Okay, I published this post on Sunday, but Johnny messed with the site and lost this post, so here it is again:
Haven’t written in a few days so I thought I’d go ahead and write one tonight. I want to write one about our trip to see Barack Obama speak here in Roanoke, but I need to find our camera first so I can include some pictures.
So I’m still sticking to the whole weight-loss journey thing. So far, it’s been going great! I can definitely tell there are changes in my mindset between the last time I tried this and now. For one, I’m not completely beating myself up over eating stuff I probably shouldn’t. I figure, as long as I’m eating well 98% of the time and exercising regularly, I should stay on track to lose. For instance, we went to my dad’s for my step-brother’s birthday Friday night. I took a diet soda with me so I wouldn’t be tempted to drink regular Coke. I had 2 and 1/2 big pieces of thin crust pepperoni pizza. Now, that’s honestly really good for me because I’m pretty much a hoss and could pack in probably twice that much if I want. Pizza’s my favorite food, but I tried to eat at a moderate pace and savor it. I also did the napkin-grease pat thingy. I also had one Miller Lite, then a small piece of cake (center slice, so it was only frosted on top) and about 4 bites of ice cream. I actually felt physically ill after that, and I guess it was just because I had been eating diligently well for the week prior. It’s really crazy the way your body reacts to stark changes. The rest of the time, I’ve been staying within my allotted Weight Watchers points, and most days I’m actually eating less than that. Not on purpose, I’m just trying to listen to my body more in order to determine when I’m actually hungry. I’ve also discovered new foods that are healthy and that I can incorporate into my diet. For example, I’ve found that I like butternut squash after I tried making butternut squash fries. Johnny thinks they taste like sweet potatoes, but I disagree (and HATE sweet potatoes!) and think they taste like a kind of creamy cousin of pumpkin. I also tried hummus for the first time after I bought some dried garbanzo beans at Kroger and made a garlicky batch for myself. I find that they’re really yummy on rye crackers or on a pita with lettuce and tomato for a quick lunch. I feel like I’m definitely getting more creative with my culinary skills and am certainly using more fresh veggies and fruits in the kitchen. We’ve fallen in love with our local farmer’s market in Roanoke where we can get beautiful and cheap produce (I’d venture to say that we’ve cut our produce bill in at least half compared to purchasing produce at the grocery store) all while supporting the local farmers. I’m really excited about trying out more new recipes and toying around with all of the “lite” possibilities there seem to be out there.
As for exercise, my BFF Melissa and I have been sticking to our regimen of walking followed by workout videos. Today, I “wogged” (walk/jog - I’ve been alternating between walking and jogging and would eventually like to get back to running like I used to; plus, the change in heart rate between walking and jogging is supposed to be good for you) about 3.2 miles with Roxie while listening to Seal’s ‘91 album on my MP3 player. Good times - nice, cool day, fall leaves in their glory along the Roanoke River - pure bliss (well, for the most part). I feel like I’m starting to crave that hard breathing and sweat - it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. Then I came back, did a killer ab workout, then did about 20 minutes of a Tae Bo video. I think I may need to back off a little when it comes to my walking/jogging because my knees are in some pretty good pain now. I know running is high impact, and it’s probably amplified by the amount of weight I have on me. Maybe tomorrow I’ll just walk and save the wogging for later.
In other news, I have my orientation for subbing on Thursday. I’m pretty nervous, but looking forward to getting my career on track and bringing in some more income. Christmas and student loans are right around the corner, and I can already feel my first paycheck slipping away to the bill collector! Johnny’s doing well. I keep getting on his case about the fact that he needs to write a blog. I tell him that our site is called the House of Payne, not the House of Hollie. Maybe some day we’ll get lucky.
And that’s about it for now. Hope everyone’s enjoying the cooler temps and changing leaves. Happy autumn!
Posted on October 21st, 2008 by Johnny
Filed under: Life, Weight Loss
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