Starting Over

It's been nearly two years since I last posted an entry on this blog. I began writing it because I thought it would help me stay motivated to lose weight and get fit. Well, a lot has happened in my life since my last entry. I've lost my mom to alcoholism and my husband to heart disease. Raising two kids alone was not part of my life plan. Logging back into this blog I realize that perhaps this could be a good outlet. It's time to figure out how to play the hand I've been dealt and cope with whatever life decides to throw at me next. I'm good at ducking, but it's time to start dealing.

My beloved husband Ric died on Oct. 15, 2014 at the age of 50.

Birthday Carrot Juice Versus Cake

Last weekend I celebrated my 42nd birthday. Well, I love carrot cake with walnuts and cream cheese frosting. Hold the raisins, please. I've never been a big fan of raisins in carrot cake. My grandmother always made it that way, and I picked them out.

I told my daughter that I'd like a giant piece of carrot cake for my birthday. Lately, she's exhibited some genuine enthusiasm in regards to my weight loss, nutritional goals and training schedule. "Mom, I think we should make some fresh carrot juice instead of baking a cake for your birthday. It'll be a lot healthier," she suggested. I couldn't believe my ears!

Okay... Yes!

I was a teeny, TINY bit disappointed that I wouldn't be indulging in a rich, luscious, sweet slice of heaven, but at least the carrot juice wouldn't sink my caloric battleship.

Out came the juicer and a ten pound bag of organic carrots purchased at Costco. Four large carrots make one cup of juice containing 94 calories and lots of vitamin A. My birthday carrot juice was so delicious and GUILT FREE!

Michelin Man No Longer

I took a couple digital pictures when I weighed 289 pounds from the front, back and side. This week I opened the "before" shots up on my computer. I needed a little positive reinforcement. Needless-to-say, those pictures provided all the encouragement I needed to keep going.

What did I see? I saw three rolls of back fat, a giant gut and Michelin Man like arms and legs. I can't believe I looked like that, and I never want to go back.

I had a really good week burning 4383 calories and dropping 3.4 pounds. I am planning to enter a couple duathlons and triathlons this summer. I'm hoping that losing an additional 42.8 pounds will help me run, bike and swim farther and faster.

I've started a new blog. As many of you know, I am a vegetarian. My family loves to cook so I thought I'd publish a few of our favorite recipes. Many of them are simple and contain basic ingredients. Check it out at Vegging Out in My Kitchen.

Tai Chi Chih®

I had my first experience with T'ai Chi Chih® this week. My husband suggested we sign up for an introductory class through our local community education program. Honestly, I had no preconceived notions going into the class because I didn't know anything about it. I like spending time with my hubby sans kids, and this class seemed like a golden opportunity, especially since it was HIS idea.

Before class, I went for a four and half mile run. I tried a new route sticking to city streets and avoiding sidewalks and walking paths due to snow and ice coverage. After my run, I removed all my torso layers since they were drenched in sweat. If I delay changing after a winter run I get chilled. I felt a little stiff in my lower back and right hip from my run. In the back of my head, I was thinking that maybe it wasn't such a great idea to run before going to T'ai Chi Chih®.

It was a small class of seven including my husband and I. A woman in her mid-sixties is the accredited instructor. She spoke about her personal battle with rheumatoid arthritis. A doctor warned her that due to the severity of her disease she would eventually end up in a wheelchair. She testified that T'ai Chi Chih® postponed "the inevitable" and maybe even saved her from it. Time will tell.

My husband was a bit disappointed because it wasn't the form of T'ai Chi he wanted to learn. He explained that this version was developed in the 1970's. T'ai Chi Chih® is more of the hippie version of T'ai Chi that's often used in hospitals and with the elderly. The instructor did address this. She studied T'ai Chi Qi Gong for many years and moved to Tai Chi Chih® because it was more accessible and easier to master.

This was all thoroughly confusing so I did some Googling only to discover T'ai Chi has numerous forms and styles. Two examples are T'ai Chi Ch'uan, originally a fighting system designed to maim and kill, and  T'ai Chi Qi Gong, derived from traditional Chinese medicine theories focusing on healing and longevity. All variations differ in terms of performance speed and pace also in the method of posing.

T'ai Chi is believed to delay aging, prolong life, increase flexibility and strengthen muscles and tendons. It can improve heart function, blood pressure, arthritis, depression and other illnesses. T'ai Chi is the proverbial silver bullet!

T'ai Chi Chih®, the form I'm studying, consists of nineteen movements and one pose. It's a soft, flowing, moving mediation that circulates and balances essential energy. According to its founder Justin Stone, "Nothing is more important than knowing how to circulate and balance the Intrinsic Energy, the Vital Force of the body, known as Chi in Chinese. The rewards in good health, wisdom, serenity, and longevity are great for the one who learns the ancient principles and applies them in a modern way."

That sounds pretty good to me, Mr. Stone. I guess I'm willing to give T'ai Chi the good old college try even if I'm only dabbling in the Westernized version for now. Oh, and no lie... my lower back and hip felt better after class. There just might be something to this. Now, if I can only commit to memory all nineteen movements.

Skinny Person in a Fat Body

Kids say the darnedest things!

My astute teenage son recently advised me to stop losing weight. He guilelessly reasoned, "If you lose any more weight you'll just look like a skinny person in a fat body."

"There is nothing so agonizing to the fine skin of vanity as the application of rough truth." - Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

A Swim Suit with Sleeves

I shopped for a new swimming suit with my daughter at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, Florida during our last vacation. Honestly, I wasn't excited about trying on suits. This garment is usually overpriced, and I never like the way I look wearing one. However, my old suit was a size 28 and gaped immodestly.

I love Ron Jon. If I lived in Florida I'd don flip flops and shorts year-round, and Ron Jon has quite a selection of cool styles. Roxy is one of my favorite brands. The shop is open 24 hours a day, and we arrived early in the morning before the store was fully staffed.

After grabbing a few options in assorted sizes, my daughter and I made a beeline for one of the changing rooms.  A sense of relief washed over me as I spotted the woman monitoring the dressing rooms. She was a mature woman with greying hair and an average physique. She was not a sleek, hardbody teenage surfer who'd snicker at my saggy breasts, flabby abs and varicose veins.

It took some time, but I finally found a swimming suit that I felt comfortable wearing. Even my discriminating daughter gave it a thumbs up. I'm a sucker for a suit with a skirt. I call it a "fat flap" to my daughter's giggly delight. I maintain it's a master of disguise hiding some of my body's glaring imperfections, at least when it's dry.

Later that day, I tentatively slipped on my new suit surveying myself in the mirror. I performed the typical routine sucking in my gut, straightening my posture and hoisting my chest. My daughter looked speculatively over my shoulder and said in devastating sincerity, "Maybe you should have gotten a swimming suit with sleeves."

I broke down. After losing weight and exercising regularly, the underside of my upper arms resemble stretched, deflated balloons. I should have purchased a swimming suit with sleeves! Will I ever be able to go sleeveless in confidence?

Devastating Diet Detours

Just two weeks into 2013 my weight loss train is is officially back on schedule. Last week, I lost 1.6 pounds! Woo-Woo! (That was the railroad engineer blowing the whistle.) Now, I just need to stick to the timetable and avoid derailment. My itinerary is rather simple. Leaving today, I want to shed 46.2 pounds by June 30th, 2013. Will I make it to my final destination on time?

I'll cover this distance by logging my food intake and exercise with MyNetDiary Pro on my iPhone. At least five times a week I'll be running, biking, swimming, lifting and/or training. Although, my nutritional intake and fitness remain on target much of the time. I still manage to totally BLOW it - like yesterday!

Yesterday, I made breakfast for the entire family baking calorie-laden berry muffins and a cheesy egg, hash brown, veggie bacon and cheese casserole. This one meal devoured my calorie threshold for the entire day. Since I was already in the hole, late that day I ate an ice cream sundae and potato chips with dip leftover from our New Year's party. UGH! Why did I do that?

Today, I made a list of devastating diet detours. These are the food cravings or bad habits continually plaguing my progress.

Devastating Diet Detours
ice cream covered in chocolate sauce
potato chips with top the tator
tortilla chips
cheese and crackers
pizza
popcorn (I eat far too much at once, my digestive track is messed up for days.)
chocolate
dessert
dining out without a plan
overeating

Some of these detours are avoidable, and I've already been successful at circumnavigating them. The kryptonite-like foods, like ice cream and potato chips, I simply don't purchase in the grocery store. Why set myself up for failure? Other items, like cheese, I measure portion size and include it in my daily caloric intake. If I sit down in front of the television with a block of cheese and box of crackers, I hit the point of no return fairly quickly. How about you?

The last three are perhaps the most problematic, desserts, dining out and overeating. Desserts are difficult to calculate in terms of calories, especially if not prepared personally. I generally avoid them, but if I do indulge I share it with someone eating only a couple bites. When dining out I generally take the time to research the restaurant's menu options and nutritional content online before I go. I fit the calories in my daily plan making adjustments to my other meals. Overeating is a major road block for me and the biggest reason I'm overweight. I've successfully bypassed it over the last year by consistently logging my calories, weighing portion sizes and eating regularly.

All-Aboard! I've got my rail pass, and this train is sticking to the timetable. You're welcome to hop aboard. I'd love some company.