Remember a few years ago when I stood up on my blogging high horse and shared how I’d lost 32 hefty lbs and how I was never going back?  Well, unfortunately, I went back and then some.  At the time that I wrote that post, I didn’t know that my hives would come back with a vengeance causing me to begin taking corticosteroids (read: makes you puffy and hungrier than a growing teenage boy going through puberty) or that I’d have to push through the business school core (can we say big ball of stress anyone?) or that I’d post b-school, my work would involve addictive confectionery and food products or that I’d begin eating every.fucking.thing in site while quitting regular* runs and work outs — I can’t wholeheartedly blame this weight gain on circumstance; I have to take some responsibility for this, too.

Whatever has brought me back here, I am here and I don’t like it.  Where is here?  About 8-12 lbs above my maximum in 2006-2007, in a size I have NEVER seen even in my worst of times and totally confidence-stripped.  The pic that broke the camel’s back was not one – it was many from my recent 10 year college reunion in Miami.  I wish I could show you … but because of how I looked, I only took photos that only showed my face (which while rounder doesn’t tell the full story) and in pictures I did not take, I played photo upload Nazi and begged my friends to edit, crop and filter much like a good session of beg, borrow and deal.

When I returned to New York on November 11th, I was a changed woman. Now let’s be honest, I can’t change years and years of behavior overnight, but I can put my big(ger) girl panties on and deal with what I’ve done.  I’m saying it here because if I do, perhaps it will hold me more accountable then if I kept it to myself.  I want to lose around 35-40lbs and/or I’d like to return to a size 6.  I say and/or because as I get older I realize, I can’t rely so much on the scale (it’s evil at best).  

So, what have I done since 11/11?

1) Buying and prepping/making snacks and dinner:  This has been a big step in the right direction.  In case you didn’t know, I work in an environment where candy and chocolate is available by the boat loads and therefore it’s very easy to eat and snack the candy/chocolate as opposed to healthy snacks. However, if I plan and pack my snacks in advance, I eat my snacks and not the options available at my office. So, I’ve now become a regular at my neighborhood Whole Foods, buying blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, cucumbers, sliced peppers, etc.  Additionally, I eat breakfast every morning typically a slice of whole wheat bread or whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread with an 80 cal pack of Justin’s almond butter and a sliced banana on top.  My snack includes the fruit/veggies I listed above or a greek yogurt.  For dinner, I saute shrimp or sliced top round and vegetable with coconut oil, seasoning with pepper, cajun pepper, a dab of garlic salt, perhaps some soy sauce, whatever I can find that I feel like trying for that evening. I’ll have something like roasted cauliflower or asparagus and sweet potatoes or root vegetables on the side.  I’m no chef by any stretch but my tummy doesn’t feel as bloated and gross and my wallet is thanking me since I no longer need to order Seamless every night.

2) Working out: Now eating healthy is 75% but I also need to keep my ass in gear by working out.  Since 11/11, I’ve joined my local Equinox, bought some class packs for Soul Cycle and Flywheel and I’m making a list of classes I’d like to try in the city. So far on my list are Refine Method and Uplift.  

Workouts week of 11/11: Mon – off (traveling back from Miami), Tues – off, Wed – Barre class at Equinox,  Thurs – off, Friday – spin class at Equinox, Sat – off (Kayla’s b-day party in New Jersey), Sun – SoulCycle with Erika

Workouts week of 11/18: Mon – FlyWheel with my roomie, Tues – off but had Equifit session with NIcci, Wed – Barre class at Equinox, Thurs – personal training with Nicci, Fri – off, Sat – SoulCycle with Sue, Sun – SoulCycle with Erika

Workouts week of 11/25: Mon – off, Tues – 25 min interval run at Equinox, Wed – off, Thurs – off (Turkey Day), Fri – off, Sat – off (New Jersey with Mom), Sun – ? Either SoulCycle or Refine {This week is obviously a crappy week. Holidays can do that to a person but for Christmas, I need to be better about doing even short bursts or working out or exercise just to keep moving.}

Running: I’d like to run a half marathon in the spring.  I’ve put my hat in the lottery ring for the Nike Women’s Race in DC and I’m hoping I get chosen. If not, perhaps I will run the NYRR Half  or the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half. In any case, I want more medals!

So what are my goals for December (and so-on)? {becoming fit and healthy is my biggest goal for 2014 so consider this the beginning of my list of resolutions of some sort}

1. Continue making progress

Photo source: nutrifitblr.com

2. Work-out 4x’s a week: Eventually, I’d like to build  up to 6x’s a week but I want this to be sustainable and need to figure out how this will work with my crazy work/car pool schedule so I’m testing it all out.  Ideally, I’d like at least 1 cycling class, 1 run and 1 strength training class. The fourth workout can be whatever I want or one of my personal training sessions.

One foot in front of the other. One step at a time.

Now tell me, any advice for getting back on the health and wellness wagon? 

*regular being the operative word because everyone knows I love a good work out.  I’ve done all kinds of boot camps, spin classes, etc. but if it’s not regular and in combination with eating well, it’s basically all for naught.