Post Hunger Considerations

After a very hungry day yesterday I recognized what I think are a few truths for myself.  The first is that it is really important for me to not let myself get over hungry - this one is kind of obvious but it never hurts to remind oneself of these things.  The second is that if I do find myself on the verge of that over hungry state - make sure that I eat a real meal - eat to satisfaction, don't just graze a bit of food, then another little bit etc.  I don't think that it satisfies me and it seems like yesterday at least it really threw my body's hunger queues way out of whack.

This morning I got the good old step aerobics going.  Felt good but I also discovered something odd.  The heartrate measurement can definitely be influenced by how I hold my hand.  If I leave my hand in an open position my heart rate does not measure as being very high even if I feel like I am working pretty darn hard.  But if I close it into a fist then it does measure as being reasonably high.  So that is an interesting thing.

Yesterday at pilates I continued to have a good time with the roll ups - having discovered that putting my arms all the way down for the start of the roll up seems to be pulling my ribs up a bit and making the roll up way harder.  So that was a great discovery from the other day.  The roll over on the other hand is something I am still way off with - I think I will have to work the dvd pilates routine into my week at least a couple times - I know it has the roll over in it so I hope it can help me to improve it.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
warm up and cool down 19 walking 20			22	50 (yesterday)

Food Theories

On the whole I have been thinking a bit about food lately.  I have never been a fan of low fat, no sugar added, etc etc.  Usually, what I read when I see those things is PROCESSED, ARTIFICIAL, UNNATURAL.  So one of the things that I have been attempting to do since starting on Weight Watchers is to really choose good, healthy, natural foods.

I never choose classic "diet" foods.  Most things that are low fat seem to replace the fat with sugar which is much worse for you than the fat probably was.  Plus I think of a place like France where people tend to be much slimmer than us here in Canada and North America generally.  It certainly isn't because they eat a bunch of "diet" food.  It is because a lot of them do what a person should do - pick a very good quality selection of food to eat and eat it in moderation.  And that moderation is made much easier because the good quality of the food is so satisfying and delicious that there isn't this big void of satisfaction left like there is after you eat so much of the processed garbage that passes for food here.  When you eat the crappy, unsatisfactory "diet" pudding and are left wanting (because it tastes terrible and is missing the food elements like fat etc that provide physical satisfaction) - so what do you do, you eat another one even if you aren't still hungry you are not satisfied.  I put that down to quality over quantity.  I think some of this idea has come from a variety of places but I think there is a book written by a french woman that talks about this - just did a search it is called "French Women Don't Get Fat".  Think I might need to pick that one up.

It is interesting quite a few people on the WW boards who were on the previous WW plan complain about this one - saying they can't lose on it.  What I wonder is how many of them do the whole "diet" food thing - they are so used to choosing their low fat yogurt etc that they just can't break those habits.  Would be very interesting to get a sense of that.  But that is just a theory and I have no idea if it would be true or not.  I just know the plan is working great for me (another 2 pounds off this week) and I credit my food choices and portion sizes with that - and like I said before portion sizes are much easier to control when the food you eat is truly satisfying.

I worked today so I am going to try to get in  a bit of exercise later - not sure what yet so I won't fill in anything on the table yet.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates

Bad Blogger

Well I haven't been very good at getting on here to blog daily.  But I am doing much better with making sure I keep myself moving.  I have been at it every day getting in some activity at least.  Today it was step aerobics and then of course walking to and from work (in the -49 with windchill weather).

Today I just thought I would like to talk about the supreme importance of language in this process of transformation.  I spend quite a lot of time on the WW boards reading and writing posts etc.  I am shocked at the number of people who use the most negative language to refer to themselves and how they are doing on the plan.  It actually makes me kind of mad when I see it because I think I have come to really and truly realize (and fully take to heart) the fact that trying to do something like this with a negative vocabulary to describe what you are doing is going to make it so much harder - perhaps impossible.  Positive language and attitudes will take you a long, long way. So I get mad because I feel so sure they are sabotaging their efforts with that type of language.

I suppose it is obvious, if one were to read back through some of my earlier posts, that I have been developing my awareness and understanding along this theme for a while.  The labels we use for ourselves and how powerful they can be is all part of this language thing.  So here is to my continued positive belief in myself and my ability to keep making these lifelong healthy choices.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
warm up and cool down 19 walking 20			22

A-HA moments

Well a great A-HA moment in life deserves a few great A-ha moments on youtube.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vdOgObQvz8&feature=related Train of Thought was my favourite a-ha song back when I was a teenager and absolutely and madly in love with A-ha especially the lead singer.  The last moments of the video and the song are my favourites - as the singer walks a few steps and sings the title line.  Oh how it takes me back to the days of teenage idol infatuation ;-)

Anyway, enough of that and now on to my a-ha moment.  Yesterday after I ate my supper I was looking to forage for more food - and my supper was big enough and filling enough.  So it was shortly after supper that I realized I always feel that way when I don't drink some water with my meals.  This is a big deal since it is usually supper I am the most likely to eat without a glass of water handy.  So this should be a very useful insight that will make a huge difference in my nutrition part of my weight loss journey.

Today is pilates class and then brunch buffet.  Looking forward to a few of the items on that menu at the buffet!

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
				50

TRX

Yesterday I went to http://leadpilates.com/ and tried out their TRX workout.  That was one desperately hard 40 minutes. The idea of it is that it is resistance training using your own body as the resistance.  There are these straps suspended from the ceiling and using the straps you do all kinds of exercises that are kind of like regular calisthenics but not quite because you can vary the resistance by changing your body position.

There is a section where you put your feet in the straps and do a plank and then in the plank you crunch in or sway to work the obliques.  That was the hardest part (although the tricep work was also very challenging).  One great thing about that workout was that it does help to isolate the correct muscles - I did find the work in the proper places most of the time whereas I know at home sometimes I figure out ways to "cheat" the work to other muscles sometimes.  The other great thing about that workout is that it really made me 100 percent aware of just how badly I need to rebuild the quad strength in my right leg.  I never really rebuilt it after my knee surgery all those years ago and now I really recognize how badly I neglected it.

Now to the slightly sad news - I had a small gain this week.  And I know the name of the culprit is SODIUM.  Most of the week I was just parched as can be because my sodium intake was definitely up far over what it had been recently.  Well I am sure it will drop back down next week.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
TRX 40 Walking 12

Step Aerobics the new headache cure :-)

Woke up this morning with a good solid headache going on.  Drank a half a glass of water and tried to get back to sleep.  I know the headache is a result of not having enough water yesterday combined with going to bed too late.  So no one to blame but myself.  After a while of a mostly fruitless attempt to get back to sleep for a little while I got up and had some more water.  Didn't want to work out though - thought very seriously about having a day off.

But I snapped myself out of it and hit the ea sports active for a half hour of step aerobics (with warm up and cool down).  The combo of that workout and about 6 glasses of water by 11 o'clock and the headache was gonzo.

Oddly today during my step I couldn't seem to get my heart rate to stay up where it normally is during the step.  I had decided to hold the second remote in my hand with the sensor in it so maybe that had some impact on the sensors measuring ability.  At any rate I felt like I was working just as hard as normal so it was a great workout regardless of heart rates!

Yesterday was Pilates class in the morning.  There are some moves I am really starting to feel very good at and others I am just catching myself in my body's cheats to make them easier.  Chrissy suggested thinking of a couple of the core pilates principles while doing the class yesterday and I picked flow and precision.  I think precision was not a great choice for me in some ways because I get a bit too judgmental of myself when I watch for it and I think it actually reduces the quality of my workout in some ways.  Flow I think I would like to continue to work on since I love the opportunity to move in smooth graceful ways and know I can improve on it - and I think without too much self judgement!

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Warm up and cool down 19 Walking 15 (yesterday)			33	50(yesterday)

Awesome things ahead

Today I am feeling really great.  My cold has passed and so that is fantastic.  Today I had a great workout on the ea active.  Did a warm up, 33 minutes or so of step aerobics followed by a cool down.  Then a walk to work and of course the walk back home from work.

I also made an effort to increase my NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis), got up for a few short walks throughout the day at work.  Printed a couple things at separate times so I would go to the printer more times.  Little things that don't cost me very many minutes but get and keep my body moving and my brain working.

I have a few ideas for work that I am looking forward to trying out.  Not sure if they will end up happening or not but I think it would be simply fantastic if we could get something going on a couple of them.  I am also thinking about getting involved in the CCWESTT organization.  Seems like it would be a good way for me to branch out a bit.  Not sure what got into me today but I am feeling pumped!

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
walking 25 warm up and cool down 19			33

Positivity Challenge

I am doing really fantastic on this plan so far.  I have lost weight, I put two pictures side by side and can see a change in my body, I feel great - yet there is one little thing that is niggling away at me.  Despite the amount of exercise I am doing and the way that I am eating healthier I can't seem to change my measurements very much .  There are people who lose inches and inches all over the place.  I can barely seem to move my measurements a centimeter.  Which begs the question in my mind of where is my weight going away from.

Perhaps it is simply a matter of me having the wrong expectations.  I don't really know how many centimeters/inches I should expect to lose in what kind of timeframe.  Plus I know this isn't a comparison or race against someone else with a completely different journey.  So my positive spin on this will be that my body is building strength and flexibility in great ways any other changes will come when they come!

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
				50

Changes

I have talked a bit about changes before but I just think it is such a valuable thing.  I am certainly seeing physical changes but as important or maybe even more important are the emotional and intellectual changes I am seeing.

My mood is improved I feel happier much more often lately.  I feel much more positive lately.  On an intellectual level I am thinking in more positive patterns lately.  This is not to say that I don't ever still have a negative thought or anything like that - but I am trying much more to examine those negatives and actively convert them into positives.  I look forward everyday to working out and doing things to keep active.  I focus on the positive aspects of my life and think there is such value in this change of perspective.

Did my morning workout routine this morning and it felt awesome.  Especially after a weigh in that saw me down a kilogram for the week - despite a less active week featuring a cold.  Yesterday that Essentrics class was great but I did feel it a tiny bit in my knee this morning so I avoided the step aerobics workout today.  Perhaps I will do it tomorrow and have an extra active day with some step combined with Pilates.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Wii Boxing 10 Walking 35	10	26

Essentrics

Today I tortured myself most vilely with an Essentrics class.  Not really, but it certainly was an excruciatingly challenging workout for the arms and shoulders especially.  Did the class at http://leadpilates.com/ and I can certainly recommend it as an excellent full body workout.  My arms, legs, abs etc all got a good workout.  And like the instructor Chrissy said (and I believe her) this is a type of workout that never gets really easy, it just gets more challenging as you get more in shape and can provide more resistance and more lengthening for yourself.

The girls at the pilates studio were quite happy to see that Essentrics has been picked by Shape magazine as one of the best new fitness trends.  It is just starting to hit LA and New York and these girls have been doing it for a while now.  So I thought I would just give them a little pat on the back for recognizing the value.

I think the big thing with the workout is that you are working muscles with them in the lengthened position and we are definitely not used to that - so it makes for a pretty big challenge.

Have missed a few days on the blog here because I have had a cold but I have been trying to keep up some activity levels despite it.  Yesterday I did some strength and my routine on the wii fit.  Wednesday I just did some walking.  So it has been a slow workout week for me but hopefully I will get over this cold nice and quick and get back at it.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Essentrics 50

Buffet Challenge

Today was a dangerous thing.  The brunch buffet.  My old mindset was that when you go to a buffet you stuff as much food down your gullet as you possibly can to make it worth the price.  I was really quite worried that I hadn't sufficiently moved away from that mindset to be okay at a buffet.

What I did to make it a success - and it was.
Day before: I really did some posting/chatting on the WW boards and with my WW buddy to help me reframe my thinking about the buffet.  I wanted to change my mindset to look at the food at the buffet as quality over quantity - and especially to look to the things I don't have/make at home rather than things I can easily make on my own.

Day of:  Before my Pilates class this morning I had a good low point decent protein breakfast with hummus and avocado on toast.  Figured this would get me through my Pilates without being starving afterwards when I got to the buffet.  Also made sure I drank lots of water.  Then I used my reframed thinking at the buffet. Both those reframed ways of thinking stood me in good stead at the buffet as I walked past a number of items I would normally have filled up on, because I can have them at home.  Instead I picked out the things that I considered extra special items and worth the points I would spend on them.  But only after I filled over half my plate with salad and veggies.  Admittedly my day ended up a bit high on the meats and a bit low on the whole grains/carbs.  But I am okay with that once in a while.

And even doing good I know that I learned a couple things as well when I entered my foods.  Next time I am at that buffet I will make even better choices!

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Playing with nephews 30				45

One more step in the journey

One more weigh in and one more step on the journey is under my belt - or should I say no longer under my belt. Another 2 pounds out of the way!  And a great week behind me in some respects - and a difficult one in some other respects.  It was absolutely great because of my workouts - they were awesome and I am looking forward to many more like that.  Not great because my lack of planning for food really showed through and made supper times much more challenging than they needed to be - and it is not that I need a lot of planning - just a smidge will do.

Planning to do my weights, my routine, and just 10 minutes of step followed by a nice cool down.  Will put it into the table and edit it if anything changes.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
9 cool down	10	28	22*

Professional development

I didn't post yesterday but I did do some pilates yesterday from a video on the tv.  Definitely glad I am going to classes because if that was my only exposure to pilates I don't really think I would love it anywhere near as much as I do!  Did around 28 to 32 minutes of it though, so I will just add it to the table on this post.

Today was a professional development day at work and one of the breakout sessions available was a yoga class.  It was pretty good - a big chunk of it was working with blocks and bolsters under the back etc.  It is stuff I had done in a drama class a few years back but hadn't done since and it felt really good.  I love the ones with the wood block under different spots on the back - it just helps to release stuff so well.  So I have changed the table as well you might notice since it wasn't really working that great for me in the old form - I needed an other column and don't really need the "minutes" heading on the left.  So hopefully this format works a bit better.

I had been feeling such incredible energy the previous couple of weeks but I have felt a bit tired this week - perhaps I need to consider eating more of my activity points on the days I earn them (when I earn lots of them in a day).  Maybe because I am a bit on the tired side the more sardonic/negative side of me was looking at a few things in my PD day today with a bit of skepticism.  But I decided to just get a chuckle out of one of the things and not worry about the rest of them.  I work at an organization with more policies than I have ever seen in any of my other workplaces (possibly more than the rest combined lol).  And one of the speakers today was from West Jet and talked about how they avoid having policies but have promises instead.  I must admit I felt bad for our organization at that point - because the comparison is such an unfavorable one.  But I just kind of chuckled about it and moved on to just appreciate the idea behind that - promises instead of policies and it is one of the most impressive ideas I have heard on the topic of employee engagement in a really long time.

Other	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
20 - walking 45 - yoga				30 - yesterday

Big Day

I think I already mentioned that I set myself a mini goal for WW this week - to earn 20 activity points in one day. Came close on Saturday but no cigar. So today is the day I am going for it. I am going to fill the table in with the plan for today, plus I will also be walking to and from work today. If I make all of the stuff in the table I will have done my mini goal.

	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Minutes	10	25	40	50

One Month

Well it is one month in since I started with Weight Watchers to supplement my previous efforts. I must say it was a fantastic choice for me. The results certainly have been good but so much more important to me is the way I am feeling. I have much more energy and a much more positive outlook than I can remember having anytime in a long time past.

I am making an effort to bring that sense of positivity into my whole life and I think it is going to make a huge difference in the way I feel.

Today my knee is still a smidgen sore so I took it pretty easy today - I did my strength training (3 sets) and the my routine but didn't do any additional cardio. I also walked to and from work so I could go to a meeting. And it was a very cold walk so I figure that probably burns off one or two extra calories as the body works extra hard to try to keep parts warm ;-)

	Strength	My Routine	Step	Pilates
Minutes	10	26