Path to a Happier and Healthier Me

Still Sick

2010-12-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

I've been sick for almost two weeks now. :( So I haven't been tracking food... haven't been exercising...

Hopefully I'll feel better by Monday and be able to get back to a normal routine!!

Tracking - WEEK 2

2010-12-06T22:55:00.000-08:00

WEEK 2 - 12.6 to 12.12

WEIGHT: ?
GOAL: 140
ULTIMATE GOAL: 130

Monday
20 mins elliptical
Shared bread basket, nicoise salad
Half a glass of lemonade
Shared spinach salad
Shared s'mores bar

Tuesday
Bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats
1 bottle of water
A couple bites of garbanzo bean salad
40 mins of tennis
Shared kimchee fried rice, lemon chicken, chow mein, various salads (we had a Whole Foods feast!), Ginger Izze, raspberry chocolate mini cake
1 hr walk
All-natural vegan sweets: 5 mini-cookies, 1 chocolate donut

Wednesday
30 mins on elliptical
1 bite of Tiger Milk bar
1 bottle of water
Garbanzo bean, cucumber, tomato salad
8 mini-cookies (eek!)
Guacamole chips
1 slice of chocolate poundcake
Lasagna, garbanzo salad, caprese kabob, garlic bread
20 min walk

Thursday
30 mins on elliptical
1 bottle of water
Banana
Egg salad
1 slice of olive bread with dip
Too many guacamole chips
1 bite of pumpkin pie bar
In n' out cheeseburger, fries & shake

Friday
Sick day!
Chicken noodle soup, water, apple juice
...which all came up :(

Saturday
Day 2 of sick
Chicken noodle soup and water

Sunday
Still sick, but feeling better...
Water
6 tiny pieces of chocolate
Tuscan bean minestrone soup
Shrimp rolls

Sythroid Update

2010-11-29T23:17:00.000-08:00

I'm now taking 88 mg of Synthroid daily. My TSH levels have actually slightly increased since the last time I had a blood test, which is the reason for the medication increase. I'm still below 5, which is good, but I'm very frustrated and perplexed about why my levels haven't dropped.

I'm getting another blood test on January 3rd... Hopefully things will be ok by then.

Back to Daily Tracking- WEEK 1

2010-11-29T12:33:00.001-08:00

I go back and forth with the food tracking thing. I'm going to try to start it up again, as I am now going to aggressively try to lose more weight. I'm back up about 3 lbs from last month. I've been gorging a lot lately! So I'm going to try to rein it in.

I'm going to track all the week's food & exercise in one post, and do a new post on Monday mornings with a weigh-in.

WEEK 1 - 11.29 to 12.5

WEIGHT: 150.2
GOAL: 140
ULTIMATE GOAL: 130

Monday
Elliptical for 20 mins
1 bottle of water
Banana
Pumpkin spice flaxseed bar
Handful of almonds
Glass of chocolate milk
CPK for dinner:

3 slices of white bread
2 small Korean BBQ Tacos
Half-size Veggie Salad
Brownie

Walking for 20 mins

Tuesday
1 bottle of water
Banana
Pumpkin spice flaxseed bar
About 7 pieces of fruit (kiwi, pineapple, melons, mango)
1 piece of Turkey-wrapped Asparagus
Handful of Almonds
1 bottle of water
2 tortilla chips
Dinner:

Spinach & artichoke dip
Chicken BBQ Salad
Fruit
Dinner roll

15 mins walk
2 chocolate chip cookies

Wednesday
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical
Half of a banana
2 chocolate chip cookies
BBQ Chicken Salad
Cream of Wheat

Thursday
1 cookie
1 bottle of water
Half a banana
20 mins on elliptical
Spinach salad & potato cheddar soup
2 pieces of Cheese bread

Friday
1 bottle of water
Shared Chilaquiles, guacamole, salsa and chips, flan
Water
Shared beef sandwich
Iced chai
Shared 6 mini-cupcakes

Saturday
Bowl of Life cereal w/2% milk
Sushi
2 servings of Cream of Wheat

Sunday
Shared omelette and banana pancakes
Glass of Iced chai
Glass of Almond black tea latte
Portobello mushroom ravioli and 1 small taco

Doing Well

2010-10-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

I'm slowly inching towards weight loss goal #1 - only 7.8 pounds to go before I hit 140! And then I'll starting reaching for my ultimate goal of 130. :)

On the general health front, I've still been feeling a bit sluggish - not sure why that is. I've been going to the gym daily again, as well as playing tennis a few times a week. But I had a couple week period where I was only exercising sporadically. So maybe my body is getting used to the exercise (again). I've been noticing my hair falling out. I'm not sure if it's more than is normal for me. (is some hair loss even normal?) Also, have been having some circulation/cramping problems in my legs. Not sure if it's from not drinking enough water or something else.

I'm going in for another blood test on November 1st, and then seeing my endocrinologist on the 15th. Hopefully my TSH levels are finally at the ideal level (she wants it around 2), and I can stop having to up the dosage of Synthroid.

Meals & Exercise, Day 41

2010-08-19T16:36:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical
banana
cookies & milk

2pm-1am
cantaloupe

Meals & Exercise, Day 40

2010-08-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-300 cals)
bowl of honey nut cheerios

2pm-1am
3 slices of cheese pizza
sushi

Meals & Exercise, Day 39

2010-08-16T12:36:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (~300 cals)
bowl of honey nut cheerios

2pm-1am
half a slice of chocolate cake
small artichoke, olive, egg salad
Steak bruschetta, cauliflower

Meals & Exercise, Day 38

2010-08-08T16:48:00.001-07:00

I haven't done much exercising or healthy eating the past couple of days... so we're just going to pretend like those days didn't exist. :p Starting back at day 38!

10am-2pm
1 1/2 donuts
Half a ham & cheese croissant
Small glass of chocolate milk

2pm-1am
Small cup of frozen yogurt
Taro pudding
Lasagna & salad
Can of guarana

Meals & Exercise, Day 37

2010-08-03T13:31:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
1 square of chocolate bacon (yuck!)

2pm-1am
Shared omelette & banana pancakes
Iced chai
Can of San Pelligrino

Meals & Exercise, Day 36

2010-08-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
?

2pm-1am
Sweet crepe
pineapple smoothie
Shared macarons
Tex mex pork medallions, veggies & rice

Meals & Exercise, Day 35

2010-08-01T12:51:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Tiny red velvet cupcake

2pm-1am
Nature Valley bar (I'm getting a little sick of them!)
Small glass of milk
~1 hr cleaning
Cheeseburger & fries from Cheesecake Factory
half a cheesecake

I've been eating terribly these past couple days!! Don't know if I can make up for it this week... but I'll try!

Meals & Exercise, Day 34

2010-07-31T13:54:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Tiger Milk bar

2pm-1am
Shared shrimp chow mein & pork, egg & rice
Glass of milk tea
2 slices of gourmet veggie pizza & 1 breadstick
1 cupcake

I did weigh myself Friday morning, but didn't have time to post about it. I'm down again! :)

Meals & Exercise, Day 33 & a note

2010-07-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
~20 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
A couple mini-muffins

2pm-1am
Plum
More muffins
Steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower

Over the next three days I'll be taking the bar exam. I won't be eating much and I won't be exercising (unless I have time at night). So the next day I post will be Friday... which I'll count as Day 34. I'm kind of expecting a weight gain... But we'll see.

Meals & Exercise, Day 32

2010-07-25T14:38:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
2 bites of pineapple upside down cheesecake
3 brownie bites (off to a healthy start this morning :P)

2pm-1am
Box of vanilla flavored horizon milk
Various Japanese tapas
Box of strawberry flavored milk

Meals & Exercise, Day 31

2010-07-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
(woke up at almost 1)
1 bottle of water
3 brownie bites (the obsession continues)

2pm-1am
Eggs, bacon, hash browns
BBQ chicken salad, sourdough bread, half of an apple crisp
Tennis for ~20 mins

Meals & Exercise, Day 30

2010-07-23T12:57:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-260 cals)
Cheese sandwich

2pm-1am
Chicken milanese w/veggies and a little bit of pasta
Shared crispy green beans, honey chicken, and brown rice
2 brownie bites

Official Weigh-In

2010-07-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Start Weight (6/28/10): 159
Current Weight (7/23/10): 154.4
Difference: -4.6

I hope the scale isn't messing with me, and I've actually lost almost 5 pounds!! ;) It's almost been 4 weeks, so this seems like the perfect amount to lose. I was worried though... I ate a lot of brownies yesterday. :p

Meals & Exercise, Day 29

2010-07-22T13:02:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
4 Pillsbury Sweet Moments Brownie bites (omg! these are so good o_o... bad!!)
Half a bottle of Organic Strawberry Lemonade
Ham & cheese sandwich

2pm-1am
Banana
Artichoke heart salad
Piece of breaded tofu
3 more brownie bites (eek! addictive)

Meals & Exercise, Day 28

2010-07-21T11:25:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Tiger Milk bar
Tortilla chips w/hummus

2pm-1am
Nature Valley almond bar
Shared chicken tikka masala, pilau rice, cheese naan

Meals & Exercise, Day 27

2010-07-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
20 mins on elliptical (-200 cals)
1 bottle of water
Tiger Milk bar

2pm-1am
Goat cheese & beet salad
Cheese bread
Shared warm chocolate chip heath bar cookie w/ice cream
Chicken marsala, veggies & pasta
Small salad w/mozzarella, capers, sundried tomatoes

Meals & Exercise, Day 26

2010-07-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
20 mins on elliptical (-200 cals) - I usually do 30 mins, but I was just too tired today... didn't sleep well last night
Bowl of cereal
Tortilla chips w/hummus
Cheese stick

2pm-1am
Small thai salad & apple juice
Pork stirfry
A couple mentos mints & licorice

Meals & Exercise, Day 25

2010-07-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Almond croissant

2pm-1am
Shared steak salad & bread platter
Pomegranate mint lemonade
Iced chai tea latte
A couple bites of fudge

Meals & Exercise, Day 24

2010-07-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Bowl of cereal

2pm-1am
3 pieces of cheese pizza
~15 mins walk
Tall iced chai
~10 min walk
Various Japanese Tapas
Cranberry juice

Meals & Exercise, Day 23

2010-07-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm (I didn't actually wake up until noon today)
1 bottle of water
Bowl of cereal
Half of a banana

2pm-1am
Chips & salsa, chili con queso
Tortilla salad
Lemonade
Small plate of naan, chicken tikka masala, rice
Orange banana pineapple juice
Tiger Milk bar

Official Weigh-In

2010-07-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Start Weight (6/28/10): 159
Current Weight (7/16/10): 156.9
Difference: -2.1

I'm up a little from last week, but that could be the buffet I had over the weekend, or it could be me gaining muscle. I'm ok with it, either way, but I am going to try to watch what I eat more carefully. I've been hovering around 156 for a LONG time, and I need to really push myself to make it past that number!

Meals & Exercise, Day 22

2010-07-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Bowl of Cheerios cereal
Half a bottle of Evolution Defense Up
Banana

2pm-1am
Tiger Milk bar
cheese stick
Cone of white chocolate gelato
Shared veggie fried rice, sweet potato fries
Small carafe of hot sake
20 mins on elliptical (-200 cals)
Chimichurri steak plus veggies

I feel good!

2010-07-14T23:48:00.000-07:00

I've been exercising consistently for 3 weeks now. That makes me feel SO great! :) Even if that scale on Friday morning doesn't show more weight loss, I'll still be happy. I need to work a little bit on what I'm eating, but I'm getting there. I don't believe in deprivation. If I want a bite of cheesecake, I'll take a bite. But I need to make sure that I don't eat the whole cheesecake, or even half the cheesecake (unless I've earned it!).

I've noticed that I feel stronger. I still need to work on my upper body strength (can barely do a push-up in yoga!), and I need to more ab crunches/sit-ups. But I've definitely become comfortable with my current elliptical/yoga/tennis routine. If for some reason I can't do something at a scheduled time, my body demands that I find another time. It WANTS exercise! What a change from the little voice at the back of my head saying "nah, you can exercise tomorrow..."

So yeah, even if the pounds don't fall off, I feel good, I feel HEALTHY! :) And that's really what matters!

Meals & Exercise, Day 21

2010-07-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
1 hr 15 mins of yoga
Tiger Milk bar
Shared Tres Leches cake
2 spring rolls w/shrimp

2pm-1am
A few grapes
Guava Izze
1 bite of strawberry cheesecake
Edamame salad
2 bites of veggie "taco" (no tortilla, just a lettuce leaf)
2 bites of strawberry cheesecake
5 mins on elliptical (-50 cals)
Monterey cheeseburger w/fries
8 mins walk/run

Meals & Exercise, Day 20

2010-07-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-300 cals)
Nature Valley bar

2pm-1am
Tuna sandwich
Fruit tart
3 macarons
Half of Evolution Defense Up bottle
Shared cheese Ravioli, 1 piece of garlic bread, fruit, salad w/garbanzo beans, spinach & artichoke dip
~1 mile brisk walk

Bf and his sister are both coming down with some type of cold... Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't catch it!! :( I had a terrible headache today, along with a stomachache and indigestion - not sure if that's from eating too much, from getting a sunburn, or the apartment being too hot... hoping I'll feel better in time for yoga tomorrow.

Meals & Exercise, Day 19

2010-07-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Box of Pocky
Tiger Milk Bar

2pm-1am
Box of Pocky
Bite of pb sandwich (tasted weird!)
Brownie
Fruit
Small cobb salad
Half of Evolution Defense Up bottle
20 mins on elliptical (-160 cals)
Shared orange roughy, bowtie pasta, chickpea salad, brownie
20 mins tennis

Meals & Exercise, Day 17 & 18

2010-07-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Day 17

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Dim Sum (about 4 pieces of various things)

2pm-1am
Walking for 30ish mins
Halibut

Day 18

10am-2pm
Buffet brunch
Lots and lots of walking

2pm-1am
Shared bag of candy
Cobb salad

Today and tomorrow I'm on vacation... will get back to a regular schedule on Day 19!

Official Weigh-In

2010-07-09T10:39:00.002-07:00

At 10:30 am, I weighed in at 155.1 lbs. I've put my goal weight at 140, though my ultimate goal is 135. I am 5'7, for reference.

Start (6/28/10): 159
Current (7/9/10): 155.1
Difference: -3.9

15.1 lbs to go! :)

Meals & Exercise, Day 16

2010-07-09T10:39:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-300 cals)
Banana
Tiger milk bar (are these things actually healthy, or am I basically eating a candy bar? :p Love the way it tastes though!)

2pm-1am
A couple pieces of sushi
Glass of 7-up
~1 mile walk
Shared cobb salad, burger, fries, bread & dip
Pomegranate lemonade

Meals & Exercise, Day 15

2010-07-08T13:16:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-300 cals)
1 banana
A couple small pieces of fruit

2pm-1am
Tiger Milk bar
Shared salmon, rice pilaf, gumbo, pepper salad, chocolate mousse cake
~15 mins of tennis

Meals & Exercise, Day 14

2010-07-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
1 hr 15 mins yoga
Yakult
Granola bar

2pm-1am
Cheese crisps with hummus
Small glass of orange tangerine juice
Granola bar
Strawberry yogurt
Baked halibut, chai latte, 2 bites of chocolate ganache
Popcorn

I'm going to start taking 2000 IU of Vitamin D with dinner today. I initially bought 400 IU, but after reading about it, decided that a larger dosage would be more helpful. This is currently the max recommended dose for adults, but I read studies which suggested that max could be significantly raised. I'll be sticking with 2000 though; I don't want to chance it (since Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and can be toxic at high doses).

Test Results

2010-07-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

My TSH level is still too high, so I'm going to be taking 50 mg Mon-Sat, and then 2 doses (100 mg) on Sundays only... which seems a little weird to me, but whatever.

And apparently I have a bit of a Vitamin D deficiency... so I'll have to pick up a supplement.

I'll go back for another blood test in 6-8 weeks. Hopefully everything will be normal by then!! I'm getting incredibly tired of blood tests, pills, doctors... ugh.

Meals & Exercise, Day 13

2010-07-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical
Granola bar
Yakult
3 cheese crisps

2pm-1am
Granola bar
Salad, pasta, & little cookies from Souplantation
~5 mins of Jillian Michaels dvd (still kicking my butt)

Meals & Exercise, Day 12

2010-07-05T12:10:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Small bowl of frosted mini wheats

2pm-1am
2 mile walk
Lamb burger and fries
Mint lemonade
Pecan brownie
~35 mins tennis
Salad w/beets, carrots, zucchini

Meals & Exercise, Day 11

2010-07-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
3 mini brownies & half a glass of 2% milk

2pm-1am
10 mins Jillian Michaels 30-day (man, that dvd kicks my butt!!)
Small bowl of frosted mini wheats
~40 mins tennis
Carrots, broccoli w/ranch dip
Chocolate fondue
3 mile walk
Shared steak, salsa, rice, french fries, veggies
1 can of Guarana

Meals & Exercise, Day 10

2010-07-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Nature Valley bar

2pm-1am
Half a filet o fish, regular fries, sprite from McDonalds (went to the museum and this was the only thing nearby :\)
3 mini brownies
Shared crab cellophane noodles, beef, brown rice, hot donuts (took mom out for her bday)
10 mins Jillian Michaels dvd

Didn't have time to post my weight yesterday, but I was around 156. I'm not sure how I lost that much weight, or if I actually did lose the weight... but I decided I'm going to postpone the "official" weight post (and sidebar updating) until next Friday. Should give my body a little time to get used to exercising nearly every day. And some time to recuperate from all the food I ate this weekend. :p

Meals & Exercise, Day 9

2010-07-02T18:37:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
Water
Nature valley bar

2pm-1am
Handful of combo chips
2 carrots & tomatoes with ranch dip
Nicoise salad
Lemonade
2 pieces of Crunchy Roll
2 pieces of salmon sushi
Hot Tea

Meals & Exercise, Day 8

2010-07-01T11:33:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
Tiger Milk bar
~30 mins tennis

2pm-1am
Shared mediterranean salad
Slice of boston cream pie
Glass of mint lemonade
Couple sips of blue raspberry icee
Kimchee fried rice
Shared chocolate fondue, caramel, marshmallows
~20 mins tennis

Meals & Exercise, Day 7

2010-06-30T12:48:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
1 banana
Tiger's Milk bar

2pm-1am
3 tortilla chips
Greek salad
Small glass of tangerine juice
Handful of combo pretzel/cheddar
Nature Valley bar
Broccoli, carrots & ranch dip
2 small squares of thin crust veggie pizza

Meals & Exercise, Day 6

2010-06-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
1 banana
Box of chocolate organic reduced fat milk (180 cals)

2pm-1am
Turkey & colby jack with a little hummus on olive bread
Yakult
Egg, bacon (2 pieces) with colby jack on olive bread
~40 mins tennis

I'm going to count calories when I can... but won't go out of my way to do it. I want to try to stay under 1600 calories. According to this calculator, that's somewhere between fat loss and extreme fat loss.

I'm also going to go back to updating my weight every Friday. I'll probably still weigh myself every morning, but the Friday weight will get posted.

Blood Test Today

2010-06-28T13:31:00.001-07:00

I've been on Synthroid for a little over 7 weeks now. I'm getting a blood test today to see if my TSH levels have dropped to normal levels. If not, I'll have to get my dosage adjusted. Other than the fact that my legs feel odd (like they've been overworked), I don't really feel too much of a difference. Maybe I just have to give it more time. But I'm still considering dropping the Synthroid and going the diet and exercise route entirely... I need to read more about it first.

Anyway, I'll find out the results in a week.

Meals & Exercise, Day 5

2010-06-28T13:25:00.001-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cal)
Nature Valley bar

2pm-1am
Veggie salad
1 bottle of water
4 barbeque pop crisps
1 spoonful of banana cheesecake
Shared Spinach & Artichoke (mini) pizza, baked potato, pizookie from BJ's

Meals & Exercise, Day 4

2010-06-27T14:29:00.001-07:00

(didn't count Saturday because I didn't exercise and I ate lots of things I didn't keep track of)

10am-2pm
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bar
A few Pop Chips
Half a can of clementine izze

2pm-1am
Shared Greek salad, dolmades, baklava
Frozen yogurt
25 mins tennis
Shared cheeseburger & miso salmon from Cheesecake Factory

Meals & Exercise, Day 3

2010-06-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
S'mores granola bar
1 stick of string cheese

2pm-1am
Passion fruit iced tea
Shared mushroom burger & fries
Can of Hansen soda
Can of Coke (great dinner, eh? :p)

Meals & Exercise, Day 2

2010-06-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

10am-2pm
1 bottle of water
1 banana
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
Turkey salad w/walnuts & cranberries

2pm-1am
Peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar
1 bottle of water
1 oatmeal chocolate cookie
2 hrs yoga
Chicken salad & bruschetta
Shared chocolate cake

Meals & Exercise, Day 1

2010-06-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm trying to start this up again... let's see if I can stick to it. :)

10am-2pm
1 banana
30 mins on elliptical (-250 cals)
2 waters
2 pieces of alpine bread w/1 piece of havarti cheese
1 8 fl oz box of Horizon organic chocolate milk

2pm-1am
1 orange chocolate oat cookie
Shared greek salad, salsa & tortilla chips

Forced Myself to Exercise

2010-06-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

I went to the gym for 30 mins this morning after I dropped M off at work. I ~~want~~ NEED to do this every day. I ate a banana afterwards and am now drinking half a bottle of water. My goal is to also go to yoga or play tennis with M tonight. I'd like to study for at least 6 hours today at school, so maybe tennis is the way to go.

I'm going to end up drinking about 3 bottles (.5 L) of water today. Is that too much? Probably not, but I just want to be sure...

Synthroid, Week 5

2010-06-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

I've started noticing some numbness in the tips of my toes... mostly my left big toe. Also, my legs have been feeling odd... like I'm having some sort of circulation problem. A little bit of crampy/tinglyness.

I still haven't really noticed any energy boost. When am I supposed to notice that? Week 6? After a couple months?

I'm getting another blood test in 1 week and 4 days (when I'm done with week 6). Here's to hoping my TSH levels have come down...

Synthroid, Week 3

2010-06-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

When are you going to start giving me more energy, Synthroid? You're letting me down. :p

Leg Spasm

2010-06-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

As of Saturday, I think I'll fully recuperated from the cold.

Had a weird thing happen yesterday though... I was woken abruptly early in the morning by a really nasty, painful leg cramp... or spasm... I'm not quite sure what to call it. M said he actually saw my muscle "bulge." I've had this happen before, maybe a couple times a year. But the soreness that follows usually fades after a few hours. This time, though, it still feels very sore and tight. Maybe it's because I went for a walk yesterday?

Anyway, just writing it down in case it has something to do with the Synthroid... though more likely it's from not drinking enough or some vitamin deficiency.

It was DAMN painful though! I never want it to happen again. :(

Day 6 of Sick

2010-05-29T03:19:00.000-07:00

I've been keeping track of a lot of things lately! :p Tonight also marks the 3rd night I've gotten hives (which seem to be exacerbated by heat and big meals). It's also the 2nd day with a stiff neck (left side). Just wanted to keep track of these symptoms in case I need to go to the doctor with them later...

I'm ready to be all better now. I miss normal sleep, exercise, and being able to concentrate!!

Synthroid, Week 2

2010-05-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've been sick for the past week, but all the symptoms (other than hives!!? wtf) seem typical of the common cold. Nothing that could be attributed to the Synthroid. As far as any positive changes... impossible to tell, since I feel like crap! Ah well.

1 week of Synthroid

2010-05-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

So far, I haven't experienced any unpleasant side effects... at least I don't think I have. Nothing out of the ordinary. On the positive front, I feel a little less tired, but I'm not sure if I can attribute that to the pills. I have also been waking up exactly 8 hours after I go to bed. And I dream, vividly... but that's nothing new.

Week of May 17th - Meals & Exercise

2010-05-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Monday
Bottle of 20 fl oz water w/Synthroid
Bowl of kix cereal w/2% milk
Salad with ranch dressing
3 slices of pizza
3 hostess donettes

Tuesday
Bottle of 20 fl oz water w/Synthroid
6 donettes
Banana
Carne asada fries

Wednesday
?

Thursday
A lot of cookie cake :p

Goals Post-Grad

2010-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to start a diet and exercise log up again. Although I'm done with school, I am studying for the bar, but I should still have some time to jot this stuff down. It's really important that I establish a routine, because after the bar I'm going back to work... and if I'm already used to exercise by then, I'm hoping it'll be easier to stick to it.

I also am hoping to one day go off the Synthroid. If my TSH levels drop down to 2, and I get in the habit of dieting and exercising, maybe I keep it at that level without using the drug. For now I'm going to eat normally (but still healthily) and then I need to look into a gluten-free diet, and other diets recommended for people with hypothyroidism.

I'm still aiming to lose weight, though I have only 10 weeks until the bar. If I can lose 10 pounds in those 10 weeks, I would be thrilled. I think even 10 pounds would make my clothes fit better.

I'm going to post my weight every Friday morning again. The Withings scale hasn't been getting much use lately, so I'll be probably go back to daily weigh-ins (that get automatically tweeted, but won't be posted).

Day 1

2010-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

This is my first day of taking Synthroid (for hypothyroidism). I'm going to try to chronicle how the drug makes me feel... if my energy levels go up, or if I have any side effects.

Currently feeling pretty tired, with brittle nails and dry skin. :(

Hiatus

2010-04-24T00:31:00.001-07:00

Will be back after May 16th... when I'm done with finals and graduation! :)

Meals & Exercise, 4/15-4/16

2010-04-16T14:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday
Arby's roast beef sandwich & curly fries
ice cream sundae (it was free from school!)
Ahi tuna salad and sourdough bread

Friday
granola bar
Tuna roll & crunchy roll
Chicken tikka masala, cheese naan, pilau rice

Meals & Exercise, 4/14

2010-04-15T00:29:00.001-07:00

Oatmeal bar
Baby cheeseburger from Fatburger
Banana shake
Banana
Water
Chicken tikka masala, rice, naan
10ish mins taking a brisk walk

Meals & Exercise, 4/13

2010-04-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday
chocolate muffin
turkey & cheese croissant
chocolate muffin
banana
granola bar
mango slices
40ish mins playing tennis

Meals & Exercise, 4/10-4/12

2010-04-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday
Patty melt
Shared honey chicken, green beans, brown rice

Sunday
Shared cheeseburger & salmon salad
Iced chai
Shared noodles w/crab, beef, brown rice
Walked around the mall

Monday
chocolate muffin, glass of milk
banana
chocolate muffin
granola bar
chicken enchiladas, chips, salsa, pinto beans

Meals & Exercise 4/6 - 4/9

2010-04-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Tues
??

Wed
??
(I let too many days go by... I forgot what I ate... probably conveniently :P)

Thurs
Thai chicken pasta
2 cookies
Veggie salad
Tennis for 30ish mins

Fri
Cookie (what a great breakfast! :p)
1 mango slice
Cookie
Greek chicken pasta salad

Meals & Exercise, 4/4 & 4/5

2010-04-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday
High tea (quiche, finger sandwiches)
Bacon, eggs and ham

Monday
cereal
beef lo mein
iced chai

Meals & Exercise, 4/2 & 4/3

2010-04-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Friday
Lunch - ahi tuna salad & calamari
1 hr (ish) tennis match
Dinner - Crispy green beans, honey chicken, brown rice & tea

Saturday (bad bad bad! all b/c of easter :p)
Scotchmallow egg
Marshmallow egg
40 min (ish) tennis match
Salad w/apples, walnuts, grapes; a few french fries
Marshmallow bunnies (sense a theme? :p)
Half of a large thin crust pineapple pizza (ACK!)

Meals & Exercise, 4/1

2010-04-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

10:30-1:30pm
Gym (20 mins on elliptical)
Oatmeal on the run bars - 210 cal

1:30-4:30
1 TD Choc PB Egg (200 cal; these are gone now!)
~10 baby carrots
1 hard-boiled egg

4:30-7:30
Veggie couscous (250 cal)

7:30-10:30
Whole wheat pasta w/marinara sauce

Meals & Exercise, 3/31

2010-03-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start jotting down my meals/exercise again... going to try to do it everyday for the whole month! Hopefully it'll keep me accountable :)

I'm trying to eat small meals every 3 hours... it's supposed to jumpstart my metabolism.

10:30-1:30pm
Gym (20 mins on elliptical)
Oatmeal on the run bars - 210 cal
Apple - 100 cal?

1:30-4:30
Turkey, pepper jack & tomato on wheat bread - 300 cal?
2 TD Choc PB Egg (oopsie <.<) - 400 cal

4:30-7:30
Chili lime chicken burger with tomato, avocado, lettuce on wheat bun
Sweet potato fries

Health Issues

2010-03-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

So it's possible that my thyroid may be contributing to my weight gain (or making it more difficult to lose weight). I'll know Monday if I do actually have a problem (I'll have the results of a 2nd blood test). And if I start taking pills, maybe the pounds will begin to melt off? I'm still committed to daily exercise, one way or the other.

Exercising

2010-03-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a 20 min walk down to bf's work, and then took a 20 min walk back with him. Today I went to the gym and used the exercise bike for 30 mins. I'm feeling pretty good right now! Now if I can just keep this up! :)

Back on Track

2010-03-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

For real this time!!

Starting Saturday morning, I'm going to get back to a regular routine. I say Saturday because right now I'm working on a huge assignment, and I'm going to give myself some slack (nevermind all the slack I've been giving myself the last two months).

Saturday morning, I'll do a meal plan that I'll stick to. Saturday morning I'll begin to weigh myself daily again. Saturday morning I'll devise a workout plan.

I feel motivated again. Sure, I only have 2 months until graduation, which makes it impossible that I'll lose 20 lbs. But that's ok. I just want to feel healthy and for my clothes to fit. One step at a time!

Goals

2010-01-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

Current Weight: 155.0
Goal Weight: 135
= Difference of 20 pounds

Goal Date: April 3, 2010 (13 weeks). That's about 1.5 lb/week.

Meal Plan, 1/2 - 1/8

2010-01-02T13:54:00.000-08:00

We did a huge grocery shopping trip yesterday, so I'm going to give meal planning another shot. We mostly have middle ground food (as in, not super healthy, not super unhealthy), but there's some healthy stuff in there. I've lost 2 lbs in the last couple weeks, so I'm feeling encouraged... but I think I could lose even more if I keep track of what I'm putting in my mouth!

Saturday
Lunch: Chips & salsa, hummus, raisin bread
Dinner: Baked potatoes w/cheese

Sunday
Breakfast/Lunch: eating out with friend
Dinner: Turkey & cheese sandwich

Monday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: eating out w/mom
Dinner:

Tuesday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: peanut butter sandwich

Wednesday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: turkey & cheese on a roll
Dinner: tuna melt

Thursday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: turkey & cheese sandwich
Dinner: pasta

Friday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: pb sandwich
Dinner: mexican w/friends

Goals

2009-09-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

Current Weight: 155.6
Goal Weight: 130
= Difference of 25.6 pounds

Goal Date: March 18, 2010 (25 weeks). That's about 1 lb/week. I'm being generous with myself.

Per day, I'm going to try to take in 1425 calories and burn 500 calories.

Exercise Routine (now until 1/2010)

Mon: Yoga (11am-12:30pm) ~350 cals burned; Make up 150 deficit by: Swimming or going to beach during day; Biking or walking by myself in afternoon; Tennis or Jogging w/M at night
Arm exercises and Sit-ups (11-11:30pm) -15 mins w/8 lb weights and 15 mins Bosu Ball

Tues: Gym, Elliptical (10:30-11:30am) ~400 cals burned; Make up 100 deficit by: Tennis or Jogging w/M at night

Wed: Yoga (11am-12:30pm) ~350 cals burned; Make up 150 deficit by: Tennis or Jogging w/M at night; Arm exercises (15 mins w/8 lb weights) and Bosu ball (15 mins sit ups)
Arm exercises and Sit-ups (11-11:30pm) -15 mins w/8 lb weights and 15 mins Bosu Ball

Th: Gym, Elliptical (10:30-11:30) ~400 cals burned; Make up 100 deficit by: Tennis or Jogging w/M at night

Fri: Yoga (11am-12:30pm) ~350 cals burned; Make up 150 deficit by: Swimming or going to beach during day; Biking or walking by myself in afternoon; Tennis or Jogging w/M at night
Arm exercises and Sit-ups (11-11:30pm) -15 mins w/8 lb weights and 15 mins Bosu Ball

Sat: Yoga (12-1:30 OR 4-5:30) ~350 cals burned; Make up 150 deficit by: Swimming, Biking, Basketball, Tennis or Jogging w/M

Sun: Yoga (10-11:30am) ~350 cals burned; Make up 150 deficit by: Swimming, Biking, Basketball, Tennis or Jogging w/M
Arm exercises and Sit-ups (11-11:30pm) -15 mins w/8 lb weights and 15 mins Bosu Ball

1425 Cal Meal Plan, take 2

2009-09-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted here in forever. Meanwhile, I've gained a few pounds. GREAT. :P So I'm going to make a renewed effort to blog, and restart my meal plan. Starting summer school, getting a new job, moving, losing the new job and starting fall semester kind of disrupted everything... but now I'm back, and ready for a healthy routine again!!

I'm going to try to make this simple, but with some options, so I can eat it every day and not get bored. (note: this is a work in progress)

Breakfast [360 max]
Cereal w/2 % Milk (Life (~200); Frosted Mini-Wheats (~260); Start Smart (~260); GoLean Crunch (~260))
Juice (Orange, Grape, Apple)
Yogurt (Whips, ?)
Fruit (pineapples, pears)

Lunch [375 max]
Sandwich (Peanut Butter on wheat (190 + 180= 370); 1 slice of turkey, 1 of colby jack cheese on wheat; tuna on wheat)
Soup (Campbell's)
Hummus & Pita
Kavli Crispbread w/2 slices of cheese

Afternoon Snack [100 max]
100 cal pack of anything (but stay away from overly processed foods and foods high in fat, calories and sugar)
Fruit
String Cheese
Edamame
Carrot Sticks

Dinner [490 max]
Baked potato
Pasta
Salad w/italian dressing

Late Night Snack [100 max]
Fruit
String Cheese
Edamame
Carrot Sticks

Lots of Food

2009-05-30T21:14:00.001-07:00

I've been eating a lot of fatty food this week... May actually have gained weight come Tuesday. :\ Stressed about the wedding I'm attending next weekend and our move at the end of June! Will have to work doubly hard next week!

Weight Loss

2009-05-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Despite participating in the 5 week frenzy (trying to lose 2 lbs every week), I seem to be hovering around losing 1 lb per week, and I'm ok with that. As long as I'm consistently losing SOMETHING, I'll be happy. :)

Assuming that I do lose 1 lb per week, and taking into account that I'm at 149.4 now, it should take me about 19 weeks to get down to 130. That's almost 5 months, around October '09. So I won't quite be at my target weight in time for my boyfriend's mom's wedding, but I'll be damn close. :)

When I lose 25 lbs...

2009-05-17T19:54:00.001-07:00

I will buy myself a pair of Christian Louboutins pumps in nude. :) Have to start saving (and losing)!

Cooking

2009-05-17T19:27:00.001-07:00

I think I'm done with it for now. Maybe just Mondays and Fridays I could cook, but T/W/Th, eating out all the way. I am SO exhausted after a full day of work and then yoga til 10, I can barely move. I just have to find a place that's open late enough to accommodate M getting out of work at 11-12 at night...

Current Exercise Regimen

2009-05-16T23:28:00.000-07:00

Personal Training - 1-2x/week (W and/or F)
Gym (elliptical) - 3-4x/week (M, sometimes F, Sat, Sun)
Yoga - 3-4x/week (T, W, Th, sometimes Sun)

Hopefully when we move I'll be closer to a pool and can add swimming once a week to the mix! I also purchased a bosu ball and weights, so I'm going to try to work on my abs and arms every morning. :)

Early Weigh-in

2009-05-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

I weighed myself today and I'm at exactly 151 lbs. To make the 2 lb loss by Tuesday, I'll have to be at 149.2... considering I only have 2 days left, I don't think I'm gonna do it. :\ Oh well... at least I'm still losing, if not as much as I'd like.

I'll be very happy if I'm at least down 10 lbs by mid-July. I'm pretty sure I can do it!!

I'm thinking about buying a bosu ball and doing 15 mins of abs every day. I've been doing it with the personal trainer and it feels great, so thought it'd be smart to do it at home... After a few months, I could stop going to the personal trainer and do all this stuff on my own! Would save me $160/mo!

Workout Interference!

2009-05-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

I was planning to go to yoga in a few minutes (and I was planning to go to the gym yesterday), but my bf - who usually comes home from work REALLY late, like midnight - has all of a sudden come home early, thus FOILING my workout plans! I'm beginning to think he's in cahoots from someone else doing the Five Week Frenzy!!! ;)

I love spending more time with him, but I think I do have to separate myself from him later tonight and drag my butt to the gym - and do a looong workout, since I'm missing out on yoga (and those 500 calories it probably burns!!).

I'm going to my 2nd personal training session tomorrow, and I've made plans to go to yoga at night with my dad, so at least I know tomorrow I'll be going at this weight loss thing, full steam ahead! :)

Mother's Day Calories!

2009-05-11T00:54:00.001-07:00

I dragged myself to the gym this evening after I spent a number of hours gorging myself on a truly AMAZING buffet (a treat for my mom :))... I only burned 250 calories on the elliptical machine; I'm hoping that coupled with the walking I did will be enough to counteract the effects of the buffet? (But if not... it was worth every bite ;))

Personal Training

2009-05-08T14:30:00.001-07:00

LOVED my personal training this morning! I'll be seeing her again next week. :) Hopefully this will jump start my 2 pound loss for this week!

Five Week Frenzy

2009-05-06T23:09:00.000-07:00

I've joined Rebecca's Five Week Frenzy challenge - lose 10 lbs in 5 weeks! I have my first personal training session this week, plus I'm done with finals, plus I have friends lined up to go with me to yoga daily next week... I feel pumped! I can do it! :) (um... I think??)

1425 Cal Meal Plan

2009-04-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to make this simple, but with some options, so I can eat it every day and not get bored. (note: this is a work in progress)

Breakfast [360 max]
Cereal w/2 % Milk (Life (~200); Frosted Mini-Wheats (~260); Start Smart (~260); GoLean Crunch (~260))
Juice (Orange, Grape, Apple)
Yogurt (Whips, ?)
Fruit (pineapples, pears)

Lunch [375 max]
Sandwich (Peanut Butter on wheat (190 + 180= 370); 1 slice of turkey, 1 of colby jack cheese on wheat; tuna on wheat)
Soup (Campbell's)
Hummus & Pita
Kavli Crispbread w/2 slices of cheese

Afternoon Snack [100 max]
100 cal pack of anything (but stay away from overly processed foods and foods high in fat, calories and sugar)
Fruit
String Cheese
Edamame
Carrot Sticks

Dinner [490 max]
Baked potato
Pasta
Salad w/italian dressing

Late Night Snack [100 max]
Fruit
String Cheese
Edamame
Carrot Sticks

Renewed Effort

2009-04-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm going to make a renewed effort to get the pounds off (and make use of this blog).

Current Weight: 150
Goal Weight: 130

I would love to lose the weight in 2 months. I really want to look good for the wedding I have to attend. But I recognize that it's not healthy to lose more than 2 pounds/week. So losing 16 pounds is my goal.

In order to do this, I have to reduce my calories by 1000/day. I'm going to try to restrict myself to 1425 calories/day and burn 500 calories/day.

Not sure if that's possible, but I'm definitely going to try!!

A Present to Me

2009-03-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

I think I need some kind of motivation to jump start my weight loss. I've been kind of depressed and lethargic lately... I've planned to go to the gym every morning for the past week but it hasn't worked out at all... I can barely drag myself out of bed to get to work.

So, when I lose 20 pounds (and when I get a new job, since otherwise I can't afford these at ALL), I'm going to buy myself a pair of jeans I've been lusting after - William Rast Belle Jeans in Barcelona.

Hopefully that will give me the motivation I need!!

Thursday's Log

2009-03-05T11:49:00.001-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: croquette, cheese roll
Lunch: ?
Dinner: ?

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
?

Wednesday's Log

2009-03-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: frosted mini-wheats
Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich
Dinner: Chicken nachos

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
Exercise Bike for 40 mins

Tuesday's Log

2009-03-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: nothing
Lunch: ham & cheese croissant (300? no idea; I get the croissants from Ralph's Bakery... no nutritional info on the container; then I add 1 slice of cheese and ham)
Snack: 100 cal pack of pretzels
Snack: 100 cal pack of cookies
Snack: 6(!) 2-bite poppyseed scones (480)
Dinner: Swordfish

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
None

Monday's Log

2009-03-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: 5 little brownies (ack!!)
Lunch: ham & cheese croissant; half glass of fresh oj
Dinner: small salad w/ranch dressing; couple bites of chili

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
DDR for 60 mins

Sunday's Log

2009-03-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: 2 slices of toast w/jam
Linner: 3 slices of spinach & mushroom pizza

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
Bike ride - 30 mins

Saturday's Log

2009-02-28T16:14:00.000-08:00

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Brunch: pizza bagel (bagel with tomato sauce & cheese); half a double chocolate muffin; apple juice
Dinner: 1 slice of ham & pineapple pizza, 1/4 a slice of pepperoni

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
DDR for 15 mins

Weight Goals

2009-02-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

Current Weight: 151.2
Goal Weight: 130

Months to reach goal: 4
21.2 lbs/4 = 5.3 lbs/month

Workout Plan:
M: Yoga or Gym for 1 1/2 hrs
T: DDR for 1 hr
W: Gym for 1 hr
Th: Gym for 1 hr
F: Yoga or Gym for 1 1/2 hrs
Sa: Tennis, Biking, Yoga, Gym or DDR for 1 1/2 hrs
Su: Yoga, Gym or DDR for 1 1/2 hrs

Starting up exercise/meal tracking again!

2009-02-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

I think it was very motivating for me to keep track of my daily exercise and eating habits... I'm going to start this up again. :)

Meals (should take in no more than 1600 cal/day)
Breakfast: glass of 2% milk (150); banana muffins (100) - I've been getting a lot of the "100 calorie snack packs" from the store lately, so it's easier to count calories!
Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich (180 for bread, 100? for pb = 280); little cookies (80)
Dinner: burger (425); fries (200) --> I know I'm going to have this because I'm going to a fancy burger place for a friend's b-day! The calories for the burger are only if I eat half! :\

Exercise (need to burn at least 200 cal/day)
None

New ways to exercise!

2009-02-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have tennis planned for this weekend again, but what I'm really excited about is what's arriving in the mail on Friday... a metal Dance Dance Revolution pad! I'm not sure how many of you know about this game, but it is SO much fun and an amazing workout. Basically you have four arrows on the pad and you "dance" by stepping on the same arrows that show up on the screen at the appropriate times.

I used to do it all the time with my bf when we had hardwood floors in the house. Now that we have carpets, the pads slide around too much. A metal pad takes care of that! I'm hoping to play every day! :)