February 18, 2012

WLB - Week 1 - Post 3 (What I Have Been Doing)

Originally posted on my Win, Lose, or Blog blog when I was a Win, Lose, or Blog season seven contestant.

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Along with the employee wellness center workouts I have also done various things at home. When it was warmer I walked every other day. I would walk for 30 to 45 minutes trying to incorporate hills in my town into each walk.

When I didn't walk outside I would use my elliptical machine. I have had the elliptical machine for years. When I first got it I tried using it and would quit after five minutes because it was so difficult for me. Why was it so difficult? Who the hell knows. Maybe because I was a wimp. Maybe because I just wasn't really that motivated to do it. At any rate, this time around it has been much easier.



Sometimes I just want to get the exercise in to be able to say I exercised so I will get my laptop, choose a show on Hulu, then hold my laptop on the elliptical where there is a little ledge and I will watch my show. I keep a pretty good pace with a higher resistance and when the commercials come on I will push it really hard. Since I am holding the laptop (it would fall if I let go) I don't use the arm handles (or whatever you want to call them) but I figure there has to be some benefit to keeping my arms at just above shoulder height while holding the laptop and if nothing else my legs are working and I am getting my heart rate up.



On the alternate days I would do the 30 Day Shred or try one of my other old exercise DVDs. I really enjoy the 30 Day Shred. It is a great feeling to see/feel the difference in my endurance as I have continued to do this. The first time I did it I wanted to DIE and that was with many breaks to catch my breath or to rest. I can now do Workout 1 without breaks and with minimal modification. I just started doing Workout 2 and love it; there is a bit more modification (than with Workout 1) but I don't have to catch my breath or rest very often if at all.

In addition to the fitness items I have mentioned I have also modified my eating. I don't believe what I have done is dieting. I have made changes that I can live with forever. Currently, cutting out sugar and soda completely are not things I am comfortable with. One of the main reasons for this is because when I say, "Self, no more [insert food item here]" I then crave said food item more than ever. Kudos to those individuals who can just stop eating chocolate, sugar, meat, dairy, etc.



To help me modify my eating I have been using the Weight Watchers Points Plus information. I don't go to meetings I just use the Points Plus system. I use it to keep what I eat in check. (I love the new Points Plus system. This time around I am not hungry all of the time.) K2T2 has the Weight Watcher's books that have points listed in them but I get the majority of the points for items I eat and exercise point calculations, by using the WWDiary app. This app is awesome. I use the WWDiary app to figure the points for items using the nutrition information for the item. If I have made something from a recipe or if I don't have the nutrition information, I use the Recipe Analyzer or search for the specific item on calorie count.

By searching online I find most of the point values I need. I like to use Exercise 4 Weight Loss for locating the point values for items served in restaurants. Not every restaurant know to man is available so I will choose a restaurant with similar items or I go to the restaurant website and search for nutrition information. Hint - While I don't eat at Golden Corral I have found the food listing to be pretty handy for condiments, side dishes, and other basic items. Exercise 4 Weight Loss has various calculators and tools in addition to a section with Weight Watchers information and some points calculators.

That is the basics of what I have been doing. In future posts I will try to get more specific and provide more information on other items that have helped me with my journey thus far.

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