The start of a new habit...hopefully!

I did it. I hit the gym after work yesterday.

I spent some time on the treadmill in the cardio cinema. This is one of my favorite things about the gym I go to. They show movies...sometimes good, sometimes lame, but watching them always makes the time pass faster. They were showing Wild Hogs (eh) so I alternated between watching that and listening to the New Moon audio book on my iPod.

I really felt great after working out!

I've got my bag packed and ready to go after work again today. Since I have a little more time today I will add some weights to my cardio.

I know it's not a huge difference, but I was happy that I saw a .5 lb weight loss on the scale this morning. It was a great start to the day!

It's on!

My gym bag is all packed and ready for me to hit the gym right after work.

I've found that it's much easier for me to go straight to the gym after work versus going home first and then to the gym. Once I go home I find all sorts of reasons not to head back out to the gym.

I've got everything planned around this workout, so there are absolutely NO EXCUSES.

I have GOT to get into the habit of stopping at the gym at least three days a week. I have a little bit of time between work and school that needs to be filled with some type of physical activity and the gym is located right between the two.

Let's see how long I can keep it up...

I need a drink!

One of the hardest adjustments I have had to make since being banded is not drinking during meals. I suck at it. I just can't not drink!

I've finally come to terms with the fact that this behavior is a big reason why my weight loss is moving at the rate it is.

Slowly I've tried to phase out the drinking and I am glad to say that I didn't drink at all during my lunch today. I am dying to, but I am forcing myself to wait for an hour after eating to gulp any water.

I plan to keep at it and hope that it becomes easier and more natural as time passes.

Back to school

Tonight I head back to school. Ugh. I have quite the busy schedule. I work M-F 6:30-3:30 and then I go to night school M-Th from 5:00-10:00. This leaves little time for exercise and leads me to make some less than stellar choices when it comes to eating. You know...the whole convenient over healthy thing. Thus, my super slow weight loss progress.

I plan and plan and plan healthy ways to eat and exercise that fit into my school/work/barely there social life schedule, but plans don't always work out as hoped. I've decided that I need to make more realistic plans and have them be smaller plans that can be added to as progress allows.

To start out, I've decided on a healthy, filling dinner that I can eat before or during school. Wendy's chili. We're coming up on cold weather, so a warm, hearty chili seemed like a good idea. It's cheap ($1!), filling, full of protein and I actually like it. It's one of the healthier, smarter choices as far as fast food goes.

Anyone else have any great on-the-go (code: no refrigeration/microwave required) meals that work well for them? I figure that as much as I like this chili, I will get bored eating it every day!

Vegas success

Vegas was great!!

I didn't do wonderful, food-wise, but I didn't do too bad either. I had turkey bacon and egg whites for breakfast and mostly roast turkey, mashed potatoes and cocktail shrimp at the buffet.

Plus, we walked that strip so much that I know I must have burned off twice what I ate! I haven't weighed myself since I got home, but I am definitely curious as to what the number will be.

And the whole swimsuit unveiling wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be...phew! I felt good, not super self conscious. I did wear a little matching wrap so as not to flash my iffy bum and inner thighs!

Posting some 'before and now' shots soon...