This post was written and meant to be posted some time in January. I forgot and have since actually gotten some new insight, which made me chose to still post it now. So here's my two cents on Weight Loss.
Losing weight is hard. No news there. Losing weight on a schedule, like say the company health insurance weigh-in in less than a month....impossible? Maybe. Motivating? Oh yeah.
More than anything, I've learned that losing weight really is an exercise in beating yourself and your inner nay-sayer more so than beating the pounds. I was always under the impression that I cannot run, unless I am being chased... by a very large animal perhaps or a mass murderer... then it turns out, feeling bad about the dog not getting enough exercise and/or attention, got me to run with him. He picked up on how to run nicely next to me, really quickly, and he too, seems to be building some muscle. Nice, we both win.
In addition, of course the eating habits have to be adjusted. Luckily I have never had a particular taste for fried stuff, I can easily do without. My only vice is Pizza, but I can have that, in moderation. The hard stuff is giving up as much carbs, as I would like to eat, --as would any respectable German meat and potato girl. At my house, we have long replaced any white carbs with the whole grain version. Rice, pasta and bread, pretty much only exist in brown in my house. Also helpful. But we have been doing that. Still got heavy doing that. Now it's time to adjust portion sizes. Tough, but do-able.
So I started 12 days ago at 166lb at 5'4", running, I was able to do 2 minutes of running at a time, pretty much breathing like a freight train, but I didn't give up, what I couldn't run, I walked, and tried to supplement with riding my stationary bike and doing some elliptical.
12 days in, I ran 20 minutes with my dog Jack the day before yesterday, running most of the way, 12 minute miles still but hey, I've come a long way. Still get home and get on the bike or elliptical. Well here we are at 158lb. Not bad but still a ways to go.
My target weight is 144lb for my next weight-bracket for the health insurance, and I intend to hit that, if not that weigh-in, then on the next voluntary one. I've always struggled with my weight and there has come the time, where I decided healthy is more important than pizza, resting on the couch, taking a bath or whatever else the distraction or excuse of the day is. I've never really been hard on myself when it came to working out or eating right, weirdly, because I can be hard on myself for just about anything else.
Great motivators are my friend Sarah, who helped get me started and who has become somewhat of an accountability buddy. Helps immensely to have somebody who doesn't have a bad influence on you, but suggests to have a half caesar wrap for lunch and whom you in turn convince to not have the chips with that but the fruit cup instead. Dream team!
Since I wrote this first portion a few key events have me looking at health, especially my own, a little bit different. I never gave my health much thought, yes, we eat brown rice, brown pasta etc. lots of veggies, not much of the bad stuff, but otherwise I've never truly considered it, mainly, because I never had health issues.
Meanwhile in January one morning I find myself just randomly keeling over in the bathroom, and hit the deck pretty hard. Still didn't think much of it, dusted myself off and went to work. When I told a co-worker what happened, she scooped me up, stuck me in the car and drove me to the E.R. First time I've been at a hospital for me since I was born. Super low blood pressure and the doc ordered every test known to man and then told me they're keeping me over night with a overnight EKG and IV attached to me. Did not see that coming. Everything turned out to be fine, values returned to normal the next day and no one really could say what happened other than that I randomly passed out. Puts things in perspective though.
Even more cause for perspective on health, is the stage 4 breast cancer case of our friend Andrea, born the same year as me, 2 small kids, and so much to live for. If nothing has had me consider health lately, most of all, not taking it for granted, this was it! Knowing a person your age is fighting for her life really has you consider some things in life.
Today I found out that a friend of mine has to be on an intensely strict diet due to a heart issue she just was told she had. Also born the same year as me.
Needless to say, back to the workout routine it is. One of these days I will convince myself that I am a runner. I need to get back to the routine. #icandothis #itsnotthathard #veggiesaremyfriend #ilovekale #right?
Rome wasn't built in a day, but every start is a good start....
Losing weight is hard. No news there. Losing weight on a schedule, like say the company health insurance weigh-in in less than a month....impossible? Maybe. Motivating? Oh yeah.
More than anything, I've learned that losing weight really is an exercise in beating yourself and your inner nay-sayer more so than beating the pounds. I was always under the impression that I cannot run, unless I am being chased... by a very large animal perhaps or a mass murderer... then it turns out, feeling bad about the dog not getting enough exercise and/or attention, got me to run with him. He picked up on how to run nicely next to me, really quickly, and he too, seems to be building some muscle. Nice, we both win.
In addition, of course the eating habits have to be adjusted. Luckily I have never had a particular taste for fried stuff, I can easily do without. My only vice is Pizza, but I can have that, in moderation. The hard stuff is giving up as much carbs, as I would like to eat, --as would any respectable German meat and potato girl. At my house, we have long replaced any white carbs with the whole grain version. Rice, pasta and bread, pretty much only exist in brown in my house. Also helpful. But we have been doing that. Still got heavy doing that. Now it's time to adjust portion sizes. Tough, but do-able.
So I started 12 days ago at 166lb at 5'4", running, I was able to do 2 minutes of running at a time, pretty much breathing like a freight train, but I didn't give up, what I couldn't run, I walked, and tried to supplement with riding my stationary bike and doing some elliptical.
12 days in, I ran 20 minutes with my dog Jack the day before yesterday, running most of the way, 12 minute miles still but hey, I've come a long way. Still get home and get on the bike or elliptical. Well here we are at 158lb. Not bad but still a ways to go.
My target weight is 144lb for my next weight-bracket for the health insurance, and I intend to hit that, if not that weigh-in, then on the next voluntary one. I've always struggled with my weight and there has come the time, where I decided healthy is more important than pizza, resting on the couch, taking a bath or whatever else the distraction or excuse of the day is. I've never really been hard on myself when it came to working out or eating right, weirdly, because I can be hard on myself for just about anything else.
Great motivators are my friend Sarah, who helped get me started and who has become somewhat of an accountability buddy. Helps immensely to have somebody who doesn't have a bad influence on you, but suggests to have a half caesar wrap for lunch and whom you in turn convince to not have the chips with that but the fruit cup instead. Dream team!
Since I wrote this first portion a few key events have me looking at health, especially my own, a little bit different. I never gave my health much thought, yes, we eat brown rice, brown pasta etc. lots of veggies, not much of the bad stuff, but otherwise I've never truly considered it, mainly, because I never had health issues.
Meanwhile in January one morning I find myself just randomly keeling over in the bathroom, and hit the deck pretty hard. Still didn't think much of it, dusted myself off and went to work. When I told a co-worker what happened, she scooped me up, stuck me in the car and drove me to the E.R. First time I've been at a hospital for me since I was born. Super low blood pressure and the doc ordered every test known to man and then told me they're keeping me over night with a overnight EKG and IV attached to me. Did not see that coming. Everything turned out to be fine, values returned to normal the next day and no one really could say what happened other than that I randomly passed out. Puts things in perspective though.
Even more cause for perspective on health, is the stage 4 breast cancer case of our friend Andrea, born the same year as me, 2 small kids, and so much to live for. If nothing has had me consider health lately, most of all, not taking it for granted, this was it! Knowing a person your age is fighting for her life really has you consider some things in life.
Today I found out that a friend of mine has to be on an intensely strict diet due to a heart issue she just was told she had. Also born the same year as me.
Needless to say, back to the workout routine it is. One of these days I will convince myself that I am a runner. I need to get back to the routine. #icandothis #itsnotthathard #veggiesaremyfriend #ilovekale #right?
Rome wasn't built in a day, but every start is a good start....
