Being at my best for the holidays- Please Help

[ejagno]

Every single day I come here and see where most of my magical holiday friends love themselves enough to make sure that they stay in optimum health by working out every day.

I've been a slacker. I rejoined the gym a few months back but quickly set my goals aside to help everyone else. You know the drill...........any excuse is a good one to get out of looking in the mirror. I have been so very unhappy with myself lately. I haven't felt well, always exhausted and felt like my mind was cloudy and not as sharp as it normally is. When I did embark on any physical activity I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My clothes have been feeling tighter and so uncomfortable lately. I am 53 years old and I feel 80. I finally broke down and weighed myself this morning. OH MY GOD, how could I have ever let myself go like this? I currently weigh more than I ever have, including three full term pregnancies. I'm the one who always gasped for air when I saw women who'd let themselves go and looked horrible. Now I'm that woman and I don't like her one bit and want her lazy butt out of my life. If I could quit smoking after 35 years I know I can do this.

This morning the minute DH's alarm went off I hit the floor running, got dressed and headed to the gym. I had a good 75 minute workout............even though I really thought I was going to die. I came home and instead of having that giant glass of tea I fixed myself another water and breakfast. I then fixed another water and another water. I spent the remainder of the day using MHH to lay out my goals and setting benchmarks daily, weekly and monthly to achieve my goal of being at my best by Thanksgiving.

Goal: Lose 43 lbs tone and define muscle mass

Goal Date: November 27th, 2014

Daily:
GYM
Monday, Wednesday & Saturday(Treadmill (Walk & jog) 35 minutes, Upper Abs (15 minutes), Total Body (30 Minute work-out)

Tuesday, Thursday - water aerobics (making arrangements at a different gym for the water aerobics classes)

Drink a minimum of 10 glasses of water every day.

Weekly -
Weight Loss - 3 lbs. per week
Weigh In (Log Progress)- Tuesday mornings
Measure Up (Log Progress)- Tuesday mornings
Prep for Success - Plan/Prepare weekly menu/meals/snacks

Monthly - Reward
September 12th - Goal's Met - New handbag & shoes
October 12th - Goal's Met - Tickets/Trip to Renaissance Festival
November 12th - Goal's Met - Tickets/Trip to Dickens on the Strand
December 12th - Goal's Met/Maintained - Trip to see Festival of Lights

Yes, I am rewarding myself handsomely and you'll also notice that Christmas is my greatest reward so it's a great incentive. I'm hoping that maybe when I go to see the festival of lights I can finally meet MissJane as well. Who Knows!

Now friends the reason I posted this is because I need your help. I want you to hold me accountable every single day. I want you to ask me if my weekly goal was met, how much I've lost, how many inches have I shed. I need your support now more than ever. I think my metabolism shut down at the onset of menopause. Owning a restaurant and being married to an executive chef doesn't make this easy by any means. Thanks!

 

[HouseElf]

Weightloss is very hard! I wish you all he best of luck

Have you tried the nutribullet to add extra greens in your day?
I am reading and trying to implement Paleo principles and dr terry wahls plan in my everyday cooking.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Great goals!!!

 

[MrsSoup]

I think this is awesome Ellen and while I do exercise regularly, I find eating healthy a huge challenge. So I will be sitting down today and writing down some goals for myself, you have inspired me! I will definitely ask you how it's going and help to keep you accountable.

 

[missjane]

Ellen, I think we spend so much time on everyone else and so little on ourselves that it's easy to become the person you saw in the mirror. But, the most important thing is that you really "SAW THE PERSON IN THE MIRROR."

I encourage you on the journey that you're on. It's an ambitious one. Keeping a journal of exercise and what you eat may be helpful and how you felt when you were eating. I'm an emotional eater and realized that when I kept a journal. If you have Weight Watchers in your area, it's easy and works.

Actually, I need to join you on this journey to lose 40+ pounds and take some of my own advice. I'm firmer, but haven't lost much. I hope going back to work will make it easier to lose.

Good luck. You can do this. Like you said, if you can quit smoking after 35 years, you can do this. I've heard it's one of the hardest things to quit smoking, so what is this after being successful at that?!

 

[luludou]

Go Ellen Go! you can do it.

I've been trying to get back in shape but everytime I start some exercise I hurt myself so it's going so-so. I too have never weighed so much even with my 2 pregnancies was not happy when I met the doc but he said I was fine... I believe I have 10 pounds too much and I need to firm the whole thing up.
I have trouble with my water and meals too! I bet if I upped my water and cut my portions I'd lose half of what I want.
Are you on FB? If so, there is a health accountability group .... just let me know.

 

[halimer]

Ellen - I'm looking forward to cheering you on as you meet your goals!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Great planning, Ellen! Your reward system is a great idea!

I'm trying to lose weight myself and will definitely cheer you on, etc.! I'm a bit stuck at the moment because the gym I had a lifetime membership to closed and I can't afford another gym for now.

I have been doing pretty well with eating better and losing weight that way - I was weighing myself every week day at work to stay on track but the scale was stolen last week and I haven't gone to buy another one yet. I think I'll keep it at home!

At last weigh in I had lost 17 lbs or so with just eating changes alone, but I totally understand about how our bodies change over time. Hopefully despite the changes in your metabolism you'll soon hit on the right mix of diet and exercise to get those results.

I will say that if I eat "better" I always feel better! More energy, less blah. It is a such a cycle - feeling worn down, lacking the energy to get exercise in, eating take out when too tired to fix a healthier option, etc.

But if I can get the momentum going, get the activity in (which right now is limited to gardening and canning and walks for me) I am able to keep it up much easier.

I am happy to chat any time about tips and tricks or just the necessary venting that goes along with this kind of journey! It takes time, but little by little it CAN be done!

 

[aggy]

Go Ellen!!! You Can Do It!!! I'll be rooting you on.

I know what you mean. I recently started my journey to lose weight. I slacked a lot over the summer and gained back what little weight I had lost, plus a few extra pounds. So I've gotten back to drinking more water. I walk the track at the nearby school every evening after work and early mornings on weekends. I am using this app called "Noom Walk". It keeps daily, weekly and monthly counts of my steps. Right now my numbers are low, but I'm working on improving that. I've also resumed to making meals at home and taking my lunch as opposed to buying fast food daily.

 

[snowlvr]

Ellen-Awesome plan!! I am 54, and in completely the same boat-I was at a happy weight until I had a baby at 39 and then went through menopause a few years ago-my metabolism ground to a halt, and my will power just died...but what has been a blessing for me is that a friend at work who is morbidly obese-BMI over 40-has entered a medically supervised diet program, and has asked for everyone's help-so we are walking with her and learning along with her to eat better..I am just so sick of waking up every morning thinking-"I need to lose weight", or some such thing..and not feeling my best

Ellen-anybody who can quit smoking after 35 years can do this!! We are with you!

 

[Minta]

You got this ...

I am sorta in the same boat... joined the gym but havent had the time to go between work and the kids activities. However I have lost 15 lbs and my hubby lost 25 lbs just by diet changes alone. Small changes eventually lead to big changes. We cut way back on soda and now only have a glass as a speical treat. I stopped buying a lot of processed foods, cut out almost all take out and started cooking cleaner. I cook with a lot of veggies, chicken and fresh wild caught fish. We still indulge in goodies, but only homemade one where I can reduce sugar, when I can I replace butter with cococnut oil and I add whole or ground flax seed for addition omega 3 properties. The only oils I use now is olive oil, coconut oil and once in while peanut oil.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Ellen-

Health and fitness is my #1 priority right now.

I simply want to be the best I can be. For Health more than anything. I want to lead a vibrant life.

This is my 3rd week of working out BEFORE work. A HUGE change for me as I have to be at work at 7:30am. That means I'm working out at 5am!
And I am NOT a morning person!

I am drinking my water and eating a nice big salad every day. A lot of veggies. A lot. Fruit, whole grains. Good proteins. Eating every 3 hours to keep the metabolism pumping. And proper rest is vital.

Just a tiny warning- your weight loss goal is a bit steep.
Safe (and long lasting weight loss) is 1-2 pounds a week.
Don't want you to get discouraged. It's a lot of work- but good work! You will feel so very proud of yourself!

I find posting my health and fitness goals in the weekly to-do thread helps me stay accountable daily because I have to check off each day if I did what I said I was going to.

I AM WITH YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY!

Annie

 

[missjane]

Minta, canola oil is equally as healthy as olive oil and costs much less - a little known fact that the food industry doesn't hope consumers learn!

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I need to get back on track as well. I had worked hard a few years back and lost weight. i was much happier but have slowly put it all back on and back up to my max weight. I am NOT happy and my clothes don't fit. At my new job I am not on my feet a lot and have a strange eating schedule. None of wich is good for me. Plus with school out I am being lazy in the AM. I am doing better about drinking water at work, something I am usually very bad about.

Keep us all posted on your journey. Maybe start a daily/weekly thread and we can keep up with each other.

 

[Sugarplum]

Go Ellen!

It really gets tougher after you turn 50! I need to work harder to lose that extra weight around my middle, and maintain it.

I'll be joining the others in cheering you on, and following along.

 

[ejagno]

You all rock! Annie, I do like your weekly goals and will begin posting my daily progress there as well so that I am holding myself accountable.

I have been doing 75 minutes of fitness daily. I have removed 99.5% of sugar completely from my diet. Right now I'm really focusing on veggies for carbohydrate's instead of sugar and starches.

I need to lose 3 lbs. per week to reach my fitness goal by Thanksgiving and that is exactly what I intend on doing in the most natural and healthy way I know how which is exercise, pure well water throughout the day and natural unprocessed foods which means no sugar as well.

I have found some amazingly great recipes that are so filling and delicious. This isn't a diet for me. This is a lifestyle modification no different than giving up the cigarettes. You can't just quit smoking until you feel better and go right back to smoking. Well you can't give up after getting your health and body into premium shape and then just start mistreating it again.

I've lost 3 lbs. in 3 days so apparently my metabolism isn't totally dead. I aim to bring it back to life gently. I know I won't always lose this quickly but on those weeks that I hit a plateau I have the great weeks where an extra pound or 2 was shed to compensate for it.

Thank you all so much for your support. It means the world to me.

 

[MrsSoup]

Ellen- Please share any good recipes you find if you don't mind!

 

[snowlvr]

I seconded what Jess said-any new healthy recipes would be so helpful!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Ellen, good on you, I am very proud.

With the water intake, are you drinking plain water or are you flavouring it with slices of lemon, orange, lime? I find some flavour to be helpful.

Keep going, we are all with you.

 

[ejagno]

No, I haven't been flavoring my water. I actually love my well water. It doesn't have all of the chemicals like the city water and it doesn't taste like chlorine either.

I did fix me a glass of tea this evening using Splenda. It's good but I think I can cut back some more on the Splenda as I'm not a fan of anything real sweet. It says to use equal amounts as you did for granulated sugar. That was way toooooo sweet for me so I cut it down. It's bearable but I think I'll go down some more. Tea is my caffeine vice and I've cut it down to 1-2 glasses daily.