Do Arms Have To Go Up?

Because mine sure don't! Yesterday was our first day back in the gym and aside from the annoying part of having to find where all the equipment is, it was great to get back to sweating alongside other people lifting heavy things and putting them down.

All I can say is, thank god my keyboard is not above my shoulders, because my arms are not going that high without much protesting.

And Here I Go Again

Sheesh, you drop off the face of the blog-world for six months and Bloggers get an overhaul.

In other news, it's time for another round of "Stop eating all the cheesecake!"

I could lament about how I am here (again) and have never gotten down to my goal weight (or even within less than ten pounds) but instead I will think MOTIVATING THOUGHTS!

Starting Stats:

Weight (I haz it): 153.5
Body Fat % (bastard scale!): 28.8
Chest (I blame the sports bra): 33.5
Waist (Less if I suck it in): 33
Hips (Child-bearin'): 40.5
Right Thigh (Cause lefty and I aren't speaking): 24.5
Right Bicep ("Okay flex" "SHUT UP"): 12.5

In one month I have to try on wedding dresses. There's the motivation. That and this.

Via http://foodieatthefinishline.blogspot.ca/2010/11/pressure-pressure.html

I see you, Tommy. Time to kick ass.

Recipe: Maple Salmon & Roasted Asparagus

Easy recipes that are healthy are absolutely key to eating well. So I'll try to keep track of the ones I love here! This is so easy, very few ingredients and just pop in the oven.

Maple Salmon:

 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/maple-salmon/

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound salmon

1. Mix ingredients. Pour over salmon. Leave for 30 minutes in the fridge to marinate.

2. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Put salmon in oven for 20 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb (227 g) trimmed asparagus
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp lemon juice

1. Trim asparagus, toss with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

2. Put in the same oven as the salmon (400 degrees) for about the same time (20 mins).

3. Sprinkle with lemon juice when it comes out.

Annnnnd dinner.

Goals For This Week

1. Drink water.

2. Plan meals.

3. Stick to planned meals.

4. Shop once.

5. Weigh in only on Sunday.

Annnnnd go!

P.S. Grocery store gave me a gallon of free ice cream. Sigh.

P.P.S. I made these Chocolate Protein Brownies minus the Stevia and water. Yum.

The Number On The Scale Scares Me

So somehow I'm on week three now of Jamie Eason's program. It is still hurt-y, but I am seeing a few changes in terms of specific muscle tone in my quads and arms.

Here's the thing. There are precious few things I've experienced that are as frustrating as working hard and not seeing results. One of them is working hard, seeing results, but having those results not be in line with your goals. I didn't weigh myself for the first couple of weeks of this program, but I did feel like I was getting fitter and losing inches. Then I weighed myself.

ERROR.

No matter how often we read that weight is just a number, it is a brutal slap in the face for someone who is trying to cut weight to weigh in heavier than when they started. Logically, I know there are all kinds of reasons for this, and I know that I'm not supposed to care about the number on the scale. But I do. A lot. I have a number in my head that I want to achieve because I have been that weight in the last, uh, seven years. Wait, what? When did I get so old?

Anywho, I want to be that weight because I remember going for a bridesmaid dress fitting at that weight and being pleased with how my body looked at the fitting (and yes, I know how superficial that makes me sound).

Here's the big truth: I'm scared to go for a wedding dress fitting and hate how my body looks. That's not how I want to remember that moment. Maybe it's stupid, but it's true. I keep losing and gaining the same ten pounds over and over when my goal weight is another ten pounds under that. It's depressing to think that I won't be able to achieve my goal despite putting in a lot of time and effort.

Am I just missing something?

/sad panda rant

Jamie Eason Is Trying To Kill Me

Time for another round of FITNESS PROGRAM!

I'm in the middle of week one of Jamie Eason's LiveFit program at BodyBuilding.com. It hurts me. In a good way, but also in an ouch way.

Hello! I've Had WAY Too Much Coffee.

I went for a 6km run last night which was a) awesome and b) awful. Awfsome, really, as most runs are. You hear about people who are "runners" - you know the ones. The ones that clock mileage like it's going out of style, and every time you talk to them you think "damn you, you magnificent athlete!"

No? Just me? Alright then.

My run yesterday was interesting because I walked a lot (bah!) but I still managed decent splits on kms I did run completely, and overall the time wasn't as horrifying as I thought (6km in 38 minutes, if you care, I don't care, OH GOD I CARE TOO MUCH).

Most of my stopping wasn't because I was winded, so much as my knees were hurting. And not in the normal, ow, injury, way. The joints hurt. Because apparently I'm too fat to be running (obligatory chorus of "you're not fat!" from T, who automatically responds to this, even psychically) or I'm 102 years old. Either way, I creak, creak, shuffled my way to the 6km mark, and that's what's important.

Also, we're getting a puppy. I may blog about this in a separate space because I don't have enough room here for all this cute.

Courtesy Sershan Samoyeds - http://www.sershan.ca/sershan_puppies.html