5/31/06

I climbed 4 flights of stairs today! The Rocky theme song was going off in my head when I got to the top! I set a goal, and achieved it. WooHoo!

I did an upper body weight work-out too. I didn't really want to work out at all today, but had talked myself into at least doing the stairs. Then some stuff went on at work that helped me need to work out. Great stress relief, you know.

Eating, not completely terrible today. I probably didn't need that ginormous cookie I just ate, but other than that, not terrible. Room for improvement? Yes. I did meet all my goals today, except for good food choices. I may need to better define that concept. I could be setting myself up to fail all the time with that one.

5/30/06

Ate pretty poorly over the week-end. (these entries get a little repetitive, huh?)

Did well today, for the most part. Climbed 3 flights of stairs, did 20 minutes on the total body arc trainer, and got in my 64 oz of water. Too much of a snack at 4:30, but no seconds at dinner. I was feeling pretty tempted, though, after dinner, so I had Sean clean up the left-overs.

5/25/06

Down .3 lbs to 346. At least the right direction.

I started today to set some daily goals for myself. Today my goals were to drink 64 oz of water, climb 3 flights of stairs, and do weights at lunch. Achieved all 3!

I am not going to make one of my 1 month goals, though. I will be climbing 4 flights of stairs by next Friday. But since I've not lost any weight, I will not be wearing the black scrubs to work. I will move that goal to the beginning of July. Better to have set goals and only make half, than to not set goals and not make any.

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp - or what's a heaven for?
Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)

5/22/06

Weighed in at 346.6 last Thursday. Proceeded to eat excessively all week-end. Started off today with the thought that I'd really get on track today. Guess what? Not so much. Didn't even exercise, because I stayed up too late last night, and went to the car to take a nap at lunch.

I did really enjoy my overeating, today, for what it's worth. The drug rep who brought pizza for lunch also brought DOUBLE STUFF OREOS!!!!! If you're gonna eat too much, it might as well be DOUBLE STUFF OREOS!!!!

5/16/06

Well, after a week of being out of control w/my eating, I have had 2 days of control.

I haven't recorded a weight in my palm pilot for awhile, but I did check it last week, and I was at 344.something. I will weigh Thursday, since I will be off on Friday.

I have been doing well with my stair climbing goal. I started parking in a different parking lot at work, (lot G in this illustration) so that it is more convenient to take the stairs than the elevator. You can also see an artist's rendering of the building I work at, the Union Hospital Profession Office Building, below the illustration. I climbed 3 flights of stairs today for the first time. I stopped at the landing after 2 flights, and again at 2 1/2 flights, but I did it. I went to tone and tighten class on Monday. My chest is still a little sore from the upper body work-out. We are supposed to do legs in class tomorrow.

5/11/06

At least I am becoming aware of why I overeat. Perhaps that awareness will lead to change.

It was a stressful day at work, for such a slow day. People we kinda dingy. Obtuse. Annoying. I ate a huge bagel w/a bunch of cream cheese, purely to medicate myself. And then I ate some cranberry orange toast w/butter right before dinner. Wasn't all that hungry, and I was making dinner. Just wanted to eat.

I think I can turn this into a good thing. Part of my wants to just say, "screw it," and keep eating too much and getting fatter. But the more rational part of me knows that I need to keep trying. No matter how many times I fail. I need to make my outside match what I see inside. I want to be healthier. I want to buy cheap cute clothes. (You can get cute big-girl clothes, but you pay a pretty penny.)

5/7/06

I made a choice today to eat a large container of cottage cheese. And a small bag of potato chips. And a huge piece of chocolate cake.

And then I felt like crap.

My choices have consequences. I know that. But after a few days of better eating choices, the consequences of the bad eating became more obvious.

I am going to try very hard to make that the last time I ever eat the whole container of cottage cheese. I can have cottage cheese. And if I'm going to eat too much of something, that's not so bad a choice. But not so much too much. I don't like how I felt.

Let's apply this now, and learn from it.

5/4/06

Weighed in yesterday at 342.5. Took my measurements tonight. I am down a total of 11 inches, and 9 lbs from my highest weight. Not rapid loss, but I am pleased none the less. I have set a short term goal for myself: by 6/4, I want to be able to wear my black scrubs, which are a tafford size 5x (which seem to be smaller than my cherokee size 5x), and climb 4 flights of stairs. I can get into the scrubs now, but it is NOT for public consumption. And I can do 2 flights of stairs now. I shared these goals with Sean, and will share them with my trainer, John, too. And the girls at work. It will help keep me honest.

The nurse, April, at UMR, sent me a book, Picture Perfect Weight Loss by Dr. Howard M. Shapiro. It is making a lot of sense so far. I am keeping a food diary, as much as I hate to, for a week. And I do feel in control. We'll see how it goes.