Something's Got To Give

My #^%!*@  scale feels like it has not budged in months.  Granted, in late summer and fall I was in a holding pattern of pigging out then half heartedly working out to a point where I gained nearly 20 pounds back.  Then lost it.  So as of January 1, 2012, I was basically right back to where I was in flipping August.  That's disheartening, but I own it and accept it and started a new "push" on January 1st.

I have been at THIS weight, though, for weeks and I am seriously working it!

I workout almost every day.  I have added personal training 3 times per week.  I have stepped up the cardio (treadmill, elliptical, exercise bike).  I will often walk 30 to 60 minutes even on days I'm at the gym with the trainer.

I am CAREFUL about my food.  I am not eating junk.  Okay, there was an unfortunate truffle incident, and some birthday cake, and....hmmmmm....maybe I'm in denial.  Maybe I'm overeating all the time and not realizing it....?

No, that's really not it.  I don't know what the heck it is, but here are some adjustments I am going to make going forward to help ensure my success.  Some of these things I used to do faithfully and have slipped, some are new:

1. Drink my water.  I will have at least 80 ounces of water per day (fill up my 20 oz bottle 4 times.)
2. My first meal (after working out in the morning) will be whey protein to help my muscles recover and kick off my metabolism.  When time permits, I will add berries into the shake as well.
3. I will eat WAY more vegetables.  I may not be eating that much, but I have also cut way down on the vegetables.  I used to have 6 to 8 servings per day.  Now I'm around 3 to 4 most days.  I think my body needs them to speed things up and process everything else better. So more veggies.
4. I had cut out just about all carbs.  For a couple of weeks I have had no bread (not even whole grain), no crackers, no potatoes, etc.  This is not helping my muscles any and it's not having the "more weight loss" effect I was hoping for.  So, I am going to incorporate complex carbs into every dinner and occassionally in my mid morning snack (granola, oatmeal, whole grain rounds with peanut butter, etc.)
5. Log my food.  I have barely recorded my food lately and had stopped measuring in favor of "eyeballing" it.  Well my eyeballs are liars.  I tried eyeballing a cup of whole grain spaghetti a couple of nights ago and then used the measuring cup.  Whoopsies.....reality bites. lol

I can get so overwhelmed trying to do everything at once that things start slipping through the cracks.  I'd love a personal assistant to follow me through the day and remind me of the friggen details I need to remember.  But since I don't have that, I'm going to have to just keep remembering, writing, revisiting and keeping myself accountable.

I am on a mission here and this is no time to be sloppy!

The picture to the right is from an artist named Leonid Afremov.  It is called "December Winter Sunset" and I find it represents my mood.  Fairly calm but with a lot of bright passions and fiery determination!

He is my new favorite artist.  I just can't get enough of him, particularly his cities, at night, in the rain.  The colors are amazing.  He paints with oil using nothing but a knife.  Pretty cool eh?  Here is a link to Leonid Afremov's DeviantArt Gallery