Pack On The Pounds With A Stressful Job

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Which button do you hit the most at work? I opted for the green button and focused on getting healthy. (Image courtesy of Stuart Miles and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Want to lose weight? Eliminating job stress can help. I came across an article in Scientific American that describes the biology of stress and how our body releases hormones, like insulin.

Insulin stores fat in our cells. And elevated blood insulin makes us hungry.

So not only do you store fat when you’re stressed, but you want to eat too. Great!

Why did I leave my job? The 16-hour days, weekend work, hourly crises and daily frustrations with management. How did I compensate? Vending machines and happy hours.  Not the healthiest way to relieve stress.  

Walking away was the best thing I did for my health.

 

Everyday Beauty — The Home Manicure Edition

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Looking pretty ugly, my nails needed some TLC!

My weight loss makeover continues with a home manicure. If I want to jazz up the leaner me, I can’t stop with new hair, makeup and outfits. My hands also need some TLC!

So last night I watched videos on doing your own manicure.

Yes, I’m 45 years old and never knew how to give myself a manicure. I thought I did. I just filed my nails and applied a coat of color. Boy was I wrong.

Confession: I really didn’t have to know how to do it. Why bother when I can go out to a nail shop and pay someone $20? Well $20 every two weeks adds up over time.  Plus, if I’m looking for ways to reward myself for weight loss success, a professional manicure isn’t that special if I do it all the time.

So I’ve decided to do my own nails and save the trip to the salon as a reward.

This morning I headed over to Ulta and picked up:

  • Nail polish remover
  • Crystal nail file
  • Nail buffer
  • Cuticle clippers
  • Cuticle stick
  • Cuticle balm
  • Hand lotion
  • Basecoat
  • Topcoat

I pretty much followed the tutorial video below.

I did deviate slightly. The tutorial recommends a liquid cuticle remover. I didn’t want to burn my cuticles off with a chemical.

A wonderfully helpful Ulta lady recommended soaking my hands in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes and applying a cuticle balm to soften my cuticles.   Then I used the cuticle stick to push the cuticles back and scrap up dead skin (like the video).

weight loss makeover home manicures

My first home manicure done right. Not too shabby. I’m sure I’ll get better with practice.

To remove the dead skin, I used cuticle clippers like the ones your local nail salon uses. I don’t cut the cuticles – I just remove the dead skin – because you can easily get an infection.

Overall I’m happy with this attempt. The whole process was quick and painless. Since I need to do my nails once a week, I should get better at it.

Now I just need to stop biting my nails so they can grow!

 

Why I’m Not Wiped Out After Tough Workout

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Feeling mighty sweaty and exhausted after weight training and 1 mile run. The banana and protein shake recharged my battery.

Feeling mighty sweaty and exhausted after weight training and 1 mile run. The banana and protein shake recharged my battery.

This morning my trainer kicked my butt with a tough workout. I followed up with 30 solid minutes of interval training for a 5K.  Why am I not wiped out after such an intense workout?

After yesterday’s cycling class, I felt too week and sleepy to do anything…other than take a 3 hour nap. Yet I worked harder today than yesterday, but feel the opposite. I’m ready to take on the world.

What Workouts Did I Do Today?
Today’s muscle workout focused on using the TRX suspension system. I did 3 sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise.

Yes, it was grueling, but I felt great.  As my dad would say, I was “filled with piss and vinegar.” So I decided to do my 5K-interval training once I got home.

Slated to run for 1 mile, using the 20/40 second run/walk rotation, I forgot to turn on my app’s GPS system. So my app didn’t track mileage. So rather than running a mile, I ended up running 1.5 miles. D’oh.

Now I was exhausted. And very, very sweaty! I promptly ate 1/2 banana, downed my chocolate flavored protein shake and chugged two glass of water.

I bounced back immediately after the food. Now I’m ready to take on the rest of the day!

So what was the difference between today and yesterday? Three things stand out.

Getting The Diet Right
I think I’m doing a better job balancing the low carb diet on the days with my muscle workouts. On these workout intense days I up my carb in take to 100g.

My major carbs – whole grains, fruit, protein shakes – I eat before and after my muscle workout.

It helps with the soreness – I’m recovering faster — and my energy level stays high.

On days where I’m only doing cardio, I should eat up to 50g of carbs.  But yesterday, I only ate 20g.  Normally that would be fine, but with that 60-minute spinning class, my body needed a little more fuel.

No Longer Waking Up At The Crack Of Noon
I’m an insomniac. Getting to bed by 3:00 a.m. is early for me. But I’ve noticed a change in my sleeping habits since the weight loss. For the last few weeks, I’ve turned in before midnight.

I notice a huge difference in how I feel after a workout when I get 7-8 hours of sleep. The night before my cycling class, I slept for less than 5 hours. After cycling, I came home and slept for 3 hours. Yikes!

Last night I got 7 hours and after 60-minutes of very intense exercise, I feel great.

Drinking My Aqua
I’ve read that drinking water before, during and after a workout helps to fight fatigue.

Looking at my tracker, I see a huge difference in how much water I had between yesterday (cycling class) and today (muscle workout/run).

Yesterday I drank 1 liter of water…all day. Well below the 3 liters I normally drink. Before noon today, I’ve already drunk 1.5 liters.

Since I’m upping my cardio, I’ll need to find the right carb balance on those non-muscle workout days. And I got to get my 3 liters of water in per day. That’s a biggie!

As for sleep, if I keep up with days like today, I think hitting the pillow early won’t be a problem.

Spinning Class Is A Slice Of Fried Gold!

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Yes, the class kicked my butt — literally and figuratively!

I arrived at my first spinning class a few minutes early to talk to the instructor (Joyce) and make sure I set my bike up correctly.  She was amazing. She did a great job walking me through the set up, showing me where to position my seat and handles so I’d get the best workout.

Joyce assured me I didn’t need to keep up with the pace of the class. In fact, she told me she’d call out different instructions for me. She didn’t want me killing myself in my first spinning class.

As folks started walking into the classroom, they went out of their way to make me feel welcome. All encouraged me, told me how much they love the class and said I’d do just fine. Without a doubt, the nicest people I’ve ever met in a class.

I started out strong with the warm up, going faster as the second song started. Sweat quickly poured down my face, back and arms.

About 10 minutes it was time to increase resistance and start jogging.  Wow, I don’t ever remember it being this hard. It felt like I was riding in quicksand.

Thankfully, Joyce yelled out for me to drop my resistance. D’oh, I’d set my resistance to 6 (out of 10) during the jog. I cut it in half to 3 and the jogging got much easier.

As much as I tried, I couldn’t do the full jog. So I sat back down and kept a steady pace. Then it was time to turn the resistance dials all the way down to the lowest setting. Woohoo!

I got really excited, and way too soon. It was time to go all out and race. I pedaled as fast as I could for 4 minutes.

My only thought: Glad I didn’t eat before class.

During the last 30 minutes every new song meant a new exercise – sitting, jogging or hanging over the handles.  The switching-up made the class interesting and more fun.

I did stop a few times and even got off the bike to walk around a bit. Not because it was difficult.  I needed to stop because of that damn seat!

weight loss and spinning class, spinning class sore saddle

Who ever designed this thing is an idiot! But a few more classes and I’ll get use to it.

My Spin Class Seat Is the Devil!
I’m not prone to violence. But about 3 minutes into the 60-minute class, I so desperately wanted to punch the guy who designed that seat. In the face. With a 2 x 4.

Did someone actually think causing pain to inner thighs and the butt – pain that lasts well after class ends, by the way – was a great idea?

Also, something about it disrupted my rhythm. I had to constantly readjust while sitting down. For about 4 minutes, I actually zoned out the pain and got into the music, and got a brief glimpse of the joy to come in future classes.

My instructor and classmates all told me the same thing: “It takes a couple of classes for the pain to go away.”

Crap!

Preparing For Friday’s Class
Sigh…I loved the class. Thanks to the seat, I don’t feel as if I gave it my all.  Which is scary considering how tired my legs feel right now.

When class ended, two of my classmates gave me some advice – padded pants! Now how’s that for a slice of fried gold?

Tomorrow, I’m on the hunt for padded bicycle shorts.

Related Video

Never been to a spinning class?  This gives you a great idea of what to expect.

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Peddling The Fat Off — My Next Fitness Challenge

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Headed to my first spin class today. I expect it to kick my butt and turn my legs into jelly.

I’m a little late in picking my next 30-day fitness challenge. I’ve racked my brains trying to pick a good lower body workout. Walking around my gym, I stumbled upon the new challenge – cycling.

For the next month, I’m hitting the road…actually my local spinning class. I plan on attending a 60-minute cycling class twice a week.

Today is my first cycling class.  My goal isn’t to keep up with the class — I won’t. I just want to finish the class, as I’m expecting it to completely kick me in the butt.

Why Cycling?
I have a few reasons:

1. While I’ve lost weight everywhere, my legs are the slowest to give up the fat. I know you can’t target where the fat comes off, but I can give my calf, hamstring and glutes a great workout without a lot of stress on my joints.

2. I needed a new challenge. I love lifting weights, yoga in the mornings and interval training for the 5K, but that can get old. Sometimes you need to add in a new exercise to shake things up.

3. The last time I rode a bike ride around my neighborhood was 30 years ago. That’s too long. In 2010 my husband and I purchased bikes.  I rode it for 2 minutes. I felt unsteady and uncomfortable. I weighed over 300 lbs. and had no confidence in myself. It was easy to think, “I’m too fat to ride a bike.” So into the shed it went.

That bike’s coming out of the shed.  I’m going to relearn how to ride and take my bike for a spin in my neighborhood before year’s end. The spinning class is a way for me to regain my confidence.

Hey, How Come You’re Not Cycling Everyday?
Yes, the 30-day fitness challenge is a daily challenge. Since I’m interval training to run a 5K, I don’t want to tire out my legs. I’m taking the spinning classes on my days off from training. Trust me. Two spinning classes a week is a challenge.

I do plan to ride a real bike before the end of the year. But that is a separate challenge all on its own.

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Nov. 2 Weekly Weigh-In: Down 1 Pound

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Dropped 1 pound this week. Need to lose 16.7 lbs. by Dec. 31 to hit my 30% weight loss goal. Fingers crossed!

I’m down a pound this week! That brings my total weight loss to 81 lbs. And with this week’s loss, I now need to lose 16.7 lbs. to hit my 30% weight loss goal by December 31st.

Considering the average weekly weight loss is up to 2 lbs., 16 lbs. is tall order since I’d need to drop the max weight each week for the next 8 weeks...hmmmmm.

I’m game!

Too Busy To Weigh-In? Poppycock!
The last time I officially weighed in was Oct. 12.  Yikes! Between the 5Ks and family trips, this is the first weekend in weeks with no plans.

I can’t believe I let two weeks slide without going to Weight Watchers. I really hate missing my weekly meetings. It’s always good to check in and see how I’m doing. The accountability keeps me motivated. Plus, the energy from the meetings give me the kick-start I need for the week.

Although my weekend dance card fills up quickly, I need to work harder to keep my Saturday morning date with the scale.

 

 

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Bodybuilding To Chisel Away The Fat

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I start pumping iron this week in my ongoing quest to drop the pounds and get healthy. Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

OK, I didn’t just join Gold’s Gym this weekend. I hired a personal trainer and started bodybuilding this week.

Yes, you read that right – bodybuilding.

Keep in mind, when I write “bodybuilding” I’m not talking about competitions and looking like a shemale. I’m talking about getting into the weight room and seriously sculpting a stronger and leaner Dot2Trot.

I mulled it over for weeks and the thought of heavy lifting excited me. So my hubby surprised me with an early anniversary present.

Why Bodybuilding?
Most of my exercise focuses on cardio. I wanted to kick my strength training up a notch, but I let it slide.  Once I discovered my upper body strength was nada, I finally broke open The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

A couple of chapters in and I started thinking differently about my weight loss. Sure I’ve dropped 80 lbs. but some of that was muscle. Weight training focuses on fat loss and preserving muscle tissue.  That appeals to me.

Plus, my weight loss journey isn’t just about shedding unwanted pounds. I want to get healthy — thin doesn’t mean healthy. Adding muscle and increasing strength is a big step in that direction.

Aren’t You Worried About Getting Too Bulky?
The New Rules does a great job knocking down some myths, like women who weight lift will bulk up too much – not possible without steroids. While women and men add muscle at the same rate, it is much tougher for women to add muscle.  Our levels of testosterone are too low and our bodies won’t allow it. We’re just not built that way.

Again, my goal isn’t to compete. Losing weight is still my first priority. But growing muscle for a more sculpted look is now a big part of my weight loss journey.  

What’s my biggest challenge?
Battling muscle soreness? Upping my workout intensity? Staying motivated?

No. No. And nope.

Food…It always comes down to food.

After strength training, you deplete muscles of glycogen, which you need to fuel your muscles. And how do you replenish glycogen? Carbs!

I’m only consuming 20-25g of carbs a day. If I’m serious about weight training, my guess is that’s not enough. Also I banned certain types of foods until I’m within 20-30 lbs. of my goal weight. Hence, my challenge.

I want to build muscle, but I still need to lose the fat and weigh a lot less than I do now. So I’m nervous about adding more carbs.

My trainer is looking over my weekly menu and will tweak it based on the workouts she has planned for me.  I know my carb intake must go up. But by how much? And what banned foods are back on the menu?

 

Want To Lose Weight? Ignore Most Nutrition Advice

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Most nutrition recommendations are myths. Want to lose weight, you need to do your own research and talk to your doctor.

What you eat makes up 90% of the weight loss battle. Unfortunately, most of the nutrition recommendations are bunk! Check out this article a  friend sent me. It covers the 13 biggest myths that cause people to get fatter and sicker.

Up until last year, I believed every one of those myths. Once I tipped the scales at 325, I started to question things.

So how did I actually kick these myths to the curb? I did my research. That started with a great book I’ve mentioned before, Why We Get Fat. Not another diet book, it focuses on the science of what happens when we eat.  If you don’t know what 100 calories of pasta vs. 100 calories of protein does to your body, you’ll find it harder to lose weight.

After that, I actually talked to my doctor about a plan for losing weight — something that many of us don’t do.

After years of being part of Weight Watchers, I always ignored their advice about “consulting your doctor before starting a weight loss program.”  After all, I just needed to eat less and exercise more, right? If that was the case, why didn’t I lose the weight 5, 10, 20 years ago? Oh, I don’t have will power. What a crock!

For the last 50 years, we’ve let weight loss information be dominated by psychiatrists and nutritionists, and yet medical doctors are the ones who actually treat obese people. That just doesn’t seem right.

So last year I stopped listening to pop culture’s idea of weight loss and actually scheduled my very first physical. Boy what I shock. I was fatter and sicker than I thought.  It was like being in Bizzaro World – all my good numbers were way too low and all my bad numbers were way too high. But it was the eye-opener I needed.

The game plan I discussed with my doctor completely busted any nutrition myth I still believed.

A year later, the complete opposite happened at my physical – all my good numbers skyrocketed and the bad numbers dropped like stones.  We tweaked my weight loss plan and I’m continuing my march to good health.

OK, I’m off my soap box.

 

Weight Loss Makeover: Putting It Together

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After my makeup masterclass, my Glam Squad — Julie and Claire, the makeover pros — set up a photo shoot to show off my new look.

But before we begin, here’s the before image.

weight loss journey before and after photo

My current weight loss journey started in January 2012, when I tipped the scales at 325. I’ve never looked back since.

And here’s what having two makeover pros like Julie and Claire can do for you!

weight loss fashion makeover

Showing off my new Old Navy Outfit and a fab purse I found while visiting a little shop called Sam Moon in Houston, TX.

weight loss fashion makeover

Great dress we found at Lord & Taylor. Perfect for business or parties (just like a mullet, but better).

weight loss fashion makeover

Old Navy is the store that just keeps on giving! Jeans, black cardigan, blue short sleeve top and scarf are all from Old Navy. The handbag I picked up at Sam Moon.

A great leather faux jacket I picked up at Lane Bryant. The sleeveless orange top we picked up at Old Navy.

A great leather faux jacket I picked up at Lane Bryant. The sleeveless orange top is from Macy’s.

Weight loss fashion makeover

Practicing my best “Blue Steel” look, I love this green shirt Claire found at Macy’s. The fact it only cost $11 made me love it more!

weight loss fashion makeover

OK, here’s a better look at the Macy’s green top. The necklace is from Lane Bryant.

Unfortunately, my shoes from Zappos didn’t arrive on time for the photo shoot.

weight loss fashion makeover

Very pretty! I no longer have to wear only flip flops. Shoe styles (Top Row L-R): Vigotti Bethan, Nine West Heroheart, Softspots Maria; (Bottom Row L-R): Hush Puppies Chaste Ballet, Nine West Mela.

All I can say is thank you to Claire and Julie, the most awesome Glam Squad ever!

weight loss fashion makeover

Me with the Glam Squad – Claire (L) and Julie (R), enjoying a well-earned glass of wine.

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Cover Girl Time: The Weight Loss Makeup Makeover

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(L-R) Nordstrom’s beauty stylist, me and Julie talking about best products for my skin.

Since I was rewarding myself for losing weight with a wardrobe and hair makeover, it made sense to ask my Glam Squad – Julie and Claire, the makeover pros – for some makeup advice too.

Confession Time
I never really wear that much makeup.  I don’t prefer going barefaced, but I never felt confident on how to put it on.

But before I could attend Julie’s makeup master class, I needed to actually buy makeup.

Skimping and Splurging
I don’t know about you, but I always find the department store makeup counters overwhelming. If I don’t know what I need, how do I shop for it? And which products are the best?

The good news: Julie went with me to take some of the mystery out of the experience.

Julie knew exactly what I needed. Her big challenge – staying within my $225 budget! Now that may seem like a lot, but keep in mind we were starting from scratch. I needed to invest in certain specialty items. Other things I could pick up on the cheap at my local drug store.

Our list included the basics:

  • Face – coverage makeup
  • Eyes – eyeliner, eye shadow, eyebrow liner and mascara
  • Cheeks – blush, bronzer
  • Lips – lipstick, gloss, liner

And if the budget supported it, an eye cream and Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair (I’ve used this and it rocks!).

weight loss beauty makeover, reward weight loss with makeup

Glam Squad’s Makeup Master Class: Learning how to apply concealer to get rid of those dark circles under my eyes.

When I arrived at Nordstrom’s makeup counter, Julie was already working with the beauty stylists pulling different products for me to test.

Julie recommended we splurge on a tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier) for my dry skin and to help tone down my naturally very rosy cheeks. Also I needed to invest in a good concealer (Estee Lauder) for those dark circles under my eyes.

We both loved the Laura Mercier Colour Wardrobe. It had everything I needed for my eyes and cheeks. The colors perfectly complimented my skin color and green eyes.

We also picked up brushes at Sephora.

As for my lips,  the Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss Trio tempted us. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t make the budget work.

It was an educational shopping trip, completely took the fear away of visiting the makeup counter, and best of all Julie stayed within $2.00 of my budget – how’s that for awesome!

weight loss beauty makeover, rewarding weight loss with makeup, everyday beauty

The master at work! Julie touching up the eye makeup as we take a brief pause during the photo shoot.

Makeup Master Class
Sunday morning I met up with my Glam Squad for a makeup master class.

Julie walked me through step by step – how much tinted moisturizer to put on (a nickel-size drop); best way to apply the concealer (pat it on with the ring finger!); simple motion for applying blush (backwards “C”); and lots of little tricks for my eyes and lips.

She went over what each brush is for and how to care for them (wash once a week in baby shampoo).

She was incredibly patient with my questions. And she had great little tips for turning mistakes into great looks.

The best thing about makeup class: Julie crafted me a look that was amazing, quick to put on (90 seconds folks!) and felt like I’m not wearing makeup.

Now I just need to practice, practice, practice.

So ended the morning portion of Day 3 of my weight loss makeover. Up next, putting it all together for the photo shoot!

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