Award for worst title goes to me.
Everyone who reads this blog (wassup Liz) knows I've been trying to lose weight for a long ass time. (Wanted to somehow make a "wide ass" joke in that sentence but I'm just not too clever today.)
Well, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm making substantial progress. I've lost weight before, but I usually put it back on. I've never tried hard enough to change my habits in a way that would make me reach my ideal weight and then stay there. (I say "ideal weight" but it's not a specific number, and I think it's mostly bad for me to aim for a number. So instead I aim for a range - for me, it's 155-175.) For the last couple of weeks I've been putting a little more effort into the whole thing. I've been reluctantly (very, very reluctantly) changing my eating habits and I've been working out.
I've been doing a couple of different things to "work out" every day. I have been sedentary for such a long time that I physically cannot do many things, so I've had to start small. My daily minimum is using these tiny 3-5 pound dumbbells for at least ten minutes, doing ten half push-ups, doing 10-20 squats (WORST WORST WORST), and doing some leg lifts. I realize that sounds like nothing, but it's a *big* step up from my previous routine of sit, sit, sitting all day.
Usually, I try to add to that. For example, I was watching a baseball game on tv the other day and I decided I'd use the dumbbells until the end of that inning. (This has been a good way for me to stop eating out of boredom, too.) I've been doing this kind of thing a lot now, especially when I'm watching tv. Commercials, the boring stretches in baseball games, halftime, etc. I feel like it's likely useless when it comes to losing weight (because it's such a short amount of time) but I figure it might be making me slightly stronger or more flexible or whatever. I also have started lying to myself and saying that working out is a treat. I imagine I actually will enjoy working out once I'm not so out of shape, so it's not a complete lie. But I'll read or write and then be like, "wow, I deserve a quick work out." (smh.)
Annnd I've been trying to either play basketball or go for walks. I've been pretty successful. (Ironically, I have not done so today. But I'm sick, so...)
I've been walking between half a mile and a mile every day, and I'm going to try and increase that distance a little bit. I also have a weighted vest, and I think in a week or two I'll actually be capable of wearing it while I walk. Right now it's just a mostly-flat (a few small hills and steps) path, but as I get more fit I plan on throwing in the occasional difficult walk. oooo.
I've also discovered that everyone is a liar. Everyone says that working out feels great. Working out does not make my body feel great. Working out makes my body feel like it wants a percocet followed by a glass of wine.
But hey, that's just me.
The really difficult part for me is the eating. Since increasing the amount of vegetables I eat, I do notice myself craving healthier stuff more often, but... if I'm craving a banana split, two grapes is not going to satisfy me. Also, I live with family and for the most part, I have to eat what they eat. (All good meals, but it's hard to cut back on certain things when I'm not in charge.) Just.... changing eating habits is much more difficult for me than changing exercising habits.
So this is kind of where I'm at. I put a lot of weight back on a little while ago when I had (ahem) my period and endo symptoms for a month, so I've had my work cut out for me. But I've lost over 15 pounds since then, and one of my goals for this month is to lose at least seven pounds, so we shall see.
Cookies and pie, goodbye.
__
Charlotte
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