Another one down!

oh hai! Welcome back. So it’s been a good week.

Yesterday I weighed in and I’m down 1.0lb so now I’m at 224lbs with 11lbs lost. Yay!

This was also a great week for walking – I went out and did my walks every day still. So far I’ve walked a minimum of 6000 steps every day for the last 30 days! Woohoo!

My favourite part is that I almost averaged 7000 steps /day and over 5km (3 miles) per walk! I’m hoping that as the weather gets nicer, I’ll be able to get that number up!

Hope you’re all doing well as well, feel free to share how you stay active in the cold weather in the comments and have a great week ahead!

10lbs Lost!

I’m a couple days late on the post, but I did weigh myself on Tuesday morning and I’m down 2lbs again and now at 225lbs which means I’ve officially lost 10lbs total since I recommitted! Yippee!

This took me about 2.5 months (since the beginning of December.) I think long gone are the days where I would lose 10lbs in a month, and that’s ok. I’m happy that I’m seeing progress and that the changes I’m making are paying off. My changes are still slow and steady – I don’t want to burn out or put too much pressure on myself – so I expect my progress to be slower too.

And in case you were wondering, I’m still walking my minimum 6000 steps each day (haven’t missed a day!) and feeling great. I’m still following the old 2011/2012 Weight Watchers plan and points tracking on my makeshift excel spreadsheet. It’s also going well . I’ll write more about it another time and explain why I like it so much.

Otherwise, my plan right now is to continue doing what I’m doing – so far so good and I’ve started to think about how I can add back in some more exercise – specificially weights – but I’m not in a rush just yet, maybe by the end of the month? We’ll see and I’ll re-assess based on how it’s all going.

That’s where I’m at right now. Short and sweet.

Good Things

Hi all! Hope you’ve had a good week!

Well a couple of good things happened this week – I finally broke out of the 229-230 seesaw I’ve been on and I lost 2lbs so now I’m at 227lbs.

This is great and hopefully I can keep this up! I know I have to make sure I track accurately what I eat and stay in my food budget – I’m in my 40s, the weight like to hang on!

The second good thing is that I’ve been keeping up on my walks and getting my steps in. I’ve hit my target of 6000 steps every day since Jan 22. That’s 15 days in a row! Considering I work from home so don’t have a commute that automatically adds steps to my day, I’m feeling pretty good about that.

Sometimes it’s just so easy to not go out for a walk – because it’s too cold, too windy, too dark. Excuses are easy, but I always have to remind myself that I always feel better after a walk – and if it’s been cold out, I can come home and put on some comfy clothes for the rest of evening and enjoy.

So that’s where I’m at. Walking and tracking. So far so good.

Hope you’re doing well, and if you’re not, think of one little thing you can do differently that might help you feel better and then try to do it. Doesn’t have to be big at all, for me this week it was dusting off my dresser – I had too much stuff on it and I’ve been meaning to tidy it for MONTHS. I did it and I’m happy I did. But if you can’t do it this week, it’s ok, you can do it another time and you will. Take care and see you next week.

Walks & Podcasts

Oh hi! I haven’t written in a few weeks, as you may have noticed, but it’s because I was working a contract. I’m a freelancer so I have to get the work while its hot! But here’s what’s happened:

• Week of Jan 16: Gained a pound – back up to 230lbs
• Week of Jan 23: Stayed the same, no ups, no downs
• Week of Jan 30: Down a pound - back to 229lbs.

Overall for the month of January, I’ve lost a total of 1 lbs! Not at all what I was going for, but I understand why. When I looked over my excel tracking sheet I saw that I didn’t track a lot of days (I just assumed I knew what I ate and we know what happens when you assume!) and I wasn’t going out for my walks regularly. I’d miss a day here or there when the weather wasn’t great or I was feeling overwhelmed. Neither of which are really an excuse – I have the right clothing for the weather, in fact we’ve barely had any snow and very few days below 0C (32F) this year. It doesn’t even feel like a real winter. And secondly, I know when I’m feeling down or overwhelmed that’s EXACTLY when I should go for a walk because I always feel better afterwards.

Speaking of walks, let’s chat about them. I love walking. I really, really do.

I started walking when the pandemic really hit back in mid-March 2020 and everyone was sent to work from home. I live in Ontario and we had some the most strictest and longest stay-at-home orders in the country. I was recuperating from having broken my ankle in October 2019 and was slowly getting back into running over January, February, and March. I was still running on a treadmill and only 1-2 mins at time between walking breaks for about 20-30 mins. My ankle would still swell afterwards and I’d need to rest and ice it. Once we had to stay home, I wasn’t convinced my ankle was strong enough to run on concrete so I decided I’d walk instead to make sure I was still strengthening and exercising it.

This is also when I discovered podcasts. Sure, I was super late to the game, but that’s ok. I normally listen to music when I work out or run, but I didn’t want to while walking, something about the tempo was just off for me. And now, almost 4 years later I still walk and listen to podcasts (almost) daily.

I always walk a minimum of 6000 steps. For no good reason other than that’s what my phone health app’s default is (Samsung Health if you’re wondering). Most times I do more – sometimes 7000, sometimes 10,000, never a round number though. I was hitting 10,000 much more often in the summer and nicer weather. In general I walk about 4.5km – 6km per day (I know there’s a few American’s reading this, so that’s about 2.7 – 3.7 miles). I’ve definitely found that when I don’t walk, I tend not to lose weight and when I walk more, I lose more easily. For now, at least until I’m under 200lbs I think I’ll keep walking rather than try to run again. I don’t want to damage my knees or ankles from too much weight so for now this will do.

As anyone who is into podcasts does, I now have to share with you my favourites – and ask you to tell me what you’re listening too! Leave your faves in the comments below.

Here’s what I’m listening to:

First up: MAINTENANCE PHASE. I love this one. It’s all about debunking wellness and weightlost trends/flash-in-the-pan diets. I highly recommend. So much so, that I even subscribe to their Patreon account. Which is great because they’ve taken a break from their regular schedule, but still post to the Patreon one.

I found MP because I used to listen to Michael Hobbes’ other podcast, YOU’RE WRONG ABOUT, all about debunking past events and our collective memories of how they happened. When Michael left in 2021, I lost interest – his approach is really what sells for me. However, it’s still good, but I highly recommend listening to the back catalogue from 2018 – 2021.

And because I’ll follow Michael Hobbes all over the internet I listen to his new one IF BOOKS COULD KILL where he and his co-host debunk airport best-sellers.

Also, love me some Jameela Jamil (from The Good Place) and her podcast I WEIGH – not just, or even at all, about weight, it’s about challenging social norms and expectations. If you’re a woman, I highly recommend.

Because I like my celebrity gossip, but with a touch of the morbid, TMZ’s LAST DAYS which delves into the last days and deaths of famous celebs. This one just came out last year and it’s fun and easy as long as you don’t mind talk of death.

Love me a bit of pop culture and history and so I listen to HISTORY OF THE 90s. I especially like podcasts led by tv and radio journalists as the podcasts are so well put together and they always have great voices. This is a Canadian podcast, so it does at times come from a Canadian POV.

I also listen to THE ONGOING HISTORY OF NEW MUSIC with Alan Cross. If you’re into alt-rock, alternative, rock music etc. You will LOVE this. I’ve been listening to Alan Cross on the radio since I was a teen and he is so well spoken and so researched. Also Canadian.

And, of course there’s some true crime in there as well. From a Calgary news reporter I listen to CRIME BEAT. This might be a bit much for some folks, as it’s really crime news reports and not a serialized story, but they they do tell you who did it in almost each episode and what the judicial outcome was.

Speaking of news crime reports, I’m currently listening to 13 HOURS which delves into 2020 Nova Scotia Massacre – Canada’s worst shooting spree in modern history where 22 people were killed. I like this so far because the reporter is really questioning the information given and the moves made by the RCMP that night (with good reason).

This one I finished, but I really like, in the true crime world: THE NO GOOD, TERRIBLY KIND, WONDERFUL LIVES AND TRAGIC DEATHS OF BARRY AND HONEY SHERMAN. It’s a 10-part series by a reporter delving into the 2017 murder of Toronto billionaire couple Barry and Honey Sherman which to this day remains UNSOLVED despite millions of dollars of reward money up for grabs! I will read and listen to all things about this case because I find it so fascinating.

Here are some honourable mentions:

SCAMFLUENCERS: about scammers and influencers. Just started, not sure if I’ll stick with it, but so far ok.

WHY WON’T YOU DATE ME with Nicole Byer: It was fun at first, but got a bit one-note for me eventually, but she has great comedian guests on each episode

ARTICLES OF INTEREST: History of clothing and what we wear. I haven’t listened to this as often, but do like it. Should listen to it more.

FED UP – 7-part series podcast about the F-Factor diet and the instagram influencer feud/court case etc. I stumbled on this as I didn’t know anything about this beforehand. It was a fun listen. Seriously the only ads that work on me while listening to podcasts are ads for other podcasts. That’s how I got to this one.

Wow, so thanks for reading if you got all the way to the end! This is what I’m listening too. If you’re into some awesome podcast(s) let me know in the comments below, always on the look out for new ones to add to my collection! If they’re Canadian and into debunking, history, pop culture or true crime – I’m probably even more interested to hear about them!

Til next week! Thanks for reading.

Is this thing on?

Oh, hai!! <tap, tap, tap> is this thing still on?

Well, how are you? How’ve you been doing? No one said weight loss WASN’T a lifetime journey did they? I think they try to sell you that, but the truth is, it’s always a lifelong journey because it’s not something that we can fix one time – and by we I mean regular folks and scientists included – regardless of the current state of medications.

Am I going to start blogging again? I’m not sure. Maybe. Or maybe I’ve just popped my head in there to say hi and update the background and the font so it looks a bit more modern.

I will say that I am trying to actively lose weight again. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster so here’s the TLDR version (spoiler alert, there’s no long version, this is it):

2018-2019: feeling ugh, gained weight hovering near ~190-200lbs and exercising regularly, still running

Oct 2019 – Ran a 5K race again with my worst time ever: 36:31

Oct 2019 – one week later – Broke my ankle running in the rain and slipped on a wet leaf on streetcar tracks. UGH.

Early 2020 – finally healed, did a bunch of physio, and started gentle running on a treadmill

March 2020 – well you know. Convinced myself I could take a few weeks off from working out. Few weeks turned into months. Months into years. Started to walk about an hour a day outside instead.

Fall 2020 – Worked a tough contract. Ate. A Lot. Gained ~20lbs. Still walking about an hour a day.

March 2021 – WFH continues. Joined colleagues on a virtual “bootcamp”. Did it. Felt good. Didn’t continue. But did continue to walk about an hour a day.

2023 – Still haven’t gotten back into working out regularly. Weight keeps fluctuating ~10lbs or so because not committed to anything. Hoping wishing will work. Another spoiler alert – it doesn’t. Still walking though.

Dec 28, 2023 – here I am at 230lbs. Not working out regularly yet. But have been tracking my food because that’s what works for me and have lost 5lbs since the beginning of December. It’s not a lot but it’s also not nothing.

So now you’re all caught up. And now I’m going to go for a walk.

Weigh-in Week 187: Getting back into it

Ok. So from the title you probably won’t be expecting this but I was up 0.3lbs today. So new weight is 163.3lbs and a total loss of 88.3lbs. So why am I excited by this gain? Well let’s enter the world of a bit too much information shall we? It’s a time of the month where, being female, bloating and cravings are at their highest. So the fact that it’s only a 0.3lb gain is amazing.

To put this into perspective let’s see:

• 4 weeks ago: up 4.2lbs
• 8 weeks ago: up 3.4lbs
• 12 weeks ago: up 3.5lbs

Are we understanding now? Compared to past weigh-ins this 0.3 gain is a welcome relief. Funnily enough it makes me feel confident about upcoming weigh-ins. So much of this is about what’s going on in your head that when you feel confident and in control it’s easier to stay that way. Here’s hoping this is the turning tide.

My leader asked at today’s meeting, and I’m paraphrasing here! “Don’t you feel that when your head is in the game you can meet any challenge that’s thrown your way (e.g. parties, unexpected sweets etc.)?” Yes. Yes I do. I know that when my head is in the game I eat and track truthfully. That resisting that dessert isn’t a big deal. That I am satisfied by only one helping at dinner. That I drink more water. All these I know to be true. To be honest – sometimes when I know my head is not where it needs to be for me to lose weight I try to just wait it out rather than fighting it. Maybe I should be trying to change it up – but you know what else – sometimes just waiting it out (without regaining!) is the way to go for me. Why? Because I know I’ll get back to it. Some meals are easier than others. Some days are easier than others. Some months are easier than others. Heck, some years are easier than others. And that’s just where we’re at.

Source

Weigh-in Week 178: So I ran my third 10K

Yuppers. I did it. Last Sunday. I also weighed-in last Tuesday. Let’s get that business out of the way shall we? Well it’s not good news. I was up 1.2lbs for a new weight of 162.1lbs and a total loss of 89.5lbs. Things are going from bad to worse it would seem. I’m not on track and to be honest the way this week has been going it’s not going to be a good one either. Le Sigh. I’m not sure how to turn this around just yet. I know I will, but I hope my head gets in the game sooner then later.

Let’s talk about this race of mine though. I ran it. Officially my third 10K race in three years. This year I ran it in 1:02:04. A whopping 6 seconds faster then my time last year! OOph! Not at all what I had hoped for. My goal is to get in under an hour. Wasn’t even close this year. I do wonder often about last year’s time as it was at a different 10K event. I wonder because my ipod said I’d only run 9.6km, not 10. This year it clocked it at 10km. So I wonder if perhaps I am in fact faster then I thought I was, but that last year’s time is inaccurate? Who knows. Maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better about the whole thing.

To be honest the race put me into a bit of a funk and I didn’t run for a week. I went out for my first run since the race yesterday afternoon. It was an ok run. The kind of run I have having not run for a week. I think I’ll sign up for the 10K again for next year so I can try to get the time I seek. I guess the real reason I’m disappointed in my time is that I know if I hadn’t gained back this 10lbs my time would be faster. This is a fact – the less you weigh the faster your times. So that’s at the root of it all. I’m disappointed with myself.

Well, at least I ran it and for all intents and purposes I ran it in less time than last year. Here are photos of the day:

 

Tons of people at the race. Between all the events (1K, 5K, 10K, Half, and Marathon) 32,000 people ran through the streets of Montreal on Sunday, September 22nd!

 

 

It was hard to find my friends in the crowd and it was so cold and rainy!

 

 

The finish line was at a park – a wet, rainy, muddy park!

 

 

But I did it and I got my medal!

 

 

The muddy shoes prove it all 😉

Weigh-in Week 177: I’m running a 10K!

Well weigh-in didn’t go as planned. I was up 0.9lbs for a new total of 160.9lbs with a total loss of  90.7lbs.

I’m very late on this post, mostly because this week has been a bit crazy for me. The main reason is that last weekend I learned that my 10K race was tomorrow – Sept. 22nd and NOT the 29th as I had thought all along!! EEEK! Thank goodness my friend mentioned it – she’s running the half. I ran my practice 10K last weekend and the new news totally messed with my mind. My run was hard and I even got a stitch in my side which I never get anymore. Oooph.

I think I’m ready for tomorrow. I mean I will be able to run it, it’s just a matter of if I’ll be able to run it in the time I want. Right now my main goal is to beat last year’s time  of 1:02:10.

I think this post will be short and sweet as I have to get to bed and make sure I’m up nice and early so I have time to digest my oatmeal and drink my coffee. I’ll report back after the race!

Here is the course this year. It has some hills, but they’ve broken up the one big one we had 2 years ago. The rain is falling right now, which is nice as it’s cutting the humidity. All this makes for hopefully a favourable race. Here goes nothing!

Weigh-in Week 176: A good week

So I had a good week. Down 2.8lbs for a new weight of 160.0lbs and a total loss of 91.6lbs. Now I’m not calling this a good start – since we all know how that can go! Let’s just call it a good week. I hope to have another good week this week. I’m being cautious as it hasn’t always worked out before.

I’m trying to make my lunches at work and to eat healthfully in the evenings. I’m also upping my running this week as my training for my third 10K race is in full swing! Just a reminder – the race is on Sunday the 29th. This weekend I run my practice 10K. I’m looking forward to it, but I don’t think my pace will at what I’d like it to be.  I’m hoping that by losing a bit of weight between now and the race in two weeks it will help with my pace. But above all I can’t give up and I have to give it my best this weekend and at the race.

Weigh-in Week 173: Mrrph

Well, this is a delayed post isn’t it! This past Tuesday I was up 0.1lbs at weigh-in. Not feeling so great about this. New weight is 159.6lbs and a total loss of 92lbs. Yeah. That’s where I’m at.

Things that have happened this week, the good, the bad, the ugly:

1. I ran 3x this week

2. I ran a long run today – 7.2km! On my way to getting back to running a 10K. This is good since my race is coming up on September 29th!

3. Unfortunately my pace was slow…6:12 per km (that’s about a 10 minute/mile). Blargh. Slow is me. The weight gain doesn’t help. Even a couple pounds slows one down.

4. I went to a garlic festival! Mmmm…garlic.

5. I ate 2 garlic buns for lunch that day. Promptly when I got home. D’oh!

6. I dropped my keychain after the festival and lost my 100lbs lost WW charm. The irony is not lost on me. Sigh. I WILL get it back. I WILL earn it again.

7. I bought a $200 dress on a whim.

8. I got tons of compliments on said dress 😉

9. I brought the rest of the garlic buns to a pot-luck party so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat them all. It worked. But I ate a bunch of delicious fig dip at said party while wearing the dress from #6.

9. I found a book on the sidewalk (this is a common thing in Montreal where people put out boxes of free books during the day and anyone is welcome to sift through and take what they want).

10. This book happens to be the cookbook Crazy Plates (from the LooneySpoons authors!) I actually don’t have either of these, my mom has one, so I’m curious to try some recipes. For those who don’t know – they are a series of low fat cookbooks by Canadian authors.