O Sweet Clementine!

I have decided to mend my bad eating ways. So this cookie-eating, donut-stuffing, pizza-loving gal is joining the ranks of such fine and inspiring "dieters" (I use that word loosely - there is no such thing as a "diet", just eating right for life!) as Smart Mouth Broad. If you know SMB, then you know her saga of losing weight - exercising with her Wii Wii, her Daughter #1's (aka the Food Nazi) strictly enforced Zone diet, and SMB's sudden gradual switch to the South Beach Diet. Why, she has even given up sweet tea *gasp*.... I can NEVER give up my sweet tea. Never. Ever. Ever.

Mind you, I have not worked out or ate right in about 2 years. So this is a large undertaking for me. But I have tons of motivation (finally). When we were tearing down that outbuilding last weekend, and the day before when we were cutting down tree limbs and lugging them to a burn pile, I felt like I was literally lifting one foot to put it in front of the other. I felt exhausted before I even began. This is so not me. I have always been game for outdoor work, and usually love it. Now granted, female hormones were working their lovely magic on me this past week, and I do believe that had something to do with it, BUT I also know that I have gained at least 20 pounds since my move to Kansas and I do not like my lack of energy and how tired I feel at the end of a workday. Hence my motivation to lose weight and get back into my smaller jeans. I want to feel energetic and know that I'm eating healthy, especially "at my age".

Then, there's the challenge. I felt the burning need to take up that challenge about 3 summers ago, and to break the plateau that had always plagued me. I could never seem to get below 118 pounds to 115. I am only 5'2" (yes, I am severely vertically challenged and need a chair to reach just about anything in the house), so that weight suits me perfectly. I felt healthy and I felt like I could do ANYTHING once I got down to that weight. It inspired me, and made me feel way more confident. I was jubilant when I got down to 115 the summer of 2006.

The challenge this time around? Well, I am older for one thing. I am pushing 50 in another year and a half. So, I want to prove that an almost-50-something gal can be slim and trim. I started this past Monday with cutting out all fast food. I always find that when I stop eating fast food, it takes about 3 days or so for me to lose the craving for it; once I get past those first few days, I find I no longer crave it, and in fact, it sounds disgusting to me. Challenge one, accomplished!!

Challenge two: Eat right. So now that I've virtually starved myself since Tuesday, it's time to figure out what to buy at the store and plan my lunch while at work, so I don't eat dumb. A co-worker was eating clementines a few days ago and gave me a bite. I am food-stupid much of the time, and I'm reluctant to try new things. For whatever reason, I just popped the piece of clementine she gave me right into my mouth, and from that moment forward, I couldn't get to the store fast enough to buy some clementines! Yummy a thousand times, and oh so easy to peel and eat. I bought a bag yesterday and had two clementines for lunch. As I write this, I'm salivating, so excuse me while I go grab a clementine to snack on....


Now, on to challenge three. Take up a workout regimen. I had a friend at work copy some of the P90X workouts for me. If you've never heard of P90X, then take a look here. I watched the ab portion of the workout a few nights ago and was blown away. This stuff is going to kick my arse. But I will go slow and pace myself. If there's one thing I've learned in my lifetime of working out, it's that pushing myself in the beginning is self-defeating. I will end up so sore and unable to move that I cannot workout for a few days, then I somehow fall off the wagon before I even get started. I know better than to let that happen.

I also have an olympic weight bench and a TotalGym. But they are in hubby's shop. And there are also spiders, big spiders, out in his shop, even though he does spray for bugs. I'm not sure I want to work out in his shop. There is just no room in the house for these monstrosities. And I love my olympic weights -- I've always preferred lifting weights to cardio. And you know if you build muscle mass, then your body has to burn more calories to maintain that muscle, hence you lose weight faster! I think I'll bring some of my free weights into the house - a compromise.

So, this is my plan for the next few months. My main goal is to feel better, to have more energy and zest, like I used to. Of course, as a side goal, I hope to look better, in and out of my jeans. I'll let y'all know how it's going!


cartoon from www.weblogcartoons.com

23 comments:

  1. Our mum's loves or oranges extends to a Terry's chocolate orange - not sure if you get those - they look like an orange - round and wrapped in orange paper but unwrap it and you have segments of orange flavoured chocolate.
    We must apologize - we just know that is not healthy at all - it is our mum - she says she is a victim to her hormones too!!!
    Good luck xxxx

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  2. I'm right there with you! I took a couple of weeks off while I'm having to work the ten hour days but I've been back into the health and fitness lifestyle again too.

    I usually go super strict with clean eating and major workouts for two 12 week chunks of time each year. I love weight lifting too, it's definitely my favorite and results are so rapid!

    For cardio I usually do a quick morning kick boxing routine (remember good old Billy Blanks Tae bo? I do the eight minute workout) and then I try to do a 2 mile interval walk/jog/run after my afternoon weight work in the afternoons.

    It's a lot of work and time consuming but after the first couple of weeks when our energy starts to soar it's so well worth it! Suddenly there's time for working, family, playing, cooking, cleaning, working out and even blogging! :-)

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  3. Oops sorry - seems I wrote a whole entry here instead of a comment, LOL!

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  4. Sometimes I buy a box of clementines and eat the whole thing in 2-3 days. Like eating sunshine.

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  5. OMG! Imagine my surprise when I started to read and saw my name and the Food Nazi (She hates that name). I ran and got her and we read together. Good for you. Good luck with your new plan. I'm down 14 lbs so far and the wii tells me that I'm no longer obese. Now just overweight. :-) You go girl! We've got your back!

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  6. Oh dear. Now I'm going to have to hate you for your healthy eating, because I'm so jealous that my willpower sucks. Ha! No,I won't hate you and I wish you well, as I sit here drinking my Corona and eating chips and cheese dip. Ugh....I'm out of control.

    I miss you, girlfriend!

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  7. Best wishes with your new challenge--I could certainly learn something reading about your efforts.

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  8. I'm with ya! We can do this! I'm doing 'the Shred' - and just pleased as punch that I can handle it at age (groan) 49. I've tried the earlier P90 too... great stuff! Let's prove to the world that 50 is fabulous :) -tammy

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  9. Wow. It sounds great! ...except for the diet and exercise part. :)

    I envy your will power.
    I envy your drive to succeed.
    I envy all your workout stuff.

    I guess I will have to go drown my envy in a Big Mac. (Just kidding!! I don't really eat those things. Okay, I do, but only about 2 a year, so it's not so bad. Right?)

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  10. I am planning to do the same thing but I set my starting date as September 1.. I am imagining a new me in the new season :)) Good Luck..

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  11. Good luck with it! I'm dieting too so I share your pain

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  12. Oh, my, you are still young! Truly! I am pushing 60, not 50, and I lost 30 pounds last year -- counting calories and moderate exercise. (Even though I spent 8 years in the US Army, I am not one to seek out physical exercise for pleasure.) I changed the kinds of foods I ate, swapping out those with high calories to bulkier ones with fewer calories (healthier ones, too), and never felt hungry. I gained 10 pounds back on a teaching visit to Lithuania a few months ago, so now I am back to counting calories to get back to where I was.

    (BTW, my doctor was shocked by the weight loss, which was accompanied by her being able to take me off medicines. My cholesterol was out of control and is now ideal. She said, "What made you go and lose all this weight." I said, "You told me to -- if I wanted not to have to take medication." She said, " I tell everyone to, but nobody actually does it!)

    It helps that everyone at work knew and knows I am doing this, so they cheer me on, tell me I set a good example, etc. (Oohhh...ugh...a terrible thought went through my head: maybe I also need to set a good example by spending some time in the gym at work...I don't like exercise...ugh..what a thought, but probably a meaningful one!) At any rate, *telling* people is what keeps me honest. Otherwise, I might give up easier. That might also help you, and you seem to have taken the first step by telling bloggers. Good luck. It is not easy, but it is do-able, and it is worth it.

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  13. Keep on keepin' on. If you stumble a little don't give up!

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  14. You've got the right attitude & let me tell you, after 50...it gets harder! I've put on a couple pounds just since moving here and most of it is just not being outside & exercising like I used to...too darn cold most of the year! SOunds like a prime excuse to me. I do so enjoy good food & being a veggie helps. Clementines are one of my favorites!

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  15. That cartoon is hilarious!

    Good luck with your new diet... I'm sure you'll feel a lot better if you eat healthily.

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  16. I hope all goes well for you. I love Clementines too. I think I may need to go get some! Love the cartoon too!!! -Cathy

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  17. What would Little Debbie think? Good luck

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  18. I put a MckLinky for vacation posts on the sidebar of my blog. If you have a post you would like to link on my blog feel free. Thanks Joe Todd

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  19. Today I had just said to myself, NOW IS THE TIME and low-and-behold, your post!

    I can do this!!!! I can! I think I can.

    Thank you so much
    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

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  20. I am proud of all of you!!! Hang in there Ladies!!! You can do it! I am here with the pom poms shaking and jumping up and down for you.

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  21. I heard recently that weights are better than cardio.. Those Clementines are wonderful !! We buy them by the box. I also do lots of raw carrots and lettuce.. I would like to be thin and under fifty again.. so you go girl!! :)

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  22. What I have heard is that a combination of cardio and weights is best. I do cardio, but am a slug about weights. :(

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