I feel like he finally figured it out!

In the past, I have mentioned an older gentleman at the gym who gives bad advice, and when I say gives bad advice, I really mean he’s rude. For about 3 months, every time he saw me, he would tell me to stop lifting so much heavy weight. Then he would say something about how girls should be working out. Each time I would tell him why I do what I do and how it has worked for me.

I would literally say, “Well, I’ve lost 100 pounds…..110 pounds…..120 pounds….” This old guy would not even bat an eye at that. He would just keep rambling about what he does and I should be listening to him. I finally got to the point that I would look at the floor when I passed him in the gym or just ignore him.

On Monday he got me. He walked up while I was in the middle of a set. There was no where I could go to get away at that point. I took out my ear bud and waited for him to tell me that I was lifting too much weight, blah, blah, blah…..

Well, I was wrong. He busts out with, “So how much have you lost now? You look great.”

I let him know that I’m pushing 130 pounds of weight gone forever. He gets a surprised look on his face and says that I’m doing a great job and that lifting is a great way to cut down the fat. I said thanks and got back to work.

I was very confused though. This is the same dude that has demanded that I lift light weight and do like a million reps, this is the guy that told me I would get bulky, this is the old dude that thinks he’s a body builder, and this is the guy that I’ve been avoiding for the better part of 6 months now! What was going on here? Why the sudden change in his attitude about me lifting weights? I think I know what has happened. He doesn’t recognize me each time he sees me. He thinks I’m someone new because I constantly lose weight.

Ok, not really, but it was nice to hear that he is coming around. He is more receptive to what I’ve been doing. I mean, he can’t argue at this point. I didn’t lose almost 130 pounds by lifting 5 pound weights and taking leisurely walks.

I also had another random encounter with someone that I used to hang out with. This happened on Tuesday morning. I was in a rush to get to work, but I had to get gas (or I wasn’t gonna get to work!) I hurried into Speedway and was scrambling to pump gas as quickly as possible. Behind me, I hear someone say, “Excuse me, but isn’t your name Sarah?” I start thinking, great, I don’t have time to talk to anyone, dammit!

I turned around and I recognized the girl, so I say, “Yea, hey, how is you?” She just starts telling me that she was staring at me and she knew it had to be me because she recognized me car. We caught up for just a second and she was trying to get as much info from me as possible. I tell her that I work out like 6 days a week and she’s like, “Yea ya do! Look at the shape of your legs!” It made me smile. Then she turned to a woman at another pump and is like, “I didn’t even recognize her. She’s so small.”

So, I’m loving all the compliments lately. I don’t like to brag to people face to face, so I leave it to my blog. I figure, my blog, I can say what I want and I want to talk about myself!

A couple new pics.

So, I was not even noticing that I need new pics. I did not realize that the last time I posted a progress picture was in November! Whoops....guess I should pay better attention!


I have a few new pictures and I know Janelle has been storing pics on her phone for the past few months. I'm going to have to get those from her and post them too!


So, here is an update. This is May 2012. 

This was actually taken yesterday. Zach has a
freak board where he tracks what his athletes
accomplish....yea, not an athlete, but on the
Freak Board....holla!

Random workin' out. 

Nice compliments

At the gym the other day I had a nice encounter with this really tall, big muscly dude. I thought he was watching me because he was going to tell me that I was working out incorrectly. Then he walked over and started talking. As usual, I was wrong. The guy didn't want to tell me how to work out. He wanted to give me a compliment. I really need to stop being so skeptical of people at the gym.

Anyway, he just flat out asked me how much weight I've lost. I told him I've lost 127 pounds and he is like, "I've noticed. I'm really proud of you. Keep it up; you're doing great." Then he walked away. I almost didn't have time to say thank you. 

Having a nice compliment was a nice way to start my day!

Update....what happened to April?

Thanks for all the comments about my pull ups. I was very excited about it.... Also, I will get some more pictures posted. I don't know why I have been lacking in the photo posting.


Anyway, here are the totals for April. My measurements are not reliable anymore. I know that probably sounds like a cop out, but there is skin shifting and all kinds of crazy things. I had no change in inches this month. I'm still at 92.5 inches lost, forever, from my body. I mean, 92.5 inches is a lot! I'm not gonna complain about that!


As far as weight, I lost 2 more pounds over the month. A lot of my lack of weight loss is my own fault, but I'm on a new meal plan and I'm beginning to lose again. I'm now down 127 pounds from where I started. 


The other day someone left a comment wondering what I weigh and how tall I am. I've never said on this blog how much I weigh. For some reason, I'm not totally ready to admit out loud how much I used to weigh and how much I weigh now. I shouldn't feel embarrassed about it, but I do. I've been thinking a lot about it these days and I think I'm getting closer and closer to actually posting all that info. I will just force myself to take the plunge and post it, embarrassing or not. I mean, most of you that have blogs post how much you weigh. 


Oh, but I am 5'2".....yea, pretty short. 

Holy Crap, I Did An Effing Pullup!

So.....big day yesterday....I did a pull up! A real pull up. Not a pull up with assistance to make it easier, but a real pull up....all me, no help. There is even a video to prove it. 


Here's a quick back story as to why there is a video....


I tried a pull up yesterday. I got about half way up, and that was further than I've ever gotten. Janelle gave me a tip....breath out when you start. Then she grabbed her phone and said she was going to record the next attempt, because she was sure that I was going to do it. We stopped recording right after I drop down, so you don't hear me yell, "The breathing worked!" 


Anyway, it was quite a day for me. I spent all last night telling people about my one pull up. I was able to do one more unassisted, and then I was all tapped out and I had to use the resistance bands to give me a boost again. 


I've had an ongoing struggle with pull ups for the past 3 years now. Sometimes I even write about it. You can read about some of those here and here. 


I've never uploaded a video and this one came from a phone. I hope it uploaded correctly. Also, I don't have the editing software to rotate the video....so I might look like I'm crawling. Just turn your head to the side and I'll look normal.


Oh, and excuse my leg kicking! I swear when I kick my legs around it helps!

New Meal Plan!

So, it's that time again. I got a new meal plan. It's a pretty drastic plan, but I'm only following this one for 6 weeks. Ok, it's not that drastic, but it is less calories. I'm gonna be kinda rumbly in the tummy for a few days while I adjust. 


So, here it is....
Breakfast 350 calories and I need 20 grams of protein


Pre-Workout or Run 380 calories and 20 grams of protein


Post-Workout 420 calories and 30 grams of protein 


Snack 228 calories and 15 grams of protein 


Dinner 228 calories and 15 grams of protein


For the day that totals 1606 calories and 100 grams of protein. Also, I usually get more protein. I just have to get at least the amount of protein listed for each meal. 


My protein has switched around a little, but not much. My calories have decreased on my snack and dinner. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. I also still watch my saturated fat. I try not to have more than about 2 grams of saturated fat per meal. I still get a gallon of water a day. 


I workout 6 days a week, so on the 1 day I don't work out I have a slightly different plan to follow. 


Like I said, this is only for 6 weeks. I'm not sure what Zach has in mind, because he wouldn't tell me. He actually said, "I have a secret plan that only I know. Just me and myself. I'm not going to tell you yet." After that he did this really sneaky laugh. God only knows what is still to come. 


I would also just like to point out that my breakfast is one of my larger meals and my dinner the smallest. Even if you don't follow a meal plan of your own, you should still have a bigger breakfast and smaller dinner. It's just a good habit. 


You can find all of my other meal plans under the MEAL PLAN tab on the home page of my blog. 


I would also like to point out that my meal plans are made me for me. They are tailored to my lean mass and what I should weigh at a healthy weight. I do not follow the traditional BMI suggestions, because they are only based on height alone. I get my body fat done every three months so that Zach can help me make another plan that is perfectly tailored to me. 

Random thoughts while eating....

I was sitting at my table today, eating a ton of fresh fruit, and thinking about how delicious fresh fruit tastes. I was eating fruit that I would not ordinarily eat. I was eating blueberries and raspberries. I like things flavored with blueberry and raspberry, but I just don't typically eat them alone. Anyway, it got me to thinking. 


A few years ago, you would have never caught me sitting at my table eating fresh fruit as part of my meal. I've always loved fruit, but I used to never think to eat it as part of a meal. I started thinking about my changes I've made because of meal plans, food choices I've made over the past few years, and how those choices have changed to more healthy options. 


My meal plans were and are designed so that I can eat what I want. I just have to make sure my food follows guidelines; such as calorie content, protein, and fat. As long as I'm in those bounds I can eat what I want. I've never been told that I have to eat certain foods for certain meals. If so, I would have quit this before it even started. 


When I started these meal plans almost two and half years ago I still ate some high fat foods; I just ate them in moderation. I ate certain proportions and I ate at certain times. As my plans have changed and different things have been added into my meal plans, I've made different choices. Basically, I've cut out some of the bad foods on my own and I have made better choices. No one told me that I had to eat fruit and vegetables to lose weight. I followed a calorie limit and I did the rest on my own. 


For example: I used to eat a lot of Lean Cuisine frozen pizzas because they were in my calorie, protein, and fat limits, but that was all I could have for an entire meal. Now, I like to eat meals, so I don't eat the frozen pizza. I make low cal, high protein options for my food. That way I can eat fruit, veggies, and maybe another side with all my meals. I love it so much better this way. 


I've met and spoken with people who try to lose weight and they cut out everything they love. They try to eat all fruit, veggies, low fat everything, and then they end up unhappy and quit. They go right back to their old ways. 


I try to let them know that in the beginning it's not so much what you eat, but how much you eat. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose you can just cut back on the serving size or how many servings you eat at one time. Don't eat the whole pizza! Eat 2 slices and save the rest for another 3 meals! That one pizza can go a long way! 


As you lose more and more weight you will naturally want to try different things and make better food choices. I believe that to be true, because it happened to me. I never thought I would enjoy eating grilled chicken, hummus, and fresh veggies more than I enjoy eating a big greasy, deep fried meal, but one day I realized it had happened. No one told me to even make the change. 


So, really my random thought led me to this overall thought: Make small changes. Don't make a huge, sweeping change at one time. Start small. Once you are comfortable with one change and you know you can handle and maintain it, make another change. Before you know it, you've lost 125+ pounds and you're craving fruit instead of greasy food. 


These days I blow off anyone who tells me that counting calories doesn't work. Those people are stupid in my book, because I've counted and counted calories. I've lost a ton of weight. I try to tell people that I'm proof that calorie counting works. I'm proof that working out works. I'm proof that people can make a change and stick to it. 

Good-bye old friend....

The first item I ever bought from 31.
I'm pretty sure this spurred an
expensive addiction!

I'm sure you all opened this thinking that someone near and dear to me has moved on or passed away. In a way I did lose someone near and dear to me, it's just not a person....it's my lunch bag. 


I have been using the same lunch bag for about 2 years now. It is a 31 bag and it has been amazing. I used that bad boy faithfully. I mean, I eat on a schedule. I pack food everywhere I go. When I go to work I take at least 2 or 3 meals with me; depending on how long I have to work. This bag has been amazing. I've put a lot of miles on it, and now I have to get a new one. 


The thought occurred to me this morning, when I was grabbing it to throw my food in, that this lunch bag was looking pretty raggedy. I looked at the bottom and all the white dots are turning off white and the corners are starting to tear. Then I looked inside and the foil looking part used for a liner is starting to tear apart. There are big exposed parts and the exposed parts used to be white, but now they are slightly discolored. I also noticed a funky smell today..... 

I was so tired of telling people that I
wasn't on a diet that I had it put on my
lunch bag!

I'm pretty sad about losing my dear lunch bag. I'm most sad about it because it had the wonderful saying "Not a Diet" embroidered on it. My lunch bag and that saying are really what spurred the title to this blog and a lot of good conversations. People would look at it and say, "Sarah, why the hell does that lunch box say not a diet...." Many good conversations were started that way. 


I don't think I'm going to buy another personalized lunch bag. I'll just get attached (because it will be awesome) and it will wear out and I will have to throw it out and buy a new one. I'll just be too sad. I think I'm going to go to the store and just buy a generic one. I sound like a baby right now, but I love my lunch bag! 

Slow changes

Over the past few months I have gone from working out with Janelle for about every workout to only working out with her maybe twice in a two week period. 


I didn't realize that this had completely happened until yesterday when I sent Janelle a text telling her that we have to plan a Wednesday workout and if not we won't ever have time to workout together.


This has been a slow change over the past few months. Heck, I bet this change has been happening for about a year, but it's just been so gradual that no one was realizing it. Our routine was to workout in the afternoon after we were off work and in the summer we would workout in the early morning. 


I'm able to workout alone, I just don't like it as much. I need a lot more will power and dedication to make it happen. I feel like I don't push myself enough and I also feel like I forget things that I should be doing. I have to keep reminding myself that I do like to workout, even if it's alone, and I have to stay focused for what I really want.


I prefer to workout with Janelle because I know a get a good workout and I get some girl talk time. 


I think that's what I'm really missing right now; girl talk with Janelle. Workouts are about the only time I see Janelle these days and the only time we really get to talk and vent about work, working out, family, etc. Our schedules have gone totally flip flopped from each other. We don't really have a choice to workout together right now. 


Really. this is just a whole lot of whining because I'm losing my regular workout partner. These days we have to literally make appointments with each other just to see each other and get a workout in with each other. 


I'm trying to stay positive though; Summer is almost here. I will have a little more time and Janelle will have a lot more time. Hopefully we will find common time to workout then....

Thinking

Lately I've been not obsessed with losing weight. I am still doing my own thing with the meal plans and workouts and Zach and Janelle, and all that, but I had a strange thought the other day....


That thought was: I think I'm happy. I think I'm happy with my weight. I think I'm happy with how I look. I think I'm just happy. 


Now, that might be strange for some of you. I'm sure you're happy people. I've just spent so much of my life being unhappy with my appearance. I was never really vocal about it. I was more just in my head about it. I would have very negative thoughts about how I looked and how I felt, but I never had a damn clue how to fix it. 


I am very happy these days. I still want to get to my goal, but I think I've hit a level where I'm OK with where I'm at right now. If everything stopped right here, right now I would be ok and happy. 


I said the other week that I have 29 pounds till my goal and I still want to get there. It is important to me to meet a goal and I will meet that goal. I also want to have some skin removed, eventually. I used to obsess over that too, but in the past few weeks it has seemed less important. 


So, with all this happy talk aside, here's what makes me nervous: Now that I am "happy" will I lose my motivation? Am I going to start slacking off? I've been really busy the past few weeks and it has been a really big task to get my 5 or 6 workouts in each week. I've still managed to make it happen, but I've been having thoughts like, "Oh, I'll just go tomorrow or I'll get there later." I've pushed those thoughts aside and still done what needs to be done but what happens on the day that I believe my sabotage thoughts?


I'm also worried that all this happiness will lead to bad food decisions! I've had a few beers and drinks here and there over the past few weeks. I've been responsible about it and counted my calories and what-not, but I'm worried that I'm going to relax too much!


So, I know everyone strives to be happy, but I feel like I need to stay in state of panic and paranoia so I can stay focused!