Trouble with the Curvy

Sometimes I feel like I am just watching myself make stupid decisions. I know I am participating in unhealthy behavior (like indulging in 5 cookies) but I seem to just think how awful it is and how very yummy they are. I have impulse control issues for sure. It seems like I do really well for a while and then as soon as I give myself permission to take a break and relax it is my signal to make stupid decisions and they don't count. I know that portion control is also hugely important but lately it seems that I over do all these things  that should be a treat because when will I have another opportunity to enjoy them? My brain is working against me. I start the day out well but by the end of the day my will power or ability to resist is completely disintegrated. I really want to hit the 70s but I am hovering around the mid 80s like they are home base. I know I have it in me to do it I just can't seem to get a hold of myself. I feel like being so busy with other things has ma

Let me be clear. I will not be running a marathon. Not a real one. As we have discussed, I don't run unless I'm being chased with few exceptions. The Marathon I am in the midst of is a work one. We had several great events this weekend but the result is that it is Monday and I'm only halfway to the finish line. Therefore I'm dubbing the last two weeks the Marathon work week. Last week was the first of doing all my health initiatives as well as going to school and working non-stop like a crazy person. I'm glad to say that it hasn't killed me. It may, in fact, be something I can get used to. In honor of all the moms I love that do a schedule like this consistently I am going to suck it up and just get used to it. Luckily it isn't normal for me to work weekends on a regular basis so it should actually be easier to do it all than it was last week. This week I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm excited to see some progress for all the hard

This week is really shaping up to be one of the best I've had in a while in terms of working out and eating right. I've worked out at least once each day and have kept bread and nutritionally dull foods out of my mouth. This morning I woke up 10 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. Having an internal clock that just naturally works was kind of amazing and made it so much easier to get out of bed. Here I am 12 hours later though and I'm yawning already with a Zumba class to rock, a grad econ paper to write and a supper plan to develop. Just writing that sentence stressed me out.... I've said over and over again that preparation is the key to making this work but time management is increasingly more and more important. I'm finding that I've been so busy that when I sit to take a breather I panic because I feel like I should be doing something... Clearly I'm forgetting something if I have time to sit and relax... I did just shorten my 12 day stre

It turns out, my scale needed to be reset yesterday. I did not gain 10lbs like I thought. I gained 4lbs. That I can deal with. I feel a bit like an alarmist. Today I got a walk in, had a great Zumba session last night, and feel much better about where I am. I have my eye on the 70's and to see the 90's again was pretty terrifying. Alas I need to just chill out.  My walk was almost rained out but I kept a little faith, put on my hood and I was handsomely rewarded with a dry walk. I need to get out of bed tomorrow morning to do it again. It might be raining but I'm not really sure I care. There is something therapeutic about being outside first thing in the morning while most everyone is still asleep. I enjoy my route and now that snow is slowing me up I can really get this whole exercise thing back in motion. Zumba is great but it is only twice per week. If I continue to do that and then walk in the mornings I'll be supercharging my progress. Pair that with a few more

Do you ever have those days where you can't seem to get out of your own way? Maybe they are called "Mondays"  by everyone else too but today this has been especially true for me. I haven't grocery shopped so I'm low on my staple foods, I got up to go walking and then didn't for one reason for another, and then forgot the power cord to my laptop at home and had to drive all the way back to get it. To top it off I did my weigh in this morning and I was at 191lbs. I feel like this has to be a joke from the universe but I don't think so. I, somehow, have gained back almost 10 lbs in less than two weeks. I feel like that just can't be right but I have only made one Zumba night per week, have eaten some junk food, and have imbibed some alcohol that probably I should have done without. Beer and I can no longer be friends.... Still, I feel like it took soooooo long to lose 10lbs to have it come back in what feels like a time warp is incredibly disappointin

Today seems like it was a whirlwind! I'm off to class in a few minutes. It will be my first experience with graduate school with actual people instead of a screen. This weeks topic will be Russia's impact on the Global Economy. I know. You're jealous.  I had a hell of a workout last night though and my food intake has been pretty good this week. Next week I am back to walking and tomorrow night I'm going to kick off my weekend with a walk with Nancy up on Bigelow Hill. Who would have guessed the hill would see walk conditions before in down did? Today I ordered a salad for lunch from the House of Pizza. Every time I used to get chicken burgers and fries, the delivery guy was the same. When I started with "TWTC" he applauded my frequency of salads over fries. From then on I was always a little embarassed to get my old fave because I knew he was paying attention. A couple of months ago he told me he was leaving to live in North Carolina with his son. I to

You know how I went on and on about excuses versus reasons not to stick to my healthy routines? I quoted a line about how "if it is important to you, you'll find a way, if it isn't, you'll find an excuse." Well this morning is a shining example of this. Today's goal is to get to Zumba tonight. On Monday I got caught with a project that was due and I wasn't done so I was forced to skip Zumba. Today, I got up early, finished my paper, and decided to get this blog in before the day has a chance to monopolize my time. Next week I think I can start walking again. I could have started this week because so much of the snow has gone in such a short about of time but the rain kept me inside yesterday and there is a fresh sheet of snow on my deck so I think its safe to say that Zumba is far more preferable than playing in the snow. I also need to do some grocery shopping at some point today because I don't have anything healthy to eat for breakfast or for fo

Last week I talked to a good friend of mine about time management. Being the mom of a one year old she told me about how she looks back at life before her son and wondered what she did with all of her "free" time before. She said that keeping a routine that comes with raising a young child has been amazing for her time management. I told her she didn't give herself enough credit because it is a lot of work to keep things running smoothly and that can be taxing but she handles it like a champ. This week is shaping up to be my "new normal." My new schedule not only includes my workout routine, work schedule, and personal obligations but it also now includes grad school. Tonight, I attempted to create my first paper on "the global economic threat that Russia poses" from the perspective of a CEO.  I say attempted because it still sits open in another window as I take a break to write this entry instead.... Is my point about time management completely def

Last night I didn't post because the man of my dreams texted me yesterday afternoon with an invitation to spend some quality time together. We made dinner, hung out and talked and just reconnected with each other. He's amazing and I feel so lucky to have him in my life. We made haddock with roasted asparagus and I attempted to make a sort of baked potato that the recipe said should take 30 minutes at 400 degrees. I did it for 35 minutes at 425 degrees and they still were not done. We went without a starch and the meal was still great! Crappy cooks make happy dieters! I did indulge in some roasted garlic bread with a little olive oil but tonight when I weighed myself, I have lost weight this week.  Not a lot of weight but still a net loss. Sarah Silverman wrote a book ( I know what you're thinking but it isn't nearly as surprising as Snookie writing a book...) and in this book she talks about "making it a treat." Her treats were drugs and other such things

I really wanted to go to Zumba tonight. I needed it. I needed some time to cut loose and just do something good for me. I needed something I could just DO without thinking too much about it. As it turns out, when you don't THINK, you forget your sneakers. Zumba in socks might as well be suicide. When did I realize I forgot my sneakers? Exactly 3 seconds after walking through the door of the gym. Fail. It has been a particularly trying couple of weeks and my patience are wearing things for stupid things like forgetting your sneakers. I don't feel like I have had time to do the things that keep me grounded and prepared for not being a chub-bucket. I have done myself a few favors that have made a big difference like keeping a mix of nuts and dried fruit in my bag for when I get hangry. I spent the weekend surrounded by pizza, donuts, cup cakes, and all kinds of other food that I had to actively avoid. This is my last week of work before I finally get a day off to recuperate. 

Fact. March is known for coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb. Clearly March missed the memo this year because lamb-like behavior was missing as it gave us the finger on the way out. April, however, has been better all around. Tonight I walked out of the gym and I was in a tank top and Muck boots and I wasn't greeted with a frigid gust of cold. The Muck boots are due to the river that, during most months, serves as our drive way.... in case you were wondering. I even considered going for a walk tonight instead of going to Zumba but I really needed the workout. I didn't Zumba on Monday so I needed something that was going to blast some calories. I am currently at the beginning of another two week stretch but I think my body might be finally be adjusting. For the most part I have kept my irresponsible food choices in check but I'm finding that, without a weekend to catch up on things, my weeknights are a little more precious and I've needed the time to rechar