Hit one mark!

10% down, 90% to go on my Camp NaNoWriMo novel.  I've enjoyed writing so far because I haven't planned out my plot so I look forward to see what my protagonist does today. Now, the key will be for me to stay on track or recover from the change in schedule that will occur over the next few days.

I'll have to take a similar approach with the weight loss plan. I'm down one pound from last week (success!) but I still struggle at the beginning of the week since I feel like I can eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING rather than trying to pace myself and space out my "bonus points" throughout the week, or towards the end of my week. Needless to say, I get frustrated when I have to stay strictly within my points from Friday through Tuesday!

Overall, I have to say I'm pleased to make forward progress in the priority areas of my life. Now if I could just find a more regular way to pay the bill thingies...

Guest Post: Fighting Cancer with Fitness

One of my biggest pet peeves about myself is how I tend to let life get in the way of my living - does that make sense?  Anyway, I am very excited to introduce my first guest blog post, "Fighting Cancer with Fitness"  by Milady. Melanie, also known as Milady, is "an advocate for natural health and cancer patients, so you will often find [her] highlighting the great benefits of different nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments that can significantly help those going through a time of illness."  I hope you'll enjoy the article, as it provides a different perspective to fitness.

Fighting Cancer with Fitness

For healthy individuals, regular exercise provides a means for keeping fit and relieving stress. While these same benefits apply to someone suffering from mesothelioma, there are additional challenges and difficulties when undertaking any exercise program.

Types of Exercise:
Aerobic exercise refers to anything that boosts cardiovascular function through increased blood flow and oxygen uptake. Cancer patients can benefit from aerobic exercise that is not too strenuous on the heart or lungs but improves overall function. Flexibility training involves stretching activities that promote muscle and joint movement. Resistance training strengthens the muscles while aiding in muscular endurance.

Limitations of Exercise:
Activities that cause rapid spikes in heart rate, such as running, basketball, tennis, or certain types of resistance training, may be contraindicated for some patients. However, most physicians will recommend that their patients pursue a healthier lifestyle through light to moderate exercise. It is essential, though, to obtain a physicians approval before embarking on any fitness regimen.

Benefits of Exercise:
Fitness activities, including walking, water aerobics, yoga, biking and light resistance training, can illicit great benefits for overall cardiovascular function, functional muscle maintenance and flexibility. Yoga is especially helpful for enhancing breathing ability and aligning posture while increasing range of motion.

There will be times when patients feel fatigued and they are physically limited. Engaging in even light exercises, such as stretching and flexibility training, can reduce unpleasant effects of bed rest, including bedsores and joint stiffness.

Loss of appetite is common among those undergoing chemotherapy. Exercise boosts the metabolism and can help to stimulate the appetite due to increased energy expenditure and caloric demands.

In addition to the physical benefits, exercise boasts a plethora of emotional advantages as well. Exercise can improve the appearance, which thus leads to a higher self-image. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety while simultaneously releasing endorphins that actually serve as mood enhancers.

Environment of Exercise:
It is critical that the patient feels comfortable not only with the exercise routine but also with the exercise environment. For those who are just beginning, exercising at home may be the best starting place. A gym, health club, or park can also provide a safe venue. Working with a personal trainer may be helpful for both motivation and assistance as long as the trainer is certified and familiar with routines specific to cancer patients.

Starting an exercise routine can aid the body in responding to cancer treatments and greatly enhance overall sense of well-being. Talk to your doctor today and get moving!

Tipping the scales in my favor...

I have a confession.  I am obsessed with the bathroom scales. It's strange, but regardless of what number shows up, I LOVE weighing myself. I have absolutely no idea why. Perhaps it fills the void as some sort of mutated superstitious ritual, the sort of ritual I thrived on while playing softball in high school. Instead of bringing victory to the team, the scales dance is a victory against the weight. At least when the number drops from the previous day or week, anyway.

Calling it a "scales dance" is not far from the truth. I wake up, go to the bathroom, and place the scales in the spot in the room where I seem to weigh the least. The laws of physics are apparently fluid in the bathroom; sometimes I weigh three-tenths of a pound less if I slide the scales to the left along the floor about four inches. I have slid the scales around the linoleum a few times before realizing that I have reached the lowest number I will reach. Since our scales typically display lower numbers, I always weigh myself at least three times. Or until I see the same weight three times - whichever occurs first.

Some days I am pleasantly surprised to step on and not see an increase. I am elated when I see a loss even if it is less than half a pound. Of course, some days I step on and scratch my head, wondering why I gained so much in such a short period of time (most weight loss resource materials tell me that there is a one to two pound variation in weight day-to-day). I'd be lying if I said it never gets to me but I try to keep numbers in perspective.

Therefore I utilize body measurements when the scales are holding steadfast and denying me a sense of progress. It is extremely gratifying when I see the inches dwindle off my waistline (Fredo is not completely gone yet). Finding moments of self-satisfaction contribute to building and maintaining stamina throughout the weight loss journey.

On a side note, I am extremely excited to announce that my FIRST guest post will be up in the next day or two....I'm so excited!

Resolutions Still on Track!

It's strange how I was convinced I blogged twice in January when, obviously, I did not. As an update on my New Year's Resolutions, I have not lost one pound.  I have lost TWO pounds!  So now, for the next eleven months, I just need to "maintain" my success.

This post is part of my second resolution, to blog more regularly.  Knowing how busy I will be in the coming months, I plan to write at least once more this month so I can stay on top of my goal (ten entries over eight different months).

I'm still working on family member forgiveness. No major progress on that front.

I haven't pulled out the novel in a while, but that WILL change this month. I promise!

Still no (full-time) job. Yet.

I recently considered nother writing goal: writing a poem a week.  I wrote a short one for my grandfather's birthday but I still need to write about five more to catch up.  I'd feel a strong sense of accomplishment at the end of the year if I have written 50 poems that are not absolutely dreadful.

I've been doing some reading, too.  In January I finished Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor and Billy Blockade/Morality by Stephen King. I'm currently reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and I am finding it enjoyable.

Finally, I find myself trying not to watch any more repeats on television. There are many wonderful new contributions to culture that I have decided to take advantage of, like Suits, Elementary and my latest obsession: Downton Abbey. I am five episodes into the first season and unanswered questions are eating me up...like what is up with Bates's situation and why can't he and Anna just be happy together???

One week down...

The first week of my new weight loss journey has been fairly typical of my previous attempts.  I've lost 5 pounds - mostly water weight, I'm sure - but I have made some serious changes and I'm definitely concerned about being able to maintain them. I keep reminding myself that I have neglected myself for too long and the "sacrifices" I have to make are necessary.  They are also fairly minor, really - why should I tell myself, "yes, you may have whatever you want to eat and you may eat as much as you'd like"? 

In addition to changing the diet, I have started to exercise again and that definitely feels great. So I'm trying to stay positive and have a goal of maintaining the new healthier lifestyle for at least 30 days. 

The Latest Weigh-In: Surprising Success

This week's weigh-in yielded another pound lost, which was a bit surprising.  I faithfully tracked what I ate, or more accurately, what I ate too much of so I was WAY over my points allowed.  Needless to say, I didn't expect to see a loss this week.  My only explanation: exercise.  Ever since Fryeburg Fair, I have tried to remain consistent with my exercise routine.  I was active at the fair for nine of ten days, so I knew it would be in my best interest to maintain that level of activity. Some days, I don't think I am going to be active at all, but I tell myself "just do a ten minute video" and that tends to become at least 40 minutes.  Tonight I noticed that I was starting to enjoy the time to focus on just me and my body, which is important in developing a long-term relationship with physical activity.

Plateaus....grrrrrr

I thought I had blogged at least once in the last month, but apparently not.  No excuses, but I have been away from the computer for a few weeks due to commitments at local fairs.  I have a bit of a lull now so I best catch up.

So I have hit a plateau in my weight loss, but I knew it was coming. I am extremely proud of myself for not letting things get wildly out of control, though, and I'm trying to focus on the basics again - journaling food, drinking plenty of water, and getting into an exercise routine. I look at this next week as a challenge; I hope to lose a pound but more importantly, I hope to reestablish a healthy routine.

And I decided to take a vacation from Facebook in hopes of finding a more productive and positive use of my time. We'll see how long it lasts and if it helps.

Weigh-In #7...Eh

I can't complain about this week's weigh-in.  I didn't gain weight, nor did I stay even. I lost eight-tenths of a pound. Obviously, I had hoped to be more "successful" in the sense that I would have lost at least a pound. Still, in the back of my mind, I knew my expectations were a bit high. I went over my points allowed by a few points so at best, staying even would have been a good thing. I also know that I am likely approaching a "plateau point" for me.  My body has adjusted to consuming massive amounts of water, and as I've been able to push myself during my exercises, my muscle mass is probably increasing, too. My immediate goal for the next week is to lose one pound, which will bring me down to my first goal of losing 5% of my weight.

Weigh-In #6 - Woohoo!

Okay, so weighed in today down another 1.8 pound, which I consider somewhat of a miracle due to the fact that I consumed Chinese food TWICE in the last week.  But I managed to bear down, focused on eating right the rest of the week, put in quality exercise time, and it worked out.  I actually learned a lot about myself this week because I was able to recover from some "bad days" and I was able to structure myself and plan ahead. Yesterday, I knew I would be making pizza for dinner. And pizza = me overeating, usually.  So I banked a lot of points for my evening meal.  Using store-bought pizza dough, I measured out sauce, cheese and pepperoni, and then added vegetables. It was not a large pizza, but my portion was filling and the points were not as high as I expected. Needless to say, it was satisfying to find a way to indulge in a relatively healthy way.

Weigh-In #5 - Wow!

After a not-so-great week, I rebounded by sticking to my plan, exercising more often and it paid off.  I lost 4.2 pounds, and it felt great.  Of course, then I had an overnight work trip and the darn road trip derailed me for a day again, but I think I have recovered and will do okay this week.  It's been so hot and humid the last few days, I've been drinking my weight in water. I do believe I will also be able to get back on track with my exercise routine to further help with my journey forward..

Weigh-In #4 - Whoops...

Okay, this week was not as good as the previous ones. I gained a pound and a half.  I know exactly how that happened too. I ate way more than both points allowed and activity points earned.  As frustrated as I was with myself  - and I did allow a bad day to develop into a bad week - I'm proud that I stepped on the scale today and weighed in, fighting the urge to run away and hide from the truth.

One major thing I learned this past weekend: it is imperative that I prepare for road trips.  I drove a combined 11-12 hours, and probably snacked for about eight of them.  It was not because I was hungry; I was straight up bored out of my gourd!

So this week is one to learn from, but it's also nice knowing I can put it behind me and let go. It's in the past. I've started a new week with new points, and can improve on my performance. Besides, I'm still down five pounds overall. Optimism is a great trait to have in this whole weight loss thing.

Weigh-In #3

So I weighed in yesterday, and I was down 2.6 pounds, bringing my total loss up to 6.6! I was especially surprised because the previous week included a lot of  what is seemingly "bad" food around the Fourth of July holiday (homemade danish, cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, breakfast pizza) BUT even when I went over my points allowed, I made sure to continue writing down what I ate.  To not track food just ignores the problem. Perhaps I had done enough other things right to keep me on the path for weight loss, but I learned that it is important not to give up on myself - no matter what.

Weigh-In Wednesday #2

Today was my first weigh-in after a week of Weight Watchers. On a positive note, I was down two pounds - woo hoo! However, because I had been weighing myself DAILY, I was expecting a slightly lower number, and so I felt a bit disappointed. But, a loss is ALWAYS better than a gain and I'm confident I will lose more before my next weigh in.  I've already noticed how my opinion of certain foods has changed. For example, I love Almond Poppy Muffins, but at six points a piece (or roughly 1/7 of my daily allowance) these are not items I plan to eat on a daily basis. But I certainly don't feel guilty about eating them either because feeling guilty about eating is just another form of emotional eating in my book.