No ranting today, I think. This is the fitness program part of my blog. Because I figure if I write it down, I will be more likely to stick to a program – and can also come back and read my posts for motivation.
My goal is to lose a certain amount of weight by December, 2015. Since it is May, I think that’s doable. Not saying how much, but suffice to say I am now a size 16. I am a lot more comfortable going by dress sizes than weight, because it isn’t so embarrassing to me.
So, by December, the goal is also to get to size 10.
I don’t remember when I was a size 10. I was a size 8 at age 18, and can you believe I thought I was fat?! I weighed 120 lbs at 5’4″. That’s only fat by modeling standards.
Yes, the skinny standard has really not changed much since 1974, sad to say. Women still think they are fat, pretty much no matter what size they are.
If it isn’t fat, it’s wrinkles/sagging/grey hair/arm flaps (don’t ask if you don’t know, but even Madonna has them, and she works out!). Women are not really allowed to grow old gracefully.
But I digress…size 10 by December, ok. That’s really only 3 dress sizes, and I think I can manage that. If I drop more, my goodness I will be over the moon!
My plan is simple: Walk 30 minutes per day, at least 5 days/week. And since my Oster “MyBlend” blender arrived today, it’s smoothie time!!
1-2 smoothies per day in place of meals. I am aware of the calorie trap smoothies can be, so I bought whey powder, 1% organic milk, nonfat yogurt, and frozen fruit. Protein and carbs.
No green smoothies for me! Sorry, but I think that green smoothies are the most disgusting-looking drinks on the face of the planet! I do not like green drinks to slam, I do not like them Sam I Am!
Plus, kale is notorious for having oxalates – and if you get kidney stones, oxalates are a huge no-no. That includes nuts and nut butters (awww), rhubarb (yuck), potato chips/french fries (awww again), and beets (awww x 3!).
Of course, health websites also say that large amounts of protein can help kidney stones develop. Damn! Can’t win! I’ll take my chances with that one.
What kind of monster would tell someone to give up cheese?? Ain’t happening. I love love love cheese of all kinds.
So, that’s the plan. Since I now eat almost nothing but fruit and vegetables – and cheese! – it should be easy. Oh yeah and the beans and rice thing, too, got to get back to that. Increasing fiber to a goal of 20-30 grams/day.
If I am still hungry after that (and I’m usually not, fiber is filling!), I tell myself I can eat whatever I want. Since that is mainly whatever is in my apt, it’s limited. If I want sugary yummy goodness, I have to either walk to the store, or pick it up once a month when I go food shopping. That limits it quite a bit.
And even if I just HAVE TO HAVE A DONUT, the donut shop is nearly a mile away so I reckon I would walk off those calories in no time. The fact that it is so far away, though, deters me from going there (that, and the fact that they replaced the Dunkin’ Donuts with a local, not-as-good donut shop).
The gas station that sells junk food is not far, but they don’t have the kind of junk food I like, so….the local Sheetz, however, does. It’s half a mile from my apt. I might actually walk there some time, but since I am so tired most days, it won’t be often.
I have been walking for a week now. Down to Basin Park, then twice around the trails that go by the Juniata River and the band shell. It’s a really nice park. I will show pictures when I actually take good ones (didn’t know Moto had a zoom function, so all the pictures I have taken thus far are teeny tiny).
I have to admit, up until today, I hated my walks.
It wasn’t always that way – any time in the past when I did the walking-for-fitness thing, I enjoyed it for the most part. But this last go-round, it’s different.
For one thing, I have to get up early so it isn’t hot by the time I get walking. This is no easy feat, as I have two extremely annoying cats who seem to think it is their life’s purpose to wait about 3 minutes after I have closed my eyes…
Crash! A lamp, a glass, some books? One cat on the dresser, looking pleased with himself.
I have a floor lamp that has shelves. One of the cats likes to pull it down. It’s fun to see all that stuff go flying, I guess.
Or…they could be sleeping on my bed, but a few minutes after I turn off the light to go to sleep myself, one gets up. Taps me with his paw, on my arm or my face. The other one finds a box and starts hitting the flap, over and over and OVER again (ok, got to get rid of boxes, I know, but I have no storage space).
So, there’s that issue – getting enough sleep so I can wake up decently at 8 am. So far, I am dragging my ass outta bed with 4 hours of sleep. I know it’s just a matter of time before I decide to walk later in the day. But for now, I am cranky when I get up.
Aside: I can’t kick the cats out of the bedroom and close the door, because I only have one window a/c unit, and that’s in the bedroom. They would get way too hot – I live upstairs and so it can get mighty hot in my small apt.
Victoria's Viewpoint 
Excellent!! I’m really happy for you. You will feel better, no doubt.
I know how difficult it can be, but it certainly can be done. Dorene lost close to 40 pounds through diet and exercise, even with her physical challenges. It is possible, and the longer you do it, the more you’ll be motivated and the more rewarded you’ll feel when you reach your goal.
And speaking of motivation, start taking selfies. That can be a huge motivation when you start losing the pounds and then compare how you look to when you started. No one has to see them but you. And it’s a great visual way to chart your progress.
I’d stick with the hat so you can have at least one free hand. It doesn’t matter if it looks stupid, you’re not entering a fashion show. If it covers your head and blocks the sun, that’s important. (You saw the hat I was wearing in the Asheville pix! Did I care how it looked? Nah, it kept the sun off.) Then, even with your cane, you’ll still have a hand free.
And finally, as far as the temptation of junk food… someone once said something to me, although it was in reference to alcohol, but the same can be said about junk food, “You learned to like it, you can learn to unlike it.” I applied that to chips and sweets as well. I rarely eat chips or cake, haven’t had a donut in probably 30 years, and don’t miss it.
I still have that stuff on occasion, but it’s a lot easier to pass it by these days.
People have said they don’t want to “deprive” themselves. Well, if you don’t have a taste for it, then how are you “depriving” yourself?
This is all great! Keep up the walking and pretty soon, you’ll get grumpy if you DON’T walk! You’ll actually look forward to getting up and walking, trust me.
Like I said, this is all great stuff, and I’m really happy for you.
Keep it up! And write about your progress.
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Thanks for the supportive words! It’s especially helpful this evening, as when I went to take a nap…..yep, they got up again and caused trouble. I have never had such bratty cats!! I’m tired and cranky again.
My junk food weakness is pizza, but as it is way out of my budget, I don’t eat it. Chips, not really into anymore. So, yes, you can definitely retrain your palate. And I figure it’s like a few other things you just have to give up when you get older – it’s a trade-off.
I do like donuts but again, no money for that stuff since I went organic. By the time I buy fruits and vegetables and whole grain bread and beans and all that good stuff, I am out of food stamps. Since I choose the healthy parts of the grocery store to start my shopping, this is deliberate on my part.
At this point in my life, I would rather get healthy and look good than eat junk food.
As for selfies, I am having a heck of a time with that. I guess I need more practice.
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“What kind of monster would tell someone to give up cheese?? Ain’t happening. I love love love cheese of all kinds.” Call me a monster then. Cheese isn’t good for anyone. Sure it tastes wonderful, but hey, that tends to be the problem with dieting. Chocolate tastes wonderful too, and so do baked potatoes with sour cream, and so does a t-bone steak with mushrooms (I seem to remember)–but, so what? If you’re a vegetarian/vegan you give up the steak because you think it’s inhumane, maybe also because meat consumption is bad for the planet, et al, and milk products are liquid meat (animal suffering and bad for you too). But as far as the argument that it’s “monstrous” to tell someone to give up a beloved food, nuh-uh, that’s just how the world works. Might as well ask what kind of God invented menstrual cramps.
Lest anyone think I’m holier than anyone else, I’ve struggled w/ food my whole life and just eat too damn much of the stuff. I’m not knocking your plan to walk and lose weight. Just the opposite. Just saying that as far as cheese: wishing won’t make it so. I’ve been wishing for a soy version of Brie for years.
(BTW my ethnic group also tends to have problems digesting milk products, which hasn’t stopped us making plenty of them. Nu?)
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Thank you for your comments.
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