As of this morning, I have lost 16 pounds. I had another successful week and even tried a new class at the gym by accident. Don't worry, I will fully explain...

It was this past Thursday which is usually one of my spin nights. It is a 45 minute class and a good way to gear up towards Friday. I had a very long busy day at work and didn't even have time to eat my pre-gym snack or drink my eight glasses of water. I told myself it is only 45 minutes and I can get in a few glasses of water during spin class. I changed and showed up to class with some friends from work. The gym manager was in the studio and upon arrival tells us that our instructor is stuck in traffic and that they are having a bootcamp class instead.

I have seen this bootcamp class at the gym while on the elliptical and it is the scariest thing I've seen in a gym. One of the trainers who is a Marine teaches it. He wears a whistle and blows it every 45 seconds. There is a circle of equipment with labels next to each station. Things I would never think of doing on my own because they would induce way too much pain and suffering.

Anyway, once it was announced that bootcamp would be replacing spin I looked at one of my girl friends and started to walk out of the studio to go do the elliptical. The instructor with the whistle told us to try it. I thought to myself great-I had no snack and not enough water today. How the hell am I going to do exercises as if I'm training to be in the army. Then I said to myself each station is only 45 seconds and I can do anything for only 45 seconds. That phrase no pain no gain also circulated through my brain. So I stayed and convinced a third friend to stay as well. Was I crazy?

The instructor turned the music way up. Some of my favorite songs to workout to by Katy Perry and Rihanna pumped through the speakers. I got excited and felt good. For the next fifteen minutes I did push-ups, squats, lunges and cardio all with weights and got through the first round. My heart was pumping at well above the normal 150 I usually maintain during spin, I could feel it. I was sweating like an eskimo in a sauna. I slirped some water down and we started round two and I somehow made it through that as well but I was deteriorating fast. I had some more water and really wanted to walk out but of course I didn't. I pushed through the pain and exhaustion and completed the third round.

The instructor complimented my efforts and told me I should try his Navy Seals class the following week. I replied that maybe I would. How much harder can Navy Seals be? Ha Ha, I'm sure a lot harder but maybe that saying no pain no gain is really true. I was very sore the next day but for each time I moved and felt one of my sore muscles I was that much prouder of myself. The human body is a miraculous thing and if we push ourselves we really are much more capable then we think. I learned that this week.

This week I’d like to discuss enablers. You know who I’m talking about. Those friends and family members who exhibit the following behaviors. Let me set the scene. You are out at a trendy restaurant all dressed up. You have had a great meal of salad maybe some grilled fish. Also, you have just communicated to your friend all about your five workouts and successful eating plan for the past week and the waiter plops down the dessert menu. Your friend looks at you and asks if you want to share a brownie sundae. My normal response a few weeks ago would have been of course :) But lately my response has been that if I am going to have anything it is going to be some plain fruit.

I have learned some valuable lessons the last few weeks. Your loved ones and friends aren't going to change and you shouldn't expect them to. Your transformation is about you not them. They didn't make you fat or put the food in your mouth all those times you overate and ate the wrong things. They also don't mean to harm you when they offer fattening desserts or food. That is how they show their love at times. So it will be you that has to change. What I mean when I say that is you will need to change how you respond in certain situations. Instead of getting angry just explain that you are trying to make positive changes with your health and leave it at that. The funny thing is that your good habits might start rubbing off on them. If they don't that is perfectly fine as well as long as you do the right thing for you.

I think it is very healthy to love others don't get me wrong but sometimes it is healthier for you to not be so engaged in their behavior. Women especially are guilty of this. The constant advice giving and worrying about others. It is our nature to care too much at times. I know I have been guilty of this. I tend to focus on other's problems so I don't have to focus on my own. That is one of the reasons I gained so much weight. Then I gained more when I got angry and frustrated that my friends and family wouldn't take my advice and didn't even seem to appreciate all those suggestions I constantly gave.

I have tried to just "let go"! I still love everyone just as much as I always have but I am getting less involved in their drama. I think my relationships are improving because of this lesson. I know my relationship with myself has improved and isn't that the most important relationship of them all? Fin
-zoftig princess

Happy Sunday to all my friends and family. I was in the city for a good portion of this past week staying in a hotel and more importantly eating hotel food. I did get my five workouts in and more and managed to stick to my food plan all week. This week was particularly hard not only because of my lack of sleep, being on my feet all day but when I am at work events there is food every where and all day long. I am not speaking of healthy food either. There is always a large spread of cake, cookies and brownies. Mayonaise filled salads and sandwiches are also always abundant at these events. I brought my protein bars and bananas with me and planned out all my meals accordingly so I wouldn't be hungry and wouldn't eat non-healthy food.

For anyone who knows me well over the years I've never been able to successfully eat healthy during one of these conferences or being away from home. I always make excuses or let my hunger and exhaustion rule what gets put in my mouth. The fact that I was able to eat healthy all week was amazing. It also taught me that if I could do it once I can always do it. When you are exhausted eating crap doesn't give you more energy. In fact, it makes you feel worse in many ways.

To reward myself I went to the mall today and got myself a brand new pair of sneakers with new technology. They are so much lighter as well. I feel like walking/running will be that much easier. Now when I am at the gym wearing my new sneakers they will also remind me what I've accomplished and how I met my goal. Those feelings will only motivate me to workout more this week. I will report in later this week and let everyone know how it goes.

So far so good this week. Two of my five workouts completed. Spin Monday night and then an hour with the trainer tonight. Tomorrow I am going to a 7am spin class before work, then into the city for an event. Back with the trainer on Friday and then hopefully swimming laps and a run/walk on Saturday. My eating has been spot on as well this week, journaling and keeping track of my weight watcher's points online.

Over the weekend I was in Westport to do some errands and noticed some nice sales at the Gap and Ann Taylor Loft. Two brands that I frequently wear because the lines of the brand flatter my fuller sized figure. One of my biggest challenges being overweight is finding clothes that are fashionable but also look cute on me. There were so many sexy dresses at Loft that I would have loved to buy but between the current state of my arms and core I can't yet. However, I am working very hard to rectify the situation. I am very much looking forward to the day when I can wear whatever style I want and not being able to won't be an option any longer. It will be so wonderful when I can get up in the morning and throw on a pair of designer jeans in a size 6 and tuck my shirt in to them like it is no big deal :)

I also love to wear heels and have a huge shoe collection of all the best designers. I rarely wear my beautiful shoes because with all the extra weight my feet hurt after a few hours in heels. So the other big fashion item I am looking forward to is wearing all my gorgeous sexy shoes minus the pain. Once I get to my goal weight I might even treat myself to a pair of Louboutins. I've been told they are actually comfortable. I feel many wonderful things are in store for my future and they aren't just shoes and clothes.

zoftigprincess

For so long now I feel like I've talked the talk but haven't walked the walk with my weight loss. It is so important to me for my family, friends and boyfriend to finally be proud of me and not just think, here she goes again with no results to portray. That is why I am now trying so hard to do this once and for all.

It is going to take me months of hard work and commitment to lose all the weight I want to lose. So what will keep me motivated? For starters, I have some pictures of how I used to look and of some of my fashion icons like Megan Fox on my bedroom mirror. I have numerous free apps on my iPhone and computers like weight watchers and other diary type apps where I can not only log my food and exercise but more importantly log my feelings and behaviors. I think that behavior modification is a large part of weight loss and it takes 30 days to form a new habit researchers say so writing will be key so I can look back and read what I wrote on good and bad days.

So far so good. I have enjoyed all the healthy food I am eating and feel satisfied. I don't feel as though I am missing anything. I eat slowly and enjoy what I am having. When you eat fresh organic vegetable and fruit you don't even need salad dressing. The items themselves are so flavorful without anything added. Sometimes I will have some fresh squeezed lemon juice over greens if I get bored but that is it.

Until next time...
zoftig princess

My last blog referenced a major success in my journey. I am pleased to report I had three more this week as follows. I ran outside this morning for the first time since playing tennis and soccer in high school and I ran on the treadmill this past week with my trainer doing interval training. For my time on the treadmill it was only in one minute intervals opposite walking in one minute intervals on an incline of 9.0. I don't know which is harder the running or the hills :). I normally do spin class which is non-impact so any impact exercise is very hard as I'm not used to it all so I am proud of myself.

I also made it through the week being sick and having the usual female issues staying on my food plan. I've never been able to do this before. As soon as I don't feel well I usually reach for some type of carb to satiate me. Sometimes when I don't feel well I am just plain lazy and that doesn't work either. When you have healthy snacks always available this pre-empts that behavior I find and that is exactly what I did. I now always have bananas, healthy protein bars, berries, carrot sticks and almonds at work, at home and sometimes in my purse.

I had another meal out recently also where I had a good but on plan meal with plain fruit at the end and enjoyed the company instead of focusing on the food.  So the week has ended and I am down 6.3 pounds, not too shabby. More importantly I am proud of myself and feel confident that I will be successful in terminating the bad habits once and for all.  It won't be easy but I am starting to build my toolbox for the future.

-Zoftig Princess