Dressing the Package and Treating Yourself!

You must treat yourself for losing weight.

Just because you may be big, like me, doesn't mean that you can't do what my friend, Lou, says, and "dress the package."  Your package may not be what you want it to be right now, but it will be later, so there's no reason to wait until then to dress yourself like a normal person.  I can tell you that I'm in between sizes right now and without a lot of clothes, so I'm doing the best I can to keep the "basics" in the size I'm in.

I'm between an 18/20 and 22/24, depending on the clothes, and I even need to shop for shoes!  Why?  Well, I'm back to narrow feet and not medium to wide!  I also need to get ring guards.  These are all good non-food rewards.  I really feel great getting out of sweats and elastic!  Here's some more:

1.  Massage
2.  Main/Pedi or just one of them.
3.  A trip to Bath and Body Works!
4.  Go to a department store, like Macy's, and let them do a makeover on you!
5.  Throw a party for your friends and have all your new healthy food.
6.  Buy something at www.mythiryone.com/poppies/  (Had to throw that in.)

Some tips for clothes shopping:

1.  NO BLACK! lol
2.  (Basic Black only for mix and match.)
3.  LOOK at yourself in the mirror.  It really isn't as bad as you think it is.  Look around you.  We're like in the fattest country in the world! Everyone is thinking the same thing!
4.  You're too hard on yourself.  Cut it out.  The mirror will show you what looks good.  Really.
5.  Try on things you wouldn't normally try on.
6.  Forget flabby arms.  You wanna sweat with your long sleeves to cover the "swing," or do you want to be cool?
7.  Buy ONLY pants that zip.  Except one or two pairs of yoga pants or shorts, or course.
8.  Buy jeans.  I started wearing jeans again at a size 28, and it made me feel human again after all those years in lycra and cotton elastic pants.  YUCK!
Take someone who will be totally honest AND NOT CRITICAL with you.
9.  Buy cheap while you are losing.  (Walmart, Target, Thrift stores in rich neighborhoods --HA!)
10.  Are your friends and family proud and don't know what to do when you hit your mark --except throw you a party with food you can't eat?  My family and friends have told me for years that once I hit my goal weight, they would get an outfit or two for me.  Ask your friends to take you shopping for an outfit, a girl's day with cocktails or coffee, and celebrate the new you in style.

Sex as a Workout

That's right!  According to Jillian Michaels web page, 30 minutes of sex burns 70 calories.  That may not seem like much, but it depends on your routine.  Just think, losing weight having FUN?  That's an awesome way to get motivated.  

Not in the mood?  

There are other activities that are fun, where you don't have to go to the gym.  Here's some great calorie burners:

Basketball:  Even just shooting at the basket and playing horse, keep away or some such game, can burn up to 461 calories for 30 minutes.  Now, that's a workout!  This is my favorite, because it is fun, challenging, and it burns so many calories!

Yoga:  230 calories for 30 minutes, but even if you think that's not enough, yoga will strengthen you and build muscle.  It also helps immensely with balance, which is important in your older ages.  Why?  You don't want to fall and break a hip, do you?

Biking:  230 calories for 30 minutes.  That's on a 0-10 MPH pace.  Of course, it goes up from there.

Bowling:  219 calories for 30 minutes.  Not bad, considering that you usually stay at the bowling alley for well over 30 minutes.

Swimming:  334 calories for 30 minutes at a light pace.  Faster paces can burn up to 564 calories for 30 minutes.  All-time favorite exercise.  (Besides the title. :)

So, check it out ... What do you do on the weekends?  Are you a couch potato?  Are you active already?  What's stopping us from having fun, just because we have gotten older?  Get out there and swim, go for a bike ride, and play basketball.  Do some yoga for strengthening and building muscle.  

Going to do my Jillian yoga right now.

Losing What I Gained

Ugh.  I gained 8 pounds over a couple of weeks.  I lost 7 of them last week.  That's a good thing.  Every once in a good while, I plateau, get frustrated and eat a handful of pounds on.  I need to remember to exercise it off.  It's ridiculous, really, to keep playing with the same pounds.  I know, it's hard with all the cookouts and summer parties, but there's always something to celebrate.

I went to a party the other night, and ate like I would at home.  I ate half a plate of delicious salad, some meat, and a spoonful of mashed potatoes.  I even passed up the oowie gooey dessert my friend made and her chocolate cake.  It looked so good, and some even had a slice of both, which I have been guilty of myself in the past.  But ...

I've had enough cake in my life.  It's back to my commitment and back on track.  Are you with me?

Let's start with yoga!  Let's all do this 35 min yoga video.  Just push play!  It's Jillian!

Losing on Vacation!

I'm on a 12 day trip to see all sorts of family, and I've actually lost a pound!  32 down now!  I really thought I would gain on this trip, but there's one element that it has that I am not keeping up at home: being really active.

Part of losing weight when you are over 300 pounds, (not anymore!) is moving.  Really moving.  I've been through North Carolina and Tennessee, which have one thing that Florida doesn't: hills, lots of them.  So, I've been climbing hills and stairs.  My legs and lower back are feeling it, but my stomach is smaller.  I'll take that in a heartbeat!

So, when I go home, I need to do an incline on the treadmill, walk outside for fresh air, and really stay busy.   I've got to get back to yoga, hobbies, getting the house together, and taking care of hubby while he's in his busy season.  I am sleeping better than I have in a very long time, and I know it is due to all the activity.  Got to stay busy.

After all, isn't that what life is all about?

Getting Back On Track With Exercise

I have not followed the exercise plan that I set out for myself.  I get all excited, get stronger and on my way, and then I quit.  Now, to be sure, I have been working out like crazy with "forced exercise."  Gardening, painting, cutting trees, and cleaning have kept me somewhat active, at least on those days.  but, there were plenty of other days that I didn't exercise.

It happens.  I just need a plan.  Just get out there and do it.  Easier said than done.  However, I have tons of support, a husband who is trying to lose as well, and we must get back in the gym.  I plan on doing yoga today to get my muscles stretched back out before I tackle the gym tomorrow.  I'd like to start basketball again.

That was really taking the weight off.  Basketball burns more than 1,000 calories an hour, according to Live Strong.

For those of you that have fallen off the wagon of exercise, or if you haven't even started, do one thing today.  Walk 10 minutes.  Do some stretching.  Play with your kids. :)