Heather Shrinks in Houston!

[Houston Heather]

I did it. 30 minutes on the exercise bike, at 60% HR. Ron almost had a heart attack, he thought I was going to run outside in the heat!

That makes 17 cardio days and 5 bike days.

My head feels a LOT better, too. I took an alka-seltzer beforehand but I don't think it was that. They never help much with the migraine hangover pain.

Best of all, I've got some appetite. Today, I get a good whey protein shake with a scoop of egg protein. If I don't eat, my body will cannibalize it's own muscles. Ick.

[Snowman]

Wow Heather, you continue to inspire me!!! GO HEATHER!! Not only do you inspire me with your exercising and WOE, but with your positive outlook on life!!

So glad your head is feeling better!

I plan to go to the gym tomorrow after church sometime.

[Houston Heather]

Thanks!

I feel good enough to run, so I got up early. I weigh a pound less today. Not worth it, but I'll take it.

It's nice and light out so I'm gone. DH is still asleep but I took my cell phone. He can call me if he wants.

[Houston Heather]

I ran 20 minutes, I would have liked to run longer but I have be ready when our ride arrives. Besides, I'd rather under-do it a "tad" than over do it and not be able to run for weeks!

I also walked 10 minutes getting to/from the park. I may do some weights later.

I've decided to cut out the heavy whipping cream. I am consuming a lot (over 8 ounces a day) and it started about the same time as the "pause" in my weight loss. If that isn't it, I'll cut out the whey (I run about 1-3 scoops a day).

I'm drinking a whey shake right now. It's good but I do miss the heavy cream. But I am READY to go down a size.

I'll keep you posted () on my results.

[Houston Heather]

Busy day at work, I did a lot of heavy lifting. Ron's back is feeling better so I'm glad I was there to help. I'm glad he's smart enough to let me do the lifting.

What with all my weights, the stuff I had to lift was no big deal. The heaviest thing is about 30 pounds. I feel justified skipping weights today, besides I don't want to do cardio and weights on the same day.

We went to Walmart after work. I kept having to pull up my pants, so I tried them in a 16. They fit. Great. I bent over and everything and no "strangles". No panty line visible in the back... just nice denim bermuda shorts.

I think I'll really believe it tomorrow when I put them on. In the meantime, I'm still in shock. It's been a wild week.

Oh, yeah, and my uncle is in the hospital with gastrointestinal bleeding, but doesn't want visitors. Poor guy. Poor aunt! She is very loving and devoted. If you pray I would love for you to send one up for "Tock and Polly". Thank you.

[pennylovesdarren]

for Uncle Tock, Aunt Polly, Heather & Heather's DH! God is Good!

[Houston Heather]

Yay! I did all kinds of heavy stocking today and the pants continued to feel great. Right now, my pedometer reads 8792 steps. I guess in that brand and style, I'm a size 16!

No news is good news with my aunt and uncle. Ron's back is better today, MAINLY because he is smart enough to ask me to do lifting. I did a lot of lifting today.

We had to run some errands after work, I was at a grocery store. I succumbed and bought some no-sugar added ice cream bars. I ate 2 (they are very small). I am satisfied and not desperate to eat another one. I just couldn't stand the thought of eating a heavy snack in this heat (I had to do a fair amount of outside walking). I had to eat so I could take my lithium, but the honest truth is that I was dying for a frozen ice cream treat. It just so happened to coincide with lithium time.

I don't regret it. I plan to test with Ketostrips tonight and make sure I'm still burning fat.

Nap time.

[Houston Heather]

I'm still burning fat.

I also spilled a bowl-full of urine on myself discovering that. I like to urinate in an old plastic bowl, then test the strip. However, I spilled it all over my leg. EW.

Later on, I did squats (DH is my spotter ) and 25 minutes on the exercise bike at the 80% heart rate program. Whew! That's a workout!

I've also logged a total of 10,167 steps on my pedometer, too.

I even drank my water. Wow.

Having done all the virtuous things, I will probably weigh MORE tomorrow.

[pennylovesdarren]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

Having done all the virtuous things, I will probably weigh MORE tomorrow.

LOL I bet you break out of the 200's!

[Houston Heather]

200.5. So close, yet so far...

Hey, I'm getting HEALTHY. That's #1. My size 16 bermuda shorts fit great, and I have been incredibly active at work. I do all the heavy lifting until Ron's back is better.

Today, it was so great, I bought $200 worth of candy for the vending machines. That is tragic. I would love to fill them up with low carb bars but when I tried it no one bought anything.

I found a "good" Reeses' PB cups box. They have handles, are sturdy, and can be reused again and again. All the vendors who shop at Sam's club love them. I was buying a box of the evil things anyway so I felt justified in taking a box. I don't like to use the box unless I buy some, it's my own moral thing.

The box, when filled with "my" candy, weighed about 60+ pounds. When our ride came, I got into proper squat position, took a deep breath, and BAM - I got that rascal out of the cart and into the back of the cab without a twinge or falter. It was wonderful. The better part was when I did the same thing in reverse, and then walked about 30 feet and set it in a shaded area. "Wow" the cab driver said "You do lift weights! You make that look easy!" Thanks to all my powerlifting, it was.

That's why I do it. I want to be strong enough to handle anything that comes along. It was so satisfying to know I was up to the challenge. I mean, I can't buy 70# of candy and then expect someone else to lift it! Ron is lucky to get from point A to point B without falling over. It's on me. I enjoy it. I really do. I enjoy being a strong woman who can handle challenges.

Today was challenging. After we bought the candy and took it to work, I stocked it. Good thing I had my bacon. I can actually smell the chocolate as I open the cardboard and pick up each item. I hold each item in my hand, smelling it, seeing it, feeling it...and then I put it into the vending machine for someone else to eat.

I never used to see myself as someone with a lot of willpower. I guess I qualify now.

I did that for about an hour, then it was helping Ron with all the lifting, stocking the food machines (more lifting), walking, lifting, I love my job. I'm very active and I know that helps a lot. Besides, I enjoy having an active job. I never did like sitting at a desk.

As of this moment, my pedometer has logged 11,545 steps. That's just work and Walmart.

So, a lot of running around at work, last minute stuff. I had an interesting thought. Tomorrow we leave, and we come back Friday. For most people, that's a weekend. For us, it's a vacation. We're only gone two days. They will live.

I put a double coil of some of my snack machine favorites (instead of one row, 2) so that will help.

We went to Walmart. I am a little paranoid about bad food choices so I bought another box of Atkins bars. On the bars, I subtract the fiber only. So if it says 15 grams of carbs, 7 of fiber, I say it has 8. Even if the box says 2 or 3. I'd rather overestimate than stall.

I have a lunchpail packed with string cheese, cream cheese, atkins bars, will have cooked bacon and sausage, and an ice pack to keep it cold. We'll have the rolling backpack and I'll probably have a small bag with my knitting.

We have to get up very early to get our Metrolift ride to the bus station. Then the bus leaves for Galveston some time later. We should get there early enough to have lots of fun.

Check in isn't until 3 at the hotel so I'm glad I don't have a lot of baggage . I can just take the backpack anywhere I go.

I'll post again before I go, but I just wanted to let y'all know how I'm doing.

[Houston Heather]

Well, I'm all packed and ready to go. Lunchpail packed. Pills packed. DH wants a bunch of slacks? Huh?

I won't miss my scale but I am bringing a tape measure (I need it for my knitting too) along for accountability reasons. I will be eating clean but if I drop an inch off my hips overnight I would LOVE to know about it. Who wouldn't?

One more post in the morning after I weigh.

[Houston Heather]

201.

I'm going to make a cream cheese sandwich - 2 sausage patties with cream cheese in the middle. Take my pills, and wait on my ride.

We're going to ride the paratransit vehicle to the greyhound station downtown, then take the greyhound to Galveston. Once we get there, we'll take a cab - somewhere. I'm not sure where he wants to go and check-in isn't until 3.

I plan to hit the gym at LEAST once, and run along the seawall at least once. Now, some possible good news. I got myself a disposable camera. I plan to ask nicely, pretty please, and get some photos from others. Ron can't take a good photo of me being blind and all. Hopefully, if I can figure out the uploading and all, I'll have some cute photos of me running and just some general "Heather at 200 pounds" photos to look at later, and go, OMG I'm so different now!

I had a little bit of a brain melt this morning. I am assuming none of you are perverts so I will share a little information. I used to wear size 9 underwear. I always like my underwear snug but not binding, which usually equates to wearing a size or two smaller than what the package advises. I was swimming in those pretty quick and now I only have a few around for really bad PMS days. I moved down to size 8. Now, I am getting wedgies and looseness in the butt area when I wear them, so I know it's time to size down. I bought some 7's but I have a hard time believing they really fit.

I was sitting on the bed this morning, holding a pair of size 7 underwear in one hand, and a pair of size 16 shorts in the other. I thought "These won't fit".

Of course they did. Eventually my brain will catch up to my body but it's a little surreal in the meantime. Heck, one day I did POWERLIFTING in my size 7 underwear (and other attire ). I would have been miserable if they had been tight in any way.

I also noticed my face is getting leaner. I was looking in the mirror yesterday and thought "Who's that?" I'm not used to such a skinny face.

Which is why it would be fun to put it on here. I'll figure it out.

[pennylovesdarren]

LOL Heather! No I'm not a pervert! I completely understand the whole underwear dilemna. Have a great vacation! Take lots of pictures!

[Snowman]

Heather ~ Hope your having a great time!!

YOU are doing A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!

[Houston Heather]

Thanks! I'm trying to get my photos uploaded now. I have a cute "Heather before the run" "Heather during the run" and "Heather and Ron".

It was an interesting trip. Wednesday we left early for the Greyhound. The bus was late, of course. I drank far too many diet sodas while waiting. When I got ready to sat down, the seat was almost too tight. Thank God I have lost weight! I would have been bursting out of my seat at 230 pounds! When we got to Galveston, my husband literally fell over a waiting cab while getting off the bus. We took the cab to the hotel and they let us check in 5 hours early!

The cab driver had raved about the delicious Chinese food. We decided to give it a try. Actually, DH begged and begged so I thought, I can make it work.

I did. Egg foo young, no gravy, please. All went well until about an hour later when I'm at the grocery store. My blood sugar spiked! I was starving! Damn MSG.

I bought an Atkins bar because I didn't have one on me, and walked back to the hotel. DH and I decided to go to the beach. I nagged him into going, saying "Isn't that why we came?" He agreed. We went down the pier. He loves the pier but he never wanted to go into the building on the end of the pier. I finally went in myself. They have an observation deck, 2 stories, if you AREN'T a fisher-geek. Just buy a soda or beer and they let you hang out.

I told Ron and we went and bought some sodas.

Wait a minute, I think I did it.


Yes, we got some sodas. This was taken on the dock.

We made out too:

[Houston Heather]

Yes, I am finally getting this down. I'm going to do photos, and then talk about my vacation. My file is taking a while to upload.

Wednesday, vegetate on the pier (which had a bathroom too). Wednesday night we went to Golden Corral. I heard they had steaks and it wasn't far.

Here we are on the pier:


I almost got into trouble there. They had lots of starchy stuff, the meats had carb sauces or carb breading, and the dessert section was scary tempting. I ate steak, roast beef, cold steak (for salad), ham, turkey, cheese, and salad. Whew.

When I was dumb enough to look at the dessert bar, I noticed they had a no sugar added thing. It was almost identical to my infamous whipped cream thing. I had some of that.

The next day I had a little bit of a headache.

OH! Here's my butt!

[Houston Heather]

I had that one taken (butt) at the Randalls. It wasn't far from the hotel. I just asked a very nice pastry stocking lady if she'd mind. She didn't.

Here's my front:


So, after dinner, we went "Home". We were both pretty tired and went to bed early.

Here I am knitting at the Greyhound. You can tell the lithium is making my hair thin:


Wedesday morning, I got up early and went for a run! I took a camera with me. I so want a good photo of me running.

[Houston Heather]

I may be uploading a good photo now. No, that one was DH sticking his tongue out at the camera. Not his best.

I love running on the Seawall in Galveston. I mean, look at this. Don't you want to run forever by the water.... ahhh. I went longer than I normally do just because I loved it so much. It was really windy both days, a lot of salt spray fogged up my glasses.



But perfect, absolutely perfect. When I have trouble sleeping, I recall a run I had along the Seawall years ago. Now I have more memories to add, and best of all, photos. I was so pleased with how that one turned out. I may enlarge it and hang it.

Who's that? It looks like Heather running.

[Houston Heather]

The next two were taken of me right before I went on my run.





I took a run Wednesday, then we hung out on the pier all day. I got our photos developed and we ate at the Waffle House for breakfast. By lunch, I really wanted pizza. I really wanted pizza. I bought a large pizza - pepperoni. I bought Ron some chicken he wanted. I went back out to the pier.

I ate the top of the pizza, and fed the crust to the seagulls! Boy, they had a good time, too.

We went back to the Waffle House for dinner and I ate a steak with a side of bacon. For breakfast (after my run) I had an omlette at the Waffle House.

It's funny that a place with a name like that actually offered some of the best low-carb options I could find. I was happy.

DH was happy. I haven't weighed yet. Now, on the bad side, I did drink a lot of diet soda. I didn't drink any water at all. On the good side, I ate smart and exercised a LOT!

Yesterday I walked about 2 miles in addition to my run. I love Galveston, I can walk anywhere.

I am eagerly awaiting feedback on the photos.

[Snowman]

HEATHER ~ YOU AMAZE ME!! You did GREAT with your exercising and eating while you were away!! YOU GO GIRL!!

I love the pictures you posted too, you look good, keep up the good work!!

I hope I can be half as good as you when I go on vacation in July!

[Houston Heather]

Awwww. You'll do great, just stay away from buffets.

One thing I have done twice in Galveston at the really nice restaurant - when they brought the dessert tray I asked nicely if I could have some berries and whipped cream with no sugar. A lot of places LOVE to rise to the challenge and whip out something fantastic for you! Lifesavers!

Bring lots of low carb snacks. I ate at least 3 Atkins bars and I would have gotten into big trouble if I hadn't had them. I also brought cheese.

If you can, find a place that you know makes good, legal, easy low carb meals. We had the Waffle House. We were also near a SuperWalmart and a Randalls (high-end grocery). It was easy to get a low-carb meal.

I brought my size 7 underwear only and my first day there, I bought myself some large tops. I am a large in a ladies now. I used to be a women's 3X, now I'm a large. That was a big thing - one reason for that grin on my face in the front picture at the grocery store. I'm wearing a LARGE top. Knowing I was wearing clothes 4 sizes smaller than what I had, just 4 months ago, was huge. It motivated me to keep it up.

DH also woke me up this morning at 6 - "Don't you want to run?". If he hadn't I would have missed my run. He's not interested in fitness,even when his legs worked fine, but he respects it. He is proud of me and it shows.

I drank a lot of soda, I didn't drink water, but I can respect myself. Now, I'm an exercise geek. I LOVED walking up and down the Seawall every day even after my run. Next time I might rent a bike and go even farther. I enjoy being active - I'm just wired that way. But if you're less actively inclined, just try to do SOME physical activity you love - swimming, walking, whatever you can. If you don't, well, resolve that you are vacationing from exercise BUT ONLY FOR THE NEXT (time period) and when you get home you'll get back to it. I have to tell myself to tone it down!

Running 2 days in a row, oh, God my butt is sore. I didn't use enough sunscreen so I'm "Medium Rare" as well. Thank God for Aloe Vera Gel. DH never burns but he got pink.

We had a lot of fun. We're thinking of going back in mid-September. They have the Harley-Davidson motorcycle rally every September around my birthday and our anniversary (22 & 23), so we'll go early. I don't like loud things. It ought to be nice and all the kids will be back in school. We'll have the place to ourselves. Ahhhh.

Off I go to play catch-up with my laundry.

[Houston Heather]

200.5 today. I'm configuring my other blog so I'll be in and out. My calves are a little stiff from all the walking and running but they don't hurt. I look sunburned but it doesn't hurt, either.

OK, my blogger blog looks great. I'm happy.

I think I'm going to go more hard-core induction (no whey, no heavy whipping cream) for a week. See how that goes. I don't want to be big forever and I hate the idea I might be stalling myself.

Famous last words, "I'll just use up what I've got in the fridge and then...." but in actuality, I only have a few ounces of heavy whipping cream. If I don't throw it out I'll eat it today.

Yesterday, before we came home, I bought 3 small, plain, double hamburgers (I will throw away the buns), and a nice salad. I can eat them today, lazy woman's food.

Tomorrow we go to Walmart. More eggs and induction food. I will cook some so it's all ready to go anytime I'm hungry. Easy.

PMS will start in about a week so I would love to hurry up and lose anything before I have that to contend with. We'll see.

I'm getting healthier. I just hate looking at my hair now, I can tell it's thinning and I hate it. I may cut it off, short hair is easier and the loss won't be as dramatic.

[Houston Heather]

I went to Walmart this morning and got my induction foods. Basically, I got eggs, sausage patties, smaller t-shirts, and smaller underwear . Not a bad way to go.

After I get paid this week I plan to go to Footlocker and buy smaller t-shirts, then move all my "baggy" shirts into oblivion. I use them for messy, t-shirt ruining work.

I'm really tired today from my medication. I'm going to go take my supplements, I didn't do it this morning.

[Houston Heather]

Today we got up, went to Walmart, went to work. I was violently queasy most of the day. I ate 2 atkins bars, some eggs and bacon, and now I'm looking at a whey protein shake for dinner.

I know, I said I wasn't going to eat them. I have to eat to take my pills and it's the only thing I think I can keep down.

DAMN. I really wanted today to be a fresh start, clean eating, renewed weight loss, some weights in the garage...

Instead it was curled up in a ball with the cat. AGH.

[pennylovesdarren]

Your pictures are fantastic! I think running along that seawall would've been such a treat! You look very young in your photos. Keep it up Heather! You are turning back the clock with your new lifestyle. Congrats on the size large.

[Houston Heather]

Thanks! I'm feeling better today and while bloated, I am a pound and a half lighter than I used to be.

Last night was challenging, we had to get up at 4 AM. The tenant who's renting the house behind us owns a set of drums. He fancies himself the drummer. He is a TERRIBLE drummer. I am tone deaf and I can tell he is always out of rhythm, with a goofy tempo. UGH.

Anyway, at about 8 PM he started up. Bam bam bam. Then he stopped. Just as I was falling asleep, he started up again. The police love it when Ron calls, because he starts off with "I'd like you to help me prevent a murder..." :laugh "'Cause if he doesn't shut up I'm going to KILL HIM!".

Once it was quiet again it took me forever to drop off. I was dying to go knock in his door at 4 AM until he woke up and make the point that it's not very nice when the neighbors disturb your sleep, is it?

I woke up very irritable. Lots of bickering at work. It's over now and we're home. We're going to run an errand to the Home Depot and get a pet door for the garage door. That means no more wasps terrorizing me when I lift my weights. Awesome. Hopefully that happens Wednesday.

I haven't done any cardio since Friday and no weights in longer than that. I plan to do deadlift day today and then do some cardio on the exercise bike. The last time I did weights and then bike, I liked it. My heart rate was already in the zone from the weights and the nice air conditioned house was a treat.

The tops of my hipbones are still sore - the hip flexor muscles. All the running and walking in Galveston, I guess.

Now I need to figure out what do to for lunch. I am not super hungry, but I want to eat and take my supplements. Empty stomachs and supplements = nausea. It's hot so I don't want to cook. I'll figure something out.

More later.

[pennylovesdarren]

Nice picture of u and your hubby on the end of the pier!

[Houston Heather]

Thanks!

He had planned a trip to KFC, so I tagged along. I took my own salad dressing because the best dressing they've got still has 5 grams of carbs. I got the chicken ceasar salad and put MY dressing on it.

When we got home, I was exhausted. I went to bed and just now got up.

Time to go do my deadlifts and exercise bike! I'm going to be so happy when we get the garage door fixed so the wasps can't get into my garage. UGH.

[Houston Heather]

I did 8 sets of deadlifts and 25 minutes on the exercise bike. Ron kept following me around, talking about various things that I didn't want to talk about. I kept trying to let him know I needed some space, but he didn't get it.

He even followed me into the bathroom and expounded on his reality theories while I showered. That was the worst shower ever, and that counts the time the water heater died.

He started getting critical and making judging comments and I called him on that - then he blew up at me and called me names (fat retarded psycho), and said he wouldn't have picked me , and it was God's fault that he was such a jerk and why don't I hate God?

Ugh. Not a good day. I am glad I worked out. I am very glad I have only legal foods in the house.

I am very glad that the only craving I experienced during the whole nightmare was a craving for lemonade. I had some sugarfree aspartame stuff and I made that up. 2 big glasses later and I'm happy.

Gotta get up at 4:45 and it's only 7 hours away. UGH.

I'm seriously thinking about taking my own vacation soon - just ME! No demands at all. Oh, it sounds wonderful. I'm going to plan this trip in my head if he's pissy the next couple days.

He just seems extra demanding recently.

[Houston Heather]

He didn't call me names today but he was in a sour mood.

He didn't let me know until too late that we'd have to wakeup at 4. I got maybe 6.5 hours of sleep.

I am holding steady right around 201 so I'm satisfied with that, considering my stress level in general and the amount of caffeine I'm consuming (FAR too much). I have been eating VERY clean.

Today at work I noticed my middle third, from the ribs to the knees, was a little stiff in a good "I got a workout yesterday" way. My butt is a little stiff too. I love deadlifts, they really tone up all the flabby parts. I had lots of running around (check my fitday), and lots of heavy lifting. I tried to avoid him as much as I could because I don't know what's in his head. Not sure that I want to, either.

I was feeling very sorry for myself and then later realized my mood had improved dramatically. What had changed? I had to literally run around the building with the repair man (17 acres under one roof), then I had to run across the building to catch the milkman. Once I did I had to lug the loaded cart back to our area.

I really think the exercise today (albeit unintentional) really allowed me so stay calm, relaxed, and mentally strong. I am definitely doing bench press day out in the garage later.

He wants to go out to eat - I want to nap. When we get back we're going to work on the accounting report. Ick. I'll think relaxing thoughts of me doing bench presses out in the garage.

Sometimes, working out in my head is almost as good as a real workout. It always relaxes me.