Actually, I've been back two weeks now. I just haven't gotten around to writing a blog post, partly because I've been jetlagged and busy, and partly because I have this notion that I have to make my "back from vacation" post long and special. These kinds of thoughts have put me off blogging before, so I'll just jump right into it, and maybe write a couple of shorter posts about my vacation instead.
It was a really wonderful vacation! :D I loved the sun and warmth and just being able to relax and do nothing. The only problem is that is was quite a shock coming back to cold and dark Norway! I really don't know why I live here when I'm allergic to the cold and darkness, I must be in the wrong place...
Health wise, I did pretty good, although I could have been better (of course). I didn't overeat most days, and I was mindful of what I put in my mouth. I didn't stay away from sweets and desserts, but I tried to take cues from my body and only eat when I was hungry, and stop when I was full. That worked out all right.
I started out great with the exercise - I was running each morning in the beginning. Then I ended up blistering so bad that I was limping when I walked (quite literally!), and I had to take a rest. Somehow, I never got back into the exercise groove. Next time I'm bringing mole skin!
I quickly noticed that my running hiatus had wreaked havoc on my shape. :( So I've found a program called Ease into 10k, that I'll do after Christmas to get back in shape. Until then, I'm alternating between running 4X4 intervals, shredding and Zumba.
I didn't meet my goal of maintaining my weight, but I wasn't too far off. After the worst of the water weight had disappeared, I was up about 1,5 kg. Not too bad for an all-inclusive two week vacation! :) The most important thing is that I'm back on track again, and I haven't let the vacation ruin my momentum. So all in all I'm okay with my efforts. I'm especially proud that I managed to stay off the overeating trap, while still enjoying desserts every day and never feeling like I was on a diet.
I'll write more another time, now I'll go check out my Google Reader. I haven't dared check it yet, I'm guessing it will be pretty full....
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
My secret weapons for maintaining weight while on vacation
This weekend I leave for a two week cruising vacation in the Caribbean! I'm SO excited, can't wait to soak in the sun and warmth! What I'm not looking forward to, though, is what I fear will be a pretty heavy weight gain. On previous cruises, I've gained a lot of weight, so I'm scared I will do so again. I'm doing fairly good with my weight loss these days and I don't want to ruin the momentum.
On a positive note, I've been very inspired by fellow bloggers who managed to maintain or even lose weight while on vacation. So it can be done, and my weight goal for this trip, is to weight the same as I do when I leave within one week of coming back. (I usually put on quite a lot of water weight when I travel, so I know I won't weight the same right away when I get back).
In order to accomplish my goal, I've made a plan for how to maintain weight on the cruise:
* Work out/move a lot every day
This time I'm not only bringing my running gear, I'm actually going to use it as well! There will be a gym as well as an outside running track, and now that I can run, I will take advantage of it! I'll probably wake up early because of the time difference, so I plan to get my workout in before the ship docks for the day. That way I won't feel like I'm missing out on anything.
* Fiber
Last time I went cruising in the Caribbean, I ended up constipated from not eating as much fiber as I normally do. (There is little whole grains on those buffet tables!) This time around, I'm bringing some Benefiber to put into my water. (I'm going to buy the flavored one that they sell in the US but not here, really looking forward to try it!) My plan is to drink this before every meal, that should make me fuller and keep me from overeating.
* Chromium
I've been using chromium to curb my sweet cravings, and while it isn't a miracle pill that keeps me from eating sugar (I wish!), it does help keep the sugar hungry monster inside of me at bay. (I'll write a more detailed blog post about my experiences with chromium later).
* Zinc
Personally I don't have much experience with Zinc supplements, but Karen at Waisting time recently linked to a Dr Oz article that mentions Zinc as a way to reduce hunger. I read up on it, and while most people don't lack this mineral, and you can overdose on it, there seems to be no harm in taking a supplement as long as you follow the recommended dosage. So, I started taking it a couple of days ago, and I hope it'll help me stay clear of the overeating trap (also known as a 24-7 free all you can eat buffet).
* I've tasted you before
Luckily, the desserts on the aforementioned buffet isn't really my type of desserts. Unfortunately, the fried and fatty foods are. This time around, though, the foods won't be new and enticing, but more familiar. I read in an article somewhere, about a dieter who thought to herself 'I've tasted you before, I don't need to taste you now'. That helped her, and I'm hoping it can help me as well.
* Hypnosis
I've had some success with hypnosis for sugar cravings in the past, so I'll be bringing those, as well as some more general weight loss hypnosis tracks to listen to. That should help keep my motivation up!
* Limit the alcohol
I actually drink very little alcohol, but I do have a soft spot for those drinks that contain an incredible amount of calories. After an office night out, I put the alcohol units into my food journal and was astounded to see how many empty calories I'd consumed. So while I probably won't abstain from these completely, I will be more restrictive and instead enjoy the ones I do drink more thoroughly and think of it as a special treat.
* Limit the vacation eating to the actual vacation
I learned this 'trick' from a fellow blogger this summer. (I'm sorry I can't remember who it was at the moment, but if it was you, let me know and I'll link to you here!). Too often, I allow myself to slack food wise in the days before the vacation. Then, after the vacation, it usually takes forever to get back in the weight loss groove. This time around, my vacation starts when I leave from home, and it ends when I'm back!
There you have them, my secret weapons for maintaining weight on the cruise. If you have any other tips or good ideas, I'd love to hear them! :)
On a positive note, I've been very inspired by fellow bloggers who managed to maintain or even lose weight while on vacation. So it can be done, and my weight goal for this trip, is to weight the same as I do when I leave within one week of coming back. (I usually put on quite a lot of water weight when I travel, so I know I won't weight the same right away when I get back).
In order to accomplish my goal, I've made a plan for how to maintain weight on the cruise:
* Work out/move a lot every day
This time I'm not only bringing my running gear, I'm actually going to use it as well! There will be a gym as well as an outside running track, and now that I can run, I will take advantage of it! I'll probably wake up early because of the time difference, so I plan to get my workout in before the ship docks for the day. That way I won't feel like I'm missing out on anything.
* Fiber
Last time I went cruising in the Caribbean, I ended up constipated from not eating as much fiber as I normally do. (There is little whole grains on those buffet tables!) This time around, I'm bringing some Benefiber to put into my water. (I'm going to buy the flavored one that they sell in the US but not here, really looking forward to try it!) My plan is to drink this before every meal, that should make me fuller and keep me from overeating.
* Chromium
I've been using chromium to curb my sweet cravings, and while it isn't a miracle pill that keeps me from eating sugar (I wish!), it does help keep the sugar hungry monster inside of me at bay. (I'll write a more detailed blog post about my experiences with chromium later).
* Zinc
Personally I don't have much experience with Zinc supplements, but Karen at Waisting time recently linked to a Dr Oz article that mentions Zinc as a way to reduce hunger. I read up on it, and while most people don't lack this mineral, and you can overdose on it, there seems to be no harm in taking a supplement as long as you follow the recommended dosage. So, I started taking it a couple of days ago, and I hope it'll help me stay clear of the overeating trap (also known as a 24-7 free all you can eat buffet).
* I've tasted you before
Luckily, the desserts on the aforementioned buffet isn't really my type of desserts. Unfortunately, the fried and fatty foods are. This time around, though, the foods won't be new and enticing, but more familiar. I read in an article somewhere, about a dieter who thought to herself 'I've tasted you before, I don't need to taste you now'. That helped her, and I'm hoping it can help me as well.
* Hypnosis
I've had some success with hypnosis for sugar cravings in the past, so I'll be bringing those, as well as some more general weight loss hypnosis tracks to listen to. That should help keep my motivation up!
* Limit the alcohol
I actually drink very little alcohol, but I do have a soft spot for those drinks that contain an incredible amount of calories. After an office night out, I put the alcohol units into my food journal and was astounded to see how many empty calories I'd consumed. So while I probably won't abstain from these completely, I will be more restrictive and instead enjoy the ones I do drink more thoroughly and think of it as a special treat.
* Limit the vacation eating to the actual vacation
I learned this 'trick' from a fellow blogger this summer. (I'm sorry I can't remember who it was at the moment, but if it was you, let me know and I'll link to you here!). Too often, I allow myself to slack food wise in the days before the vacation. Then, after the vacation, it usually takes forever to get back in the weight loss groove. This time around, my vacation starts when I leave from home, and it ends when I'm back!
There you have them, my secret weapons for maintaining weight on the cruise. If you have any other tips or good ideas, I'd love to hear them! :)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
A short update
Wow, it has been AGES since I my last blog post. :( I am still alive and kicking, but I have had a lot to do, and even though I've thought about blogging, I never got around to it. Last month I was pretty much stressed out all the time, and of course that led to a weight loss stand-still. Thinking back, the main reason was most likely that I didn't exercise much. Turns out those workouts really make a difference! Both because I burn more calories and because I feel better and more relaxed when I work out regularly.
I've been trying to get back into a good exercise routine, but it has been harder than I thought. I wanted to try my Zumba dvds, but there was always some excuse or other. Which is just ridiculous because I love to dance, and I always feel good after I've worked out. I've run or hiked a few times, but all in all I have been kind of lazy....
Right now I'm starting to feel a little under the weather. It might be psychological, a lot of people I know have been ill, and when they talk about it, I automatically feel a little sick myself. Since we're going away on vacation next week, I really want to stay healthy for that. Don't know if it is chickening out, or just being reasonable, but either way the result is that I haven't wanted to do hardcore workouts (or, to be honest, any workout at all) lately. I have been trying to keep moving, though, to burn some calories even though I'm not actually getting in shape.
Excuses aside, I think my main problem is that I miss a program and rules and structure. When I was doing C25K, I always ran 3 times a week. Come rain, come snow, come splitting headaches, I was running regardless. The program demanded 3 workouts a week, and so I complied. Right now I'm just lacking a sense of direction, I guess.
So, to remedy this, I'm going to make a plan of what I want to accomplish on a weekly basis. It is probably going to be one session of Shred, one session of Zumba, and one session of running (most likely 4X4 intervals). I might wait till after my vacation (or at least until I'm feeling better) to start, but I WILL do it. I miss that great feeling after a good workout! :)
I've been trying to get back into a good exercise routine, but it has been harder than I thought. I wanted to try my Zumba dvds, but there was always some excuse or other. Which is just ridiculous because I love to dance, and I always feel good after I've worked out. I've run or hiked a few times, but all in all I have been kind of lazy....
Right now I'm starting to feel a little under the weather. It might be psychological, a lot of people I know have been ill, and when they talk about it, I automatically feel a little sick myself. Since we're going away on vacation next week, I really want to stay healthy for that. Don't know if it is chickening out, or just being reasonable, but either way the result is that I haven't wanted to do hardcore workouts (or, to be honest, any workout at all) lately. I have been trying to keep moving, though, to burn some calories even though I'm not actually getting in shape.
Excuses aside, I think my main problem is that I miss a program and rules and structure. When I was doing C25K, I always ran 3 times a week. Come rain, come snow, come splitting headaches, I was running regardless. The program demanded 3 workouts a week, and so I complied. Right now I'm just lacking a sense of direction, I guess.
So, to remedy this, I'm going to make a plan of what I want to accomplish on a weekly basis. It is probably going to be one session of Shred, one session of Zumba, and one session of running (most likely 4X4 intervals). I might wait till after my vacation (or at least until I'm feeling better) to start, but I WILL do it. I miss that great feeling after a good workout! :)
Monday, April 4, 2011
30 day shred and vacation-time
My preferred workout these days is the 30 day shred by Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser. I just finished day 7, and I'm happy to say that I'm actually seeing improvements! :) Now, I can do more of the harder exercises and less of the modified ones.
When I started out I didn't dare try 'real' push-ups, but did the easier version instead. Now, I'm able to do 15 hardcore push-ups before I have to switch to the modified ones. That might not seem like a lot, but it's a great improvement for a wuss like me! I'm in horrible shape, and I have absolutely no strength in my arms whatsoever. I'm changing that right now! :)
I didn't follow everyone's advice on taking before pictures and measurements... But now I'm starting to regret it .... I'm going away on a vacation to Jordan in a couple of days, so I might do semi-before pictures and measurements when I get back. I hope I'll be able to see at least SOME changes when I've completed the 30 work outs!
I'm leaving on Thursday, and I'm contemplating whether to have my last work-out on Wednesday, or just skip that one. On one hand, my body always feel very heavy the day after a work out, and I want to feel my best when on vacation. On the other hand, I want to work out as much as possible before I leave, because I know that I'll probably gain some weight while I'm away. I will try my hardest to maintain my current weight, though - I won't even dream about losing weight (well, it IS hard to stop myself from day dreaming!), because all experience tell me this is impossible.
I won't be too strict with myself, because going to a new country is also about trying all the delicious foods that you don't get at home. That is a very important part of a culture! But I will stay away from candy and empty calories as much as I can. And I'll probably move around more that usual, so maybe it won't be that bad overall.
I'm looking forward to sun and warmth (no more snow! :) - and it better be gone when I get back, too!). But I'm not looking forward to wearing a bathing suit again. I'm currently at what was, until last fall, my all time high weight. So I have a long way to go before I'll be small enough feel comfortable at a beach. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever get there.... But, I won't let that stop me from enjoying the vacation. I refuse to hide away just because I'm overweight!
However, come to think of it, is Jordan one of those countries where women wear burka? In that case I might just get a burka swimming suit.... Just kidding! :) But I have to admit part of me wants to hide away in something like that rather than wear a bathing suit. And I know I have to work through these feelings somehow, because I don't think they'll just magically disappear once I've reached my goal weight.
Oh well, that will have to be another day, I'm practically falling asleep at the keyboard, and I still have to shower after my work out.
When I started out I didn't dare try 'real' push-ups, but did the easier version instead. Now, I'm able to do 15 hardcore push-ups before I have to switch to the modified ones. That might not seem like a lot, but it's a great improvement for a wuss like me! I'm in horrible shape, and I have absolutely no strength in my arms whatsoever. I'm changing that right now! :)
I didn't follow everyone's advice on taking before pictures and measurements... But now I'm starting to regret it .... I'm going away on a vacation to Jordan in a couple of days, so I might do semi-before pictures and measurements when I get back. I hope I'll be able to see at least SOME changes when I've completed the 30 work outs!
I'm leaving on Thursday, and I'm contemplating whether to have my last work-out on Wednesday, or just skip that one. On one hand, my body always feel very heavy the day after a work out, and I want to feel my best when on vacation. On the other hand, I want to work out as much as possible before I leave, because I know that I'll probably gain some weight while I'm away. I will try my hardest to maintain my current weight, though - I won't even dream about losing weight (well, it IS hard to stop myself from day dreaming!), because all experience tell me this is impossible.
I won't be too strict with myself, because going to a new country is also about trying all the delicious foods that you don't get at home. That is a very important part of a culture! But I will stay away from candy and empty calories as much as I can. And I'll probably move around more that usual, so maybe it won't be that bad overall.
I'm looking forward to sun and warmth (no more snow! :) - and it better be gone when I get back, too!). But I'm not looking forward to wearing a bathing suit again. I'm currently at what was, until last fall, my all time high weight. So I have a long way to go before I'll be small enough feel comfortable at a beach. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever get there.... But, I won't let that stop me from enjoying the vacation. I refuse to hide away just because I'm overweight!
However, come to think of it, is Jordan one of those countries where women wear burka? In that case I might just get a burka swimming suit.... Just kidding! :) But I have to admit part of me wants to hide away in something like that rather than wear a bathing suit. And I know I have to work through these feelings somehow, because I don't think they'll just magically disappear once I've reached my goal weight.
Oh well, that will have to be another day, I'm practically falling asleep at the keyboard, and I still have to shower after my work out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)