Hello Friends!
I had a great trip with a wonderful friend this weekend. It was a much needed vacation, and it was good that we got to catch up! While on my trip, we were able to exercise, but I didn't exactly adhere to my diet. :) It could have been a lot worse, and to tell you the truth, I didn't really think much about it because I was just happy to be with one of my very best friends.
While on the trip, I was able to do a lot of reflecting on my current lifestyle. I've come to the conclusion that I'm under a handicap, and it's miserable. I can't live like this forever. I can't keep thinking about food constantly, and there's no way I can keep up this level of exercise for the rest of my life and be completely happy. If I do, I'm going to continue to be sore, lose weight, obsess over food, and be an unsociable person (more so than I already am... but that's a whole other blogging topic.) My eating plan now leaves no room for flexibility, such as eating out, having meals with my family, or going out with friends for drinks. Now that I'm at a healthy weight and am only interested in maintaining a healthy and social lifestyle, I've come to the conclusion that things have got to change.
So, I'm taking a GIANT LEAP OF FAITH. I'm letting go just a bit. I can't tell you how much it scares me because it involves less exercise a day, but essentially eating the same amount of food. I've mentioned before that weight maintenance is all one big experiment, and I am still figuring it out. Here is what I'm thinking.
As far as exercising goes, I'm not going to go for my 30 minute run every day anymore. I'm getting a little bit bored with it. Exercise should be something I look forward to, not hate. If I hate it, I'm not going to want to do it. I've always got to want to do it. I will still continue exercising in some form everyday.
Here is an example of the plan:
Monday: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred- 25 min. (strength and cardio)
Tuesday: Trainer/Yoga- 60 minutes (mostly strength, and stretching)
Wednesday: 30 minute run/20 minute glutes- 50 min (cardio)
Thursday: Trainer- 30 min (mostly strength)
Friday: Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism- 45 min (cardio)
Saturday: Jillian Michael's No More Trouble Zones- 45 min (strength)
Sunday: 30 minute run/20 minute glutes- 50 min (cardio)
So you see, I'd only be doing my runs twice a week instead of everyday in addition to these videos and training sessions. It cuts 50 minutes of daily exercise out of my plan. That will hopefully cut out a lot of my hip/leg pain, and I won't have to wake up at an ungodly hour every single morning. (Yay, more sleep!) I only hope it doesn't cause a weight gain. I guess I'll just have to try it to find out.
My eating plan is going to be somewhat similar to what I'm doing now. I'm still going to eat 5 times a day. I'm just going to cut out some calories during the day to allow for more at night. Allowing for more calories at night will allow me some flexibility to eat meals with my family or go out to eat with friends without much worry. That way, my diet could allow for some fast food if that's what my family wants, so I won't feel deprived of it and indulge/binge on the weekends. Hopefully this will create more of a balance, and make it more of a normal healthy lifestyle.
I'm trying to figure this out so that I can be completely happy with my life. I need to make this something I can live with forever, no matter where I am. I struggled a bit on this vacation, and it helped me realize that I have a big problem that needs to be rectified right now. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
Please Please Please let me know your thoughts on this. I really need to know if this is an okay thing to do. I just know that I need to find a balance, and perhaps this is a way to do it, and continue to maintain my weight. If this works, I'll be a much easier person to live with, so positive thoughts sent my way would be appreciated. :)
Thanks for reading this LONGGGGGGG post. Look forward to hearing from you.
Lauren, if you consider your thoughts about food to be intrusive, then maybe you could try to learn about stalling intrusive thoughts. Maybe utilize a counselor or therapist. Remember you're a human being, not a machine. If you have a bad day, so what? Make up for it tomorrow. If you want french fries, have some. Then next time you want french fries, don't have them. You don't have to believe every thought that pops into your head.
ReplyDeleteWe all need moderation...even in our life-changing journeys. I think it's wise of you to have a weekly plan lined up. That's more thought than most people put into their weight-loss hopes and dreams! I also think that getting more sleep is KEY to losing and maintaining weight. We stress our bodies out by going without sleep...and believe you me...I am the poster child for this! I remember one of the last episodes of The Biggest Loser Season 7 focused on the last month that the final four contestants spent at home before the finale. I'm not sure if you've followed the show in the past, but that year Helen and Tara both had freak out moments with binge eating and with stressing out over getting in enough workout time. They were FRIED when Jillian came to visit them. Anyway, what I took away from that episode is that we all need to loosen up and find a plan we can truly live with. Thanks for your honesty in this blog!
ReplyDeleteMight want to think about overeaters anonymous meetings. You will find you are not alone with your struggle.
ReplyDeleteYou have made amazing strides in a healthier lifestyle. Now you just have to work on the inter exceptance of a healthy relationship with food. Baby steps are good.Less exercise is a great start. Be kind to yourself
Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI think it is good to stop exercising so much. I also think it might be good if you do gain a little bit of weight back. just try to stay under 130, but 115 is toooooooo low. So don't get upset if you gain even 10 pounds. Just try to not go over 130.
I lost 23 pounds and I have maintained it so far. I record everything I eat, but I do eat what I want, including fast food, Kanki, pizza, whatever I want. I just try to not go over 2000 calories a day. There is a booklet called Nutrition in the Fast Lane that has the calories of a lot of places.
Good Luck, Mickey Hale
This is a great, great post! I wouldn't say I know exactly what you're going through, but I've felt very similarly.
ReplyDeleteI came to a very similar realization, too. Exercise should be a hobby, but not the purpose of my life. I still struggle with this. When I'm feeling like I can't be happy unless I go to the gym and run a few miles, I deliberately don't go to the gym, and do something else instead to challenge myself and reinforce the fact that nothing bad will happen.
I also realized that being fit is a good thing, but it's not the be-all, end-all of existence. It's a useful tool in the sense that it gives one freedom, health and ease of movement, but in the end, that's all it is, a means to do other things. I was mired in the notion that fitness was the end and not the means.
You are so right... If you love it, you'll keep doing it. We shouldn't punish ourselves for enjoying ourselves. That's what we're here for!
Nieta
From what I've read about exercise (which isn't too much, but it is some!), if you're constantly sore or in pain that usually indicates that you're not giving your body enough rest to repair- which isn't EXACTLY bad, but it means you're always operating at less then your peak. The good news, of course, is that if you just give your body time to rest then it does indeed fix itself up and then you won't have to deal with the pain any more! Exercising every day is pretty intense- you could consider adding a day of rest in there for your muscles to fix themselves back up.
ReplyDeleteAlso remember that health is definitely a range- and that as long as you're within a "normal" BMI, you're definitely still reaping the health benefits of good exercise and eating right! There's no need to ride the bottom line of "normal" if your body would rather sit comfortably in the middle, or even near the top. For a woman of your height/age, 115 is on the low end of Normal, which is perfectly fine- but don't worry too much if you do gain back a few pounds! You've still made an incredible change, and have (I think) lots to be proud of. :)
Hey lauren- it's Sarah- ur old personal trainer :( I miss our workouts already. I LOVE this new plan. I think this will be a lot more beneficial and more manageable for long term success. Just keep up the positive attitude and have fun with exercise and food! Try not to obsess about every calorie/minute of exercise... you have achieved your weight loss goal! TRY TRY TRY to keep mixing up the cardio with the bike (your fav!) and the ellptical- it's good to have some non-impact cardio for those hips/knees. Keep it up girlie!
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren! From one weight loss person to another: taking it easy is key. You're wise to cut back a little so you can live your life! I'm very proud of you for all that you have accomplished. Everyone above is right that taking it easy will help keep the pounds off. Counting calories and measuring out portion sizes has helped me tremendously! I eat out occasionally and usually eat one small sweet/dessert per day. To be honest, I think doing that has helped me stay sane!
ReplyDeleteThere's a cool App for the Droid (I think I saw that you just got that phone) called Calorie Counter. It's free, and a great way to track the calories you eat (even has a barcode scanner interface that makes it much easier to track) everything.
More than anything just make sure you're happy. As the song says... "Don't Worry, be Happy!" :)
Hey girl! Here's my 2 cents....
ReplyDeleteTho I didn't have the major weight shift that you did, at the age of 49, I said to myself, I'm 10 lbs overweight, and have all that old age crap I never wanted. wiggly arms, ponch belly, no strength...damn that age thing!!! so I started going to the gym. 3 days a week for 45 min - hour. thats all. In 4 months I dropped 17 lbs (and at 5 foot, that's a lot! lol) and felt better than ever. My diet changed only because my metabolism did. A diet filled with pasta, red meat and potatoes turned into fish, rice and veggies.
2 years later, I still go to the gym 3 times a week only for 30-45 min tops. I do 5 minutes cardio! 5! and the rest of the time is spent on weights but I do it all without resting a whole lot so that my heart rate maintains a cardio level.
I eat sensibly. but I don't deprive myself of anything. I eat everything in small portions. and if I go out to eat or over at a friends house, I eat till full then take the rest home. I don't count calories or worry about what I'm ordering. I had tortelli and garlic rolls the other nite! and loved every burping minute! Live girl, LIVE!
I don't want to put back any of my weight either but I don't want to be a slave to the scale! I go to the gym, I eat a better diet of fish, veggies, fruit and beef and don't stress if I have a piece of cake. I went on vacation for a week and worked out 1 day. Came back and started my 3 day/week routine...lost the 2 lbs I gained in a matter of 3 days. Point being...don't freak if you go off the strict path you chose....don't make it so "do or die" make it a "I'd like to"
I'm 51 .... my arms are built, I've got abs to stop a speeding bullet (as Bode would say! lol) and most of all I like me and I don't stress over what my food intake is. 3 days a week for 30 minutes...that's all I do. Quality not quantity.
Don't beat yourself up, don't deprive yourself, don't stress. You will end up hating your diet, your plan and your life style.
okay that was more like 4 cents worth...I got another penny to make it 5 if you're interested! :)
Live, breathe, relax :)
Also if going to eat with friends and family makes you a tad nervous... going to lunch/dinner out ask the waiter to box half before it ever even makes it to the table. Then you won't be tempted to over indulge. Go to your parents or a friends instead of using a dinner plate use a salad plate. It is the small things that can be really helpful.
ReplyDelete