Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Beach is Back…wait that’s not it…


Forgive me Father for I have sinned it has been 4 months since my last confession.  Holy Hannah!  Not only that but I’m a whole chunky monkey bigger too.
I think I wrote a small novel before I highlighted it and deleted it.  I am amazing at rambling on forever.  So the basic gist of that big long unseen novel: I have recovered from the “I’m fatter than I think I am” phase where I had a hard time reconciling gaining so much weight even when I was exercising and moved on to “let’s try this again.”
I’m currently using Eat This Much, My Fitness Pal and my Garmin Vivo Fit to plan my meals, document that I ate them and try to reach a tiny itty bitty goal for walking (this will improve when Spring hits because DOGZO WALKS!!).
So I’m eating what I think is healthier although this first week I’ve already noticed I’m going over my daily calories of 1399 by 200 to 300 calories.  This is because I’m still feeling hungry so I eat to try to make it a little better.  I’m still feeling hungry when I go to sleep but it isn’t enough to make me binge.  That’s what my goal is to start – eat healthier and only feel a little peckish so I don’t binge on the closest available item.  If I had to guess I think I’ve been eating more like 2000 to 2700 calories a day so I’m still dropping the calories considerably.  I just need to work on lowering it down week after week until I’m at my goal.
Besides the food I’m also taking up the exercising again.  I’m being money savvy about it though.  I got a “Pot of Gold” coupon book that includes several free coupons to various local businesses.  I did a few swaps with some people and I’ve got enough gym membership trials to last me 9 months – for free!  6 weeks of Yoga, two 1 months at Curves, a month at a 24 hour fitness place and a 6 month at Temple Fitness.  I’m currently using my first Curves membership at the one farthest from home.  The coupon is only supposed to be “1 per person” but I plan to use this one, do all but the 6 month coupon and then take the 2nd Curves coupon over to the one closer to where I live.  I picked to start with Curves because I’m familiar with the circuit and wanted to start with what I know.
I also have a goal to exercise a few times at home, especially if I can’t meet my minimum of 3x a week at the gym.  I’m not sure when I will take the initiative to do that until I’m faced with laziness and skipping a gym day but so far I want to maximize the free and go as much as possible.  Curves is terrible for access on the weekends (usually only open 4 hours in the morning on Saturday and not at all on Sunday) so when I want to make sure I get my exercise I may take up the extra at home work out for that purpose.
My other goal is to use my damn electric bike(s).  I purchased them both with high hopes and have rode each of them 1x.  My 1 bike is large and weighs a lot and the other is meant to be tiny so you can throw it in my tiny car.  My end game will be to try and use it at least once a week starting when the weather hits 20ish and above to ride from home to work and back.  I live 13km from work – this will be a challenge.  Google map says this will take me 45 minutes one way on a bike. 
This bike challenge will have to start with my mini bike and taking the time to bike either to and from my husband’s workplace during lunch breaks (it says it takes 1km = 4 minutes so maybe do lunch with him and come back to work?) and progress to further locations until I have stamina to go the whole way….it also might be easier and faster than I think since it is an electric bike and it can go about 30KM/H
The last thing I a doing to help me with weight loss is the Alberta Healthy Services Healthy Living Program.  It’s 9 weeks every Wednesday of information and help for people like me who struggle.  One of them is tonight!
So I’ll end my novel now…at least this one is more on point.