Health
Slim down with Susan Antonacci. Week # 2
Health
Slim down with Susan Antonacci. Week # 2
Waging my war on weight loss! Well, I hope all of you got through the New Year's all ready and eager to embrace 2012. If you read my post a week ago, you'll know I was full of vim and vigour now that I've joined the
Canadian Living 6-Week Slim-Down. [caption id="attachment_2230" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption=""Portion control? Got it. Protein? No problem. But what about my pizza?" Editor-in-chief embraces the 6-Week Slim Down"]
[/caption]
I even promised to share my stats this week, so here they are (PLEASE be kind to me!):
Weight: 152 lbs. Now, for the oh-my-gosh measurements:
Arms: 11 1/2
Breasts: 35 1/2
Waist 39
(Holy Toledo, what have I been doing lately?)
Hips: 38
Thigh: 22 1/2 My initial reaction after my colleague Donna took my measurements this morning: “Oh my goodness, I’m built like a sausage!” However, I promised I'd do the entire six weeks so I'm sticking to it. The first week got off with a bang, but I'm afraid it ended on a whimper - first from my dog Scooter and then from me. Here goes: it was cold and stormy night... Well, maybe I exaggerate a little. But it was definitely not the sunny snow-white week I was hoping for. There I stood at the front door Wednesday night after work, in rain coat and galoshes, with leash in hand. Only Scooter was nowhere in sight. My husband found our furry little friend beneath the bed. He didn't want to go out for our nightly walk. "Too cold, mommy" his canine eyes blinked at me. What was I to do? I poked my head out the door, got a lash of bitter cold air in my face, and stepped right back in. It was my turn to whimper. "I think it's a might cold out tonight," I said to my husband, Greg. "Perhaps we'll do a double walk tomorrow." Thursday night came, and, well, I just wasn't in the mood. It was a long day at work (my colleagues will tell you I'm an early riser), a couple-end-of day phone discussions that went on too long, then groceries on the way home from work... You get the picture? I just didn't have the chutzpah to get out for my brisk 60-minute walk. (Experts will tell you that a fast-paced walk not only burns cardio but it's a great aerobic exercise to get the heart pumping.) One of my concerned colleagues suggested I watch one of our
own online videos for some low-impact workouts for beginners. I did however, succeed in eating better last week. I turned to our own online stash of
healthy Canadian Living recipes. High-fibre, low-fat yams have become my new best friend. And - though it was a struggle, I managed to avoid 'most' of the post-Christmas cake that found its way into our office lunch-room. I also made a point of including yogurt in my breakfast (you should consider it, too,
the benefits of yogurt are amazing!). But it's the motivation I need help on: I did get a few pointers from
Dr. Joey Shulman whose online article
"Healthy Eating Strategies for Sticky Situations." I swear she had ME in mind when she wrote that one. You folks, I'm sure, have all been through this before. What's your secret? Help me P-L-E-A-S-E!
What I'd like your help on:
1. How do you stay faithful to your exercise when you simply 'aren't in the mood'?
2. What do you to do keep fit when it's cold outside. (You know that classic nugget, "Baby it's cold outside..."? I'm afraid I've been singing it for the last week and my family is ready to revolt.)
3. What's your suggestion for those days when you're just plain knackered? How do you still manage to get yourself to the gym or outdoors for exercise?
4. And last but not least, how do you encourage your cute little puppy dog that leaping up onto the bed does not constitute a work-out? I simply must put an end to the dog days of January and get back to my exercise plan. I'm waiting for your advice. AND THANK YOU! (And Scooter thanks you!)
[/caption]
I even promised to share my stats this week, so here they are (PLEASE be kind to me!):
Weight: 152 lbs. Now, for the oh-my-gosh measurements:
Arms: 11 1/2
Breasts: 35 1/2
Waist 39
(Holy Toledo, what have I been doing lately?)
Hips: 38
Thigh: 22 1/2 My initial reaction after my colleague Donna took my measurements this morning: “Oh my goodness, I’m built like a sausage!” However, I promised I'd do the entire six weeks so I'm sticking to it. The first week got off with a bang, but I'm afraid it ended on a whimper - first from my dog Scooter and then from me. Here goes: it was cold and stormy night... Well, maybe I exaggerate a little. But it was definitely not the sunny snow-white week I was hoping for. There I stood at the front door Wednesday night after work, in rain coat and galoshes, with leash in hand. Only Scooter was nowhere in sight. My husband found our furry little friend beneath the bed. He didn't want to go out for our nightly walk. "Too cold, mommy" his canine eyes blinked at me. What was I to do? I poked my head out the door, got a lash of bitter cold air in my face, and stepped right back in. It was my turn to whimper. "I think it's a might cold out tonight," I said to my husband, Greg. "Perhaps we'll do a double walk tomorrow." Thursday night came, and, well, I just wasn't in the mood. It was a long day at work (my colleagues will tell you I'm an early riser), a couple-end-of day phone discussions that went on too long, then groceries on the way home from work... You get the picture? I just didn't have the chutzpah to get out for my brisk 60-minute walk. (Experts will tell you that a fast-paced walk not only burns cardio but it's a great aerobic exercise to get the heart pumping.) One of my concerned colleagues suggested I watch one of our
own online videos for some low-impact workouts for beginners. I did however, succeed in eating better last week. I turned to our own online stash of
healthy Canadian Living recipes. High-fibre, low-fat yams have become my new best friend. And - though it was a struggle, I managed to avoid 'most' of the post-Christmas cake that found its way into our office lunch-room. I also made a point of including yogurt in my breakfast (you should consider it, too,
the benefits of yogurt are amazing!). But it's the motivation I need help on: I did get a few pointers from
Dr. Joey Shulman whose online article
"Healthy Eating Strategies for Sticky Situations." I swear she had ME in mind when she wrote that one. You folks, I'm sure, have all been through this before. What's your secret? Help me P-L-E-A-S-E!
What I'd like your help on:
1. How do you stay faithful to your exercise when you simply 'aren't in the mood'?
2. What do you to do keep fit when it's cold outside. (You know that classic nugget, "Baby it's cold outside..."? I'm afraid I've been singing it for the last week and my family is ready to revolt.)
3. What's your suggestion for those days when you're just plain knackered? How do you still manage to get yourself to the gym or outdoors for exercise?
4. And last but not least, how do you encourage your cute little puppy dog that leaping up onto the bed does not constitute a work-out? I simply must put an end to the dog days of January and get back to my exercise plan. I'm waiting for your advice. AND THANK YOU! (And Scooter thanks you!)
Comments