Becky's week 5 & 6

This is going to be short and sweet.

Week 5 went great. I kept track of everything I ate and the calories.  I walked that week and I think I ran once.  It was good.  And at the end of that week I got to see Amy!  Amy it was great to see you.  I had brought my calories counting charts to show you how pimped out they are and what I've been eating so we could share some ideas....but, I forgot to share them with you. Boo!  But, it was so nice to see you.

Week 6 went fine. I didn't print off my charts at the beginning of the week....so, I never printed them off.  I didn't count calories but, I still ate very sensible.  It is also Halloween week so we went to the ward party and had lots of sweets (including root beer, I couldn't resist mate).  And I'm surely going to have lots of sweets tonight and tomorrow.  I maintained my weight 179.8 not .6 but still that's maintaining.

I think I'm going to still stick to my calorie counting, but I think I'm going to go into maintenance mode soon because of the holidays.  I don't want to gain but I don't know that I'll be losing.  What do you think Am?

In a previous post I mentioned the Monroe 5K.  That was last night and I didn't run it.  I totally would have it hadn't been on a Friday night....I would have run it if it was this morning.  Excuses excuses.  I know.  Someday, I run in a race.  Someday.

Week in review and other tid bits

Like Amy, I am going to post a review of how the week went....on Saturdays.  But, this past Saturday, I was too busy.  PARTYING!!!  It was my birthday.  31 now.  wow!

Anyway, on with the review of last week.

My number one goal right now is to log all my food (Monday-Friday) into sparkpeople.com.  That is what I am using as my food log/calorie counter/nutrition analyzer.  So far I really like it. The only day I missed logging was Friday because we left that morning to go up north to visit a friend and hang with family for my birthday weekend.  Four out of five days....not too bad.

Overall, my calorie counting went well.  I only went over calories one day and I have a really good excuse for that!  Tuesday I got a migraine, complete with an eye floater.  I haven't had one that bad in a long time!  As the migraine hit me I downed THREE hot dogs! I was panicking!  That's 446 calories just for the dog part, not counting the buns or condiments!

Also, after hours of sleep in a dark room (or with something over my eyes), the only way to really snap me out of a migraine stooper (relieve the pain) is to give me (which Nathan did!) a nice, tall, cold, 20 oz. Dr. Pepper.  It's just what the Dr. ordered.  Does the trick but that's 225 calories!!!  So, Tuesday I was well over my calories. 

Wednesday I was way under my calories because I slept so much and made sure the migraine had passed. So, maybe Tuesday and Wednesday balance each other out?

Exercise....well, I ran Monday morning.  Walked Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and nothing Thursday and Friday.  I still haven't attempted strength training and I'm pretty sure the serious thought of it on Tuesday is what made my head revolt by spiraling out of control into migraine mayhem.  Maybe I'll think about strength training NEXT week. 

I can't really tell you if I've lost any weight because I have a very imprecise scale.  Let's just say I am feeling much better in my skin and my clothes are feeling different.  And so far, that's good enough for me!

Amy has ended two of her posts with cool quotes.  They reminded me of a billboard I would see in Lincoln.  I can't remember EXACTLY what it said, but it was something like this, "If you are saving your breath to exercise tomorrow, tomorrow you may not have the breath." ~don't remember if there was an author cited either.  Cool quote though huh?

A break through and Becky's "before"

I often dread exercise.  I guess I don't dread the actual exercising part, it's the getting ready; it's the fear of failure; it's the horror of doing it and not even seeing/feeling results.  The thing is, I rarely see results but I always feel them.  Exercising makes me feel good.  Most times it gives me MORE energy and NOT LESS. 

Because of my anxiety I put it off last week.  Each day I did, I felt more and more guilty.  Friday evening I told Nathan that I needed his help to get me out the door to exercise.  He said, "Ok, what time are you going to go?"  I said, "8:00," thinking it was going to be too dark and still hoping (a little) it wouldn't be.  It was.  I didn't go.  I felt like a lazy idiot.  I'm mean, who was I fooling?  Not me!  Not anyone else. 

So....

Saturday I got up and I was out the door ready to run at 7:15.  I did great!  I truly surprised myself!  This little town doesn't look so hot and dry in the morning shade, before the sun comes over the mountains (hills).  It was beautiful.  It was hard, but I pushed myself.  I still haven't clocked on my car odometer but, I think it was a least a mile. 

While I ran I thought of a lot of things.  Mostly about the relay race I ran last October.  How fun it was.  How anxious I was training for it.  How much fun the ladies I ran it with were and how supportive and loving they were. 

I thought about blogging and how fulfilling it was going to be to write this post.  I did it!  A success!  

The song that ran through my head (without headphones) was Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now!"

Don't stop me now
Don't stop me
Cuz I'm havin' a good time
Havin' a good time

I'm a shootin' star leaping through the sky like a tiger
Defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racin' car passin' by
Like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go go go
There's no stoppin' meeeee
I'm burnin' through the sky
Yea! 
200 degrees!
Which is why they call me Mr. Fahrenheit
I'm traveling at the speed of light
Wanna make a super sonic man out of you!

Don't stop me now
I'm havin' such a good time
I'm havin' a ball
Don't stop me now
If you wanna have a good time
Just give me a call
Don't stop me now
Cuz I'm havin' a good time
Havin' a good time
I don't want to stop at all!!!

Ok, that's enough of that.  That is one really great song!  I love it.  And it kept me pushin'.  In fact, yesterday I ran again.  It was harder...I don't know why but runnning seems to get harder the more I do it...not easier...but still rewarding.  Monday I took my iPod and made sure Queen was pumping in my ears.  There are actually quite a few great Queen songs that are great for exercising. 

Now the strength training hurtle is next.  I don't really have a space to do it where my in-laws won't run into me.  They totally wouldn't mind...but, I might.  I also don't have weights, which Amy assures me isn't a problem.  I just need to do it.  I'M GOING TO DO IT!!  TODAY!!!

Here are some "before" pictures!

I look like I'm half asleep in this one.  I thought I had blinked...but, no, just about to blink.

This one is better.

And yes, for those of you who didn't know.  I got my hair cut.

Please keep cheering us on!

Becky's Overall Goal

My overall weight loss goal is to lose 32 lbs. by the time I turn 32, September 25, 2011.

This is going to be interesting because I hope to be pregnant for 9 months of this time period and so I definitely will not be dieting during that time....but, I still think I can do it.

I found this interesting Calorie Calculator. I don't know how accurate it is or if followed produces the desired results...but, it seems logical. But, I'm not using it...just thought it was interesting.

Also, I found this cool article from GoodHouskeeping.com and it helps you figure out how many calories to cut to lose weight. It's a pretty crazy formula, but I did it with my calculator, so I didn't get hurt. If you're scared of big formulas or just don't own or can't find a calculator here's a simple one...

I got this formula from my cousin Megan.  She wasn't positive about the source from which it came but, I like it so I'm using it. 

11 times your weight minus 500 = how many calories you can eat and still lose weight.

She also said that if you cut 3500 calories from your diet per week you will lose 1 pound per week.  Makes sense.  Please read Megan's disclaimer, it's cute and relavant because we keep referencing her.

So, the formula is how I came up with my calorie allotment. 

Exercise yesterday.....didn't do it.  But, I only ate 1460 calories. 

I kinda don't think the hard part for me is going to be the calorie counting...so much.  I think its going to be the exercise.  Sigh. Well, I'm sure I'll have my days where I wrastle with one or the other or with both.  I'm going to go running today....I AM!

However, my mother-in-law made brownies yesterday for her activity day girls and there were leftovers.  I got one for Marley but not for me!  There is also yummy ice cream in the freeze...passed on that too!  Boo-ya!

And one last thing.  We try to go to the temple once a week, because right now we can!  Anyway, we are going today.  After, we usually go out to lunch.  I'll let you know how my fast-food-wiser-choosing goes.

Oh, and I'll be getting a "before" picture up soon, very soon.