14th Pitch: 5% gone!

 Buffy, my chihuahua.

I made my 5% mile marker today when I had weight in!  I have joined and dropped out of Weight Watchers so many times, but this is the FIRST and ONLY (and last) time I made my 5% goal!  7 more lbs and I will have made the 25 lb mile marker! 

I have lost and gained weight (the same weight) more times than I can count.  I have generally not changed my eating habits, only increased my activity which caused me to dump a lot of weight but I never kept up the activity and without changing my eating habits as well, I failed.  This time I am doing BOTH! Novel idea (joking).

I love the new Points Plus system (P+).  Because of P+, I am eating more fruit.  Before this system, I would choose low point **** food (100 calorie packs, Fiber One bars that contained chocolate etc) that wasn't REALLY nutritional, but served to satisfy a craving.  Why have a 2 point banana when I could have a 1 point Kellogs Fiber Bar with CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!! (picture that cartoon dog on that bacon dog treat commercial).

Now that I am finally eating in a much healthier manner, I found something very interesting.  I don't crave chocolate any more!  I am absolutely flabbergasted!  I am eating apples, bananas, raspberries and to my astonishment, that craving for sweet (which my brain has fixated on chocolate) is now gone.  I even lived dangerously one day and ate a Reese's Peanutbutter cup (my favorite).  Before, I couldn't eat just one.  If I had one, I would want one daily, twice a day, three times a day etc. It was very hard to stop.  That day I had one package (you know, the 2 cups that come in that package) and I didn't have the return frenzy of needing more.

I love P+!! I love what is happening to me now!  I know this time I am going to make it!  Thanks Weight Watchers!

13th Pitch: 5K! I won!

Did I finish first? Not by a long shot.  I came in 3rd from last, but I finished and to me that means I won! I made it all the way.  Sore? A bit.  Psyched? Definitely! and ready to do my next one!  I would encourage anyone to do this.  I remember when I started doing events in 2005.  If someone hadn't encouraged me and walked a couple of events with me, I wouldn't have done this.  Do you think you weigh to much? Trust me, I am huge.  Are you afraid to be looked at funny?  What I have experienced is that before the race, I get quizzical looks (as if to say: is she going to need an ambulance before this is over?).  During the race, I often see looks of surprise, but also I get comments of concern and encouragement.  People will say something such as:  "It's just a short way"  "You are going to make it!" and when I get to the end, there are many people that cheer me as I come up.  It's as if for the first time I feel recognized for my accomplishment not disdained for my size.

So my advice, DO IT! 

This event honored fallen law officials of 2010 in support of their families left behind.
Lt. Eric Lewis Shuhandler, Gilbert, AZ Police Department.  1/28/2010
Officer Travis P Murphy, Phoenix, AZ Police Department 5/26/2010
Detective Carlos Ledesma, Chandler, AZ Police Department 7/27/2010
Deputy Sheriff Brian Harris, Kane County, AZ Sherrif's office 8/26/2010
Agent Michael Gallagher US Border Patrol 9/2/2010
Agent Brian A. Terry US Border Patrol 12/15/2010
Officer James "Dutch" Lister Arizona State University Police Department 12/16/2010

(These names were on our event shirts and I feel comfortable posting them here)

May their families have peace and comfort and solace knowing that others care.  (This is the 7th annual event and it has drawn the largest crowd since its inception.)

Cindi

12th Pitch! Walking my butt off!

 My three children and I.

I walked 3.3 miles today and the grand total is 10/500 miles!  I figured out that I have to have 9.6 miles a week to make my goal, and I have decided to get in at least 10 miles a week to give me some lee way for vacations and illness, etc.  I am a day early (since January 1 was Saturday, my weeks are Sat - Fri).

I didn't do anything last night, I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open when I got home from work.  My feet are also very sore.  Since my one pair of shoes is killing me I don't have shoes to alternate to give my feet a different workout.  I had to take my car into the shop today and that wasn't cheap, so now I don't have the money for shoes until I get paid next week.  Oh well, that is life :)

I think I might rest tomorrow.  I am up 2 lbs on my scale.  Since I have been following plan I know this is inflammation from all this work out.  I am going to take ibuprofen tonight and 2-3 times tomorrow.  My feet are really killing me so I think they deserve a rest until the 5K on Sunday.  I may walk a mile on Saturday.  We have a bike also, and I may try riding that next week since the challenge is walk/hike/run/bike. There is a really cool T-shirt designed by the owner of the challenge at this web address: 

http://www.customizedgirl.com/design/e73e74e7c652ff32cdb4d0fc7f952b0a_1467652

I am going to order this shirt in next payday and when I get a new one for 2012 I am hoping to be at least a couple of sizes smaller by then!  Well, that is it for now!  Keep on Trekkin' on!

Cindi

11th Pitch. Walking my butt off --- literally.

Well, I started a challenge of walking 500 miles in this year of 2011.  So far I have made it to 6.7 miles and this is day 4 of the new year.  I think I am doing well.   I also have scheduled myself for a 5K this Sunday. "Run to Remember" 5K run/walk to assist the families of fallen police officers in Arizona.

‎7th Annual Run To Remember 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk

www.active.com

‎7th Annual Run To Remember 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk | Chandler, Arizona 85249 | Sunday, January 09, 2011 @ 8:30 AM

So, for 500 miles in a year, that is 9.6 miles a week or 42 miles a month. Yep - my butt should walk off by itself along come November.  Sheese!  I plan an 8K then.  Did I mention I am going to do the PFChang half marathon in Jan 2012?  and the full marathon Jan 2013?

Yes, some might call me crazy, but by then they damn well better be calling me skinny too!!!

Tenth Pitch: New Years resolution!

Hello 2011!  Welcome!

I have made so many resolutions every new year.  I have always resolved that I would loose weight, and some years I did that.  One year I was so successful, I even walked a half marathon! Unfortunately, I went back to old patterns.

2011 you are different! I am walking into your new January with a plan this time.  No ambiguous 'going to loose weight' this time! This time weight loss will be permanent!

I am going to loose 5lbs a month - which will mean 60lbs gone and left behind with you when 2012 rolls around.  I have plans also!

1. I am going to track my intake daily - food, fluids, EVERYTHING!

2. I am going to follow the Weight Watchers Good Health Guidelines which means:

• 5 servings of fruit and veggies daily
• 2 servings of protein daily
• 3 servings of low fat dairy daily
• 6-8 cups of fluids daily
• 2 teaspoons of healthy oils daily
• 1 multivitamin daily

3.  I am going to become more active.

• 30 minutes of activity daily.  Start of with 15 and work up. First I am going to walk, alternate with fitness video (I have 14 saved on my DVR), but I ultimately want to get back into martial arts again.
• I want to be able to do 100 abdominal crunches and 100 push ups again.
• I want to walk a half marathon in 2012

4. QUIT EATING MY STRESS!!

5. Attend Weight Watchers meetings weekly.

OK that is my resolution that is what 2011 is going to be devoted to and this time I will defeat my food issues and they no longer will control me! Let's see how 2011 deals with this!  Looking forward to a new me in 2012!

Ninth Pitch

Well, went to Weight Watchers.  My trend has always been dump several pounds one week and gain back a few pounds the next week so this week would have been a gain.  As expected, a gain of only 0.2 pounds!!  That is the smallest gain I have ever had so I am thrilled.  I didn't get in as much exercise as I wanted, it has been a busy week, but I am still excited for such a small gain back, so onward and upward!  Continue same exercise goal as last week.

Eighth Pitch WW

                                                                  ***Weight loss***
OK had to get serious with the weight loss since being diagnosed with Diabetes.  I did well the month of November and attained an 11 lb loss.  I am starting over now since the advent of the new Weight Watchers Points Plus system.

So starting 12/5/2010 I want to lose 163.8 lbs
As of 12/10/2010 I have lost 4 lbs.  SO - great start for a week!

I did not exercise, I wanted to see how the new Points Plus program would work for me.  The first 3 days, my blood sugars went up about 20-30 points and that concerned me (even though I was still close to "control" range, I wanted to be lower) but they settled back down to the range they were in pre-Points Plus after that.  I am happy with how I feel and also I am always full now!  In fact, I really doubted that I was loosing weight because I felt that I was eating too much. This week I am going to add exercise to my routine and I am planning 30 minutes of exercise with a goal of 3-4 times a week this coming week.