Self Challenge Week 1

Weight: 310 (-1.4)
Waist: 46.5" (-0.5) The un-bloat!
Hips: 63.5 (0.5)
Hydration: 150 oz. 2/7...   over 100oz 7/7. Still working on the water consumption.
Workouts: Three 30 min sessions of yoga.

This week's goal: NO SWEETS & STRENGTH BUILDING

The holidays were a huge candyfest. Which has led to a huge cravingfest. The plan... Went shopping last night. The house is clear of sweets. Sweets aren't a big huge battle for me, but I'm expecting that this will help sweep the sugar from the edges of my eating.

I'm going to try again on the hydration thing. Since doing it, my weight has been consistent... it's fluctuating less dramatically. It feels like I can trust the progress on the scale when it's fluctuating less.

Non-Scale Victory has been getting back to yoga. Been feeling it in my shoulders and arms the most. Flexibility is improving slightly. I feel like a sissy from where I was with fitness to where I am today. And those self-defeating thoughts are not how I'm going to get it back. I've unpacked my elastic tubing and I'll be working the arm/shoulder area this week (at least 3 times).

Bicep 3x 15 reps.
Tricep 3x 15 reps
Chest Press 3x 15 reps, 30 sec hold
Lat Lifts 3x 15 reps, 30 sec hold.
Plank 60 seconds

It should make Downward Facing Dog a little easier and more fluid.

Hoping to get my smartphone this week! Soon I'll be able to carry the myfitnesspal app with me and track food more easily for the upcoming weeks.

Big Fat Love,
Nanette

SSSD Update!

Weight: 298lbs (+4) gaining back the weight from sickness. 

Measurements

Waist: 46.25" (+.75")

Under waist: 57"(+.5")

Out at the park this week. 

Hips: 61" (+1") 

6 hours of exercise!
Tuesday: 1 hour - walking. 

Wednesday: 1 hour - walking

Thursday: 2 hours - walking + trainer. 

Friday: 30 min - walking (LAZY)! 

Saturday: 30 min - walking (girls night... too much food). 

Sunday: 1 hour - 30 min elliptical + 30 min weights Upper body. 

SIX HOURS!  I made it! Granted, I kinda nickle and dimed the walking time because I didn't get the gym pass until Thursday. 

I'm not shocked by the numbers this week, since last week was the midst of the illness stuff. But the good news is, is that I didn't gain it all back. So I still consider it a solid -2lbs. Also, last night was salt salt salt and mojitos. 

Today at the gym was absolutely fantastic. I can do this every day and not worry about it. 

20 min on the elliptical. 

chest fly. 10 reps x 3
Rows. 10 reps x 3
Lat raises. 10 reps x 3
Tricep 3 ways.  10 reps x 3
Crunches. 10 reps x 3

Squat machines. 10 reps x 3

I also found the tiny stretching area. So I have a place I can do my bodyrock/Zuzana Lights stuff too and have a place for it where I won't have to worry about waking the neighbors. I'm really quite pumped. Today I felt like I owned that gym. I got what I needed done! 

This week...  

Try a new work out or machine. 

Easy-peasy! There's a whole gym that I need to explore. I want to venture into the "core machines" which I've never used before. 

Big Fat Feelin' Better Love, 

Nanette

Giant Weirdo. Truth.

WOOO!!! It's the weekend! I love my jobs... in that they pay me and that they only happen for four days a week. That leaves three for play and cleaning my house!

This week my weigh-ins have been ALL over... and I've said that before. But here's an idea.
Sunday: 309
Monday: 307
Tuesday: 316
Wednesday: 310
Thursday: 305
Friday: 309

So I'm just going to keep plugging along and hope that I can get one of the good low numbers on Sunday. I don't deserve a huge loss this week (not like... morally). I just haven't worked out a lot. Just my usual.

Monday: Short HIIT
Tuesday: Swim class + Trainer HIIT.
Wednesday: Trainer HIIT
Thursday: NO SWIM CLASS (piano test) + Trainer HIIT.

So today... since Friday is my only piano free day. I am going to shop with Trainer at the butchers for some non-processed, non-chemicaled meat. And then I'm going on an interval run.

I'm still very intimidated by people watching me and thinking "fat girl, you call that running?" So it'll still be in the cemetery. I fight those situations a lot... the ones where my brain tells me other people are judging me and that I need to feel insecure. My 0yr-24yr old self says "wait until tonight and just run in the dark... Then you can run wherever you want.

"INCORRECT!" says 25 year old, finally caring about health, Nanette.

I can run wherever I want no matter the time of day. I can run in a sports bra and undies if I want. I can run in a burka. I can run barefoot, in sandals, in trainers or heels. I can run in a dress. I can run fast (for a short while anyway). I can run slow. I can breathe hard. I can be my own trainer. I can sing along to my ipod. I can do whatever I want and whenever I want... and if someone out there thinks I'm a giant weirdo...

Well... I'm a giant weirdo working on being less giant. I'm a giant weirdo that has goals and reaches for them. I am a giant weirdo that actively takes part in her own weirdo life and destiny. I am a giant weirdo who counts calories, writes a fat blog, jiggles lots when she runs and makes friends with other giant weirdos.

Truth. 

Screw the cemetery. I'm going to run on the busiest street near my house. Get over your insecurities, Nanette. Get over yourself and this stupid sense of needing to look or be regarded a certain way. Just be. (jiggly, heh). Like they say in every acting class... "Move with purpose." 

Big Fat Giant Weirdo Love, 

Nanette

Passing a milestone! And a Novel.

Not a kidney stone. Not a blarney stone. Not a Rolling Stone. A MILESTONE!!!

I know it's not an official weigh in day... but I made it down to 318 today. That means MINUS FIFTY POUNDS!!!!   That means this weekend I get to schedule a massage. need. want. will get.

This morning I went to aquacise (not having been in a class since mid-december) and I kicked butt. My teacher/trainer invited me to the class so I can help up the ante. Lots of the people have been sorta slacking off. Unlike an aerobics class, any water based activity is as intensive as you make it. You could go an entire aquacise class and not even sweat or get your heart rate up. On the other hand, because it's in the water, you can use muscles that you didn't know you had and make it incredibly challenging for  yourself. But that motivation for a hard workout has to come from the participant.


I showed up early. That's my M.O. I weighed in and was super happy about the number on the scale. So I floated out to the pool - feet barely touching the ground. Sarah warned me that the class was quiet and not very friendly. So I talked to Sarah until people started arriving.

I noticed a lot larger percentage of obese women in this class than I'd previously experienced. This was the first time I wasn't the largest person there. I'm still happy to see these women doing something about their weight. Like always, the men were largely outnumbered (ha! pun).

This is not synchronized swimming, folks.

There was a woman from Cuba who was chatty and fun. She was down-right hilarious... But no one would laugh. I did. That's what I do. She was there with her VERY touchy husband. I thought it was sweet for the first 5 minutes... but he wouldn't stop touching her even after class started. He had very thin arms and legs and his skin drooped like he'd recently lost a lot of weight. He also had a pretty fresh scar near his belly button. Do you have scarring from a lap band? stomach staple? Maybe he's had health problems. He walked kinda like a fat person... or like a once fat person.

There was the sourpuss... her name is Lisa, but I'll still probably call her sourpuss. She's a CNA going for her RN. She was recently admitted to the program - which is highly competitive. I congratulated her and she downright SNUBBED me. She was the thinner of the mid 30's club. I asked her how she'd been enjoying the class "meh. It's not my favorite." I didn't ask why. I didn't want to talk to her anymore. Sourpuss.

There was another lady, she was in white. I didn't catch her name. But she's a pretty large gal. We're talking over 350lbs. Has had two knee surgeries. She was another funny lady. I liked her a lot. I look forward to getting to know her better. She's the kind of lady that would tell someone to knock it off and suck it up!

There were a few other women that I didn't get to know really... But there's time still. Class started. Water jogging across the pool to warm up. Stretching. Speed up the jogging. Jog from the shallow end to the deep end (great shoulder workout and HARD). Now... I know that I've been working out and that I've lost weight. But I've only been out of the class for maybe 2 months. NEVER. NOT ONCE have I been the fastest person in class. And this isn't my personal progress this time around. This class is LAZY. They sorta float along. So I tried even harder to go faster and see if we could raise the average effort level and be sort of an example... "I'm a fatty and I can do this!" You know... that kind of thing.

I freaking love the water buoys/weights.

The lady in the white accepted the challenge. She started racing me across the pool. She was working hard. Well, that's 2 out of 11. It felt good to know that I could help someone get going with the spirit of competition.

After the class, I cleaned up and then went for the personal training session afterward. I asked Sarah what she thought... She said that she could see lady in white trying to keep up. She invited me to continue coming for the rest of the semester as my schedule allows.

My personal goal: Get sourpuss to try. She was the laziest person in the class - behind everyone, rolling her eyes at every direction given, heavy sighing.

Big Fat bringing sweaty/sexy back Love,

Nanette

E2E #4

SAY WHAT?!?! 


Weigh in : 331 (+4) 
Waist: 49.5" (-0) 


Workout: 3/7 Began working with the personal trainer. My body has not hurt this much in years. But I'm already feeling so much stronger. 


Food: GREAT! I did so well with calories this week. 7/7 under 1900. However, I've been having some issues with bloating and gas (gross, I know). So I'm thinking I may be having a sensitivity to dairy as of late. 


Water: 5/7 over 100 oz. The days I was under, I WAS WAY UNDER. 


Book: I skipped a lot of the exercises that the book told me to do... Since a lot of it was "eat two bites of something indulgent then throw it away." "half your portions and put the other half in the fridge." These are things I already sorta do...  If I halved my portions, I wouldn't make it over 1500 calories a day. Since I haven't been feeling good, I certainly didn't want to eat something "indulgent." 


Partner: Melissa is doing great. Her motivation for exercise is amazing... all the hiking and biking she gets done is really an inspiration. 


Support: I think I got to visit EVERYONE'S blogs this week and commented on all or nearly all of them. 


Quote: This is not a commitment to a challenge or a diet plan. This is a commitment to your body and a commitment to lifestyle change. This a commitment to a healthier tomorrow.


So... gain, AGAIN. I've done really well with eating and logging food. I more hydrated than dehydrated... Is it muscle mass? At this point, I'm so sick and tired of watching this damned number float up and down that I want to shout and never weigh in again. My workouts are making me feel so good and so strong and I'm feeling progress. But I don't have any numbers to prove it. 


Also disconcerting, I've been having stomach aches all week due to something I've been eating. I'm trying a week lactose free to see if I can start feeling like a normal person again. I'm guessing it's that, or wheat. As this week the only new food that I've been eating a lot of are those pitas: wheat pita, feta, veggies. It could also be period related? I don't know. I'm now one month off the pill and one week late. No sex. Pregnancy isn't a viable option. However, because of this... whatever it is... I feel like Violet Beauregarde AFTER she eats the four course bubble gum. 


This week...  
Menu: Make it. Shop. Follow it. Lactose Free. Stay under 1900 calories. 
Workout: 3x/with trainer. 2x/5k training. 

E2E #2

WOOOOOO!!!!   Week two!

Weigh in: 325 (-0).

Waist measurement: 50"

Food: Under 2200 Every Day!

Water: 100 oz EVERY DAY!

Exercise: Cardio- 4 hours. Weight lifting: 2 hours.

Book: 100 days of weight loss EVERY DAY!

Partner: Melissa - she's doing well and so excellent at reminding me to get my posts up. I heard from her earlier yesterday. So I know she's alive. We also had a lovely 30 min gmail chat this week. She's super cool. She makes everything from scratch and wants to live in a more rural area than the highly populated east. So basically we want to trade places! :)

Support: Definitely commented on more than 3 blogs this week. Though with work and whatnot, it has slowed me down a little.

Quote: This is not a commitment to a challenge or a diet plan. This is a commitment to your body and a commitment to lifestyle change. This a commitment to a healthier tomorrow.

So here's what I've been learning....  
A- I'm addicted/obsessive about weighing. When I see my weight fluctuate... which is normal, I freak out.  I don't have a scale at home for a reason. I weigh in at the gym... which also makes me go to the gym if I'm being a curious bear.

B- WHEN I CONSUME TOO FEW CALORIES, I GAIN WEIGHT. Multiple times this week I was below even 1500 calories. And then when I weighed in... 333lbs! WHAT?! However, I've gotten back on track. I'm trying to float around 1900 and vary it so as to keep another plateau from happening.

C - I'm a fiercely independent gym goer. I had a lot of scheduling issues with my dear friend and gym buddy, Trent... and I went without him multiple times... and WORKED MY ASS OFF. Mainly because I was angry he bailed but secondly because I was the only one holding me responsible and I know when I'm crapping out early.

D - If you comment too quickly on multiple blogs, it shuts you out of your blogger account. So for future reference...   anyone can reach me at nanettenielson@gmail.com

E - I can lose weight even when I eat out. Keep making smart decisions. Broccoli instead of fries. Salad instead of pasta. Salad instead of mashed potatoes. MORE GREEN.

DOWN WITH WEIGHT! UP WITH (smaller sized) PANTS!

Big Fat Learning Love,
Nanette

P.s. Finished a book this week "The Art of Racing in the Rain." Beautiful. I recommend it. I won't think of dogs the same ever again.

E2E #1 Initial Post!

Measurements

Waist: 51::: goal by end of challenge 49

Hips: 65 ::: goal by end of challenge 60

Weigh in: 325 (-1) :::: goal by end of challenge: 299

Plan

Food: Oscillate calories between 1900 and 2200 to keep body out of "starvation mode."

Work Out: 4x 60 min cardio, 3x 30 min weight lifting per week. total of 7 work outs a week. 

Books: 100 Days of Weight Loss, Life is Hard, Food Is Easy and Smarter Science of Slim (on order). 

Cookbooks: Healthy 1-2-3 The Ultimate Three Ingredient Cookbook (on order), Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. (goal: cook 5 new recipes)

Weight loss Journal: check. 

Items of clothing:

Size 2x

size 3x

size: 22/24

Partner: I don't know who yet. 

Support: You'll be hearing from me.
Quitting: Not happening. 

Quote: This is not a commitment to a challenge or a diet plan. This is a commitment to your body and a commitment to lifestyle change. This a commitment to a healthier tomorrow.

Big Fat E2E Love, 

Nanette

WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Guess who weighed in today before swimming AND FINALLY SAW A LOWER NUMBER!!!!   That's right... This lady.

Weigh in: 326!!!! That's a whopping -6 lbs.
Veggies: every day.
Water: over 100 oz 4/7
Diet changes: Less carbs. Less saturated fat. More omega three fats.
Work out changes: elliptical every day. Weight lifting every day. Whining about how sore I am every day.

Okay... So I didn't believe the scale. So I moved it. It's not mine. It's the big medical kind at the gym. I got the same response. I walked away and put my towel on a hook by the pool... then went back and weighed again. STILL THE SAME. FINALLY...

I suspect three main factors: upping my exercise. Getting a bit more restricted with my carbs/grains. For the first time in 2 months I'm on the blank birth control week. Timing indicates that skipping my period by continuing on to the next month of pills began some of that plateau. I can't blame it entirely. I fell off some good eating habits. But I think that the pill was definitely a contributing factor.

Honestly... at this point... WHO CARES WHAT CAUSED IT! I'm feeling good. Going to try and keep up with the physical activity and food carefulness. Going to try and drain my water bottle 3x a day particularly over these next few days.

Met up with an ex today. He was an ex because he needed to go on his LDS mission. Well, he's back. We're considering getting back together despite some distance between us (about an hour and a half but both of us are car-less).

We took a cab to go christmas shopping. The cab driver asked us if we were married. I laughed and said "No."
"Dating?"
"No. But we have before."
"Well you'd make a good couple. You look good together and you seem to get along really easily."
From the cabbie... Boy and I looked at each other and kinda laughed about it. I wasn't uncomfortable as much as amused. Apparently our considerations were that obvious, even though we hadn't talked about it.

After we talked about it. Me moving. Him looking for an LDS wife. I told him that we can be "dating" but not in a relationship. I don't want him to give up chasing other girls to be with me, especially when I know he's hunting a bit more seriously. And I'm getting out of dodge and I don't want it to be all emotionally grating.

Big Fat FINALLY LOSING WEIGHT Love,
Nanette

PS. Finals Grades

Dance: C (absences).
Aquacise: A
Form: B
Writing: B
Diction: A
Pedagogy: A

CDCC #10

Weigh in: 329 (-0)
Water: over 100 oz 4/7
Food: veggies every day! under caloric limit (shifts when I work out) 4/7
Workout: 6/7 missed a swim class.
10 week total: - 14lbs (one lb till pedicure!)

Maintaining again. Which is frustrating. I've lost three weeks of possible negative numbers fighting (or rather giving in to) my hibernation urges.

Normally I weigh in twice a week before swim class. It's consistent. Swimsuit, same scale, same time of day. Tuesday, I was actually up to 334... then yesterday when I went for the swim I owed myself, I was back to 329. Ultimately, it's maintenance. But I'm feeling really good about being able to bring that number BACK after crazy eating last weekend.

Here's a shout out to Jillian! Sorry I couldn't see a negative number with you this week. But I'll race you on this next one. :)


Before and After pics!  I'm really appreciating the narrower waist.

I put on a dressy tank top that was just too snug the last time I tried it on. It's better now... but not entirely. Here's going for christmas!

Sept 14

Nov 11

I'm trying to come up with a game plan for Thanksgiving. We're not crazy foodies at my house so there will probably be a lot of boxed/pre-made food going around the table. I need to come up with a healthy contribution. It's exciting to go home though. Mom has a drier and apple core/slicer thingy. Gonna make me some dehydrated apples, bananas and blueberries. My produce costs are going up and it sucks to have fruits go to waste... hopefully this will make it easier to make better decisions.


Big fat maintaining love,
Nanette

CDCC #8

Weight: 329 (-3)
Water: 4/7 100oz
Food: under 1900 6/7
Exercise: 3/7

I'm really surprised to see that much lower of a number when I haven't been able to exercise as much. But I've been very particular about food this week. It's a lovely surprise.

CDCC #7

BAD week.

Weigh in: 332 (+1)
Work outs: 2/7
Food: under 1900 calories 3/7
Book: no further.

Doctors visits: 3. I've got an awesome tonsil infection. We're throwing around the word surgery. But nothing is official yet. I'm kinda terrified because I don't know what it'll do to my voice - since that's the chosen area of study and what not. On the plus side, I had them pull blood for the standard health examination. Diabetes, thyroid, cholesterol, lipids, etc. It's the first time I've dared see the results.

In the meanwhile, I'm mainly on liquids - yes, I managed to go over calorie limit while just on liquids yesterday. Gotta calm down on the juices. More water and tea.

Things are calming down a little. Swallowing and breathing are getting easier. Post nasal drip has calmed down. I'm going swimming tomorrow. I've given myself 3 days of down time. I'm going CRAZY staying in all this time.

Big Fat Sicky Love,
Nanette

CDCC #6

weigh in!!!!  

bigger blog this weekend

Weigh in: 331 (-2)
water: 100 oz 3/7 days.
food: under 1900 5/7
book: Skinny Bitch... no further...   it's been midterms.

Big fat love,
Nanette

CDCC #5

Weight: 333lbs (-3) total: 35
Water: 5/7 days above 100oz.
Food: 6/7 under 1900 calories.
Book: FINALLY arrived. Skinny Bitch. It seems a bit extreme in a lot of view points but it's really made me aware of how many chemicals we ingest. I'm about 1/4 the way done with it.

Big Hitters 

- Just like a human, what's consumed by a chicken about to hatch an egg, is passed on through the mother to the baby/egg. We ingest whatever medications and hormones that they've received. In order to avoid it, try buying local at a farmer's market where at private farms they're less likely to use hormones and antibiotics.

- The antibiotics we consume in food affect our reaction to antibiotics when given as a prescription, contributing to your drug resistance.

- Aspartame, as it's broken down, turns into formaldehyde in the body. There are Aspartame Support groups and class action lawsuits happening right now because of the severe negative health effects. (again, sorta extreme, but the formaldehyde thing freaked me out).

- Ph levels in the body fluctuate. The goal is to have a more basal than acidic body. Dairy products and sugars raise the PH level. Cancers thrive in highly acidic environments.

More before and after photos....

September 14

October 8

CDCC 4

Weigh in: 336 (-1).
Water: over 100 oz a day.
Food: ugh. bad. bad. bad. need more produce.
Exercise: 5 hours cardio 1 hr strength training and a bajillion hours walking to and from campus, work and home.
Book: STILL hasn't arrived. But my new cook book did! The Skinny Bitch Ultimate Every Day Cookbook.

I'm very impressed as I have eaten a bunch of garbage this week. I'm still battling period symptoms like I've never experienced. I'm retaining water like a camel. I finished my workout this morning and my fingers had swollen so much I couldn't get my rings off.

So in order to get a game plan together for a more successful week, I'm making a menu this week. Then going shopping tomorrow for JUST THE THINGS I NEED. There's an excess of random ingredients floating around my kitchen just going to waste right now.

Goals:
- Cook at least once a day (and DO THE FREAKING DISHES).
- Do a vegan day.
- Go to bed by 12:00am every night.
- Stay on top of my piles and piles of homework.
- Get 7 hrs of gym time in.

Big Fat Love, Nanette

CDCC 3

Weigh in: 337lbs ( - 4lbs)
Water: below 100 oz per day.
Diet: mostly vegetarian - was wary about sodium.
Exercise: 7.5 hours
Book: Still in the mail... might be applying for a refund from Amazon.

It's been a good and exhausting week. I hope I can keep this kind of loss up. I'm meeting someone new (potentially romantic) over Thanksgiving and I would like to introduce less of myself.

 

Big Fat Love, Nanette

The Tuesday Weigh In

AAAANNNNND.....   BAM!

Down to 337. (-3) from last Tuesday and (-5) from last Thursday.

I made a call to Dad today to let him know. He didn't know that I've been trying to lose weight. But he's very happy. 

Big Fat Love,
Nanette

CDCC #2

I owe you a weigh in!

Goals: 100 oz water a day - check.
2-3 servings of veggies a day - check.
6 hours of work out - check (made it to seven)!

Weight: 342.

Big Fat Love,
Nanette