So – I have been having a bit of down time – almost the entire month of January – from working out.  For a while I was still eating appropriately, but lately, I can’t even claim that.  I do have an excuse – Illness & medication – but that’s not good enough any more.

This weekend was my first batting practice in 10 months…. That’s a LONG time for me.  Coming from Washington State, where we hit and play year round, any kind of break is extremely unusual.  10 months is a lifetime.  Needless to say, I was sore as HELL yesterday.  I was planning on going home and getting some sleep, but my workout partner/neighbor guilted me into getting off my arse and hitting the gym.

Got a good workout in, which helped with the soreness, but cardiovascular activity and I have fall out of favor.  I need to get back into that, since it’s what truly enables my badonkadonk to get a bit smaller.  Some running/walking intervals and I should be back to where I was.  I’ve gained 3 lbs back, but I’m still doing well as far as the sizing goes.

I’m still pushing the water thing, too – drink as much water as you can and that helps your digestion and overall functioning.  I’ll be back soon with an update.  Or I’ll die.  One or the other….. See ya….

Admittedly, I have told you all that I am a horrible Coca-Cola addict.  I love it, the full flavor, full sugar, full caffeine version.  I won’t drink Diet Coke and I’m not a fan of Coke Zero, though both are fair alternatives if one is trying to be “good”. 

Here is the shocking claim – I have all but QUIT drinking Coke!!!!  I know, I know, it’s a shock.  I might have one 20-oz bottle in a two week period.  It’s craziness, I know, but it is the TRUTH!!!  I don’t even know how I got off it, to be fair.  I was off work over the end of December/beginning of January and I didn’t have any at home, so I simply didn’t have it.  Then I just quit buying it with lunch, and ordering it when out, and picking it up at the store. 

Sure enough – I have quit my addiction.  A little will power goes a long way.  I still entertain the thought of one here and there, depending on how much sleep I’ve had or how boring my class looks to be, but for the most part, I’m doing pretty darn well.

How’z your diet frenzy going for you???? 

If I keep getting minimal sleep – I’m totally trying this new diet….

Here we go again…  I’m stillllllll holding steady, even given the holidays we are in the midst of!!    To me – that’s success.  I have not been eating a whole lot, because I believe my stomach has shrunk – I’m just not ABLE to eat as much as I used to.  That’s a good thing.  I’m still hitting the gym pretty hard and have roped my neighbor into joining me on the days I have the trainer.  They basically kick our collective asses and we pay them for it.  As a result, we are generally unable to walk or lift anything for a day or two afterward…. It’s all good pain and we get to grow all that fun mitochondria that helps to burn energy while sitting on those same asses mentioned before.  In the end, it’s a winning situation – despite the pain and sweat.  (and I like to type mitochondria)

I’ve begun keeping a daily diary of what I eat, including the massive amounts of water I intake, down to the single cookie I shoved in my mouth like a starving wolf faced with a sweet little baby chipmunk….yummy…. and gross at the same time.  Basically – whole thing, shoved into my moufff, no chewing, 100% swallow.  Yeah baby….  The diary has definitely helped guilt me into only eating when appropriate and to only eat appropriate foods.  On the other hand, it does NOT help me when I forget to eat, or when I run out of time to actually prepare something that may not cause twenty new saddle bags on my already-burdened hips.

Additionally, I’ve cut the Coke out about 50% of the time.  Today is Friday and I believe I’ve only had 2 this week.  THAT, in and of itself, is a major step forward for me.  I tend to consume one 20-oz Coke a day and that’s a couple hundred Calories I don’t have to eat good, healthy food with.  So, while it is a moving target, I’m making progress.

I still have to get through next week, with Christmas, and the week after with New Years (this will be a challenge as I plan on getting all drunkerd up and sloshy over that particular holiday), so wish me luck.  I’m planning on hitting the gym hard EVERY day between now and then just because I feel so much better when I do, and I’m really liking the results I’ve seen thus far.  Smooches – ciao!

Jenn is absolutely right. We have seriously fallen off the wagon with sharing our stories…and taking this dieting thing seriously. Yeah, I watch what I eat a little but the weekends totally run my diet off the tracks. Yeah, I make it to the gym sometimes, but not nearly enough.

Life gets busy, time gets scarce…but we are given but only one body and we need to treat it the right way. I always use my stress level as an excuse for eating more/worse and not exercising. That is not a good habit to get into…and all the more reason to hit the gym and eat right.

I sat on the couch last night and looked over at my boyfriend. I looked down at myself. We are getting soft, I said. Not good. Today I have my workout bag and iPod in my car and will be taking full advantage of the gym at lunch. I hope to do some interval training to get my heart rate up and blast this fat off my gnarly body.

I’m getting really discouraged in my will power and disappointed in us for not taking this seriously. I laid in bed last night on my back and my saddle bags puffed out from underneath my legs. My soft belly muffined over my sleep shorts. Something has got to give. I need something to work towards, a reason to lose weight, other than, I look a little puffy naked.

This morning, I had a cup of coffee, some dried mangoes and some oatmeal. I’m doing everything in my power to save my Ravioli Lean Cuisine and carrot sticks for lunch time…not 10:15. I’ve been chugging water like a fiend too. I really hope this can be the start of a much longer stint of caring about my health.

Well, don’t weigh me right now, because, as you can see from the title, I’ve flat lined.  It’s time to step it up.  I’ve been building on my consistency and retraining my intake, but that’s not enough at this point.  SO, this morning, I introduced my body to just a little bit more: 3 sets of 30 sit ups after my traditional morning walk.  Twist that walk a bit with some intermittent jogging and we’ve got increased caloric output.  That was just this morning.

My uber-intelligent 7th grader informed me that there is such a thing as the Fit channel on Time Warner Cable, and that we could DVR some of the workouts and see which ones we like.  If we find one we particularly enjoy, we can just save it and use it at our own convenience.  Now, I don’t want to brag, but she’s a freakin’ genius… yeah – she gets it from her mom….just sayin’.

This is my plan.  I’m still working on the food part – as you well know, but I’m thinking that an increased exercise plan, and incorporating good portions of my life into them (i.e. my new puppy – taking walks, utilizing my DVR, actually visiting the workout facilities at my complex) will actually help me with my goal.

Anyone want to chime in on this one???

Water is good for you in many different ways and is essential to good health and great when you’re dieting.  Why?

Water gives you a false sense of fullness.  Experts say that a majority of the time that you think you’re hungry, it’s really just your thirst mechanism.

Water cleans out your system of elements it doesn’t need and gives your cells the water they DO need to function at their highest level, metabolically.  The reason you feel hungover after a night of drinking is because your cells don’t have enough water because your body’s process to break down the alcohol (carbs) you drank used it all.  It’s called your Krebs Cycle, bitches.  Know it and love it.  Feed it with water.

It’s great for your skin, as it clears away the yuckies mucking that up as well.  Expect clearer and healthier looking skin with your eight glasses a day.

Doctors recommend you imbibe 8-12 glasses of water a day, minimum – more if you’re sweating out at the gym or in some other physical activity.

Some tips to sneak in more water into your diet:

1. Take a bottle in the car with you.  I know when I am bored, I’ll drink it just because it’s there.
2. Have it at your desk while you work.  It’ll give you something to do, again, just because it’s there, and with the need to get rid of it (potty breaks) you’ll have an excuse to get up and stretch your legs.
3. Drink a glass of water before you eat each meal.  It takes up a good amount of space in your stomach so you eat less.
4. Always have it on hand while you’re working out.  I know I drink a lot more water when I have a bottle in the cupholder on the elliptical than if I have to wait until my 20 minute workout is up.  Then you can drink when you want, as much as you want, without the skeevy guy breathing down your neck, waiting behind you for the water fountain (or “bubbler” if you’re from Wisconsin).

Hopefully these ideas and tips will get you into the habit of drinking more water.  Do you guys have any more tips for integrating more water into your day?  Leave your ideas after the jump.