Ok, I have been MIA, but I am still working on getting the extra pounds off. I wanted to give an update on what I am doing since I know others have had problems with Jenny Craig and heavy exercise (link to my exercise blog if you are interested).
The response I got from Jenny Craig corporate regarding my heavy exercise and calorie recommendations of their computer not changing was that they recommended 1500 calories on non-workout days and 1700 on workout days. I typically burn 1500-3000 calories in a single workout. I would be killing and eating small children on 1500 calories a day. So that was not helpful.
Here is the current program I am doing:
I am logging all my food (good or bad) and exercise at the Daily Plate ('cuz Tatum'sMom does it and she rocks so if it is good enough for her it is good enough for me)
I am still doing Jenny, but I am using the calorie recommendations at The Daily plate (minus about 400-500 I think it is a little high). So basically I am using JC food to help me with the convenience side and the portion control. I am aiming for 1 pound or less weight loss per week, so I don't lose muscle in this process.
Results:
So far in 6 weeks I have lost 8.8 pounds. Which sounds better than it is because I lost 6.2 the first week (all water no doubt). So it has been up and down (I have only logged the 'down' out of laziness and ego) but overall I am happy that I am not just going up and up and up like before.
I can tell a difference while climbing hills when I am running and cycling. It is amazing how bringing 8 less pounds up the hill makes it easier! Also I don't feel sluggish on my long workouts like I was on 1200-1400 calories per day.
I made it through Week 2 and Halloween relatively unscathed.
Halloween
Last year I did not fare so well at halloween (you can read about it here). This year I told the kids at school, "Sorry, I am on a diet so you don't get any candy!" I give my students candy every year and if I am really honest with myself I do it so I can buy candy knowing full well that I will eat WAY too much of it.
I did go out to sushi with my Run Buddy (I think she may need a new name. She doesn't run with me anymore but still my best friend) twice and to Applebee's once.
Getting honest about the eating
Ok, must get honest about the Applebee's. I had told myself that if I stayed on plan all week I could go to Applebee's on Friday with Run Buddy. (I know, I know, I am not supposed to use food as a reward. Whatever.) I did not stay on plan since I went to sushi twice, had a snickerdoodle at Starbuck's twice, and I did not log my food, which I know helps keep me on track. But I went to Applebee's anyway. Not cool.
So as a result at JC I was up 0.2. I deserved it and, really, a 6.4 pound loss on Week 1 was a little unrealistic. I own the fact that I did not do what I needed to do to lose weight this week and I didn't.
Issues with Jenny Craig
However, I do have a problem. I feel weak and sluggish during my training. I
am not eating enough to work out comfortably and then I am adding empty
calories at off times because I am so hungry. This defeats two purposes:
1. I am not going to lose weight eating this way (i.e. eating
snickerdoodles the size of your head) and 2. I am not going to get the
training gains I need to get ready for Ironman.
I talked to the JC consultant about it and she is going to call the nutrition department about what I should do. When she puts in my height, weight, current and desired weight, and my exercise level (which is a 4 in their scale) it STILL says I need 1200 calories a day. So the whole it calculates your calories for your needs is BULLSHIT! That is the same calories JC has put me on every time for the last 13 years (I know sad, but I have been fighting this all my life) when I did NO exercise.
She is not allowed to give recommendations about supplemental diet ideas. Huh? Now, I know they are not registered nutritionists, but JC is NOT cheap. They better come up with something from the nutrition department. I do JC because it is easy and I need someone togive me only the portion and say "this is what you eat." I know how much I am supposed to eat, but I can not make portions to save my life.
I cheat.
A lot.
Exercise
I had an interesting run on Saturday. You can read about it here. With pictures!
Goals for the week
1. Log all food
2. Complete full training plan for the week
3. Get more sleep and drink more water
4. Finish poster project, Summary oral presentation (40 min), and first draft of Annual Review - Comp. Analysis Monotreme and Marsupial Reproduction (25 pages) by Tuesday Nov 11 pm. Sorry, my goal list has to include some of this stuff that is weighing (Ha! sorry about the pun) on me.
Maybe more like running back. The rapid expansion of my ass, despite large amounts of exercise, has shown me, once again, that I have NO control over food and the amount I consume. The eating has been ridiculous for quite some time and it had to stop. It is interferring with my goals and my self esteem.
So friends, I made the decision on 10/15 to go back to Jenny Craig. So far so good. I had my first weigh in on Saturday and I lost 6.4 pounds. Umm, yeah the eating was that out of control. Can you say MASSIVE water retention?! I will have to figure this out since I know that 1500 calories/day is unrealistic for the amount I exercise, but I just needed the daily (often multiple) trips to fast food restaurants, the hiding in my car eating pieces of cake the size of my head, and the restaurant binge eating until I am physically ill, to stop. I seem to do better when I am told what to eat and most of the choices and portions are given to me.
A little background for those who don't know me. I was here as while a go. I hit goal on Jenny Craig, and almost immediately started gaining weight back when I went off. I have struggled with food my whole life.
I am a runner and a triathlete and I very much enjoy my new active lifestyle, but I can't seem to get the food piece.
I have a blog about my exercise stuff, but I needed to return to what worked for the weightloss. This is an amazing tool with an amazing group of women!
Ok, I am more than a little pissed. Here are my totals for last week:
Total flex points left at the end of the week: 34.5
Total activity points earned for the week: 61
Total activity points consumed as extra food: 10
Total weight GAINED at the end of the week: 2!
For those of you who don't do Weight Watchers all of those point totals add up to total BULLSHIT!
So after weigh in on Saturday I responded like any other completely rational person would ... I ate 3 donuts. In rapid succession. That means by 7:30 am I was already over my daily total alotted points for Saturday by 2. The rest of the day didn't go much better. I ended up with 44 total points (earned 10 for my 21 mile bike ride, but still!)
*sigh*
Here is a link to the 20 mile run report that I did on Sunday. It has pictures, including a rare RBR picture WITHOUT her hat!
I am two days into the new week and I already have 37 activity points. Of course, I ate 10 of those as food and 13 flex points already as well.
Whatever.
My life is INSANE. It is my time of year to be CRAZY busy. After May 14th things get MUCH better. I need to get caught up with you all soon. I am so sorry I am such a blog flake!
The "Let's Get Some Weight Off Stacey's Arse before the San Diego Marathon" Project
Weight Watchers Week 1 went pretty well. I was on point everyday except Friday. Hubby and I went to Thai food and I ate an extra 6.5 (27.5 instead of the 21 points I am alotted) points. I did earn 38 activity points this week that I did not swap out, so all in all a pretty good week.
Weigh in: 137.5 down 4.
Running News
I am running the Skyline Ridge 1/2 Marathon Trail Run this morning. It is supposed to be beautiful. I will be sure to snap some photos!
My time spent with Shelley and Andrea was awesome and inspiring. They are so beautiful and have done such AMAZING jobs losing and MAINTAINING their weight loss (a piece of the equation I can't seem to get) that I decided I have to take some action. So I have updated my graph and tracker to reflect my current (and shockingly horrifying) weight.
I have joined Weight Watchers Online and will be trying that out to lose these 11.5 pounds. I will let you know what I think (like you had any doubt!) So far I like that I get credit for all the exercising I do. This way I can see the REAL credit and not just eat whatever the hell I want because I just ....ran a marathon, ran a half marathon, rode 40 miles, whatever.
I get 21 points a day and since I am new to this whole points thing, I am sure it will take some getting used to. I did a rough estimate of my points yesterday and it was 43. Yikes! And other than breakfast I wasn't even that bad. It shows me that I have NO idea what or how much I should be eating STILL.
Oh well, someday maybe I will actually learn to MAINTAIN a weight instead of constantly either be in the process of losing or gaining weight.
Oh, and Shelley is going to tell you she gained weight. She is full of shit (no offense, Shelley but you are). She is AMAZINGLY HOT! Now I have a crush on her and her husband.
Here are news teasers to entice you to follow the link:
4/10 pm: Truly awesome swim class story
4/10: Trail run report w/ funny anecdote and picture of Blackie the wonder dog!
4/9: Mean Girls Tri Group Swim Workout #2, with Swim Gear review (earplugs, sound boring but if you have trouble with water in your ears when swimming check it out)
Oh, and BTW, my weight on here is a COMPLETE lie. I don't havethe balls to post my real weight. As soon as I grow a set I will update it.
(I know, I am SUPER classy. My mother is really proud )
The eating is out of control. My exercise is going great, but I can't seem to get the eating under control and my weight is skyrocketing. I was wearing these jeans yesterday that seriously threatened the circulation to my lower half. It was like being wrapped in denim Saran Wrap for the entire day. I feel disgusting and I don't want to feel this way.
On one hand I am very proud of myself for the training I have been doing. It makes me feel happy and good about myself. I am more fit than I have EVER been in my entire life. Hell, I am more fit than I ever conceived possible in my entire life, but I keep "rewarding" myself with food that is REALLY bad. The sneak eating is in full addiction mode and the portions are WAY out of control. It is not just what I am eating (and believe me, that is bad enough for me to gain weight) but it is also HOW MUCH I am eating.
Bad stuff and huge amounts of it = jeans no fit anymore.
I am debating on whether just to go back to Jenny Craig or maybe try Weight Watchers. I am beginning to doubt I can ever learn how to eat like a normal person. Why do I always have to get to THIS point? Why can't I just make a few unhealthy choices, realize that is not the direction I want to go in and reign It back in?
I am getting the opportunity of a lifetime to go to Africa this summer with my family and I don't want to go feeling like this. I have to pack those lightweight, khaki, travel type pants that never fit me right anyway, and if my weight is like this (or really, if I stay this course it will be much worse) I will be uncomfortable the whole time.
I wanted to stop by and say hello. I am actually here quite a bit. I comment here and there, but I am so behind in life it is hard to get a block of time to really reconnect. You know what I mean?
I have been blogging because it really helps keep me motivated, honest (out of denial) and accountable. If you are interested here it is. (BTW, you do not have to be a blogger member (or whatever it is called to comment. Just hit anonymous and you can comment and link to your own blog as well. I think)
Just missing you ladies and I hope to get caught up soon. We have spring break coming up so hopefull then! To those of you that stop by and comment here that is totally fine as well. Especially now that it seems that the email notifications are working again. The posting issues are just driving me crazy and you know I LOVE to post pictures which is tougher here.
For those of you who don't do Weight Watchers all of those point totals add up to total BULLSHIT!
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