And I still need to change that.
I’ll do without the ongoing online spleen-venting this time (partially because I don’t need the additional arena in which to fail if this doesn’t go well, but mostly because it’s boring).
Today I joined an informal weight-loss group at work. Each of us is pledging a dollar amount and a percentage of our total body weight (minimum 5%, maximum 10%). If you make your percentage, you don’t pay. If you don’t, then you put it in a pot to be divided among successful participants.
I pledged $50 and said I could lose 10% of my total body weight by May 5. I’ll still have a long way to go, but that will be one hell of a start—enough to get in smaller jeans, anyway.
I also went ahead and scheduled a physical for a month after that.
Slow burn. Marathon, not sprint. Marshaled energy. Back on the horse after a slip-up. Lifestyle change, not diet. Doing it right so I never have to do it again.
Deep breath.
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Hey, shoot me a line if you want to take a walking lunch when it warms up a bit! I need to move my lazy bones more.
Definitely will. Thanks for the offer. Part of the strategy this time is to have as many 20 activities available (to fill five exercise slots in a week). Boredom torpedoes me badly on physical activity.
I got yoga booty ballet dvds; just sayin’, if you want to borrow.
“I’ve been doing that Jane Fonda workout tape. I bought ‘On Golden Pond.’ Somebody told me ‘Barbarella’ is so much easier.” – Howie Mandel
The weirdest thing on the list so far is unicycling. Lea got me one for my birthday one year (at my request), and I tried for a week or so, but mostly just banged the hell out of my shins (pads are a must) and, occasionally, my ass (insert your own joke here). I’m sure that with determination, and a lot more pain, I’ll be able to ride it.
Then I’m going to learn to juggle clubs, and get a nice ruff.
Dude, I SO need to lose weight. For me, though, it’s not so much about the weight as it is my general health and ability to stand upright. I’ve got to get serious about getting to the gym for ME, not just when I’m expected to be there to teach.
Clue me in on some of your strategies (aside from the unicycle (seriously?) and the juggling. Oh, and if you haven’t already, try to develop a taste for diet sodas (if you drink sodas). I KNOW they’re toxic waste, but given how much I used to drink, I was saving myself a GOOD number of calories by switching to the diet versions…
Remind me to tell you about the clipless pedal episode on the bike. (Everyone who rides with those things has a story…)
14. Do you like cinnamon toothpaste?
No. I like actual cinnamon, but I don’t much care for cinnamon-flavored anything.
So does this mean you just chew on a stick, or do you prefer to to snort the powder?
No, I mean I don’t like artificial cinnamon flavor. Red hots, Brach’s hard candy, Big Red chewing gum, or (presumably) cinnamon toothpaste. Cinnamon toast, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon graham crackers, etc. are all fine.
Dude … I’m coming up on my one-year anniversary of having gastric bypass surgery. Let me tell you, while it was the BEST thing I’ve done for me, you do not want to let yourself get to the point that I did. It’s radical. It’s life-changing. And it’s amazing to not “diet” any more. I don’t advocate it as THE solution for all people, but for me, having a tool that forces me (through physical, negative feedback) to eat much less and much better really works. It’s not a quick fix by any means. It’s tough work. Constant tough work. And I just want to slap people who say things like “sure, you lost 145 pounds in a year but you cheated by doing it the easy way.” Sure, I still have issues with cravings and such, but it takes much less to fill the void now that said void is so much smaller. That and eliminating all sugar from my life. I do not want to know that I don’t dump with sugar. Sugar’s my heroin.
As for exercise: do it. Just resolve to do it. Whatever it takes. That’s what I did. Of course, I had the motivation of “I’ve gone through this radical surgery so I’d better work my ass off so that I don’t fail at the last chance I have.” I always hated the folks who’d tell me that once I got into an exercise routine I’d “love” it and “want” to do it. Still drives me nuts to hear it, but you know what? They were right. After a year of consistent exercise (and I mean I started out doing just a short 10 minute slow stint on a treadmill 3 days a week and slowly upped the pace and length every couple of weeks, then did the same thing with the elliptical machine), I really do feel it and miss it when I don’t do it. But I had to find that one out for myself … and find something I liked to do.
I guess all I’m trying to say is you can do it. Baby steps … huge steps … whatever works for you … just get moving. I’ll be out there moving with ya in spirit. =)
Thanks much for the encouragement, Tami. Hugs.
I haven’t seen you in person in quite some time. Sounds like I wouldn’t recognize you. Congratulations!
I did an actual workout at an actual gymnasium last week with an exercise addict with whom I work. He is in top physical shape, so obviously I couldn’t match him, but I did all of the weights he did (with 50-60% of the weight). That was plenty enough to hurt the next day.
We also spent some time on the exercise bike. We were going to do that for 30 minutes, and about 2 minutes in I said “no, 15,” and then in another 3 minutes I said “no, 10.” Heh. I kept my word on 10, and then went to 11.
We’ll go again this week. I want that workout to be one of the things from which I can choose when I’m filling my exercise slots for the week.