Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

i feel like i am going to get it together soon....really

Good Morning.

I’m sorry I was kind of sparse over the weekend; two days of migraines just kind of put me down & out. I rarely get migraines anymore but when I do they are usually a doozy, although the kind I had on Friday was a first. Yesterday ended up being busy as a result of Fri/Sat, but did get to the gym for a session with my trainer and got the grocery shopping done so I’m set for the week.

@Robin~Quad is all better! So glad the second try at your recipe turned out, new stoves/oven are always trial and error.

@Karen~Those zombie run are definitely challenging, sounds like you had a great time though. Your Dominican trip sounds fabulous and I would love that snorkeling! I hope to do that with the string-rays in Grand Cayman, I’m afraid I’ll be zip-lining alone in Costa Rica though. :frown:

@Laurie~I love the idea of a relay tri-event, I would definitely be interested in that.

@Beth~You surpassed me with your Fitbit this weekend! You’ve had some pretty great adventures and NSV this summer, way to go!

@Nicole~I have to keep healthy snacks around as well, for me they mostly have to be protein though. Something I’ve been keeping around lately is turkey jerky, I never thought I would like it but it’s pretty good and packs a punch with protein (13g in an ounce). Enjoy your classes this semester and definitely pass along any words of wisdom from your nutrition class.

@Carla~My weight loss has slowed this year too. I’m trying to focus on body fat%/fitness and the way my clothes fit more so than what is reflected on the scale – as long as I see the body fat % on a downward trend I’m happy. This can sure be frustrating sometimes!

AFM~Had session with my trainer yesterday, did some heavy weights with my legs (hammies mostly) so I'm sure I'll be feeling that later. I think he's trying to get me ready to start sprinting. It’s a crazy week around here, our annual employee appreciation day is Wednesday so lots of prep today/tomorrow and then I’m on t-shirt duty for 200 employees on Wednesday – so will have people in/out of my office all day. It’s usually a fun day, though.

Exercise Goals this week:

Monday~Gym, arc trainer
Tuesday~Rest Day
Wednesday~Gym, training session
Thursday~Rest Day
Friday~Gym, elliptical/row & some weights
Saturday~Gym or outside for running drills
Sunday~Gym, training session

Everyone have a great day!

Skinny: That zombie run sounded like a good time!

Robin: I'm sorry about your pain. I hope your doctor helps you out.

Eeyeore: I have a lot of trouble falling asleep. I usually have to take Melatonin to help me. I could be up at 4 am and not nap and then when it's time for me to go to bed if I don't take melatonin I won't fall asleep until hours later. I have no trouble staying asleep it's getting to sleep. Melatonin is a natural supplement.

I made a realization just a little bit ago. It should have been an obvious thing but I guess not for me. I realized my life isn't going to just up and change its self I have to put in the work to change it. I have to take steps to make it better. I can't just sit around moping about when things are going to turn around. I have made the decisions to better my life. I am recommitting myself to my job. No more slacking. I don't enjoy my job but I did and I need to get back to that point. I know I can do it. I am recommitting myself to my weight loss. I feel like, no I know I've always been on again off again half way trying. I am going to be serious about it. I just needed to get all of that out. I have felt better since I made this realization.

Monday check-in: I didn't work out but didn't eat terribly. I got bullritos for lunch then looked up the nutrition info...Yup not having this again for a while. 3100mg of sodium! Even half would have been a lot! I have learned my lesson. I know all things in moderation but I will have to cut this out for a while.

When I go to the gym I am trying to focus on the weight machines and follow up with about 15 minutes on the elliptical. I am saving up to get a trainer to actually start weight lifting. I think going to the Gym 3 days a week is pretty good. I want to at some point bump it up to 4 days but I think this schedule will work well for me for a while.

Have a great day,
Helena

Monday- Gym- Done Walk/run
Tuesday- Light walk with Deputy + hip hop abs
Wednesday- Gym + walk/run
Thursday- Light walk with Deputy + hip hop abs
Friday-Gym + Walk/run
Saturday- Light walk with Deputy + hip hop abs
Sunday- light walk.

Good thing Sunday was a rest day. My daughter took a nap on Saturday and woke up with a headache and fever. She did nothing but cuddle with me or sleep in her bed on Sunday. Luckily she broke her fever last night and went off to school this morning with a smile on her face. Now I just hope and pray she didn’t pass it on to anyone else.

Today, I got my bathroom cleaned during my first break. I’ve washed two loads of laundry and after aerobics tonight, I plan on getting the kitchen fridge cleaned out and do some prep for meals this week. I’m going to try real hard to be pro-active with meals and not scrambling at the last minute and having something unhealthy/too high in calorie (or the worst – just drive thru somewhere!) Tonight is a no TV night (hard for me since How I Met Your Mother premiers tonight) so I should get through it all and to bed on time.

Saturday – this is a full day of activities – parade in the morning and Pumpkin Patch in the afternoon. I should get plenty of steps in. NOT AS MANY STEPS AS PLANNED, BUT STILL MADE THE PARADE
Sunday – rest DONE
Monday – Water Aerobics
Tuesday – Zumba
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – Zumba
Friday – Weights

@Laurie – I’m sure you are going to do just great during your first 5K.

@ Helena – you can do it. Sometimes it’s a fake it til you make it. I know that but it doesn’t always make it easier.

@kah – I only had migraines during my 2nd trimester. I feel so bad for anyone that has them on a regular basis.

@Robin – great job on another 1.8 pounds! Glad your recipe turned out the second time. I had that problem when I moved away from home for the first time. Mom’s old “70s green” stove cooked at a consistent 25 degrees to high.

@pie – Look at you all organized! You’re doing so well – way to go!

@Karen – I have all types of visuals on you dodging zombies and kicking those obsticals butt! Oh and based on how the Vikings are going this year, I can be friends with you all season long as we won’t be nipping at your heels. HAHA. :sad: :laugh: Diving with sharks is NOT on my bucket list!! I’m not familiar with nurse sharks…so they truly are safe to swim with? I don’t think they’d be on my bucket list either. Glad you get to do something so fun for you.

@Eeyore – Luckily, I’ve never truly had a bout of insomnia, but here’s hoping you can break through. I go to bed generally between 11-12 and wake up at 6 to make sure my son is up and then crawl back into bed for some more shut eye until 7:00.

@mackbeth – What adventures you have had! Where is Hobo Hot Springs? It looks wonderful and I love free/amazing places to go on vacation (If you’re ever going to be in Virginia, ask me about Big Mary’s Slide). I’ve done zip lining in Alaska and I also highly recommend it to everyone. Although I wanted to do a Tarzan yell when I was on the Tarzan swing but they told me no since there were bears in the area. The farm looks wonderful!

@naceto – having healthy snacks is so helpful. Right now I don’t have any and I can tell. I’m going to run to the store tonight and get some high protein items so I stay “full” longer. Good luck with school!

@eeyore -- great job getting to the gym!!!! Yay You!!!
@robin -- stinks that the test didn't show your real/pain-free/properly-medicated aptitude. Can you ask to re-take it once your levels are adjusted? Good luck starting the new volunteer job (sounds great), and have fun shopping for smaller sizes!! :bigsmile: While I agree that you should continue to work to strengthen your arms, you should be able to zip-line now, since the harness really does all the work (as long as you don't bounce off the platform and have to pull yourself back, which typically doesn't happen -- just my good fortune that I managed such a feat, :noway: ). What happened to the breakfast-date gentleman? Has he disappeared? If not, perhaps a zipline or kayak date is in order...
@Helena - great realization! I spent way too many years being miserable, feeling sorry for myself and putting things off, either because I couldn't do them perfectly or because my world was too messed-up/challenging, before I committed to taking life as it comes and enjoying the journey. Now, things definitely aren't perfect (still work two physically and emotionally draining jobs, still trying to write papers to finish degrees, still perpetually poor, recently took in a roommate when I really prefer living alone, still 270+ pounds, still no life-partner, still have sleep issues, knee pain, still huff-and-puff up mountains, etc., etc...) but my attitude is better, I have a lot more fun, and I'm working toward future goals while still living in the present. I sincerely hope you get to a place where you can feel good, and enjoy life, whatever the challenges of the moment.
@Karen, Laurie, Kelley, and anyone else who might want to meet up with us for a Tri relay (participant or on-lookers) in 2014... I hope we do it!!! I'm always financially challenged, so I try to only travel to places where I can get free lodging... fortunately Baltimore is one of those places, or I'd be happy to do Lake Geneva... I could also look at Ohio (which would be more central) -- there's a tri at Cedar Point in September -- it's an awesome amusement park (and a flat course), or Oregon, or Colorado... Lots of options! We could wear lime green shoes and "Team Robin's Thread" tee-shirts :laugh: and make it a great big Robin's Thread Reunion! Imagine all the teams we could enter... plus I think MowMow should do the running portion in his stroller....
@Kelley -- my step count should be up consistently, now that swimming is over. :sad: So if you want to get back on top, better get moving!
@tracy - hobo hot springs is in glenwood springs, Colorado. It is heavenly!!! I will definitely ask about the slide next time I'm headed to Virginia!
@karenleona - you should join our relay teams! we will need more bikers!!!! :flowerforyou:

Looks like I will be within my calorie limit today, for the first time in... forever!!! (well, in several weeks, anyway). one. meal. at. a. time. I can do this again!!!

We should do a tri-relay team(s) and have a reunion. Depending on the time of year I am flexible to travel and I also have family that lives in CO near Denver and Littleton. I love the idea of the team shirts, mow-mow going along with us oh how fun that would be. Karen I did see the Lake Geneva triathlon and thought of you and it sounds like fun. I would love to see the lake, your descriptions are wonderful. I will remember to check back on the Key School triathlon for when they post 2014 dates. Beth- are you familiar with jellyfish? We have them in the water ways around here and they do have a nasty sting.

Karen-So happy that you are doing the walking 5k in a couple of weeks. Say hi to Brian for me. Maybe I will join you next year. Have fun swimming with the sharks.

Today, I ran 1 mile in 12 minutes in prep for Sunday. It was good but I am not sure if it put me in the right frame of mind for the race. It was difficult to go further than the mile mostly be because my head was getting stuffy. I really think it is the gym and the AC units, since I feel fine at school and other places. Luckily, that the goal my trainer had for me today. Then we worked on strength training.
Leg press 145lbs--it took a while to find a challenging weight for me to press . It had to be pressed 3 times and a challenging weight, needless to say I started at 40lbs and went up from there. I did not think I could press that much at one time. Then it was onto the adductor/abductor machine for a repeat this time it was around 100 lbs for the 3 times each way. Ended with doing running arms-with 10 lb weights. The arms were the easiest to do since you hold the dumbells in your hand and move them back and forth like you are running. You can also do sprints with those motion and control how far back you bring your elbow. Great for building arm muscles.

My weight is showing signs of decreasing but it may be short-lived since TOM has come to visit. The frustrating thing about this is that I will lose multiple pounds the week before and the first couple of days, then as it ends or shortly thereafter the weight returns and stays for a while. It is a very annoying cycle. Hopefully, it will stay away for good this time.

@laurie, beth, & kelley--I would like to stay in the loop about the relay triathlon; however, I'm not sure I'll be able to do one next year. A lot of it will depend on the cost b/c we are spending a fair amount on our Dominican vacation. Timing will also play a part b/c it's hard for me to take off during the school year. Again, I'm not saying "no" but whether I can do it will depend upon a lot of variables.

@laurie--great job on the mile today--it very well could be the air quality in the gym that was affecting your breathing. I hope you have great weather with low humidity on Saturday for your race. I was eying the leg press machine today at the gym--I had worked my way up to 210 lbs for my heaviest set, but then I injured my knee doing squats. Even after going through PT that machine always aggravated the injury (even with lighter weights) so I quit doing it. :ohwell: I'm going to be adding squats back into my routine soon, and if that goes well, maybe I'll try the leg press again. And yes, I will definitely tell Brian you said "hello" when I see him for the 5k in a couple of weeks.

@beth--I love your t-shirt idea and of course would love if mowmow could join us. Gunner would eat mow, so we won't be bringing him along too. :noway: Ohio is more central, but September is one of the worst times of the year for me to travel--I'm just getting into the groove at work and always have a ton of grading due to the students' summer reading assignments. However, maybe kelley could be your runner for that one. Good job staying within your calorie limit! :drinker:

@eeyeore--good girl getting to that gym! :flowerforyou: I also get insomnia--have trouble falling asleep, but once I'm down, a mack truck driving through my bedroom won't awaken me. :laugh: Oh, and as for the running, you can get there if you just keep working toward it. I started out walking gunner everyday, then I moved to the elliptical, and finally started running. Oh, and if you saw all of the bruises and scrapes on my legs, you wouldn't be so jealous of my Zombie run. :laugh:

@helena--great post today--you've got this! :drinker: I wish I could take melatonin, but I'm afraid to take anything that could trigger my sleep paralysis. :ohwell:

@karenleona--I think I'm also a bit on the nocturnal side. Over the summer, when I don't have to wake up on a regular schedule, my circadian rhythm shifts so that I'm most comfortable going to sleep around 2 or 3 am and waking up about 10 am. I try not to let myself go there b/c then it's really hard to get back to a more "normal" schedule when I have to go back to school.

@robin--I agree with beth--you should ask to retest once you get your meds adjusted.

@tracy--yes, I believe nurse sharks are pretty safe. I mean, it's not like they don't have teeth, so I guess there's always a chance they could bite, but they're relatively small and aren't typically aggressive. All of your cleaning made me tired!!

@kelley--glad the migraines are gone--those stink!! I thought about doing one of the zip-lining tours, but they have it in Lake Geneva so I figure the snorkel cruise makes more sense. Because we are already paying for an all-inclusive resort, I want to limit the amount we spend on other excursions.

Monday Check-in:
The theme for today seems to be re-commitment, and I'm in that same boat. I've been talking about committing to lifting heavy for several weeks now. I've made all sorts of excuses to avoid it. Yes, I added in the bench press and some isolation moves a few weeks back, but I just wasn't in full force. Today I added the deadlift to my routine, and also upped my weights for my upright rows and tricep extensions. Next week I will add squats and finally, the following week I will add the overhead press. My plan is to do those four compound moves (benchpress, deadlift, squat, and overhead press) with heavy weights 5x5 three to four days a week. I can then alternate other isolation moves (either with free weights or on machines, but also heavy) throughout the week. I will also continue to do core work--roman sit ups, incline sit ups, hanging crunches--3-4 times a week as well.

As for cardio, today was my first attempt at HIIT. I used the elliptical today and think I did a pretty good job of going all-out for 30 seconds alternated with 1 or 1.5 minutes of rest at a slower pace. I did 5 repetitions of this before cooling down. Plan to do this again on Wed. I now have meetings after work Wed. and Thurs.:grumble: but I will try to keep to my schedule.

Exercise goals:
Mon-walk gunner DONE + gym (lifting and HIIT) DONE
Tues--walk gunner + cardio (at gym or run outside)
Wed--walk gunner
Thurs--walk gunner + gym (lifting and HIIT)
Fri--walk gunner
Sat--walk gunner + gym (lift + run 5k)
Sun--walk gunner + cardio (at gym or run outside)

Grading Goals:
1. 13/73 AP essays

Hi All, Sorry for the absence, but I'm back. Was at my daughters for the past week helping her with her recovery from emergency appendectomy. Took care of her and the grandkids. Unfortunately, my son in law is unable to cope with the kids on his own. He has bipolar disorder and just can't do what needs to be done. He's been known to forget about baths and put the little ones to bed in their daytime clothes. He once forgot to feed the youngest who was 3 at the time. So, I stayed for the week and kept the kids on their routine and made sure my daughter was well taken care of.
She's recovering nicely and should be okay to manage the kids now. I was lucky enough to still have some vacation time to cover the time off last week but I couldn't afford to use any more of it so I'm back to work. I didn't log in the past couple of days. I just couldn't find the time. But, I weighed in this morning and maintained my weight for the week which made me happy. I didn't think I lost any and was sort of afraid I might have gained as I didn't get out walking until the end of the week and didn't keep up with my water intake. But, I must have done enough to at least not gain anything. Now that I'm home, I'll buckle down and get back on track.
Hope all is well with everyone. Charlotte