The Question: How Did I Do It?

A couple posts ago, in response to my entry, "A Life Altered Yet Again", Tyler asked me the following question:

"I'm curious, how did you lose weight?"

I've gotten that question a lot, especially from people who knew be "before", and who hadn't seen me in a while. The usual remark is "WHOAH!" followed by, '"How did you do it?''

I wrote a reply out to Tyler, and realized that it's the same answer I always give. I may have even put this in another blog entry someplace. But it bears repeating...the things I did that made a difference for me.

HOW I DID IT:

#1, I started weighing myself daily. Knowing anybody fluctuates up to 2-3 pounds daily, it was just a "check-in" to see how I was doing. If I went up over 3 pounds, I knew I was doing something wrong. Weight Watchers tells you to NEVER do this...but it works for me.

#2, I read YOU: On a Diet by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen. It reinforced that losing weight is PHYSIOLOGICAL, not psychological OR the whims of the "Diet Gods" (whom I was convinced hated me anyway). They actually have all sorts of good stuff online now, through their website, "RealAge" (which helped me learn how to eat)...but I read the book. Old-fashioned, perhaps, but it worked for me. I re-read parts of it when I felt especially persecuted by those blasted Diet Gods...

#3, I walked. Then I jogged. Then I ran. And I decided to join a club to add the weightlifting component to work on my strength. The trainer there, a wonderful guy, told me NEVER to do the same thing two days in a row. He said your body needs time to recover, and doing things two days in a row doesn't allow it the time to recover and rebuild. So I did weights AND 30 minutes on the elliptical 3x a week, and walking/jogging 3x a week, alternating. The trainer said my walking/jogging was my "weight loss" effort, so aimed for my elliptical training heart rate to be at something like 80% of maximum to train my cardiovascular system. It worked! My cardiovascular system ended up in fabulous shape; I could out-walk and out-run my teenaged niece without huffing and puffing! The trainer was a great help and I stuck with his program for a couple months, then met with him again and started a new program...until I really got serious about running...then I ended up just running most of the time. Mistake--I should have stuck with the weights. It would have made me a stronger runner. Even though I could run half marathons and do triathlons, I was mostly strong on my legs/hips, but not so much in my core and arms.

#4, I wrote down EVERY LITTLE THING I ate and tallied the calories. When I hit 1800 calories (up to 2000) I stopped eating. Period. It only took a few days for me to start to nail down what I could do to maximize my nutrition/satiety without piling on the calories. I noticed that foods that were closest to their natural state (i.e. apple vs. juice) tended to fill me more and "cost" me less. But I did NOT play games and eat junky, tasteless food just because it was low in calories. I ate whatever I wanted, even dark chocolate (Lindt, mmm) but just "budgeted" my calories accordingly by making sure I ate lots of healthy stuff in between--like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. And I tried to make sure I ate the veggies FIRST when I had dinner, and used a lunch plate instead of one of those huge dinner plates. That helped. If you split your plate into halves, then the half into halves again (so you have two 1/4ths and one 1/2), put the veggies in the half side...and in the 1/4 portions, that's for your lean protein and whole grains. That helps a lot.

#5, Take a multivitamin and calcium, and yes, that's important for guys too. Although I got far better nutrition from the new way of eating anyway, I just wanted to be sure I was covered.

#6, I made healthier choices to lower my cholesterol. It was over 200, and I dropped it to something like 159, with excellent HDL levels, low LDL levels, and oustanding triglycerides. The exercise was a huge help too, but I made sure to eat olive oil instead of butter or margarine, whole grains (whole wheat bread, wild/brown rice mix, etc.) and I had oatmeal daily...I love oatmeal, so it wasn't a tough sell. I also ate salmon weekly if I could, and just tried to eliminate all those trans-fats (hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), both of which are in just about everything (even crackers!). I think HFCS is the spawn of the devil. :)

Incidentally, my doctor, when I went in for my checkup after telling him I wanted to take care of my cholesterol by myself (without drugs) first, nearly danced when my numbers came in. He was giddy, it was so funny! He called me a "poster child" and said that I was living proof that "diet and exercise work!"

And by the way...one more thing: I NEVER use the word "diet" except to mean "eating plan" as in, "That's part of a healthy diet." I have young, impressionable girls, and I NEVER want them to diet. Ever. It's a roller coaster that you can't get off of. I simply called it "eating healthier", and my daughter knows I eat healthy...but has never once said I was on a diet. I want it to stay that way. Diets are temporary--eating healthy is a permanent choice.

That's not to say some Oreos don't go amiss now and again...!

:)

There. The Answer to The Question. I hope it provides some insight for you, and helps you out in your weight-loss and/or maintenance efforts.

Good luck!

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

Back in the Saddle...er, Treadmill...again

Here we go again!

Today was my first day back on track. Since we got here a few weeks ago, I've been checking out a bunch of fitness clubs in the area. One had great classes but the facility was really run-down and gritty. Another one had no pool, so wouldn't have worked for Maddy or ME when I am back into triathlon training. Another one had a pool, great classes, fitness focused on women, treadmills with tv screens on them...but the membership fee was $650! (You don't PAY that though...they knock it down to $480 or so through various "incentives", then you knock off $18 every month you work out...that requires a 3 year commitment at least.)

I was getting bummed but then we found the Y. WHY I didn't look before, considering we belonged to one in Maine, boggles the mind. I'll blame it on being brain-dead due to not exercising.

That same brain-dead-edness also stopped me from considering that my sister's remote control might not be programmed properly (it wasn't) until AFTER the Olympics were over...and after I programmed it properly, requiring finding appropriate codes online, I discovered SHE DOES get NBC. It didn't come in until I set the remote to find the channels automatically...and the channel did not come up when manually hitting the "up channel" button on the VCR.

So we missed the ENTIRE Olympics for nothing.

Argh!!!

Anyway, I digress.

The YMCA here is fabulous. They have the 25-yard pool (outside) and another inside for waterobics or whatever you call it. They have a nice cardio theatre and Cybex weights, and their treadmills are in the upstairs area--and they all have their own TV screens. It's called "Cardio Theatre" and it rocks!! I was bummed about not having access to my own choices on the treadmill, now that I no longer have a basement entertainment center (or a treadmill, for that matter). No problemo--I have full cable choices right at eye level, and I control them. YES!

There is a great daycare, and Kara was a real trooper for her first day there. She was there for an hour and fifteen minutes, and only called for me a couple times. She never cried, and she happily had her milky and some "cack-ows" (crackers) for snack. She was delighted to see me, though, which was gratifying!

There are also CLASSES. Did you see that? I said, there are CLASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been missing classes since we moved to Maine. What classes? ANY classes! I'll take whatever anyone offers! YES, my home YMCA had classes, but I never tried going to them because I had my own treadmill and I was biking on my own and swimming at the Y. So I didn't bother.

NOW, however, as I'm trying to rebuild my fitness base, I'm delighted to have the option.

Why?

Here's a secret: I know how to do ab work, but unless someone's standing over me cracking the whip, I won't do it. It's a pain, I get bored, and I need the mental/verbal direction to get me going. I'll do it if it's a class, but otherwise...no.

So there are two classes I'm going to take. One is a 1x a week ("Extreme" targeting glutes and guts), and the other is a 2x a week--Pilates/Yoga! So between those, and running 3x a week, I should be doing well within the next two months. I figure it took me two months to lose it, it'll take me 2 months to get it back. I don't have any illusions that I'll be back to running 20 miles on my LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs in just two months, but being able to run 8 to 13 at a time would be wonderful.

This morning, I was so tired I was literally almost cross-eyed. Thankfully Kara slept in, so after dropping Kent & Maddy at school, I went back home and slept for a couple more hours. I was really headachy, and felt so tired that I nearly didn't go to the Y after all. Finally, though, I remembered an old piece of advice I read on RunnersWorld.com:

If you don't feel like going, just at least get dressed, and head out the door. If you get started and still don't feel like running, turn around and go home. However, chances are that you'll feel better and be glad you went.

So I did it. I got dressed, fed the baby, and then took off for the Y. I intended to hang around the babycare area at first, but they told me they'd call me if she cried for "more than ten minutes" (MY child? Miss Sunshine?), and it was best to "dash out before she sees." So off I went. I was on a treadmill in a matter of minutes, and happily settled in at an 11 min/mile pace to the tune of HGTV on my personal video screen.

I lasted two miles.

TWO MILES! How totally pathetic is that?? OH MY GOSH! I couldn't believe it! Two months, and I go from running 20 miles comfortably to feeling like my legs are made of lead in just TWO miles!!

This is COMPLETELY unacceptable!

I had to slow to a walk (15 min/mile pace), then kicked it back up to a run for a mile. After that single mile, I had to walk again, then I ran one more. I finally had enough and walked another 20 minutes, and then that was it.

FOUR MILES. How sad! Four miles used to be my "quick dash" on the treadmill. That was a non-running day. Now that was all I could manage!

I am SO not happy. But I knew this would happen.

This is the weird thing: once you get fit, you hate losing it. And it can be utterly demoralizing and depressing, and it's so easy to say, "Oh well, crud, I blew it, I might as well have another Oreo." And I've done a LITTLE of that, but I knew that I was playing around with unhealthy food for a short period of time, and that I would rapidly getting sick of eating like that...and that soon enough, I'd be back on track. I hit that point this week...and last week when I ate a lot of M&Ms while watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

So it's time to get back into it. The classes are very exciting. I know that with my single-minded focus, which I am infamous for, I will regain my fitness soon enough. I look forward to being able to fit into my clothes better, and hopefully with the glutes/gut and the pilates/yoga, I'll be even more fit than I was before.

Is there a six pack of abs in my future? I doubt that. However, I can certainly tighten things up. And a stronger stomach will make a stronger back, eliminate my back spasms, and help my running form as well. And my shirts will look nicer, too.

So here we go. Time to kick booty again. My willpower AND my WANT-POWER are up and running!! I'm up for 2x pilates/yoga, 1x glutes/gut, and 3x running per week. The other day I'll probably swim or walk or something. Or maybe I'll just take naps. LOL.

Now I just need our house to sell so we can buy one here, and we'll be good to go.

Anyone wanna buy a house in Kennebunkport, Maine? It's really pretty and a screamingly low price for Kennebunkport!

(See that TV in the pictures? That's my basement...the treadmill used to be to the right of the picture, facing the TV...it is such a gorgeous house...!)

Happy days, everyone!

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

A Life Altered Yet Again

HOLY COW.

Well, since I last wrote, my life has completely undergone yet another change.

No, I'm not pregnant.

In late June, on the LAST day of school, Kent found a listing for a job in Redding, California, on Craigslist of all places. He called to query, and 9 days later he was hired and we were in the middle of a transcontinental move back home.

The reason for the move: our entire family--brothers, sisters, parents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and grandparents--are within 3 hours of our new home town. We had no family in Maine, and the girls were missing out. So were the grandparents.

So what has this been like? Imagine, if you will, taking one of those snowglobes and flipping it upside down, then shaking it like mad. That was what it felt like, but it was our life that was the snowglobe. We have taken to calling it the "Snowglobe Effect". We had 2 1/2 weeks to completely pack our entire house, and then another week to get to California. Maddy flew with her grandparents; baby Kara drove with us. We made it in 6 days flat, from Kennebunkport Maine to Redding.

So here we are. Back in California. My ENTIRE house is packed and in storage in Portland, Maine. My home is NOT selling (surprise surprise), and I'm living with my sister and her two girls.

To say this has been a "big change" is putting it mildly.

The worst part is that Redding is not exactly a good place to run in the afternoons. The temperatures mid-day, when I usually would go out, range from the 90s to up to 112, as it was last week. I can't take the baby out in that, unfortunately. Today is a glorious day, very breezy, so I could have gone out, but I spent the day on the phone dealing with about a billion little details, like pediatrician bill mistakes and arranging for car windshield wiper repairs (ours got recalled, so not a big thing, just it takes time). The baby is sound asleep, and when she gets up, Kent will be home and it's off to open a bank account.

I've been looking at clubs in the area, and found one I like. It has some neat amenities, and I need to clear it with Kent. But I need to start running. I haven't run in a month or more, and the last thing I did was 8 days ago--walking in San Francisco!

So to say I'm out of shape is an understatement, compared at least to what I was when I did the PolarBear triathlon. I still fit into my clothes, but I haven't got the stamina, I'm sure.

The depressing part is that in late May, I ran 20 miles for the first time ever. I did a four-loop run past Walker Point (President Bush Senior's compound) in Kennebunkport--my last time, coincidentally, but I didn't know I'd never run that loop again as a Mainer. I was so excited--I KNEW I could have run 6 miles more, if I had been asked. I was peaking perfectly for the San Francisco Marathon on August 3.

Then the bottom dropped out, our lives flipped upside down, and August 3 saw me in Eureka, walking with the baby but not much else. So much for San Francisco.

So in the next week or so, I hope that everything will finally settle down, and I can get back into a routine. Kent and Maddy have gone back to school, so Kara and I are settled to our usual at-home routine. Not much is different there anyway. She thrives on routine; so do I.

I cannot WAIT to get back into running. It turns out that California has about a thousand (ok, somewhat less than that) triathlons. One is in two weeks. I can't do that one, I don't have a bike and I haven't run, so I'm really not ready. I could always do it just to get my feet wet (ha ha) and meet people here, but I could also do that by going to volunteer as a body marker or something.

I need a Maine Triathlon shirt. That'd get some attention and I'd meet people that way.

The good news is that there are a lot of people at Kent's new school who run. They meet weekly in the evenings. The bad news is that I can't meet them easily in that neighborhood because, without our house selling in Maine, we can't buy one here. We may actually need to rent the house out, and rent one here, and hope that it sells in a year or two.

Insane.

So there you go. Life intervenes, and it all gets very weird!

Take care, have fun, get out there and do something...and cross your fingers for me. I need it!!

-- Karina, uprooted and homesick, but glad to be back among family in California once again!

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!