Today's swim was brought to you by the letters A, W, E, S, O, M and E. I decided I had enough of my faux breast stroke (since I don't kick my feet in the frog like kick) and did every other lap freestyle (the crawl) and it allowed me to add another 100 meters onto my swim in just shy of 45 minutes! I'm up to swimming 22 lengths or 11 laps or 1200 meters or .68 of a mile. Anyway you dice it, it's awesome.
I've noticed that throughout the day, after a swim, my lungs feel the burn. When I take a deep breath it feels similar to after you've had a good, hard, long wail of a cry. That small little reminder of what I already accomplished that morning sticks with me until after lunch, sometimes into the mid-afternoon and I love it.
Logging my food with My Fitness Pal has been terrific. I've not missed a day in almost 70 days now. I log religiously and I log honestly. Most days I can stay under my calorie goal, although I try to get as close to it as I can, after all, I am SUPPOSED to eat those calories to fuel my body and the site has already created a deficit for me in order to help me lose weight. MFP gives me back calories for my exercise, similar to Weight Watcher's Activity Points" and I do try to eat half of those back although some days my food throughout the day is filling enough that I don't really use the extras. I'm eating loads of great food and I'm making myself aware of the caloric costs of my choices. Mostly though, I'm just loving it.
I hope by Monday I will be weighing in for the last time in the 260's and in two weeks should be claiming my space in the 250's for a little while. That feels incredible.
I hope you're all having healthy, successful weeks!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Another day, another 1000 meters (that's one kilometer)
Got up and got in the pool again. Swam another 1000 meters. Felt awesome. Not to many silver bullets to dodge. Not much else to say other than I think I found my "thang".
Monday, April 23, 2012
Good things can also come in 3's, right? RIGHT!
Today is a freaking awesome day of accomplishments and they came in 3’s!
When I logged into My Fitness Pal I was greeted with “Congratulations, this is your 65th day of logging in”. That is 65 days of uninterrupted accountability for the food that I am putting into my body. Like I said before, this is the first time in my life that I have felt mentally prepared to log and not obsess and scrutinize myself to the point of mental paralysis (which of course then leads to binging for me). It is going so super well and I have some serious love for the website. It helps me in planning my days and it’s just a bit shocking to see the caloric dent you can make in your daily allowance with just one silly, unneeded snack or lunch (not that the snack or lunch is un-needed, your body needs the fuel, but I’m talking about a chocolate chip muffin rather than an apple or some grapes). On the positive side, you can also see how great and low calorie some really wonderful foods are. I was actually surprised that on most days of the week I can fit some whole wheat pasta into my calorie range. You hear so many myths about “omg carbs” but they’re actually necessary for your body and let’s not mince words here, they’re freaking delicious.
Second huge achievement was adding another 100 meters onto my swim this morning for a whopping 1000 meter swim in 45 minutes! That’s 0.6 miles. Yeah, I’m no Olympian but I have added to my lengths steadily over the past month and feel so accomplished.
And the third and final piece of today’s achievement puzzle… I dropped another .6 kilos or 1.3 pounds and am down to 119 kilos (even) or 261.8 lbs! I am just 1.8 pounds away from being in the 50’s!
I am feeling so strong both in my mind and in my body. That’s a wonderful, wonderful way to start your week.
I wish you all happy, successful, healthy weeks!
When I logged into My Fitness Pal I was greeted with “Congratulations, this is your 65th day of logging in”. That is 65 days of uninterrupted accountability for the food that I am putting into my body. Like I said before, this is the first time in my life that I have felt mentally prepared to log and not obsess and scrutinize myself to the point of mental paralysis (which of course then leads to binging for me). It is going so super well and I have some serious love for the website. It helps me in planning my days and it’s just a bit shocking to see the caloric dent you can make in your daily allowance with just one silly, unneeded snack or lunch (not that the snack or lunch is un-needed, your body needs the fuel, but I’m talking about a chocolate chip muffin rather than an apple or some grapes). On the positive side, you can also see how great and low calorie some really wonderful foods are. I was actually surprised that on most days of the week I can fit some whole wheat pasta into my calorie range. You hear so many myths about “omg carbs” but they’re actually necessary for your body and let’s not mince words here, they’re freaking delicious.
Second huge achievement was adding another 100 meters onto my swim this morning for a whopping 1000 meter swim in 45 minutes! That’s 0.6 miles. Yeah, I’m no Olympian but I have added to my lengths steadily over the past month and feel so accomplished.
And the third and final piece of today’s achievement puzzle… I dropped another .6 kilos or 1.3 pounds and am down to 119 kilos (even) or 261.8 lbs! I am just 1.8 pounds away from being in the 50’s!
I am feeling so strong both in my mind and in my body. That’s a wonderful, wonderful way to start your week.
I wish you all happy, successful, healthy weeks!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Dodging the silver bullets
That's the only way I can refer to my swim this morning. The pool was more crowded than usual for a week day, partially due to the team swimming practice taking up the first four lanes and I felt like I spent more time doging the silver bullets (a.k.a. silver headed old people, men in speedos, naturally) than I did really swimming. It sucks when you go in so pumped with a certain vision in mind and then it gets clouded with blurred images of geriatric feet and legs kicking.
Not only that, within my first four, or maybe six laps, I had no idea how many I had swam, so I decided to not concentrate on the amount of meters I went but rather focus on getting in some good kicking and strokes. I swam a full 45 minutes only stopping twice to drain the water (or maybe it's spit?) out of my snorkel and continue on. My arms were pretty shaky by the end which can only mean I worked the poor things to death. YES!!!!!!!!!!
One little question though, is it mean of me to purposely kick hard and above the surface when a certain somebody at the pool passes me by so that water may (or may not) splash her directly in the face, as she NEVER moves out of anybody's way? Naw, I didn't think so either.
Feeling great! Feeling motivated! Feeling a bit chlorine-y and dried out but liking it.
Due to Marco's work schedule I don't know when the next time I'll be able to go swimming is, maybe not be until next week, so I have to figure out a time over the weekend when I can fit in some other sort of cardio and toning exercises.
Hope you're all haveing healthy, successful weeks!
Not only that, within my first four, or maybe six laps, I had no idea how many I had swam, so I decided to not concentrate on the amount of meters I went but rather focus on getting in some good kicking and strokes. I swam a full 45 minutes only stopping twice to drain the water (or maybe it's spit?) out of my snorkel and continue on. My arms were pretty shaky by the end which can only mean I worked the poor things to death. YES!!!!!!!!!!
One little question though, is it mean of me to purposely kick hard and above the surface when a certain somebody at the pool passes me by so that water may (or may not) splash her directly in the face, as she NEVER moves out of anybody's way? Naw, I didn't think so either.
Feeling great! Feeling motivated! Feeling a bit chlorine-y and dried out but liking it.
Due to Marco's work schedule I don't know when the next time I'll be able to go swimming is, maybe not be until next week, so I have to figure out a time over the weekend when I can fit in some other sort of cardio and toning exercises.
Hope you're all haveing healthy, successful weeks!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Another day, another swim
Swam today again and I realize that somewhere around lap 12 I start to lose count. My mind wanders and I never am really sure after 12 where I was in my count. Did I just say 12, or was that 13? It's a "back" lap so it must be an even number, so is it 14, or did I really do 12? Was that yesterday? Where am I? Who am I? Was that an 90 year old in a speedo? Oye!
I've decided I need (or want) some sort of device that I can use to keep track. Maybe a simple bracelet with beads on it would work but I would have to make sure the beads didn't move back one way or the other. Do any of you have any brilliant ideas on how I can keep better track?
So today I did somewhere between 700 and 800 meters, with a slight change of 900, but I think not. Either way, my butt got to the pool and got in the water and I swam a solid 45 minute streak.
Have I mentioned how much I love swimming? Yeah, love it!
Hope you're all having healthy successful weeks!
p.s. I realized that I forgot to post my weigh in Monday... I was down from 121.? kilos to 119.6 (263 pounds). When I started using My Fitness Pal on Feb 19th I weighed in at 125 kilos or 275 pounds. That's a 12.5 pound loss since mid Feb. Not to stinking shabby!
I've decided I need (or want) some sort of device that I can use to keep track. Maybe a simple bracelet with beads on it would work but I would have to make sure the beads didn't move back one way or the other. Do any of you have any brilliant ideas on how I can keep better track?
So today I did somewhere between 700 and 800 meters, with a slight change of 900, but I think not. Either way, my butt got to the pool and got in the water and I swam a solid 45 minute streak.
Have I mentioned how much I love swimming? Yeah, love it!
Hope you're all having healthy successful weeks!
p.s. I realized that I forgot to post my weigh in Monday... I was down from 121.? kilos to 119.6 (263 pounds). When I started using My Fitness Pal on Feb 19th I weighed in at 125 kilos or 275 pounds. That's a 12.5 pound loss since mid Feb. Not to stinking shabby!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Holy Busy Pools
This is the first time I've swam on the weekend and OMG I think I'll avoid it from now on. There wasn't one single lap that I swam that I didn't have to dodge somebody or multiple somebodies. Oh and to the two chatty Cathies who were totally immersed in conversation AND the water, how about shutting the hell up and getting out of people's way! They wouldn't move for anything! Here I am killing myself to try to be polite and they're yapping away, wading in the water totally clueless to the world around them.
Regardless of the that, I ended up swimming 18 laps, so 900 meters or .55 miles in 45 minutes. I'll go again tomorrow and if my arms aren't sore, I think I will be able to pull off twenty laps. I think I could have done it today had I had my own lane or only had to share with one or two people.
On a whim and with Marco's encouragement I tried on some of the smaller pants in my closet that have been sitting there waiting for me to get my act together and what do you know, some of them fit. He even mentioned how nice my butt looked in one pair! (you're welcome!) I still have work to do though. Loads of work to do but man, I haven't felt this great and positive since probably 2006-2007. I have a wonderful support network, a great plan, my heads on straight and I found an exercise that I LOVE. Can a girl have it all? Seems that this girl can!
Oh and for Mother's Day, I'm asking for a membership to the pool for a year. That'll beat any handbag I could have ever picked out!
I hope you're all having healthy successful weeks!
Regardless of the that, I ended up swimming 18 laps, so 900 meters or .55 miles in 45 minutes. I'll go again tomorrow and if my arms aren't sore, I think I will be able to pull off twenty laps. I think I could have done it today had I had my own lane or only had to share with one or two people.
On a whim and with Marco's encouragement I tried on some of the smaller pants in my closet that have been sitting there waiting for me to get my act together and what do you know, some of them fit. He even mentioned how nice my butt looked in one pair! (you're welcome!) I still have work to do though. Loads of work to do but man, I haven't felt this great and positive since probably 2006-2007. I have a wonderful support network, a great plan, my heads on straight and I found an exercise that I LOVE. Can a girl have it all? Seems that this girl can!
Oh and for Mother's Day, I'm asking for a membership to the pool for a year. That'll beat any handbag I could have ever picked out!
I hope you're all having healthy successful weeks!
Friday, April 13, 2012
A new personal best!
I do feel a bit silly posting about a new personal best when I've only been at this for a few weeks but if I'm anything, I'm silly! Today I swam 900 meters!!! That's an increase of 100 meters (back and forth across an Olympic size pool)! Considering my first swim I could only go for 600 meters, I'm simply pleased as punch with this accomplishment.
Ready for a nice mental picture...
The reason my distance has increased so greatly is that I've started using a snorkel. So yeah, I go in, swim cap, goggles and now a SNORKEL, for pete's sakes, and swim. In public. You know, where other people can SEE me. I haven't dared look at myself in the mirror in that get up for fear of a mental recall whilst swimming and inadvertently drowning myself in laughter
Being able to keep my head down in the water has changed the angle of my stroke, relieved the pressure on my neck and shoulders and just made the swim so much more enjoyable... and that's a lot considering I was loving it already.
I will not be able to go over the weekend due to Marco schedule but I'm already looking forward to dipping my toes back in the water.
Monday I will have my weigh-in. I'm hoping to wave goodbye to at least one pound, anything more than that is just an added bonus.
I hope you're all having healthy, successful weeks!
Ready for a nice mental picture...
The reason my distance has increased so greatly is that I've started using a snorkel. So yeah, I go in, swim cap, goggles and now a SNORKEL, for pete's sakes, and swim. In public. You know, where other people can SEE me. I haven't dared look at myself in the mirror in that get up for fear of a mental recall whilst swimming and inadvertently drowning myself in laughter
Being able to keep my head down in the water has changed the angle of my stroke, relieved the pressure on my neck and shoulders and just made the swim so much more enjoyable... and that's a lot considering I was loving it already.
I will not be able to go over the weekend due to Marco schedule but I'm already looking forward to dipping my toes back in the water.
Monday I will have my weigh-in. I'm hoping to wave goodbye to at least one pound, anything more than that is just an added bonus.
I hope you're all having healthy, successful weeks!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Just keep swimming!
I've got a new obsession. I started swimming laps a few weeks ago and I've taken to it... well, like a fish to water. I didn't want to "share" on here until I was sure that it was something I wanted to stick with though. I'll be the first to admit... I'm addicted. I love it! I love the sereness of being in the water, in the quiet, with my thoughts. I LOVE that the pool opens up early in the morning so this workout doesn't cut into any of my time with Sadie. I love that I can do it on every day Marco isn't working or works evening shift so I don't have to arrange any sort of child care. I love that it costs me a mere 3 euros for a swim. Most of all, I love that it burns a buttload of calories.
Combining this with My Fitness Pal and all of the information that Dewy provided me with is proving to be a really good formula for me. It works. I'm not hungry. I'm not binging. I'm totally aware of the foods I'm putting into my body and I'm remaning calm and collected throughout the entire process. Pounds aren't flying off "Biggest Loser" style, and I'm okay with that. In fact, I prefer that. They're coming off and that's good enough for me. I have time.
Combining this with My Fitness Pal and all of the information that Dewy provided me with is proving to be a really good formula for me. It works. I'm not hungry. I'm not binging. I'm totally aware of the foods I'm putting into my body and I'm remaning calm and collected throughout the entire process. Pounds aren't flying off "Biggest Loser" style, and I'm okay with that. In fact, I prefer that. They're coming off and that's good enough for me. I have time.
Currently I am swimming in 45 minute incriments because that allows me enough time to get a shower and make it to work by 9. In those 45 minutes I have worked up to swimming 800 meters or half a mile. My goal is to eventuall work up to swimming an entire mile non-stop. This will take some time as I've never really had swim lessons and am just kind of floundering around right now. At some point I will probably hire a swim coach and take a few lessons just to make sure I'm swimming efficiently.
I'd like to use my blog to track my progress and share with you just how far I'm actually going. I think it'll be a great reminder of how FAR I've actually swam! So expect some more posting from me. (YAY!)
And yes, sometimes during my laps I do get little Dory stuck in my head... "Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming!".
I hope you're all having healthy, successful weeks!
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