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Making a Change

Submitted by susi on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 14:07
In the photos to the left, I weighed 236 pounds. That was in 2005. That was the height of my weight gain.

In the photos to the right, taken August/September 2008, I weighed approximately 160 pounds, a 76 pound difference. I have achieved what I set out to do--essentially, to obtain a healthy body and a better hip to waist ratio.

Although I still desire to lose about 15-20 more pounds, the hardest part is over--the part where I had to convince myself that I could do it.

The part where I failed, then got back up and tried again. And again.

The part where I, in the process of nearly three years, found out who I really was.

For any nerds/geeks or anyone in general who would like tips from someone who lost a great deal of weight and has been able to keep it off for this long, please leave me a comment here in this entry! If I get enough questions, I can start a tab on this site where I answer them!

That being said, I'm no fitness expert or doctor or anything like that. I'm just someone who did it. I don't have any gimmicks or magic pills. Just encouragement and hard facts that you can find in multitudes of books. But I managed to put them together in a way that works and would love to help others out!

My first tips are:

  • Register at SparkPeople.com. I lost nearly 30 pounds using this site. It's free!
  • Drink half your body weight in water in fluid ounces. I actually try to drink 100 fl. oz. a day. That keeps me from retaining excess body water.
  • Write down EVERYTHING you eat! Journal it! See where your calories are coming from! There are some good books out there with calorie contents in everything--but SparkPeople has a database and a good nutrition journal which is easy to use!
  • Find a supportive community. Find a friend to help or to join. Get a cheerleading squad! Use forums (like those at SparkPeople!). People who have support and use forums have more success in losing weight.

Find someone who inspires you and print out photos of them. I have pictures of Princess Leia and Jillian Michaels everywhere. I'm not even joking. One of my goals is to eventually sport a gold bikini! And Jillian Michaels is pretty much my hero. I adore her. You can also hang up inspirational quotes on your fridge or on your bathroom mirror. Put things in places that will keep you motivated and remind you why you're doing this. Maybe pictures of your kids, or your dog, or whatever!

Changing is hard and you have to want it, because if you don't, you'll give up. You have to decide that you love yourself enough to make the change for a healthier you. The first hurdles are hard, but if you can get over them and establish healthy habits, it gets easier from there.

So, please feel free to leave any questions in the comments here or email me at susi@gmail.com!

Triathlons--Fall/Winter Training - Week Two

Submitted by susi on Mon, 09/08/2008 - 11:20

Monday, I have off today! Yay!

Tuesday, I strength trained.

Wednesday, I ran instead of swimming.

Thursday, I did nothing.

Friday, I swam.

Saturday, I strength trained.

Sunday, I jump roped but did not bike.

Health--Women's Health No Gear Workout

Submitted by susi on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 09:53

Here's a link to a workout plan provided by Women's Health that you can do anywhere. It requires NO equipment. I do workouts like this at work all the time!

No Gear Here

Check out all of their workouts for more ideas!

Health News--Taking Stairs Could Extend Your Life

Submitted by susi on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 12:50

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator could reduce your risk of premature death, according to a Swiss study presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

During the 12-week study, 69 volunteers were told to use the stairs exclusively instead of taking the elevator while at work. On average, the number of flights of stairs they climbed or descended increased from five a day to 23, BBC News reported.

At the end of the study, the participants had better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines, and lower blood pressure. Taken together, the physical benefits of using stairs translated into a 15 percent reduced risk of premature death from any cause, the University of Geneva researchers said.

"This suggests that stair climbing can have major public health implications," said lead researcher Dr. Phillippe Meyer, who added that the findings need to be confirmed in larger studies.

SOURCES:
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Triathlons--Fall/Winter Training - Week One

Submitted by susi on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 18:20

Tomorrow, I start my off-season training plans. I'll do two plans and that will take me right up to the point of training for my half-ironman next year. Brr!

Here's this week:

Monday, I had off. 'Nuff said.

Tuesday, I did my strength training. Luckily, I've been on a consistent ST schedule for some time now, so it wasn't an issue. Still need heavier weights...

Wednesday, I went for my scheduled swim--1000 yards in all. I hadn't been swimming in ages, so now my arms and legs are weary. Did lots of drills.

Thursday, I did more strength training.

Friday, I spun for 30 minutes and did my drills. It felt good. A lot less tiring than the swimming and a lot more calories burned... How does that work? I don't get it.

Saturday, I was supposed to strength train, but instead I drank 60 oz of beer. That's the same, righ?

Sunday, I didn't do my scheduled run; instead I biked a little bit and really felt the burn in my legs from the spinning on Friday. Yowza. About to do some STR training. (nerd).
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