Treats or Treats!

The other night I noticed Fun Size Butterfingers on sale at the grocery store and spent the next day thinking about how much I wanted a Butterfinger. Last night I bought a pack of little ones, along with a couple of other things, and I came to the conclusion that I do want to enjoy the treats of the season, from now until Christmas. You know, within moderation.

I made pumpkin bread last night and had some for breakfast, along with eggs for the shot of protein, after I swam 70 laps. Because I have also come to the conclusion that in order to enjoy treats and not gain 10 pounds like I did last holiday season, I need to work out as nearly close to every day as I can, which I most definitely did not do last holiday season.

I had a full-on argument with myself this morning, knowing that if I just got out of bed, I would rock the swimming. The first step every single morning of pulling myself out of bed when it's warm and cozy and I know it's (literally) freezing outside is so, SO hard. But once I'm up I'm fine. And truthfully I felt kind of awesomely hardcore walking home in temperatures cold enough to see my breath, in my warm-up pants and a fleece, with my wet hair tucked under a ski cap.

Swimming laps in the winter is great because you get a lane to yourself most of the time. And you also build up a camaraderie with the other people who are there, braving the cold to get in their laps.

So I'm not looking to lose any weight in the next 2 months, I just want to maintain. I can get back on with the weight loss after the Hallowthanksgivmas bacchanalia is over. Because this is my favorite time of year, and it's partly because of the yummy foods, and I want to enjoy them.

I swam on Tuesday morning and this morning and I'm going to go tomorrow morning. Next week I'm going to go every day that I can. And enjoy the Butterfinger leftovers.

Hello There

I've put on a couple of pounds since my no working out workout plan began several weeks ago. Not that it's an actual plan, just a result of the mornings being darker and me being lazier.

I'm trying to be optimistic by thinking that I still weigh less than this time last year, which means I have taken off all last year's holiday weight gain (like 10 pounds) plus some.

I'm trying not to think things like, "Gee, if I had keep up with my super awesome eating and exercising diligence I would probably weigh at least 7 pounds less than I do instead of creeping back up." Trying to keep those thoughts at bay.

The good news is, we're going to Maine for 4 days, during which I will be hiking up peaks. Well, not really peaks so much. But I will start out at a lower place than I end up and that counts for something.

It's A Conspiracy

This morning I had to drop my car off for a repair at 7:30 AM. Thus, no gym.

Tomorrow morning I have to catch the 7:12 AM train up to Boston for a meeting. Again, no gym.

So even if I COULD drag myself out of bed, I still couldn't go. Yes, that's it. It's all my schedule's fault.

Exercise Drought

Sigh. I seem to have hit a road bump again. I went to sleep by 11:30 last night and had every intention to get up and go swimming. Actually, I woke up at 3:30 and was awake for about a half hour for some reason. Then I couldn't wake up when my alarm went off 2 hours later.

I just can't seem to get motivated. I know if I want to keep losing weight and keep off the weight I've lost, I have to exercise. I also know that if I want to allow myself to have treats, I have to exercise to balance it all out. A treat here and there is fine when I'm swimming 80 laps 4 days a week. A treat here and there when I'm sleeping an hour later and sitting on my bum in the evenings is going to result in a spreading bum.

I'm just not feeling it. I have a vague idea of ellipticaling tonight, which may or may not happen. The problem is, I make plans to work out and then I let myself off the hook for dumb reasons. I know as soon as I get out of bed and over to the pool, I'll be fine. It's just that giant leap from warm comfy bed to putting on my swimsuit and going.

How do I stop myself from letting myself off the hook?

Ahem

Now that the birthday nonsense is over...

I think I can safely say that I have hit my Death By Chocolate cake limit. Jason, however, has not. We still have over a quarter of this massive cake left and he wouldn't let me throw it away last night because he loves it so.

I fully planned to go swimming this morning. I had my gym bag all ready to go and everything. Then I was up until 12:30. Even though I slept until 7 and snoozed until 7:30, I'm yawning right this very second.

Tonight I am going to bed earlier. Possibly.

It's hard when there's company in the house. Company that enjoys entertaining my husband by playing Rock Band with him at very loud volumes.

Hiatus - For the Moment

Birthday Weekend Extravaganza!!!!

That is all.

Switchin' It Up

So we've had two mornings of frosty chilly weather and that has equaled two mornings of not being able to get myself out of bed because I'm tucked in between a husband and a cat all under a down comforter. The 5:45 AM alarm stands no chance.

Even though the pool is not open for lap swimming when it would be most convenient for me to go in the evenings, I think if there's any chance that workouts will continue over the next few months, I will have to start working out in the evening. Tonight is my first night and I'm going to do the elliptical. There are a couple of nights I might be able to work in a swim, but generally the schedule doesn't really work. I figure I can still swim on Saturdays.

I used to swim at the local pool in the evenings, even when it was so cold that I had long johns, warm-up pants, a long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt AND giant puffy coat on over my swimsuit, topped off with a warm moleskin ski cap on my head with all my hair tucked inside. I looked ridiculous, but the Boston weather was not getting through to my damp skin after a swim. I loved coming home from work, eating a quick snack and taking off for the pool. As a bonus, I got to sleep in for a whole additional hour every morning. Totally worth it.

I emailed Jason to ask if he wants to work out with me tonight. My gym will let him come a couple of times as my guest. I don't think he's signed up for the Brown gym yet this semester and I would love for us to get on a family plan. I mean, it's right across the street from our apartment, for heaven's sake. I have 2 motivations for signing him up: 1) He needs it. He's constantly whining about how his shorts and pants and shirts are so much tighter than they used to be. Well, there IS something that you can do about that, you know? But his laziness wins out every time. I honestly don't mind that he's getting a belly, but I know he does, and I also know it's not healthy for him. 2) Purely selfish - I want a gym buddy. It's so much easier when you have someone else to go with you.

Last Week

It's always obvious what's going on when the weight loss bloggers stop blogging, isn't it? There's nothing to blog about when you're not doing anything.

Actually, I got sick with some weird stomach bug last week that made me well enough to get to work (barely), but not really up for much else, including swimming. My weight is steady, even though I only swam once all week. This morning I'm still not feeling fabulous, but I'm determined that tomorrow I'll be back in the pool. Which is getting increasingly harder as the weather gets cooler. I may have to switch to the elliptical for the winter. Getting hot and sweaty when it's 20 degrees out may actually be a good thing for getting me going in the morning, especially since heat will be expensive and our heating method this winter will consist of large piles of blankets.