Hi! :)

Advengirl

Well...I'm new to this site, but I've been using FitDay for awhile now. I like this 'fitness pal' SO MUCH more! Really, this is fantastic and I'm incredibly excited to be joining such a great group of people that are striving to make their lives better & more healthy. Awesome...

So! About me.
I'm a 28yr old yo-yo dieting vegetarian foodie. I used to be in quite good shape (back in HS & college, who wasn't, right? lol) and then slowly packed on some unhealthy weight once I got into the typical office environment.

I was doing pretty well and holding steady (with only 15-20lbs over my comfort zone) until I decided to become a veggie about 3yrs ago. (I read a book focusing on health reasons: it didn't start out as animal rights. I'll still happily make my fiance a big steak from grass fed beef, or free-range chicken marsala! My foodie philosophy is much like my philosophy on religion= to each their own. ie: I won't preach at you if you don't preach at me. lol)

Once I became a vegetarian, I did fantastic for the 1st few months...and then I moved to a tiny studio apartment where cooking was inconvenient and I committed the ultimate diet sin: I turned to convenient, empty calorie carbs & sugar to make up for the lack of stomach space that animal protein once filled. From then (2yrs) to about 6wks ago, I had been on a constant downward spiral...gaining another 30lbs of the bad stuff.

Recently, I started belly dancing again (I prefer 'tribal belly dance' to the traditional caberet style...it's more MotherEarth vs. Blingy) and began practicing with a good friend who is also on the weight loss train. We hadn't been able to get past the beginning stages and get our heart rate up much, but we started to see a difference in our legs/quads/glutes and got into the habit of doing something remotely active at least 3 times a week.

And then...another friend (a personal trainer) made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Her gym is doing a 'Body Fit Challenge' and for a package deal, I could get 2months of a gym membership with 12 personal training sessions. It was a bit of $$...but hey...I've got a wedding coming up! (We're getting married in June!).

So, for the last 3 weeks (and for the next 5)....I've been getting up at 4:45am, twice a week, to make it to the gym for a full hour of circuit training before heading into work.
If I can do THAT...then I can kick this fat's butt, right??

It's been going well, so far, but I need to get my eating habits under better control before I'm not undoing all the good work I've done by grabbing too many snacks and sugary treats throughout the day.


SO! That's where I am. I can't wait to get moving!

LABONTEM

I'm a veggie too!!! Really I call myself a semi-veg because I still eat some fish from time to time. But I can soooo relate!! I became a vegetarian when I was in my teens, and I've found it is really easy to gain weight being a vegetarian. Whole grains and legumes have plenty of calories! I also have a very active sweet tooth that gets out of control if I'm not monitoring it closely!!!

I'm quite a bit older than you, and wish I'd gotten serious about this years ago (as you are doing). I read your inspirations, and really can identify with wanting to be able to take off up a hill at the drop of a hat. I do trail maintenance on the Appalacian Trail. When a group of us go out to work on the trail, we have to hike to the section that we're going to work on, and I'm always pulling up the rear!!! Still, I love it, and keep doing it! I just want to be able to do it without it being such a struggle!

Good luck on your journey!! I admire your ability to get up at 4:45 in the morning to go to the gym!!!!! I'm not sure I'm THAT dedicated!! :laugh:

Advengirl

lol- I suppose I'm a semi-vegi too since I can't seem to give up sushi!
Technically, I'm a "lacto-ovo-pescitarian." That's a mouthful. lol
I'll eat eggs, dairy, and fish...but nothing that's walked on land
It's HARDER than ever to diet as a veggie! Ugh. And yeah...my sweet tooth tends to get the better of me on more occassions than I'd like to admit. hehe

That's so great about your work on the Appalacian Trail! Where abouts do you live/work? I grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas and used to hike the Appy as a kid....and boy, I miss those mountains


(pretty sure if you'll hike up a mountain to do even more physical labor...you can get up at 4:45am if you needed. )

LABONTEM

I live/work in Southeastern Va near the shore. The trail club I belong to has the distinction of being the farthest away from the section of trail they maintain! We maintain about 11 1/2 miles near Waynesboro Va. Parts of our section are pretty steep including a 4000+ foot mountain called Three Ridges. It's really beautiful though... several really nice overlooks.

I'm heading up that way this weekend for a little recreation and to check out the fall color. It's supposed to be really nice weather... 60's during the day. Great for hiking! Probably will drive along the Blue Ridge Pkwy and take some pictures. Really looking forward to it!!

I've been through Little Rock, but it was a really long time ago. Didn't do any hiking there, but driving through the Ozarks was still really nice!!

Yeah... dieting as a veggie can be a challenge. One of the things that I've tried and like are some of those meal replacement bars like Clif or Luna. They're made from organic ingredients, have a nice balance of nutrients including 8-10 grams of protein (depending on the flavor or brand), and several of them are sweet enough that they're like a treat. From about 180 to 240 calories. I usually pair them with a couple of tablespoons of sunflower seeds or walnuts, and sometimes a piece of fruit (depending on how many calories are in the flavor I choose). I try not to go over 400 calories per meal. They're really pretty filling, and if I drink a glass or two of water at the same time I really feel satisfied. Great for when I'm on the run and don't have time for a lot of preparation!!

It sounds like we're the same sort of semi-veg from what you say you eat. LOL!! Never heard of the pescitarian part... I guess that has something to do with eating the fish?? I don't eat anything that walks on land either.... or flies.

Well... I'd better get some sleep if I'm going out of town tomorrow.... it's pretty late on this coast. :yawn:

Talk to you when I get back!

Advengirl

Mmmm...I've only had a couple varieties of clif/luna...but they're tasty!
I find myself relying a lot on protein shakes (the ones you mix at home) to meet my daily requirements...
But you reminded me that I like sunflower seeds! I should go find some at lunch today. lol

Yeah- the Ozarks are pretty gorgeous. They're not the Appys, but they'll do in a pinch