So far on my journey

I saw the article online in the Chronicle about the CHANGE program and I realized that it was something I needed. I needed to make a CHANGE in my life so that I could live. I'm a cop, I experience lots of stress 24/7, I've been eating bad for many years. Partly out of my love affair with food, and partly out of convenience. I knew that I needed to stop and do something about it a long time ago, but I lacked the knowledge and the support and drive to do so. In my interview, I remember Andrew telling me that I needed to carve out time for myself. Hard to do with 4 teenagers, full time job and part-time job teaching college, but I knew he was right!

When I was picked last Friday to be a part of this awesome program, I new part of my life opened up. I not only felt the support of my family but of all those people sitting in the room and my community. I'm excited and a bit scared of the next 12 weeks, but I'm going to do this for me! I'm going to CHANGE into a healthy human being!

It started with Otto, my personal trainer. I hope to one day have 1/2 the energy and positive aura he possess. He met me at the store and showed me that I needed to be eating more vegtables and taught me to figure out their choleric value. If you don't know, it's really easy to find on the Internet, just do a google search for what you are wanting to eat and you can find the calories! I also found a really cool application that I have on my Ipod Touch that I can input the foods that I am eating during the day. Otto explained that I needed to drink lots of water, and stop with the coffee (goodbye Starbucks, I'm sorry I have to end it this way with no notice. I think you will be able to move on) and soda. We broke down times for me to eat so that I'll be eating smaller but more meals throughout the day. He sent me home with my bag of groceries and a heart monitor to use while we work out. (You can buy one at Wal-Mart in the sporting aisle.) It looks like a watch and comes with a band. You wear the band under your clothes around your chest...this is really neat and I'm actually wearing it right now at work. ( I am trying to identify my stresses, which I'll talk about later) I had a food scale at home, so I went to work portioning my meals and figuring out the calories
So, the following is my first three days of meals:
Monday
0730-Oatmeal-160 Cal
8 oz Apple Juice- 120 cal
1030 1 medium nectarine-70 cal
1330 4 oz of sliced turkey meat-120 cal
28 grams Swiss Cheese-100 cal
Small sweet potato (no butter, just plain) 82 cal
1630 28 grams of Swiss Cheese-100 cal
752-total

Tuesday
0730 Oatmeal-160 cal
8 Oz Orange Juice-100 cal
1030 small apple-55 cal
1330 4 oz sliced turkey meat- 120 cal
28 grams Swiss Cheese-100 cal
small (but bigger than yesterdays) sweet potato-111 cal
1630 88 grams Broccoli-30 cal
52 grams of cucumbers (8 cal) with 1/2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (5 cal)- 13 cal
689-total

Wednesday--went of schedule today due to something happening at work
0730 Oatmeal- 160 cal
8 oz of orange juice-100 cal
1030 small nectarine 70 cal
1300 28 grams swiss cheese-100
52 grams of cucumbers (8 cal) with 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar (5 cals)- 13 cal
1600- 100 grams of watermelon- 60 calories
1900 4 oz piece of Salmon cooked with no calorie spray and fresh dill in oven-206 cal
1/2 cup of cooked couscous-88 grams

797 total

Yesterday was all goofed up and I need to plan for when I have to run out of the office around the times I eat. My husband thought it was doing a good thing for me when he made me the Salmon. He cooked it in margarine, in a frying pan. I was strong and told him I couldn't eat it because it's basically fried. My son pipped up "She has to stick to the plan". Good support! I put the salmon in a little foil boat with dill and non stick no calorie spray. In the oven for 20 minutes and it was done and it was good! I cut up some 4 oz pieces of chicken and popped them in the oven too so that I have food to eat for the week. It was very simple and I found myself excited about eating it with a nice salad piled high with vegetable goodness.

Workouts-
As I type this, my arms ache, but with a good soreness. One I haven't felt in awhile. Otto and I have been meeting at the gym at 0530---yes...that is early, but I'm there!
I didn't keep good track of what we did the first few days, but will from here on out.
I am basically doing cardio twice a day, keeping my heart rate in the 65%-70% range (which is calculated on my heart monitor) Otto started me on strength training, we've worked upper body and today, legs. The following is my workout from this morning

10 min-Elliptical machine
10 min- Recumbent Bike
Leg slides-60 lbs
80 lbs
90 lbs
10 repetitions on each weight followed by 5 reps isometrical (these were killers)
Leg curls- 50 lbs 3 sets of 10 reps
Leg extensions- 60 lbs 3 set of 10 reps
Calves- 1 set of 10 toes forward
1 set of 10 toes inward
1 set of 10 toes outward
Abs-leg raises 3 X 10 reps

Oh..and I never thought I'd have a problem remembering how to breath. I'm breathing in when I should be breaking out and vica versa...I'll catch on soon!
The abs are a weak point for me and Otto has been working me hard here, but also being safe about it so that I don't hurt myself. However, that doesn't mean that he doesn't push me. Today, in the last of my second set on the leg raises, I was giving out. My legs were quivering...the last set, Otto basically said to me..."This set has to be perfect. You can do it,but if it's not perfect, then you have to do it over. It's only 10, but if it not prefect of your give out, you have to do it over. Focus". Ok..so...the military bearing in me kicked in and I did it. The last one, he made me hold for 5 seconds and lift my head off the mat, but you know what..I DID IT! When he said time, instead of flopping my feet down, I slowly put them down. I opened my eyes to a high five and a "You did it and good control on the way down". That was enough to make the rest of my day!
I ran home, showered, changed, grabbed my pre packaged lunch and off I went to work.
I'll be doing cardio at work today...and something this evening...
Oh..and I'm wearing my heart monitor at work to see if I can identify my stresses...so far...it's my boss! hahahahaha
If you see me at the gym....tell me hello!!!!!! I need your help !
Cinda