The Only Motivational Video I Will Admit to Liking

I generally can't stand motivational videos.  I find the cliched format and the overt attempt to draw at my heartstrings insulting.  In some respects, this video is no exception. The music is cheesy.  Really cheesy.  In fact, the whole set up is a little hokey.  However, I did watch it, I was moved, and even a little *gasp* motivated. Yes, that's right.  A maudlin little motivational video actually motivated me.

Way to go, Arthur.  You (and your video) are pretty bad ass.

Weight Lifting For Women

I have to start this post by saying how much I love Blisstree.  It is full of great information, and the writers are funny and sharp.  I try and check it every morning for inspiration, and it really helps me start my day off with a healthy state of mind. I have tried to tell several like minded lady friends of mine about it, but to my knowledge they haven't bothered to do so yet.  Don't be like them.  Read Blisstree.

Moving on... this is a motivating list of reasons why you should do resistance training.  The reasons apply to men as well as women, but the article is designed to help women overcome the fear that they will become to bulky or masculine if they lift weights.  I present to you: 20 Things Weight Lifting Helps You Do Better.

I'm Back

Alright!  After eating like a decadent Roman emperor for the last couple of months, I am back on track.  It is times like these that I am grateful I work at a gym.  Yes, I ate like crazy, but I also worked out pretty regularly, so the damage wasn't too bad.  After two weeks of dedication, I've managed to undo two months worth of bad eating habits. Win.

How did this even happen in the first place?  There are a few likely suspects:

• Anxiety - I, like many people, have the urge to eat when I feel intense emotions, especially negative ones.  I had been planning to up heave my current life and move overseas with a friend for a while.  Exciting!  Scary!  Emotional!  Nerve-racking as shit!  I'm gonna eat some stuff!  However, plans fell through which leads to...

• Depression - Not going to bum everyone out (including myself) by going in-depth into this, but late last year/early this year I experienced my first bout of depression.  Real depression.  Like, going to a therapist for the first time ever and talking to a doctor about pills depression.  I'm a millions times better than I was, but when things fall apart (see above), the depression is still so fresh I kind of get catapulted back into it for a while.  And when that happens, what do I do?  I eat ice cream, because it's fucking delicious and I want to treat myself to some quick and easy happiness.

• Work - I work at a gym, but I also work at a coffee shop.  This coffee shop is filled with all sorts of unreasonably sugary drinks, as well as pastries, bagels, grilled sandwiches, etc., all of which I am allowed to eat an unlimited amount of for free while I'm working.  I work there every weekday, which means 5 days a week, I have to look ham & cheese croissants in the face and try to say 'no'. 

• Money - I've recently paid off some debt, and am finally in better financial standing than I have been in a long time.  I had been avoiding restaurants like the plague trying to cut out unnecessary spending, but the second my money concerns started to fade I got super excited about food I didn't have to make and started dining out again.

• Friends - I hear people saying all the time that having a weight loss buddy increases your chances of success.  Well, the opposite is also true.  Having friends that aren't actively trying to live healthfully, or who don't understand what good choices consist of can really throw you off.  I can't tell you how many times in the last few months I've had friends invite me to restaurants, parties, pub crawls, or even just over to their house for dinner.  The social aspect is great, but folks don't usually serve low-fat, low-calorie, portion controlled meals for their gatherings.

I'm hoping (as I always do) that this will be that last time I fall off the wagon quite so hard.  It probably won't be, but as long as I keep picking myself up and trying again, I think I'll be alright.

Measurements: 3/21/12

Lost more weight and inches!

3/21/12

Bust: 39.75
Waist: 34.5
Abdomen: 41.5
Hip: 42
Thigh: 25.25
Arm: 13.25
Weight: 189lbs
Body Fat Percentage: 36.1
Body Fat Pounds: 68lbs

Lost a Size!

I went clothes shopping yesterday, and realized I lost a size!  I'm down to a size 12, which feels great, as when I moved home a few years ago I was an 18 almost 20.  I'm now officially smaller than the average American woman :)

Kale & Pasta Soup

I just made kale soup from a Sunset magazine recipe, and it's f***ing delicious for something that takes 10 min to make and is super healthy.  I used veggie broth instead of chicken, added a few garbanzo beans I had left over from something else, and used more chili flakes then recommended.  Other than that, I followed it to the letter, and it's great!  It's about 236 calories per serving (plus the garbanzo beans).

I found it on myrecipes.com, which I love because it's easy to find exactly what recipe you want.  You can search by your favorite food magazine, ingredients you want to use, types of dishes, or other categories like "fast & easy", my personal favorite.

The recipe can be found here.

Calorie Milestone!

... I should also mention that today I beat my all time calorie burn at Curves! I burned 649 calories during my workout. Not bad for half an hour's work :)

Measurements: 2/22/12

Here we go!

As I mentioned in the description, I have already lost quite a bit of weight. My highest weight was 245, and now I'm 192. I'm trying to get off that last 20 pounds or so to get to a healthy BMI and a comfortable size. I'm going to post my measurements here once a month to help keep me accountable. These are my measurements from last week:

2/22/12

Blood Pressure: 109/72
Bust: 40.25
Waist: 34.25
Abdomen: 43
Hips: 42.25
Thighs: 25.5
Arms: 13.5
Weight: 192lbs
Body Fat Percentage: 37.5
Body Fat Pounds: 72lbs

One of the great things about working at Curves is having access to all sorts of tools to measure my success. I like that we check blood pressure, inches, and body fat %, not just pounds.

When you're working out a lot, you gain muscle which is heavier than fat. If I weighed 192 and didn't have all of this muscle, I would probably be a size or two bigger than I actually am! That's why its so important to focus on how you look and feel as a whole, not just the number on the scale.