100 Days - Day 4 - Boundaries, not diets

Picture your diet program as a road or a path.  You can define the boundaries ofyour diet road....

Boundaries stay flexible... they allow for common sense and good judgement.

During times when you're strong and focused on your diet, you move the boundaries closer together, making the road narrower.  When you takea break from your program or work on maintenance, you widen the boundaries... 

But even on a really bad day, you never eliminate the road or get off of it completely.

Narrow Road

• Medifast 5&1 with no snacks or 'extras'
• Some form of excercise 45 minutes a day/6 days a week

Wider Road

• Medifast 5&1 with a MF snack such as crackers, or a serving of nuts
• Sorm form of excercise 45 minutes a day/3 days a week

There's no doubt in my mind that there will be and even wider road down the line.  But right now I'm focused on getting to my first 'mini-goal' of 170.  At that point I'll decide how fast I want/need to continue and base my narrow/wide road from there.  Transition will be another excercise of determining what my boundaries are.

Napa Valley Sprint - 2:21:17!!

34 Mueller-Boddy, Shawn Mountain House, CA 40 F 2:21:17.0
swim ( 0:21:29.1 ) t1 ( 0:09:46.5 ) bike ( 1:03:56.3 ) t2 ( 0:05:41.6 ) run ( 0:40:23.3 )

That's right!  I met my goal!  under 2:30!!! whoot!

Yes - I was disappointed with the swim time - but then I've not had good experiences with swimming in a wet suit - this wasn't an exception.

I was disappointed in the bike too - there was hill after hill after hill and it made my overall time much much slower then I was aiming for.

But, the run... I mean, look at that time!! *happy dance*  I pushed and look what I did!!

I'll return with a much longer race report - cause I'm tired, you should know I'll be going to bed happy.

Big Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is my first 'on my own' Tri.  I'm so excited!  I've signed up for this particular triathlon three times - this will be the first time I actually make it to the starting line.  It feels GREAT!

Training has been a little spotty.  I haven't swam since HI :|  but I'm not really that worried about it.  The swim is only 1/2 a mile, and I'm very secure in my swim form.  I'm sure the work I've been doing in the gym has strengthened my muscles, and that the running and biking has kept my cardiovascular system working.  My only big concern with the swim is that I'll be wearing a wet suit, and if you've been around here at all you'll know I don't like my wet suit... If you haven't been here before then I'll say it here - I don't like swimming in a wet suit.  Still I hope to push through and put up a decent swim time.

Run and bike though... I've been training, and really working on pushing myself on both and I'm pleased with the results.  I've also been working on what I feel was my biggest obstacle for Lavaman (both my training and my race)- my weight.  The past four weeks I have had laser focus on my goal to lose weight and it's payed off.  I've dropped 20 lbs since Lavaman!!  If you've never dropped 20 lbs in your life I have a suggestion for you.  Gab a backpack w/20lbs of weight in it and go for a run :) and/or a bike.

So between the two how have I faired?  Well I went for a short BRick workout today.  25 minutes on the Bike and I averaged over 14 MPR! a month and a half ago I was averaging 11.   And the run?  Well I did a 10 minute run and the best part was I didn't feel like my legs were made of lead when I started - 10 minutes and I averaged under 12 min/mile.  Now I can't sustain that pace for long still, but to keep it up for 10 minutes!?  I was lucky/happy to keep a 15 min/mile pace before!!!

So - wish me luck tomorrow - I'll try to post a report as soon as I can.  I want to finish in less then 2.5 hours.  I think they'll be posting results on this page Envirosports sometime tomorrow.

Interesting Discovery

The past four weeks while on Medifast has been really strange for me. I've found myself not tempted by off plan foods, no cravings, no struggles. It's been nice but strange and almost frightening. I mean, what if those feelings spontaneously return?

I still don't fully understand why this is happening to me, but tonight I was able to further clarify the extent in on this very strange feeling I've had.

We went out to dinner tonight at Chili's. As I read through the menu looking for something with chicken and veggies I realized that none of the food was 'attracting' me the way it normally would. I have noticed this over the past few weeks but it was really brought to my attention tonight because I was sitting there reading a menu and I was having this -- indifferent attitude.

If you've never been a food addict, then maybe you can't understand how strange it is to look at a menu of food and be hungry and see the food as -- fuel, not the highlight/pleasure of the day.

Anyway, later as my hubby was flipping through the desert menu and looking at all the pictures I found myself, once again, looking at it all with supreme indifference (and shock at my reaction). Finally I was able to put my finger on the HUGE difference. I couldn't 'taste' the food.

It's the only way I can think of to describe it. While looking at the pictures, while reading the descriptions, I realized my 'normal' reaction of being able to taste the food, to visualize the smell, flavor and texture, was gone! THAT'S why I'm not craving foods.

Is it possible I'm doing it on purpose?!

When I started this diet I gave myself 'no choice' to go off plan. I've not argued with my feast beast, I've just said "NO" and that's it. Has this caused the 'shutdown' of my normal reaction?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining - no by a long long shot. I just don't want it to come back!? If I can hang onto this feeling -- I'll never struggle with my weight again!

100 Days - Day 3 - Do it anyway

Commited means do it anyway

People who are interested in losing weight

• Stick with it until something better comes along
  
• Take action only if tey "feel like" doing it
  
• Need to see results in order to stay motivated
  
• Blame people or circumstances for their struggles
  
• Easily give up when they face challenges
  

People who are committed to losing weight

• Stick with their plans no matter what
  
• Take action whether they feel like doing it or not
  
• Assume that if they stay motivated, results will follow
  
• Take responsibility for their own actions
  
• Keep going in spite of challenge and setbacks
  

Today:

In your diet or exercise plan, identify a task you don't feel like doing, then do it anyway!

-- I've really been struggling with excercise and I don't know why - probably because I forgot to bring my 'do it anyway' attitude to bear.  Well it's come to bear now and I'm not going to let my 'feelings' determine weather I do it or not.  It's time to be committed to all aspects of this lifestyle.  In fact, it's time to be more committed in a lot of things in my life.   I live way too much of my life just 'interested' in the things around me.  I really do believe that living life to it's fullest means making committments and keeping them.

Notice how it feel sot accomplish a goal by taking a "no matter what" approach to it.

-- Just changing my thinking to "no matter what" gives me a burst of energy and a feeling of satisfaction - imagine what actually living that will do.

In your notebook, make a list of actions you plan to stick with today, regardless of howyou feel at the moment.

-- Get in a short bike and run - despite the rain

-- Eat an extra serving of veggies at dinner

-- Go to bed early and get all the rest I need for tomorrow's big day.

So - anyone reading this blog?  Have you committed?

Weigh-in Day

Saturday is my weigh in day, and today's my weigh in. --219.6!! I met my goal for the week!

That's a 2.7lb loss for this week and a total of 19.4 for four weeks!

As for exercise, I didn't meet my goals for this week. I kept using my race tomorrow as a reason to 'take it easy' only I managed to translate that as 'do nothing'. I don't want to be 'skinny fat' - I want to be FIT! so this week I'm going to be focused. Not having to focus on the food should make focusing on getting my exercise in easy.

Goals for next week?

Sunday - 219.3
Monday - 218.9
Tuesday - 218.6
Wednesday - 218.3
Thursday - 218.0
Friday - 217.6
Final Goal: 217.3

Alright - got to run, I have to go sing at the Relay for life.

100 Days - Day 2 - Interested or committed

Committed means "no matter what!"

You don't blame circumstances or other people for your struggles. Instead, you stay on your diet in spite of not having enough money, time or supportive friends and family members.

Decide that you will always be committed to your weight-loss plan, not just interested.

-- I've been doing that for four weeks now :)

In your notebook, describe how you will stick with your program, no matter what.

-- I will stick with my program, no matter what. As I said before, a party is still a party without a cake, and a night out is still a night out without a drink. When I stay on plan I'm loving myself and it's about time I spent a little love on myself.

Do at least one thing today that demonstrates you are truly committed. For example, take a walk or eat your vegetables - no matter what.

Today - I will go for a walk and make sure that my calories match my TEE on Medifast.