it's been awhile...

The month of November was a roller coaster.  I was on and off the wagon so many times I lost count.  Nothing particularly stressful happened, and I can't pinpoint any one reason.  Just the normal schedule of birthday parties and work get togethers and such, nothing too crazy to cause a train wreck.  

I spent a few days trying the TNT diet from Men's Health, which is sort of like Atkins, but much more scientific about where and when you can eat carbs.  I thought I was going to die :)  I didn't make it through the initial feeling like crap stage.

No more games :-)  I am back to what I was doing before, smart eating choices, lots of activity, and weekly weigh-ins with the kids on Friday morning.  

I know I went up to at least 327 during this stage, so the number I posted on Friday with the kids was awesome.  Although they alone saw it as a 2lb loss over 3 weeks :)  That's ok they though, they are staying on me which keeps me motivated.  My goal of 299 by XMAS is a probably a little out of reach, but I will not change it.  We'll see where I am when I get there, and then set a new goal.

Start: 337

Current: 322.1

Goal: 299

Maintain

could have been worse...  halloween party, 2 days of work lunches out and about...  only 3 trips to the gym...

goal for next week is 4lbs, 5 gym trips (one down already)

start: 337

Current: 324

goal: 299

dark days

i hate this time of year. while it was great to get an extra hour of much needed sleep, I hate that it gets so dark, so early. By the time I leave school, go right to the gym, and head home, it is dark. not a little dark, DARK. my body goes into bedtime mode, but alas it's only 5:30.

last week was a decent weight-loss week, down another 2 with only 3 trips to the gym and I weighed in a day early because their was no school on friday. the kids started reminding me on monday that I had to weigh-in on Thursday, wouldn't even give me a week off :) (which is exactly why I am using them for motivation) I do wish the Biggest Loser was never on TV though, my kids expect big numbers like the show, its hard for them to get excited over 2lbs :) But I remind them that the number has gone down every weigh-in and to keep positive. I can't workout out 6-8hours a day, i need to teach :)

Focus and commitment haven't seemed to be a major issue. I still am eating out a little too much, but fast food is non-existent. I don't dread going to the gym. I am enjoying it for the first time ever. Our YMCA has a computer system attached to each weight machine which helps track reps/weight/etc., and it pushes you to keep working harder. Kind of like a free trainer. I like seeing how much i lifted in one session and making that number go up. I started lifting about 8000lbs a session in various exercises, now I am up to just under 12,000 :)

Lots of positives, but I seem to be in a funk. It may be the shorter days, I don't know. It's been a long time since i have been in a significant relationship and that is starting to wear on me. I am staring down the dreaded 30th birthday (8 more months) and getting tired of not having someone to share my time with. I love my friends dearly and we do a lot together, but something is missing.

hopefully this journey will bring a change to this situation, we shall see....

Started: 337
Current: 324
Goal: 299 by 12-23-08 (getting closer....)

varying scales...

So,

when i sat down to update this week, I realized I put the wrong weight last time.  i have since edited that last post.

it's been a good week, 4 visits to the gym.  I am hoping to up that number to 5, going to try and squeeze in some cardio this week after grad class on tuesday.  Makes for a long day, but I am going to try it out and see what happens.  

I really love walking on the treadmill and it has been cool watching my progress.  I used to be able to walk at 3.0 as max.  Now I am doing 25 minutes before every session on the weights.  Today it was 5 minutes at 2.7, 5 at 3.0, then 10 at 3.5, followed by 5 at cooldown.  When I started the 3.5 my goal was to make it 5 minutes, but I pushed it to 10.  so fun :)

Scales are giving me headaches though.  My scale at school is a digital one from weight watchers.  I wear the same pair of shorts and the same shirt every friday, and I weigh in at the same time every morning.  I do the same thing with the scale at the Y every weekend (traditional medical scale w/ the sliders) and the weights are always 4-5 lbs different, with me weighing less at the Y every time. At the Y  I have my shoes on and carry my old Ipod, which should make me weigh more. Weird.  I am going to take a 5lb weight into school and see if my scale is off at all.

Thanks to those of you who have left comments, it's cool to know people are actually reading!

Start: 337

Current: 326.1

Goal #1: 299

promised update

So, it's friday and I have the day off, excellent :)

The last few weeks have been jammed pack with a long visit by my parents (lots of eating out :( but lots of walking :) )  and tons of things at work.  My numbers aren't where I would like them to be right now, but they do keep going down, which is good.  

I have started reading a cool blog, "the anti jared", and he talks about NSV's (non-scale victories).  I love this concept :)  I have been hitting the gym on a regular basis and lifting weights is part of my routine.  Even though my scale number is going down slow, my NSV for this week is that I definitely need some new pants :)

Start: 337

Current : 329.1

Goal: 299 by 12-23-08

Update coming...

i will have an update post by Friday, I promise.  Parents came and visited, crazy 2 weeks at work... excuses excuses :)

Friday, i promise....

What a difference!!

Week 2 ended with a bang.  I made 4 great trips to the gym, my stamina is coming up and things on the diet front went real well.  I am not following any particular diet, just watching portions, and trying to stick with as much "real food" as possible.  And boy did it pay off.

This will be the last week in the 330s, as I drop down another 5 lbs.  My kids are really getting into this, giving big high fives and cheering rather loudly during homeroom this morning.  I love the way they crowd around the screen, all fighting to be the first to see the new number.  The poster printer is still out of paper, so as soon as that is filled, my big tracking graphing will be up on the front board so the rest of my classes can join the fun.

Best part about today:  A student in my homeroom said they are working right along with me and that they have lost weight since the start too :)  This may be the beginning of something awesome...

Start:  337.2

Current: 330.8

Goal: 299 by 12-23-08

Anticlimatic

So, yesterday was the first weigh-in and it was kind of a downer.  All my fault actually, I didn't really start as seriously as I wanted to.

my kids were great though.  all positive comments and they were really excited.  it's 11am on saturday, and I have already been to the gym.  I promised the kids bigger numbers for next week, so I gotta deliver :)

Start:  337.2

Current: 336.1

Goal: 299

Deadline:  12/23/08

beginnings...

Tomorrow marks the first day of my journey toward becoming the incredible shrinking science teacher.  I have struggled for many years with my weight and have made several feeble attempts to make a change.  I have seen some success, only to see those successes vanish as I succumb to the stresses of being a teacher.

Awhile back my dad offered me up a pearl of wisdom in regards to my weight... "Why don't you get your students involved?"  My dad has a way of finding obvious answers to problems, answers that don't always seem so obvious to me at the time.  So, I am taking his advice :)  On Friday, I packed a pair of shorts and a shirt, as well as my scale from home, and went off to school.  During my homeroom (a great group of 17 kids) I asked for their help with a project of mine.  They were excited at first, then a little scared as I told them what I was about to do.  

We talk to our students a lot about goal setting, but it is always a topic they struggle to grasp.  This project makes the topic of goal setting a realistic process that my students will be able to see.  From the excitement of the beginning, to the struggles that will be encountered, to the triumph of achievement.

My students will help to hold me accountable, as I will be weighing in during homeroom, in front of all of them, every Friday morning.  We are going to track my progress with a large graph at the front of the room.  Gotta have some sort of MSA tie-in to this project :)

Now I realize that weight-loss is an extremely personal struggle, and some people think I am crazy for being so open about this with my students.  My answer to that is that it is no secret that I am fat.  My students know it, I know it.  If I can better myself, as well as teach them some life lessons along the way, why not.  Those of you who know me well know that I have always been a confident person, so being  under the microscope of 8th graders is not going to ruin me :)

I hope to use this blog to keep a record for myself and others of the many experiences I will undoubtedly encounter over the next several months.  Plans are in the works for several lesson  plans for my students on healthy eating and the importance of exercise :)  So please, check in and see what we are up to, leave comments of ideas, encouragement, criticism, whatever you can come up with.  

Starting Weight:  337.2 lbs.

Goal Weight:  299 lbs.

Deadline:  8:05 AM  12-23-08