Week 9: Move/make

Today's weight: 174.0 pounds.

Workouts:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Spin class (1 hour)
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Ran 40 minutes
Friday through Sunday: Off

Thoughts on food:
Survived my first vegetarian Thanksgiving. Was able to find plenty to eat and, more importantly, got to spend several meals with loved ones. I can't think of a better way to eat.

Overall reflections:
For only getting two workouts in last week, I'm feeling all right. The holidays were relaxing and fun, and exactly what I needed after a rough week at work. Last week, I saw my best friend's new baby, and spent some quality time with my favorite people. Everything else just doesn't matter right now.

I read a blog post last week about letting yourself eat at Thanksgiving, and it resonated with me. I've always found those articles on "how to stay healthy over the holidays" and "the right foods to eat to stay on track at Thanksgiving"  ridiculous. It's one or two days of special meals, tops. Their tone of constant-vigilance is exhausting. If you gain a pound or two, who cares? It's not the end of the world. I'd rather enjoy myself and my family's excellent cooking, and worry about eating healthy and working out on the 360 days of the year that are not meal-based holidays. It also frustrates me that they are always geared toward women. If you're healthy, and your family and friends are healthy, isn't that enough?

So, as far as last week goes, I'm not feeling guilty at all.

Goals:
Even though I'm not feeling guilty, I do like working out, and I feel good when I do it often. So, for this week, I want to:

• Work out four times. 
• Check out a yoga class (if it fits my work schedule).
• Cook two meals.
• Reflect on what I'm thankful for.

Week 8: Move/make

Today's weight: 175.0 pounds.

Workouts:
Monday: Spin class (1 hour)
Tuesday: Ran 40 minutes
Wednesday: Spin class (1 hour)
Thursday-Sunday: Off'

Thoughts on food:
I have been on an restaurant-food binge. Vegan pitas, seared tuna steaks, fancy sushi rolls. Everything I've eaten has been delicious, high-quality food from local restaurants. But there's been a lot of eating out. Cooking? Not so much.

Overall reflections:
I think I'm making a new resolution: If I'm going to eat out, I have to go to a locally-owned restaurant, and not a chain. I hate most chain food, anyway, especially when I live within half an hour of towns with amazing mom-and-pop restaurants.

Also, this last week of workouts? Whoops! I had plans every night after work Wednesday through Friday, and was out of town all weekend. Those workouts just fell to the wayside.

Goals:
I have kept up with spin class, and have been running on the treadmill -- I made good on two of last week's goals. I did not run outdoors, even though it was a beautiful weekend, and I didn't cook (surprise).

So, for this week:

• Get back to working out at least four days this week.
• Stop eating out so damn much.
• Cook some simple meals (I planned meals for this week, and already stuck with it for today, so I feel good about that).

Other than that, I'm not going to worry too much. It's a holiday weekend, which means being even more busy, and my best friend just gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Life's too nice to worry about much.

Move/make: Weeks 6 and 7, Take 2

Today's weight: 177.6.

Workouts:

Week 6:
Monday: Spin class (1 hour)
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Elliptical (30 minutes)
Thursday: Off
Friday: Ran 30 minutes
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Week 7:
Monday: Spin class (50 minutes)
Tuesday: Spin class (50 minutes)
Wednesday: Ran 40 minutes
Thursday: Met w/ personal trainer
Friday: Off
Saturday: Ran 30 minutes
Sunday: Off

Thoughts on food:
Last week was my busiest so far at work. I worked late or through lunch almost every day, grabbing snacks when I could. My diet has been awful -- it's always the first thing I neglect. I met with a nutritionist and found out two suprising things: I'm eating way fewer calories than I thought, and nearly 50 percent of those calories are from fat. So, this week's project? Eat better. It's almost certainly why I'm not losing weight very quickly -- my body is malnourished.

The funny thing is, I don't eat meat, I don't smoke, and I rarely drink. I don't eat fast food, and I stopped buying things like chips and cookies to keep in the house. I even gave up Diet Coke. Because the worst things I eat now are cheeses and nuts, I (mistakenly) assumed my diet wasn't so bad. So, it was an eye-opening meeting. And I shudder to think how unhealthy I would be if I was doing all of the above things.

Overall reflections:
I am so happy to have discovered spin class. The days are shorter, and it's dark by the time I get home from work. That means I can't run outside anymore -- the first time I haven't been able to do that since I started running. I've been pretty down about it, but spin class looks like the thing that'll get me through the winter. I love it!

My meeting with a personal trainer was good, too. I learned what I need to work on, and I wasn't overwhelmed or intimidated. She was very nice. After the holidays, I want to keep meeting with her. It's expensive, but my girlfriend assures that the money she spent on a personal trainer was some of the best money she ever spent.

Goals:
I accomplished everything off of last week's list except for cooking. My job was so, so exhausting these last two weeks, and I learned that I totally neglect healthy eating when I'm stressed at work. So, for this week:

• Keep going to spin class.
• Continue to make peace with the treadmill (I learned last week that a good iPod playlist makes all the difference).
• In general, embrace the fact that I can't run outside anymore during the week, and take advantage of weekends, when I can go outdoors. 
• Buy and make some (very) easy meals -- I'm talking frozen veggies and salmon filets. That easy. I hate frozen food, but it's got to be better than bread and cheese five days straight. Right?