Thursday, March 31, 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

I skipped the gym last night and came right home. I don't have a good excuse for not going. Michael is still sick from his cold and since he didn't go, I just didn't go either. He's going to the doctor today. I honestly think he has pneumonia or bronchitis. I'm starting to think that we won't be able to go camping next week.

Instead of going to the gym, we went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. I had a gift card that I won at work, so we spent that. I'm getting better at restaraunts. I only had a dinner and a diet pop. No dessert, no appetizer. Instead of a potato, I had steamed vegetables. I'm pretty proud of myself. I had a nice dinner and felt good about myself when we left.

I WILL be going to the gym after work today!

From yesterday: Calorie defict = 263. Moderate activity = 31 minutes. Food accurartely reported and logged.


BodyMedia FIT data for March 30, 2011
Calories Burned - 2451 | Calories Consumed - 2188 | Total Activity - 0:31 | Moderate Activity - 0:31 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6885 | Sleep Duration - 6:22 | Lying Down - 9:02 | Sleep Efficiency - 70%.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

On a roll!

Deficit = 764. Moderate activity = 1 hour 6 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged

BodyMedia FIT data for March 29, 2011
Calories Burned - 2571 | Calories Consumed - 1807 | Total Activity - 1:06 | Moderate Activity - 1:06 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 9807 | Sleep Duration - 6:50 | Lying Down - 9:51 | Sleep Efficiency - 69%.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Had a great day yesterday! My gym visit and a real attempt to control my eating paid off.

It felt great to get back to the gym. I really missed it. I had full 7 days off. :(

This is going to be a great week!

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 1,028. Moderate activity = 1 hour & 18 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 28, 2011
Calories Burned - 2954 | Calories Consumed - 1926 | Total Activity - 1:18 | Moderate Activity - 1:18 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 14428 | Sleep Duration - 6:39 | Lying Down - 9:40 | Sleep Efficiency - 69%.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Monday, March 28, 2011

I got in plenty of steps yesterday at the Air Force museum. I actually expected more, but almost 10,000 is pretty good. The museum was really interesting and the kids were very excited to be there. We enjoyed a picnic lunch in the car since it was too cold to sit outside. I had a couple Girl Scout cookies, but only a couple! Everyone had a great time.

Michael and I are heading back to the gym this week. Our colds are almost gone. We're going EVERY day this week, since nothing else is planned for after work. I'm going to try very hard to make sure that happens.

Next week we're going camping, so after Saturday, there won't be any posts for 5 days. I can't decide if I should just leave the armband here or wear it and try to log all my food when I get back. I'm leaning toward leaving it here.

Today's weigh in day. I stayed the same -- 239.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 27, 2011
Calories Burned - 2618 | Calories Consumed - 2381 | Total Activity - 0:42 | Moderate Activity - 0:42 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 9777 | Sleep Duration - 7:04 | Lying Down - 9:26 | Sleep Efficiency - 75%.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunday, March 27, 2011

I had an overage yesterday. What happened? Girl Scout cookies. Those little devils (the cookies, not the Girl Scouts), may look non-threatening, but they are PACKED with calories!

I got up last night after going to bed and ate cookies with milk. I caught myself half-way through a sleeve of Do-Si-Dos and forced myself to come back to the computer and record my discretion. I had a thought as I was looking at what I knew would be my calorie consumption for the day. Maybe it doesn't sound like it means much to you, but it seemed to mean a lot to me ... "It's never as bad as you think, and much better than if you don't stop and change direction."

Everyone "fails" every now and then when they diet. Some days you're just not going to do as well as you hoped. The trick is to get control of yourself and get back on track as soon as possible. Success breed success. Failure breeds failure. Find the strength to make a couple good choices and you're right back in the groove.

That's the "trick." It's the groove. It's the habits. It's the daily rountine. That's why unexpected happenings feel like roadblocks. Those of us who are dieting for a long-term goal need to stop thinking of them as roadblocks; they are detours. When I was kid, my family did a lot of singing for fun and just to be silly. One of the songs I remember had a line that went someting like this "Detour! There's a muddy road ahead! Detour!"

Why am I thinking about that silly song? I think it's telling me not to slog through the mud and get bogged down. Take the "long" way around. I'll get there.

I'll get in lots of steps today because we're going to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum with the grandkids. It should be a fun day. We're packing a lunch so I'll have control over what we eat.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 26, 2011
Calories Burned - 2482 | Calories Consumed - 2582 | Total Activity - 0:39 | Moderate Activity - 0:39 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 7448 | Sleep Duration - 7:02 | Lying Down - 9:17 | Sleep Efficiency - 76%.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011

It's Saturday and the end of my work week! I struggled through this week, wishing I could take each day off. I managed it, that's the best I can say. I'm sure glad that today's my last day. We're going camping the first week of April, so I have one more week and then a week off!! Yippee!

Yesterday wasn't too bad in terms of food consumption. I kept it below 2,000. As I've said many, many times, I need to do better on reducing my intake. I'm still considering what I can do in terms of a new approach. For now, I'm just trying to make healthier choices. Honestly, I think I'm doing pretty well with that ...

I'm hopeful that next week, I'll be able to workout again. I miss the gym and the calorie burn it provides.

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 464. Moderate activity = 33 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 25, 2011
Calories Burned - 2395 | Calories Consumed - 1931 | Total Activity - 0:33 | Moderate Activity - 0:33 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6174 | Sleep Duration - 7:14 | Lying Down - 10:10 | Sleep Efficiency - 71%.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday, March 25, 2011

It's offical. I'm sick of this cold! It seems to be getting worse. I'm sneezing, have a runny nose, and am coughing up yucky stuff. I also feel exhausted and weak. Blech!

There's no way that I could workout. I lose my breath and start coughing when I walk the length of the house.

The good news is that the couch arrived yesterday! I really like it. I'd better. It's huge and will be with us for a long time.

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 298. Moderate activity = 38 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged.

Have a great day! TTYL!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

I haven't felt well all week. This morning, my cold seems to making a return. I'm all stuffed up and very, very tired.

Yesterday when I got off work, I didn't go to the gym because I had to stop at the bank, move the couch, and take S. to Scouts. I won't make it today, either. The couch is being delivered this afternoon and I want to be here for the delivery. It sure hasn't been much of a week for gym visits!

At least I'm reporting calorie deficits. I've been trying to limit my intake and avoid temptations. I make good choices more often than I make bad ones. I needed a snack yesterday and since the cafeteria was open, I bought a side dish of brussel sprouts instead of a cookie or ice cream. I bought a bag of Baked Lays instead of regular chips earlier in the week. These small choices make a big difference in my overall health and will eventually get me to my ideal weight.

I would like to get there faster. I would like to reduce my consumption even more. I keep thinking of things to inspire me, gimicks, diet plans, etc. I just can't seem to settle on something and stick with it for very long. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. It's such a struggle!!!

From yesterday: Calorie defict = 478. Moderate activity = 21 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 23, 2011
Calories Burned - 2384 | Calories Consumed - 1906 | Total Activity - 0:21 | Moderate Activity - 0:21 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6727 | Sleep Duration - 6:17 | Lying Down - 7:42 | Sleep Efficiency - 82%.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Wednesday, March 22, 2011

I went to the gym yesterday after work, but didn't have much of a workout. I still was feeling punky from the head cold. I sat in the sauna, steam and whirlpool for about an hour total and then swam for about 15 minutes. The arm band doesn't show any water activity, but it wasn't that much anyway.

I'm feeling better today. No sore throat and just a little congestion. I won't be able to work out today, unfortuately. I have to take my grand daughter to Scouts tonight after work. Also, we're moving the couch out of the living room since out new furniture is supposed to be here tomorrow!

I figure that Thursday's workout will be normal. I'm looking forward to getting back in the routine!

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 312. Moderate activity = 27 minutes, Food accurately reported and logged!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 22, 2011
Calories Burned - 2370 | Calories Consumed - 2058 | Total Activity - 0:27 | Moderate Activity - 0:27 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6484 | Sleep Duration - 7:02 | Lying Down - 11:33 | Sleep Efficiency - 61%.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Yesterday was definately a good day in terms of calories consumed! I had less than 1,800. Since I wasn't feeling well, and knew I wasn't going to walk or go to the gym, I really tried to watch it.

As you can see, I really took it easy. The armband reports that I laid down for 10 hours and 39 minutes!

I am feeling better this morning, but still not 100%. I have to work today. After work, I'll probably go to the gym. I know that I won't feel like a hard workout, so I'll probably walk a little and then sit in the sauna. Maybe a good sweat will kick the rest of the head cold out!

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 637. Moderate activity = 20 minutes. Food accurately repoted and logged!

Have a great day!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 21, 2011
Calories Burned - 2412 | Calories Consumed - 1775 | Total Activity - 0:20 | Moderate Activity - 0:20 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6153 | Sleep Duration - 7:08 | Lying Down - 10:36 | Sleep Efficiency - 67%.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Monday, March 21, 2011

I had another good day! That's two in row where my calorie deficit was at or below750.

Clearly, getting some form of exercise is the key.

Unfortunately, I seem to have caught Michael's cold. His started with a sore throat. Yesterday afternoon my throat starting getting sore.

I am going to lay low today. All I have planned is to can the beef stock that I made yesterday. It has a wonderful flavor, by the way!

It's weigh-in day. I lost a pound. I'm at 239. I still have 3 more to get back to my lowest. Don't worry, I'll make it. I intend to keep at it. I may be barely crawling along, but at least I haven't given up!!

Yesterday's challenge results? Calorie deficit = 750. Moderate activity = 1 hour and 19 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 20, 2011
Calories Burned - 2978 | Calories Consumed - 2228 | Total Activity - 1:19 | Moderate Activity - 1:19 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 12627 | Sleep Duration - 6:07 | Lying Down - 8:31 | Sleep Efficiency - 72%.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sunday, March 18, 2011

Good day yesterday! I really enjoyed my walk with Opal. We saw blooming daffodils and crocus. Spring is here! It felt great to get out and breathe some fresh air.

I also went out to lunch and managed to control myself pretty well. We went to a new Mexican place. For dinner, I had broiled chicken breast, spinach and cauliflower. Not a bad day overall.

Today, I'm making beef stock. I'll can it tomorrow. I'm also going to the gym. I might even try to walk outside as well.

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 841. Moderate activity = 1 hour and 38 minutes. Food reported and logged accurately!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 19, 2011
Calories Burned - 3086 | Calories Consumed - 2245 | Total Activity - 1:38 | Moderate Activity - 1:38 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 14213 | Sleep Duration - 6:31 | Lying Down - 9:32 | Sleep Efficiency - 68%.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Day 6!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 18, 2011
Calories Burned - 3040 | Calories Consumed - 1742 | Moderate Activity - 0:40 | Steps Taken - 6834 | Sleep Duration - 5:09 | Sleep Efficiency - 94%
 
Great day!  Had my first personal training session and it was very good.  I am a bit sore today but still able to walk. :-)  I have my next session on Monday @noon.  I am going to meet with the trainer once a week for inspiration and motivation.  
Today, we are supposed to go to the zoo in the afternoon.  This morning I have meetings.  I am hoping for 8k or so steps today!
TTYL!
-Tracy

March 19, 2011

I did pretty well at the restaraunt yesterday! I had a two servings of bread and butter, filet mignon, asparagus and a salad with Italian dressing. No dessert. No cocktails. No appetizers. I managed to control myself pretty well.

I haven't had any exercise in the past three days, but will get some today. It should be nice enough to take Opal for a walk. I'm planning to do that as soon as the sun comes up. Next week I'm going to get to the gym more often.

Today I'm lunching with a friend. We haven't decided where to go yet. I'll make good choices!

I'm holding steady at 240. No loss this week, but I feel as though I'll have a small loss to report on Monday.

From yesterday: Calorie deficit = 103. Moderate activity = 30 minutes. I reported and logged accurately.

Have a good day!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Day 5!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 17, 2011
Calories Burned - 2905 | Calories Consumed - 2527 | Moderate Activity - 0:28 | Steps Taken - 4587 | Sleep Duration - 9:17 | Sleep Efficiency - 89%
 
As you can see, I am having calorie troubles.  Actually, you could say that I am having calorie or exercise troubles.  If I would reduce my cals or up my exercise, I would be fine!  400 calorie deficit is like saying there is no deficit.  The possibility for error is about 10% on either one of these figures so I may even have a overage.   Boo....

I start my first personal training session today.  This should help me keep motivated.  I am not sure yet how often I am going to do this but for now, at least once per week.

Talk to you soon!
- Tracy

Friday, March 18, 2011

I haven't been to the gym in the last two days and won't get there today! I will be going Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I miss going for a couple reasons. First, it really helps my calorie burn. (duh!) I also sleep better and tend to eat less.

I have been having slimfast for breakfast the past couple days combined with a Fullbar. I bought a couple boxes of Fullbars the other day. They have 160 calories and only 1.5 grams of fat. They don't taste that great, but they take a while to eat and really do make me feel fuller. They are better choice than many other snack foods.

I also bought some Jillian Michael's products the other day. One is a fat burner and the other is a calorie control product. I haven't used them yet. I will also be trying a product my sister gave me which is supposed to boost your metabolism when you're working out. I'm not entirely sure that I like the idea of using a supplement, but I think that I'll give a shot.

Tonight, we're meeting friends for dinner. I am going to try very hard to keep things under control. As you know, I have a hard time in restaraunts. I get abnormally excited.

Challenge results? Calorie deficit = 159. Moderate activity = 31 minutes. Food accurately logged and reported.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 17, 2011
Calories Burned - 2395 | Calories Consumed - 2236 | Total Activity - 0:31 | Moderate Activity - 0:31 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6483 | Sleep Duration - 7:15 | Lying Down - 8:09 | Sleep Efficiency - 89%.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Day 4!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 16, 2011
Calories Burned - 3015 | Calories Consumed - 2576 | Total Activity - 0:40 | Steps Taken - 5420 | Sleep Duration - 7:43 | Sleep Efficiency - 86%
 
I am down to 334 now.  That means I was probably holding on to about a gallon of extra water.  I was swelled up like crazy and now feel more normal.  
Friday I start with a personal trainer!  Please wish me well.  I am not sure quite what I am getting into but I am thrilled that I am finally doing something!  I also have my walking buddy back.  He inspires me to walk more than normal.  I love my doggie.

Today is a busy day with volunteering at school and some other stuff.  Have a great St. Patrick's day!
- Tracy

Thursday, March, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Wear green and remember that everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!!

I kept my calories below 2,000 yesterday. That's hard for me to do. I didn't make it to the gym yesterday. Michael and I just decided to skip it and take a night off to chill at home. We had cereal for dinner.

Today is an employee appreciation day at work. They are providing lunch. It's not that hard to stay on track when they provide lunch since the portions are limited. They are bringing in City Barbeque, which I really like. There will also be give aways. Maybe I'll win something!

I still haven't lost any of the gain that I reported on Monday. You'd think that I would have remembered how hard it is for my to lose weight when I was eating so much last week! We're going out tomorrow night with friends; I'll have to remind myself of that when I'm looking at the menu ...

For the challenge: Deficit = 507. Moderate activity = 37 minutes. Food accurately reported and logged.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 16, 2011
Calories Burned - 2453 | Calories Consumed - 1946 | Total Activity - 0:37 | Moderate Activity - 0:37 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 7683 | Sleep Duration - 7:15 | Lying Down - 7:46 | Sleep Efficiency - 93%.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

day 2!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 15, 2011
Calories Burned - 3086 | Calories Consumed - 2357 | Moderate Activity - 0:39 | Steps Taken - 5908 | Sleep Duration - 5:55 | Sleep Efficiency - 84%

Wednesday, March 15, 2011

Spring Challenge, Day Two! Deficit = 307. Moderate activity - 1 hour and 22 minutes. All food accurately reported.

I had a good workout at the gym, even though I wasn't "feeling it" throughout the entire workout. Why do I say it was a good workout even when I wasn't into it? Well, because I tried really hard and pushed through it. I regularly do 30 minutes, including arms, on the elliptical. For those of you who've never done a workout on an elliptical, it's hard!!! In 30 minutes, I log about 2 1/5 miles. Afterwards, I walked 30 minutes at 3 mph. Tonight at the gym, I'll walk and do some weight training for my upper body.

When we get home from the gym, we're moving our old love seat to the curb. Our new furniture should be arriving soon, and I'm getting ready! I offered the old couch to someone at work, she has kids and rec room in the basement. I'm VERY much looking forward to our new furniture!

Today, I'm going to have Slimfast for breakfast and a Heathly Choice meal for lunch. I'm taking yogurt, apple slices and an orange for snacks. Tonight's dinner will be Special K cereal. I do better when I completely plan out my meals in the morning. When I do that, I know in advance how many calories I'll consume and it honestly offers me some comfort knowing that I won't "starve to death" throughout the day!

Have a great day! TTYL!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

BodyMedia FIT data for March 14, 2011
Calories Burned - 2958 | Calories Consumed - 1682 | Total Activity - 0:13 | Moderate Activity - 0:13 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 4064 | Sleep Duration - 8:31 | Lying Down - 8:55 | Sleep Efficiency - 96%
 
Not much more to say... I have my walking buddy back.  He and I got in about 15 minutes this morning.  We will be getting in many more today!
Tracy

March 15, 2011

I had a great day yesterday! My deficit was 1,065 and I had 1 hour and 56 minutes of moderate activity.

I'm baaaaaaaaack!


BodyMedia FIT data for March 14, 2011
Calories Burned - 3112 | Calories Consumed - 2047 | Total Activity - 1:56 | Moderate Activity - 1:56 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 15047 | Sleep Duration - 7:12 | Lying Down - 8:18 | Sleep Efficiency - 87%.

I hope that everyone out there had a great day! TTYL!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Weigh In!

OK!  I am back and I have some not so pretty numbers to report.  My weight this morning was 340!  With this being said, I know that much of this is water retention.  My feet are swelled like balloons. 

Today, I will start a new!  Breakfast is Oatmeal and lunch is a salad.  Dinner... I am not quite sure of yet.  We might go out for Chipotle.  No worries there though... I have my meal down to 600 calories there.

Talk to you tomorrow with some real numbers.
- Tracy

Monday, March 13, 2011

I'm really not happy about reporting my weight for the week since I have a pretty big gain to report. I weighed 240 this morning. That's a 4 pound increase since last week. No "explanations," no excuses. I gained. That's it.

Not only my weight is up. Here are my averages for the past week:

Calories burned = 2205
Calories consumed = 2375
Calorie surplus = 170
Steps = 7029
Physical activity = 43 minutes
Sleep = 6:34
Sodium = 3361
Fat = 40% and 106 grams per day

I need to revisit what's worked for me in the past. Clearly, regular aerobic exercise is a must. I also have to get my calorie consumption down. I keep talking about the need for a calorie defict of 750 per day. I REALLY need to make that happen. I have been slacking.

I haven't made a chart in month or so. Tracy and I haven't had a challenge in a while. Both those things were also really helping me.

Tracy! I challenge you to a 6 week challenge. Winner takes all!! I'm proposing a four-pronged challenge: 1) Log your food everyday as accurately as possible. (Even if you have to "go back and do it later.") 2) Report every day on the blog 3) Have a deficit of 750 or less, on average, for the challenge period. 4) Have an activity level of 45 minutes, on average, for the challenge period.

This time we have a prize. The "winner" takes the "loser" to a movie of her choice, in her neighborhood. No kids, no husbands. It's possible to have two winners. We'd both win if we both met all the criteria. Otherwise, the one meets the highest percentage of the individual criteria is the winner.

Do you accept?

From yesterday:

BodyMedia FIT data for March 12, 2011
Calories Burned - 2472 | Calories Consumed - 2192 | Total Activity - 0:31 | Moderate Activity - 0:31 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6979 | Sleep Duration - 6:59 | Lying Down - 9:23 | Sleep Efficiency - 74%.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Back Home!

I am home and I have pretty much decided that I need to the bluetooth version of the armband.  I need to be able to input my food via my phone!  I am still about a month or two out from getting this version (as I also have to get a phone).  I NEED MOBILE ACCESS TO FOOD LOGGING!  I hope that BM is reading this.... this will make a HUGE difference for anyone that is dieting.  For me, it is really where I am failing.

See ya in the morning for the weigh in.... expect a large gain from me.  I ate like a king on vacation and did very little in the way of exercise.  It is going to be hard to get back into the swing for sure.  I have my oatmeal for breakfast and I will be drinking my Myoplex drinks again. 

- Tracy

Sunday, March 13, 2011

I'm so happy that my weight loss buddy, Tracy, is coming home! I need my buddy!!!!!

After two days of not doing very well, I'm glad to say that yesterday I regained some control. I have a hard time in restaraunts and we went out to eat on Thursday and Friday. I watched my intake yesterday and made some good choices.

Today, we're working in the camper to get it ready for our first camping trip of the season. We're going camping in about 2 weeks, so we have to get things organized!

I'm also doing some cooking today. I'm trying a new recipe -- sort of a version of one of my old favorites, Mexican Lasagna. I'm lightening it up by using chicken and refried beans as the main filling. I'm also using whole wheat tortillas as the "pasta." Of course, this is a recipe that I created on my own. If it's any good, I'll share it.

I am also making sauerkraut balls. I have actually been dreaming about sauerkraut balls ...

Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I do not expect a loss. Actually, I would not be surprised if I report a slight gain. We'll see tomorrow

Have a great day!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 12, 2011
Calories Burned - 2472 | Calories Consumed - 2192 | Total Activity - 0:31 | Moderate Activity - 0:31 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6979 | Sleep Duration - 6:59 | Lying Down - 9:23 | Sleep Efficiency - 74%.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

On My Way Home!

Diana!
I am on my way home from glorious Sanibel and I can't wait to get back into the groove of things. The weigh in on Monday is surely going to be interesting!  But, I am back with the program as soon as I hit my house!  Can't wait to get back to some sort of goals.  I am feeling very refreshed and ready for life again.  I really needed this vacation.
- Tracy

Saturday, March 12, 2011

I'm reporting today because that's what I do, report as accuarately and honestly as possible. I'm certainly not reporting because I'm proud of my numbers from yesterday.

We went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse last night. Despite an hour of aerobics and trying to watch my intake during the day, I had a calorie surplus of a whopping 795. Not much I can say to defend myself. The ribeye was wonderful, so was the aspargus with hollandaise and the lettuce wedge with bleu chesse and bacon. Oh yes, I had bread and butter and some cheesecake, too. The food was incredible.

I feel guilty and, honestly, kind of sick this morning. Moving on ...

BodyMedia FIT data for March 11, 2011
Calories Burned - 2771 | Calories Consumed - 3566 | Total Activity - 1:14 | Moderate Activity - 1:14 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 12603 | Sleep Duration - 5:14 | Lying Down - 6:43 | Sleep Efficiency - 78%.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Friday, March 11, 2011

I tried very hard to watch my intake yesterday. I had a Slimfast for breakfast and lots of fruits and vegetables during the day. I didn't have an official meal until dinner time. We went to Olive Garden for dinner and I chose to have the soup and salad combination. The downside was that Michael wanted calamari (battered and fried) and I had two breadsticks. Those two things together were about 600 calories!!!

It hasn't been a good week as far as controlling my intake. Tomorrow will be hard to keep under control as well since we're going to a REALLY fancy restatraunt for dinner.

My plan of attack is to really watch my intake today and during the day tomorrow. If I do really well on Sunday, I should be able to squeak by and mainatain my weight for the week!!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 10, 2011
Calories Burned - 2338 | Calories Consumed - 2001 | Total Activity - 0:26 | Moderate Activity - 0:26 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 7005 | Sleep Duration - 7:15 | Lying Down - 7:55 | Sleep Efficiency - 92%.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I was all swollen up yesterday, that's the best way to describe it. My jeans were tight, my bra was tight, even my wedding band was tight. To make matters worse, my weight was up. My sodium from the day before wasn't high, so I can't really explain it. Basically, I felt uncomfortable ALL day yesterday.

I decided to drink lots of water and eat lots of fruits and vegetables until the feeling went away. I also skipped my regular workout and sat in the sauna and steam room for a loooooong time. Michael and I sat in the hot tub for a while and then splashed around in the pool.

This morning, my weight is down a bit, but not back to 236. I don't feel quite as puffy. I'm going to drink lots of water again today and have some extra fruit.

Who knows?? Maybe a hormonal flucuation?


BodyMedia FIT data for March 9, 2011
Calories Burned - 2378 | Calories Consumed - 2360 | Total Activity - 0:28 | Moderate Activity - 0:28 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6288 | Sleep Duration - 5:54 | Lying Down - 7:19 | Sleep Efficiency - 81%.

Have a nice day! TTYL!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

March 9, 2011

Not much to say this morning.

Here's my data from yesterday:

BodyMedia FIT data for March 8, 2011
Calories Burned - 2546 | Calories Consumed - 1994 | Total Activity - 1:04 | Moderate Activity - 1:04 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 8621 | Sleep Duration - 6:10 | Lying Down - 8:01 | Sleep Efficiency - 77%..

Enjoy your day!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

I sure burned lots of calories yesterday, but I ate a lot, too. My consumption WAS up yesterday. I had a McDonald's fish Sandwich for lunch and fried mush with sausage for dinner. Not exactly diet foods, eh? I'll watch my consumption better today.

I did have a great workout, though. I can do 30 minutes on the elliptical pretty easily now. I started adding my arms the other day. Before, I was just holding the hand grips and stepping. I didn't think adding the arm movemement would make a difference, but it does. I can feel it in the muscles of my upper body. I also walked 30 minutes and did crunches. I'll go to the gym again tonight after work.


BodyMedia FIT data for March 7, 2011
Calories Burned - 2922 | Calories Consumed - 2284 | Total Activity - 1:12 | Moderate Activity - 1:12 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 11892 | Sleep Duration - 6:56 | Lying Down - 8:27 | Sleep Efficiency - 82%.

Have a good day!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Monday, March 7, 2011

Weighing in! Great news to report! My weight today was 236! Twenty-four pounds lost in 19 weeks! That's about 1.27 pounds a week. Hopefully, I'll lose a pound next week and hit my goal of 25 pounds in 5 months.

I enjoyed my walk and swim workout at the gym yesterday. I walked 30 minutes and swam 20. I also sat in the sauna and steam rooms.

For dinner last night, I roasted a turkey. Yes, a whole turkey. I made mashed potatoes and served green beans. It was very good. I made up meals for the week, too.

I have a new challenge in the house. The Girl Scout cookies have arrived. I'm sending some to work with Michael. The rest are staying in the garage freezer. When I have some, like I did last night, I'll report them. The BodyMedia site has them listed, so addding them is easy.

Have I told you lately how much I love this program? Besides tracking my exercise and calorie burn automatically, it makes adding food that I've eaten very easy. Take the Girl Scout cookies, for example. All I do is select the meal (there are 6 meal times to choose) and type a food. When I type in "Girl Scout cookies" I get a big list with all the different varieties. I pick the variety (Thin Mints!!!!) and then type the amount. It drops it into the food list and adds all the data for the food item. BTW, Thin Mints have 160 calories in 4 cookies. That's 40 calories per cookie!!!

Today, I'm heading to the dentist for a cleaning. I also plan to do some shopping. I'll meet Michael at the gym later in the day. He's doing very well with his diet and exercise program. He's lost about 15 pounds and is looking much more toned.

Here's my report from yesterday:

BodyMedia FIT data for March 6, 2011
Calories Burned - 2873 | Calories Consumed - 2191 | Total Activity - 1:06 | Moderate Activity - 1:06 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 9865 | Sleep Duration - 5:35 | Lying Down - 7:44 | Sleep Efficiency - 72%.

TTYL!!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Not exactly a stellar day yesterday. Nothing looked good numbers-wise. I exceed 2,000 calories in consumption, slept only 5:31 hours, and had only 32 minutes of activity.

Today is a gym day! Since it's Sunday, it's my walk, swim and soak day. I am also roasting a turkey and making up meals for the week. I'll make dinners ahead that have turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It's nice to have those ready to go. The portions are pre-measured, so I know the calorie count. Also it makes the next couple days very easy in terms of food preparation.

I am trying to work my gym routine into one that concentrates on cardio. My latest goal (I know! I know! I change ALL the time!!) is one hour of cardio on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I will take Saturday off. On Sunday and Monday (my days off work), I'll walk, swim and soak in the hot tub.

Tomorrow is weigh-in day. Not looking like a big weight loss. Maybe I'll be able to report a loss of a pound.

BodyMedia FIT data for March 5, 2011
Calories Burned - 2403 | Calories Consumed - 2368 | Total Activity - 0:32 | Moderate Activity - 0:32 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6728 | Sleep Duration - 5:31 | Lying Down - 7:22 | Sleep Efficiency - 75%.

Have a great day!! Big hugs!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Saturday, March 5, 2011

I went to the gym yesterday, but didn't have much of a workout. I just didn't have any energy. I did the best I could and came home. I'm not going to go today, but will go tomorrow for a nice long swim and soak. Sundays are my swim and soak days!

I kept my consumption under 2,000 calories yesterday. I did kind of a funny thing. I bought an ice cream bar, ate three bites and threw the rest away. Throwing it away took a lot of strength. I wonder which would have been harder -- not buying it in the first place or throwing it away???

I didn't sleep well last night. All I'm looking for today is to make it through work. It's raining like crazy and all I feel like doing is, well, nothing ...

BodyMedia FIT data for March 4, 2011
Calories Burned - 2439 | Calories Consumed - 1960 | Total Activity - 0:29 | Moderate Activity - 0:29 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 5930 | Sleep Duration - 6:13 | Lying Down - 8:05 | Sleep Efficiency - 77%.

Friday, March 4, 2011

3rd day of March!


BodyMedia FIT data for March 3, 2011
Calories Burned - 3100 | Moderate Activity - 0:25 | Steps Taken - 6695 | Sleep Duration - 8:13 | Sleep Efficiency - 87%
I bought a Bob Harper Video and did it yesterday.  I did the 20 minute version and found it to be quite doable.  Today I have jelly thighs though from all of the lunges.  So, it was doing the trick for sure.  I will continue with this when I come back.  I am thinking this is going to the way to go for exercise.  Also, I am naturally getting in more steps because of the weather!  I am hoping to get some serious steps in Florida.  We are also going to rent a bike for 4 people for at least an hour.  That should rack up some calorie burn for sure!
Take care and I will be back on the 14th!
- Tracy
I've been really kicking it up with my cardio at the gym! Getting two days in a row of 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill felt great. When I stepped on the elliptical yesterday, I wasn't sure I was going to make my 30 minutes; my legs felt sore from the day before. I kept at it, though. After about 10 minutes the soreness went away and I finished strong!

I did a good job with my food consumption, too. I had a Slimfast for breakfast and frozen Weight Watchers meal for lunch. For snacks, I ate fruit.

Check out my deficit from yesterday -- 814! Still hoping for 235 by March 16th!!!

Calories Burned - 2667 | Calories Consumed - 1853 | Total Activity - 1:22 | Moderate Activity - 1:22 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 10289 | Sleep Duration - 7:27 | Lying Down - 9:24 | Sleep Efficiency - 79%

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Thursday, March 3, 2011

I managed to do pretty well at the department potluck yesterday. I was REALLY glad our team did the theme "healthy foods." That kept me on-track (relatively!). I did have a small piece of cinnamon bread and about 4 tablespoons of cheesey dip, but overall, I think I navigated the food very well. There were temptations everywhere!!

My workout yesterday was great!! I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill. I remember when I could barely do 10 on the elliptical. People at the gym are starting to talk to me. I think they realize that Michael and I are becoming regulars. That feels good. I also used the body fat measurment device. On January 24th, I was 49.5% body fat. Yesterday, I was 44.5%! My body is changing!!

My data from yesterday shows I ate too much, but I did have a pretty good deficit of 395. I'm due for a weight loss. I'd really like to be at 235 by March 16th!

BodyMedia FIT data for March 2, 2011
Calories Burned - 2642 | Calories Consumed - 2247 | Total Activity - 1:29 | Moderate Activity - 1:29 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 11772 | Sleep Duration - 6:30 | Lying Down - 7:15 | Sleep Efficiency - 90%.

I hope that everyone has a great day!!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Pretty good effort yesterday! I had a schedule change due to training at work and that threw off my day. However, I managed to get some pretty good numbers. I wasn't able to get to the gym because to the change. Take a look! My calorie consumption was under 2,000 and I had a deficit of 470.

Today will present a challenge at work. We're having a department potluck. There will be food everywhere all day long. My team is making an effort by having a theme of "healthy food." I am providing chicken chili. I am ready to go with a bag of fruits and vegetables to keep at my desk in case I get too tempted!

I will definately make it to the gym tonight.


From yesterday:
Calories Burned - 2372 | Calories Consumed - 1902 | Total Activity - 0:25 | Moderate Activity - 0:25 | Vigorous Activity - 0:00 | Steps Taken - 6920 | Sleep Duration - 6:59 | Lying Down - 9:18 | Sleep Efficiency - 75%.

Have a great day! Big hugs!!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March 1st! Yippee! I'm VERY excited that spring is coming! I love winter. The snow, the cold, nuggling under warm blankets, steaming cups of cocoa -- all make me feel nostalgic. However, I ready for a change.

Another reason that I'm glad it's March 1st, is that I look at each new month as a new beginning in my weight loss journey. As promised, here's a look at my February averages:

Calories burned = 2523
Calories consumed = 2131
Calorie deficit = 392
Physical activity = 47 minutes (moderate activity)
Steps = 8183
Sleep = 6:44 @ 81% efficiency
Sodium = 2507 (Good job!)
Fiber = 22 g
Protein = 23%
Carbs = 39%
Fat = 38%
Weight loss = 8 pounds (I didn't realize that I'd lost that much!!!)
Waist = From January 5 to today loss of 1 inch. Today my waist measured 44.5 inches.

What I need to do is obvious. I need to reduce my intake. Everything else is within a resonable range. My fat is a bit high. I could stand to reduce my fat intake and up my carbs.

I am going to try harder to reduce the amount of food that I eat. I really do eat too much. Sure, I'll lose weight if I don't, but I would lose better if I ate less. I would also get to my goal faster. None-the-less, I am generally proud of my efforts during the month of February.

Thanks everyone, for sticking with me! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

Have a great day! TTYL!