I'm going to buy a package of sessions in a few weeks. My complimentary fitness assessment and personal training session is Monday, and while I don't anticipate purchasing any sessions of that, I'll see how it goes. Otherwise, I'm really enjoying my workouts. I want to buy a heart rate monitor - anyone have one they love that they can recommend?

I'm excited about the brunch on Saturday! I will indeed be wearing the boots, and during a successful shopping trip the other day, picked up a cute outfit to go with them. I also got another pair of workout pants and a dress for my friend's wedding in a few months.

Keeping It Up

I'm still on track with my tracking. I've successfully logged everything I've put in my mouth for the last 6 of 7 days (not including today and tomorrow, which are already built out on MFP). I went over calories one of those tracking days (Thursday), which was semi-planned - my goal there was to just track, whatever the outcome was.

I feel comfortable enough to stop listing everything out here (unless some people find it helpful to see what others are eating). I get into a groove and start eating the same things over and over, just because it's easy.

I also went to the gym yesterday. Did 45 minutes (not including warm up and cool down) at 3.8 mph. I attempted 4.0, and did so for the first 10 minutes or so, but it was too much to keep up for the entire time I wanted. So I knocked it back a little. It' still faster than my usual of 3.5mph. My butt is killing me today though!!! I guess it's been a while since my glutes got a workout - maybe it'll help lift them a little :)

Overall, I feel fantastic. Not only am I fueling my body properly (and am therefore never hungry), but I'm MOVING. While I'm walking on the treadmill, I'm enjoying feeling everything coming together. Yay me!

I also had some NSV's - a guy I was semi-involved with a few years ago was at the club on Friday night when I got there to start my shift, and when I took my coat off, his jaw literally dropped. He just kept repeating "You look great!" and talking about how we should hang out. He's generally full of talk, so I'm not expecting anything, but it was still nice to see his reaction. Later that night, my best friend's husband came in (he's a comic) and he hadn't seen me in a few weeks. He came over to say hello, and whispered in my ear "Lizzie, you are dropping so much weight!" Now, I haven't actually lost more than the 2 pounds from this past week since the last time I've seen him, but I guess things are starting to catch up.

I've also got some leads on day jobs - a friend works in HR at a company I'm interested in, and has promised to pass my resume onto the recruiter if I see any positions that interest me. I went onto their site last night and actually did find a few, so I'll be emailing him soon. My company is providing outplacement services, so I have an info session with them next week to get started. I definitely want to take advantage of that, because I need to generalize my resume (it's been geared toward the pharma industry for quite a few years now, so I need to change that up a bit). Hopefully something comes up soon!

That's all for me for now - back to my tracking (thank God for OCD). One more night of work for now, then off to Mom's (and my kittens!) for a few days. Gym again on Tuesday night.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

<3

Whaddya Know??

Tracking works. Today's weigh in was.....*drum roll please*

226.6!

Down 2.4 lb from the last few weeks. YESSSSS!

I'll be a bit more relaxed today (aka, allowing myself some treats), but guess what? They're all getting tracked. Even if I go over on calories, don't meet my protein goal....it's all getting tracked. Then posted. Accountability seems to be working. So I ain't gonna mess with it.

Food Tracking 1/10 & 1/11, Gym and THE BOOTS!

I've had a really good few days, sticking to my plan and tracking everything that went into my mouth. I slipped up a little bit last night and had a snack after I'd eaten all of my planned calories for the day (finished eating a bit too early, so I was hungry later on) - but I tracked it, and it's all good.

Tuesday:

Breakfast
2 cups of tea with splenda and each ~2 tbsp half and half
Kashi hot cereal
Yogurt

Cal: 370
Carbs: 50
Fat: 8
Protein: 24

Lunch
McD's chicken McBites snack size (holy hell are these good)
2 string cheese

Cal: 429
Carbs: 16
Fat: 26
Protein: 27

Dinner
Turkey wrap w/pepper jack cheese and chipotle cheddar dressing

Cal: 400
Carbs: 26
Fat: 26
Protein: 26

Snacks
Edamame
Honey Nut Cheerios, dry
Kashi Golden Goodness, dry

Cal: 570
Carbs: 85
Fat: 12
Protein: 30

Total for Day
Cal: 1769
Carbs: 177
Fat: 72
Protein: 107

A bit higher in fat and calories than I would have liked but not too terrible. Good on carbs and great on protein.

Before I move on to today's food, lemme tell you about some new food finds (some you may find helpful, some you may bitch slap me for..)

OK, bad first. My sister and I were running errands yesterday and she wanted a coffee from McD's. I was going to be strong and not get anything since my day was planned out already. As soon as we walked in there, I saw a sign for Chicken McBites. Ladies and gents, McD's now has popcorn chicken. Holy shizzle. I love me some popcorn chicken. All willpower crumbled, and I ordered the smallest size. It was amazing. In fact, I planned on having it for dinner tonight but forgot to go get it after the gym. It's already in the MyFitnessPal db, so I whipped my phone out in line and changed around my day to accomodate it :) Now, I warned everyone...so please don't blame me once you taste this deliciousness and want it every day.

These others will hopefully be helpful. I had a Flat Out wrap yesterday (honey wheat). Low in cal (100), high in fiber and protein (9 and 8, respectively, I believe). YUMMY! A tiny bit thicker than a regular wrap, it's kinda like a thin pita. I also found some yummy Chipotle Cheddar dressing in my mom's fridge, made by Brianna's. SOOO GOOD. I don't have the nutritionals in front of me, but they weren't bad. I paired these with some deli turkey and pepper jack, and it made a yummy yummy wrap.

OK, onto today..

Breakfast
2 cups of tea with splenda and each ~2 tbsp half and half
Kashi hot cereal
Yogurt

Cal: 370
Carbs: 50
Fat: 8
Protein: 24
(Are you starting to see the pattern yet?)

Lunch
Turkey, provolone and roasted pepper roll ups

Cal: 270
Carbs: 1
Fat: 17
Protein: 26

Dinner
Chili w/sour cream and shredded cheddar

Cal: 477
Carbs: 19
Fat: 35
Protein: 21

Snacks
Sbux chai
Protein shake (CIB)

Cal: 515
Carbs: 100
Fat: 1
Protein: 34

Total for Day
Cal: 1632
Carbs: 170
Fat: 61
Protein: 105

I was under calories and carbs, just over fat, and great with protein. I got extra calories because I (dun dun dun...!) went to the gym! I started slow, and walked for 45 min on the treadmill at 3.5mph (not including warm up and cool down). I also set up my fitness assessment and free personal training sessions (Fri and Sun, respectively), and my free private Pilates class (next Thursday). For the first few weeks, I am shooting for every other day. Sometime next week, I'm going to start trying out classes. This is a fancy schmancy gym, and it has a lot to offer.

I'm hoping that my really good week reflects on the scale tomorrow morning. If not, I won't get discouraged, because I just FEEL GOOD.

Let's end on a high note...my boots came! Woo! Here's a silly pic of me wearing them (don't mind the cuffed sweats or the shitty quality, my phone was being wonky).



I will definitely be wearing them to the NYC brunch (that may be their inaugural outing, actually)...no decision on the black dress yet. Think it might be a bit much for daytime.

Hope everyone is having a great week!