A Brief History of Pants

I'm back.

I have gained ten pounds.  But I quit smoking, so I figure I have come out on top.

I was having some severe problems with the vegan diet, so I kicked it up to ovo-lacto, no meats or fish.  So far, not sure if I am going to keep it this way or not, but I definitely need to do something.

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

I made the yummiest vegan chocolates--in honor of upcoming Valentine's Day!

I melted vegan dark chocolate with a teeny bit of vegetable oil, then added tons of shredded coconut and sugar to taste and then poured the mixture into little mini-muffin cups, topped them with slivered raw almonds and put them in the freezer. 

Delicioso!!!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Only a few days left now until 2006.  While I'm not generally one for New Year's Resolutions, I've decided to make an exception because my journal is now just a little over one year old.

First, here is a link to my first entry.

Things have changed quite a lot since then.  I didn't weigh myself until about a month after that first entry, and I'd be willing to bet that I lost about 10 lbs in that month, which means I have lost about 40 lbs since that first entry.  I've gone from a 14/16 to a 10--I even have one (forgiving, lol) pair of size 8 jeans right now.  I've gone from a diet of lean grilled chicken breast, veggies, and whole grains to an 100% vegan diet.  In a little over a year, I've cut out meat, dairy, and almost all junk food from my diet.

Coming from an original weight of 215 lbs right after giving birth to my daughter in April of 2004, I now weigh about 155 lbs.  Emily will be 2 years old in a few months, and finally, I actually weigh LESS than I did before my pregnancy!

Of course, as proud as I am of all of these things, the truth is that I have been less than vigilant about maintaining a diet and exercise plan the past 6 months or so.  My husband left for Iraq in June and I have definitely let those things go.  So, for the new year, I will re-implement some very old, tried and true, methods to take off the last 15-20 lbs:

-DRINK WATER!  Approximately 75-80 ounces per day.
-Eat 4-6 small, well balanced meals every day.  Incorporate a lean protein source, vegetables, and whole grains.  Keep fats low and healthy.  Lots of fiber.  Limit alcohol consumption.  Establish one cheat day per week where anything goes. 
-Pilates 3-4 times per week.  Outdoor walks (weather permitting) in the morning, even if it's just a mile or so--fresh air is good for the soul.  Yoga poses to stay limber and keep stress down.
-SLEEP!  Stick to a regular sleep schedule--7-8 hours per night, somewhere between the hours of 10 pm and 9 am.

So, I am deciding on Sunday for my cheat day.  Every other day, I will do my best to start the day with a nourishing bowl of oatmeal or another hot grain cereal, a cup of coffee, and a big old glass of water.  Soon after, I'll have a salad, and perhaps a serving of whole grain pasta with sugar-free tomato sauce and soy crumbles, along with another water.  Another meal might be delicious vegan chili with light and dark red kidney beans, black beans, and corn, with a piece of Alverado Street Bakery flaxseed bread toasted and brushed lightly with hot red pepper infused olive oil and a glass of soymilk.  I'll try to keep dinners light, as eating too much makes it hard for me to sleep.  Dinner might be a Texas Burger on rye bread, followed maybe an hour or so later by a large green salad drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil.

Hopefully, by sticking to this plan, I will be able to lose 20 lbs or more in the coming year!

I hope everyone is doing well this holiday season, and you will all be hearing much more from me now that I have new goals to reach!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

April 24, 2004: 215
January, 2005: 186
October 31, 2005: 159
December 16, 2005: 152

That's about it--just wanted to share real quick!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

 
215: The day Emily was born.
159: Yesterday.
140: Hopefully, before Adam comes back.

185.6: Last January, when I first started making a concerted effort to lose weight.
The others, the same. :)

Anyway, this made me feel really good.  I didn't realize how far I had come since having my daughter.  By her next birthday, I'm well on my way to looking better than I did before my pregnancy!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Hello all!  I'm still here, still kickin'.

 
                         April 26, 2004


                      October 29, 2005

I've officially entered the 50s!  I was starting to think it might not ever happen, but then my sister was finally successful in turning me to the vegan-side (something akin to the Dark Side, lol, but not really) and the weight has been steadily dropping off for the past couple of months.  I'm still not working out with any regularity, but I'm getting there.

I've gone from a size 16 to a size 10!  How exciting is that?  I'm actually wearing one size smaller than I did when I got pregnant!!!

I'm feeling pretty good, but in my eyes I still have a ways to go.  I'd like to eventually work my way below 140, which is a lot more realistic now than it was when I first started all this almost a year ago.

Even without upping my workouts (which I am going to do, so this is completely hypothetical), I figure I should still be able to drop about 5-8 lbs per month, just from cutting out all the meat and dairy I used to eat every day.  My biggest weakness, pizza, is now absolutely out of the question for me.  The only hurdles left, really, are french fries and potato chips, which I am trying to replace with healthier alternatives.

Anyway, by the time Adam gets back in April, I'd like to drop one or two more pants sizes and another 20 or so pounds, which I think is more than reasonable.  5 months is a lot of time.

So, I'm here, still losing, and very happy with my progress.  Let me know how you all are making out!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

This is my Gazelle--actually really great so far for the money (only $100.00 plus s&h).  I just did a rudimentary session of HIIT on it (6 minute warm-up, 10 minutes of 20/40 second sprint/walk intervals, 4 minute cool-down).

This is my favorite move on my Pilates DVD--just for fun!

Anyway, eating better, drinking more water, working out again--life is alright!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

My new hair color:

My sister (who just moved in with me):

Been eating better, but have also become 100% addicted to Diet Coke with Splenda.  Weighed in: 164-165 (depending on hydration).

Hope everyone is doing well--haven't had a chance to read the journals yet.

Okay, late-night movie time!!!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Progress thus far, and goal for Amy Jo's 7 Week Weight-loss Challenge, which starts on Monday.

I have been a little down the past few days--I miss Adam, and I've been sick.  However, I did manage to get my living room painted and rearranged, and it looks awesome.  I'll post before and after pics later--I need to get my digital camera back from my friend's car.

My diet has been less than perfect, but I am trying to get my head back to the right place.  It's harder than I thought--in the beginning, I was so fired up and all of these ideas were so fresh and exciting, but now I have settled in to being really happy with my results so far, and because I can now buy pants at normal stores, my motivation to keep losing has diminished.  I still want to, I just have trouble making myself do the things I need to do.

Anyway, while I am still hyped up on cold pills, I am going to get some cleaning done.  Just checking in, letting everyone know I am still here, and starting Monday, I will be working my butt off in the weight-loss challenge.  I'll post the link later if anyone is interested in getting on board!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

I love putting that picture on here, lol.  Just thought I'd get a ticker on here to give everyone a better idea of how I am doing:

I'm giving myself 6-7 weeks to reach my new goal weight.  I feel like that gives me enough flexibility not to freak out when I "mess up" but also a rigid enough time frame to keep me focused.  As always, if I surpass my goal weight before 6-7 weeks, a new goal will be set!

Okay, off to clean house!

[One more thing...]

I just wanted to give myself some credit here for a minute.  In April, 2004, I went into the hospital to give birth to my daughter at 210-215 lbs.  Most of that stayed with me when we left a few days later.  Here is a better idea of how much hard work I've done over the past year:

If that isn't motivational, I don't know what is!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this