How Dot’s Getting Her Weight Loss Groove Back

6 Comments November 4, 2015 Dot2Trot

Well after not really trying to lose weight, I’m at 185 lbs. this morning – the same weight I was at my physical earlier in the year. Time to take a look at my goals and refocus my efforts after a 3 month mental break.

Well since August I’ve struggled with my push to drop my last 30 pounds. My tracking is spotty at best. Weighing and measuring food? Almost non-existent. How about counting carbs? I keep a mental record, but if I’m not measuring my serving sizes or tracking what I eat, how good can my carb counting be, right?

Yet, I feel fine…and a little guilty.

Time To Re-Think My Goals
As of this morning I weigh 185 lbs. So I’ve lost 4 lbs. since my doctor told me I was healthy and didn’t have to drop anymore pounds.

Now, I don’t believe for a second that my body is at its set point. I think I mentally started coasting once my doctor told me I was healthy and didn’t need to lose any more. After all, I started this adventure in 2012 to get healthy. The weight loss was a great side effect.

But that got me thinking: Do I need to reconsider my goal?

When I shifted my thinking from weight loss to getting healthy, the weight came off. Yes, I track my weight loss on this blog, but the overall goal was health.

Well, I’ve done that. Now what? After my physical, I never asked myself what’s next. I just thought “happiness” is my new goal. Crap! What does that even mean? I just thought I can drop 30 more pounds and be happier. Why 30? I have no clue. Read More

Too Much Exercise Can Lower Fertility

2 Comments September 21, 2015 Dot2Trot

Finding the right exercise balance is key to reproductive health. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and adamr.

I’m starting to completely reconsider my exercise routine. Everything is on the table, including my walks. As we begin our baby quest, I’m learning that too much exercise can hinder fertility.

It turns out that excessive aerobic exercise interferes with ovulation. For women like me, pursuing in vitro fertilization, 4 or more hours of aerobic exercise a week lowers chances of success.

Yep. For people like me 4+ hours a week maybe excessive. Sigh… Read More

Parkour: The Ultimate Workout

3 Comments August 3, 2015 Dot2Trot

Parkour! Maybe I should add “become a ninja master” on my healthy bucket list. Well I have a long way to go after my first parkour class. But I loved it and am going back for more.

I guess July was the month to try new things. I did my first mud run last weekend and a week before I tried parkour…and I loved it!

When I was younger I was very athletic. I played baseball, football (with my brothers), volleyball and basketball. But once I hit high school I stopped playing sports. My friends changed and none of them were into sports so I just followed their lead. Probably my biggest regret from that time.

So needless to say over the last 30 or so years as I packed on the pounds and embraced my sedentary lifestyle, my coordination and athleticism went to hell. Read More

10 Reasons I’ve Lost 140 Pounds And Kept It Off

9 Comments July 28, 2015 Dot2Trot

Conventional dieting wisdom – eat less, exercise more – is wrong. For me, cutting sugar, carbs and starches resulted in more than 140 lbs. gone. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.

Today’s dieting advice – eat less, exercise more – doesn’t work. A new study shows that few overweight people lose 5% of their body weight. And those who are successful put the weight back on within 5 years. Money quote from the study:

“Current strategies that focus on cutting calories and boosting physical activity aren’t working for most patients to achieve weight loss and maintain that.”

I’d tried for more than 25 years to lose weight. I tried all the different programs, most of which are the same: some form of calorie reduction and exercise. While I initially lost weight, I always felt hungry. I just couldn’t sustain those diets, and eventually I gained even more weight back.

So what’s so different this time?

1. My health became THE priority (I had to become a priority in my own life).
2. I read Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes (life-changing).
3. I said good-bye to processed, high carb foods (and sugar) and embraced low carb, high fat real foods.
4. Took the time to build good habits, like:

Food prep
Shopping the outer perimeter of grocery store
Tracking & measuring what I eat
Weekly menu planning
Drinking water, not soda
If it isn’t healthy, it’s not in my house (leading by example)

5. Eat only when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full (not stuffed).
6. Gave up perfection for patience.
7. Get 8 hours of sleep .
8. Avoid fruit, except for berries (and only as a treat).
9. A sense of urgency (my health was at serious risk!).
10. I’m not depriving myself. I’m making smarter, tastier choices!

I Ran My First 5K…Now What?

2 Comments April 18, 2015 Dot2Trot

The big action shot of me crossing the finishing line of my first 5K where I ran the entire 3.1 miles. I am awesome!

Woohoo! I ran my first 5K race without walking or stopping to catch my breath. I finished in 45:33 minutes. My plan – run at a consistent, easy pace. I wanted to have enough gas in the tank at the end to finish strong. During past races, my competitive streak got the best of me and I started out fast but ended up walking by the time Mile 2 rolled around.

Not today. I stuck to my game plan and it worked.

It’s funny, but I never saw myself as a runner. Yet today, like most run days, I had a big smile on my face. That little voice in my head that tells me “I’m too tired to keep running” disappeared. Not once did I ever think about stopping. I felt relaxed and just enjoyed the morning run. Read More

Flabby Arms Challenge III: 30 Days & Nights Of Push Ups

1 Comment April 7, 2015 Dot2Trot

If I want to do a Spartan Sprint I need to work on my upper body strength to get through the race’s tough obstacles.

After my trainer killed my arms with 10 pound dumbbells, I decided I needed to put more emphasis on my upper body. So today I started the 30-Day Push Up Challenge. As I want to do a Spartan Sprint by late 2015/early 2016, its time to kick my upper body training up a notch.

How am I suppose to climb ropes, walls and swing on monkey bars (through fire!) without strengthening my arms, shoulders, chest and back?

That’s why I picked push ups as my next challenge. They’re great for your shoulders, arms, chest, abs, back, neck and triceps. It’s a basic exercise that all of us can do since no equipment is needed.

To increase the difficulty of the challenge I’m doing two sets of push ups — one in the morning and another in the evening. Overkill? Maybe, but I’d rather do a second round than sit on my butt.

Muscles push ups work. Image from MDHealth.com.

I must say my push up form is bad…really bad.

While I can do 10 unmodified push ups (yay!!!), I’m finding it difficult for my chest to hit the floor. What I’m trying to do is get my elbows to a 90 degree angle (not there yet).

So by the end of the challenge, I looking at doing 80 push ups in near perfect form. Piece of cake!

My New Enemy — The Roman Chair Leg Raise

Leave a comment January 21, 2015 Dot2Trot

My trainer introduced me to a new form of ~~torture~~…eh, exercise: The Roman Chair Bent Knee Leg Raise. It’s a lower ab workout but it’s my shoulders that feel the burn. Basically, with my arms on the arm rest, I press my shoulders down while lifting my feet off the ground and bringing my knees to my chest (this is the easy version, HA!).

It is torture I tell you. My best is 6 in a row. She wants to get me to 15. Ugh! Since I have to support my body weight with my arms, my shoulders feel the burn.

I’m determined to kick this exercise’s ass!

Day 4 Of Burpee Challenge – It’s A Love Hate Thing

Leave a comment January 3, 2014 Dot2Trot

Besides the energy boost, fat burning, strength building, conditioning, full body workout, improved flexibility, a raised metabolism, and no need for equipment, what have burpees ever done for me?

Besides the energy boost, fat burning, strength building, body conditioning, improved flexibility, a raised metabolism, and no need for equipment, what have burpees ever done for me?

I’m 4 days into the 30 Burpees for 30 Days Challenge and I’m feeling it.

Yes, I know the burpee is a full body exercise that vanquishes fat and builds strength. So I should stop whining, right? Ugh!

OK, OK….I grudgingly give burpees credit for the energy boost I get after I complete my 30. Sure burpees destroy me while I’m doing them, but I do feel great after.

I don’t care…I still hate them.

Maybe I’m just cranky because my legs are soooooo sore.

My training session on Wednesday focused on my lower body. Nothing like doing 4 sets of squats, Bulgarian split squats, kettlebell squat swings, burpees and mountain climbers as fast as you can for 30 seconds (with 10 second rest in between each) to make your legs combust.

Oh well, time for the next 30.

I’m Up For The Challenge: 30 Burpees for 30 Days

2 Comments December 31, 2013 Dot2Trot

After a week of poor food choices and no workouts, I’m back at home eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and tracking my food. As for working out, I don’t hit the gym until tomorrow. So what’s a girl to do until then? How about signing up for Spartan Race’s 30 Burpees For 30 Days Challenge.

What’s a burpee you ask?

The goal is to do 30 burpees in a row. I’m not there yet so I’m doing 3 sets of 10 with a 30 second rest in between sets.

My enthusiasm waned a bit at the end of the first set. Midway through the 2nd set I realized how much I hate burpees. At the end of the third and last set, I stopped questioning my sanity and learned to appreciate the fresh hell that is the burpee.

Only 29 days to go.