Broken? No!

Okay, so maybe I'm not broken.  Maybe I'm just tired.  I think I'm just normal..ish.  So, I fasted today, which is my normal schedule.  But I didn't get around to being able to workout until 5:30 p.m.  Ugh.  I usually like to workout in the morning.  But I was busy with invoicing for work, so that got delayed.  And I think the fasting got in the way.  I was only able to get through the treadmill and the stairstepper before I had to turn in.  But, the main reason I had to stop (yes, I did get super tired), but someone was on my dang machine again!  That's why I need to get back to going in to the gym early, rather than later--it's better timing for the gym, too...

That's about it--I'm off to have my walk and get some rest!  

Total up through Monday:
1- 20 minute session on the Treadmill (1.75 Miles)
1- 10 minute session on the Stairmaster (395 Calories)
90 sit ups
Walk 2 miles
1 set of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Fast

Remaining:
4- 15 minute sessions on the Elliptical
5- 20 minute sessions on the Treadmill
4- 10 minute sessions on the Stairmaster
120 sit ups
Walk 11 miles
2 DVD Workouts
3 sets of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Date with Anna

Week 34

Weight: 266.6

Weight gain in one week: 0.6
Total weight lost: 101.8
Average weekly weight loss: 2.99

Weight left to lose: 26.6
Weeks left at average loss: 8.87
Estimated total weeks: 42.87 (about 9.89 months)

As I thought, I gained this week.  Not as much as I thought I would, but still, a gain.  Boo-hoo, so sad.  It's no one's fault but my own.  Here's the thing, I've had a lot of success so far, and that's fine, but how do I react in failure?  It reminds me of something Jesus said:

Matthew 5:43-48 (New Century Version)
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.' But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. If you do this, you will be true children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on good people and on evil people, and he sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don't know God are nice to their friends."

In a similar mode, if I'm only grateful when I succeed, how is that helpful?  But, if I am grateful when I struggle, that is good.  That is helpful.  So, yes, I struggled; and yes, I'm thankful.  I'm thankful because I know what I did wrong.  I'm thankful because I know how to improve.  I'm thankful because I have this community.  I'm thankful because I know that when (not if) I stumble again, I'll be able to move on and improve.
 
Of course, this has delayed my progress, and dropped me below my 3-pound a week average.  There are some parts that give me comfort: I'm still over 100 pounds lost; I'm still on track to finish this leg of my journey within 10 months.  That's crazy!
 
So, that's it for now, but there will be better news next week.
 
May God Bless you all on your journeys!

Broken Beej?

So, I may have hit my limit.  I'm not sure.  Yesterday, though, I "came down" with a sore back yesterday--it might just be my body telling me to relax.  It kinda threw a wrench into my workout plans.  I know that my eating was good yesterday (I forgot to take pictures): I had 2 1/2 small plates--not even close to what one of my former plates would have been--for dinner last night.  I was able to get some working out in yesterday (barely) and quite a bit in today (we walked 9.5 miles! to the local shopping mall and back), plus our date (we walked down to the theater and saw The Blind Side; I'm a sucker for sports movies and tear-jerkers, and this was both--highly recommend it!).  That being said, I think I'll probably gain this weigh-in.  I know I've said that before, but I'm pretty sure of it this week.  I think the main problem was that although I did change up my workout schedule, I didn't adjust my daily eating.  It's frustrating, because I know I should have done a better job of planning and making choices.  We'll have to see, though, where I stand tomorrow morning. 

Total:
3- 15 minute sessions on the Elliptical
3- 20 minute sessions on the Treadmill
3- 10 minute sessions on the Stairmaster
210 sit ups
Walk 18 miles
4 DVD Workouts
4 sets of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Fast
Date with Anna

Remaining:
1 DVD Workout

Goals for Next Week:
5- 15 minute sessions on the Elliptical
5- 20 minute sessions on the Treadmill
5- 10 minute sessions on the Stairmaster
210 sit ups
Walk 13 miles
2 DVD Workouts
4 sets of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Fast
Date with Anna

new recipe: Thanksgiving burgers

In honor of Thanksgiving, I decided to try a recipe that's been in my head for a couple of weeks.  Okay, I know these are high in sodium--I'll try to tweak them next time I make them.  But they were pretty dang good.  And EASY!  Here's the recipe:

1 box Chicken Stove Top Stuffing
1 pound ground Turkey
2 eggs

Make the stuffing according to the package directions.  Cool stuffing.  Add two eggs and the turkey.  Mix and cook on a grill. Enjoy (with maybe a little dijon mustard).

 

Hot 100 update 9

• Consistently achieve my weekly goals (done)
• Have a “Tigger Attitude” at work (done)
• Increase intensity on one machine (treadmill, elliptical, or stair stepper) bi-weekly (done)
• Only drink one cup of coffee a day (done)
• No alcohol (done)
• No Fast Food (done)
• Read three books (done)
• Cook dinner three nights a week (done)
• Stop eating at least 2 hours before bed (pretty good this week)
• End the year under 275 pounds (done)
• Add fasting into my spiritual life (done)
• Get plugged in at my church (met some more people)
• Get to know my neighbors (We "rescured" two dogs while on a walk and the family dropped off a nice card thanking us.)
• Develop a budget with Anna—and stick to it! (Anna's not ready to start our budget until the end of the year, but I figure we should at least start it.)
New Goals:
• Regularly acheive an estimated "burn" of 300 Calories in my 10 minutes on the Elliptical. (so far, I'm averaging about 280; though I've hit 300 twice.)
• Build up to an ability to run 2 miles in my 20 minute session on the treadmill. (So far, I'm averaging about 1.85 miles; though I was able to do 1 mile in 9:42 seconds for part of my workout today!)
• Lose enough size to fit into size 38 jeans and a large shirt. (See the picture below!  This is from Old Navy on Saturday.  These are size 38 jeans and a large shirt.  As you can see, they're a little tight.  They should be more comfortable.)
 
 

 
Wednesday:
2- 20 minute sessions on the treadmill
30 sit ups
Walk 2.0 miles
1 DVD Workout
1 set of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Fast


Total:
3- 15 minute sessions on the Elliptical
3- 20 minute session3 on the Treadmill
3- 10 minute sessions on the Stairmaster
150 sit ups
Walk 8.5 miles
1 DVD Workout
3 sets of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Fast


Remaining:
60 sit ups
Walk 6.5 miles
4 DVD Workouts
1 set of 2- 60 second planks
Read the Bible Daily
Pray Daily
Date with Anna