My last post was all about how normal things were going to continue and how I was going to figure out routines. I lied. Horribly. But not through any fault of my own.
A week ago yesterday I was laid off from my job. Yup. I'm unemployed! In some ways, this is a very very good thing. I am now free to spend all my time seeking the work I want to do and taking care of myself. I no longer have the tiredness/ constantly busy to contend with in terms of me eating right and exercising. Plus, I'm a lot happier, since I get to do the things I want to do all day. Yes, this includes job hunting.
Job hunting in this case doesn't suck because I actually very much know what I want and am quite qualified to do it at the entry level. I have also been given the opportunity through my mother and a few other random people to do some consulting work while I look for a job. So, while I may be unemployed and it's a little bit scary, I have a lot of opportunities ahead of me and i am not worried.
It helps that for the moment I am funded. I have severance pay through the end of March, and I have applied for unemployment (which will still be enough for rent and food).With that, I will remain afloat until at least June, by which point I should have found work.
Now, back to this whole Undoing College stuff that I now have time to address unabashedly.
My goals to start:
1) One exercise type activity a day, whether it's a little walking, some lifting, a yoga class or some blogilates, one thing a day. My activity today was a walk to downtown to get a new keyboard for my iPad (my laptop is currently on a healing trip to the Apple repair guys, and will hopefully return with a new logic board and no problems whatsoever).
2) Eat breakfast as soon as I can after getting up. It's just good practice because it gets my metabolism rolling, and when I'm trying to get my body to a better place, that's just a good idea.
3) Eat as clean as possible. I'm not very good at this because I love cheese, but I can make sure that 3/4 of the meals I make, whether they are for myself or for the whole household, are clean eating. Occasionally mac and cheese is just going to happen, but if I make an effort to plan the big meals as clean ones, all will be well in my eating world.
I am not going to get back into calorie counting just yet, as I said I was going to in my last post. When I am at home, I really don't eat very much. I have one big meal a day and the rest of the time is just little snacks. Unless I start having real trouble losing the weight, I am just going to eat as clean as possible and stop when I'm not hungry anymore. I think I should be alright.
Anyway, as of my last weigh-in I have already lost a little bit, so hopefully the progress will continue!
More as there is more! Planning on going to Yoga a bunch next week (I found a place that offers 30 days of unlimited for $30!).
Friday, March 1, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
And let the normalcy begin!
As of Monday, we are completely out of our old apartment, and completely moved in to the new apartment. There are still boxes and things pretty much everywhere, and definitely some sorting to do, but everything is inside the building. At the end of the month we should gain some extra space with one of our current roommates moving to his own place. It will be nice not to have boxes and chaos everywhere.
However, most of my work in terms of organizing our things and getting the place liveable is done. There are still I think 2 boxes that have things that will either need to be tossed or find homes, and there are a couple boxes of things that have no place (but that I want to keep) and of things to give away. If any one can think of an item of clothing that I have (or have had) that you wanted for whatever reason, I can almost guarantee it's in one of the donate piles. Let me know and I can send it to you.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Eating and exercise (you know, the whole "undoing college" business). Exercise I have been getting. Actually quite a lot of it, comparatively. I have been walking every day, including my days off. The grocery store is in walking distance, so I walk there (I may start biking instead, now that I have my bike from the old place), and I walk to and from the bus every work day. Otherwise with all the moving, I've certainly been getting my lifting in. I am sure eventually I will have to start doing more, but I am already noticing an improvement in my walking pace. I was concerned I was running late this morning, but when I checked the time about half way through my walk, I found that rather than running 5 or 6 minutes behind, it was only 3 minutes. Go me!
In terms of food, well I'm not really sure how it's been going. I'm going to say not really very well because honestly I haven't been trying very hard of late. At least not this week or last week at work, which is usually my grand downfall anyway. I'm going to try to improve. One thing that is nice is that I don't have to worry quite as much about how many calories I am theoretically eating because I do have a cushion now from the walking. I have never regularly eaten more than 1800 calories a day (except during the bulk of my weight gain... I blame free pizza) so my peak net is probably around 1700. If I switch out lunch for something lower on the caloric scale, it sinks even lower. With the walking it shouldn't be especially difficult for me to bring it down and keep it there. I will have to get back into logging (which I kind of hate, since it makes me hyper conscious of it and stresses me out a bit) at least for a little bit until I get into the groove of how much I can eat. But a week or 2 won't kill me. Go take a look at my myfitnesspal if my want progress like that.
I have not weighed myself in a very long time. Not since I was last at the gym. I'm kind of dreading it. So I will wait until I have been on the 1300 calories for at least a week straight (with a break day) and THEN I will weigh myself. I will report thereafter.
Well I had better get back to work! I shall think of some interesting thing to post that isn't just me rattling on soon!
However, most of my work in terms of organizing our things and getting the place liveable is done. There are still I think 2 boxes that have things that will either need to be tossed or find homes, and there are a couple boxes of things that have no place (but that I want to keep) and of things to give away. If any one can think of an item of clothing that I have (or have had) that you wanted for whatever reason, I can almost guarantee it's in one of the donate piles. Let me know and I can send it to you.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Eating and exercise (you know, the whole "undoing college" business). Exercise I have been getting. Actually quite a lot of it, comparatively. I have been walking every day, including my days off. The grocery store is in walking distance, so I walk there (I may start biking instead, now that I have my bike from the old place), and I walk to and from the bus every work day. Otherwise with all the moving, I've certainly been getting my lifting in. I am sure eventually I will have to start doing more, but I am already noticing an improvement in my walking pace. I was concerned I was running late this morning, but when I checked the time about half way through my walk, I found that rather than running 5 or 6 minutes behind, it was only 3 minutes. Go me!
In terms of food, well I'm not really sure how it's been going. I'm going to say not really very well because honestly I haven't been trying very hard of late. At least not this week or last week at work, which is usually my grand downfall anyway. I'm going to try to improve. One thing that is nice is that I don't have to worry quite as much about how many calories I am theoretically eating because I do have a cushion now from the walking. I have never regularly eaten more than 1800 calories a day (except during the bulk of my weight gain... I blame free pizza) so my peak net is probably around 1700. If I switch out lunch for something lower on the caloric scale, it sinks even lower. With the walking it shouldn't be especially difficult for me to bring it down and keep it there. I will have to get back into logging (which I kind of hate, since it makes me hyper conscious of it and stresses me out a bit) at least for a little bit until I get into the groove of how much I can eat. But a week or 2 won't kill me. Go take a look at my myfitnesspal if my want progress like that.
I have not weighed myself in a very long time. Not since I was last at the gym. I'm kind of dreading it. So I will wait until I have been on the 1300 calories for at least a week straight (with a break day) and THEN I will weigh myself. I will report thereafter.
Well I had better get back to work! I shall think of some interesting thing to post that isn't just me rattling on soon!
Friday, February 8, 2013
New Place
Hey guys!
I'm so sorry for my long absence. I have been outrageously busy. Like really.
Here's the rundown of the past month:
- I have been kicking butt at work (for both necessity and also my tasks are a thousand times more interesting).
- We moved! (this includes deciding to, searching for places, applying for a place, waiting for a response and actually moving most of our stuff).
- I have NOT been very good about exercise
- I have been staring a job search in the face and have been unable to move it with just staring.
- I have been wistfully reading all the +Blogilates emails I receive but have been unable to find the time to do more than wish I had the time.
- I have been trying to eat low calorie and clean (though probably mostly failing).
So I've been super busy! "Crazy" is probably a good descriptor.
Anyway, the new place is in Walnut Creek, super close to downtown. Only bummer is that I absolutely had to change my work schedule because the BART lot fills outrageously early and I have to take the Free Ride at 7:30 in the morning. On the bright side, it's about a 10-15 minute walk to where the bus picks up, so I get 30 mins of walking in everyday, just from being. Huge thumbs up for that. Now I don't have to worry too much about getting the other exercise in, though I still really want to do it. When everything gets moved in and my finances resettle after lease-breaking and moving chaos, I'm going to look into when and where I can do some fun exercise. I sense outdoor blogilates and yoga classes in my future.
In terms of food, Walnut Creek has both a Trader Joes and a Whole Foods. I imagine I won't be going to the Whole Foods (*cough* whole paycheck *cough*) too often, but it will be useful for little things that I can't get at Safeway. Trader Joe's will be a new resource for frozen food and produce. Also delicious cheese (which yes, I still refuse to give up). I'm really excited to plan some new meals and get rolling on this whole eating clean thing.
With my new work schedule, roommates (who can make dinner instead of me) and the nearness of everything, I'm going to have a little bit of extra time in the evenings, which i can use for exercise and other recreational things. I can't wait for it. Unfortunately pretty much all my time is hung up until I get paid next week, all of the boxes are taken care of and the old apartment is cleaned and handed over. So *sigh* the 20th at least.
I will get back to blogging here soon. I just wanted to give you all an update on where I am and what's going on. I will have updates in 2 weeks probably!
Until then, good luck!
I'm so sorry for my long absence. I have been outrageously busy. Like really.
Here's the rundown of the past month:
- I have been kicking butt at work (for both necessity and also my tasks are a thousand times more interesting).
- We moved! (this includes deciding to, searching for places, applying for a place, waiting for a response and actually moving most of our stuff).
- I have NOT been very good about exercise
- I have been staring a job search in the face and have been unable to move it with just staring.
- I have been wistfully reading all the +Blogilates emails I receive but have been unable to find the time to do more than wish I had the time.
- I have been trying to eat low calorie and clean (though probably mostly failing).
So I've been super busy! "Crazy" is probably a good descriptor.
Anyway, the new place is in Walnut Creek, super close to downtown. Only bummer is that I absolutely had to change my work schedule because the BART lot fills outrageously early and I have to take the Free Ride at 7:30 in the morning. On the bright side, it's about a 10-15 minute walk to where the bus picks up, so I get 30 mins of walking in everyday, just from being. Huge thumbs up for that. Now I don't have to worry too much about getting the other exercise in, though I still really want to do it. When everything gets moved in and my finances resettle after lease-breaking and moving chaos, I'm going to look into when and where I can do some fun exercise. I sense outdoor blogilates and yoga classes in my future.
In terms of food, Walnut Creek has both a Trader Joes and a Whole Foods. I imagine I won't be going to the Whole Foods (*cough* whole paycheck *cough*) too often, but it will be useful for little things that I can't get at Safeway. Trader Joe's will be a new resource for frozen food and produce. Also delicious cheese (which yes, I still refuse to give up). I'm really excited to plan some new meals and get rolling on this whole eating clean thing.
With my new work schedule, roommates (who can make dinner instead of me) and the nearness of everything, I'm going to have a little bit of extra time in the evenings, which i can use for exercise and other recreational things. I can't wait for it. Unfortunately pretty much all my time is hung up until I get paid next week, all of the boxes are taken care of and the old apartment is cleaned and handed over. So *sigh* the 20th at least.
I will get back to blogging here soon. I just wanted to give you all an update on where I am and what's going on. I will have updates in 2 weeks probably!
Until then, good luck!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Plans for 2013
Well, we are a week and a bit into the new year and I have started approximately zero of my fitness and health plans. I can make a bunch of excuses (and they are actually kind of good ones) but that would set a precident that I absolutely cannot stand for if I'm going to get anything done. And so, on that note, let the resolutions begin.
I will:
Eat at maximum ONE extra-large-not-on-any-diet-but-so-delicious meal a week. And no, if I miss one, it does NOT roll over.
Have one drinking night a month, with the exception of a single glass of (pref red) wine whenever I want. I can go out, for sure, but I can only drink ONE glass of wine (or caloric equivalent, which I'm pretty sure still rules out most other alcoholic beverages). On the excepted once a month, my usual limit is fine.
Make it a goal to prepare my lunches for the week on the weekend. Both to save money and to eat better.
Eat clean. This means limit the sugar, dairy fats (Good luck, me! Low fat cheese will be okay I promise.), and refined carbs (plus some fatty meats, but I don't eat those that often anyway). This doesn't mean red-line-NO, it means watch how much of them I eat, and sometimes the decision between eating that toast or eating some vegetables well... should be kind of obvious no?
Count calories until they don't need counting. I know it's hard and I hate it, but to learn it all it really needs to be done. I start tomorrow. I have reprieve on my Once-a-week/month days (because I know if I record it I'll just feel bad).
Exercise. No really. I'm not going to say exactly how because I know that will change with the seasons, my emotions and my general well-being. Those plans will be made on a weekly basis here.
And that is where I will start. In 6 months we will re-evaluate and see where I am.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, for the more immediate life things.
Hoo boy there's been someone shaking the bush around here. A couple important things will be changing in the next 1-3 months.
Firstly, Jon and I will be moving. The rent at our current place has proven to be too high for us to maintain. It was especially difficult through the holidays, when both Jon and I were working less. It's put us in a little bit of a tight spot that we can't keep up, and so we are working on moving. We will be moving in with a friend of ours to a 2 bedroom apartment yet to be located but probably in Walnut Creek (given that the apartments are simultaneously cheap and nice there). If anyone knows of a place in the northern east bay with 2 bedrooms under $1500, allows cats, is near a BART station and is NOT in a sketchy part of Oakland, let me know. We hope to have a place before the 1st of February, but definitely before the 15th, as we are planning on giving 30 days notice to our current manager ASAP so Feb rent is prorated. There are some cool places we have already found and we're hopeful about finding others as well.
Secondly, jobs jobs jobs. I'm looking for a new one. There's a lot of reasons, a bit more than I'd like to go into here. BUT I would like to go into the KIND of job I'm looking for. I'm looking for another marketing assitant type job (Marketing Associate is another possible job title I have seen), but the big difference between a new job and my current job is WHERE. I want a spot at a tech company or videogame developer. A reasonably sized place that mostly has their act together but is still fun. Think a Google type work environment. (Honestly, I would just say "Google please hire me!!" but I checked and they don't have any openings below manager in their marketing departments right now. I'll keep checking though.) It's best if I can stay in the Bay Area, unless whatever company will help with relocation (unlikely at entry level). One thing that's really important to me is at least somewhat flexible hours. 9-5 doesn't work for me. It breaks my life. 11-7 would be a million billion times better. I also definitely want out of business to business. I'm more interested working directly at consumers, rather than supporting a process that really isn't about what I do, but about what other people do. I'd rather be like, "play this awesome game!" than "use this awesome law firm!" Heck I'd even prefer "drink this awesome drink!" Anything but services.
Anyway, theres the changes. They are large, somewhat frightening and all.
ONWARDS. (normal weekly posts start tomorrow)
I will:
Eat at maximum ONE extra-large-not-on-any-diet-but-so-delicious meal a week. And no, if I miss one, it does NOT roll over.
Have one drinking night a month, with the exception of a single glass of (pref red) wine whenever I want. I can go out, for sure, but I can only drink ONE glass of wine (or caloric equivalent, which I'm pretty sure still rules out most other alcoholic beverages). On the excepted once a month, my usual limit is fine.
Make it a goal to prepare my lunches for the week on the weekend. Both to save money and to eat better.
Eat clean. This means limit the sugar, dairy fats (Good luck, me! Low fat cheese will be okay I promise.), and refined carbs (plus some fatty meats, but I don't eat those that often anyway). This doesn't mean red-line-NO, it means watch how much of them I eat, and sometimes the decision between eating that toast or eating some vegetables well... should be kind of obvious no?
Count calories until they don't need counting. I know it's hard and I hate it, but to learn it all it really needs to be done. I start tomorrow. I have reprieve on my Once-a-week/month days (because I know if I record it I'll just feel bad).
Exercise. No really. I'm not going to say exactly how because I know that will change with the seasons, my emotions and my general well-being. Those plans will be made on a weekly basis here.
And that is where I will start. In 6 months we will re-evaluate and see where I am.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, for the more immediate life things.
Hoo boy there's been someone shaking the bush around here. A couple important things will be changing in the next 1-3 months.
Firstly, Jon and I will be moving. The rent at our current place has proven to be too high for us to maintain. It was especially difficult through the holidays, when both Jon and I were working less. It's put us in a little bit of a tight spot that we can't keep up, and so we are working on moving. We will be moving in with a friend of ours to a 2 bedroom apartment yet to be located but probably in Walnut Creek (given that the apartments are simultaneously cheap and nice there). If anyone knows of a place in the northern east bay with 2 bedrooms under $1500, allows cats, is near a BART station and is NOT in a sketchy part of Oakland, let me know. We hope to have a place before the 1st of February, but definitely before the 15th, as we are planning on giving 30 days notice to our current manager ASAP so Feb rent is prorated. There are some cool places we have already found and we're hopeful about finding others as well.
Secondly, jobs jobs jobs. I'm looking for a new one. There's a lot of reasons, a bit more than I'd like to go into here. BUT I would like to go into the KIND of job I'm looking for. I'm looking for another marketing assitant type job (Marketing Associate is another possible job title I have seen), but the big difference between a new job and my current job is WHERE. I want a spot at a tech company or videogame developer. A reasonably sized place that mostly has their act together but is still fun. Think a Google type work environment. (Honestly, I would just say "Google please hire me!!" but I checked and they don't have any openings below manager in their marketing departments right now. I'll keep checking though.) It's best if I can stay in the Bay Area, unless whatever company will help with relocation (unlikely at entry level). One thing that's really important to me is at least somewhat flexible hours. 9-5 doesn't work for me. It breaks my life. 11-7 would be a million billion times better. I also definitely want out of business to business. I'm more interested working directly at consumers, rather than supporting a process that really isn't about what I do, but about what other people do. I'd rather be like, "play this awesome game!" than "use this awesome law firm!" Heck I'd even prefer "drink this awesome drink!" Anything but services.
Anyway, theres the changes. They are large, somewhat frightening and all.
ONWARDS. (normal weekly posts start tomorrow)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Happy New Year!
Fun fact: exactly one year ago today, I started this blog.
Looking back over the year, in terms of the goals I had, the one I have stuck to best was writing here about what is going on with me and generally keeping my goals in mind.
I cannot say that the year has been successful, because in terms of physical goals I have only moved backwards. I cannot say that it was wasted though. I have learned a whole lot in this whole process and continue to learn every day. I've tried a whole lot of new things, some good, some not so good, but all educational and some life changing.
The biggest lessons learned in 2012:
1) carb control. If the slow carb diet taught me anything other than that no diet like that is ever sustainable, it is to control my carbs. A year ago, bread in the house would have resulted in immediate consumption of too much toast. Now, I don't buy bread because it gets moldy or stale before I eat more than 3 or 4 pieces. I even once intended to get sandwich makings for lunches, and remembered everything but the bread at the store. I ate the sandwich makings with crackers at work instead, still carbs, but fewer and more easily controlled.
2) to cook my own lighter foods. I'm absolutely positive that if I were only feeding myself, I would eat amazingly and lightly. I've learned to cook new things with new ingredients and even to creatively apply those ingredients to my own whatever the hell. It's been a good food year, even if I have been trying to lose.
3) that exercise is well and truly the only way, but that exercise takes many many forms and definitely doesn't have to suck or cost lots of money.
4) that getting some help is a good thing, not a desperate move, but a first step to trying to understand yourself and help yourself.
5) why I want this, why I'm writing this, what this whole effort means to me and what I hope to get out of it
6) that defined plans regarding exercise are the most likely to be completed. If I say I'm going to do something a day or two before I'm going to do it, it's much more likely to happen.
6.5)Speaking in definites: I'm going to, I will rather than possibles or probablies is much more effective.
7) gearing up makes you want to do the things the gear is for more. (I got a bunch of new gear for Xmas, I've been crazy busy, but now that things are settling... Yes.)
Here's to 2013 and the lessons it is sure to provide, hopefully along with a bit more success than 2012. A lot more success.
On that note, I am going to hit the regimen hard come Monday. The blogilates calendar is cardio heavy for January and I can't wait to get started. I'm also in the process of figuring out a gym membership, but money is a bit tighter than usual this month so it may have to wait. Until then, weighted lunges and star jumps it is.
Looking back over the year, in terms of the goals I had, the one I have stuck to best was writing here about what is going on with me and generally keeping my goals in mind.
I cannot say that the year has been successful, because in terms of physical goals I have only moved backwards. I cannot say that it was wasted though. I have learned a whole lot in this whole process and continue to learn every day. I've tried a whole lot of new things, some good, some not so good, but all educational and some life changing.
The biggest lessons learned in 2012:
1) carb control. If the slow carb diet taught me anything other than that no diet like that is ever sustainable, it is to control my carbs. A year ago, bread in the house would have resulted in immediate consumption of too much toast. Now, I don't buy bread because it gets moldy or stale before I eat more than 3 or 4 pieces. I even once intended to get sandwich makings for lunches, and remembered everything but the bread at the store. I ate the sandwich makings with crackers at work instead, still carbs, but fewer and more easily controlled.
2) to cook my own lighter foods. I'm absolutely positive that if I were only feeding myself, I would eat amazingly and lightly. I've learned to cook new things with new ingredients and even to creatively apply those ingredients to my own whatever the hell. It's been a good food year, even if I have been trying to lose.
3) that exercise is well and truly the only way, but that exercise takes many many forms and definitely doesn't have to suck or cost lots of money.
4) that getting some help is a good thing, not a desperate move, but a first step to trying to understand yourself and help yourself.
5) why I want this, why I'm writing this, what this whole effort means to me and what I hope to get out of it
6) that defined plans regarding exercise are the most likely to be completed. If I say I'm going to do something a day or two before I'm going to do it, it's much more likely to happen.
6.5)Speaking in definites: I'm going to, I will rather than possibles or probablies is much more effective.
7) gearing up makes you want to do the things the gear is for more. (I got a bunch of new gear for Xmas, I've been crazy busy, but now that things are settling... Yes.)
Here's to 2013 and the lessons it is sure to provide, hopefully along with a bit more success than 2012. A lot more success.
On that note, I am going to hit the regimen hard come Monday. The blogilates calendar is cardio heavy for January and I can't wait to get started. I'm also in the process of figuring out a gym membership, but money is a bit tighter than usual this month so it may have to wait. Until then, weighted lunges and star jumps it is.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Season's Greetings!
Hi all.
I've not been very good about posting on time the past month or so, and I'm sorry. It will probably stay that way. I think I will aim for posting once ever 2 weeks, both because it's easier for me and because that's usually when I can spot my own trends, rather than just weekly where I'm guessing at things all the time.
SO, the report is positive! I have done very well the past couple weeks. I finally managed to condition my body to eating less (it took a couple days of crackers and cheese lunches) so I think I might actually be succeeding. I weighed myself last night and for the first time in a while saw a number under 200 at the end of the day (it was 197.6). Admittedly, I hadn't had dinner yet, but I don't think I had more than half a pound of food, tops. And I also exercised. So yay.
Also in the past week, I actually enthusiastically experimented with the gym. I got a free pass for 5 days to 24-hour fitness, just to use the machines.I went both days this weekend and it was good! Though, I may have pushed myself a little too hard, since I had a minor fainting spell Sunday night. My body is totally not used to that much cardio. I would like to continue, but I know myself and I know I will only go on days when the gym is my only commitment. So the weekends. It's extremely unlikely that I will go after work consistently, though I imagine I will go on the rare day where I feel pent up. It is totally worth it still though. The calorie burn and the achievement from having actually gone and moved my butt was awesome. There is one drawback though...
I can't afford it. At least not right now. With the holidays and some other financial hoops, there's too much stress on my bank account right now to make the leap and pay the initiation fee. I could certainly afford the 30 a month (if I do it just for me and just for one of the 2 easily accessible gyms), but it's starting out that's rough. See, almost every package at 24 involves an over $100 initiation fee plus first months payment. There are a couple deals that waive the initiation, but they also involve commitments to certain long amounts of time. I trust myself to go and to use the gym, but 24 hour is sort of your basic "Here's some machines and some weights and some places to work out. And some classes. That's it. Oh you wanted training? Extra $150 plz." I figure I'm eventually going to want to move on. Plus, when I next move, there may not be a convenient 24 hour, and I don't want to be stuck with a gym that's out of the way. So, it boils down to this: I'm going to have to wait until at least the middle of January if not February to truly start. I suggest that you all bring it back up in the comments at that point, and I'll look into it again. The other possibility is that I could wait and see what the New Years resolution deals are. If there's one with a short time commitment and zero initiation fee, then I'll jump on it. Eyes peeled.
Now, moving along. Status. As I mentioned I have been quite good about exercise and eating, and I'm hoping I've seen some success (update on Saturday when I weigh myself). So, given this, and the fact that it has been 2 weeks, $30 goes into the shoe fund. I imagine at this point I will probably wait to buy the shoes, because this is an abstract fund and not a real one. Just knowing I've earned them will be enough until I can afford them. Current balance: ...$95! I have enough!
BUT AND ALSO OH NO. The shoes I was saving for are in the "Last Chance" section of the Tom's website and they're sold out in my size already. SADNESS. Ah well. There are a couple other versions in my size, but I'm not really all that attracted to them. I guess I will keep saving and try to figure something else out that I really want that's expensive...
Well, that's kind of depressing, but moving along to more exciting things! PROJECTS. They are still a secret. I have actually (with some assistance from my brother, who knows me very very well) changed the project entirely, but it is now also somewhat more definite. My new project idea is, somewhat unfortunately, completely separate, topic wise, from this blog. But I figure no biggy, since most of the people who read this blog are my friends, and you'll all like the new project. It may be that someday I will come back to my original project idea as a side project, because it is a good idea, but for now, this other thing (which I will expound a little bit on in a moment so you aren't dying) is a much better start towards where I want to be. In the meantime, I will still post here.
Anyway, I will not give too many details because SHH and also MINE, but the new project is a Youtube channel. Completely in video and audio form. I'm hoping I can film the first one this weekend/ at some point next week and get it up before Christmas. When I do post it (or don't post it, it's a little undeterminedly time sensitive) I will of course link you all to the new channel and beg you to like and subscribe.
On that lovely note, Happy Hannukah! Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa! Eat lots of delicious foods, I wish you luck in cookie moderation and many fun times with family :)
I've not been very good about posting on time the past month or so, and I'm sorry. It will probably stay that way. I think I will aim for posting once ever 2 weeks, both because it's easier for me and because that's usually when I can spot my own trends, rather than just weekly where I'm guessing at things all the time.
SO, the report is positive! I have done very well the past couple weeks. I finally managed to condition my body to eating less (it took a couple days of crackers and cheese lunches) so I think I might actually be succeeding. I weighed myself last night and for the first time in a while saw a number under 200 at the end of the day (it was 197.6). Admittedly, I hadn't had dinner yet, but I don't think I had more than half a pound of food, tops. And I also exercised. So yay.
Also in the past week, I actually enthusiastically experimented with the gym. I got a free pass for 5 days to 24-hour fitness, just to use the machines.I went both days this weekend and it was good! Though, I may have pushed myself a little too hard, since I had a minor fainting spell Sunday night. My body is totally not used to that much cardio. I would like to continue, but I know myself and I know I will only go on days when the gym is my only commitment. So the weekends. It's extremely unlikely that I will go after work consistently, though I imagine I will go on the rare day where I feel pent up. It is totally worth it still though. The calorie burn and the achievement from having actually gone and moved my butt was awesome. There is one drawback though...
I can't afford it. At least not right now. With the holidays and some other financial hoops, there's too much stress on my bank account right now to make the leap and pay the initiation fee. I could certainly afford the 30 a month (if I do it just for me and just for one of the 2 easily accessible gyms), but it's starting out that's rough. See, almost every package at 24 involves an over $100 initiation fee plus first months payment. There are a couple deals that waive the initiation, but they also involve commitments to certain long amounts of time. I trust myself to go and to use the gym, but 24 hour is sort of your basic "Here's some machines and some weights and some places to work out. And some classes. That's it. Oh you wanted training? Extra $150 plz." I figure I'm eventually going to want to move on. Plus, when I next move, there may not be a convenient 24 hour, and I don't want to be stuck with a gym that's out of the way. So, it boils down to this: I'm going to have to wait until at least the middle of January if not February to truly start. I suggest that you all bring it back up in the comments at that point, and I'll look into it again. The other possibility is that I could wait and see what the New Years resolution deals are. If there's one with a short time commitment and zero initiation fee, then I'll jump on it. Eyes peeled.
Now, moving along. Status. As I mentioned I have been quite good about exercise and eating, and I'm hoping I've seen some success (update on Saturday when I weigh myself). So, given this, and the fact that it has been 2 weeks, $30 goes into the shoe fund. I imagine at this point I will probably wait to buy the shoes, because this is an abstract fund and not a real one. Just knowing I've earned them will be enough until I can afford them. Current balance: ...$95! I have enough!
BUT AND ALSO OH NO. The shoes I was saving for are in the "Last Chance" section of the Tom's website and they're sold out in my size already. SADNESS. Ah well. There are a couple other versions in my size, but I'm not really all that attracted to them. I guess I will keep saving and try to figure something else out that I really want that's expensive...
Well, that's kind of depressing, but moving along to more exciting things! PROJECTS. They are still a secret. I have actually (with some assistance from my brother, who knows me very very well) changed the project entirely, but it is now also somewhat more definite. My new project idea is, somewhat unfortunately, completely separate, topic wise, from this blog. But I figure no biggy, since most of the people who read this blog are my friends, and you'll all like the new project. It may be that someday I will come back to my original project idea as a side project, because it is a good idea, but for now, this other thing (which I will expound a little bit on in a moment so you aren't dying) is a much better start towards where I want to be. In the meantime, I will still post here.
Anyway, I will not give too many details because SHH and also MINE, but the new project is a Youtube channel. Completely in video and audio form. I'm hoping I can film the first one this weekend/ at some point next week and get it up before Christmas. When I do post it (or don't post it, it's a little undeterminedly time sensitive) I will of course link you all to the new channel and beg you to like and subscribe.
On that lovely note, Happy Hannukah! Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa! Eat lots of delicious foods, I wish you luck in cookie moderation and many fun times with family :)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
I HAVE RETURNED
I would say I have returned victorious, but I'm not sure what the victory would be or if I've even achieved it at all. I made some trail mix? Does that count? No? Darn.
Anyway, we kind of accidentally (by which I mean TOTALLY ON PURPOSE) went on a Thanksgiving break. But now I have returned rejuvinated and overfed (this is a problem I have) and I've got some newsy type things to communicate to my 8 regular readers. No one else will be excited, since this whole thing is new to them.
I am working on a new project. It is a secret project, but it is somewhat related to this blog. I am excited, though I am not at all sure when this project will become an actual thing. There are many bits a pieces to be worked out. The things I can tell you are that it will be on the internets, will be somewhat intimately but not entirely connected to this blog, and will provide joy and wonder (and possibly kittens) for everyone, not just my friends who want to read about howbad GOOD I am at weight loss and healthiness. Anyway, that is all I can tell you for now, I will be telling you more things and possibly experimenting on you as time passes and I figure more things out.
IN OTHER NEWS: There is very little else to report. I did not do so great at getting all of the planned physical activity in, but I did do some. It has been coming out to about half to 3/4 the promised amount. Gonna try to be better this week as I am slightly less busy with holiday (for now...).
I have been struggling a bit with 1300 calories. I can blame it on half a dozen things (Thanksgiving, delicious foods being delicious, being bored, being cold etc etc), but the trouble is that I can't seem to shake it. Admittedly, by all standards, 1300 calories is not very much. I'm hoping that for the most part I am landing in the 1400 to 1500 range, and according to MFP, I am. But honestly, I don't trust MFP all that much.
I have a really bad habit when it comes to logging food and to some extent exercise on MFP: I lie. But I tell myself it isn't lying. I am merely adjusting for what seems like an exorbitant number of calories that must come from the fact that the thing I have chosen from the database is not EXACTLY what I ate. Other brands have more calories than my brand (or homemade thing). I have tried entering my own recipes, but the trouble with that is that I'm not big on measuring when I cook (I have earned my mother's jazz cooking stripes) and sure I can guess all I want, but when you ask me how many people it's supposed to feed? Hell if I know. And so I adjust, according to whatever I feel like the serving I ate was, calorically. I like to think that after a while of watching the number of calories in things I would know enough to be able to do that. But given the inconsistency of both my diet and how much I change whatever it is, it feels increasingly like lying about what I have eaten, and so I feel that my numbers at the end of the day are off by a billion calories and that I will never truly know how much I have eaten because I can't be honest with myself about it.
Yes. I can't be honest with myself about food. I have secret foods that never go on my diary, nearly every day. Usually they amount to maybe 200 calories worth, Today it was 4 hard candies and a serving of dried mango and a serving of walnuts. I had the mid afternoon munchies! What was I gonna do? I have already busted the food budget for today and dinner hasn't even come around yet. I don't have time for exercise this evening. DOOM. and so I leave them off, so I have some calories to work with... maybe.
Perhaps the best solution to this problem is to start logging the foods I eat BEFORE I eat them. Then, the guilt gets taken out constructively with me adjusting the actual amount of food I eat, rather than the digital amount I say I ate that may or may not be true. I will try this starting tomorrow (today is already a forgone conclusion).
I have not been very good of late with posting regularly and keeping tabs on my exercise progress and my monetary progress towards SHOES. (I still want them, they are so fuzzy and comfy looking). At last report I believe I was at $50. I have not been successful enough to reward myself for both weeks individually, but, since I have managed to keep up the exercising and not resorted to complete laziness, I will give myself 15 for both weeks combined. That's half the reward for half the effort that I needed to put in. My shoe fund is now at: $65.
This week will be better. I already did the workout yesterday and I'm planning on doing another tomorrow. Plans towards the end of the week become very fuzzy and very possibly busy so I may not get another workout in until Saturday afternoon. But, if all else does totally fail, SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. (If I yell, I feel I will be more likely to actually do it, enthusiasm and all).
And so, that is THE PLAN. I will see you all next post, with possibly more or maybe less secrets.
Anyway, we kind of accidentally (by which I mean TOTALLY ON PURPOSE) went on a Thanksgiving break. But now I have returned rejuvinated and overfed (this is a problem I have) and I've got some newsy type things to communicate to my 8 regular readers. No one else will be excited, since this whole thing is new to them.
I am working on a new project. It is a secret project, but it is somewhat related to this blog. I am excited, though I am not at all sure when this project will become an actual thing. There are many bits a pieces to be worked out. The things I can tell you are that it will be on the internets, will be somewhat intimately but not entirely connected to this blog, and will provide joy and wonder (and possibly kittens) for everyone, not just my friends who want to read about how
IN OTHER NEWS: There is very little else to report. I did not do so great at getting all of the planned physical activity in, but I did do some. It has been coming out to about half to 3/4 the promised amount. Gonna try to be better this week as I am slightly less busy with holiday (for now...).
I have been struggling a bit with 1300 calories. I can blame it on half a dozen things (Thanksgiving, delicious foods being delicious, being bored, being cold etc etc), but the trouble is that I can't seem to shake it. Admittedly, by all standards, 1300 calories is not very much. I'm hoping that for the most part I am landing in the 1400 to 1500 range, and according to MFP, I am. But honestly, I don't trust MFP all that much.
I have a really bad habit when it comes to logging food and to some extent exercise on MFP: I lie. But I tell myself it isn't lying. I am merely adjusting for what seems like an exorbitant number of calories that must come from the fact that the thing I have chosen from the database is not EXACTLY what I ate. Other brands have more calories than my brand (or homemade thing). I have tried entering my own recipes, but the trouble with that is that I'm not big on measuring when I cook (I have earned my mother's jazz cooking stripes) and sure I can guess all I want, but when you ask me how many people it's supposed to feed? Hell if I know. And so I adjust, according to whatever I feel like the serving I ate was, calorically. I like to think that after a while of watching the number of calories in things I would know enough to be able to do that. But given the inconsistency of both my diet and how much I change whatever it is, it feels increasingly like lying about what I have eaten, and so I feel that my numbers at the end of the day are off by a billion calories and that I will never truly know how much I have eaten because I can't be honest with myself about it.
Yes. I can't be honest with myself about food. I have secret foods that never go on my diary, nearly every day. Usually they amount to maybe 200 calories worth, Today it was 4 hard candies and a serving of dried mango and a serving of walnuts. I had the mid afternoon munchies! What was I gonna do? I have already busted the food budget for today and dinner hasn't even come around yet. I don't have time for exercise this evening. DOOM. and so I leave them off, so I have some calories to work with... maybe.
Perhaps the best solution to this problem is to start logging the foods I eat BEFORE I eat them. Then, the guilt gets taken out constructively with me adjusting the actual amount of food I eat, rather than the digital amount I say I ate that may or may not be true. I will try this starting tomorrow (today is already a forgone conclusion).
I have not been very good of late with posting regularly and keeping tabs on my exercise progress and my monetary progress towards SHOES. (I still want them, they are so fuzzy and comfy looking). At last report I believe I was at $50. I have not been successful enough to reward myself for both weeks individually, but, since I have managed to keep up the exercising and not resorted to complete laziness, I will give myself 15 for both weeks combined. That's half the reward for half the effort that I needed to put in. My shoe fund is now at: $65.
This week will be better. I already did the workout yesterday and I'm planning on doing another tomorrow. Plans towards the end of the week become very fuzzy and very possibly busy so I may not get another workout in until Saturday afternoon. But, if all else does totally fail, SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. (If I yell, I feel I will be more likely to actually do it, enthusiasm and all).
And so, that is THE PLAN. I will see you all next post, with possibly more or maybe less secrets.
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