by Joelle • Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 • 8 Comments
I’m so excited about this! I just pre-ordered the new FitBit Flex, which is a stylish bracelet version of the popular FitBit.
Here’s the thing: I’ve moved a lot lately and can’t find my FitBit (the original one) to save my life. It’s here… I know it’s here, I just don’t know where. And when I do wear it, I often clip it to my bra so it doesn’t flop around or fall off. Of course, then I forget to remove it before throwing my bra in the wash. It made it through two washes without dying though, so good on ya, FitBit people.
I do have MapMyWalk and a host of other pedometer/GPS trackers on my phone, I found that to be more effective for specific outings. More “I’m going for a walk!”, less “I’m walking.” I’d like something that counts my day-to-day walking/running around/errands/standing/cooking/cleaning, etc.
When you’re trying to lose weight, every motion counts, every movement can be motivation. Maybe you’re not ready for actual workouts yet, but you don’t want to feel like you’re doing “nothing”. You can at least see, “Hey, I walked (or didn’t walk) this many steps today. I should try for more tomorrow.” And I like to get competitive with myself. If I see I’ve only got X amount more steps to get to a goal, I’ll push myself a little further, just to meet that goal. Even if it’s just 20 steps or 50 or whatever. Every step counts.
The sleep stuff I didn’t use very much with the original FitBit because I didn’t like that velcro wristband that came with it and again, I never remembered to put it on. Maybe this new FitBit Flex bracelet, which can be left on even while you shower, will do the trick.
I like how it looks, too, and that you can customize the colors. They come in Slate gray or Black by default, but you can also order supplemental bracelets in various colors like Tangerine, Teal or Navy. They have varying wristband sizes (small or large) for you mens or those with chubby wrists. Or, you know, those with naturally bigger wrists. *cough* I’m big boned, okay?!
I love new gadgets! Anything to motivate me to get off my ass. Think you’ll get one?
(This is not a sponsored post, I didn’t get anything for free or paid for this recommendation. I don’t even know if I’ll like it yet, but I’m looking forward to trying it out!)
by Joelle • Monday, May 20th, 2013 • 10 Comments
This weekend, I went to my favorite weekend breakfast spot and had my “usual” weekend breakfast: scrambled eggs with carnitas and jalapenos, refried beans, flour tortillas and rice. Basically, I ate all the carbs in greater San Diego County and I loved every second.
This weekend I also had ice cream. Real ice cream, from Cold Stone Creamery (mud pie mojo, for those in the know — that stuff should be illegal). Oh! I had a real soda, too. One of those Mexican bottled sodas — a Sprite. FULL ON, UNADULTERATED SUGAR. I even went out to dinner on Friday night with friends and had two glasses of red wine and a couple bites of fried bananas for dessert.
Why am I not writhing on the floor in fits of guilt and flogging myself over it? Because I’m just not, that’s why.
And I’ve lost 2 pounds since Thursday.
You Deserve Better. So Do I.
Maybe guilt weighs two pounds, I don’t know, but I just am tired of feeling worthless if I decide to eat indulgent human foods in small quantities and not quinoa-laden, paleo, weight watchers, south beach, low carb, whole foods perfection every second. It’s just not logical, it’s not long term and it doesn’t work for me.
I’m tired of hearing “You just have to have will power!” You can shove your will power, too. It’s time to be kinder to myself. I want to be mentally and emotionally fit, as well as physically. I want to cut myself some slack.
Now, am I saying run out and gorge yourself on all and sundry? Cram your maw with fistfuls of Cheetos and lard? No, I’m not. But I think hating yourself for enjoying something is counterproductive. I think depriving yourself while your friends and loved ones enjoy, while thinking, “I don’t get to have that”, is pretty sad. It implies you don’t deserve that… because you “let yourself go” or are “unworthy” or whatever. It’s all horseshit and I’m way over it.
But of course, I didn’t do nothing. I started tracking my food again on Lose It! (Yours might be MyFitnessPal or Weight Watchers or similar.) Just that caused me to make all-around healthier choices so that I could enjoy a few treats without guilt.
I’ll Start on Monday…
Usually, I start my “diets” on a Monday. I make a big “tadoo” about it to myself and often those around me, even the internet. You know you’ve heard or said these things before, “Better eat all my favorites this weekend so I can start my diet on Monday” or “Gotta get it out of my system before Monday”, followed by a large plate of Alfredo or whatever it is that you think you “can’t have”. This time, I woke up this past random Thursday, without any fanfare or announcements and just started logging.
I didn’t give myself any parameters, set any rules or make any promises. I just logged. And I naturally found that I wanted to stay within the calorie boundaries Lose It! set for me. In turn, I tended to make healthier choices for one of two reasons: 1) so I could have more of whatever I was having or 2) so I could have something more indulgent at a later time. Now, since I’ve got a nice chunk of weight to lose, those boundaries are generous and will grow more restrained as I lose weight and less calories are required to run the machine that is my person, but I’m guessing that as this happens, I will adjust accordingly. It will get more difficult to have as many indulgences, but building healthy habits over time may make them less desired. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I didn’t purposefully exercise (though I did log about 2.7 miles in casual walking (the mall, farmer’s markets, etc.) over the weekend using MapMyWalk — which reminds me, I need to dig out my FitBit). I stayed hydrated, but didn’t drink so much water that I sloshed when I walked (tell me you’ve done that). I just lived my life. I ate breakfast, I ate when I was hungry, chose mostly healthful options, I tried not to eat too late at night and when presented with opportunities to indulge, I did so — not every time or all the Pocky my boyfriend has in the fridge would be gone by now — but when I really wanted something and/or didn’t want to feel deprived or left out.
I had a little of whatever it was I wanted — 1/3 of the smallest size at Coldstone or I had salad for lunch so I could have a burger for dinner — that kind of thing. And I didn’t make a big show of it either. You know that drill. “Oh, I’ll just have a sliver… I’m watching my weight.” or “I’m on a diet, I really shouldn’t…” then you find yourself standing over the kitchen sink with a fork eating leftover pie right out of the tin.
Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death. — Coco Chanel
I didn’t need to feel guilty or explain myself or apologize. I just did whatever the hell I wanted and it was really liberating. I don’t want to someday be on my deathbed thinking, “If only I’d not spent the entire time dieting and hating myself.” I remembered feeling like that before, when I very first started Weight Watchers (a decade ago). I felt empowered, I felt like it’s no one’s goddamn business what I put in my mouth and I don’t have to explain myself to anyone.
I know what I am doing. And if I want a second glass of wine or I want flour tortillas instead of corn this time, I don’t need to be ashamed about it because no one else knows what I had for breakfast or whether or not I worked out today or what my personal story is. So they can judge (they probably aren’t), but none of it really matters. All that matters is what I think of my choices.
And I choose to have this truffle, thanks.
by Joelle • Tuesday, May 14th, 2013 • 2 Comments
When I first started this blog in 2003, I’d just lost 97 lbs using Weight Watchers. The Donut became a big hit, mostly because I think I tell it like it is and don’t sugarcoat things, but also because there were only a handful of weight loss blogs around back then.
Now, there are so many, that it actually made it kind of hard for me to want to get back into writing here. I felt like I had nothing to offer anyone, at least nothing that they couldn’t find on one of the many other weight loss blogs floating around the internet. And I definitely don’t want to be some link dump that just regurgitates stories found in fitness magazines or on other blogs. But what I am realizing is that this blog is not just about what I can offer other people, it’s about what weight loss blogging can offer me.
I ran across this list this morning: The 100 Most Inspirational Weight Loss Bloggers of 2013 and remembered a time when I could’ve been on that list. (I’m not, just to be clear.) I don’t really care about being “popular”, per se, or about being on a list, but I do care about connecting with and inspiring people. That was my favorite part of this blog back in the day and since I’ve fallen off-track, I often feel like I’ve let other people down, not just myself.
Losing weight is hard. It’s really hard, no matter what the media or your naturally skinny friend, your mother or your muscular, burger-eating boyfriend says. It’s hard. Working out is hard. For some of us, even getting off the couch and putting on our shoes is a workout. *cough* Some people just don’t understand that the simple walk to the gym is the workout and “just go for a walk!” sort of makes you want to punch them in the face. Lovingly, oh-so-lovingly.
I’m glad there are so many weight loss blogs out there that are noticed, women and men that are acclaimed for their efforts. We all need support — even though I’m not good at receiving it and find a lot of the “journey”-talk really touchy feely and not my jam, but I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t acknowledge that I need support. I need help. I need to be motivated. And you probably do, too.
So check out some of those blogs, lend your eyeballs to their process, chime in with some supportive comments (or straight-truth, if that’s your style). I’m sure I’ll be adding several to my list of reads and hope you will, too.
