Crunch Time Update - chapter 4

In Chapter 4 Michelle talks about planning and setting goals - S.M.A.R.T Goals.


Specific

• "Be crystal clear about where you're going" - I am going for a run today, I am going to do 50 sit-ups etc. As Michelle says "no fluffy stuff."
  

Measurable

• This refers to numbers - weight, measurements, BMI, Resting Heart Rates, etc.
  

Achievable

• This is about setting goals around other commitments - family, job, available time etc.
  

Realistic

• For example, losing 20kg in 15 - 20 weeks is realistic, whereas losing 20kg in 3 weeks is not in anyway possible.
  

Time-based

• Set your goal weight THEN set up a day-by-day, week-by-week plan and stick to it. Calculate how much you want to lose in a given time frame and workout how much weight you need to aim to lose each week to achieve your goal.

Next in Chapter 4, Michelle explains how to "get" what you are "aiming for" in 10 steps.

1. Scales - weight, date and time - weigh-in exactly the same day and time each week.
   
2. Measurements - Chest, waist, hips, thighs and arms
   
3. Starting Photo - this includes picking out some "benchmark" clothes that you want to fit into. Try them on to see how they fit (or in my case, don't fit). Michelle also recommends taking a photo of yourself in your underwear or swimmers. She also reminds us here that the Biggest Loser contestants had to weigh-in wearing their underwear in front of the nation.
4. Get a calorie counter - Michelle is huge on calories in vs calories out, but I think if you are on Weight Watchers then stick with that. My advice is do what works for you.
5. Make a calendar - put it where it can be seen everyday. Mark your target weight weekly and monthly until you reach your goal.
6. Plan your daily workout time - set it up like an appointment.
7. Get support - tell your family what you are doing. It is important to have this support to be able to do #8.
   
8. Throw out all the "crap food" - sugary and processed stuff.
9. Get a 'new you' journal (more down the page)
10. Start a 7 day food diary - at the end of the 7 days analyse the foods you have eaten and see where you can improve or remove specific items.
    

Getting back to #9 - the N.E.W. you journal - this refers to Nutrition, Emotion & Workout.

Nutrition

• Write down and describe absolutely everything you consume eg. white bread. Add up the calories at the end of the day.
  

Emotion

• Write down how you are feeling each day, eg. how you felt when you woke up? Lethargic? Energetic?
  

Workout

• Write down your "formal" training session and incidental exercise as well - how many calories did you burn. Also write how you felt during your training session.

I actually find Daily Mile great for this. You can log what exercises you have done and there are little icons to choose from describing how you felt. It is also great for seeing how you are improving, how many donuts (52.05 so far) you have worked off (calories shed). Speaking of daily mile I haven't updated mine for about a month. I will have to get back onto the site and stop being so slack.

I am set up as a walker with the goal of becoming a runner. There is also a great community on there are well - it's a little like weight watchers, but for exercise instead of food. You can have friends and follow each others progress as well. I think I'll go catch up on the people I like to stalk!

It's Crunch Time

Noooo, not that sort of Crunch, this sort of Crunch.........

.......with Michelle Bridges. OH My Goodness!! What a lot to take in.

I was supposed to be reading Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth, but before I had a chance to start it I found my Crunch Time. I have one of those old fashioned magazine racks next to my bed where I keep all my books that I don't want to get rid of and the kids are forever going through it, taking stuff and adding things, like toast - Who doesn't want pieces of toast next to them while they sleep?? As I was cleaning it out I found my good old Crunch Time book and I am so glad I did. I think the elves (kids) finally returned it from wherever it has been hiding.

I was given Crunch Time at least 2 years ago by my dear hubby because it is what I asked for. I never finished reading it and after starting it again last night I now know why. I have actually been carrying it around the house with me for about a week in hopes of starting it and finally, last night I did.

Now, when I say that it's a lot to take in, I don't mean that it's hard reading, you don't need a PHD in biochemistry of anything, but it is quite a deep book. Michelle really gets to the reasons why you are how you are - "If you do not deal with the psychological aspect of weight loss, the physical just isn't going to happen".

I have learned a lot from this book and I am only up to page 24 - lots of *homework*. The first little exercise given was writing the answers to 8 questions. With each question you have to decide what actions you are going to take to change the behaviour and then give yourself a commitment level rating. This exercise is done in a bid to uncover the truth about yourself and find out just how committed you are to changing your life for the better, it's all about self-awareness.

Michelle states "If this introspection has resulted in some enlightenment, a couple of 'oh my God's' or even a mini breakdown, then you're well on the way to major change. Or perhaps you came to the conclusion that you're not ready to make the change, that your time isn't now - and that's okay too. This is about you being okay with what you choose. It's about truly coming to terms with what you want, or don't want and then absolutely choosing it - owning it." I think this is maybe why I didn't finish reading the book the first time - maybe I wasn't ready then and that it wasn't my time. I am more than ready now and I am looking forward to finishing the rest of the book.

The first 8 questions :

1. I am overweight because I.............
2. I overeat because I...........
3. I turn to food when things go bad/good because I...........
4. I pretend I don't care, when I really do because I............
5. I eat alone or behind closed doors because I..........
6. I beat myself up after I've overeaten because I...........
7. I always put weight back on again after losing it because I..............
8. I don't take better care of myself because I..............

I had the most trouble answering #4. Writing down what actions I need to do in order to change these behaviours was easier and the easiest part was giving myself the commitment ratings (1 - 10). I would have liked to have given myself a perfect 10 for each question but my ratings ranged from 6 - 10 with the determination of improving the lower ratings.

The next bit of writing was my "Payoffs" and "Costs" list

I came up with 2 "Payoffs"

1. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want and not be responsible or accountable
2. I use my weight as an excuse to be lazy
   

So far I have come up with 15 "Costs" and I am sure I could think of many more - here are 5 of them :

1. Avoid social situations cause of embarrassment
2. Health issues
3. Nothing to wear
4. No energy
5. Extremely unhappy
   

The costs definitely outweigh the payoffs!!

Next in my notebook, I had to list my top 5 "destructive" habits. In the next column I had to replace my destructive habits with supportive habits - I was shocked at how easy this task was. I felt there were a couple of other habits that needed listing so I ended up with 7 habits to change.

My number 1 habit :

1. Blaming others / things / emotions for my eating habits

I have replaced this with :

• Take responsibility for my own actions. Make better choices for myself.
  

The last task I had to complete last night, well I didn't have to do it, but I wanted to - progress!!!!. The last task was making a list of things to do other than eating. The list is meant to go on the fridge where it can be easily seen and added to.

So far I have 19 on my list : (I won't bore you with all of them)

• Drink a glass of water
• Make a cup of tea, sit down and read some blogs
  
• Vacuum / sweep the floor
  
• Plan my food / calories for the entire week
• Colour-in with the kids
• Dance to the fairies with the kids
• Ironing (not my favourite, but it needs to be done at some point)

I am enjoying the book so far and have actually learned some things about myself and my behaviours - not bad for the first 24 pages. I have also learned that Michelle is human too - she has her own weaknesses - Greek Yoghurt...........

Michelle explains how her yoghurt became a 3 times a week habit until she noticed her "butt taking on the same shape as the yoghurt tub". Michelle would then park around the other side of the building where she didn't have to walk past the cafe and eat a piece of fruit to take her mind off the youghurt - this is what she calls "outmanoeuvre your weakness" and goes hand in hand with changing habits. I am sure I will read more on this later tonight.

I think it may be time to bring in my *Give up a favourite for a Week* Challenge. I find that going without a favourite for a week really does help me with my weight loss especially the weeks that I gave up bread. I still get plenty of carbs, but I am addicted to bread, any type of bread and it is a real temptation for me to have in the house.

On that note, this week I am giving up............

The Dreaded Autumn Sniffles

I haven't done any workouts for days. I managed a good run last week and then I was hit with an awful cold. It got my head and chest at the same time so I thought it was best if I didn't train for a few days. My headaches have been really horrible so I have had to bring out the big guns - medicine wise - Panadeine Forte.

I have been having a nice hot lemon tea with some added honey in the mornings to see if it helps at all. I love lemon flavoured things so the tea is more of a treat and I have only been adding the honey to see if it helps my throat and it usually does for a little while. I absolutely love these little snapNsqueeze honey sachet thingies, it makes using the sticky stuff much easier with a lot less mess too.
All hot beverages must be consumed in my favourite mug (another of my OCD's) - my garfield mug which was given to me by a good friend of mine about 25 years ago. The amazing thing is we are still in touch. We live in different states now, but luckily there are telephones and facebook.

*Workout*
Yesterday I was feeling better as my cold has finally left my chest. I am always a bit weary about exercising when I have a chest cold - I did this once and ended up in hospital with pneumonia - Not a good move.

So, yesterday I went for a run on my beloved treadmill, but I thought I should take it easy so I only ran for 2 kms yesterday. I have also been reading Crunch Time by Michelle Bridges and she says that to simulate outdoor running you have to run on an incline of 2, so that is what I did yesterday. I really want to be ready for my fun run next month so I am going to practice as much as possible. After my treadmill work I decided to do a Pilates DVD. It was both easy and hard at the same time and I am a little sore today from it.

I have only done Pilates in an actual class about 3 times so I knew a couple of the moves from the DVD, but now that I have done the DVD, I know all the moves it has so I know what to expect next time. The DVD recommends doing the DVD 3 times a week, but I don't think I will be able to fit it in that often as I have other tapes that I like to do as well - something to think about I guess.

Sunday, 17 April 2011

• 1.32.03 mins (includes treadmill & Pilates)
• 618 calories
• 124 - avg. HR
• 190 - max. HR
• 25.29 mins in zone

Treadmill break-up

• TOTAL - 27.25 mins - 3 kms

• 16.07 mins - 2 km run
  
• Incline - 2
  
• Speed - 7.3 to 9.5

• 1 km of walking
• Incline - 5
• Speed - 4 - 6

I have a similar workout planned for tonight so I am hoping to see the scales go down this week. Last week they went up again, which takes me to 2 gains in a row, totalling 800 grams which is the exact amount I lost the week before the gains so basically, I have maintained for another 3 weeks. Better than a huge gain though, so still smiling :)

Going about it the Wrong Way

I have recently discovered that I am an idiot, well that's not a recent discovery, but what I have discovered is that I have been going about my weight loss journey entirely the wrong way!

I have been trying to be sooooo good with food that I end up binging on crapolla which is probably why I had a 1.2 kilo gain this weigh-in. I need to just allow myself some treats every now and then to satisfy the cravings.

I have to learn to be more relaxed about the whole thing including my exercise. I am practicing for my Fun Run in May, which is 4 kms. I know it's not really that far, but for someone who used to barely be able to get up of the couch by herself and had trouble putting shoes on and doing them up, 4 kms is not easy for me. I am lighter and fitter now, I can do any aerobics class at the gym that I want to do and I can lift a reasonable weight, but running is new for me and I am loving it. I wanted to push myself a little further so I entered a 4 km run.

I have been so intent on working on my speed that I wasn't really running very far each time. The other day I thought to myself why don't I slow my speed down and see what happens - OMG, that sounds like a sensible person. Voila! I actually ran for 2 kms without stopping - this is huge for me - I was soooooo excited and I felt so good. The best part was that I realised that I WILL be able to run the whole 4 kms.

On more exciting news, my running shirt that I ordered when I entered the Fun Run arrived yesterday, unfortunately my husband saw the package "what have you been buying now?" I just played dumb "Oh, is that for me, I don't know, it must be a gift" He was in a hurry to get to work and forgot about it. Here is a piccy or 2.

I had to peg it to the curtain so I could see the logo

Later on that day another package arrived for me. I was very glad that hubby was already at work. I think he has finally cracked onto my internet shopping and that not everything I receive in the mail is a gift :)

On the recommendation of Julie from PBF I bought - The Art of Running in the Rain (not about running)...

...and Water for Elephants (not sure what it is exactly about, but I have never heard a bad thing about it).

I also bought The Forgotten Garden.

I was getting tired of reading about weight loss and fitness and food that I thought these would be a nice change. I am still reading Sweet Poison and it is OK, but there are sooooo many statistics that I get a little bored. I will finish Sweet Poison first and then I will decided which book to read next. Love having choices.

Sugar!

Doesn't this look delicious??? I can't even remember the last time I had a doughnut/donut like this - how do you spell it?? Anyway, it has been so long and this is because I know that I can be doing really, really well, eating all the "right" foods and going to the gym and then in a moment of weakness I buy one from Donut King and BAM, it's all over red rover!!!

My brain, my way of thinking starts to change right in front of my eyes, I start to rationalise why I should be able to have them more often - "Well, if I burn 600 calories at the gym everyday I can eat one every day and this is where I get in trouble because even if I don't go to the gym every day I will still have the sugar everyday, but I am not burning it off and it just becomes a sugar habit, which is a really bad habit.

Therefore, I am making a pledge that this particular sweet is totally banned from my diet as it is a huge trigger food for me as is Nutella, especially on a bowl of ice-cream so I choose not to eat these foods, well things, cause they are not really food.

I was recently in a book store buying a present for a friend when I came across Sweet Poison. I have heard plenty about the book and I was going to buy it when I spotted.

The Sweet Poison Quit Plan and I realised that this was probably the better buy for me. I am really looking forward to reading it and discovering some new ideas on how to overcome the dreaded sugar monster within!!

From this day forward I am saying good bye to sugar! On WW I am in a challenge called "Give up a favourite for a week" so I am now taking that challenge a step further and giving up sugar for good or until I know that a small sample will not send me over the edge and off the rails back to Fatsville.

So until it's under control good bye - and

Believe It, Be It

First up - I lost 400gms this week, not a huge amount, but a loss is a loss. I only went to the gym a couple of times and I didn't track, but I am starting to get my head around the new Pro Points and I have re-vamped my exercise timetable so I am hoping that I will see at least a 1kg loss next week.

I read Believe It, Be It, by Ali Vincent on Saturday. My husband finally had a weekend off and the kids were entertaining themselves with him so it gave me a little more spare time so I picked up my new book and apart from all the usual child interruptions - you know - I need to go to the toilet, I want something to eat, I want a drink, I need to go to the toilet (again), I'm hungry (still?) and so on I managed to read the book. It did take me till 2am, but I just wanted to finish it.

For me it was just one of those books that you can't put down. I know there will be many people who would disagree with me, but I just love Ali Vincent and the insight into how the Biggest Loser works was really interesting. She was saying that on their "day off", which just means no gym or trainers they have a filming schedule to stick to. I am guessing it's where we see all those bits when they are talking to the camera about what's going on. Then there's the diary room, it looks more like a home video - Ali referred to it as the confessional and they are asked to go everyday and talk about whatever they want. The contestants are even given a schedule of what time they have to be in the kitchen and having breakfast or doing something so it can all go on camera. The episode where they had their make-overs, they had to be up at 3am to get to the shops before they opened so they could get their clothes. It is a really full on schedule and not just with the exercise which is usually 6-8 hours a day, a few hours with Bob and Jillian and the rest is their "homework" that they have to do by themselves.

I had a good day on Sunday, I finally made it back to the gym where I did my normal weights session, but I only did the weights, there was no cardio as I had other stuff to do as well, but it turned out OK cause by the time we finished walking around the city and taking the kids to Santa Land I had done well over 10,000 steps. I am sore in a couple of areas today, which is where I increased the weights a little so even though it hurts, it's a good hurt cause I know that I worked hard and that I am doing something to better myself. I was going to say get rid of my blubber, but after reading Believe It, Be It, I have learned that I shouldn't put myself down, (even when joking) that there is only room for positives in my life from now on.

When I did my warm up at the gym yesterday for my weights I actually ran for the 5 mins. I normally just plod along walking, but yesterday I just decided to run - well jog it. I didn't think I would make the whole 5 mins, but I did. I know it may sound silly, but being able to run for 5 mins without stopping is huge for me - I was a little excited about it as well.

Soooooo Excited :)

As you can tell by my title, I am very excited at the moment. My books that I ordered about 2 months ago have finally arrived. I got Believe It, Be It by Ali Vincent - First ever female Biggest Loser (Season 5 USA) and I also got Women, Food and God, I bought this book because I have only ever heard great things about it. I can't wait to start reading them. I will definitely read Ali's first because she is one of my weight loss idols. I just love her, she is so positive about everything she does and she just has a way of making you feel like you can achieve anything you set your mind to.


Women, Food and God is about your relationship with food. Geneen Roth, the author, "urges us to pay attention to what we truly need - which cannot be found in a supermarket." I am not sure, but I am guessing it's more about our mental journey with food rather than the physical one.

I have never heard a bad thing about this book and everyone that has read it has raved about how fantastic it is. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing though cause I know when someone raves about a movie and I go and see it, I am usually a little disappointed because you are expecting this awesome, fantastic movie and it just doesn't deliver to those expectations. I find it better if someone says it's just OK or worth a look, something more general so then there are no false hopes. I can't wait to read it though and find out for myself, but Women Food and God will just have to wait, because Ali will be first.

I have just finished reading Ruby Gettinger's book - Ruby's Diary. Reflections on all I've lost and gained. I really enjoyed reading this book and I learned a few things from Ruby. One of my favourite quotes from Ruby is "We are not defined by our size or by a number on a scale, we are defined by what lives inside." Ruby started her weight loss journey at a staggering 716 pounds, that 324 kilos, she should have been house bound, but her love for life and living it is what kept her up and moving.

Ruby has been on quite a few television shows since appearing on the Lifestyle network and has often been asked why she just didn't have surgery, her reply was " I wanted to lose weight the old-fashioned way to prove to myself that I could do it. This is about me learning to eat right, exercise right and get myself healthy. It's about me having the understanding and experience to keep the weight off once it comes off." Ruby hasn't given up and taken the easy way out, she is determined to turn her life around and get healthy rather than just sitting down and waiting to die. When the book was finished, Ruby was down to 333 pounds, so around 150 kilos, that is such an achievement. Ruby is an amazing woman and a true inspiration to anybody, not just someone on a weight loss journey.

WW Products

I have been coming across some new WW products lately and they are not bad. There is the garlic ciabatta 1.5 pts per slice (I think that's how it's spelt) and the creamy tomato gnocchi at 5 pts. I have even bought a couple of the mini meals which are around 3 pts.

As I am the only one eating "diet" food some days after already making 2 different dinners for the kids and then hubby I just can't be bothered making my own dinner so these WW meals are great for me. If I have been to the gym at night I don't really feel like eating afterwards but I know that if I don't I will be back downstairs hungry and looking for anything that doesn't need to be cooked (like biscuits) so I make myself have something and those WW mini meals are perfect for that.

Steps, as far as my steps go I was aiming for a minimum of 10,000 per day well I don't think I've reached the 10,000 any day yet this week. I totally forgot to even wear my pedometer yesterday so that was pretty pathetic of me. I am not too worried though and now I will challenge myself even more next week to at least make the 10,000. The highest I have gotten so far this week is 8,000. I might have to just run up and down the stairs a few times at home to make up the difference from now on.

I did some grocery shopping on Wednesday and was very surprised to find out that my time at shopping gave me the same amount of steps as my step class did the night before and it was only just a quick shop and no where near as exhausting as the step class. I do love my step class though, it just seems to be one of those classes that clicks with me, you either hate it or love it and I love it. The class that I hate is Spin / RPM, it has a few different names I think. The first time I did it I was sore for a few days afterwards. Those bike seats are so hard it was hurting to sit down so the parts when you have to stand and pedal really hard like you are going up a hill - I couldn't wait for them, the instructor was quite impressed with me at how I could stand up for so long in my first class, but the real reason was because I couldn't stand the thought of having to sit down again. I tried the class a couple of times after that and I wasn't as sore, but I still just couldn't get into the class, I guess it just wasn't for me.

I bought Ruby Gettinger's Book - Ruby's Diary and it arrived in the mail a couple of days ago so I can't wait to start reading it, I just need to find some quiet time without the kids yelling in my face for this or that. I haven't read a book for a long time and I miss reading so I am really looking forward to reading this one. I am expecting it to be filled with inspiration and tips on how to lose the weight and keep it off. I loved the TV series so as I said before, I can't wait to read all about Ruby's journey.