Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
11.17.2010
The Experiment
10:09 PM | Posted by
EmMarah
Hey guys! Mara here.
I know, I know. Sorry it's been forever but things have been very busy. School, home, and so many things have just been all over the place! Looking back at how the past few weeks have been, I'm still amazed at how I'm here with you today :p
First things first.
I don't think scheduling posts every ____ day is very motivating. It's weight loss and no matter how we think of it, it's a long process and there's no half-assing it. Therefore, this would be something Emmaleigh and I would post on when the need arises and whatnot.
Second.
I'm sorry but to be perfectly honest, I have not been exercising or eating as healthy as I would like lately. I have only been maintaining my weight which isn't really anything to celebrate about but it's not dreadful either.
That being said, after getting into a funk with everything, because of a school thing, I want to get back into losing weight!
It's a behavioral experiment and if you'd like to join, feel free to!
The premise:
Write down a goal that is achievable in two weeks. Have five rewards and punishments. These rewards and punishments must be attainable and/or can be reasonably enforced.
You will need:
A monitor and a table showing the following details: date, behavior expected, actual performance, reinforcement for daily achievement.
My monitor would be my friend Mai as I would be hers. Our goal was to be able to exercise everyday for at least 30 minutes, for two weeks.
But of course I don't want to start without a plan in mind. I have to budget those 30 minutes right.
So now, I'd like to plan it so I don't make a fool out of myself :p
I know, I know. Sorry it's been forever but things have been very busy. School, home, and so many things have just been all over the place! Looking back at how the past few weeks have been, I'm still amazed at how I'm here with you today :p
First things first.
I don't think scheduling posts every ____ day is very motivating. It's weight loss and no matter how we think of it, it's a long process and there's no half-assing it. Therefore, this would be something Emmaleigh and I would post on when the need arises and whatnot.
Second.
I'm sorry but to be perfectly honest, I have not been exercising or eating as healthy as I would like lately. I have only been maintaining my weight which isn't really anything to celebrate about but it's not dreadful either.
That being said, after getting into a funk with everything, because of a school thing, I want to get back into losing weight!
It's a behavioral experiment and if you'd like to join, feel free to!
The premise:
Write down a goal that is achievable in two weeks. Have five rewards and punishments. These rewards and punishments must be attainable and/or can be reasonably enforced.
You will need:
A monitor and a table showing the following details: date, behavior expected, actual performance, reinforcement for daily achievement.
My monitor would be my friend Mai as I would be hers. Our goal was to be able to exercise everyday for at least 30 minutes, for two weeks.
But of course I don't want to start without a plan in mind. I have to budget those 30 minutes right.
So now, I'd like to plan it so I don't make a fool out of myself :p
- Warm-up - 5 minutes. (stretching + dancing a little to some music to get pumped)
- Combination of forward and side lunges - 5 minutes
- Forward crunches - 5 minutes
- Side crunches - 5 minutes
- Squats - 5 minutes
- Cool down - 5 minutes. (stretching s'more plus deep breathing and such)
So there's that. I'm hoping to target my tummy, sides, thighs and butt :p I'ma do arm movements with the lunges, too but that isn't really much to mention as it's a little thing (hope I can buy weights this week).
But there's more to it. I'm having my own little monitor sheet for myself :p
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water
- Eat a heavy but as non-greasy as possible breakfast
- Eat a nice portion of lunch and a small portion of dinner
- Have an a.m. snack and a p.m. snack
- 1 cup of rice is the limit (though I usually consume half)
- 2 pieces of chocolate is the limit (of those miniature things and or kisses we have at home. If it's dark chocolate, better)
So there's that.
I think we begin Saturday. Here's to hoping I form habits with this behavioral experiment :p
'Til then,
Ciao!
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9.18.2010
Detox
9:47 PM | Posted by
EmMarah
I was going to post Friday but I wanted to give Em's post its time to shine so I waited a little. But yay! Here I am.
Been hecka busy lately. I now have at least one exam every week. I actually have one tomorrow. I'm so overwhelmed and there's just so much going on that I'm actually feeling down and not so posty. But fear not! I will NOT let my emotions wreak havoc on my journey with whoever's with me and Em in this, be it one guy/girl, five, seven, who knows, right?
First things first, I am sad to announce that I am dropping out of the September challenge =\ I know, it's a disgrace/etc. It's not like I'm scarfing down sweet munchies as I type but from here on 'til the end of the sem I'd be pretty much stressed and I need a sweet treat every now and then to keep me going. Don't worry, I take things in moderation so I'll be alright :) Right now, I'm just going through a tough time is all and I don't want to be unfair by saying "I ate one _____" but I'm still going again and again.
Second of all. HOT DAYUM SOY MILK IS MAKING ME FAT :(( Sure it has health benefits, sure, but it doesn't do good with weight loss, pssh.
Next, I want to go through a detox diet. I'll be frank. And if you don't like TMI (too much info) stuff, then skip this entry. Go on. Click the red X.
Here's another chance.
And another.
Still with me?
You sure?
You can walk away.
Okay if you're here still then here's the thing. I've mentioned that I have problems with digestion, right? Weeeeell, thing is, I don't really have awesome bowel movements. I don't have them enough. Normally one would have it daily but me? Nope, not really. That's prolly one of the reasons I'm this way =\ And it's not good.
That being said, I think I srsly need a detox diet.
The problem?
I don't know much about them yet. Right now I can't do much research but I prolly will after my exam and get back to you guys on Wednesday :)
What's important for me to do now?
- Know what to eat
- Know how much to eat
- Know what I could/couldn't do (like exert to much effort since I'd be on low cal stuff/whatever or maybe I have to be near the bathroom a lot)
- Know what's SAFE
- Know what would work for me and my digestion for the LONG TERM.
So there's that. If you know anything about detox diets or can help me in any way, please leave a comment below! Same goes with anything you'd like to see us talk about here or whatever you'd feel like sayin' :)
For now I have to go attend to my scholarly duties (hah :p).
'Til the next stop,
Mara
9.13.2010
D'Oh!
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Image Credit to Google Images
[Buh. As I write this entry it's Sunday night. The long weekend it's coming to a close, thank goodness]
It's all nice with everyone happy, yeah, but it's not exactly diet-conducive =\
What's harder?
Living under the shadow of convenience.
While I was at my mum's we had pizza hut food for brunch, food from the food court for dinner. The next day, pizza again, burger and fries for lunch, leftover pizza and pasta for dinner. Breakfast for Sunday? Freaking Jollibee (Jolly hotdog =\) and then we had Italliani's for lunch (Sicilian Chicken Salad + Chicken Parmigiana, yay, at least that's semi-healthy, right?)
Update on September challenge? Well... I sort of had a hiccup with the plan =\ You know when they sing at restaurants for birthdays? Yeah... since my bro's having his soon, there was ice cream and without thinking I plunged into the sweet frigid goodness without thought. It was only after the whole ordeal that I realized what I have done.
Damn I made that sound so dramatic :))
BUT I will continue with the challenge. Just wanted to be honest.
Honestly I feel fat. Though my clothes beg to differ, I am not getting on any damned scale until next week.
What do I have planned?
I'm sick of fast food. I really am. I am sick of convenience eating. After the September challenge I wanna try a MONTH without FASTFOOD. Which would be pretty big since every Sunday, it's pretty much always a fastfood breakfast and it's fun at times but not really a whole majority of the time.
SO
What do I need to do about it?
I'm trying to establish a routine.
First, I'll try to always have some sort of veggie in my meals, or at least one of my meals per day. I'm not a big veggie fan but I'll try. So far I thought of having tuna spinach omelette every day.
Next, I have a BIG problem with digestion. I swear, it's one of the big reasons why I'm this =\ so on a whim I will also try to:
- drink a glass of soy milk at least once a day
- drink at least two cups of tea a day
Right now my problem is snacks. I'll figure things out as I go. Another problem I have is that I'll have at least one exam per week starting this week =\
Sooooo, wish me luck :)
'Til the next stop,
Mara
[PS I'm sick =\ Got a cold buh :((. Pray for me and my exams, 'kayyy? :p]
8.09.2010
Reality Check: Starting Again
6:05 PM | Posted by
EmMarah
Image Credits to Google ImagesHey guys, I'm back. Just got a wakeup call today and thought that if I'm going to be real and honest, rather than just spewing advice and not living up to it, I should put my thoughts down today.
Backstory
At the summer of this year (Philippine time -- April-Early June) I stopped my little "lifestyle change" (I hate the word diet). I just stopped trying, stopped being meticulous, just... stopped. Why? Because I've reached plateau. It was hard to see that around March, I wasn't losing weight anymore and my weight would play around 140 to 143. It sucked because I felt that I was exerting so much effort and nothing was happening. I used to lose weight a little quick and at the time I stopped, I did so because even in a month, I wouldn't lose any weight and I'd prolly gain a pound or two.
I gave up. I'm ashamed that I did but I won't lie about it. I slowly started eating more, not paying attention to what I eat anymore, etc. Lately, I thought I was in pretty good shape because things have been fitting better, I feel better and I've been eating what I want. I haven't checked the scale in over three or four months (?) because for some reason it got lost when we we did "spring cleaning" and I haven't seen it again until today.
I took a deep breath. Something told me to expect that I gained a few pounds BUT I didn't expect myself to gain so much.
From my epic win of getting to 140 from 161, I am now back to 147. I felt a little crushed. I knew there's no one else to blame but me. It's just so hard to diet when you have more free time to think and lately, when there's rarely any time to think and you stress eat.
But enough excuses. I have to go through what I have written. The phases in the journey of weight loss. And I know I can do this as I have Em and anyone who would go through this journey with us :) It's always easier having people to do it with, y'know?
So let's go through half of it first.
Phase 1: Know what you're doing this for.
Me? I wanna be healthy. I'm going to work in the medical field. I don't wanna preach things I don't follow. Right now, my family's getting their own wakeup calls and I'm glad that somehow everyone knows what to do now, that for quite a while now, we've just been eating too much and we're not moving enough :p I wanna be able to keep up with my clients when I start treating, you know? I wanna be able to move and not get tired too quick.
Phase 2: Assessment
Today I weighed myself. I am 147lbs and at the height of 5'2", I'm well overweight. My BMI? 26.9 UGH. To be normal, I have to be at 24.9 or 136 lbs. So I'm 11 lbs away from being of the borderline healthy weight :p Oh well. Have to face the facts :)
Phase 3: Planning
I know that this'll be slow so I might as well condition myself. By the end of August I hope to be at 144lbs. By the end of September, hopefully at 139lbs. By the end of November, hopefully at 135lbs. I'm taking it slow.
Things I have to remember:
- count your calories, Mara!
- You can only have half a cup of rice at every meal
- eat on a small plate
- drink loads of water
- find better snacks
- you MUST eat breakfast within an hour of you waking up
I guess that's it for now. With my month goal I have to lose three pounds in over two weeks. I know it's a small goal but believe me, it's better than waiting a month to lose one pound.
LET'SDOTHISYESI'MREADY
'Til the next stop,
Mara
8.02.2010
ROAD TO SUCCESS
10:20 PM | Posted by
EmMarah
Hi there everyone! This is Em again typing for you ;). I owe this blog a lot, I have been extremely busy the past few days that I only got the time today to update this blog. What I'm gonna be sharing to you guys today are similar to Mara's Phases in the journey to weight loss.
Just like Mara, I myself was always a fat kid and had tried a lot of different things for me to lose the excess weight. Sure, I always get myself into a program, I am gonna start to lose some then out of nowhere I'll lose the motivation and I'll gain back all the weight and it even came to a point that I reached 198 lbs! I don't know how I got there but it was really scary and alarming! I am only 5 flat so I shouldn't be weighing more than 110 lbs. I wanted to lose weight but I always have excuses.
I wanted the old Em, I want my old clothes to fit me again, I want my gown (from my 18th birthday) to fit me again and this time I am determined to keep myself inspired and motivated.
The following are the rules/motivation I imposed on for myself.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES :
credits to google images
-NO excuses, make it happen. Excuses on weight loss are no good, it will get you nowhere. "I'll start my diet tomorrow, I promise." Enough of those kind of excuses, why? There will always be tomorrow and you'll have that same excuse again the next day if there's a chocolate cupcake right in front of you and you can't say no to eating it. You'll never get to your goal, you'll never lose weight if you don't stop making excuses. Let's stop making excuses and act on our goal!
TAKE BABY STEPS :
credits to google images
If you decide to start today and if your body is used to consuming 3,000 calories a day don't just cut it down to 1,500 calories/day on the moment you started your diet. No to crash diet and never starve yourself. Take baby steps, from 3,000 calories cut it down to 2,500 calories. That way, you are giving your body and your metabolism the time to adjust. This is what I'm doing right now, taking baby steps, I am eating right, counting my calories and eating on the right time. I can feel that my body is slowly adjusting to the diet. How can I tell? Because my meals are well portioned and I am not on a crash diet, I don't get hungry, I don't feel hungry and I feel more alert.
EXERCISE:
Just like Mara, I myself was always a fat kid and had tried a lot of different things for me to lose the excess weight. Sure, I always get myself into a program, I am gonna start to lose some then out of nowhere I'll lose the motivation and I'll gain back all the weight and it even came to a point that I reached 198 lbs! I don't know how I got there but it was really scary and alarming! I am only 5 flat so I shouldn't be weighing more than 110 lbs. I wanted to lose weight but I always have excuses.
I wanted the old Em, I want my old clothes to fit me again, I want my gown (from my 18th birthday) to fit me again and this time I am determined to keep myself inspired and motivated.
The following are the rules/motivation I imposed on for myself.
-
If you decide to start today and if your body is used to consuming 3,000 calories a day don't just cut it down to 1,500 calories/day on the moment you started your diet. No to crash diet and never starve yourself. Take baby steps, from 3,000 calories cut it down to 2,500 calories. That way, you are giving your body and your metabolism the time to adjust. This is what I'm doing right now, taking baby steps, I am eating right, counting my calories and eating on the right time. I can feel that my body is slowly adjusting to the diet. How can I tell? Because my meals are well portioned and I am not on a crash diet, I don't get hungry, I don't feel hungry and I feel more alert.
EXERCISE:
credits to google images
There are different types of exercises or toning of the muscles out there in the world for you to try. You can go to the gym, you can do swimming, you can power walk, run/jog, if dancing is what you want to do, enroll yourself to a dance studio, or kickboxing you just got to find and know what interests you. Exercise will not only help you burn fats and lose weight, it will also help tone your body and it's also good for your cardio. My interest is kickboxing. Gym is boring me, maybe because my parents have got some equipments at home and before I moved out my morning routine before going to school or work during the summer are: I step on the treadmill, the stepper and we used to have that stationary bike too. Then my parents signed me up for gym membership, it is just boring for me, same routine everyday. Then one day sometime in 2008 while I was on the bus on my way home I saw a signage for kickboxing, I got really interested, signed up and ended up liking it. Now, after over a year of being lazy and pigging out sessions, I am getting myself collected and signed up again for cardio kickboxing and so far I like that I am sweating and I feel somehow healthier. Also, STOP! being intimidated, again NO EXCUSES, MAKE IT HAPPEN! If you get intimidated, when are you gonna hit the gym?or a dance studio?or a dojo?
PLAN AHEAD:
PLAN AHEAD:
Plan your meals ahead. Before you go for your weekly grocery shopping, you should know already your menu for the week and by doing so you're saving money. How? Because you're only buying the items that you know you'll need and you'll eat. And bring packed lunches to work or school so you can keep track of what you're eating and again, you'll be saving money with this strategy too. If you've spent $60 on your weekly grocery, why would you want to spend another $5 or $10 or even $20 a day at work on food when there's enough food at home that just needed to be put in a ziplock then in your work bag? Never grocery shop on an empty stomach, we all know why right?
KEEP MOTIVATED:
One of the things that's keeping me motivated right now is this blog and hopefully be an inspiration to other people someday. If both Mara and I can lose weight, if we can drop all the excuses and if we can reach our goals, we can affect people in a positive way. We all can do it! We all can be fit and happy!
The other thing that's keeping me motivated is this dress
KEEP MOTIVATED:
One of the things that's keeping me motivated right now is this blog and hopefully be an inspiration to other people someday. If both Mara and I can lose weight, if we can drop all the excuses and if we can reach our goals, we can affect people in a positive way. We all can do it! We all can be fit and happy!
The other thing that's keeping me motivated is this dress
Yes. I love polka dots and zebra prints :D That dress is 4 dress sizes smaller. I know I should've gotten a size 10 but there aren't any left so I bought that dress. When I was paying for that dress (I got it from Sears btw), I knew in my heart that one day with the determination I have and me acting on my goal, that dress can fit me and I will proudly show it to the world. This can be your motivation too whatever your dress size is, buy a two dress sizes smaller then through diet and exercise that dress fits you, you know you've succeeded already all you have to do is keep on going and stay motivated. Just keep on buying 2 dress sizes smaller until you've reached your goal. Dresses or pants doesn't have to be expensive, just something for you to keep motivated. What do you do with those dresses after? GARAGE SALE baby!
That's about it for me tonight everyone! Let us all be fit, happy and motivated! I hope this entry will help anyone out there in the future.
Love lots,
Em
That's about it for me tonight everyone! Let us all be fit, happy and motivated! I hope this entry will help anyone out there in the future.
Love lots,
Em
7.30.2010
Phases in the Journey to Weight Loss
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Heya! It's Mara and I'm back.
Before getting to the nitty gritty, I think it'd be nice to go through the general process of things. I think what I'd be saying today could be applicable to other concerns, or "projects" you have to better yourself.
But yes, today's focus is on weight loss.
If you've read my other posts already, you'd know that I've once succeeded on weight loss. I used to try a lot back in the day (I was always a fat kid) but nothing really happened. I could see why I failed. My heart wasn't into weight loss really. I'd mostly do it because of how people made me feel. The family would say I'm too fat (mostly my parents =\), I'd be one of the bigger kids at school, etc. Before when I'd try to lose weight, it was for other people, not me. I couldn't really see what was wrong with me. I didn't think anything was wrong with me, and I know nothing was ever wrong with me.
So first phase? Know what you're doing this for (and judge whether or not it really matters).
Before getting to the nitty gritty, I think it'd be nice to go through the general process of things. I think what I'd be saying today could be applicable to other concerns, or "projects" you have to better yourself.
But yes, today's focus is on weight loss.
If you've read my other posts already, you'd know that I've once succeeded on weight loss. I used to try a lot back in the day (I was always a fat kid) but nothing really happened. I could see why I failed. My heart wasn't into weight loss really. I'd mostly do it because of how people made me feel. The family would say I'm too fat (mostly my parents =\), I'd be one of the bigger kids at school, etc. Before when I'd try to lose weight, it was for other people, not me. I couldn't really see what was wrong with me. I didn't think anything was wrong with me, and I know nothing was ever wrong with me.
So first phase? Know what you're doing this for (and judge whether or not it really matters).
I firmly believe that if you're just being pressured into something, you won't find it fun, you won't be happy and the whole thing would be a struggle. The last time I tried losing weight was because I wanted to be healthier. I'm studying under a health profession, I don't want to be a bad example. I like beauty and health things, I should be healthy. My family has a history of diabetes and heart problems, I have to be careful. Who did I do the whole weight loss thing for? Me. Not anyone else. Just me. No pressure from anyone, nothing. I didn't feel like I was torturing myself!
I knew what I wanted to do. I knew why I wanted to do it. So how do I get to it? I needed a good look.
Second phase? Assessment.
For a long time, I've been dead scared of weighing scales. I didn't want to get on them, knowing that I wouldn't like what I'd see. Don't ya'll know that feeling? Well I do, very well. Late last year, I just said to myself, "whatever" and got on when no one was looking. As expected, I didn't like the "answer" the scale gave me. I felt horrible, I won't lie. I felt a sinking feeling and everything. But I knew where I was. I knew what my starting point was, where I'd take my first step and it's important. You have to know where you're coming from if you want to know how to get to where you want to go.
Think of it like being in some place new. You wouldn't know how to get from point A to B if you don't know where point A is in the first place. What if the cab driver's new at the job? What if you don't speak the language? It's all up to you to take yourself from where you are now to where you wanna be. You have to know what "problems" or concerns there are so you can adress them!
And this isn't just about knowing your weight. It's about knowing what you're about and what you're working with.
Phase 3. Planning.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Which is true. For all my failed weight loss trips (that lasted for about a week at most), I had no direction, I made no real progress. Take what you learned from my last post on S.M.A.R.T. goals and take what you've got from assessment.
My example?
Well at the time I was xxx lbs. I don't drink sodas, I don't like softdrinks. I can drink them, but I've given them up a while back. I'm busy, too. I'm in Uni, so I can't afford to think about what I'd eat day in and day out. Plus I'm surrounded with fast food and unhealthy choices (the healthy revolution is still in its infancy here) so what to do?
Things I can't give up?
- chocolate
- rice (I'm Asian! Filipino at that!)
- meat
Things I need to get better on?
- drinking water
- controlling hunger pangs
So from that, I can devise a (I don't want to say diet, it sucks and makes my brain fart, let's call it a lifestyle change?) lifestyle change that would accomodate my needs.
I felt that I don't want to listen to people who tell me that I can't eat this or that. I can and I will. The thing is, I just can't have a ton. And that's okay. I can still have it, I don't feel deprived.
Now that I know what I'm working with, how to do it and what I have to do is get on with it!
Phase 4. Acting on the Plan.
I know what I wanted to do. I knew why I was doing it. I knew how to do it. Now I can do it. Taking time, doing it at my own pace.
Little changes build up. Don't bring yourself down and think you're not doing enough. Go slow and steady. Don't go too fast or you'll crash and burn out!
I kept my chocolate but in granola bar form or dark form. I kept my rice, but limited it to half a cup per meal. I still ate meat, but when the rice was gone, I was done eating. I planned what to eat when I had time. I brought my own lunches so I wouldn't buy crap (saved me money too). I brought water with me, drank more and improved my digestion. I ate low-cal snacks every 2-3 hours. I counted calories! Not everything came at once, but those are the things I did.
It's more of compromise rather than sacrifice! :)
Phase 5. Keep motivated!
I think the key to motivation is to be realistic. Be realistic with your goal, what you're doing and the results.
Make goals you can reach, if you don't, you'll end up frustrated and you won't stick with what you're doing.
Be realistic with what you expect yourself to do. If you don't, again, you'll end up frustrated and you'll be all, "you know what? I DONT NEED THIS. Pfft." Do what you have to at a good and reasonable pace. Don't expect things that are worth it to be easy.
Be realistic with where you're driving at. When it comes to the body, it's both effort and genes. Listen to your body. Don't let your peers or media dictate your success. It's up to you, you're doing everything and you have only yourself to thank after all that hard work!
Bonus segment?
Have a cheat day. I did. I'd eat what I want, in semi-moderation. I didn't want to go crazy but I considered myself "spoiled" on those days and it kept me going.
Phase 6. Record your progress periodically.
This may seem like something to dread, but it's all a matter of mind-set. To me, this was something to watch out for, to keep on track for, it would be stepping stones, little successes. Plus, if you check yourself, you can assess what you're doing right or what you're doing wrong. There's no magic formula to weight loss. All our bodies are different. Not everything that works for me would work for everyone and vice versa.
I guess that's it! It's a continuous process. Take a hold of your life and take control!
I won't sugar coat things -- it would be hard in the beginning. Give it around two weeks and things wouldn't be so hard. Just keep motivated and know your priorities. I lost weight whilst my family would tempt me with fatty food, yummy treats and all that. I'd just say no and they'll keep tempting me, teasing me, but as time went on, I'd just ask myself, "do I really want it? I've gotten this far, come on" and that was all I needed.
Today I'm ready to try to continue the lifestyle change. And this entry is a reminder to myself on how to go about this mission.
What are your thoughts?
Anything I missed? (I'm running late for school, so maybe :p)
Has this helped you? (Sure hope it does)
'Til the next stop,
Mara
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