Category Archives: Weight Loss

Seeing and Feeling the Results

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This is my 12th week of boot camp.  I’ve lost several inches everywhere and I’ve lost a total of 24.8 pounds.  I’m only a pound away from where I was at the beginning of this year (before I let my healthy lifestyle slip when I started school again).  Pretty much after this, all the weight I lose is new.  I wonder if I can lose another 30ish pounds by the end of the year so I can meet the goal I set in January.  Technically, I guess I will have lost 30 pounds this year; it just may not be in addition to what I lost last year. ;)

I’m really enjoying this lifestyle change.  Sure, most of the time I complain while I’m at boot camp.  But, I feel really good after it’s over and I can’t complain about losing weight or getting stronger.  I actually have triceps now and my wedding ring is too big for my finger! :D In all honesty, I only complain for a second before I start doing the exercise.  It helps me come to grips with what my trainers are forcing, I mean telling, me to do.

While I’ve been going to boot camp, I’ve had some interesting “injuries,” if you can call them that.  After about a month, I developed bursitis in my right knee.  Because I overcompensated with my right knee, it also became inflamed.  Now, both of my knees are doing great, but I have shin splints.  They’re the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced in my life, except for the after effects from my sinus surgery a few years ago.  I can barely walk sometimes and it’s quite painful to run.  But, I do everything I’m able to so I can keep exercising.  They should go away eventually; it’s just a matter of dealing with them until that time comes.

For the first month, the food aspect of this whole thing was really hard.  I hated giving up dairy, bread, and pasta.  Oh, and sugar and junk food and…. ;) But now, I only have small cravings for bread when I’m around a particularly aromatic loaf.  Because I know what it would cost me, I haven’t given in.  I’m actually extremely proud of myself for that.

A couple of weeks ago, I ate at Bajio’s for the first time in three months.  I ordered a Diet Coke with my meal.  After I took the first sip, I nearly wanted to throw up.  I couldn’t believe how sweet it tasted.  (I can only imagine how a regular Coke would make me feel.)  Even the food was too sweet for my taste.  In fact, a lot of things are a lot sweeter than I remember them being–bread at Subway, the more sugary veggies, and even some kinds of nuts.  I’m glad that Bajio’s food and the Diet Coke were too sweet because I don’t crave them, or any junk food in the sweet category, anymore.  If I’m in the mood for sweet, I just eat some fruit because a banana, apple, or tangerine satiates my craving completely.

I don’t even have the desire to eat any candy on Halloween or pie on Thanksgiving. 8O It really feels good to be at this point because I was dreading the holidays last year.  I didn’t think I’d be able to resist all the junk food (and I was right).  This year, however, I’m ready to conquer my cravings and come out on top!

Random Ramblings

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School is going well.  I hardly have any homework, which is nice.  I should qualify that, actually.  I have homework everyday, but my Spanish homework is fairly simple and I can get it done quickly.  My English homework takes a little more time for a few different reasons.  First, there is a lot of reading.  Second, we’re studying poetry right now and I loathe poetry (because I don’t understand it most of the time or I don’t see its value).  Third, the papers we have to write take a lot of thought.  The upside to my English homework, however, is that my teacher doesn’t assign homework each day.  He’s very long-winded and goes off on tangents easily (quite the understatement) so he built catch up days into the syllabus. :roll:

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Even though I don’t spend a lot of time on homework, I’m still very busy this semester because of everything else I have going on.  Every weekday I leave between 6:20 am and 6:40 am and I don’t get home until after 8:00 pm because of class, work, and boot camp.

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Last week, I was sick.  I ate something on Sunday that didn’t agree with me so I was out of commission on Monday and Tuesday.  I also didn’t feel too well during the rest of the week.  Because of this, I didn’t go to a single session of boot camp. :? Yesterday was the first time I had worked out in over a week and I feel like I’m starting over again!  My muscles are screaming in pain, but it’s good because I now know how important working out is for my body.  I can tell I do a lot better when I exercise.

When I weighed myself this morning, it came as no surprise that I didn’t lose any weight this past week.  But, I didn’t gain any weight either! :D I’m nearly where I was last year when I stopped following my new lifestyle.  I won’t ever let go of this lifestyle again because having to make up for what I gained back by having to lose it again is not fun.  I definitely learned my lesson.

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I’m halfway through my iron infusions.  I just have two left.  I’m really hoping it’s making a difference with my iron levels because even though I haven’t had any adverse effects from the infusions, I don’t want to get a weekly IV for the rest of my life.

Random Ramblings

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I’ve had three doctors’ appointments this week–one on Monday and two on Tuesday.  The first appointment was to have my bones scanned.  My gastroenterologist was worried about the density of my bones since I have a vitamin D deficiency.  According to the scan, my bones are still healthy so I don’t have to worry about osteoporosis for the time being.

The first appointment on Tuesday was with my general doctor.  I wanted him to take a look at my knee.  He said I have bursitis, which is an inflammation of the bursa underneath my knee.  For the next couple of weeks, I’m not supposed to jump, run, or climb stairs (or as little as possible since I live in a two-story townhome), and I need to be careful when doing lunges or squats.  Luckily, my boot camp instructors are working with me and still giving me a good workout.

My general doctor also decided to test my vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iron levels again since I’ve now been on supplements for a few months.  Yesterday, I got a call from the nurse.  My vitamin D and vitamin B12 levels are in the low normal range so I just need to keep taking my supplements and, hopefully, they’ll continue to increase.  My iron level, on the other hand, is still too low, which means I get to have iron infusions by IV once a week for the next four weeks. 8O

The second appointment on Tuesday was with a sleep doctor.  I don’t sleep well at night.  It takes me forever to fall asleep and then I wake up umpteen million times during the night.  When I wake up, I don’t feel rested at all and I constantly feel like I’m going to fall asleep at work, which I’ve actually done.  He’s having me start a medication to see if it will help me sleep.  It’s not habit forming, which is good.  He’s also testing my oxygen levels to make sure I don’t have sleep apnia, or I should say a worse case than I already had because in 2005, I was borderline.

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I’ve been doing boot camp for five weeks now.  This is my sixth week.  So far, I’ve lost 12.8 pounds and three or four inches off my waist.  I’ve also lost inches off of my thighs, hips, and neck, but I’m not sure how much.  They don’t track chest measurements for women.  I want to start tracking that measurement (at home) because I really want to know if I’m losing inches there.  It would be a glorious day if I am.

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I feel like Tuesday was a waste of a day off of work.  I took it off so I could read Mockingjay all day. Guess what didn’t happen? I didn’t get to Mockingjay at all. I knew I was pushing it because I was only halfway through my reread of Catching Fire at midnight on Tuesday morning.  But, I figured I could get through the rest of the book mid-morning.  I was wrong.  With all the doctors’ appointments, boot camp, and car troubles on Tuesday, I didn’t finish my reread of Catching Fire until 9:00 pm.  I was so frustrated! But, I’m glad I took the time to reread The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.  I always forget how much I love a story until I’m rereading it.

At this point, Mockingjay is going on hold for a couple of days because I have the chance to read an ARC of Matched by Ally Condie.  My blog friend Natasha lent it to me at the book charity event last Saturday.  We’re going to a book blogger social this Saturday, which makes returning it to her easier since neither of us know where the other lives. ;) I figure I’ll always have Mockingjay now that it’s mine, but if I don’t get Matched read by Saturday, I’ll have to wait until November 30 to read it.  Whatever you do, please don’t spoil Mockingjay for me, and I promise when I review Matched, I won’t spoil it for you! ;)

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Yesterday, Corey started school for the first time in over ten years.  He was really nervous, but I think he enjoyed his classes.  Of course, he’ll know for sure how he feels once he’s gone a few times.

I start school on Monday.  I’m excited, but I feel like it’s almost on me and I need more time to get ready!

Random Ramblings

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The most frustrating thing for me when trying to lose weight is when I don’t lose weight and I gain it instead.  I’ve been eating completely healthy this last week and I worked my butt off in boot camp. Yet, I still gained two pounds. I’m just trying to remember that it’s probably because of muscle gain, even still it’s disconcerting. I guess we’ll see if I lost any inches this week after our session today.  I really hope so because I have a hard time sticking with things when I don’t see results.

Updated: I did lose an inch off my waist and a half an inch off my neck.  I do feel a little better now.

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I’m getting all my paperwork done for my financial aid for this school year.  I’m a little behind because Corey and I had to file our taxes late due to everything that happened last year.  I always forget how much paperwork it takes to get financial aid to go through.  It’s so daunting!  Luckily, my FAFSA application says I should not only qualify for subsidized loans this year, but I should also qualify for a full pell grant!

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I’m getting really nervous about my Spanish class this semester.  Sure, I’ve known Spanish since I was six years old, but I don’t speak or listen to it everyday.  I also haven’t really practiced in many years.  I try to speak it whenever I’m hanging out with my nephew-in-law Dave, but I just feel so rusty.  The last class I took was almost ten years ago.  What if I’ve forgotten everything I need to pass this class?  Fortunately, I remember most of the grammar rules, but my vocabulary is not nearly as rich as it used to be.  I know it’ll come back to me, but I’m still nervous.

Random Ramblings

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I’ve been doing this boot camp thing now for a little over two weeks.  I got weighed and measured today, but I wasn’t found wanting.  (What movie is that in reference to?)  I didn’t lose any inches off my waist this week, but I did lose another 5 pounds.  So far, I’ve lost 11 pounds total since starting boot camp! :D

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School starts in less than four weeks.  I’m getting excited and nervous.  I hope I can figure out a way to work working out into my hectic schedule.  I know I won’t be able to keep up with the five-times-a-week boot camp, but I’m going to try to go at least two or three times a week.  I don’t want to stop now that I’m in the habit of being more active.  Even though I feel like dying each day, I actually feel good.  Go figure. ;)

This semester, I’m taking three classes.  I’m taking Spanish to finally get my language credit out of the way.  (I love learning foreign languages, but I’ve been taking so many languages here and there that I’ve never completed the credit in one language.)  I’m also taking an intro to literature class since I never paid attention to literature in school.  I thought it might help me become better versed in the literature I need to know to do well in my major. ;) Finally, I’m taking another religion class.  I don’t need to take anymore, but I wanted to take a class in between my Spanish and literature class so I signed up for one since there’s always space available.

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Thanks for all the feedback regarding whether I should split my book reviews on to a separate blog.  For now, I’ve decided to keep my blog in one piece.  I think with school starting in a month, I should keep things as simple as possible.  I might revisit the idea again in the future.