Weekly Weigh-in #21: Mixed Results

I'm thrilled to tell you I have achieved a major milestone this week -- I broke into the 190s! It's about time. I was wondering if it would ever happen. As a reward to myself, I bought a cute new workout outfit at TJ Maxx this morning. Maybe I'll model it for you in my next progress photo.

But I'm more than a little bummed that Mr. encountered a disappointing setback this week. He gained, and not just a pound or two. He knows why -- very little exercise and portion sizes creeping up. He also knows that this is a new week and he can get back on track. We can do it, Mr.! Look how far we've come.

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 261 pounds
Pounds lost this week: (+)5 pounds
Total pounds lost: 40 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 198.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 3 pounds
Total pounds lost: 39.5 pounds

Who Knew? Coffee Is Good for You

Mr. and I are serious coffee drinkers. As in, we can't really function in the morning until one of us has started the coffeemaker--with the knowledge that hot, freshly brewed coffee will be here soon.

How happy was I, then, to read Mr.'s latest post on his Mission Nutrition blog? Very happy. Here's a hint: It's all about how our coffee "vice" is actually good for us. Much rejoicing! I think I'll toast with another cup of coffee.

Weekly Weigh-in #20: We Did Better

Mrs. and I continued on our weight loss trends over the last week and both of us earned some negative numbers on the scale.

Susan increased the intensity of her workouts, working out for roughly 30 minutes every day at the gym at her office and an additional 30 minutes at home. I focused on reducing my calorie intake and getting more physical labor done around the house (yard work, demolishing an old porch and building a new porch). Mrs. and I also purchased a Nintendo Wii to give us a fun way to get additional exercise (I'll have more news about that later this week).

Bottom line, this week's numbers weren't bad:

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 256 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 2.5 pounds
Total pounds lost: 45 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 201.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1.5 pounds
Total pounds lost: 36.5 pounds

I'm particularly proud of Mrs. since she made a commitment to seriously increase the intensity of her workouts. We both feel pretty positive about her chances of dropping below the 200-pound mark next week.

We're getting closer and closer to our goal weights. We'll get there before we know it.

Playing Like a Kid Again

Before Mr. and I started getting fit, just watching our very active daughter wore me out.

She never stops moving except to sleep. Like most 2-year-olds, she's constantly climbing, running, twirling, performing spontaneous yoga poses ... you get the picture. With 35 additional pounds on me, I had a hard time keeping up. Plus, I never exercised, so I was very out of shape. I felt sad that I couldn't keep up with her--which is partly why I decided getting fit should be my immediate priority.

As I shed the pounds and gain endurance and strength through exercise, I find myself increasingly able to go toe to toe with my little whirlwind girl. She wants to run circles around the backyard? I will run with her. I get home after a long day at work, and she wants me to be the "horsey" who gallops about with her playing cowgirl? Giddy up.

Now, we go to the park on a beautiful spring evening and chase each other down the path for an hour. Then, we get home and she's wiped out (time for night-night). I stay up, clean, do laundry, and fit in a 45-minute Pilates session. That never would have happened before getting fit.

I realize now that having a young child, full of intense curiosity and seemingly infinite energy, is a wonderful way to get and stay fit. Playing burns calories, but more importantly, it's a fun way to bond with our daughter. I'm so glad we're doing this.

A New Way to Test Fitness

I used to dread those Presidential Fitness Tests in elementary and junior high school gym class. Even though I was fairly average as a kid--not an athlete, but not a complete slob--I just hated "performing" physically in front of my classmates. I didn't want them to laugh at me if I couldn't do pull-ups or something.

Well, the President's people have come up with a new fitness test for adults. Fortunately, you can do it in the privacy of your own home or gym. According to the website, it's easier to do the test with a partner (Mr., that means you!) but you can do it alone, too. The Adult Fitness Test assesses your level of:

• aerobic fitness
• muscular strength and endurance
• flexibility
• body composition

Based on your results, you can track your progress in each area as you become more physically active.

I think I'll give it a try. I'm always interested in finding different ways to see how fit I'm getting (other than the scale). Stay tuned for the first round of results. I hope I pass!

Weekly Weigh-in #19: We Can Do Better

Mr. and I are officially ending our weight-loss plateau, starting today. It's done.

We've been letting too many seemingly "little things" slide--a donut at work here, a missed workout there. All those 25- and 50-calorie bites add up, and cutting back on workouts means fewer calories burned.

Hence, this week's pathetic numbers:

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 258.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: .5 pound
Total pounds lost: 42.5 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 203 pounds
Pounds lost this week: .5 pound
Total pounds lost: 35 pounds

I'm particularly disappointed in myself, because I really wanted to break into the 190s this week. It didn't happen. But I vow that I will stick our guiding principles this week--no more extra bites and snacks I don't need! More exercise! I can and will be in the 190s come next weigh-in.

Mr. is going to stop overindulging in the lower-calorie cupcakes and other treats (because it obviously negates the lower-calorie benefits if you eat more of them). He's also going to work out more consistently, with his trusty partner Mrs. there to inspire him with her own workouts.

Designated Veggie Tray Bringer

Just as you should have a designated driver if you're planning to drink alcohol at a party, fit people need a designated veggie tray bringer if you're going to stick to your fit lifestyle.

I figured this one out after attending numerous social occasions since Mr. and I started getting fit four and a half months ago. When we bring the veggie tray (or at least, know that someone is), we tend to eat better at the party--and not leave feeling like big old cheating pigs. Just filling up on veggies helps reduce (though not eliminate) the temptation to snack on higher-calorie, fatty snacks.

After blowing too much money on those overpriced prepackaged veggie trays from the grocery store, I finally had a "DUH" moment and bought a clear acrylic Appetizers on Ice serving tray from Linens 'n' Things. It has a bottom tray to hold ice under your veggies (or other appetizers), so they stay chilled throughout the party.

Now, I can just buy my favorite veggies, slice them up, get a container or two of hummus, and I'm set for any party! Plus, the tray looks classier than the crappy plastic ones from the grocery store.

Friends and family, if you're planning to invite me to a social gathering, you can always count on me to be the designated veggie tray bringer!

Can I Break into the 100s This Week?

I'm getting close enough to the 190s on the scale, I can taste it. The sweet, sweet taste of numeric achievement. I haven't seen the 190s since the summer before I got pregnant with my (almost) 2-year-old daughter. And even then, it was fleeting.

After this week's weigh-in, I figured I'd have to lose at least four pounds this week to do it. If I were on the Biggest Loser, it would be no problemo. But here in Real Life, losing pounds means burning an extra 1,400 calories while maintaining a full work schedule, home responsibilities, and social stuff. Yikesers, that's hard.

Still, I'm making more of an effort than usual. Hard-core workouts, at least an hour each, every day. But I haven't been cutting back on the treats enough. A bag of Hershey's Kisses next to my desk yesterday was but one of the saboteurs.

It's Friday. I've got till Tuesday morning. Can I buckle down and do what it takes? We'll find out. I'm willing to give it a shot.

The Joy Fit Club

If you're a Today Show watcher, you might already know about The Joy Fit Club. But I'm not, and was delighted to see they have a weekly segment that profiles one person who's lost 100 pounds or more--and kept it off.

This week, the latest "inductee" Mary Rosner talked about why and how she dropped 174 pounds over a two-year span. She actually did it to support her daughter's weight loss, but ended up benefiting quite a bit herself! I love inspirational stories like this. I definitely plan to tune in weekly for more Joy Fit Club inductions.

Weekly Weigh-in #18: Still Here, Still Working

Last week's weigh-in marked a nice milestone on our path to healthier living: we've passed the 75-pound loss mark as a couple. We stuck to the nutritional portion of our guiding principles during this week, but both Mrs. and I fell short of our workout goals.

On the bright side, neither of us gained any weight this week. Still, Susan and I both know we could have worked harder and that isn't a great feeling.

We've decided to recommit ourselves this week. As I write this Susan has just finished an intense 45-minute workout and I'm about to jump into my exercise routine. We refuse to give up on ourselves or each other. We both believe that we can lose 2-4 pounds this next week if we are willing to put in some extra effort in our workouts.

I guess we'll find out in one week. Here are this week's numbers:

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 259 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 0 pounds
Total pounds lost: 42 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 203.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1 pound
Total pounds lost: 34.5 pounds

Mr. and His Liver

I always encourage (some might say "nag") Mr. to promote his other blog, Mission Nutrition for Start Making Choices, on here. But he doesn't. I guess he's blog-shy or something.

I'm not, though! So I want to blab about his latest post on Mission Nutrition. It's about how fast food and other crappy nutritional choices can lead to fatty liver disease, which Mr. was diagnosed with last year.

I'm pretty sure he's reversed the condition by now--after all, he eats well, exercises, and has lost 42 pounds of fat! Nonetheless, liver problems caused by an unhealthy lifestyle are nothing to mess with. We're going to stay on the fit path to our goal weights and beyond, even after our fat-related health conditions disappear.

Sweatin' at the Office

Those of you who keep up with my other blog, Working Moms Against Guilt, might have noticed I regularly contribute to a column called Around the Watercooler on Mommy Track'd. It's one of my favorite working-mom sites, so I really enjoy writing for it.

Anywho, this week I wrote about the interesting experience of exercising at the office. You can read it here on Mommy Track'd or buzz it up on Shine, which is currently featuring my article on its homepage(!).

Exercise Slump Is Over

The past few days, I haven't wanted to exercise. Let me rephrase that: I haven't been able to find the time, energy, or motivation to exercise. I knew I needed to. Just. Couldn't. Make it happen.

Today, I'm happy to tell you, I broke the slump! This afternoon at work, things slowed down enough that I could head down to the gym and put in a solid hour of weights and cardio. Triumph!

Now I feel like I have the rest of the day to not worry about it, and tomorrow I can remember how good I feel now to motivate me again. I'd really like to break into the 100s on that scale soon. It's a big deal for me.