SSSD Update!

Weigh in: 293 (-2)

Measurements
Waist: 44"
Below Waist: 53"
Hips: 60"

I did much better with eating this week. Not so much with exercise with the twelve hour days. But the long days definitely kept me busy and not putting things in my face. And I've been making an effort to make better choices. Salads for lunch. No cream based dressings, lemon herb and oil and vinegar. No pad thai for dinner. No pizza. No spending. Well a little. I went to subway twice. But the rest of it I cooked at home. And I don't feel like I was being very cautious at all...   burgers, spaghetti, a lot more veggies.

We had a house party on Friday. Cheetos, oreos, freezer pizzas, booze, mixers and tortilla chips. I had some diet soda and a little of each. Still seeing the lower scale number. I think it has to do with better sleep patterns and a concerted effort to stay hydrated.

Anyway... I'm trying to cancel my gym membership. The three months that Wendy paid for are nearly up and I know that I need a little squishy room in the timeframe to be able to quit.

Be forwarned. Quitting a gym is like passing a bill through congress. Remember the paperwork that they gave you on the first day and said "oh don't worry, it's all online..." It's not. You signed away your first born. If you haven't had it yet, then you are indebted to the gym and you must pay $30 a month until that child is born.

I picked a non-contract membership. I paid with my debit card. But I'm still stuck in the spiral of pay $15 to get a copy of your contract. You are cancelling too late (9 days instead of 10 days notice), you will still be charged $30 for the month of august. Yearly dues are due in August. You will also owe us $39.95. Your cancellation must include A, B, & C (stated in the contract they will MAIL you - thus elongating the process) and it must be submitted in the mail also. No faxes will be accepted. No digital copies emailed.

They have my debit card on file. So they can go ahead and charge those things. So methinks I'm going to have to call my bank and do a stop payment or report a lost/stolen card to prevent those charges from happening. I was thinking of switching banks anyway. Isn't now a good time? Especially since I just signed a lease, was fronted $1000 to help pay for the deposit costs and now am paying that back while only working part-time. Things are tight. Bally's can suck it. Plus there's not a gym close to the new apartment. But there IS one within 25 miles of my location, so I can't cancel based on location changes either. 25 miles in NY land is like... 3 hours away.

Another reason to work out at home. Another reason to stick to body weight and couch to 5k. I will never sign up with a gym again. Ever. I will build my own home gym and stuff before even THINKING about signing another contract with ANYONE. Unless of course, I'm wealthy enough to have a monthly cheese budget and am able to whimsically buy sparkly things I see in windows without having to worry about rent, utilities or debt.

Lesson: Never get a gym pass, especially not with Bally Total Fitness.
Also, eat more salads. You'll poop off weight.

Big Fat FURIOUS Love,
Nanette

More Interesting?

It's been a crazy week. I've been putting in 12 hour days. My coworker's husband decided it's splitsville and she needed a little time off to sort things out. On the sunny side of things, the hours are going to help me significantly when it comes to getting started in the new house. The extra money is just about the same amount as a new bed and box spring. Go figure. :)

Eating has been better. I get a little fruit for breakfast. I have a big salad for lunch. Dinner is usually some pita/veggie/turkey sandwich from Subway... not the worst, not the best, but it's certainly not half a pizza like it was last week!

Found an excellent restaurant called westville. They serve delicious veggies... 4 sides for $14. That's a price I can handle. And if you're doing the sides it's pretty much all veggies. I had goat cheese and beets, asparagus, pesto mashed potatoes and plum tomatoes with basil and mozzarella. Why yes... cheese. My favorite thing making some of my other favorite things MORE favorite.

I haven't worked out in a week and a half and I can feel it in my muscles. I feel like I'm made of puffiness... A desk job doesn't help. This morning I did a little thing just to remind my body it can move...

10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 pushups and stretch. It's pretty much all I have time for. Even this blog is going to make me late.

But I love you guys and I have a lot of things to talk about when I finally get to the weekend.

Big Fat WORKING Love,
Nanette

SSSD Update

Weight: 295 (-2)

(place holder for a better blog later).

Big Fat Love,
Nanette

A motivational speech.

Here's what's going on in the life lately...

• Boy wants to be exclusive. I'm not sure I'm ready for that. But I'm REALLY craving some consistency. 
• Work is good. Building a better relationship with the doc and coworkers. (while looking for another job... what!? I need more hours). 
• Budget is tight. Trying to meet $1200 worth of bills with a $1000 income. 
• Roommate... is okay. I think we drive each other nuts. But it'll get better in the new apartment come August... We'll have our own rooms. 
• Food has been better. I'm still doing the famine then binge thing. I haven't had time to run to a freaking grocery store (my work hours are kind of odd).
• Sleep... I haven't had good sleep in over 3 nights now. 
• Water, Rockin' the water. 
• Exercise. Well... I'm walking lots still... moreso than normal. I've decided to stop using the subway stop close to me and use the one not so close to me just so I can get in an extra .5 miles of walking every day. 

I feel like I need to recommit. Like when I was back in Idaho... I could mentally prep myself... lay out the ground work for a plan for however long it would take me, then implement a change. I'm having a hard time controlling my life like that here. It may be that I don't have the monetary freedom to afford everything I want/need to help along the way. It may be the stress. It may be that I don't have any of my own space (I'm sharing a freaking BED, people). It may be that I haven't fully adjusted to my new life yet. Let's face it... as far as NYC living goes, I'm a novice. But i'm trying not to be discouraged. 

I need to mentally prepare. 

- Game plan. (nike fitness app + back to menus)

- Inspiration/Desire. (working on it, gotta rough myself up a little). 

- Measurable goal. (22 weeks or 5 months, aim for -10lbs a month, be happy with -7lbs). 

I need to commit to a date. 

- August 6th (when I will finally have my own room). 

As skeptical of reading a fitness book as I was for Mir's challenges... I'm starting to realize, even if it's procrastinated, it's a little *ding* reminder in my head that This is what i'm doing. So head out to a book store or re-read the one I brought with me. 

Dear Nanette, 

You have 2 weeks to come to terms with the fact that the habits you've started in this city are going to be over. You have 2 weeks to deal with the fact that working out will be your second job. You have 2 weeks to make excuses. You have 2 weeks to be lazy and let your social life rule the roost. You have 2 weeks to make lists about why you are fat, why you hate being fat, why a healthy lifestyle will benefit you and all the things you'd rather do fit and thin. 

In two weeks you will take health and wellness as seriously as if it were your job. You will show up on time to your work outs. You will respect the work out time. No one can contact you or talk you out of it. You will eat what you are supposed to because your body feels better when you do. Your energies are higher and you are a happier person. You will be in a better mental place. You will go to bed at midnight, regardless of who you're with or what you've got planned. 

Big Fat Mentally Preppin' Love, 

Nanette

SSSD Update... late late late.

Weigh in: 295 (-1)

Measurements:

Waist - 45.25"

Under waist - 54"

Hips - 61"

Exercise: None

Water: 100% (it's so hot!!!) 

Food:
Ultimately, what happened was I didn't eat enough throughout the day and then I would eat a bajillion calories at night. So I need to come up with snack packs... Remember that conclusion that we all came to last week? YEah... I didn't get to spend much time this weekend prepping for a good week. aka: no time. 

But Good News! 

I have signed a lease. 900 sq feet in Bushwick neighborhood. 3 bedrooms (two other girls are on the lease as well). Hard wood floors, brushed steel appliances, two apartment building. Second floor, lots of windows. central air...   Fooooooorrrr a whopping $1700 a month... all bedrooms not being created equal, I'm only paying $550 a month + utilities. Dear other people from around the New York area... let others know how FREAKING AWESOME that is. :) 

This week. 

I'm not going to commit to a 5k. My life is kinda nuts right now and I can't make a commitment (financially or otherwise). But I will make it to the gym 3x this week. Yuppers.

Continue blogging every day. 

Big Fat LEASED Love, 

Nanette

A Lovely Friday Night...

Yesterday...

I did a little better with the eating. I mean, I had a little left over pizza. But I also ate a salad. Some fruit. Things that resemble health foods! I think I got about 120oz of water in. I've been a thirsty bird. 

I also made it out to the NY Philharmonic free concert in the park. Tchaikovsky, Resphigi and FIREWORKS! They had a big fireworks show afterward. Aside from the musical genius on stage, the fireworks made it the best symphony concert I've been to. 

My seat was terrible. I was on a grassy knoll to the extreme left of the conductor. He was about as tall as my pinky nail. But it was nice to lay in the grass and stare at the leaves and listen to some Romantic Era music with the date. And it was really neat how as soon as they started playing... THOUSANDS of people all shut up. That's power. It was so cool. 

Today... 

I travel into the city to sign my lease! We got the apartment! I'm a REAL New Yorker! So it will be me, Tamara and shasta out in a soon to be gentrified neighborhood, a block away from the L train. Three Idaho girls. Three bedrooms. $575 a month for my room. 

Because of the immediate expense of signing a lease (deposit, first month, last month)... and because our lease starts August 1st and the sublet ends August 31st. I'm subletting my room for the first month. That will knock down my cost a good deal (see: 1/3). Tamara, who's been here for a year + already, is fronting us the deposit and fees so Shasta (who just got a job!) and I can pay her back and we can have an awesome place. 

I need to buy a bed + sheets. 

And hangers. 

And kitchenware. 

But yeah...   I'll get to that eventually. 

Also today, I jumped on the scale and I've lost 2lbs so far this week. Not in the most healthy way, but it's 2 lbs down and that's the right direction! 

Big Fat REAL NEW YORKER Love, 

Nanette

And the effort continues...

Yesterday...   eating every few hours. FAIL. 

It's weird. I'm working in a nutrition office, but don't have time to have good nutrition. Yesterday's food tally. 

Breakfast: cottage cheese w/raisins and almonds. 

Lunch: Truffled coffee beans (5) and few almonds. 

Dinner: mushroom pizza (2 slices) and mozzarella sticks (2) *roommate ordered in. WEAKNESS. 

Eat right... eat right... eat right... 

This weekend I'm going to brain storm snack bags and pre-chop and prebag them for the work week. Because this eating schedule makes me ravenous and is not good for me. 

I'm thinking... 

celery. 

carrots. 

tomato slices.

apples. 

bananas. 

those pre-cut watermelon things. 

more cherries bc those were amazing. 

spinach salads (pre-made and refrigerated). 

Today... I have the day off. I am going to eat a nectarine. Drink a gallon of water. Take a well-deserved nap. Call the realtor and see if they need anything else from me. And maybe go take in a photography exhibit with that boy I like. I could even get a gym session in if exhaustion doesn't win. 

Apparently, the hopefully new place is very close to a nice graveyard. Remember how I liked to go running? I would love to pick it up there again. Best thing about running in the graveyard? I've got the hottest body there... because it's not rotting. 

I might blog more later. Since being at home enables that. OH! Coworker is going to take vacation soon... so instead of 20 hour work weeks, I will have 50-60 hour work weeks for 2 weeks. That will help the finances SO MUCH. 

Big Fat DAY OFF Love, 

Nanette

STARVING... Okay... maybe just REALLY HUNGRY.

So yesterday is a fine example of the kind of problem I'm having planning stuff... remember the good intentions and the menu and stuff? Immediately after I wrote that, I got a call from my friend and I had to bolt (unshowered and gross) across town to see a property (we're looking for a lease) on the other side of brooklyn. Hurriedly, I threw on my work clothes just in case I couldn't make it home. But I mean, honestly, it was 9:00am. and I didn't have to be to work until 1:30. I should have had time, right? 

Wrong. 

The cab didn't show up. So we had to find an alternate route. run to the subway. Take a shuttle. But the realtor thought we would be there in like... 15 min. Turning out to be 30... 45...   I'm stressing my face off. Then we get there... and we speed walk 3 streets and an avenue (I've learned that they're different). Meet up with Boris and he drives us to the property. 

Driving takes 20 minutes. It's less than 5 miles away. TWENTY MINUTES. That is only slightly faster than walking. We see the apt in about 20 minutes as well... drive back in 20 minutes. Go to the office. Fill out paperwork for credit checks another 20 minutes... it's 11:45a.m. already! 

What subway am I near? Will it take me all the way to work? No. Walk another .5 miles. Realize that I left without breakfast. I left without lunch. I didn't pack a dinner. Balls. Hurry into a Duane Read and buy a bag of unsalted almonds and a water bottle. RUN the rest of the way to work. 

Work is slammed. CONSTANTLY going going going. Everything was going well though. From 1:30 - 8:00pm. I didn't have time to pee. I forgot entirely about the almonds. I get done. Drag myself to the train. NO energy. Start fantasizing about what food I'm going to order when I get home... realize I'm about to sign a lease and I have a total of $12 that needs to last me two weeks. Start thinking of the food I can make. 

Get home. Take of 80% of my clothes. Make a tuna melt and a salad and some cottage cheese... and a slice of cheese... and a tomato... and a huge bottle of water. Get a phone call from a guy I've been meaning to go on a second date with. Hurry and eat dinner. Meet him at 14th street... it's 12:20a.m. We walk from union square all the way to flatbush (across brooklyn bridge) and then poop out and take a cab home. It was approximately 5.5 miles. I get home at 2:30am. Realize I have to take papers over to the realtor in the morning. Must be up by 8:30. 

Accidentally sleep in. oops. Will fax the papers when I get to work. And the best intentions for today...  

Just eat something. a little something, every four hours or so. 

and drink water. 

Big Fat Tired Love, 

Nanette

Come On, Lady...

So again with the inconsistency. What I thought my menu would look like yesterday and what it actually turned out to be were two totally different things.

Breakfast: sleep.
Lunch: Shake Shack Veggie Burger and small fry.
Snack: Large unsweetened ice tea, 2 lemon stuffed green olives, a dried mango slice, a dried kiwi slice, a cube of white sharp cheddar, a cube of reggiatino cheese.
Dinner: Tomato + cucumber gazpacho.
Snack: a little more cheese. a few dark chocolate chips. A caramel. and a little more cheese. a couple of those olives.

SNACK ATTACK. That's what happened. This is a serious case of giving in. Laura and I went to lunch and then she needed to go to Zabars to pick up stuff for an antipasto plate she was making for her husband. Well, Zabars happens to have the world's most delicious cheese section, think "mall of fancy cheeses at reasonable prices!" And that sort of pooped all over my good intentions. Well, no, by giving in, I pooped all over my good intentions.

Let's take a look at that menu. Fried, carbs, salt, sugar, salt, veggie, salt, sugar, sugar, salt, salt. Yeah. Not the greatest. I'm on the scale this morning and it's the same number as Sunday. Laura and I walked over two miles yesterday to get to the shake shack and back to the subway line. Then I walked to and from the laundromat. So we're looking at a good 3 miles at least yesterday. But I still don't count it as exercise because my heart rate wasn't up... though I got a pretty good sweat, as it's warm.

Uh, sidenote, made it through the day vegetarian. Proof that even a vegetarian diet can be bad for you if you don't eat the veg part.

And here's the thing. Eating like this has not made me feel good. My energy is kinda low. My joints hurt. I'm swollen (salt much?) and seem to have a sugar hang over (which I firmly believe exists).

Today. Let's try to say something and actually stick with it, Nanette. Tiny things. This is a commitment to health. This is a commitment to your body. This is a commitment to not being like dad, to not being diabetic, to the clothes you hauled across the nation that you swore you would fit into...

Today's menu
Breakfast: cottage cheese.
Lunch: spinach salad, tomato, almonds, olives, dressing, tuna. NO CHEESE.
Dinner: Chicken breast + left over gazpacho.
Pre-bed: frozen grapes.

IF I FEEL SNACKY... which I probably will. Approved snacks.
Strawberries.
Almonds.
Blueberries.
an ounce of cheese.

Big Fat Get Your Shit Together Love,
Nanette

day one: the constant blogger.

Hey guys...

So yesterday wasn't terrible with food... But ingestion in general, erm... try again.

Breakfast: Fresh cherries.
Lunch: Spinach, tomato, olive, almond, cheese, yogurt dressing salad.
Dinner: erm. 2 jack and cokes with a date. And a spoonful of talenti gelato when I got home.
Water: 80oz

I'm purposely trying to get more walking in since I've been nothing but lazy. So I made a trip to the bank instead of reading on my work break. I've been standing on the subway instead of just sitting. But ultimately... still didn't get to the gym. Today I've got a grand notion to go after I do laundry and household stuff that didn't happen this weekend.

Grand notion? Really, Nanette? How about a date. A committed time and place. I will go to the gym tonight at 9pm. That should give me plenty of time to do everything else and allow me to avoid heat and sunshine.

My friend, Laura, has invited me to join her for lunch today after a doc appointment. I'm sticking to the vegetarian challenge this week! That should pretty much safeguard me from all things pizza-y and burger-y and maybe steer me towards things more salad-y and fiber-y.

Tentatively the menu today looks like this.

Breakfast: sleep.
Lunch: with laura... something green.
Dinner: One of those spinach salads. or a tuna sandwich (Bc I allow fish, even though it's meat).
That Stupid Snack I always have before bed: a slice or two of cheese.

P.s. The date last night was great. Trumpet player. Teaches lessons, works at a music store. Lives with his mom... but in this case, he's the one supporting her. not her supporting him. Which changes my feelings from "ugh, get a life" to "daawwwwww. wait... apron strings?"

P.P.S. One of the doc's patients yesterday was a music major... that has happened to turn into a personal trainer. Basically... that's what I've been thinking about doing with my life over the last few months. So I'm going to have tea with her sometime this week to talk about how she did it.

Big Fat FOOOD Love,
Nanette

So This Weight loss Thing and SSSD Update.

Weigh in: 296 (-1)

Measurements
Waist:
Below Waist:
Hips:

Water: 4/7 over 100 oz.

Workouts:
Monday: Hour at the gym.
Tuesday: walk to work.
Wednesday: Dancing at the rooftop party.
Thursday: walking to work.
Friday: aherm. a very fun physical date.
Saturday: fun physical date continues.
Sunday: Walking date around union square and the neighborhood.

So guys... let me break this down for you. I have been SUCKING at this weight loss thing lately. That pound could just as easily be water weight as it could be fat. I have been eating like shit (yesterday's 4 slices of pizza? and a handful of oreos?). I haven't been working out. I even have a gym membership, compliments of dear Wendy (which makes me an ingrate, right?). I feel stuck, but like I don't have enough horsepower to get myself out of this rut. I'm full of excuses... It's hot, I'm tired, I'm on my period, oh I'm just dehydrated...   LIES.

FACT: I am fat and lazy.
FACT: I am entirely in charge of that situation.
FACT: I will stay fat and lazy until I exercise the willpower to be otherwise.
FACT: Willpower and motivation require time and focus.
FACT: GET ON THIS ALREADY, NANETTE!!!

I'm sick of this weekly motivational speech/guilt trip for not doing what I know is best for me. But I know I have to give it. I can't just give up. I can't just let all the work I've done go on pause. I don't want to regain. So I guess this means I need to blog EVERY. DAY. SOMETIMES. TWICE. Sorry guys if it's lame. But I need to get my brain focusing on the fat loss and not what to put in my face next.

Big Fat GET ON THE FREAKING BALL Love,
Nanette

Will do, DID do

Just got home from a gym date. It was supposed to last an hour but it only took 45 min to do my weights and cardio! I'm so determined to lose the 2lbs this week. This morning I weighed in and I was down a pound already. Granted... I'll believe the weigh in on Sunday and not get ahead of myself. 

Routine

3x10 reps

bicep curls

tricep extensions

lat pulls

rows

laying squats

hamstring curls

quad extensions

adductor/abductor

And 20 min on the elliptical. 

I didn't eat breakfast before working out. I should have. But a routine is established slowly. So I'll try that again tomorrow. Also, neglected to get some of the produce on my shopping list as the grocery store (stop and shop) is ridiculously expensive for non-organic produce. There's a cute little Mexican grocery down the street where I can get raspberries for $0.49 a thingy that costs $2.00 at the Stop and Shop. Same brand and everything. 

I'm getting excited about the produce that's starting to come into season. SO EXCITING! Peaches... I can't wait for ripe, delicious peaches! 

Big Fat Love, 

Nanette

SSSD Update and This week's goal

Weight: 297 (-1) Which I didn't deserve.

Measurements: 

Waist - 45.25 (-.25")

Under waist - 54 (-1.5")

Hips - 61 (+.5")

Exercise: NONE. Aside from walking around.

Water: 5/7 over 100 oz. 

Food: Ate out so much. Also, had a little night out with friends, so adult beverages in addition. Saketinis. 

I didn't post a recipe this week. I just don't do that. My food usually doesn't require recipes. It's just like... this is a tomato. eat the tomato. Aren't tomatoes delicious?! Recipe! 

So these last two weeks, I've sorta taken a dating hiatus. When I date, I lose focus on all other things that are important in life. Which is stupid. Because along with that my sense of self sorta gets fuzzy too. What's so amazing is that last week, when I told myself no dating... No dating until you have a job. I got a job. So this week. I'm telling myself no dating until you lose 2 lbs. Don't get me wrong. I have gone on dates. But I'm not actively seeking them or trying to meet new people. I need simplicity and order and peace in my life in order to focus on changes. Look at all this learning! 

Plus, dating comes with spending money, eating out and generally other fat-activities. fativities? Though I did have a really good and enlightening date this last friday. The guy is a chef and we made stuff together (aka he made, I watched)... 

1st coursegazpacho with crouton, basil leaves and 3 basil gelatin noodles. 

2nd course

salmon three ways (sake, lemon, mint soaked sashimi, oven seared and salted and fried salmon skins) with roasted peppers and a pine nut/sunflower seed, lemon, mint and olive oil dressing.  

3rd course

thinly sliced apple with real maple and cinnamon glaze. 

I guess that's the closest you're gonna get to a recipe from me. heh! It felt like I was on the food network. It was all so fancy and not simple. not simple whatsoever. 

This week I also started the new job. Chiropractor/nutritionist's office admin person. It's been really great. I have an excellent coworker. I'm surrounded by positive, health-minded people and I can get supplements at wholesale cost which is great! I plan on trying Uber Greens (a drink mix) and a Whey Protein Powder at some point and I'll let you know how it goes. 

In the office they talk a lot about energies and amplifying the energies and stuff like that... which I don't buy 100% into. And it sometimes seems a little woo-woo, fictional science... that kind of thing. However, I was looking at his diet plans (he's got a big book of them, one for everything, stress, diabetes, weight loss, better sleep, arthritis, ulcerative colitis) and they make so much sense. He's of the abandon sugar, keep a steady blood sugar, don't be afraid of fats, school of thought. Which I am too... and that meat isn't the enemy, but vegan and vegetarianism are great too if you choose that route. 

I'm hugely skeptical of the homeopathy stuff sometimes. But I know that with proper nutrition you can prevent diseases and being heavily medicated...What the doc does, is essentially he builds each client a personalized multi-vitamin... sometimes to treat ailments, sometimes to prevent ailments. He will always yield to the medications that they're already on, and cooperate with other doc orders that clients have received. No harm, no foul. While I may not buy entirely into taking 15 supplements a day, I do think that good nutrition is essential to good health and I can stand behind that. There's a lot to learn in his office. I'm excited to take it all in and help my own little weight loss journey. 

Anyway... 

Goals

- drink 100oz every day. 

- work out 3x this week. 

- stick to the menu. 

- lose 2lbs! 

- Take progress photos... progress? I'm not sure they'll be much different than the last ones, but I'll take 'em anyway. 

Big Fat Workin' Girl Love, 

Nanette