Well hello there!

It's been awhile!  Life has had a few changes so I'm trying to get back into a routine... a riding routine, chores routine, work routine and, yes, a weight loss routine.

I got a new job, three months ago.  You'd think that would be long enough to settle into a new routine but my hours are a bit all over the place, not to mention my boss only gives the schedule for a week at a time.  Things seem to be settling into a more predictable pattern though.

I've lost 10 lbs since my last post, which puts me at about 30 lbs down.  Actually I've lost more than that because I regained a few of that 20 lost when I started working.  I was eating off the menu at work and had to have been underestimating my calorie intake.  :(
Not to mention I am moving WAY less than I did during that time I spent at home!  I averaged 12,000-15,000 steps a day then.  Now, between work & winter, I am really lucky if I hit the target of 10,000. 

You'd think being on my feet 8 1/2 hours a day would get me some steps but I get very few standing behind the desk at work.  So I take ANY chance I have to move.  And that's where today's post is going... moving.

(The job, I'm working as a front desk/guest service agent at a new hotel in The City)

Almost everyone at the desk takes the elevator for every. little. thing.  Not me... we get to park in the hotel's carpark (for free, & it's enclosed & heated, bonus in a Saskatchewan winter!) and I take the stairs to and from my vehicle.
Have to take something up to a room?  Take the stairs up & down.  Stat rooms or do floor checks?  You got it, take the stairs!
I used to take the elevator up and then walk down, because for some reason my knees really don't handle the UP part of stairs well.  But if I go up a few flights I'm okay, and I can walk all the way down from the 11th floor without a problem so I've just tweaked my routine and work from the lowest floor and go up.

I'm also trying to walk more at home, which means getting back on the treadmill.  That's tougher though because I am very tired after work and often don't have time before work.  You'd think I wouldn't get this physically tired, it's not a hard job.  But I find that standing in basically one spot is more tiring than getting to move around!

And I'm still planning to snowshoe, gotta find the time & the energy.  Plus I have ponies that need riding, so I'm trying to find time to fit that in. 
The riding will be tougher to fit in, I need to have enough time to ride plus cool out the horse in time to put it back out before I go to work.  Snowshoeing I'll be able to do day or night, as long as I have the energy and it's not too darn cold!

Another thing I've changed is that I'm packing my "lunch" (it's usually supper lol) and eating healthier that way.  I didn't get to garden this summer, and I'm super picky about veggies but I found nice greens that Walmart & Superstore both carry for a decent price.  I pack that, some grilled chicken breast cut into small pieces and have a nice salad.  Add in some fruit, carrots or peppers and a yogurt and I'm good :)

I'm not too far off from a big milestone that I set for myself, and I'm pretty excited about that!  As long as all this holiday food doesn't interfere ;)

-20

You read that right, -20.  Yep in July.  Because that's -20LBs baby!!

I'm feeling pretty confident that it will stick too, or rather that I'll keep making progress because 20 is about 1/3 of my rather loosely created goal.  I know I'm due for a plateau, and I know it will suck, but I'm still hopeful.

Really a lot of it is due to my little Fitbit.  Four months later and I still faithfully log in anything I eat/drink.  I wear it (almost) all the time.  One thing that was a bit discouraging... I switched my settings from "normal" to "sensitive" for the sleep tracking.  Watching my average drop like a stone and looking at that little blue sleep bar which now had big chunks of red.  Oh heck yeah, now I know why I feel tired so often! 

I still eat "junk" at times, but I'm developing more will power than I've ever had before (even with my darn sweet tooth!)

According to the settings I've put on my Fitbit I should be hitting my next big milestone before the end of the year! 

It's been all too quiet over here lately... what's up with y'all?

Fitbit

I was skeptical at first, but now a month later I have to say I love my Fitbit!

It tracks my steps, floors climbed, sleep patterns, calories burned.  If you put in just a few minutes of time entering what you eat/drink throughout the day it takes care of all your calorie counts.  And when you first set up your account you enter your age, height, weight, gender and goals so it takes care of the math in figuring out how many calories you should eat each day.
You can manually enter a variety of activities in addition to what the fitbit tracks.
I'm finding it very motivating, at a glance I can see where I stand that day.  If I'm craving a cookie but I have almost used up my calories I find it easier to say no (or run around until I've bumped up my activity enough to justify more calories).
My only complaint?  That the user can't adjust the day.  At midnight a new day is automatically started, my "normal" day has me going to bed around 4am.  Not a big deal, but it would be more user friendly for people that work non-traditional hours if that could be changed by the user.

Best of all?  With the help of my fitbit keeping me on track and honest, I've lost 10lbs in the last month! :D

Gonna be a 'gadget girl'

I'm not normally into gadgets, or am I?  Hmm... cell phone, cameras, iPad... yeah I have those but I still wouldn't call myself a gadget person, and I'm definitely not a fitness gadget person.  Until I saw this:

What is it?  Its called a Fitbit Ultra and it claims tracks your daily movement through 3D sensors, not just steps like a pedometer.  It also can track your sleep patterns.  Its small,  seriously its TINY, so you can wear it discreetly (suggestions include tucked in a pocket or onto your bra)

Here's the lowdown on what it claims to do:
*Tracks daily steps, number of stairs or hills climbed, distance traveled, calories burned & overall intensity of activity (I'm hoping that riding will show up as well)  
*If you wear the tracker at night (there's a wristband included) it will monitor how long & how well you slept.  It monitors when you fall asleep & how many times you wake throughout the night to provide a 'sleep efficiency index' (something I'm very interested in as I'm a tosser & turner)

I ordered this because I wanted to see how active I really am daily and where I can fit more activity in.  I was curious how much I move at work (although as of recently that is null and void)  I know I go through periods where I don't do a heckuva lot and I'm hoping something like this will help me get my rear in gear during those times.
I liked that its compatible with the Endomondo app I have on my cell phone and that I don't have to sit down and plug in the data, it wirelessly uploads whenever you're in 15' of your computer.
After using it for a bit I'll give an updated review on it, I ordered mine off Amazon and it just came in the mail today so I'm off to tear open the box and check it out! :)

 

Hmmm

So, I stumbled across this article today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9091628/Test-tube-hamburgers-to-be-served-this-year.html

What do y'all think?

Ready...

Go!

Rant

I posted this evening, over on my main blog. The post could belong here as well. So, if you feel up to it, and aren't cowering in fear because I was quite hot when I wrote it, wander on over to here and join me in discussion.

If it's not there when you see this post, it'll be back after the SOPA protest is over on 1/19/2012.

Now That The Resolutions Are Waining

Hi guys...It's BEC here. So kindly invited by Cdn to contribute.

Here we are in the middle of January already, the 'newness' of the New Year already starting to wain...

Are those get fit resolutions dimming in memory?

Myself...I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly for the past few weeks. Mostly working on the weights.

I haven't noticed any dramatic disappearing of cellulite dimples on my backside yet (sigh) and my old nemesis, the sore shins are flaring up (oww!), but on the upside...

The back, shoulder and arm pain I was suffering from is about 99% better. If for no other reason...the relief from that pain will keep me going back at least 3 times a week.

Right now, I am still in the muscle building phase. Trying to get my back and arm muscles balanced (got about a 10 lb. difference going on) and start building some leg, hamstring and glute strength.

So are there any other weight lifters or body sculptures here? Anyone interested and just not sure how to get started?

Being an Angel

About a month ago Pie & I watched the Victoria's Secret fashion show... that holiday one they always air late November.  While I will never be a smoking hot, sexy, leggy model, and don't aspire to be, I do like the show.  I like the creativity behind it.  And the wings, gotta love the wings lol

There was one segment though where I paused it and turned to Pie to say "What the hell  were they thinking?" 
There was a song playing that to me just seemed wrong.  Sure it was a catchy song, but with all the focus on the fashion industry/modelling and eating disorders/body dysmorphism I just didn't get why they would put a song like that in.  The lyrics that caught my attention were:

"You make me wanna die.  I'll never be good enough.  You make me wanna die."

I actually do like the song, its by Pretty Reckless (I've never heard of them, clicking the link brings up the lyrics)  I just don't get why the show producers would pick a song where the most discernible lyrics are those ones.  And I have to wonder, if I found the song online and listened to it would it play the same way?  Or did they pump up those lyrics in the show?
Anyway, enough about the song.  Still want to be an Angel?  Not only do you have to be genetically gifted - face it, no matter how much a person diets & works out, if you don't have the genes to achieve it certain things won't happen. But it gets pretty extreme.  Adriana Lima, pictured above (via Google image search), dished on what it takes:

Daily workouts starting months before the show

Workouts become twice daily a few weeks before the show

A gallon of water a day

No solid food for 9 days before the show

2 days before show she will start drinking water 'normally'

No water for 12 hours before the show

Daily workouts, that's not so bad.  Twice daily doesn't sound bad either.  But from what I read of Lima's interview those aren't just workouts, they're hard-core w.o.r.k.o.u.t.s  Water is a good thing, but chugging a gallon a day?  That's approximately double the "drink 8 glasses a day" standard (don't even get me started on that lol)

The parts that really concern me are the no solid food for 9 days and no water for 12 hours.  How many young girls (boys, women, men) with eating disorders saw that advice?

Yeah I want to lose weight, I want to be in shape.  But doing that?  Not healthy.  And that's my main goal!

Wow

By Mrs Mom

So.. a funny thing happened the other day ago. As I was helping in setting up my mother in laws Christmas tree, she giggled.

"This is probably not the right time to say this, when your butt is sticking up in the air and all, but you've lost a lot of weight!"


Well guess what? In my eyes, ANYTIME someone says that is a good time, whether or not your butt is sticking up in the air, know what I mean?

I have lost weight. My mother in law asked what I was doing to drop the pounds and honestly? I have no clue. None. I eat what I want, when I want it. And as much as I want. But I've found.. I'm not eating MUCH. A bite here, a bite there, and I am good to go. Go we do too- I've had more energy, which means more is getting done, which makes me happier, which means going and doing more makes me feel even BETTER, soo.... the circle continues. And the pounds are dropping.

I wish I could say how much exactly, but we still do not own a scale.
I wish I could tell you exactly what to do or not to do, but I can't.

All I can say is rock on. Move. Find a happy. And see what happens.

Merry Christmas!

It was a trainwreck...

a sweaty trainwreck.
Have I mentioned that I'm a stereotypical "white girl with NO rhythm"?  And I can't dance?
Yep, I am.
Which is why this is tragically funny.  I've decided that first things first is to get my butt moving.  The best way to keep it moving is to have fun.  So I dug out the Wii

(I had 'grounded' myself from it until we got some unpacking/organizing done, which we have)

and put in the new game I picked up on my way home from work:

The result?  Fun, yep.  And a trainwreck.  But a sweaty, fun trainwreck.  And one that I will be feeling tomorrow.

Just gotta keep in mind to only play this 
when I'm home alone! lol

The Fruit of the Dead, but its good for you!

Pomegranates... It is fitting that they are in season from October - January (well at least around here, in supermarkets)
According to Greek mythology Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and taken to live in the underworld as his wife.  Her mother, Demeter - goddess of the harvest, was so grief stricken that in her mourning all the green, living things stopped growing.  Zeus commanded Hades to return Persephone.  However the Fates decreed that anyone who ate or drank in the underworld was doomed to eternity there, and Hades had tricked Persephone into eating 6 pomegranate seeds.  Because of this Persephone must return for 6 months every year and rule the underworld alongside her husband.  While her daughter is in the underworld Demeter goes into mourning and ceases giving fertility to the earth. 
That's how it all fits together, pomegranates are a winter fruit and the reason for winter... well at least according to the ancient Greeks ;)
Ok so that's why they are "the fruit of the dead" but why are they good for you?

There are a host of benefits to pomegranates: high in antioxidants (up to 3x that found in red wine & green tea!), combats LDL cholesterol, studies show it helps reduce risk of certain cancers, reduce the inflammation from arthritis, improves heart health & lowers blood pressure.  On average a pomegranate has 105 calories.

You can get the benefits of pomegranates by drinking the juice, however if you want to eat the fruit things can get a bit messy... to help keep things a bit cleaner my father-in-law taught me to do the following:
Cut off the crown and score the fruit, but don't cut all the way through!
Place the fruit in water (sink, plastic tub, etc)
Break apart the rind & membranes and discard
Scoop out the arils/seeds and enjoy!

Things to do with those arils... sprinkle them on your oatmeal, add them to cookies, bake them into muffins, add them to salads, use them in a salsa, add them to yogurt.  Seriously, there are SO many things you can use them in, just google pomegranate recipes!

Reboot time

Call me a slacker.  Or a procrastinator.  Or a 'fall off the wagon'er. 
Yeah, its time for me to say it again... I need to get my butt in gear and work on what I'm eating and on working out.
There are a few things lining up that will, hopefully, help things stay on track this time.
I think I finally have Pie on board.  He's always been supportive but also a stumbling block.  However he is a tad competitive and his brother joined a gym, now he's got it in his head that he needs to work out too and maybe eat a bit better (yay!)
We're still "on vacation" so I have more time to cook.  Because of that I hope to have a stock of freezer meals ready for when we go back to work and I'll set some time aside each week to keep adding to that stock once we're back to work.  That should help curtail the poor lunch choices.  I'll have to get back on track with my suppers at work, I have a few 'go to' meal choices there.  The problem is I start to get bored eating the same things over and over.  I'll need to take some time to plan better options that I can choose without pissing off the cooks.
Another benefit to the vacation time is that we have FINALLY had time to start getting our house organized, which means (insert drumroll) my treadmill is unburied and in a usable area again!!  Or I should say the area around the treadmill has become 'de-boxed' and I can use the treadmill again ;)
Something else is a motivator, it occurred to me that if I want to have any degree of success barrel racing then I need my horses to perform like athletes (duh).  And if I expect THEM to be athletes then I need to be an athlete.
So there ya go, I'm rebooting.  And if I fall off the path feel free to come boot me.

What the twit said

Hey guys, I know we're all busy and don't have a bunch of time to post... and some of us haven't had a lot of time to "work on ourselves".  So I've added a twitter feed to the sidebar and set it up to show tweets from some health/fitness/beauty/foodie twitter accounts. 
If you have any suggestions of accounts to follow let me know :) 
Oh and if you tweet you can follow _CLFC on Twitter (someone already had CLFC boo!) or send tweets to us.
The hope is that even if you don't have time to post or read a blog entry that you can pop by and see what The Experts are doling out as advice

October Orthodox Calendar

OK -- Here is the October Orthodox Fasting calendar -- now that the month is almost half over. This is an easy month -- just Wednesdays and Fridays.

I must confess, I haven't been doing a perfect job of sticking to this, but I think even following it inconsistently is helping.

Though I did have a big setback last week. It was potato chips. They are my downfall. I was down amost five pounds, then got one back.

Been trying to step up the exercise. Yoga seems to work best for me.

Still struggling.....

Time to Get Serious -- The Orthodox Diet

I believe I have mentioned here before that if I just followed the fasting schedule for my faith, that there would be no weight problem. My husband and I are Serbian (Eastern) Orthodox, which is the same faith practiced by Orthodox people in Greece, Russia, Romania, Ukraine....you get the idea.

We have a LOT of fasting days. The calendar given to us by the church shows those days in red. Every month the days are different, and at Christmas and Easter the fasting period is 40 DAYS.

The rules get complicated (see www.abbamoses.com/fasting), but basically on fasting days you do not eat meat, eggs, dairy, or drink alcohol (I believe you are not supposed to have sex, either!). On the days in red with the notation "Strict Fast," in addition to not having meat, eggs, and dairy you also cannot have fish (except shellfish) and oil. The idea is also to eat small amounts.

So here is the September calendar.....Anyone interested in giving it a try with me?

It is a lousy picture (sorry, I am not good with the camera). The strict fast days are the 11th and the 27th. Otherwise it is every Wednesday and Friday, plus the 11th and 27th.

I really think this will work.....I am going to give it a try.

Feeling Fat and Depressed Because of a Friend

I am going to try not to make a long story even longer.

I have not posted here in quite a while. But something has happened that compels me to unburden myself. Something that really affected me.....

We went to visit friends this weekend. They used to live near us, but have moved.

My friend, because of some health issues, and determination, has lost a LOT of weight. She has been transformed.

I have been happy for her on one hand; she lost weight and looks great, but on the other, she has serious health issues (which are under control, by the way).

We were out and about, and someone said something about how hot it was outside, and I thought I heard her say something like, "Yes, I am hot." It was said in such a way that I realized she was not talking about the weather. But no one seemed to notice, and the moment passed.

Then later, we were at a festival, and she went to a vendor's booth to ask about something. After leaving the booth, she tells me, "I went up to ask that really cute young guy about the ____. He was really nice to me -- he was nice to me because I am hot. I AM hot. I am over 50 and I am HOT!" She raise her arms above her head and struck a pose. I did not know what to say or do. I just sort of kept walking and mumbled something.....

Now this sent me into a tailspin. I know it is not logical, and I know I am being irrational, but this REALLY messed me up.

My emotional side felt like she was saying to me, "...you are a FAT loser..."

My logical side tells me that she is just thrilled that she has lost weight. She is really enjoying her "new self" and is proud of the fact (deservedly so) that she has attained a slim figure. She has always been a big woman -- NOT obese, just tall and proportionally big. But I feel she has probably always wanted to be smaller, and has had issues because of her weight. So now she is smaller, and is ecstatic. And she has a right to be.

But still......to hear her say that to me.......I just cannot describe the effect it had on me. I immediately became depressed.

Later, we walked by a vendor's booth at the festival where sun dresses were being sold. We were all looking at them. Her husband looked at one and said, "This would look great on XXXX (his wife's name)." She heard him and said, "Yes, that WOULD look great on me."

I wanted to disappear into the pavement.

What is wrong with me???? I should have said to her, "yes, you ARE great looking! I am so happy for you!" or "You have done a FABULOUS job with yourself! Congratulations!" and "You would absolutely look great in that dress, or in anything you want to wear!"

But instead I felt/continue to feel inferior. I feel fat, frumpy, and old.

I was disappointed in her for her vanity, and what I felt to be conceitedness (if that is a word). I felt feelings of friendship slip away because it seemed to me she was "tooting her own horn" which is something I despise in people.

I am totally depressed. I MUST lose 15 pounds.

How many times

... do I have to go back to Square Frickin One?!

**she asks as if anyone still reads here**

So yeah, I'm at Square 1... with everything.  I had my head hidden in the sand and then it hit me... I'm fighting the depression battle again.  So my exercise, food, everything has been shoved to the side.
The good news from all this is that I've caught the depression a LOT earlier than the really bad spell I fought through in my early-mid 20's

(crap I hope this doesn't turn into a regular thing to go through every 10 years or so)

And because I recognize it I can work through it, like I said I've done it before.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for, I'm very blessed.  So if I can start to work on me then I can tackle food & exercise which will in turn help fight back the depression... endorphins and all that.
So yeah, I'm still here.  Starting from scratch, again.  Anyone else still here?

Day 38

Well, I've lost 11# in the last 38 days since I started working out. Now, to be fair, I have missed/skipped quite a few workouts since taking Dude to swimming lessons and finishing up the end of school. I plan to fix that this week.

What am I doing differently? I'm NOT counting calories, just eating clean 90-95% of the time. I suspect the calorie counter I used to determine how many calories I need each day is not very accurate. That would also explain why I wasn't losing weight much at the farm in Oregon. Because...

(and listen up)

Regardless of the calories in-calories out theory, there is a point at which your body will think you're about to enter a period of starvation and it will stubbornly hang on to every last scrap of flab it can.

REALLY. Our bodies are designed that way since the dawn of time, to preserve life as long as possible.

Haven't you ever watched The Biggest Loser and wondered why someone didn't lose weight this week, despite their protestations that they did everything right? This is probably the reason behind that lack of loss (unless they were purposely throwing the weigh in by consuming salt water beforehand).

Your body needs fuel in order to burn calories. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it is what it is. No matter how much Jillian may scream in your face.

Bodybuilders already know this. When they're dieting and training up for a physique class, they do not cut their calories by more than about 500 per day from what their basal metabolic need is. In order to make up the rest of the calorie deficit, they workout.

Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories you need to consume per day to keep your body functioning at the weight it is and maintain the status quo. You can find a BMR calculator here.

But wait! Losing pounds is all well and good. But you want to lose fat, right? Then you really, really need to build muscle. Muscle is the powerhouse of the metabolism. It won't make you, as a woman, look bulky. Well, not the average woman. Now, if you're a competitive figure model, that's different.

Building muscle boosts your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn and the less you'll store. Plus, it keeps your metabolic fires stoked while you sleep. You need muscle in order to diminish your fat cells. If you're not building and using your muscles regularly while losing weight, your body may very well break down your muscle proteins first. Then, you can be a skinny "fat" person. You won't get the sleek definition we all want at heart. You are likely to still be soft and mushy in all the wrong places.

So, what is it that I did differently to lose 8 pounds recently? I ate clean. It was pretty simple. I cut out a lot of the white flour, white sugar and processed foods (including diet foods) I'd been eating. No sugar substitute, no crappy cereal. No "dairy dessert" masquerading around as ice cream. Just plain and simple food. Ok, maybe not so "plain". :-)

I'm also cleaning stalls, moving hay and doing all those normal horse chores again. So, I AM still getting a workout! I'm eating 5-6 "mini" meals a day, balanced in carb and protein ratios. I'm eating lots and lots of fruits and veg. But mostly, I'm consuming them every 2.5-3 hours so that my metabolism doesn't slow down. And I'm measuring out my serving sizes by eyeballing them, which individualizes the serving to me and my needs, not some industry standard set by the FDA.

Here's how:

- A serving of protein equals the size of my palm (if nuts, then a scant handful).

- A serving of starchy carbs equals a single cupped hand (bread, rice, potato, whole grain pasta).

- A serving of vegetables and fruits equals both of my hands cupped together.

- A serving of healthy fats is one to two tablespoons (or a scant handful of unsalted nuts).

It's working. I feel better. My mood is improved (as long as I have some red meat weekly!). And my skin is clearer than it has been in the past 4-5 years. Let's not forget the weight loss too!

Next week, back to Power 90.

How about you? How are you doing? Do you have any questions?

P.S. Did anyone notice that I've lost 8 of those pounds in the past 2 weeks or so?

Another Progress Check!

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and I got to face th scale once more. I've been stressed at work and my eating habits have *ahem* been less than stellar this week so I was kinda worried about what would happen.

Well, looks like the gym is working it's magic and getting my metabolism the jump start it needed cause I dropped 6 more pounds!!!!

That makes 8 so far, I'm super thrilled!

My Curves announced that they would be closing (Pout!) but I've located another just 15 minutes away so I am going to transfer there at the end of the month. I will stick with this, I will !

I was feeling so good about my body that last week my Mom and I went on a shopping spree and I bought some DRESSES. Anyone who knows me personally knows that me and dresses aren't usually a good mix. But I was feeling so good about myself that I just went and did it and I couldn't be more happy!

Here's to making progress!

The Wagon

I didn't just fall off the dang thing, it circled back and ran right over me.

A year ago I was doing pretty good... eating not bad (not great just not horrible), working out 4-6 days a week on the treadmill, going to Curves regularly.
Then we moved, don't get me wrong it was exactly what I wanted and I wouldn't change things and go back to the city!  However the move threw me off completely. 
Our move was VERY disorganized.  I packed some boxes, some friends packed some boxes, the movers packed some boxes.  Only the ones I packed were labelled.  Add that my husband had a major shopping problem and was borderline hoarder and yeah it was a frickin mess... I had no idea what was in a box, the movers just put stuff wherever (I won't even START on the movers, omg what a joke).  To be truthful I still have a basement FULL of boxes.  However Pie is doing much better with his shopping problem, I think moving made him realize just how much stuff he had.
So that had me stressed, there went my eating.  Can't get to the treadmill because of all the dang boxes, going to the city for a gym or Curves isn't feasible, there goes most of my exercise.
Bottom line, I need to start eating better... which would be much easier if my husband would stop bringing so much junk into the house (and with his being diabetic he should for himself anyway!)
I need to get my crap together and get moving outside (hey it is summer now!) :) and hopefully get my boxes/unpacking situation sorted out so that when that darn cold weather comes I'll be able to get to my treadmill. 
SO if you guys don't hear from me posting over here nag me!  Remind me that I need to make myself a priority!
Thanks in advance :)