I have officially embarked on Operation Physique Transformation. That is what I like to refer to it as, since so far the kids don't know that that means that I think I'm fat.
It's gotten colder and I do not fit in ANYTHING. No exaggeration.... not even my fatter pants I bought last year. I finally busted out the old scale and, welp, I've managed to gain ANOTHER 5 pounds. On top of the 8 I've been battling ever since I broke me ol' ass... almost two freaking years ago! I was really hoping walking Kid to and from school would help. Who knows maybe it has?... which is even more frightening to contemplate.
Either way, I'm having to come to terms with some unfortunate facts:
I'm older, and FOR REAL being in your 30s makes losing weight a lot harder. Every year since I turned 30 has seemed to make letting go of a few pounds much, much, harder.
I'm probably only burning about 1200 calories a day. I think I've been eating closer to 2000. There is quite a large discrepancy there. One that includes cupcakes.
My life is different than it was a couple of years ago when I was so successful at losing weight. My kids are older and need me more and require even more of my time. Not just the activities and such, but the homework, the sexiness guidance, etc. There is a lot more involved time now than when they were little. And because of that, and other family management factors, I don't have time I can devote to working out in the evenings (my preferred and tried and true timing). It's very hard for me to accept this reality, because I know that evening workouts is a recipe for personal success and I'm frustrated that I can't do that now.
I was hoping the walking I'm doing with the kids (up to 5 miles a day) would be enough... but it's not. I might be able to maintain that way, but it is not enough to help me to lose this extra weight. I'm going to need to add other workouts in during my time home with Baby in the day. Unfortunately with errands and meals and classes, etc... there is little time and I'm feeling tired and overwhelmed by it all already. Or am I just sabotaging? I debate that everyday. Should I listen to myself... or am I lying to myself? I'm already walking 1.5-2 hours a day... I don't really have more time than that. (Although I found the time to write this) On Tuesday I did the step aerobic dvd when I got home from taking Kid to school. Baby played quietly next to me with the doll house we left in the basement. It was doable... I know I just have to suck it up and do it until I get back in the groove. It's so much easier once you get going... I know that... but it doesn't make it easier NOW.
I need to calorie count and stop buying snacks allegedly for the kids at Trader Joe's. 99% of the time I eat them. TJ why do you do it to me? Anyway, I've been counting for the last 3 days. I know if I can stick with it I'll see results soon and the rest of this will then be much easier to follow through on. I can either do this now, or I can feel badly about myself indefinitely. I know I can do this and that it will be so much more rewarding and fulfilling to KEEP doing it... once the ball gets rolling. It's just hard to toe the line the first couple weeks.
I must prevail, dammit!
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16 comments:
Crap. Just lost my comment. Long and short-
I have 5+5 more pounds as well. Being in you (late) 30's makes it like 15x harder.
I have been trying for years to get "back" to something. I know it's possible, I just can't seem to do it.
We need some kind of system...
Alexandra,
Can the system be magical, please? ;)
I'm mid 30s now, and I am very worried that if I don't get things under control and back in business I will be battling a 5 pound a year problem. That just seems like the way things are going. How quickly I add fat to my mid section is mind boggling. Frightening.
LISTEN TO ME MRS F!!!! I MEAN IT!!!! And I think the world famous HL would back me on this, too.
You have a treadmill, right? Go google HIIT, of Hight Intensity Interval Training and get your ass to work. 20 minutes 4x a week. You can do that. The key i killing yourself on the intervals....they're short, you'll survive.
You have 20 minutes, even in the evenings.
Don't you dare ignore me.
I am so with you on that. I have gained ~ 10-12lbs in last year and half. It is so much difficult now to loose (esp the mid 30s), I find it difficult to make time as i used to before plus it is hard to get the feeling of being in control of the situation.
I started a couple of weeks ago (exercising and eating right) and I lost a 1 lb!!! when a couple of years ago..I would have lost atleast 2-3...
I feel for you!!
Amy,
I can only hope Mr F reads the comments... because... ahem... the treadmill has not made it's way in the house yet.
I used to do the HIIT with incline intervals... that never was hard enough for me though. The top incline 12 (whatever that is) is hard but it doesn't kill me. I think if Mr F hooks me up soon I'll need to revisit HIIT with sprints as my interval instead of incline.
I need to calorie count and stop buying snacks allegedly for the kids at Trader Joe's. 99% of the time I eat them.
Oh you must be soooo happy though to be back near a Trader Joe's. Chocolate croissants...yum. I have not bought them since the first time I bought them and ate the whole damn box. Nobody else wanted them and I could not throw out their chocolatey, buttery goodness.
i so understand. and having a baby in your late 30s is just craziness on your metabolism. (sigh)
anyway, the diet is 80% of the battle. As stressed moms, that's usually our biggest hurdle.
my other piece of advice, get yourself a kettlebell (at least 20lbs) and an awesome DVD to go with it. (google lauren brooks)
You get more bang for your buck b/c you get strength and cardio at the same time. Also, muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so you will burn more calories all day long.
Plus, you can do it anywhere. I bring mine outside while the kids are playing and I even brought it on vacation to the beach. multi-tasking at it's finest!
good luck and just know that you are NOT alone! :)
Unfortunately weight loss is 80% what you eat, 10% genetics and 10% exercise. You can bust ass but eating crap will make you look like crap. Also, you mnay find that adding more strength training will get you better results. I have some routines that can take as little as 40 min 4x a week. I've lost 30 and do minimal cardio.
And I agree with HIIT. Try doing a routine where you run/jog for 2 min, get off do 10 burpees, 10 popsquats, 10 straightleg situps, then back onto treadmill for 2 min (I set it a 5.5 and 2%). Keeps it interesting and your done in 30.
I guess I shoulda read all the comments before I posted. Workout mommy had already said it all!
High-intensity hill (or incline) training never really did much for me except make me faster when I was running. But high-intensity speed work like you're considering does make me lose weight. I also like the suggestion of working in weights, because power moves like squats and jump-ups burn my legs and butt into shape quickly (and those cover some of the largest muscle groups). Good luck. We're here rooting you on!
Cupcakes.
By the way, this? This was a gem: "Not just the activities and such, but the homework, the sexiness guidance, etc."
One other thought: Working out while the kids are around is not a bad thing. Great modeling, right?
Deb,
"By the way, this? This was a gem: "Not just the activities and such, but the homework, the sexiness guidance, etc."
"
Yes, thank you for noticing.
The other night I told her "Enough with the sexiness!" And she said "I can't help it, I was made that way."
Thanks for all your tips, ladies.
I'm sure I'll have updates as I go along.
I know I just need to get back in to a routine.
Maybe I'll even post some progress "before" pics.
Before I read Deb's comment I was going to say, "and we all know that sexiness guidance is a full time job with Kid." That comment really was a gem!
A bit odd that nobody has suggested the fundamentalist notion -Rx buy dumbbells - and use them.
If you are already walking so much you probably don't need to add anything else, unless it's doing strength work (arm weights, lunges, etc.).
I work for a nutrition book company and we say that 80% of weight loss is nutrition. 10% is genetics and only 10% is exercise.
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