Tracking My Success - Am I off to a good start?

Alright, so I never did check my weight at work, so I have no idea where I started at, or if I lost weight. No worries. I do know that during yoga with the ladies at work, I did not like my thighs and that I still have some belly fat around the middle but I feel like that's getting better. My measurements today will tell the true tale.

Date: January 18th, 2nd measurement (yes, I missed the week one check....)...but look for a later post where I have a different check I did with the ladies at work.

Resting Heart Rate:  69 beats per minute (that's down a lot from 84)

• For the readers: 84 is on the bad side of average. Over 85 is an indicator of poor health, 75-85 is is average, 65-75 is good, and less than 65 is excellent. If that's my resting heart rate - no wonder I feel so crazy when I am stressed.
• Meaning - I made it from the bad side of average to a good heart rate! So one thing has been vastly improved. Hopefully, this will correspond to my stress levels.

Weight: To be ignored I guess.....if I ever get around to buying a scale, or weighing at work, I'll let you know. Best guess is that I started somewhere above or around 165 lbs and am getting closer to 160 now. I'm 5'7....so to be healthier, I'd like to at least be under 160 and would be happy around 145. My (identical) twin sister was consistently in the 130s for a while....but now she lives with a man and realizes how much harder it is to control what you eat with two in the house.

 Push-ups: 5 - no new measurement

• For this measurement you should count the total number of push-ups, nose-to-the-floor through to arms fully extended, before you reach exhaustion. You can rest between push-ups but only in up position.
• So why is there no new measurement? I am concerned I gave myself a sports hernia yesterday during yoga. It is something I have done before and I don't want to aggravate it as it made running absolutely miserable a couple years ago. When I tried to do push-ups, I felt that almost immediately hurting....so I might try again later.

Curl-ups:  108 (previous measurement - 75)

• Bent-knee curl-up test: Lie on the floor with knees bent and palms of hands facing down by your side. Lower your lower back to the floor and curl your upper spine while sliding your hands until they reach your heels. This is used as opposed to a sit-up to avoid lower back strain. Don't lock your feet under something - it changes what muscles you are using.
• The springer spaniel left me alone this time, so that helped. Can't be a sports hernia because I could do these. I felt the injury, but it was not terribly painful that way it was for the attempted pushup.

Measurements: (This is where some of my major reasons for doing this appear, although the biggest reason is stress) All measurements are in inches and taken from the widest location.

1. Neck: 12.75 (no change)
2. Chest: 36.5 (no change)
3. Upper Abs: 31 inches - yeah! lost an inch (5 inches about belly button)
4. Waist: 30.75 - lost another inch!
5. Lower Abs: 34 - 2.5 inches lost! (@ belly button) <-- Target zone
6. Hips: 43.5 - I wish it was more than this, but I will have to be happy with .5 inches
7. Thighs -Upper: 24.5 - another 1/2 inch lost (again, I wish it were more)
8. Thighs - Lower: 18 - whole inch lost there
9. Knee: 15.5 (no change....sadness)
10. Calf: 15.25 - 1/4 inch change (13 inches from floor)
11. Arm- Relaxed: 11 - 1/4 inch lost (*3 1/2 inches from elbow)
12. Arm- Flexed: 11.5 -1/4 inch lost (*)

Total Inches: 284.25,  old measurement = 291.5, 7 total inches lost!
 
Average dress size: (I find dresses and skirts to be totally inconsistent based on style....so I opted for pants instead) 10 --> I haven't bought new clothes, so it's not like I can test this - but most things are still on the snug side so I am safe to say, no change

Body Fat: Definitely less than 30% body fat now....considering the changes to my belly, I'd estimate I am closer to 25% now.

Still too tense

Week 1, I did a great job of remaining positive. This week, however, managed to get the best of me. Yesterday I told a coworker, nearly in tears, that there are too many people who want and need my attention. I felt bad because I had been a little short with her the day before. I have two kids out next week and was trying to get some work ready for them to do while they're out. She had signed us up for library time and we were planning on doing a research assignment. So I was asking her questions so I could get those two the materials to do read over sources and answer the same kinds of questions. She wasn't yet at a point where she could give me all the answers, but I was pushing for them anyway, so I felt bad that I was rude to her, but also feel frustrated that she is planning things without clear goals in mind. However, that's the role I play in this team, and I am not actually there being a team member lately.

So one of my goals was to spend one day with her and one with the other social studies teacher a week to talk about what needs done. It's not happening. A specific time with my student teacher didn't happen either. I'm frustrated with her, too as I turned around to ask her a question the other day and she was gone. And that was not the first time this has happened. Additionally, she left yesterday before 3:30, which is not okay per her requirements. I was off talking to one of the students who was going to be out and getting them their work and came back and no sign of her. So I think we're going to have to have a chat and I am really starting to see why so many teachers are so hands-off with student teachers. We've been asked not to do that, but there is definitely some sanity preserved that way.

On to the positives, because those are important to focus on. I had dinner with one of my oldest friends, Callie, last night. Our friendship has been pretty strained the last few years, but we try. It was SO nice to see her last night because she is feeling exactly the way I am. She's been short with coworkers and just feels emotionally out of control like me. Also, she just feels like she is down to very few friends. Knowing that, I think we're going to make more time for each other and support each other more. I told her about my resolution to spend more time with friends and she thought that was a good one. We're two friends that need to hang out sans hubbies (because ours don't have a ton in common and don't necessarily appreciate each other and I must admit, although I think her husband is great for her, he's not my favorite person either). However, I will push the hubby thing if it means I get to see my friend more often. After all, my husband invites the whole bachelor party over sometimes. They all wanted me to hang out last time and I did for a bit before going off on my own.

My coworkers and I are also having lunch though one is out today (sad) and the student teachers were invited, too. I was disappointed by that but I need to let that go. She really is great - I'm just a control freak who teaches two subjects and she teaches one and she takes up more time so that science is this sort of extra thing hanging above my head and possible strangling me at the moment. Considering the situation, I am not sure I will take a student teacher again. Certainly not when there is new curriculum to figure out that I have never taught before.

Either way, I am feeling MUCH better after dinner last night and am ready to make a go of being positive. She and I also talked about binge reading and the importance of that in destressing us. She is just getting back into reading and I told her about about I went from just over 50 books in 2012 to reading nearly 100 in 2013 and that you get back into the swing of things after some practice. Interesting enough, this second quarter when I had been so stressed, I had not been reading. So reading is actually part of my becoming balanced program. Think of it as my version of meditation. Much needed meditation. Right now, I am reading a zombie book - very meditative. Actually it is great expect the main characters are twins and there is this whole "my lost other half" thing that annoys me (as a twin). But there are some very real aspects to the relationship between the two....so let's see if she can salvage the book but not annoying me too much more. I love the story otherwise!

Week 1 Review: Awareness? Not there yet...

The goal for week one is "awareness." I suppose that means I am supposed to become aware of my habits.

Step 1 was to figure out what I crave. Usually, I crave sugars but sometimes I crave meats/nuts etc. I managed to kick sugar from my diet last week. At least I did, until Friday night when my husband bought me a 2 liter of soda when he ordered pizzas for he and the boys. He brought me Dominos boneless chicken and a giant thing of soda. Friday, I did a good job of avoiding the soda. Sunday, however, I had a lot of soda, while snacking on cereal. It was not a good food day.

Step 2 is to become aware of your eating patterns:
 One of my patterns explains the issue with my choices on Sunday. Sundays I am home alone (hubby is working), either working or bored and this Sunday I did not feel great. Not feeling great is definitely one of those things that leads to poor dietary habits on my part. Boredom is another of my week points. I'll have to work on those.

Diet on a work day: my scheduled lunch is at 10:42 and gets done around 11:12.  What this usually means is I eat lunch super early and by the time I get home from work I am ravenous! At that point, I eat whatever quick energy source I can get my hands on and it isn't usually very good for me. However, I did a great job with this during the week. Yeah me!
This

This wasn't a "step" but was still something I was supposed to do. You look at when your bad health or bad eating habits or whatever started. That's easy to pinpoint for me. Although I may not have been a model of fitness prior to starting my teaching job, this job was the start of a lot of weight gain for me. High stress job with poor eating times. It's been a battle ever since. That was 4 years ago now. It makes me miss the days when I worked at the museum and biked to work or took the dog for a run in the morning because I started later and also I had nothing better to do.

Step 3 is to eliminate sugar. Done-ish. Coffee creamer is reduced but not eliminated. Sorry, but drinking coffee can be a very peaceful, pleasant part of my day and I don't like it black so I think I can allow myself one cup of coffee.

Step 4 is to eat breakfast. This is not a problem for me. I eat breakfast like it's a religion. What I did do was drop the smoothies. Orange juice has too much sugar and thus messes up step 3. Instead, I have switched to an egg, fried without butter or oil, with a little hotsauce on top and I have a banana. It works.

Step 5 is drink water.....this is a work in progress. I couldn't find my water cup at work this week. On Friday I discovered they were both in my science room. I moved one back to social studies (where I teach all except one class) so I have one handy.

Step 6 is to get walking. I was already walking the dog fairly consistently, but now I changed how I walk. You're supposed to walk as if you're in a hurry the whole time. My walking buddy is no longer walking with me (she's doing yoga), so it actually makes it easier to keep up the pace. And my dog certainly doesn't mind picking up the pace.

QUICK REVIEW
Body:

•  3 20-minute brisk walks or 3 cardio sessions (best if early morning) - COMPLETE!
• eliminate sugar - Complete-ish
• eat breakfast (as early as possible or just after workout) - COMPLETE!
• drink four 500ml bottles of water daily - still working on it....
• NOTES: T25 is a good program....and working out with the ladies after work is worth ditching my student teacher for. She's good. She doesn't need me to hold her hand the whole time (so I tell my control freak self to back off!)

 Mind:

• Journal about/become aware of eating patterns and what I crave - COMPLETE!

Soul:

• Look back on what was going on when you first started losing weight and figure out what was going on. - COMPLETE!

Tracking My Success - Starting Measurements

Rather than play the weight game - since building muscle in order to reduce body fat might at some point in the process cause weight gain or reduced loss of pounds, I will be focusing on using the "Success Tracker I" by Crystal Andrus to record progress weekly.

Date: January 6, 2014 - Starting Measurements

Resting Heart Rate: 84 beats per minute

• For the readers: 84 is on the bad side of average. Over 85 is an indicator of poor health, 75-85 is is average, 65-75 is good, and less than 65 is excellent. If that's my resting heart rate - no wonder I feel so crazy when I am stressed.

Weight: To be added (I will weigh in at work today, as I don't own a scale and am not sure I want to)

 Push-ups: 5

• For this measurement you should count the total number of push-ups, nose-to-the-floor through to arms fully extended, before you reach exhaustion. You can rest between push-ups but only in up position.
• As my arms are incredibly weak, I am not surprised I didn't make it too far. Although most of me wasn't exhausted, my arms were collapsing when I got to down and I was dropping to the floor - I assume that counts as exhausted.

Curl-ups: 75

• Bent-knee curl-up test: Lie on the floor with knees bent and palms of hands facing down by your side. Lower your lower back to the floor and curl your upper spine while sliding your hands until they reach your heels. This is used as opposed to a sit-up to avoid lower back strain. Don't lock your feet under something - it changes what muscles you are using.
• This one is to measure abdominal strength and endurance, two things I am not short of. This actually exhausted my neck, which is why I had to stop.
• FYI - it is hard to do these when a springer spaniel is licking you, putting his head and feet on you, etc.

Measurements: (This is where some of my major reasons for doing this appear, although the biggest reason is stress) All measurements are in inches and taken from the wides

1. Neck: 12.75
2. Chest: 36.5
3. Upper Abs: 32 inches (5 inches about belly button)
4. Waist: 31.75
5. Lower Abs: 36.5 (@ belly button) <-- Target zone
6. Hips: 44
7. Thighs -Upper: 25
8. Thighs - Lower: 19
9. Knee: 15.5
10. Calf: 15.5 (13 inches from floor)
11. Arm- Relaxed: 11.25 (*3 1/2 inches from elbow)
12. Arm- Flexed: 11.75 (*)

Total Inches:  291.5 (let's see how many of these we can get rid of!)

Average dress size: (I find dresses and skirts to be totally inconsistent based on style....so I opted for pants instead) 10

Body Fat: estimate 30% (that's erring on the high side)

Getting Started - My Mission for a Balanced Life

Through this blog, it is my intention to embark on a journey of self-improvement. Although I find her a little ooey-gooey, I will be using Crystal Andrus as my guide through her book Simply...Woman!

Here are the getting started steps (as in, before week 1 where I actually follow her plan):

1. Gather what you need:
2. Record everything you eat for 3 days
3. Measure where you are now
4. Sign your own contract
5. Make the most of this program
6. Success Tracker

Gathering the tools:

• journal --> I will be using this blog
• running shoes --> check (although new ones would be beneficial)
• weights --> she recommends 3 lb dumbbells and 8 lb dumbbells but soup cans and water bottles work to start (so maybe I will invest in dumbbells later)
• measuring tools --> cloth measuring tape (check), a scale (don't have one....maybe I will buy one or weigh in at work), a watch (with a second hand for checking heart rate), full length mirror, camera

Recording food:

• Thursday:
• Breakfast: bowl of Honey Graham Oh's
• Lunch: piece of pizza and a lot of carrots dipped in dressing
• Dinner: Vegetable Barely soup (from Progresso) with colby jack cheese and a tortilla
• Friday:
• Breakfast: bowl of Honey Graham Oh's
• Lunch: half a slice of pizza and chicken nuggetd with chipotle mayo on top
• Dinner: large piece of chile relleno casserole, spinach salad, Spanish rice
• Saturday:
• Breakfast: fruit smoothie (strawberries, OJ, and banana) and 2 pieces of sausage (might have to ask my hubby not to put them all on the table)
• Lunch: miso soup, fried avocado with salmon and crab on top
• Dinner: stuffed salmon (cream cheese, lobster, some sort of sugary marinade), sweet potato fries, spinach salad

Measure where you are now:

• Imagine photograph in a bikini...maybe I will post it in here. Right now I don't feel gutsy enough.
• Body Measurements, average dress size, weight, current fitness level --> all to be inserted in the Success Tracker (which I will post in a subsequent post)

Sign your Contract

• I, MR, agree to commit to the development and enhancement of my body and my life. I promise to love and respect myself and to take the time each day to honor that commitment by following all the steps outlined in this 12 week program.
• I promise to hold myself totally and completely accountable for all my choices, every emotion and reaction, both negative and positive, and I won't blame anyone for my shortcomings or failures. I know that life may sometimes get in the way and that I may encounter people who don't agree with my needs or desires, but I've made this commitment to myself - body, mind, and soul. I know that life will only give me what I demand of it, so it's up to me to make my dreams come true.
• I promise to do my best at work and leave work at work. I commit to daily excercise both for myself and my dog. I commit to making time for both reading and writing in my free time and to hiking and biking more frequently. I commit to treating my husband with the utmost love and respect, while encouraging him to get active with me.

 Sincerely,

MR

01-05-2014

Make the Most Out of the Program:

• Read the Beginning of the Journey and Week One --> Check!
• Do not read ahead.
• Build on what I've learned each week.
• Don't get discouraged.
• Chat at simplywoman.com if I need support
• Stay focused - all day, every day.

*Success Tracker to be added in subsequent post.