downside

I want to be anywhere but in my own skin right now. had to say something "out loud" for my own sanity. will explain in a future entry. uuuggggh

less than ecstatic but promising plans ahead

I was 141 this morning, what...the...hell! I ate relatively well yesterday, meaning I don't think I overdid it on calories or awful food. I also did a super intense lunchtime walk up hills and stairs. I also ate early, so if anything that should have tipped the scale in my favour, but nah! Hooooowever, I have decided to do a Game On! Diet challenge starting Sunday with a few women from work and one of my previous challengers. This is precisely what I need to force me out of my newly acquired bad habits from my vacation. We will do it for the entire month of April, just in time to lose a few to buy a dress for a wedding I have been invited to by my man-friend... I suppose I could start just calling him my boyfriend now, but I find man-friend amusing. So I've fallen halfway off the wagon and am being dragged reluctantly by the straps, but I will get back on that horse. Once I kickstart my weight loss again, I will get back into fitness stuff and eating homemade food that is balanced. For now, my mission this week was to cut back on Swiss truffles (save them for a special occasion instead of eating them all in 2 days :), eat fewer carbs and more protein and veggies and fruit and water, AND get a little exercise every day. I have accomplished everything except adding much more protein and cutting carbs. It's difficult after two weeks of a fully carb diet! But the Game On! challenge will have me back on track since I can't have any refined sugar and only a healthy amount of carbiage. Okay, bonne journee tout le monde!

the party's over

back from Rome. It was amazing. I am happy to be back home for some reasons, but not so thrilled for others. Like tax season. Like work being hectic. Like having gained 5 lbs and trying to lose that. I am at 140 lbs this morning and it was even a bit of a struggle getting there. I am dying to be back way far from 140. I was 136.6 when I left, so I want to be back there and then some. I think I'll do the Game On challenge, but once my taxes are done. Too many things to think of at once :) wish me luck!

The culmination of a year of work

Hi gentle readers, whoever, wherever you are.

It has been a while since I last wrote. That is because I've taken a vacation in Rome. A vacation from weight loss, and vacation from work, from intense exercise, from people... Most of all, this is a vacation to reward myself for losing 50 lbs this year. I still have a few more to go, and a tonne of maintenance and toning work to do, but for now this trip is a big, luxurious pat on the back for Number One.

So far, I have had an absolutely amazing time. The initial part of the trip I was mostly in awe at all the beautiful things, people and places. I've been hanging out with the cool artist crowd here (friends of friends who are a blast), and doing only basic tourist stuff. The mid-way part of the trip (now) has been crazier, with more partying and meeting more and more people. The latter portion of my stay will be spent shopping for thank you gifts and gifts to bring home, if I find anything worthwhile (I can guarantee I will though).

Food-wise, I will most probably NOT have gained any weight here. Most days we walk a ton. We start our days around 9-11 am with an espresso (marocchino is my new fav': espresso with a little dash of milk and chocolate/cinnamon) and a cornetto (essentially a croissant made with olive oil, delicious). Later, we usually have lunch around 2-4pm, and I've been trying to get in veggies. Dinner has mostly been light (unless we don't eat lunch), because they do apperitivo, which is widespread here. It basically means a pre-dinner drink, but in Rome you pay for your drink and that covers the food they bring you. So, for about 5-7 euros (about 8 dollars) you get a drink and all you can eat yum-yums. So I've been eating rather light.

Yesterday I almost didn't eat all day, so dinner was a large helping of carbonara, the best ever. I chased that with a lot of little bits and pieces of other dishes like skewers, spinach, chicory, etc. Oh yeah, and lots of wine, coffee and limoncello :)

I buy fruit at the local store and have that in the morning too. Their kiwis and clementines are fantastic, so I had to take advantage of that too...

I would guess that I am still at about 137, but honestly I have no idea. I base it on how my stomach looks. When I get close to 136-137 my stomach looks like I have abs. When I get near 138-140, it looks more even and puffed out. I ate VERY late last night and drank a lot, so my stomach is a little puffy right now, but generally speaking it has looked pretty thin.

Okay, enough talking about weight loss on my vacation. However, since I have to sit around and wait for my friends to get here in an hour or so, I think I might ACTUALLY do some exercise by going for a jog or walk... we'll see if I make it out the door...

I did it!

Well pretty much!

I was 136.4 this morning, HOORAHHHH! Right before leaving for Rome and the last time I'll see a scale until I get back, which might be scary.

I wanted to be 135 by the time I left, but just getting to 136 has been a bit of a fight, so I am thrilled. That means 50 lbs lost as of today, the day I leave on my well-deserved reward vacation. BOOYAHHH!!

It's been a while

What a rollercoaster I've been on the last week... I barely have a moment to breathe let alone blog, so excuse me please for my long absences...

Essentially, the scale has been up and down. I got back down to 137, twice. I think I'll be higher tomorrow morning even though I'm being careful. It's getting pretty frustrating but ah well. I guess after loading up on carbs in Italy, it will be easier to drop pounds when I get back and find some sort of routine of working out (with better weather). I haven't felt like reporting much because it's up and down every day.

I've been relatively good about getting enough fruits and veg, just overdoing the carbs slightly, and under-doing the protein en consequence.

My grandma is doing much better this week. She's still in the hospital but I've visited her a few times and can leave with my mind at ease since I see tangible improvements and can clearly see that the original and frightening "2 weeks to live" diagnosis was way off. She's a fighter, my Grandmaman... I would also like to dedicate a special thanks to her on International Women's Day, for being so awesome and an inspiration to me spiritually.

I busted a finger playing volleyball yesterday, which is unfortunate since it was my last game for week, but I guess it's better since I'll have weeks to heal. I don't know if it's fractured or just sprained, I'll have to just wait and see. For now it's mobile, but blue and swollen and painful to the touch... but not so painful if I'm careful.

I am packing right now. I have to pack way in advance (for me) because I wont really have time tomorrow (I leave Thursday). I'm not used to packing in advance but it needs to be done. I have a work-related pot luck to organize as well as a wedding gift thingy for a co-worker, as well as putting my car away for two weeks and on and on and on...

All in all, I am totally unprepared for this trip, but not worried much because I'm meeting people there who are locals. I am sad to be leaving behind my wonderful man-friend, but will be having an all-girls vacation that will do me some good.

on the phone, gotta go!

Thank the lo-erd.

I was back to 138.8 this morning, yeesh that was a (mild) scare. I was all the way to 142 this week, and wasn't blogging out of frustration at myself. I was very good food-wise yesterday, with loads of veggies, healthy fats and proteins :)

I also walked 35 minutes in freezing cold to go to volleyball, and then proceeded to play for a full three hours, booyah! I played some of the best games I've ever played. Unfortunately it wasn't for my own team, but that's alright. I now have another team that will call on me if they need a hand, so that means more vball for moi :)

I am reaaaaaallly hoping to see 136, if not 135 by next Thursday. Unfortunately, at the rate I'm going it's unlikely. I have family things this weekend (my grandma is doing better though, yay), which means my healthy eating is mostly out the window (I will try my best). And absolutely no time for myself to go grocery shopping, cook, clean, etc. Tonight I will have a chance to clean a little before my brother arrives, then it will be non-stop action until the moment I fly out of here to Rome.

So if I don't write much this week you'll understand. But I'll be struggling to get that scale to be nice before I go...