Pretty much all summer I've been thinking that I really need to add more variety to my workouts. I really enjoy running. I'll be honest, I don't always enjoy the early mornings and sometimes I really feel like I want to die while I'm running but I have this sense of accomplishment when I complete a run. Even if it's not my best it's still leagues beyond what I was capable of when I first started this mission. I just think that I'm at a point where I really need to make a change to start seeing progress. I've been stagnating for far too long and I know it's because I haven't really made any changes recently.
I have no intentions of giving up running, or even making another activity my cardio go-to. I do, however, know that I have to make changes to the way I approach running. It's no longer good enough to just jog 2-3 miles and call it good. If that's my plan, then I might as well plan on staying where I'm at physically. As such, I have decided to really work at increasing my speed and my endurance. I tend to fall to a 5 mph pace when I do my longer runs. I'm working hard but I can still maintain it for a 5k. However, it's not really a challenge. There are certainly moments when it's not easy but I never feel like I really have to dig deep to keep going. My latest run consisted of intervals, walking alternating with running. My running intervals were anywhere from 5mph to 7 mph. Let me tell you, I had to dig deep to keep running 7 mph for 1:40 minutes. I know it might not seem like much but that's a pretty fast pace for a girl like me. I'm not exactly built for 8.5 minute miles. It's funny how slow and easy a 12 minute mile feels after that :-)
I've also signed up for a spinning class this fall. Every quarter the Ann Arbor RecEd catalog comes out. I always look at the classes and think if only I weren't such a chicken I'd sign up for something. Well, this fall I decided to not be a chicken and signed up for a spinning class. It's 8 weeks and meets on Friday nights from 5:45-6:30. It ends the week before I head home for my November trip so I shouldn't have to miss any classes. I realize that there is a really good chance that I'll get to this class and get my ass handed to me on a platter. I might end up just pedaling while everybody else is doing the real spinning stuff but I'm going to get as much out of it as I can. I'm hoping that adding some variety will not only jump start my body to get headed in the right direction, I also hope that it will give me a renewed motivation to keep making the changes I need and want to make.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Recipe: tomato pie
It's that time of year again. Every person lucky enough to have a garden seems to have veggies coming out of their ears and they're trying desperately to foist them off onto the gardenless so all of that delicious produce doesn't go to waste. Unfortunately, I'm one of the sad gardenless; however, I am rolling in fresh, free produce courtesy of my overly-productive co-workers. I've gotten my hands on garden fresh eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes and have enjoyed coming up with new and exciting ways to prepare them. I recently stumbled across a tomato pie recipe on Pinterest (have I mentioned how much I LOVE pinterest.com??) and simply knew I had to try it.
Now I realize that tomato pie might sound just a wee bit strange. However, this is a savory pie meant to be a meal, not a sweet pie for dessert. I won't lie, there is a bit of sweetness from the cooked tomatoes and onions but it's a very nice compliment to the tart and salty yogurt-cheese topping. I won't lie, I had my doubts about how this would turn out; but the first tomatoy-cheesey bite was sheer bliss! And bonus, it was ridiculously easy to make.
You will need:
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Put your pie crust into your deep dish pie plate. Using a fork poke holes in the bottom of your pie crust. (This is called docking.) Place into the preheated oven and allow to bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
While your pie shell is cooking slice tomatoes thinly and layer them in a colander in your sink. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to drain while your shell is cooking. You can also dab the tomatoes with a paper towel to get some of the excess water off of them. This is an important step because if you do not get most of the liquid out, the bottom of your pie will be soggy.
By now your pie crust should be removed from the oven. Allow it to cool for a little while while you make the topping.
Combine the two cheeses and yogurt in a medium bowl.
Layer the tomatoes, then the basil and then the onion into the pie shell. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread your cheese and yogurt mixture on top of the tomatoes. Put it into the oven and allow it to cook for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Garnish with more basil if desired.
When making this dish, I used two red tomatoes and two yellow heirloom tomatoes, you can use whatever you like or can get your hands on. I also used caramelized onions because I couldn't find sweet onions and figured it couldn't hurt to add a bit more flavor. While they were a delicious addition, I think just dicing a Vidalia onion would still be quite tasty and less time consuming. I definitely cheated and used a Pillsbury pie crust. I mean, why reinvent the wheel?
All in all this was a very satisfying meal. I had it with a tossed salad and it was light and refreshing. There was a bit of extra moisture from the tomatoes that I drained off of the pie once it was cut but I think really pressing the tomato slices before baking it would eliminate the need. This is definitely going into the will make again file.
Now I realize that tomato pie might sound just a wee bit strange. However, this is a savory pie meant to be a meal, not a sweet pie for dessert. I won't lie, there is a bit of sweetness from the cooked tomatoes and onions but it's a very nice compliment to the tart and salty yogurt-cheese topping. I won't lie, I had my doubts about how this would turn out; but the first tomatoy-cheesey bite was sheer bliss! And bonus, it was ridiculously easy to make.
You will need:
- 1 whole Deep Dish Pie Crust, Store Bought Or Your Favorite Recipe
- 4 Tomatoes
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, Grated
- 1 cup Greek-style Yogurt
- ¼ cups Fresh Basil Leaves
- ½ cups Chopped Vidalia Onion
- ½ teaspoons Salt Plus Extra For Sprinkling On The Tomatoes To Remove Moisture
- ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Put your pie crust into your deep dish pie plate. Using a fork poke holes in the bottom of your pie crust. (This is called docking.) Place into the preheated oven and allow to bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
While your pie shell is cooking slice tomatoes thinly and layer them in a colander in your sink. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to drain while your shell is cooking. You can also dab the tomatoes with a paper towel to get some of the excess water off of them. This is an important step because if you do not get most of the liquid out, the bottom of your pie will be soggy.
By now your pie crust should be removed from the oven. Allow it to cool for a little while while you make the topping.
Combine the two cheeses and yogurt in a medium bowl.
Layer the tomatoes, then the basil and then the onion into the pie shell. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread your cheese and yogurt mixture on top of the tomatoes. Put it into the oven and allow it to cook for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Garnish with more basil if desired.
When making this dish, I used two red tomatoes and two yellow heirloom tomatoes, you can use whatever you like or can get your hands on. I also used caramelized onions because I couldn't find sweet onions and figured it couldn't hurt to add a bit more flavor. While they were a delicious addition, I think just dicing a Vidalia onion would still be quite tasty and less time consuming. I definitely cheated and used a Pillsbury pie crust. I mean, why reinvent the wheel?
All in all this was a very satisfying meal. I had it with a tossed salad and it was light and refreshing. There was a bit of extra moisture from the tomatoes that I drained off of the pie once it was cut but I think really pressing the tomato slices before baking it would eliminate the need. This is definitely going into the will make again file.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Recipe: chipotle butternut squash soup
I know it's only August and therefore too early for soup season but while I was cleaning this weekend I found a Taste of Home recipe book for soups under microwave and started thumbing through. There were many recipes that caught my eye but only one had a 'must make now' appeal to me. I love squash and I love chipotle peppers and the two together are a magical combination. The soup didn't end up as sweet and spicy as I thought it would but for a first attempt it wasn't bad. I think the next time I make it I'll have to add another pepper or two. However, for those who don't like soups quite as spicy as I do, this recipe is probably just about perfect!
What you need:
Transfer mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, cream cheese, basil, chipotle pepper and remaining broth. Cover and process for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
Return to the saucepan; stir in the beans, corn and spinach. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through.
I made very few changes to this recipe. I used plain frozen corn because I couldn't find this Mexicorn that the author spoke of. I also didn't add the spinach, not because I don't like spinach but because I completely forgot to buy it. I more than doubled the cumin and threw in some chipotle pepper powder to add a bit more spice to the dish. I think this would be good with a bit of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt served on top (if that's your thing).
What you need:
- 2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the squash, carrot, onion and cumin in oil for 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add 1-1/2 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender; cool slightly.
Transfer mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, cream cheese, basil, chipotle pepper and remaining broth. Cover and process for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
Return to the saucepan; stir in the beans, corn and spinach. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through.
I made very few changes to this recipe. I used plain frozen corn because I couldn't find this Mexicorn that the author spoke of. I also didn't add the spinach, not because I don't like spinach but because I completely forgot to buy it. I more than doubled the cumin and threw in some chipotle pepper powder to add a bit more spice to the dish. I think this would be good with a bit of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt served on top (if that's your thing).
Sunday, August 26, 2012
I am NOT a statistic
This is the first time I've blogged in over a month and unfortunately I'm not doing this in the right frame of mind. I don't use the phrase hot mess lightly. When I say hot mess, I mean hot mess and that's how I feel. I have so much drama in my life right now that I can hardly stand it at times. And to be fair, I don't deal with this much constant stress well. LeAnn, have they changed the rules yet? Am I allowed to start a sentence with the word and?? It wouldn't be so bad if the stress and drama were limited to one area of my life but they seem to be taking over everything.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been very bad for the last month. I haven't been eating or working out the way I should be, the way I need to be. Especially considering the fact that I was in such a good place before I left for home last month. I was so dedicated to my exercise and eating so well that the weight was just falling off. Now, I'm scared to step on the scale. In all honesty, I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time since July 15th and it made me so sad. Once I got over being sad, I was MAD AS HELL. I am becoming the one thing I promised myself I wouldn't become when I really started to lose weight. I am becoming a statistic. I am on the verge of becoming one of those people who lose a significant amount of weight and then gain it back. I've read the articles. Depending on the research there is evidence that anywhere from 70-90% of all people who lose weight gain it back, and then some. Screw that. That is not that path that I'm on. I refuse to give up. I've come so far and I am not going back.
So, this weekend is officially my reboot. I cleaned my apartment so I can start in a nice, tidy environment. I'm working on menus for this week so that I have no excuse to eat out and I'm going to make sure that I'm getting my runs in where they're supposed to be. I mean, come on. I have a 5K that I'm running with Jessica in November, I better get my butt in gear or she'll be kicking it on thanksgiving. I'm actually glad that we decided to do the Gobble Wobble (how cool of a name is that?!?!) because it gives me something concrete to work towards.
I'm enlisting Julie's help as well as she's my only local fitness friend. She's been experiencing some of the same issues as me and we've decided to keep each other on the straight and narrow. I know I can do this because, well I've done this before. I just need to stop letting stress and drama that I can't control affect the things in life that I can. That's what this 'lifestyle' change is all about right? Being able to see when you're getting nutty and spiraling out of control and then being able to pull everything back together.
On that note, I need to get my grocery list finished and head out to the store. I promise it won't take this long for me to blog again and I also promise that I will catch up on all of the blog posts that I haven't been reading in my absence!
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been very bad for the last month. I haven't been eating or working out the way I should be, the way I need to be. Especially considering the fact that I was in such a good place before I left for home last month. I was so dedicated to my exercise and eating so well that the weight was just falling off. Now, I'm scared to step on the scale. In all honesty, I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time since July 15th and it made me so sad. Once I got over being sad, I was MAD AS HELL. I am becoming the one thing I promised myself I wouldn't become when I really started to lose weight. I am becoming a statistic. I am on the verge of becoming one of those people who lose a significant amount of weight and then gain it back. I've read the articles. Depending on the research there is evidence that anywhere from 70-90% of all people who lose weight gain it back, and then some. Screw that. That is not that path that I'm on. I refuse to give up. I've come so far and I am not going back.
So, this weekend is officially my reboot. I cleaned my apartment so I can start in a nice, tidy environment. I'm working on menus for this week so that I have no excuse to eat out and I'm going to make sure that I'm getting my runs in where they're supposed to be. I mean, come on. I have a 5K that I'm running with Jessica in November, I better get my butt in gear or she'll be kicking it on thanksgiving. I'm actually glad that we decided to do the Gobble Wobble (how cool of a name is that?!?!) because it gives me something concrete to work towards.
I'm enlisting Julie's help as well as she's my only local fitness friend. She's been experiencing some of the same issues as me and we've decided to keep each other on the straight and narrow. I know I can do this because, well I've done this before. I just need to stop letting stress and drama that I can't control affect the things in life that I can. That's what this 'lifestyle' change is all about right? Being able to see when you're getting nutty and spiraling out of control and then being able to pull everything back together.
On that note, I need to get my grocery list finished and head out to the store. I promise it won't take this long for me to blog again and I also promise that I will catch up on all of the blog posts that I haven't been reading in my absence!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Couch to 5K Redux
Bah...I should be showering or cleaning or menu planning/grocery shopping for the week. Instead, I'm sitting at my computer doing a whole bunch of nothing. Seems how I can't quite convince my legs that they want to get up yet, I figured I'd stop by the old blog which I have been woefully neglecting.
I've been feeling pretty good about things lately. Before I left for vacation I was struggling. I was eating out far too often and not eating as well as I should have been when I was eating in. I was getting maybe three workouts in each week and I wasn't really pushing myself like I need to if I want to keep losing weight. I put 6 pounds on when I hurt my back and I just couldn't shake them (mostly because I was being a slacker).
I decided that when I got back from vacation and had seen how great Jessica was looking I needed to get back to work. I can't let her get all skinny without me! Vacation was was just what I needed and when I got home and I had a renewed vigor for this weight loss thing! My first decision was to start Couch to 5K again. I know that I want to increase my running speed and just doing short intervals wasn't getting me where I wanted to go. I figured C25K worked for me last summer, it couldn't hurt to give it a try again. Last year, my run pace was 4.5 mph, this time through I'm running at 6 mph which is where I would really like to live for a standard pace. It will be really nice to crank out a 3 mile run in 30 minutes. It's perfect for early morning workouts! I skipped the first week seems how I was already doing 1 minute intervals. So far, so good. I just completed week 4 yesterday. I know myself well enough to know that I need structure and I really love checking off my workouts. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Next week is a bit scary because I have a pretty good idea of how unpleasant that 20 minute run at 6 mph on Friday is going to be. Oh well, I know I can do it so I'm just not going to think about it until then.
Saturday morning happy dance...I just did my first continuous 5K since March. After coming back from a 6-week physical therapist induced hiatus I had lost a lot of my endurance. I have done multiple 5K distances over the course of a workout but it usually resulted in either three individual miles with walks between or 2 miles-walk-finish the 5K. Around the 2 mile mark this morning I was hoping to get closer to 3.5-4 miles but I was exhausted by the time I got the 5K finished. I'm not going to be too hard on myself, I feel a 5K is a pretty decent workout regardless.
OK, I have so much more to share (like a few reviews and a recipe) but I am so distracted right now I should go do something that doesn't involve my brain...like showering or cleaning. Anyway, happy weekend!!
I've been feeling pretty good about things lately. Before I left for vacation I was struggling. I was eating out far too often and not eating as well as I should have been when I was eating in. I was getting maybe three workouts in each week and I wasn't really pushing myself like I need to if I want to keep losing weight. I put 6 pounds on when I hurt my back and I just couldn't shake them (mostly because I was being a slacker).
I decided that when I got back from vacation and had seen how great Jessica was looking I needed to get back to work. I can't let her get all skinny without me! Vacation was was just what I needed and when I got home and I had a renewed vigor for this weight loss thing! My first decision was to start Couch to 5K again. I know that I want to increase my running speed and just doing short intervals wasn't getting me where I wanted to go. I figured C25K worked for me last summer, it couldn't hurt to give it a try again. Last year, my run pace was 4.5 mph, this time through I'm running at 6 mph which is where I would really like to live for a standard pace. It will be really nice to crank out a 3 mile run in 30 minutes. It's perfect for early morning workouts! I skipped the first week seems how I was already doing 1 minute intervals. So far, so good. I just completed week 4 yesterday. I know myself well enough to know that I need structure and I really love checking off my workouts. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Next week is a bit scary because I have a pretty good idea of how unpleasant that 20 minute run at 6 mph on Friday is going to be. Oh well, I know I can do it so I'm just not going to think about it until then.
Saturday morning happy dance...I just did my first continuous 5K since March. After coming back from a 6-week physical therapist induced hiatus I had lost a lot of my endurance. I have done multiple 5K distances over the course of a workout but it usually resulted in either three individual miles with walks between or 2 miles-walk-finish the 5K. Around the 2 mile mark this morning I was hoping to get closer to 3.5-4 miles but I was exhausted by the time I got the 5K finished. I'm not going to be too hard on myself, I feel a 5K is a pretty decent workout regardless.
OK, I have so much more to share (like a few reviews and a recipe) but I am so distracted right now I should go do something that doesn't involve my brain...like showering or cleaning. Anyway, happy weekend!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Back to the real world...
BAH! Sadly my vacation is OVER and I don't like it...not one bit! I had the most amazing time and, quite honestly, I think I did a good job at staying on top of being 'healthyish.' With the exception of consuming too much beer (and I mean WAY too much beer) the last night I think I did fantastic for vacation. Besides, any questionable calorie consumption was counteracted with things like...
Football
'Mountain Climbing' at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Kayaking
Deep Sea Fishing on Lake Michigan
Wading on the beach
and most importantly, planning a life of piracy!
I can't believe how fast my time with my friends went. I miss them already and I can't wait to start planning our next excursion which will hopefully be to Wyoming! I finally get to go out West!
p.s. just one more for the road
I told you...too much beer!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Feeling just a bit reminiscent
Lately I feel like I've been in a bit of a blah place when it comes to my weight-loss life. I feel like I haven't been making any progress (which I am entirely to blame) and I just feel really overwhelmed with the thought of getting from where I am to where I eventually want to be. To get a little bit of perspective, I decided to read through some of my old blog posts.
As I was reading through some of my older posts, I kept going back to my original blog from September of 2008. I would love to say that the Nicole who wrote that post was on her way to losing weight, but honestly, at that point I wasn't. I think the reason that I kept coming back to this post is because when I wrote it, I really didn't have high expectations for a positive outcome. Which, it turns out, wasn't so far off the mark. Not only would it take me over two years to start making any progress on my health and well being, I would also gain an additional 30 pounds. I think I sometimes forget how far I've come. I know that might seem silly but when you lose 100 pounds and still have so far to go it's easy to lose sight of how far you've come. I find that I focus on how much distance is between me and the finish line and completely ignore the distance I've come from the start. I don't want to sound like I'm whining. Don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic about the progress I've made, however, sometimes it seems like no matter how far I've come I won't ever make it to that blessed finish line. Anyway, the point to my tired ramblings and multitude of racing references (it really wasn't planned that way) is that I think sometimes I need to be less critical of myself and really remember what I've accomplished up to this point. So, this summer I'm going to try to pull out some 'oldie but goodie' blogs to keep things in perspective; and, hopefully get a bit of motivation from my former self.
So, without further ado, here is a glimpse of a much younger, much less healthy Nicole. Enjoy!
321. I’ve heard that half of the battle of overcoming any problem is just to admit that the problem exists. From where I’m sitting, 321 is a major problem. When I first saw 321 I could hardly believe the number that was flashing in front of my eyes. How in the world could I have let things get so out of control that my scale could possibly be reading 321? No, not just 321 but 321.7 (if I’m going to be honest I might as well be honest).
For as long as I can remember I have been the heavy girl. I was overweight when I was in elementary school (my earliest memories of trying to lose weight are from 3rd grade when my sister and I had aspirations of turning our front porch into a makeshift gym) and the weight issue followed me through adolescence and even now into early adulthood it hasn’t subsided. Like most men and women who have struggled with weight issues their entire lives I have made several attempts to lose the excess weight. And, like most people in the same boat as me, I have failed time and time again.
I would love to be able to say that this time is guaranteed to be different. I would love to say that I will not fail, that failure simply is not an option. Unfortunately, it would delusional to make that sort of a claim. Failure is a possibility. It’s not pretty, but there it is. I, however, will be doing everything within my power to make sure that failure is not my outcome this time around. So here it is, I know what I need to do to make myself healthy (my background in exercise science basically mean that I can’t claim ignorance as a defense). I also know what the benefits are to changing my life yet I simply don't do what needs to be done. Why??? It’s simple. Lack of honesty.
For the past 26 years I have been lying to myself. Every time I try to lose weight it's the same damn thing. I tell myself that my current lifestyle isn't so bad. I tell myself that for a heavy person I eat pretty well and I get more physical activity than the average overweight person. I tell myself and others (generally those who are trying to lose weight with me) that I don't have gigantic lifestyle changes to make. Well, I've finally decided that that's BULLSHIT!!! After years of deluding myself I have finally found the nerve to admit that my lifestyle is my problem. Sure, I eat well when I cook, but lets face it, I don't cook all that often. I am ashamed to admit it but I eat out more during a week than I cook in, and it's not like I'm eating healthy take-out foods, no I'm eating crap. McDonald's, pizza, takeout Chinese and Chipotle. What’s worse is that I then go home to my apartment and spend the night watching TV or reading a book, not exactly high energy activities. Basically I have become the stereotypical heavy woman...go me!
Basically it’s this honesty that led me to project.180.gone. A friend and I (who would like to lose a combined weight of 180 pounds) have had the same struggles and have been trying to find a way to finally make the lifestyle changes that will result in healthier lives for the both of us. Although we don’t have any magic answers on how to be 100% successful on this journey we do know that we cannot succeed alone and have therefore started this blog as a way to share our thoughts, successes, set backs and goals with each other and anybody else who chooses to read this blog. If we can help others on our journey it will make the final destination that much more rewarding.
As I was reading through some of my older posts, I kept going back to my original blog from September of 2008. I would love to say that the Nicole who wrote that post was on her way to losing weight, but honestly, at that point I wasn't. I think the reason that I kept coming back to this post is because when I wrote it, I really didn't have high expectations for a positive outcome. Which, it turns out, wasn't so far off the mark. Not only would it take me over two years to start making any progress on my health and well being, I would also gain an additional 30 pounds. I think I sometimes forget how far I've come. I know that might seem silly but when you lose 100 pounds and still have so far to go it's easy to lose sight of how far you've come. I find that I focus on how much distance is between me and the finish line and completely ignore the distance I've come from the start. I don't want to sound like I'm whining. Don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic about the progress I've made, however, sometimes it seems like no matter how far I've come I won't ever make it to that blessed finish line. Anyway, the point to my tired ramblings and multitude of racing references (it really wasn't planned that way) is that I think sometimes I need to be less critical of myself and really remember what I've accomplished up to this point. So, this summer I'm going to try to pull out some 'oldie but goodie' blogs to keep things in perspective; and, hopefully get a bit of motivation from my former self.
So, without further ado, here is a glimpse of a much younger, much less healthy Nicole. Enjoy!
321. I’ve heard that half of the battle of overcoming any problem is just to admit that the problem exists. From where I’m sitting, 321 is a major problem. When I first saw 321 I could hardly believe the number that was flashing in front of my eyes. How in the world could I have let things get so out of control that my scale could possibly be reading 321? No, not just 321 but 321.7 (if I’m going to be honest I might as well be honest).
For as long as I can remember I have been the heavy girl. I was overweight when I was in elementary school (my earliest memories of trying to lose weight are from 3rd grade when my sister and I had aspirations of turning our front porch into a makeshift gym) and the weight issue followed me through adolescence and even now into early adulthood it hasn’t subsided. Like most men and women who have struggled with weight issues their entire lives I have made several attempts to lose the excess weight. And, like most people in the same boat as me, I have failed time and time again.
I would love to be able to say that this time is guaranteed to be different. I would love to say that I will not fail, that failure simply is not an option. Unfortunately, it would delusional to make that sort of a claim. Failure is a possibility. It’s not pretty, but there it is. I, however, will be doing everything within my power to make sure that failure is not my outcome this time around. So here it is, I know what I need to do to make myself healthy (my background in exercise science basically mean that I can’t claim ignorance as a defense). I also know what the benefits are to changing my life yet I simply don't do what needs to be done. Why??? It’s simple. Lack of honesty.
For the past 26 years I have been lying to myself. Every time I try to lose weight it's the same damn thing. I tell myself that my current lifestyle isn't so bad. I tell myself that for a heavy person I eat pretty well and I get more physical activity than the average overweight person. I tell myself and others (generally those who are trying to lose weight with me) that I don't have gigantic lifestyle changes to make. Well, I've finally decided that that's BULLSHIT!!! After years of deluding myself I have finally found the nerve to admit that my lifestyle is my problem. Sure, I eat well when I cook, but lets face it, I don't cook all that often. I am ashamed to admit it but I eat out more during a week than I cook in, and it's not like I'm eating healthy take-out foods, no I'm eating crap. McDonald's, pizza, takeout Chinese and Chipotle. What’s worse is that I then go home to my apartment and spend the night watching TV or reading a book, not exactly high energy activities. Basically I have become the stereotypical heavy woman...go me!
Basically it’s this honesty that led me to project.180.gone. A friend and I (who would like to lose a combined weight of 180 pounds) have had the same struggles and have been trying to find a way to finally make the lifestyle changes that will result in healthier lives for the both of us. Although we don’t have any magic answers on how to be 100% successful on this journey we do know that we cannot succeed alone and have therefore started this blog as a way to share our thoughts, successes, set backs and goals with each other and anybody else who chooses to read this blog. If we can help others on our journey it will make the final destination that much more rewarding.
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