This blog is officially closed. I still have access to it, but for all you advertisers contacting me, no I will not promote your product on my blog for a discount, I don't care about that kind of thing, and this blog is closed.
I started this blog when I moved here to track my weight loss. At this point in my life I'm very healthy, I rock climb, hike, swim and do other things regularly. I still have a bad knee but am getting surgery for it next month, and it's stronger than it's ever been. I weigh the same on the scale, but I'm a lot thinner than I was before. I've developed muscle and lost fat and I'm very happy. I'll always work on being a healthy person, but watching the scale and dieting is over, I'm at the end of my journey. I don't need this blog anymore, and I haven't posted in a long time.
Goodbye everyone, hope something in this blog inspires you!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Sunday, May 22, 2011
I'm still eating healthy... really healthy, actually. I think even a doctor or nutritionist would be proud, I'm damn near perfect on my intake of healthy and super foods. I've also been active, except for my stint dealing with finals. I've also been building my knee back up.
All in all, my view on weight loss is dramatically different from when I got here. I'm healthier, I look better, but I'm not dramatically smaller. Joe even mentioned that my butt looks completely different; better. I think I'm straying away from controlled, documented weight loss regimens and I'm starting to change my life naturally for the better. I'm findingn those things I enjoy, actually I would say I can't live without them, and I'm doing them as much as possible. I'm about to graduate from college, which will make me busy while giving me more time, strnagely enough. There will be hiking, swimming, running and much more in the near future.
To anyone who reads this, who's interested in weight loss. I would say weight loss is great, and striving for it is great, but being really honest with yourself and every decision you make regarding your food and actions is most important. For me, writing things down, keeping a close eye on every calorie that came in and out of my body just didn't work. It was a system for me to try to cheat at every chance I got. Letting myself just change naturally made me really change. In the past, I would grab chips and salsa because it was technically not too many calories to push me over. Now I grab an apple because I want an apple more. The change has been very nice. I would say do what you love, always. If you love greasy foods and you love being big, keep doing it, happiness is important. If you love how healthy food makes you feel, even if you don't love the food yet, then try to find healthy food that you like. If you love how exercising makes you feel even if you don't like exercising yet, find a way to move around and have fun. Find an activity that really makes you feel great while you do it. Happiness and day to day changes are far more important than an end goal number structure. I'm so happy I found what works for me. I know now that if I were with my family, and they were eating donuts and drinking coca-cola, I wouldn't look at the soda and carbs with longing while I ate something different, I would eat something diffrent because I honestly wanted to. Honest, REAL change is really great.
I currently weigh 144 pounds. That's eleven pounds lighter than when I was in pensacola. It's six pounds lighter than when I started this blog, and it's lower than my lowest point before. I accomlished this when I STOPPED keeping such close track.
Because my views have changed, my posts will be changing. I'll still post foods I like, recipes I've found and recipes I've discovered on my own. I'll still post pictures from hikes, swim times, etc, because it's fun. But the calorie counting and regimens are over. I'm happy now.
All in all, my view on weight loss is dramatically different from when I got here. I'm healthier, I look better, but I'm not dramatically smaller. Joe even mentioned that my butt looks completely different; better. I think I'm straying away from controlled, documented weight loss regimens and I'm starting to change my life naturally for the better. I'm findingn those things I enjoy, actually I would say I can't live without them, and I'm doing them as much as possible. I'm about to graduate from college, which will make me busy while giving me more time, strnagely enough. There will be hiking, swimming, running and much more in the near future.
To anyone who reads this, who's interested in weight loss. I would say weight loss is great, and striving for it is great, but being really honest with yourself and every decision you make regarding your food and actions is most important. For me, writing things down, keeping a close eye on every calorie that came in and out of my body just didn't work. It was a system for me to try to cheat at every chance I got. Letting myself just change naturally made me really change. In the past, I would grab chips and salsa because it was technically not too many calories to push me over. Now I grab an apple because I want an apple more. The change has been very nice. I would say do what you love, always. If you love greasy foods and you love being big, keep doing it, happiness is important. If you love how healthy food makes you feel, even if you don't love the food yet, then try to find healthy food that you like. If you love how exercising makes you feel even if you don't like exercising yet, find a way to move around and have fun. Find an activity that really makes you feel great while you do it. Happiness and day to day changes are far more important than an end goal number structure. I'm so happy I found what works for me. I know now that if I were with my family, and they were eating donuts and drinking coca-cola, I wouldn't look at the soda and carbs with longing while I ate something different, I would eat something diffrent because I honestly wanted to. Honest, REAL change is really great.
I currently weigh 144 pounds. That's eleven pounds lighter than when I was in pensacola. It's six pounds lighter than when I started this blog, and it's lower than my lowest point before. I accomlished this when I STOPPED keeping such close track.
Because my views have changed, my posts will be changing. I'll still post foods I like, recipes I've found and recipes I've discovered on my own. I'll still post pictures from hikes, swim times, etc, because it's fun. But the calorie counting and regimens are over. I'm happy now.
Monday, May 2, 2011
my knee again, and dieting focus
So after my last post I'm unhappy to report my knee has been really acting up again. It was really swollen and sore from the first workout on the insanity tapes. Otherwise I felt pretty good. Joe and I decided to stop so I could take care of my knee again. This time, more slowly. Tomorrow I'll be making an appointment with my rheumotologist, and I'll be making a trip to the gym to do some knee exercises and cardio. I stretched it and iced it this morning which helped a lot, and I've been taking ibuprofen to help with the swelling. It does seem slightly better than a couple days ago, so slowly I'll be trying to build it back up again. I do want to see the doctor again though, to see if we can get a diagnosis this time.
So with the puppy keeping me at home and my knee acting up, workout out has been somewhat non existant. I'm currently upping the crate training and I think I'll start walking him soon (the vet said I could but his assistant said she wouldn't risk it. At this point I'm thinking it'll be ok.) so I can get out of the house more. I can still workout when joe's home, but it kind of feels like we're tagging each other into a fight, we don't really go out together right now, and I'm gonna try to fix that.
So because of these restrictions I've been focusing more on my diet. I've decided to post a lot more pictures of what I eat and really talk about my diet, because I know how to diet right and diet healthy, I just choose to overeat and neglect what I know is good for me. I still have the knowledge, and sharing it while tracking my progress is an appealing idea. I'll keep up with it as much as I can, I know I haven't really kept to my word in the past, but hey, I have to keep trying before I succeed right? Anyway, I went to a farmers market this past saturday morning, and I'm very very happy I did. There was so much fresh local food there! It's the tastiest, healthiest reserve of food I've found on the island, and I was so happy. I've felt so much more energized and excited about eating more vegetables because they taste so good! Next time I go I'll have to take pictures.
So I'm still trying, but there's been some life walls that have come up my way, so I gotta figure out how to knock them down. I know I'll get there, one step at a time.
So with the puppy keeping me at home and my knee acting up, workout out has been somewhat non existant. I'm currently upping the crate training and I think I'll start walking him soon (the vet said I could but his assistant said she wouldn't risk it. At this point I'm thinking it'll be ok.) so I can get out of the house more. I can still workout when joe's home, but it kind of feels like we're tagging each other into a fight, we don't really go out together right now, and I'm gonna try to fix that.
So because of these restrictions I've been focusing more on my diet. I've decided to post a lot more pictures of what I eat and really talk about my diet, because I know how to diet right and diet healthy, I just choose to overeat and neglect what I know is good for me. I still have the knowledge, and sharing it while tracking my progress is an appealing idea. I'll keep up with it as much as I can, I know I haven't really kept to my word in the past, but hey, I have to keep trying before I succeed right? Anyway, I went to a farmers market this past saturday morning, and I'm very very happy I did. There was so much fresh local food there! It's the tastiest, healthiest reserve of food I've found on the island, and I was so happy. I've felt so much more energized and excited about eating more vegetables because they taste so good! Next time I go I'll have to take pictures.
So I'm still trying, but there's been some life walls that have come up my way, so I gotta figure out how to knock them down. I know I'll get there, one step at a time.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Insanity
Haven't posted in a while. This is mainly because I've been falling out of my weight loss regimen. One reason for this is an increase in the workload with school, the other is the adoption of Dubstep. My time is precious, AND I usualy can't really leave the house. I don't feel like anyone should ever have an excuse not to be healthy, so I felt bad about lapsing to this degree. My weight went back up to 148 pounds, which goes to show that it's much easier for me to gain weight than lose.
My husband Joe has also wanted to get back into shape (he's already in much better shape than I am) and he wants to get fit so he can play soccer for a sponsored local team he's recently joined. We agreed to buy the workout DVDs known as Insanity. They came in about a week ago and due to his schedule, today was the first day.
I decided this time I'd follow the meal guidelines, which is always something I've been against in the past. My argument was always that I was a foodie, I loved to cook healthy home meals, which is true, and that everything I cook is just as healthy as the quick fix meals they provide in these types of programs. I don't need to buy tomato soup with preservatives because I can make my own and it tastes better, for example. I've also always said that a meal plan pushed the boundaries of how much weight loss can be healthy and make you happy. Many meal plans are low carb, no meat, the caveman diet, or some other unnecessarily restricting system. After looking through the meal book for Insanity, I realized I eat most of these things already. It was all fully balanced meals that have everything, there's pasta and meat and lucky for me lots of fish (which I love.) I do plan on making my own dinners sometimes, I'll just have to watch the portions, because some meals I'm too attached to. I love my brazilian fish stew, which is very very healthy, I love my shakshuka, which is always very very healthy. So I don't see that as a problem. It's really the middle of the day and the evening when I start to break and snack on food that's bad for me, so this meal plan will help with that.
The workout today was a fitness test which lasted about 25 minutes. It was intense and difficult. The main thing I'm worried about is actually my left knee, which seemed to have some trouble with some of the moves. I called my rheumatologist today to see if I could get some advice since it's been swelling again, but I may have to make an appointment. There's no pain and I can use it, but it's swollen. We'll see what happens.
Anyway I'll try to post a status update about where I am which will have my weight, my measurements, a photo and stuff like that. I'll try to update more regularly from now on.
My husband Joe has also wanted to get back into shape (he's already in much better shape than I am) and he wants to get fit so he can play soccer for a sponsored local team he's recently joined. We agreed to buy the workout DVDs known as Insanity. They came in about a week ago and due to his schedule, today was the first day.
I decided this time I'd follow the meal guidelines, which is always something I've been against in the past. My argument was always that I was a foodie, I loved to cook healthy home meals, which is true, and that everything I cook is just as healthy as the quick fix meals they provide in these types of programs. I don't need to buy tomato soup with preservatives because I can make my own and it tastes better, for example. I've also always said that a meal plan pushed the boundaries of how much weight loss can be healthy and make you happy. Many meal plans are low carb, no meat, the caveman diet, or some other unnecessarily restricting system. After looking through the meal book for Insanity, I realized I eat most of these things already. It was all fully balanced meals that have everything, there's pasta and meat and lucky for me lots of fish (which I love.) I do plan on making my own dinners sometimes, I'll just have to watch the portions, because some meals I'm too attached to. I love my brazilian fish stew, which is very very healthy, I love my shakshuka, which is always very very healthy. So I don't see that as a problem. It's really the middle of the day and the evening when I start to break and snack on food that's bad for me, so this meal plan will help with that.
The workout today was a fitness test which lasted about 25 minutes. It was intense and difficult. The main thing I'm worried about is actually my left knee, which seemed to have some trouble with some of the moves. I called my rheumatologist today to see if I could get some advice since it's been swelling again, but I may have to make an appointment. There's no pain and I can use it, but it's swollen. We'll see what happens.
Anyway I'll try to post a status update about where I am which will have my weight, my measurements, a photo and stuff like that. I'll try to update more regularly from now on.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Food solution
Hello weightloss blog. I haven't been here in a few days. I'm currently at 146.6 pounds, and I think that small bit of loss is due to better eating habits. As far as my workout/diet regimen, it's changed a bit lately. Why? because I got a puppy!
Isn't he adorable? Little border collie, definitely looking forward to all the tricks I'll be able to teach him. Also, he happens to be a huge pain in the ass as well. Well I say that but it's really not so bad. He is the first baby anything I've really taken care of on my own, so my life has been consumed by his needs for the past three days. Luckily he's getting good enough that I'm not really having to give him my undivided attention 24/7 anymore.
The main thing, however, is that I can't leave the house right now. I'm kennel training him, which is going pretty well, but I just can't justify leaving a 2 month old puppy alone. I should wait until I absolutely know he'll be ok.
How does this relate to weight loss? Well I can't run, swim, or do anything outside of my house. This has been a real challenge. I'm not that worried about it since he'll eventually really help me with working out, but also my husband and I will be doing the Insanity dvds very soon. I should be getting them on friday. I want to combine that with my hiking and cardio. Hiking will probably happen on the active rest days.
So, regarding my main issue which is my diet. I've decided to try making meals I've never made before, or experimenting and cooking meals that would be very healthy. I would call them super meals, since they contain a large amount of nutritional value and consist of mostly very healthy food. I want to try this experiment until I reach 100 meals. Each one has to be different. I will include current recipes that I make, but I'll run out of those very quickly. So here's my first meal:
Meal 1. Portabella mushroom with egg baked on top. Sweet tea to drink
It got a little messy, ended up sticking to the foil in the oven. Forgot to oil it :P Anyway, hope I can keep it up! I'll post more meals today as I make them.
The main thing, however, is that I can't leave the house right now. I'm kennel training him, which is going pretty well, but I just can't justify leaving a 2 month old puppy alone. I should wait until I absolutely know he'll be ok.
How does this relate to weight loss? Well I can't run, swim, or do anything outside of my house. This has been a real challenge. I'm not that worried about it since he'll eventually really help me with working out, but also my husband and I will be doing the Insanity dvds very soon. I should be getting them on friday. I want to combine that with my hiking and cardio. Hiking will probably happen on the active rest days.
So, regarding my main issue which is my diet. I've decided to try making meals I've never made before, or experimenting and cooking meals that would be very healthy. I would call them super meals, since they contain a large amount of nutritional value and consist of mostly very healthy food. I want to try this experiment until I reach 100 meals. Each one has to be different. I will include current recipes that I make, but I'll run out of those very quickly. So here's my first meal:
Meal 1. Portabella mushroom with egg baked on top. Sweet tea to drink
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A little lost
Things are a bit unusual I suppose. I don't even know what week it is, I'll have to check... ok so it's been almost exactly 3 months since I started trying to lose weight, and I've lost about 3 pounds total. "But Lauren," you might exclaim, "I thought you lost 5 pounds!" Yes, I gained two over the last two weeks. It's been a little confusing balancing weight loss with physical fitness. I thought the two would go hand in hand, and weight loss would come with the package of pushing myself physically, but that's not the case. If I hike all morning and eat carbs all afternoon, I'll just even out, I'm not going to lose weight. So, at 147 pounds AGAIN, I have to come to terms with my eating habits. Because I've been pushing myself physically, I've been eating more, so I haven't been losing weight.
On another note, I did achieve a goal today. I decided this morning to run 5 miles. It's been a goal of mine I've been working towards. Recently I ran 2 and felt ok. Instead of easing into it, I decided to try for my goal today and succeeded. There was sweat, panting, a feeling of nauseau, bliss, laughter, frustration, pain and dizziness, but I got through it. My prize was a CamelBak, which I can't wait to use.
I've been wanting one of these for a long time, and now that I hike more, I can actually use it. I was also thinking it was perfect for art supplies, and I can do sketches more easily on hikes.
I feel strange. I'm so much healthier now than I used to be, but I'm still basically the same weight. I can run for 10 minutes are so and not feel any different than walking. I can swim for an hour and not feel tired. I can hike around and be fine for the rest of the day. My cardio and endurance are very strong, but I still have body fat that won't go away. I know it's my diet, but it's so difficult to stay away from carbs when you've burned so much energy throughout the day. I guess if I really want to get thinner and tone up, I'm going to have to adopt some lessons from the caveman diet. I need to rely on protein instead of carbs. Meat, fruit and veggies need to be most of my diet. It'll take a little more effort, but hopefully this next week I can focus on that MORE than the workouts.
Current stats:
147.2 lbs
waist: 39
thigh: 24
bicep: 12
On another note, I did achieve a goal today. I decided this morning to run 5 miles. It's been a goal of mine I've been working towards. Recently I ran 2 and felt ok. Instead of easing into it, I decided to try for my goal today and succeeded. There was sweat, panting, a feeling of nauseau, bliss, laughter, frustration, pain and dizziness, but I got through it. My prize was a CamelBak, which I can't wait to use.
I feel strange. I'm so much healthier now than I used to be, but I'm still basically the same weight. I can run for 10 minutes are so and not feel any different than walking. I can swim for an hour and not feel tired. I can hike around and be fine for the rest of the day. My cardio and endurance are very strong, but I still have body fat that won't go away. I know it's my diet, but it's so difficult to stay away from carbs when you've burned so much energy throughout the day. I guess if I really want to get thinner and tone up, I'm going to have to adopt some lessons from the caveman diet. I need to rely on protein instead of carbs. Meat, fruit and veggies need to be most of my diet. It'll take a little more effort, but hopefully this next week I can focus on that MORE than the workouts.
Current stats:
147.2 lbs
waist: 39
thigh: 24
bicep: 12
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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