40 Pound Challenge: Week 1

Week 1 of the 40 Pound Challenge is done. It was not pretty. It did not go the way I had hoped. I had more off days than on. I got frustrated and ate. Week 1 did not kick off my 40 pound challenge the way I had hoped.

But, week 1 is in the books. My goals are:

increase my protein levels (approximately 79 g per day) 

eat approximately 1500 cals per day 

work out 3-4 days a week

Day 1/June 11:
* Calories were just a tad over (+18 cals)
* Proteins were just a tad under (-16 g)
* No workout
* Grocery store for healthy food

Day 2/June 12:
* Calories just a tad bit under (-85)
* Proteins just a tad bit under (-19)
* 30 minutes TRX/30 minutes stationary bike

Day 3/June 13:
* Started out well, ate on plan for breakfast and lunch
* Ate awful when I arrived home - animal crackers, nuts, pretzels, pizza
* No workout

Day 4/June 14:
* Ate healthy at breakfast and lunch
* Out to eat for dinner and splurged (on plan)
* Dessert (ate the whole thing though meant to only eat half)
* No workout

Day 5/June 15:
* Ate two meals as usual
* Went to the Farmer's Market and picked up cherries, pumpkin butter, real maple syrup, & strawberries
* Ate dinner at the ball park where overall not bad, just one too many beers
* No workout (which was not on plan. Had planned to workout)

Day 6/June 16:
* Overate completely
* No workout
* Stress ate

Day 7/June 17
* Calories just a tad bit over (+134)
* Proteins (finally!) over (+12)
* 30 min TRX/30 min stationary bike

What does all that mean? It means a 2.8 pound loss this week. The goal was 4 pounds, but almost 3 pounds is pretty good. The next "big" goal is to reach the next 10 pound range. Just 1.8 pounds away from that. I could reach that next week. Especially if I do a better job of staying on track.

So, here's to Week 2 of the 40 Pound Challenge! Let's hope I can stay on plan a few more days than week 1 and reach the next 10 pound range!

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Weekly Recap

Years ago hubby and I bought two monthly calendars to keep in the kitchen to keep track of what we had scheduled. Believe it or not, even without kids our schedules can be hectic. Then the hangers on the back of them broke and they have been put by the wayside.

So, last week I decided to play with it and use it as my weekly diet and exercise board. I wrote each day across the top, meal/exercise along the side, and then filled in the details. I had tried this the week before, but I didn't lay out meals ahead of time. This week I wrote out everything but snacks. And honestly, I did pretty well. I wasn't perfect, but I was better than the week before.

What I noticed right off the bat was without planning my snacks, they were awful. Not all of them, but the majority of them. I didn't think they would be a big deal, but I was wrong. Oh so wrong. I did well at keeping with my planned meals, though I added a bit of fruit later in the week I didn't have at the beginning. I'll say that was more a positive than a negative. I kept up with most of my workouts, though the last two days got skipped. Gotta keep the momentum throughout the week.

This week I'm going to try again. I will plan out my snacks this time around though. Hopefully this week will be a tad bit more successful than last and I'm narrowing in on what will help me get in shape and reach my goal weight.

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Weekly recap

Week one of Zooma Annapolis training is in the books. It did not go as well as I would have liked. I had all good intentions. I got my 3 mile run in on Saturday and ate basically what I knew I would. I did well on Sunday, even hitting the gym for a walk/bike/core workout. Monday, I didn't get my 30 minute run in due to a snowstorm that lasted literally all day. We were able to get to our training session Monday night and get in a 15 minute stationary bike ride.

And that's where my week went downhill. I talked about that failed training session earlier in the week and how it effected me mentally and emotionally. I appreciate all the support you guys gave me! But, I let it take me down the wrong track. Hubby had to go into the office Tuesday/Wednesday (he works from home and only goes into Philly a few times a year) and I just didn't handle myself well. I snacked all day on Tuesday and didn't work out. Wednesday, I went to work and did ok all day, but killed myself afterwards. I skipped the gym, then had McDonald's for dinner. It wasn't pretty.

But, I learned something this week. Actually a couple things.

1. My diet (what I eat) is my downfall. It really is. I may not like to exercise, but it's really what I eat that's holding me back from reaching my goals. I am an emotional eater and no matter what, I fall back on it. I have yet to find something to replace reaching for that Tastykake or Snickers. I need to spend time on this. I need to find a way around this. I need to find a way to make meals that I want to eat throughout the week. My diet is my focus next week.

2. My job is physical. I didn't just figure this out. I've known it for months. But, I am seeing that 6 hours on my feet does not make me want to go to the gym after work. Many a day the bottom of my feet hurt and I'm tired. All I want to do is go home, eat dinner, and chill. This week I am re-working my training plan so I am not going to the gym on my full work day. I know that sounds funny, but if I am exhausted and bail on a workout, I feel like I failed my plan. So, rather than failing my training plan, I can re-work it so it works for me. I can play with how I plan my workouts so I get them in, but I listen to my body.

So that's this week. A bit of learning. This weekend I have a 5 mile training run. Sunday, the gym is closed for Easter, so if the weather is decent maybe I'll break the bike out and hit the trail. It's something I want to do more of this year - take the bike on the trail and ride.

With all this, did I manage to lose any weight? Well...

Goal for June 1: 15 pounds
-/+: -1.4
To go: 13.6
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Another Weekly Update

In one sense, this was a pretty boring week.  I haven't really done much out of the ordinary.  We had a Revolution game this past Monday, but we're season ticket holders so that's not new.  I went to the archives this week, that's not new.  Was really lax on the exercise this week, not too exciting there.  So, really a quiet week.

The most exciting part of my week (which would belie the above clip art graphic) was the two days I spent encapsulating 1865 Civil War Muster Out rolls.  That was FUN!  Tuesday, I spent the afternoon taking average size muster rolls through the encapsulator (sounds like an impressive piece of machinery, huh?), then we trimmed the excess plastic off and rounded the edges.  We got through about 10 of them.  Not too shabby.  Then Thursday afternoon, we learned how to do over sized Muster Rolls.  They do not fit the neatly pre-cut plastic we used on Tuesday, so instead we had to cut the plastic off a roll.  Very neat.  We got through 8 of them on Thursday, but no trimming or rounding.  The larger the Muster Roll, the longer it takes to encapsulate.  I really, really enjoy doing this.  Sadly, due to the interns officially finishing up today, there is no more Muster Out rolls in my future.  Though, I may try to convince the person in charge to let me do some.  It may work because she likes me.  ;-)

And since that was the most exciting part of my week, I'll get onto the exercise and fitness portion of the post.  LOL!  I'm down another 1.2 pounds this week for a total of 14.8.  Ugh.  So CLOSE to 15 pounds!  I wish I had drank one more glass of water or did one more workout.  I know that sounds dumb, but come on!  So close to 15 pounds!  I'm averaging just under a pound a week, as I've been at this since early May, so 16 weeks.  Wow.  I wish I were a little further along, but 14.8 pounds off is better than not losing it OR (heaven forbid!) gaining it!


Total Down Since May: 14.8 (Doh!  So close to 15!)
Total Loss for Dec. 23 (19 weeks): 37.4 (ACK!)
To Go: 22.6
Exercise: 29 exercise points/3,492 calories burned

I've got a 5 mile run this weekend for my half marathon training.  Haven't done five miles probably since my last half marathon!  LOL!  But, I think I can handle it.  Wish me luck!!

Another weekly update

I really have no creativity for these (supposed to be....opps!) Friday posts.  Weekly update seems so boring.  But, there it is.  Actually this week isn't going to be so much a weekly update, though there is some info hereabouts.

Ya'll know about the Harrisburg Mile, so no point in chatting about that.  Why repeat?

After that, my week was kinda boring.  LOL!  Granted it was only two days.  But, I tend to wrap up these posts with Friday morning, so here's what I got between Wednesday night and Friday morning...nada.  ROFLOL!

Alright, I did weigh in.  Down another pound this week.  Always wish the number was higher, but I'll take it.  Ate a little too much celebratory food Wednesday night.  ;-)  But, a loss is a loss.  Not going to argue that!


Total Down May 1: 12.6
Total Loss for Dec. 23 (22 weeks): 37.4
To Go: 24.8

Friday morning, hubby and I got up early (well...I got up early) and headed to the Rail Trail for a 10 mile bike ride.  Normally these rides are on Saturday, but we were heading out of town for the weekend and wanted to get the ride in.  When we pulled into the parking lot, it was 88 degrees.  Ouch!  But, we got the bikes off, downed some water and headed off.  We stopped every 2.5 miles for water and sports beans and got in all 10 miles.  While biking, it was actually not too bad.  But stop the bikes for water breaks?  Oppressive.  Our little area of the country dealt with some nasty temps this past weekend (as in over the 100 degree mark and even higher heat indexes).  It was rough, but we did it.  Yea!

And that's it.  Nothing much happening between Wednesday and Friday.  I'll post our weekend adventure shortly, which included a trip to the Camden Riversharks game, beating the heat at the Franklin Institute, and roving around Old City Philly to check out Once Upon A Nation and Independence Hall.  Oh!  And being mustered into the Continental Army!

Weekly Round Up

What a week!  I knew I should have taken shop in high school, it would have made making that ark so much easier!  The rain has been cra-zy this week.  It seems every day we have storms.  I read that we are already above 19" of rain for my neck of the woods, which is 3 and some inches above normal.  I better not hear of any drought conditions this summer!  And apparently Accuweather is calling for more rain next week - that is if we're all still here.  You know, with the Rapture and all coming this weekend.

Anywho...This was a great week in some aspects, not so great in others.  I finally started volunteering at the State Archives.  I started inquiring about volunteering up with the State Museum/Archives on Feb. 4th and I started with the Archives on May 16th.  Can we say slow?  Ugh.  Anyway, the positive thing is I'm there and it's AWESOME!  I've spent my week researching what the state of PA did for the 1918 Influenza Epidemic and I learned how to clean an historic document.  Two exciting and fun things for me.  :-)  What's even better is every Thursday afternoon I get to work on cleaning the documents.  Eeeeee!  Yes, I'm a dork.  What's it to ya?

Diet went ok, exercise not so much.  This week was supposed to be the first week of bricks (run/bike or bike run workouts).  I was going to do three days of 1 mile run/5 mile ride, but with the rain the way it's been I did none of them.  Zilch.  Nada.  Nothing.  Bah!  I did a couple indoor bike rides at home, but not what I was hoping to do.  And as stated above Accuweather is not helping me out next week with better weather.  I will be trying a brick tomorrow morning for my Sat. morning exercise (normally I run) to try and get one in.  It'll be a simple 1 mile run with a 5 mile bike.  Wish me luck!  Oh!  I am down .4 (decimal point 4) pounds this week.  Apparently, I wasn't completely insane without my exercise this week.  Hoping for a better week next.

One year ago this week, hubby and I were in Italy.  So bittersweet thinking back on it.  It really was the trip of a lifetime.  It was such an amazing trip that we actually realized how fantastic a trip it was while we were on it.  It wasn't just one of those trips when you get home and thing, wow!  That was a fun vacation.  Nope, throughout the trip we kept saying how lucky we were to be there and tried to soak in as much as possible.  We did our best, but I know I could find more to do if we went back.  ;-)  The good thing is we're planning two trips this year - one to Montreal with our friend and one to Jamaica to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  That's what's getting me through my pining for Europe, these two trips.  Montreal needs to hurry up and get here!  :-)

Some photo eye candy for you.  Enjoy!

 The Colosseum in Rome, truly one of the most amazing sites in the world.

 The ceiling of the alter at St. Peter's Basilica

 Carousel in the Piazza de Republica in Florence.  I swore day 1 in Florence I would ride it.  This was as close as I got.  LOL!

 Grape fields in Tuscany at the winery we did a tasting at.  The wine was delicious.  So wish we brought a bottle or two home.

 The Leaning Tower of Pisa.  How leaning could one tower be?  It really does lean.  If we had more time we would have gone to the top, but alas we did not. 

A canal in Venice.  It was incredible to ride on the canals and see Venice from the water.