Fitness and Dieting

I've been continuing to work out, in fact I'm starting to get to where I can walk faster and farther and still feel good afterwards. I also have been seriously cutting back the calories I eat, and the combination is working! Dieting makes me tired and cranky, but it's so worth it when I step on the scale and see that number going down. I bought a belt so my shorts and pants will stay up. A couple of days ago I stepped on the scale at the Y and I was down to 205! My weight tends to fluctuate a lot but as long as it keeps trending down and I keep losing inches I'm happy! I hope it's that low or even lower at my next doctor's appointment. 

I really want to add more strength training to my cardio but I'm not sure how to go about doing the with the machines at the Y without hurting my back. I found a workout that's designed to help strengthen my core without being tough on my back that I can do at home so I'm adding that to my exercise routine. Once I get that down I'm going to try out the weight machines. I know it's all about being healthier, but I really can't wait to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans again. I was at about 190 when I got pregnant with Alicia, and 175 when I got pregnant with Jaydra, so those will be milestones for me, but I don't want to stop there. I'd like to be really in shape and do a triathlon, and fit into 9/10 jeans. Right now I'm wearing size 20's, and while they're loose on me I have a long way to go. That's why I have lots of short term goals. I need little celebrations along the way to keep me going.

Finally, Some Progress!

I've been going to the Y pretty regularly, and in the last month I've lost 6 pounds! Okay, if I was a contestant on the Biggest Loser I'd probably be kicked off the show, but I think it's glorious! I need to get a belt because my pants are getting to loose, and that is a wonderful problem to have. I'm not done yet, but at least I'm starting to get somewhere. Besides exercise, I've gotten better at cutting back the calories. Despite the fact that it's so hot, I've become obsessed with soup. It makes me feel so much fuller than most diet meals, and I've figured out a decent recipe for french onion soup that I could probably eat every day!

YMCA!

Last week we got a membership to the Y, and I can't believe I didn't do this sooner. I can do some cardio, swim, sit in the steam room, and get a nice workout. Meanwhile the girls go to the kidzone, which has an outdoor and indoor playground. They can spend time with other kids while I can be around other adults. I'm so out of shape I'm only going every other day and keeping an eye on my heartrate, in fact the cardio machines have heartrate monitors built right in so it's super easy. Well it's still hard to do the actual exercise, but I've lost two pounds this week and feel pretty damn good! My back is not real great, but after cardio I sit in the whirlpool and that seems to help. I hope I'll have less pain after I get into better shape but at the very least I'll be healthier and have more energy. I have my ups and downs about losing weight and it feels good to know I have access to a gym with childcare. I like my workout videos but I can't make it through one without having to stop a million times to take care of the girls.

Exercise and Losing Weight

Still working on getting in shape, and I'm happy to say that I'm making progress! I'm down about half a jean size. This puts me about half way between one jean size and the other so all my pants are either to tight with a muffin top or to loose and make me look bigger than I am. What a nice problem to have! If I keep going then the tight ones will start to fit great! 

I'm exercising more often, the last few weeks I've been focusing on things like crunches to build up my muscles, and today I added in one of my favorite cardio videos. My back is killing me, but what the hell! If I get in better shape then it'll be worth it.

Next steps for getting healthy

Last time I wrote about this, I was feeling really frustrated and had some setbacks. I haven't exactly made any progress.. yet. I've been thinking about some solutions and found some things I'm going to try.

I found this slideshow on WebMD that has exercises that help strengthen the abs and lower back.
lower back pain WebMD slideshow-exercises I was suprised and dismayed to realize how many exercises I'd been doing that were actually irritating my back pain. I've started to incorporate these into my workouts. Speaking of workouts, I plan on doing more of them, but not as intense. I tend to overdo it when I exercise, then the next day my back and muscles are screaming in pain. Sometimes even the day after that. The next time I'm supposed to exercise, I don't want to. After skipping one, it's easier for me to skip the next and the next thing I know I'm not working out at all.

So I'm going to do a little every day, then a little more, until I'm actually less of a lazy blob oozing reluctantly out of my recliner and more of an energetic athlete with energy and strength. I used to run track and cross country so I know I've got it in me, damn it!

I've also read that if your heart rate goes to high for to long it can actually cause lactic acid to build up in your muscles, making you sore later. So I downloaded an app to monitor my heart rate so I can make sure it's high enough to be worth it but not so high that I regret it afterwards. This is going to be an adjustment, but if it works then it'll be worth it.

Also I ordered four It Works body wraps today. I guess they also come with defining cream. I'm going to try them on my stretched out jiggly stomach, and hope for the best. They are expensive, but if they help at all then it'll be worth the price. Once I get them I plan on telling you how they work. If I have the guts I might even do before and after pics of my tummy.

Weight Loss Woes

Whether in a picture or on person, anyone that looks at me can see that I'm overweight. What isn't visibly obvious is that I have problems with my back. While not directly related, I haven't been able to find an exercise plan that doesn't cause a ton of pain, which is definitely a problem. I've asked numerous doctors- my general practitioner sent me to see a specialist, the specialist said that I needed to talk to a physical therapist. I can't go see a physical therapist until I start getting spinal injections, which I'm waiting to have approved by my insurance company. This can take up to two weeks, and I have a lot of mixed feelings because I don't want to be in pain all the time, but spinal injections!? Those two words don't belong together, and I'm worried they'll really hurt. Actually I'm certain they'll really hurt.

Currently my exercise options are so limited that I mainly have to concentrate on dieting, which isn't something that I find easy. My doctor recommended some prescription diet pills, which helped but the side effects became ridiculous! Despite the fact that I took them in the morning I would lay awake until 5:00 or 6:00 am. After a night when I literally didn't sleep a wink I talked to my doctor, who said I didn't need sleeping pills and prescribed something new. This new prescription had two different meds, one was the same thing as what I was taking before, plus another to make it last longer. The insurance company said it would cost over a hundred dollars a month! I can't afford that, and the last thing I need is something that is even stronger and longer lasting. I've decided that I'm done with diet pills, at least for now.

I've lost 14 pounds over the last few months, going from 231 to 217. I've got a long way to go, and I'm currently sooo incredibly frustrated! Just when I make it down to 215, I bounce back to 217. I don't know if I can make any meaningful progress without adding exercise. I hope these spinal injections are approved and really help me. Also I'm glad it's getting warmer, so I can load the girls up in the stroller and go for more walks. I've been thinking about joining the YMCA, and maybe it's time to do that as well. I'm really tempted to give up, but screw that! I can do this, even if I'm miserable about it right now. Who needs pills anyway?