Fighting Weight

Remember when we updated this?

Good Times.

Good Times.

Haven’t lost anything considerable, but I’m running 30 miles a week, and my pants are now a size 10. My boobs are all but gone, but who needs boobs when you can wear a size 2?

Here’s where you say, EVERYONE needs boobs regardless of what size they are.

I will also never be a 2.

But things are getting smaller.

I like it.

I hope this really lame update finds you all well!

Edited to add- (This could easily be a male entry, but it’s totally Ruth)

I found the best tip for losing weight:

Is having your heart broken, and not being able to keep anything down.

I’ve lost almost 12 pounds in a week and a half.

I’m in the 160’s for the first time in over a year.

I don’t suggest it.

(I’m also still running a marathon and will be doing 30+ miles next week).

-Ruth.

SUPER BOWL OF OBESITY

I live in Pittsburgh where obviously everyone is Steeler crazy.  Today is the office tailgate party.  Chips and dips and homemade tamales and a big cake shaped like a football!  If I don’t go, I’ll look rude.  If I go and don’t eat, the people who worked hard to make the food might be insulted.  FOOD PRESSURE.  Bottom line, if I escape under 5000 calories today it will be a minor victory. 

My neighbor asked me this morning where I was going.

I was wearing my typical gym attire (shorts, tank top, some ensemble featuring my stark white legs and as little cloth as possible to keep me from sweating profusely)

The bar? Where are people dressed like this usually headed?

I really said none of the above, what I actually said was “the gym”

The look on her face was priceless. 

Because everyone knows chubby girls leaving their house at 8am every morning couldn’t possibly be headed to the gym.

I feel like I should have a tattoo that says, “Just because I’m not skinny, doesn’t mean I couldn’t lap your ass around a track.”

Maybe I’ll just make a t-shirt.

-Ruth

PROGRESS

I have been pretty good at dieting in January, and have lost around 9 pounds.  My clothes are just a touch looser, and I can see small improvements.  My running has been pretty good- adding distance to my long runs and increasing the pace nicely on my short runs.  Doing okay on my pushups and did 35 consecutively last night.  The nice thing about combining running and pushups with dieting is they will both get easier as I get less heavy. 

My wife has been dieting (even though she doesn’t need to) which has helped incredibly since she does most of the cooking and every night is a new low-calorie sensibly sized dinner.  Plus, she is making great progress and that inspires me- partially because it’s good to have a partner in this stuff but mostly because I don’t want any hot guys to lure her away from her porky husband.

My Problem

Too governed by feelings.  When I am at my best, I am like a calorie-restricting robot.  Nothing can phase me.  When I am at my worst, which is often, I’ll eat in response to almost any emotion.  Good weigh in?  Hey, I can afford a few calories.  Bad weigh in?  What’s the point?  Plus, I actually start to convince myself that it doesn’t matter if I’m 25 or 30 pounds overweight, since I am pretty healthy and happy and my wife still likes me, etc.  In fact, writing this RIGHT NOW is making me think I am overreacting and I should just resign myself to being a happy squishy person and hey maybe the family would like 5 Guys for dinner!

-Jason

My problem.

Being honest with myself, after that last post, I sort of decided to take a long hard look at exactly what it is that could be keeping me in this “body.”

What is it that is blocking my weight loss attempts. 

There are 2 factors currently in play that I can say might be stopping me.

One is stress. 

Unbelievable amounts of it.

I am pretty much alone in my ventures to raise my kids. 

I’ve been alone with 4 kids since last March. 

As of a few weeks from now I will no longer be alone.

My dedication to my workouts will only increase, as will the time I have to put toward it.

The second, if I’m being honest with myself, and I am. 

Is hard to admit.

But it’s no secret that my marriage is more than likely over.

And a part of me, a little tiny part of me in the back of my head, wants to have an excuse as to why that is. 

And if I’m “fat”, if I’m not finding myself attractive, I can use that as an excuse as to why it fell apart. 

Without actually having to admit what it really was.

That’s what I’ve come up with.

I guess I didn’t want to say it, but it might very well just be me keeping myself fat.

And that’s probably the hardest thing to admit to myself.

-Ruth.

What Ruth eats:

Breakfast is usually a banana or 90 calorie breakfast bar.

I can’t eat hardly anything before I work out or I puke.

Lunch is almost always a sandwich. 

I have either a Subway 6 inch wheat, no cheese or mayo, all veggie, or a turkey, with a diet coke.

Dinner is typically vegetables, fish, or a weight watchers meal.

I like simple.

My typical calorie intake is 800-1000 in food. 

And I imbibe on an adult beverage when I don’t have to wake up early. 

I’m currently at 172 pounds.

I’ve gained 3 pounds since I started training for my marathon. 

I don’t know how to go about winning.