Weekly Weigh-in #30: Staying Strong

Last week was a tough one for Mr. He gained a half-pound and contemplated quitting. But he (thankfully) decided to stick with the plan and continue getting fit. I sure was glad, because I don't want to do this alone. Even if I could do it, I wouldn't want to.

This week, he faced the scale and saw another disappointment. I saw a little more success (I'm just a half-pound shy of hitting the 50-pound weight loss mark!) and found that much more motivation to go on.

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 254 pounds
Pounds lost this week: (1) pound
Total pounds lost: 47 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 188.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1 pound
Total pounds lost: 49.5 pounds


Mr. remains committed to his goals and said he needs someone to kick his butt into gear. Now, I can do my part as the encouraging (naggy?) wife.

But I think a personal trainer might be in order, too. Someone to come over and help Mr. create an at-home fitness plan that can get him past this plateau. And come back to check on his progress and kick his butt along the way.

Know any good personal trainers in the Cincinnati area who make "house calls"? No Hans and Franz, but maybe a dude who's won the battle against weight--or at least understands the struggle to lose major poundage? Leave a comment on this post or send us an email. We'd love your recommendations.

Still Committed to Getting Fit

If you read Susan's previous post then you know that this week's weigh-in hit me a litter harder than usual. I've been having some stressful times at work (including working MANY hours at home when I'd rather spend time with my family or working out) and the last two weeks were particularly stressful since I also had to take care of our daughter alone while Susan attended BlogHer.

On that note, I have nothing but absolute respect and admiration for all of the single parents who manage to take care of work, house chores, and raise one or more children on their own. It was hard enough for me to handle things on my own for several days. I can't imagine being a single parent full time.

But I digress ... the bottom line is when I stepped on the scale this week and saw that I gained weight it was just another frustration added to a long list of frustrations that were getting to be too much for me. I seriously considered giving up on the whole idea of focusing on weight loss and healthy living. That might sound like a silly (if not ridiculous) response to gaining a half pound, but human beings can only handle so much pressure before we just can't take any more.

In only a matter of hours I realized how foolish it would be to give up on our goal of getting fit but it has helped to see all of the encouraging comments from ours friends visitors to the blog. I wanted to say, "thank you" for all of those kind words over the last few days.

Long story short, I'm not going anywhere. This is still "Mr. and Mrs. Get Fit" and together Susan and I will continue to live a healthy lifestyle and lose weight. We have too many reasons (including our precious little daughter) to keep up the good work, so we're in this for the long haul.

Weekly Weigh-in #29: We're at a Crossroads

I fully expected a gain today when I got on the scale, but I saw a loss. Actually, I dropped into the 180s, which I haven't seen for ages. Right now though, I don't feel much like celebrating.

Mr. saw a slightly higher number than last week. And after several disappointing weigh-ins, he proclaimed that he's "done." After losing nearly 50 pounds in six months, he doesn't see the point in trying anymore.

I wish I could be the queen of motivation and the Rocky coach who pushes him through this plateau. But it takes a lot just to get me to the Y for a workout and say no to fatty foods at every turn. I'm not sure I have enough energy left to pull him out of his frustration hole. The only person who can do that is Mr., with as much encouragement as I can offer.


Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 253 pounds
Pounds lost this week: (.5) pound
Total pounds lost: 48 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 189.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1 pound
Total pounds lost: 48.5 pounds

Trying to Live Fit at BlogHer '08

I'm surrounded by fabulous bloggers from all over North America here at BlogHer '08 in San Francisco. I'm also surrounded by potential landmines in the shape of delicious pastries, cookies, candies, and booze. Oh, and did I mention it's all FREE?

Soon after arriving yesterday afternoon, I realized I have to stay on my toes here. I splurged on an Italian lunch--salad, duck ravioli, bread (d'oh), and wine. Soooo good, sooo too many calories. Later in the day, I hit up a few too many appetizers at the parties I attended, along with yet more wine. Double d'oh!

This morning, I kicked back into fit gear. Woke up at 6 a.m. (that's 9 a.m. eastern time, so don't be too impressed) and headed straight for the hotel gym. I did a nice cardio workout and some strength training, while rehydrating with plenty of water. Breakfast, I passed on those oh-so-flaky croissants and stuck to fresh fruit (which was actually quite tasty).

In one of the sponsor suites (Sesame Street--so cool!), I snagged a can of delicious dried-fruit-and-nut mix. Thank you, Sesame Street! I needed that to keep on track until lunch.

Now, I'm sitting in a very lively session about Mommy Blogging (is it still a radical act? Hell yes, say the mommy bloggers here). Later, I'll hopefully get a few copies of Half-Assed signed by Half of Me blogger Jennette Fulda. I hope to chat more with Carmen from The ELFF Diet and meet more health and fitness bloggers at a "Birds of a Feather" session tomorrow. Can't wait!

Time to Update Your Bookmarks and Links

The Mr. and Mrs. Get Fit blog now officially has its own domain name. Buh-bye, Blogspot address. Hello, MrAndMrsGetFit.com! Bookmark it. Update your blogroll, all three of you who list this blog. Tell your friends, fat or fit. We are movin' on up to the east side of the blogosphere.

This change comes just in time for BlogHer, too. Good thing, because my new business cards--beautifully designed by my pal Dave--reflect the new URL.

A big shout-out to Marty, blogger at Famine City and hubby to MommyBits, for helping me make this happen. It all started out looking so easy, but the process was beyond my limited technical abilities. Marty heeded my call of desperation and helped me out of my jam. He's like that.

Funny side story about Marty and MommyBits: Marty and I used to work together, and when I first started blogging on Working Moms Against Guilt, we got a comment from a blogger called NKYGal. I checked out her blog, and figured out it was written by Marty's wife.

So next time I saw him in the office, I said, "Hey, Marty! Love your wife's blog." And he was like, "Whuuuuuh?" Guy had no clue she had a blog. I had unknowingly outed her! I think she was cool with it. He started reading it and paying a lot more attention to her posts after that. Still makes me smile.

Weekly Weigh-in #28: Back on Track

Mr. and I are not giving up on being Mr. and Mrs. Get Fit. We are in it for the long haul, people. After a lousy weigh-in last week, we grumbled a bit and felt a little discouraged. But then we picked ourselves back up and kept on eating healthy and working out (though not as much as we should have ... still need to pick up the pace there).

The scale showed some improvement, which is always a nice affirmation:

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 252.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1 pound
Total pounds lost: 48.5 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 190.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1 pound
Total pounds lost: 47.5 pounds

A few highlights from our week of recommitment to fitness:

• I cleaned out our refrigerator and freezer. Boy, did it need it! Not only were there grody remains of foods gone by, but there were plenty of freezer-burned meats and condiments way past their "best by" dates. Now we have plenty of room to restock with delicious, healthy foods we actually want to eat (and hopefully won't give us salmonella).


• We are loving berry season! Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries ... they're all quite plentiful and affordable this time of year, so we're liberally applying them to cereal, angel food cake, or just by themselves for a snack.


• Yardwork and housecleaning burn calories, too. Sometimes, we don't go to the Y. Instead, Jay mows the lawn and I pull weeds. Or vacuum, dust, haul loads of laundry up and down two flights of stairs.


• We're excited to try one of those dinner-prep places, where they put together all the ingredients for a fairly healthy good meal, and all you have to do is throw it in the oven. Maybe this will get us out of our "what's for dinner?" nightly rut. Check out Mr.'s post about it on his Mission Nutrition blog.


• Mr. and I got new jeans that actually fit us. Mr.'s been cinching his fat pants with a belt for the last 48 pounds or so, and they started looking downright ridiculous. I told him so. Then we went to Target and bought him four pairs of pants that make him look soooo much trimmer. Plus, they don't fall down. Bonus! My new jeans were consignment Chicos, and I'm in a size I haven't seen for years: 16! Woo-hoo! I think they look pretty hot.


• I am no longer technically "obese"! With my weight currently hovering just above the 180s (next week, perhaps?), I recalculated the ol' BMI. It's 29.8, which moves me from the "obese" BMI range to just "overweight." I know, BMI is somewhat arbitrary number and has its limitations. But it is "a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death," according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. In other words, it helps reassure me that I'm getting fitter.

Weird. I Actually MISS Working Out.

I never thought I would get to the point in my fitness where I not only worked out regularly, but I also actually needed the stress relief and physical activity to feel my best. I just didn't think I had "that person" in me.

Turns out, I do!

The last few days, I've been extra busy with work and social stuff. I simply haven't been able to work in a workout since last weekend. And I'm feeling it! I'm jonesin' to get back to the Y tonight and pump! me up! with weights, sweat to the oldies on a treadmill, and feel the rush of those sweet, sweet endorphins.

Who AM I? Hopefully, a person who can get her butt to the Y a few more times before next week's weigh-in. Otherwise, the plateau will continue.

(Also, three cheers for Mr., who woke up at 4 this morning and rode the stationary bike!)

Weekly Weigh-in #27: Hello, Plateau

If you were hanging out at our house this morning, you wouldn't have seen a lot of smiling faces. Except for our daughter, who has only pounds to gain as she grows big and strong. She was happy as a clam.

Mr. and I were bummed. We didn't make any progress this week.

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 253.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 0 pounds
Total pounds lost: 47.5 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 191.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: (.5) pounds
Total pounds lost: 46.5 pounds

Boo. This doesn't seem right. I busted my butt at the Y several times this week, as well as a few at-home workouts. I ate fruit. I got the child-sized cup of ice cream when I went out with my friends. I passed on wine--more than once.

Well, we're just gonna keep at this thing. No plateau is going to hold us back!

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

When Mr. and I started this fit journey six months ago, I really wanted to believe we could do it. With 199 pounds between us to lose, I knew we'd need to think positive, reach for the stars, believe it to achieve it--insert your favorite Successories or self-help book cliche here.

But not too far beneath the surface, I had nagging doubts I'd actually achieve my goal. (I wasn't too sure about Mr., either.) After all, we'd tried losing weight and getting fit before--together and separately. It had worked sometimes, for a while, and never lasted. Why would this time be any different? Oh yeah, because we had a blog.

We kept at it, though, despite any lingering questions about whether it was possible. Doubt, schmoubt. We just kept living fit, day after day, and hoping it would all work out.

Now, we're nearly halfway to our goal. We've shed 94 pounds of our fat, and have 105 more to go. I realized I now feel confident we can actually do this.

Not to say I'm doubt-free. But negative thoughts that maybe we'll backslide and scrap the whole thing have been reduced to a small fraction of what they were. Most days, I wake up and think, "Another day of living fit? Sure. Let's do it."

I can visualize what we'll look like in another few months, as I step on the treadmill and get my heartrate up. I can imagine myself going on vacation and eating like a normal, healthy person, and enjoying it--not pigging out on every local "delicacy" and junk food along the way, avoiding physical activity wherever possible.

Confidence may help me power through the next 40 pounds of weight loss. I hope I accumulate enough to motivate me to stay fit for life.

Weekly Weigh-in #26: Slow and Steady

Another week goes by and Mrs. and I continue down the long road toward being a healthier couple. We both did a good job of watching what we eat (for the most part) and exercising, but I realize that I need to "step it up" with my workouts.

The scale never lies, so here goes:

Jay
Starting weight: 301 pounds
Current weight: 253.5 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 0.5 pounds
Total pounds lost: 47.5 pounds

Susan
Starting weight: 238 pounds
Current weight: 191 pounds
Pounds lost this week: 1.5 pounds
Total pounds lost: 47 pounds

Susan and I are both happy we're losing and haven't gained, but neither of us are overwhelmingly happy with such low weight loss numbers. Both of us will commit to tougher workouts at the Y this week, and I've decided to add a second daily workout to my schedule and start exercising in the morning before work as well. Since I tend to be a morning person it just makes sense for me to start making use of that time rather than just sitting in front of the computer checking my email.

Next week we'll get to see if adding an extra 30-60 minutes of exercise every day pays off.

Someday ...

... I will fit--and look hot--in these jeans. Skinny Jeans. Sure, they're $178. But from what I hear, they're 100% worth it. Maybe by Christmas?