Hip pain.

So I'm back at the gym. And for the longest time, way before I ever got serious about losing weight, I would go to the gym and "work out". Except, I never had a goal. I never had a plan. Now, after losing a bunch of weight, I'm on a mission to keep it off and maintain my loss. Plus, I still have that pesky little 20 lbs to lose.
The sun came out last week, and I felt alive again. Three days at the gym last week, and after I finish today, that will be another 3 days this week. I think I would have gone 4 days, but things came up, and I had to skip Wednesday.
In the past, I've not pushed myself much. But now, when I get on the treadmill, I visualize myself with long, lean legs. I really want to lengthen my muscles, and get those great legs back I used to have. Well, I thought they were great. And compared to what they look like now, those legs I had in my 20's were great!
So I get to the gym with a plan to walk/jog 30 minutes to an hour, and I usually do about 40 minutes before my tendonitis acts up.
On the inside of my right hip, along my pelvic bone there, I have some tendonitis. I can set the treadmill for 4.0 - 4.5, and I'm fine for awhile. It's when I set it higher, around 5.0 - 5.5 when I get into trouble. As that tendon heats up, the pain goes up. If I keep my pace right around 4 mph, I can go longer, but my goal is to get down to a 12 minute mile. I'm trying, but that pain is slowing me down. I can only tolerate so much, before I have to lower the speed, and let my hip cool off.
Here I had been worrying about my back causing me to go slower, or cut back on the walking. But so far, my back has been very nice about this jump back into exercise. It's my old lady joints that are fighting back.

"GYM" is not a four letter word.

Three times at the gym this week. This isn't as hard as I thought it would be, getting back into it. I love my tv over my head, where I can watch my Drew Carey to my heart's content. The first couple of days I did a mile, then two miles. Today I did 2.33 miles, in about 41 minutes. At two miles, I checked my time and it was at 35 minutes. So with my walking/jogging I am doing about an 18 minute mile, give or take. It'll get better. I'm walking the 5K on May 7th for the Race for the Cure. Bunna's mom and I are doing it together, and she's not a jogger, so I'll be happy to pace myself with her and get our 5K done at a leisurely pace. So far, my legs and back are holding up. I had an injury in my left ankle a couple years ago, and it acts up occasionally, but it's been behaving. My back is super great, and I can attribute that to the good work my new chiropractor did with me. I'm to a point now where I only go when I feel the need for an adjustment. And so far, so good. I haven't seen him in weeks, and I'm still feeling great. I think I can stick to the new 3 day a week gym routine. Honestly, I think it's because the weather is getting warmer that I even feel the slightest bit of motivation to leave the house in the morning. I totally get all cocoon-ed up when the weather is cold. My winter routine in the morning is to crawl out of bed, pull on my big, fluffy, pink robe, come downstairs for coffee, and "veg" out in front of the computer until it's time to do laundry or get ready for work. Today, I got done at the gym, and had the energy to come home and vacuum and dust the entire house. Then I still had breakfast, paid bills, and showered for work. All I can say is.......... YAY! for sunshine and warm, happy days!!

Gym time.

Gym. It's not a four-letter-word, but it's close. I used to be a fan, but I just can't feel the love like I used to. I think once I get in the habit of going again, the happy feelings will come back. The positive feelings I get once I'm there, working, and making a difference in my health and shape, come back after awhile. But yesterday, I got to the gym, and there was a sign up near the treadmill where I always start out. It said, "Don't touch the tv". Really? It's within reach, so I can easily change the channel, and if no one else is in the room, why can't I touch the tv? Seriously, I pay good money to be allowed to use the equipment, so why isn't the tv part of the perks? I don't expect to go and spend my 30-60 minutes on a treadmill watching a continuous loop of the news, or even worse, ESPN. I make a point of getting to the gym at the same time as the Price is Right comes on. I have a little schedule I've made up for myself, and I run during the commercials, and walk during the show. It works for me, and more importantly, it keeps my mind occupied. Walking for any length of time staring into a mirror, with nothing to think about besides how your waist wiggles when you take a step, is not how I want to spend my workout time in the morning. Drew Carey is much more fun to watch. And at the risk of getting my hand slapped by a Stepford-gym-employee, I'm going to touch that tv. I might even touch it twice.

Food Vacation

Well, let's see. It was Monday this week when I woke up and got back on track for these last few pounds. I would like to say that it was to lose the last 20 lbs, but in fact, I had gained a few back, and I actually need to lose 24 when I woke up and started paying attention to my calories again on Monday.
On March 14, I was weighing 189. Today, I'm weighing 184 again. So, to reach my new goal, I am 19 lbs away.
Back in August, I posted that I was 176. And at the time, I had a goal of 170, so I was only 6 lbs away. But I see that it's possible for me to get to that 165 mark, so that's my new goal. And it's less than 20 lbs away.
I've been in this range for so long now, since around September, that it seems this is my new regular weight. But it gets me thinking... when I started at 256, and I began eating super healthy, I lost 12 lbs in one week! If this is my new weight range in the mid 180's, then why can't I lose 12 lbs of water weight immediately when I get on track again?? It's not fair somehow. :-)
But 5 in one week is fine with me. Seriously, for those of us that are in our normal range, or close to it, the maintaining is something that will be with us forever. I've learned what a month of random snacking can do to my waistline. And it was over 13 months ago when I decided my "food vacation" was over. I have to remind myself every day that I'm not on a food vacation.
On the other hand, when vacation really does get here... well, all bets are off. :-)

Yogi Chips

Snacks! I've gotta have 'em! And I've gotta have 'em every couple of hours, or my tummy reminds me. I'm thrilled that summer is coming and I'll have berries and fresh stuff in my snack box for work. I usually take one apple, one cheese stick, and two or three bars of some type. I usually have my egg whites before I leave for work, and by the end of the day, with my 4-5 snacks, I go into dinner time with about 600 calories under my belt. That leaves me with 4-500 to spend for dinner.

The other day, at the Grocery Outlet, I found something new. A type of chip, that is only about 110 calories for a bag. Granted, the bag is only a fraction of an ounce, I think, but just because they're lightweight, doesn't mean they're low on flavor!

They're made by Wai Lana, and they're called Yogi Chips. The main ingredient is yucca flour, so they're different than a basic potato chip. These little gems are flattened and formed to resemble a chip, but the consistency is more like a Pringle. They come in different flavors, like bbq or sweet and sour. They're more of a sweet snack, as opposed to a salty chip snack, but the sweet and sour flavor is so good with the little cinnamon they put on them.

Also, for anyone interested, they are also gluten free. That makes a difference for some people. I've never had any trouble with gluten foods, but I know some people have an allergy to wheat, so this is a good replacement snack.

Since I found them at the Grocery Outlet, the quantities were limited, and when they're gone, they're gone! But I couldn't imagine that this product was there because it had been discontinued. It was just too good. So I checked around. You can buy them by the case on Amazon, and I think Whole Foods has them. Here locally, I found I can buy them at our Co-op market, which specializes in local and organic groceries.

They're worth checking into. They make a great treat for me when I need something sweet, without breaking the bank on calories!

Mares eat oats...

Yesterday, on a quest to find something new and fun for breakfasts, I found myself standing in front of the oatmeal. No surprise. I love oatmeal, and I've been waiting for someone to make it not only healthy and low cal, but also good tasting. So good, that I wouldn't need to add my standard sugar and butter. I love, love, love a big bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and butter. But, it doesn't like me. So imagine my delight when I found this new oatmeal at the store yesterday!

Now, I might be the last one on the boat here, and you all might have found the same, or similar oatmeals. But until now, I've been eating the Coach's Oats. My Bunna bought me a case a while back, and as much as I like oatmeal, I've not gotten through all four bags yet. One is still in the freezer, and one I gave to my Mother last time she was in town.

The Coach's Oats are a steel cut oatmeal, microwavable, and about 160 calories for a 40 g. serving. They're good and hearty, but kinda blah, and I always feel the need to add sugar and butter or at least raisins to make it interesting and delicious.

Enter BetterOats OatFit: The NEW oatmeal! I suppose it was just matter of time before the oatmeal people got on the bandwagon and started adding sugar substitutes and artificial flavorings to their oatmeal. This one is the best I've tried. For a 28 g. serving, portioned out into little bags, it has only 100 calories. It's microwavable in a couple minutes, and best of all, it needs no add-ins! I bought the cinnamon roll flavor, and I swear... it's like it has the sugar and butter in it already! Love this stuff!

Granted, it's a smaller serving than the Coach's Oats, but it's got less fat and less carbs than the steel cut oats. On the other hand, it's also got less protein and fiber. It's got a bunch more sodium, too. Seems like a fair trade though, for the awesome flavor.

Now, I can have my oats, and eat them too! And as for the Coach's Oats... well, they make a darn good cookie. :-)

Wake up!

Okay. I'm facing the facts. I gained. Ugh. I GAINED.
I knew it was happening... the jeans slowly feeling less baggy and more like they fit, and then suddenly, too tight? YIKES.
I was hovering around 178-182 for the longest time, and then all common sense went out the window. Calories? Who cares! Well, I realized that a month of "who cares" turned into about a 7 lbs gain.
Yesterday, I weighed 189. That was my wake-up call. And I got back on track and stopped with the bowl of cereal at 9:00 pm, and the extra helping of rice at dinner. This morning, I'm down a little to 187.
In three months, I'll be going on vacation to sunny Myrtle Beach, via sunny North Carolina and my sister's house. Swimming, in the pool and the lake, and then sunning on the beach. This body is not going to stay at 187 for long! I've got some work to do! I've got to wake up and smell the coffee! ...black coffee, no cream, no sugar, please. :-)