After a few hours of work Poor Girl’s Diet got a face-lift! I believe it feels a bit more homey now.
I’m also currently working on a small line of T-Shirts. I’ll be sure to post that information once I have it.
Let me know what you think! More updates to come soon.
~Poor Girl
Another 2 pounds gone!
I’m really happy about this. This means I’ve lost a total of 3 pounds since the Holiday season.
I know, for absolute sure, that I could have lost more by now if I was working out every day and following my diet closely…but this 3 pounds shows me that with making life style changes like eating healthier, walking a little farther, and just deciding you’re going to be “fitter” means you can still lose that weight. 3 pounds gives me motivation to go out and do more to lose. Up my work outs, and really stick to my food goals.
Have you noticed that if you stay the same weight you feel less motivated to work on it? You almost feel like you’re stuck?
That was me…actually IS me since the Holidays. Here I was running a weight loss blog and managed to gain weight over the Holidays. Totally sucky! There are times that I would think, why am I even trying? Nothing works. I should just pay the money to have my stomach stapled.
Now, there are people who do need to have gastric done, or choose that it’s the best weight loss option for them. If that is what they need to do I fully support them. However, I know I can lose this weight on my own, and am not medically in need of gastric.
Coming back to the point here…Motivation is SOO important. It keeps your mind fueled and ready to go. It puts the fire into your step you need to keep those pounds coming off.
With this said, Motivation is a great topic for today! I did some research and found some great resources.
First, I found “20 Weight Loss Motivation Tips“, (Definitely check out the full article to read more in depth on how to keep your motivation up.)
Honestly I’m finding I’ve done a lot from this list already. I’m public, I have a group of friends supporting me, I have before pictures, I’m keeping track of my weight loss, and I’ve got a reasonable goal. It’s great to read that what I’m doing is going to help keep me motivated.
Some other ideas I got from the article is cutting out motivational pictures/articles from magazines, making a poster/notes board to post all of your progress or motivational notes on, and set goals around specific dates.
Another motivational tip is weight loss web sites. A really fun one is Hungry Girl. You can get all sorts of information there.
Unfortunately I’ve got to cut this blog short so I can get ready for work, but I’ll be back soon!
Hey guys!
I know I’ve been horrible at posting…and every time I post, I say, “Yeah I’m going to post more often.” This time, I’m not going to say it, I’m just going to believe in myself and start doing it more. Haha.
That actually reminds me of the Fiber One Commercial…”It’s this wish the weight away diet.” They don’t have that one online yet, but maybe you know which one I’m talking about.
I’ve decided that I’ve got to keep this blog a good balance of myself and the diet….writing about just diet all the time is what I think keeps me from posting on a regular basis. I’m thinking about my diet all the time…trust me…but do I really want to make a large post about weight loss every day of my life?
No.
365 Day Girl is a rad friend of mine. Her goal is to post a blog every day. Of course with a blog like that you can imagine that she has all types of topics and things to talk about. You should really check her out.
Anyhoo…So although the bulk of this blog will still be about weight loss, I’ll be talking a bit more about myself, and sharing more about myself then previously.
So, going into a small update about Poor Girl’s life, things have definitely been crazy. After moving into my current place my poor cat Weasel got sick again. Stress caused her Pancreatitis to come back, and because the treatment is so expensive I was spending all of my free time nursing her back to health to try to avoid a Doctor’s visit. Finally this weekend she is starting to get back to normal. She’s lost all of her body fat, and is still quiet compared to how talkative she used to be, but this means she beat it on her own, and hopefully will never get it again!
In job news I got a promotion at work. It is one that I needed to get to help me get a better job when I move to California. On the down side it’s a night shift from 2:30 to 11pm. I got stuck with Wed. and Thurs. off. If I had gotten Fri and Sat off I would have been screaming “SA-weet!” However I am not that lucky. Haha. I love the night shift, just not my days off. So anyways, for the next 3 weeks I’ll have Sat and Sun off during training and then I switch.
Moving right along I’ve picked up a new hobby. Hooping!!! It’s horribly fun, I love it. I’ve got a mini Hula Hoop and a standard sized Hula Hoop. Both of them I made on my own, and now I’m hooping to excersise.
I’ve recently picked up Twitter, and have subscribed to many hooping communities. There I find tricks and suggestions on how to work out better with my Hula Hoop.
I’m just not one that is really drawn to the gym, (might I mention I still haven’t gotten a membership…yeah I procrastinate, and I just haven’t wanted to actually spend the money on it yet…the day will come…and maybe a pig will fly), I want to learn Hooping, I want to learn fire staff, fire poi, fire hooping, belly dancing, and all other exotic activities.
I would much rather spend my time learning really cool tricks to work out instead of going to the gym.
So we’ll see where that takes me. I have no idea what will come of my adventures of learning new tricks, but I’m excited. It’ll be a fun way for me to work out.
Today I’ve started counting calories, carbs, fats, protein, and sodium. I’ve noticed I can’t really trust myself with just guesstimating in my head. I’ve got to actually keep detailed track of what I’m eating at least for the next little while. I’m just working out of a notebook.
At work we are going to start doing a Biggest Loser competition. It’s a $10 buy in, and every week if you don’t lose at least something you’ll pay out $5. I’m hoping that if I can start really seeing visible results now that I’ll get a jump start before the actual competition.
I’m excited for it, as you all know I’m Poor anyways, so I can’t afford to NOT lose that weight. Haha.
Well, that is all for me today, I’ve got to start getting things ready for work.
I will leave you with my new favorite song. It’s off of the Almost Alice soundtrack and I just love love love it.
Loves,
Poor Girl
Hey guys, I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted…It’s like the story of my life right?
I’ll give you a quick update, and then cut to my blog for the day.
I moved, finally got over being horribly sick, and Weasel, (my cat), is sick again. I’m literally going crazy from the constant running around.
I’m pretty sure I’ve told you that I’m not doing Roller Derby anymore. I officially turned over all of my materials to the new Art Director last week. I’ve already seen some of her new flyers, and it’s odd thinking…I didn’t create that…and it is also weird not being involved in Derby. However, Skally Hag from Wasatch Roller Derby pointed out to me that it’s not that I’m not involved anymore, it’s just I’m not skating until I move, so I’m taking a break. If I move to California and decide not to join back up…well then I won’t be involved anymore. I’m pretty sure though that at some point Roller Derby will creep back into my life.
Anyways, enough of that banter, my post today is to share a great new site! It’s called Spark People, and it’s a FREE website to help with weight loss goals. You can track your food intake, your work outs, track your goals, form “teams”, and socialize with people just like you.
I LOVE this site. What I find absolutely great about it, is that it isn’t blocked at work. It actually is endorsed by my company, they encourage everyone to get involved, talk with each other, and work on our goals as a team.
When I log on the first place I go is “SparkTeams” which is where I can find one of my weight loss teams called “SLCRO”, (my work). There we can track our goals together, talk about upcoming walk times, and get ideas from each other.
I feel great because I’m getting involved at work, and focusing on my weight goal more than when I didn’t have any tools at work.
Also, it is really fun. It’s kinda like a “NerdSpace”, social interface with friends, that I can get at work. *Woot Woot*
Can you tell I love it?
Another thing I really like is the fact that I can write blogs here. This is the first blog being posted to my Spark People profile, but it will be going on Poor Girl’s Diet once I get a break time.
I’m hoping to keep my PG’sD blog posts more regular since now I can blog from my desk. Post it here first, then copy and paste to PG’sD.
Next thing I do when I’m on Spark People is track my water in take, and my fitness levels. I know of some co workers who track their food intake to the “T”, I know that it can really help with losing that extra weight.
However, I’m freakin lazy, so I am not one to track every little thing.
I can track my water intake and what I’ve done to work out. That helps me see what I’m really actually doing to work towards my goal.
Today is PayDay, so I’ll be stopping by Planet Fitness later on today to get my membership.
You guys excited?! I am!!!
I’m going to start a Poor Girl’s Diet SparkTeam, I hope that you all will join up with SparkPeople.com, start up your profiles, and get on the PG’sD SparkTeam.
I want to start setting up specific work out days at Planet Fitness, and I know some of who I can count on being there, so we’ll talk about it on the Spark Team.
Honestly, it’s a great tool, and I hope to see my PG’sD buddies there.
Until Next Time…
Poor Girl
To quickly update my status I am definitely still ill. Whatever I had was heavy set in my lungs and I’m just now coughing it out. I haven’t exercised, but I’ve still been eating healthy. Lentil soup, and 100 calorie ice cream treats before bed have been my diet…not the best, but it’s all I really wanted to eat.
I’m really excited to get back to being able to exercise! It makes me happy to know I have a drive to go work out, it will push me on those days that I just don’t feel like it.
I had a friend of mine e-mail me on my Facebook just yesterday about how she has lost so much weight. I’m soooo proud of her! I haven’t seen her in awhile and had no idea she was doing the weight loss thing as well. (I’ll be sure to get her to give me more info to post and share with you all)
Anyways, she asked if I wanted to buddy with her when exercising. My answer was YES YES YES! Finding a buddy to work out with is a GOLD MINE in support. Someone who will push you, and someone you can support as well. As far as I’m concerned a work out buddy is just as good as a personal trainer because it is someone who you identify with more and you’re more likely to stick with it longer. A personal trainer is someone who is 10 times smaller than you, that you may or may not have anything in common with…sometimes not a good match.
So Yenn, (my friend), works out at Planet Fitness. This brings a looming cost that I know a lot of people debate about every year that they set a goal to lose weight.
Is spending money on a fitness club really worth it? If so which one do I go with?
I’m going to be honest with you, once upon a time, many years ago I spent money on a 24 hour fitness membership….it was a waste of money. 100% I never went, and when I tried to end the contract within 30 days they told me I only had 3 days to do that…the guy lied to me…also it was completely over priced, and honestly they are only interested in your money. Mind you this is my only experience..but either way 24 hour is overpriced….so what if you can do this that and the other there…don’t freakin care…overpriced people…overpriced.
So, what other options are there? Golds Gym, Planet Fitness, and local places around you.
Now first, if you’re lucky, you might have a small work out room at either your apartments or at your work. Normally if you live in a big apartment complex they’ll have a work out area…this is going to save you big money. Pop in a movie and work out right next to your place for free.
If you’re lucky you’re work will offer a small gym open during specific hours. You might not be a fan of working out in front of your boss, but you know what? It’ll save you money…use it.
In my situation I have access to neither and am perfectly content with working out at home. As you’ve probably noticed with this blog the whole point is to not spend money…however Yenn’s offer really has me wanting to at least give the gym thing another go, if it’s for the right price.
You are going to have to do some research on your own. You’re needs from a gym might be different from mine, and local gyms are normally locally owned, so calling around to get the best price is going to be a good idea.
Also, if you have any friends that have gym memberships, ask them if they wouldn’t mind working out with you. Normally gyms will let their member’s bring in a friend for a “trial” day, this will give you a chance to check out the gym and see if it is right for you.
So begins my search for the best price and if Planet Fitness will really work out for me.
Curve’s is a by women for women idea. Curves offers a lot for it’s customers. It offers meal plans, website support groups, a specific weight loss plan just for you, and a lot of personalized help that comes directly from the staff of Curves. You can build a relationship with your location and staff. They know you, and you know them. That is definitely comforting, and is undoubtedly a huge motivation pusher.
Curves schedules you 3 times a week at 30 minutes each time, and you can burn “up to 500 calories” per session. A membership is good at any location within the nation…so I would assume that means you can go and exercise for an extra day if you’d like…but don’t quote me on that.
For the life of me I couldn’t find a price on how much a Curve’s membership is. What they offer is like a combination of a gym membership and a Weight Watchers meeting and support….I figure it can’t be that cheap. I was fruitless online, there is no indication of price on their website…so I Googled it. I was able to find a Yahoo! Answer that specified $33 a month in 2006 and someone who felt that they never broke a sweat while working out at Curves.
I’m sure the fee has gone up by then…and I’m not going to waste time time call and find out.
(Needless to say before I continue…no I’m not highlighting 24 hour fitness…if you want to give your money to a corporate hog, you’ll have to do it without me)
Mind you, logging on to a website that has a before and after picture of someone who is already small…was not my idea of “Yay!”…however, I was turned on by a goal tracker that also works with Facebook. How’s that for social interaction? Make sure you take your goal seriously cause you’ll see it on Facebook every time you check your friend’s updates.
Golds Gym has the cheezey advertisements and is really just a gym…but they also seem way cool. Right now they are helping a local Big Buddah too lose 100 pounds and donate food to the Utah Food Bank.
So Gold’s Gym is $0 enrollment at participating locations currently, and you have to type in your information for more pricing information. I’m sure they have a perfect package for everyone…but I don’t like making phone calls…and I barely enjoy researching as it is…so you’ll have to check out the pricing on your own. I seem to remember a Govenator impersonator saying it was like $20 a month…but once again..don’t ever quote me.
Planet Fitness is where my friend Yenn works out…so I’m definitely itching to find out what it’s all about.
First thing I was happy about, the color for this gym is Purple…my favorite color. Second thing I was happy about was their prices are not hidden. You find your location and the prices are listed right off the bat. What is even better is they have 2 plans to choose from!
Right now you can choose a no start up fee package for $20 a month that you can use a different locations or a $30 start up fee for $10 a month at one location. Can you say cheap!?!?!?!
Now mind you, obviously $20 a month can be a big amount for some people, however for me this works. I used to pay $25 a month to be a part of the Roller Derby league I was skating with, not to mention all the gas money I poured into getting there. This is going to be a less expensive option for me, and well, since I’m not skating anymore, it’s a good idea to replace my skating with the gym.
Another important factor is that I’m moving to California in July. I can’t promise that there is going to be a Planet Fitness in the area I’m moving to in July, but I can hope…and the nearest location is 2 hours away…that is at least a positive sign.
Now don’t you fret, I’m not going out and getting my membership today. I’ve gotta move this weekend, then I’ll see about doing it.
You don’t ever want to get a gym membership on impulse. I’ve done my research, I have a gym in mind, and now I’m going to sit on it for a week. If I promise to sign up for something, they normally expect a year commitment out of you…so you’re going to have to keep that in mind. So sit on it…for at least a week. A gym is not a “my car needs to be fixed before I go to work” issue, you can do it when you’ve had plenty of time to think about it.
Thanks guys,
Poor Girl
I’ve been really proud of myself for sticking to my low calorie meals. This weekend I went out and got 100 calorie snacks, (popcorn and chocolate treats), to keep my cravings at bay. I’ve discovered it really is easier to stick to a low calorie meal plan if you have everything planned for, and to just expect wanting snacks. If you plan on having snacks in between meals you don’t really feel hungry a lot and can keep your calorie intake pretty balanced.
Today I went to work feeling fine, but within an hour started to feel blah. My cough was sicky and I just felt something coming on. So I went home and slept for 6 hours.
I’m moving this upcoming weekend and can not afford to be sick. I’m hoping catching it early will keep it from turning into whatever it is trying to be.
That leads me to my question of the day. I’ve been working out every day right before I go to bed. I don’t want to get out of the habit, so can I exercise even though I’m feeling sick?
I found a good answer at cnn.com
“At least one expert says that if you think you’re coming down with a cold or the flu you should probably skip your daily workout.
“I tell people to listen to their bodies. If they are sick, their body is telling them something is wrong.” said Dr. Rick Kellerman of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Even though it may be tempting to not break an exercise routine, working out may actually prolong the illness,” Kellerman said. And, in rare cases “viruses can damage heart muscles,” he added.”
You can read the full article here:
Later on in the article, “Kellerman said it is a myth that you can sweat out germs and toxins. He acknowledges that “low levels of exercise increase endorphins and benefit the body, but an intense workout that creates high levels of endorphins can wear down the immune system.”
So it would seem to me that my usual exercise is not a good idea.
The plan for tonight will be some basic yoga stretches, a hot shower, meds and orange juice. Also going to bed early.
I’ll have more soon on my move and what is going on with my Poor Diet.
In the mean time, don’t forget that you can find Yoga instructionals for free on Hulu.com. That is where I’m headed now.
With the New Year here, it’s the typical time for people to make resolutions and try to get back on track after the holiday season.
I can totally admit that I did not care at all what I was eating or doing this past month…so much going on that I gladly accepted the holiday binges.
Resolutions are great to get you started on something, but it really is important to keep a goal going longer than 1 month. For example, if you want to quit smoking, but the universe just took a crap in your lap it might not be the best time to do it. Working on smoking less is a great first step, and then when your life is less crazy kicking the habit can happen for you. It comes down to being practical.
I really wanted to do the Master Cleanse starting January 1st. I kept getting myself ready for the Cleanse, I even tried it for a day so I knew what I was getting into.
Needless to say I decided to wait for the Master Cleanse for when I didn’t have a huge pile of To-Do lists to go through. The Master Cleanse will require me to be devoted to it, and I know right now that if I want a TCBY yogurt I’d get it…to save humanity from my temper.
Instead I hit the grocery store with a list of low fat and low calorie meals from my Glamour and Cosmo mags.
I pre-made sandwiches for lunch every day at work, and pre-made a healthy salad that I put in to a container or add to any meal.
I do so much better when I have pre-made food. Instead of swinging by Taco Bell for their silly new diet Tacos, I know I’ve got a sandwich ready for me.
What I’m really excited about is the discovery that Hummus is less caloric than Light Mayo….You might have known this..but I did not. My wheat sub turkey sandwiches are going to be so freaking good that I seriously can’t wait for lunch tomorrow.
Also, my breakfast will be a hard boiled egg with wheat toast, light peanut butter, and banana slices…
I seriously am excited about my food and my new ideas for work out.
Working out is key to any diet, as we all may know, but don’t admit to. Getting a work out routine is going to keep that resolution going. If you get into the habit of working out right when you wake up, get home from work, or before you go to bed, it will be easier to keep that routine going.
If you skip it one day, no big deal, it’s when you forget for an entire month that it is clearly just that New Years Resolution and not a life change.
Later on this week I’m going to go more in depth with quick changes that can save calories, work outs that don’t seem like work outs, and why I switched to Miller 64 too.
Well Hello World!
I have totally been behind on my posts, which I apologize for…I hope that everyone knows what is like to go through the Holiday season and have everything drop in your lap at once.
While I was gone…my apartment got infested, my cat got sick, I turned 24, and I’ve got plans to move to California!
It’s crazy how 2 months can be so filled with craziness.
This brings me to a very good point! It’s okay to procrastinate sometimes. I always had Poor Girl’s Diet on my mind, and I kept telling myself I needed to post, however with the events that were going on in my life, I was just going crazy.
Life is going to catch up to you, at any time, and staying on the track to your goals is so important.
I’d like to reference an acquaintance of mine:
http://www.inthisweek.com/view.php?id=2015159
Miles had a goal, to lose weight. He totally did too! 101 pounds in fact. Talk about inspiration!
Anyways, I’m just going to admit now that I probably gained weight this Holiday, and after New Year’s Eve’s alcohol consumption I’ve got some great goals I’ll be sharing with everyone.
Some other topics I’ve decided to cover is how to kill and prevent bed bugs, how to watch out for feline sickness that is more than just a hairball, and holiday stay fit tips.
These topics might be a little too late, but HEY! Who cares!? If you want to lose weight accepting the occational mishap is the first step in the right direction…it’s when those mishaps become every day that it is an issue.
I’ll see you guys this weekend and you’ll be hearing a lot from me!
~Poor Girl
PS If you’re wanting to get involved and join up on my blog let me know…don’t forget that I’ve got a page for those who want to be a Poor Dieter as well!
Just for those who might be reading, I have had a lot pop up all of the sudden. I am still on the ban wagon, and working hard to continue on my weight loss goal. As of right now it will be a few more days before I post my next big post.
Thanks guys!
Sincerely,
Poor Girl
Can I just say I love coffee?
Coffee can either be absolutely wonderful when you’re losing weight, or a complete hindrance…it really depends on if you even like coffee or not.
Just ask yourself…Do I like my coffee with chocolate, milk, sugar, and foam? Do I like whipped cream on top? Can I not stand a cup of coffee with out sugar and/or milk?
Well, then maybe, you don’t like coffee…..what a thought!!!?!?
Coffee, real coffee, can be enjoyed by it’s self…not with tons of sugar. It can be a dark roast, medium, or a decaf. You can get it in little shots that are like a drug.
If you can’t enjoy it black, then you might not like coffee…just a thought.
Coffee becomes a hindrance to any weight loss goal when you add all of those things into the coffee. Sugar and Milk obviously raise the calories in a cup of coffee, and if you rather have a Latte, might as well ask for the extra pound of fat as well.
That pound of fat will follow you around until you drop your Latte habit for good.
Here is the thing, one black cup of coffee is 2 calories, one grande caffe latte with non fat milk at Star*cough* is 168 calories.
See the diff? If you add sugar and non fat milk to your black cup of coffee that makes that 25 to 50 calories per cup.
That is a HUGE difference!!! You could have 6 cups of black coffee and you’ve only had 12 calories.
The huge myth about coffee is that having too much is bad for your body…I’d like to point out that too much of anything can be a bad thing, but here is some “Food for Thought”:
Glamour Mag also had something to say about coffee, something about how later in life your brain is better functioning if you had coffee on a regular basis…when I find that info I’ll post it.
Either way coffee is not as bad as some would like to pretend it is….(if you happen to worship a religion that dominates the city I live in, stop using that as your God-Damned excuse if that is a problem you have.)
If you LOOOOVE your coffee with calorie filled crap, I have a suggestion…Get a black cup of coffee and put cinnamon on top…only cinnamon…Why?
“Research has linked the copper-colored stuff with reduced blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes, and a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adding a little more than a teaspoon to rice pudding even helped tame blood sugar in people without diabetes. Dr. Kulze says cinnamon also contains polyphenols, antioxidants that create healthier arteries and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The spice’s energizing scent has also been found to help increase alertness.” -Women’s Health Mag
And it will make your coffee more tolerable for you.
I’ve just recently started putting cinnamon on top of my coffee for the above reasons…otherwise I appreciate a good black cup 50 million times a day.
Some other really good things to know about coffee is it’s actual caffeine content. Medium roast has the most caffeine, the more a coffee bean gets roasted the less caffeine it has. So if you are French roast lover, it actually has less caffeine than you probably thought. Espresso, one shot of espresso, is about the same as about half a 6 ounce cup of coffee. Basically, one small coffee, (exxcuuuuse me, venti), with a double shot of espresso is about the same as a 20 oz cup of coffee.
Tea is a really great alternative if you really don’t like the jitters some can get from coffee. Within the next week I will share more on tea.
Until then,
Sincerely,
Poor Girl
