Make a wish!

My company is a sponsor of our local chapter of the Make A Wish Foundation. The MAW foundation is sponsoring a 5K in early May and I've signed up (and convinced Dan to join me) with many of my coworkers. So it gives me another incentive to keep my dates with the gym.
I was very good last summer (into early October) at working out twice a day (and my weight loss was steady) but as the days got shorter my resolve got weaker. I was still going to the gym but not working out as long and my weight loss ground to a halt. I didn't really gain anything back but yoyo'ed throughout the winter. So several weeks ago I got up at 5:30am and headed for the gym again. But then I hurt my back. And then I caught a cold (which I thought was going to turn into bronchitis) from which I'm still recovering. So this invitation to participate in this 5K came along at the right time. That's my wish - to train for and finish this 5K.

Tips from Transformers - Tip #3

Looking at the big picture can often be intimidating when it comes to losing weight/getting fit. There are several of us on my Transformers team who need and want to lose a lot of weight (30 lbs or more). If you have a lot of weight to lose, realistically, it could be a long road ahead until your reach your goal weight. We have discussed breaking our goals up into more manageable pieces (three 10lbs benchmarks, for example). More than one of us had heard or read that it is important to reward yourself throughout your weight loss journey to stay motivated. First, you have to set up your short-term and long-term goals. These goals should be personal and focus on the things you need the most improvement on.

So I set my fitness goals as well as my ultimate weight loss goal (90 lbs). One of my fitness goals was to attend yoga weekly. I'm not the best "stretcher" in the world so I figured I could use the help in that area as well as for general relaxation/stress relief. I've probably attended about 60% of the time since July. Luckily the classes are included as part of my membership so I don't have to pay extra (and don't have to feel guilty if I miss a class). One of my other fitness goals was to start weight lifting again and do it consistently. I lost about 35 lbs on the Atkin's diet in 1999 but I didn't manage to keep all the weight off for more than 5 years because I didn't change any of my exercise habits. I didn't want to make that mistake again. In addition to my fitness goals, I also set weight loss goals in 15 lbs increments. That breaks my total into 6 more manageable steps and then I set up rewards for myself when I achieve each of them. I would also like to mention that I discussed these goals with my husband so we could agree on something that wouldn't strain the family finances. See below for my list.

15lbs - Manicure/Pedicure (had a gift certificate) - Achieved 10/27/09

30lbs - Massage

45lbs - Book or CD

60lbs - Massage

75lbs - Victoria's Secret Undies or Bras

90lbs - Trip to Washington, DC with Dan

I'll keep you posted as I achieve these goals!

Biggest Loser Results are in!

I lost 4.31% of my body weight (7 lbs) during the Biggest Loser competition (have lost 19 lbs total so far) and 1% body fat. My team (there are 6 of us) lost 2% of our body weight (not sure how many pounds total). The winning team lost 9.52% of their body weight!! The winning individual lost 17.53% of his body weight. Amazing!

Think of Rocky on the steps

So today when I stepped on the scale I had lost 10 lbs. Can you believe it? Me neither...

So I've got a rather big mountain to climb...

Granted it's a figurative mountain - not a REAL fourteener that Colorado is famous for.

So, Internet, I've decided to lose 90 lbs. Yes, that was Nine Zero. I'm going to need some support from all of you over the next year+. I've lost 6 lbs so far (after 4 weeks) and am very happy about my progress so far. Four weeks ago I bought a BodyBugg. It's a small device that is like an armband but it tracks my steps and calories burned. I track what I eat and then enter it into a website that compares them. It helps me set goals based on my size and weight loss goal. I was already going to the gym at least five days a week to do cardio. Plus I had made a decision to go to yoga class at least once a week for a year. Once I had used the BodyBugg for about two weeks (and realized that I was burning enough calories), I had a friend meet me at the gym (she's a former trainer) and help me redesign my workout routine. For the past week and a half I've been going to the gym twice a day (before and after work). I now do my cardio in the morning and I lift weights in the evening. And I still go to yoga once a week.