Sweat your ass off.  You aren’t going to lose weight lifting weights or splashing around in the pool.  Could you get stronger?  Of course.  Can having more muscle help you burn calories?  Yes.  But right now this is not what you need.  You need to get some good old fashion walking or jogging and start getting those sweat glands working.

You don’t have to have a warrior workout.  Just make it an effort.  Don’t talk to anyone.  Don’t read a magazine.   Put your headphones on.  Listen to the music that pumps you up the most.  Think about why you want to lose weight and do it.

There is no magical trick where one day your in shape.  Being in shape and losing weight. comes from living that type of lifestyle.  It’s a way of living thing, not a trick like infomercials would have you believe.

You can start as slow as you want.  All you need to do is put in a diligent effort and dedication to getting a nice healthy cardio exercise 5-6 times a week.  Its not as bad as you make it out to be.  Just work out 30 minutes in the morning.  That’s your start.  Walk, jog, bike - whatever you want.  Just have a good workout and feel good about it.

Next blog will be a huge way to lose weight that you know about and need to read again because it is super helpful.

When you’re trying to lose weight and you’re successful at taking clumps out of that weight, remember there is no letting up before achieving that goal. Even after reaching the goal, you need to transition your diet and exercise to that of being in shape. If you’re thinking, “this doesn’t ever end”, you’re right. Fitness is a forever thing. Get used to it. Get off your ass and do something.

Debra hasn’t checked in lately, but I wanted to keep this blog going by adding my own weight loss thoughts.

Intro entry part 1:

I weighed 242 when I was 16.  This was my peak.  By age 18, I had slimmed down to 215-220 and by age 21-22 I hit my all time low at 183.  I recently got up to 252 which is my absolute high in December of 2007.  I have since lowered all the way to 223 and am really happy with that but want to get down to 195-200 area.  A few words about my success for this entry and then more later.  Generally, what I have done is really watch what I eat and cut out a lot of the high sugar, high fat sweets.  I have found there are BlueBunny chocolate/swirl ice cream bars that are only 60 calories and low in sugar, but taste awesome.  I recommend those if you have a hard time getting away from the sweets.  Also, I’ve really been exercising consistently and passionately.  I both lift weights and run.  It’s not always what you do, it’s how you do it.

Uh-oh, the scale is moving, but it’s not moving in the right direction. Don’t you just hate it when that happens? Of course, I know very well why it’s happening. Between the Easter holidays, when chocolate eggs are everywhere, and old friends visiting (of course we just have to catch up over dinner) I’ve been putting a lot of temptation in my path.

 But if I don’t get back in control, how will I ever manage to be at a weight to enjoy my vacation to Las Vegas in a few weeks? I have no illusions of being thin, mind you, but I would like to fit comfortably into airplane seat.

So today, it’s back to my diet. No exceptions, no excuses, no ifs, ands or buts. The next chocolate Easter egg that gets in my way is going to get squished instead of eaten. I want my trip in April, and later my trip with my family in August, to be fun ones. So, it’s back on the diet wagon for me.

:::sigh::: 

My job requires me to drive for long stretches. On days when I know I’ll be spending a lot of time in my car, I buy a 44-oz. Diet Coke and sip it as I zip along the road. Since I used to eat candy bars while driving, this actually is an improvement.

The only drawback is that I notice I get a little jittery after a mega-dose of cola, and I can counter that by switching to caffeine-free Diet Coke at some point during the day.

Is there a food or a drink that has really helped you with your weight loss goals? If so, I’d love to hear about it. Leave me a note in the “comments” section or leave me a link to your blog.

By sharing our tips and tricks, we can make the weight loss happen!   

But that incident really burned me up. How dare a complete stranger take it upon himself to 1) Make judgments about what I should and shouldn’t be eating, and 2) Share those judgments with me? How rude can you get?

It reminded me of my days in college when frat guys used to gather on the sidewalk and rate the bodies of the women walking past them. Back in those days, I actually had a pretty decent body, and friends would ask me why I complained when my ratings were high. I replied that it wasn’t the rating itself but the principle of the thing, the idea that some stranger would make unsolicited remarks–positive or negative–about my body.

Of course, I’m sure nobody reading this blog would ever dream of doing such an insensitive thing. But just in case you’re ever tempted to “help” someone by making a comment about their size or attractiveness, remember this: People who are fat know they are fat. We don’t need to be told. We certainly don’t need to be instructed about healthful eating habits by someone we don’t even know. In these situations, silence isn’t just golden. It’s mandatory.   

About half an hour later, he did it again. And twenty minutes later, another thud and another meow. For my sanity and his safety I finally shut the washer door. But the situation got me to thinking. Alexander is not a stupid cat, but he made the same mistake three times within the space of an hour.

Similarly, I am not a stupid woman, but when it comes to dieting, I tend to make the same mistakes and get myself “stuck” over and over. For instance, yesterday was my “cheat day.” I had a reasonable lunch with a colleague. Then, on the way home from work, I stopped and bought myself a large chocolate Easter Bunny. And even though I was full and it didn’t really even taste that good to me, I ate every mouthful. I don’t even want to think about how many calories were in that thing! If I had enjoyed every one of them, it would have been one thing, but I kept eating when I wasn’t enjoying myself. How silly is that?

Maybe I need to learn a lesson from my cats–and believe me, it wouldn’t be the first–and stop making the same mistakes and expecting different results. From now on, while I am putting food in my mouth, I will be aware of the signals my body is sending me. If it doesn’t taste good or if I’m not hungry, I’ll stop eating. Period.

Even though I still think some of my amazing weight loss last week was water weight, I have to admit I slipped a little this week. I ate too many of the wrong foods and too much of the right ones.

Oh, well.

Weight loss is an up and down battle at best. This week I’m up. It’s not the result I wanted, but I know how to get back on track. Those pounds will come off again, and more besides. It just takes time, patience, and a little more self discipline than I’ve been exhibiting recently. Wish me luck!