However, I don’t have as much energy as I would like and I’m beginning to realize I’m going to get old someday! So I’m rededicating myself to a healthy diet and more exercise. My right shoulder has been acting up the same way my left shoulder did way back in 1998. It took years for my left shoulder to heal. So, I’m incorporating some special shoulder-strengthening exercises into my routine to try to avoid problems. We still go to TKD every week. I can only go on Tuesdays until the end of the semester, and then I can go twice a week. I love TKD and I want to get better at it, so my daily exercise will be practicing all of my patterns, punches, and kicks. I also want to get back into running once I get over the latest cold that burned through my family.

I miss my Middle Eastern dance class, but the schedule conflicts with my Scout meetings. Sad.

The key part of my healthy diet right now is working on making my lunches again. I’ve gotten into the VERY bad habit of eating nothing all day except soy lattes and a Chipotle vegetarian bol with guacamole. It’s not that those foods are inherently bad, but I’m not fueling my body appropriately. My eating out choices are very limited… Chipotle is pretty much it for me, unless I want to eat french fries all the time (and at a lot of places, those are not vegan– I’m looking at you, McDonald’s!)

I’ve ordered some new bento accessories and will start planning a week’s worth of bento meals at a time. Last time I did that, I kept packing foods that needed to be heated to be tasty, but this time, I’m going to pack more foods that can be eaten at room temperature. I’ll incorporate my raging love for avocados into onigiri and veggie rolls, for one thing. If I have the time and energy, I will try to photograph these works of art and post them here.

My weight is around 173 and my size is pretty much 14. I can fit into clothes that are sized 12-14. My t-shirts are now easily men’s medium.

Now that I’ve done a week of summer camp, I know better what parts I need to work on to keep up with the boys. I’m working up a regimen of hiking, swimming, biking, and lifting weights. I have to order new hiking boots, since my old Sketchers nearly killed my feet. I’m ordering Garmont Vegan Hikers. I really hope they’re durable enough. If my son wants to earn the hiking badge, he’ll have to go on a 20-mile hike, and I will want to go with him. (He’ll have to do five 5-mile hikes and I think a 10-mile hike first.)

My plan is to do three Cathe weight DVDs a week (alternating Pure Strength and Gym Style), swim twice a week, hike at least twice a week, and bike once a week. I used to be very committed to working out daily, so I hope to get that commitment back. If I don’t plant myself in front of the TV all evening, I actually do have time to exercise.

I have to stop fooling around and start working out again. Losing weight without weight-training leads to saggy skin and a weirdly-shaped body. Plus, I also have to train for Boy Scout camp, which is about two months away. I will embark on a training regimen that includes 2 swims a week, 3 jogs, 4 days of weight-training, and one cross-training day. The weight-training will be Cathe Pure Strength or Gym Styles. I’m also going to fill a backpack full of books and leave it by the door to wear whenever I walk the dogs. I live on a hill, so there’s some hiking training right there. Once my camping backpack gets here, I’ll use that.

The only problem with being at this level of fitness will be that I can already out-hike some of the boys. Sad commentary on kids’ physical fitness any more. What are they supposed to do, though? They aren’t allowed to run and play any more! No running at recess. So, DS11 will be training with me, plus on nice days, I’m going to force him to play outside, even if I have to lock him out. He worries at his weight, which is slightly higher than it should be, but I worry about his fitness. It would be nice if he felt more comfortable in a swimsuit by camp.

Oh, I forgot to say, I ordered a pair of 5.11 pants and a pair of 5.11 shorts for scouts and I deliberately ordered them small, because of the rate at which I’ve been losing weight. Guess what? They fit. The shorts are women’s 12. The good news is, they have elastic waists, so I’ll be able to wear them for a while, probably even when I get into size 10.

The other weird thing is that only one person has spontaneously mentioned my weight loss! I’ve lost 30 pounds, but no one has noticed. I went from size 18 to size 14, and no one has noticed. That’s a bit weird.

More additions. A few entries ago, I talked about the size L t-shirt for Scout Class Bs. I now have a medium which fits fine. The large is… a bit large. Something weird, though, is that I’m afraid to measure myself because I have this fear that the tape will STILL say I have a 35-inch waist. Don’t know when I’ll be ready to measure again.

I also managed to get out for a run today. Even though I haven’t run since November, I was able to run continuously to the beauty shop. I then ran-walked a little further, then went back to the beauty shop and ran home. A total of 16 minutes. I was pleased to have that level of running ability after neglecting my running all winter. Then, we walked the dogs for a while.

I’m intending to get back to running at least 3 times a week in the morning, and walking the dogs for at least 20 minutes every day. We have a back yard, so they do get chances to stretch their legs, but they sure love to walk!

I’m watching the Biggest Loser marathon on Bravo right now. Poor Adrian is crying because she “only” lost two pounds in one week. What kind of crazy people are these? Two pounds is a great weight loss, yet the others are posting losses of 12 pounds and nine pounds and such. I know why Adrian is so upset, though. She was crying because people always told her she was destined to be chunky. I was told the same thing, even though I was at a healthy weight and size for my height. But I was told that was not acceptable. Even when I wasn’t fat, I saw myself as fat. Everyone TOLD me I was fat. And I wasn’t! Even now, when I know my “normal” weight is healthy, I still see those stupid Nutrisystem ads where a girl crows because she went from a portly size 8 to a size 2. The only acceptable weight for a woman is almost a negative size. It’s really hard to overcome those kinds of messages.

But one thing is true. My current weight is unhealthy for me, so I must lose weight. But I’m going to do it in a healthy way. I’m going to eat healthy food and track it on SparkPeople, I’m going to exercise 5-6 times a week, I’m going to practice yoga and meditation, and I’m going to keep a positive attitude. I’ve started a new off-line journal for motivating pictures, thoughts, and ideas. Maybe I’ll scan in some representative pages when I’m about halfway through.
My rotation for the first month of January involves getting back in running shape, since I haven’t run since November. I’m also going to work on getting back into weight-training shape.

• Monday- Cathe strength DVD
• Tuesday- Run on campus
• Wednesday- Rest?
• Thursday- Run on campus
• Friday- Cathe circuit DVD
• Saturday- Long run
• Sunday- Core, walk

2006 in review:

The Good:

• Went vegetarian, then vegan in August
• Started running in April
• Got a SparkPeople account
• Got medical treatment for an issue that might affect my weight
• Went to bellydance class almost every Monday in 2006

The Bad:

• Did not get back into lifting weights
• Did not sleep enough
• Ate too much junk before August
• Stopped running in December

The Mediocre

• Joined eDiets

2007 Resolutions

• Get maximum points on SparkPeople every day
• Run or do other cardio 3 times a week
• Lift weights twice a week
• Eat a 50% raw (or higher) vegan diet (increasing slowly)
• Get back to bellydance class as soon as possible
• Take the free yoga and meditation classes on campus, if possible
• Listen to meditation audio 2-3 times a week

Obviously, I hope to lose all of the extra weight this year. I can’t set a number, though, because it just doesn’t work. I just have to try to do everything that I know should work.

I want to be a success story in 2007.  More so, I want to be a success story by June.  I went through my old photo album from my early 20s the other day.  I miss looking like that.  I have a picture of me in Berlin in 1998, and I was normal weight then.  I always thought if I lost the weight from having my baby, it would not be a problem to keep it off.  Of course, I think there were so many issues involved in the weight gain and the inability to lose it that I can’t pinpoint any one thing.  It’s just unbelievable that I have been completely unable to lose it.  I’ve gotten a Master’s degree– I’m obviously not dumb.  So how is it that I can’t do something that is portrayed as “so simple”?  But that kind of thinking is not helpful.  I need to stay positive.  I WILL be a success story in 2007.

I’m envisioning a weekly video update, along with shots of me exercising, making and eating food, trying to fit in activity in my daily life, etc.  The final product would be 30-45 minutes long.  I want to address a lot more than just weight loss.  I also want to talk about ethical food choices, meditation, yoga, and all of the other elements that lead to a balanced person.

I’ll let you know if I launch this thing. If I do, it will start January first.

Next year, I’m going to try to get 300 workouts and to track them here like I used to.  I might also bring back the archives, especially since I believe I am finally on a successful path.

Running is going great. I think I can consistently fit in a 40-50 minute run three days a week, then a Saturday run is optional. I’ve really been itching to get out there and run, even on non-running days, but I don’t want to hurt myself, so I’m not really running two days in a row yet. I’m so glad to be enjoying running again, and I’m glad to live in an area with decent enough sidewalks.
Did the upper body work from the new Cathe Body Max DVD yesterday. Can’t wait to try the rest, but with school and running, don’t know when I can fit that in. Over Thanksgiving break, I might do two-a-days, and combine a shorter run with a Cathe DVD each day.
I’m hoping to lose 9 kilos by Christmas. At least I know if I don’t focus on weight loss, I can maintain and not gain. In the past two months, I have not focused, but I have maintained, so that is great to know. Now, if I just focus, I can get to 75 by Christmas. If I do, I’ll take January off as a plateau month, to practice maintaining the weight.

My whole attitude toward food has changed. It’s just food. That’s the most amazing part. I’m eating just one serving of most foods (except fruits and veggies) and I’m satisfied with that. That really makes me happy. It’s like I’m getting my head on straight. But the real health breakthrough will be when my family is fit, healthy, and active too.