me

Previously I was eating low fat and exercising like mad for about 2 months. Got no results.

Last week I went back to low carb diet. I also got sick so I was unable to exercise at all. Surprise surprise I've lost about 3 pounds in a week. No counting calories, only carbs. There is a downside.. my stomach doesn't work all that well after a week of low carb, but..

I'm hoping to get to normal weight soon

new kettlebell instructor

yesterday, rebecca and i got to class, and there was a new guy there.  apparently, he's a certified kettlebell instructor.  he taught us a lot of the basics of kettlebell that i didn't know before (that you only hold it with the tips of your fingers at a certain angle, and what-not).  we did circuits, which was cool....not having to do lunges for practically every exercise was nice!

i do kind of miss the trx training, but i do know some different things to do on that now, so maybe i could do that on my own.

i read that strength training is sometimes more imperative to weight loss than cardio is - because having more muscle burns more calories faster. at the same time, i haven't seen much of a weight difference since starting at the new gym.  i do feel more toned in general, and yes, i know that muscle weighs more than fat, but i don't know if i can keep chalking it up to that.

i also read (from women's health magazine, btw) that to know how many calories you should be eating (or drinking), you should multiply your weight by 10, and add a couple hundred if you work out regularly. and if you want to lose weight, you should subtract 500 from that amount, and you should lose a pound a week.

reading this made me consider counting calories. i've generally been good about eating healthy food lately, but if i actually want to lose weight, maybe i should step it up. but here are my concerns: what about food that doesn't have a calorie count  (like homemade stuff)? i can write down how much my yogurt and lean cuisines are, and look up somewhere online how much my orange is, but how will i know what everything that doesn't have packaging is worth? also, if i start counting calories now, does that mean i have to do it forever?

it's like i'm the slow kid in class

i did end up going to the ab blast/cardio mix class yesterday...and no, we didn't go outside.  we DID do a ton of hard drills/exercises, though....and everyone else there didn't seem to have too much trouble with it. probably because they do it regularly. so yes, i'm the slow kid in class. one of these days, the instructor will stop saying to me "it's ok, just go at your own pace." or "it's a hard class, do what you can". hahaha!

but then i remember that they won the madison's biggest loser, and i know they've worked with people more out-of-shape than me and have whipped them up into being more fit!  it's just that the people in my classes seem like they're REALLY in shape!  it's ok, though. i'll suck it up!

i'm sore in places i've never really been sore before. hahaha...i guess that happens when you take a class that feels like it's almost a bootcamp!  i'm getting used to being sore, i just hope that my body will soon get used to it. (and, my back is fine this week, which is great!)

yesterday, i was proud of myself for eating all healthy foods throughout the day. i think i'm going to get flaxseed (which is supposed to help reduce cellulite) and fiber powder to put onto my food. might give me a boost that i need!

...a little less sore...

kettlebell/trx class was still difficult yesterday, but i made sure to use lighter weights and i paid more attention to my posture. it's really easy to bend over too far when using kettlebell weights! 

but, yeah...my back isn't as sore as it was last week! woot! my legs are killing me, though...probably because the instructor is a huge fan of lunges and squats. merp.

i think i'm finally getting the hang of trx, too...i'm better at figuring out what angles to go at (the more upright you are, the easier it is, so that's what i did), and balancing when my feet are in the straps.  i also think that the activities we did on them weren't as intense, which means that the instructor probably evaluated our skill level more since last week.

there's another lunchtime class tomorrow called ab blast/cardio mix, which i might try. it's a little intimidating, because i've seen them go outside and run (and i'm not so much a runner) and do drills, but i might as well try it once, right?  hopefully my coworkers won't be watching too much (they can see the outdoor classes from the window.)!

that's all i have for now. happy st. patty's day! (note the green font?)

am i doomed?

i am going to be taking the kettlebell class again today - using lighter weights!  it took me until saturday last week to feel fully recovered from the tuesday class. :-/

i told rebecca that if i hurt myself again, i'm probably not going to do that class anymore.  at least i got some moves i can add to my regular workout routine.  oh, and they're changing the class schedule on april 4th....we're going to have power kickboxing (which includes weights), and spinning at night. not gonna lie, i'm kind of intimidated by spinning, but i might as well try it once and see what happens!

and here's an article from womenshealth.gov about carbs.  they send me emails every once in a while about diet and exercise. it's kind of nice!

oh my gosh....

yesterday, i left work early to go judge a forensics (speech team) meet.  rebecca and i decided to try out the "intro to kettlebell and trx" class.

i don't think there was anything "intro" about it! there were many women there, and the trainer, cory, was doing it for the first time.  now, cory is this really muscular guy who looks like he never stops lifting weights.  he's pretty hardcore.

anyway, rebecca and i struggled, especially with some of the trx exercises (they are ropes that hang down with handles on them and you use your body weight with them)....we had to pull ourselves up from the floor using only our arms in the ropes. doesn't sound (or look) that hard, but once we were doing them, i was grunting!

both of us are really sore today, which is making me question if i should go to kickboxing tonight, because the trainer for that is also hardcore, and is apparently doing new (and harder) choreography tonight.  i was having issues just bending over to pick something up from the floor this morning!

which brings me to my next concern....after every class i take at the gym, my lower back hurts. rebecca doesn't always feel the same way. do you think this is normal? (i know that lisa has had some back issues before, too!)

Hi, I'm Lisa...

...and I'm addicted to food!!

Here's the deal: I like food way too much. Some call it emotional eating, others call it lack of willpower. I call it an addiction. Now, I know I shouldn't be throwing words like "addiction" around, and I've watched plenty of the Discovery channel's shows on food addiction. However, I think it best suits me.

Working out is coming easier and easier, especially since I now have buddies that I feel comfortable socializing with while working out. It feels like "me" time again.

So, how do I cut ties with the junk food? I have been eating healthier during the day, but at night with the bf, it's any one's guess what will enter my mouth. (last night it was Taco Bell!)

I'd love to hear how you guys are able to overcome urges to eat junk food. Keep in mind, I have to be in the right mood to cook, which is not often. I usually take dishes duty.

Another week

So, last week (starting Tuesday) I started my diet. For the first few days, I wrote down all the food I ate and the calories, fat and cholesterol in each. After a few days, I really got the hang of what I could eat, and was eating similar food all week.

Friday night started the derailment. Brian and I went out for fish fry, which was ok since I got the baked fish. Not so ok, that there was melted butter to dip the fish in (believe me, it needed it). I ordered vegetables instead of potato, however they were sauteed in butter. And I had a roll with butter. But otherwise ok. In the future, I think we'll stick to our local diner that has a cheaper all-you-can-eat fish fry, with healthier sides.

Saturday, I was doing ok, until family dinner, which I like a little too much. I was hungry, and as Karen can attest, Fern's casserole is a little hard to pass up on!

Sunday, I grazed. I bought a new washing machine, so I was at home most of the day catching up on laundry.

Towards the end of last week, I was feeling thinner, and more full of energy. Yesterday and today, I feel like I have a food hangover. Any suggestions on how to remedy it, other than just starting my diet again (that's the plan)?

woah.

the biggest loser challenge at work is coming to a close. i did not partake because everyone who did it had to put in $100 and there wasn't any chance of me winning because some of the guys had a LOT to lose. they started it january 1st, and now they're finishing up.

so far, the winner is ron, who lost 41lbs. that's crazy! he joined the same gym i go to, and he worked out every single day for 2 hrs a day...so i know he worked hard for it. i asked him if he'll keep at it as much after the competition and he said yes. maybe HE should be my workout buddy! :P

bruce is the other top contender....he doesn't weigh in until thursday, though, because he started that many days after everyone else. i know he was way over 300lbs to begin with, and i can tell he's lost weight, so it might be a close call.

yeah, as i told olivia, if i lost 41 lbs, i'd be an unhealthy waif! ;)