Weigh-in: 197.2
Eh. I was sick most of last week and didn't work out much or very hard. Ate badly all weekend, ate pasta and bread for dinner last night. So I guess that's about where it's at. I need more work. I need to eat better.
Great article on ParentingHelpMe.com about parents and privacy: Responsible Mom vs. Cool Mom
She does a great job of explaining how you can still be somewhat "cool" and yet have control of your child's Internet access and computer usage. I think it's really important to remember that your job as a parent is not to be a friend, but rather BE A PARENT.
Pool Time
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Day 113 - 4/23/09
Weigh-in: 194.2
This ties my lowest weight to date (man, that's sad). It was a little gratifying yesterday to go to the doctor and at least find out that, even clothed, I was four pounds lighter than the last time I'd been there, back in November. But that's pretty mortifying too. Four pounds in five months. That means I'll be my target weight in only...5 years! Ouch.
Anyway, not much to report on the pregnancy scene. We are still in a holding pattern, based on finances and location. However, my hubby has gotten a few nibbles in the job market, and will be scheduling some phone interviews. So far, none of them are in the location we most want to move to (Boise, ID), but they aren't bad, and they've gotta be better than the dirty South.
Did read one thing that surprised me: studies have shown that women who use a hot tub or jacuzzi while pregnant are as much as twice as likely to have a miscarriage than women who do not use a hot tub. That's BIG. While I am not a huge hot tubber, I have been known to sit in them occasionally. Apparently the heat affects fast-growing cells and can damage the development of the fetus. Guess that means avoiding a really hot bath, too. I can't imagine a short shower would cause any harm. But I'm sure a lot of pregnant women have looked to a hot tub for some back relief. Scary. I guess they do usually post warnings, though. But still.
Been sick this week--bronchitis--so I haven't worked out much. Hopefully next week will be better.
This ties my lowest weight to date (man, that's sad). It was a little gratifying yesterday to go to the doctor and at least find out that, even clothed, I was four pounds lighter than the last time I'd been there, back in November. But that's pretty mortifying too. Four pounds in five months. That means I'll be my target weight in only...5 years! Ouch.
Anyway, not much to report on the pregnancy scene. We are still in a holding pattern, based on finances and location. However, my hubby has gotten a few nibbles in the job market, and will be scheduling some phone interviews. So far, none of them are in the location we most want to move to (Boise, ID), but they aren't bad, and they've gotta be better than the dirty South.
Did read one thing that surprised me: studies have shown that women who use a hot tub or jacuzzi while pregnant are as much as twice as likely to have a miscarriage than women who do not use a hot tub. That's BIG. While I am not a huge hot tubber, I have been known to sit in them occasionally. Apparently the heat affects fast-growing cells and can damage the development of the fetus. Guess that means avoiding a really hot bath, too. I can't imagine a short shower would cause any harm. But I'm sure a lot of pregnant women have looked to a hot tub for some back relief. Scary. I guess they do usually post warnings, though. But still.
Been sick this week--bronchitis--so I haven't worked out much. Hopefully next week will be better.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Day 110 - 4/20/09
Weigh-in: 195.4
Hmm. Shouldn't have eaten pizza this weekend. Oh well.
Read an article on CNN.com today about obesity and its effects on global warming. Basically, the upshot is this: if you are fat, you are contributing more to global warming than a skinny person would. You are pretty much ruining the world. It costs more to transport and feed a heavy person (more fuel) and more to maintain the health of a heavy person. So, if you are fat you are draining the healthcare system and poking a hole in the ozone layer at the same time.
As Rex said in Toy Story, "Great! Now I have guilt!" Guess I need to lose weight to save the environment.
Of course, I could embrace the concept of Happy Fat instead...
Hmm. Shouldn't have eaten pizza this weekend. Oh well.
Read an article on CNN.com today about obesity and its effects on global warming. Basically, the upshot is this: if you are fat, you are contributing more to global warming than a skinny person would. You are pretty much ruining the world. It costs more to transport and feed a heavy person (more fuel) and more to maintain the health of a heavy person. So, if you are fat you are draining the healthcare system and poking a hole in the ozone layer at the same time.
As Rex said in Toy Story, "Great! Now I have guilt!" Guess I need to lose weight to save the environment.
Of course, I could embrace the concept of Happy Fat instead...
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Day 108 - 4/18/09
Weigh-in: 194.4
Sweet. Of course, I just went and ate two big pieces of deep dish pizza to celebrate. Naturally.
Just a brief note for entertainment. I found a site of a guy whose parenting philosophy stems from his life philosophy: Don't do anything that will embarrass you on the nightly news. He asked for some examples of embarrassing stories people had heard on the news. Not all of them are parenting related, but they're all pretty funny.
Just Don't Wanna End Up on the News
Sweet. Of course, I just went and ate two big pieces of deep dish pizza to celebrate. Naturally.
Just a brief note for entertainment. I found a site of a guy whose parenting philosophy stems from his life philosophy: Don't do anything that will embarrass you on the nightly news. He asked for some examples of embarrassing stories people had heard on the news. Not all of them are parenting related, but they're all pretty funny.
Just Don't Wanna End Up on the News
Friday, April 17, 2009
Day 107 - 4/17/09
Weigh-in: 195.8
That was a pretty nice surprise this morning, especially since I had two ice cream sandwiches yesterday and burritos for dinner last night (which are almost always the kiss of death for my morning weigh-in). I'm actually down three pounds from yesterday's weigh-in. Of course, there are many possible reasons: I took some Excedrin last night, which may have dehydrated me a bit and lowered the water weight; I'm coming to the end of my TOTM so the bloating may be going back down; perhaps the exercising I've been doing has actually been helping. Who knows?
I have been pretty good about working out this week. Nothing Monday (why ruin a perfectly good day off?), but I've hit the gym twice before work this week to lift weights, and I've been doing 30-minute walking and kickboxing cardio workouts with some coworkers during one of our planning periods at school (four times a week) for two weeks now. I've enjoyed it so much that I actually ordered some of the kickboxing videos (it's called "Turbo Jam", and it's a set of five videos for only three payments of blah blah blah) so that I can keep doing this at home during the summer. I can definitely feel the kickboxing workouts the next day.
Anyway, on to other topics.
Found an article today on ParentingHelpMe.com that is really interesting from a parent/teacher perspective. It's about children and social media (like Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). While I don't have kids of my own yet, I do teach high school and am very aware of my students' relationship to their social networks.
The article is very brief--apparently it is a follow-up to another article, which I will have to look for--but cites some interesting statistics about kids on the computer. According to the article, about 3/4 of kids ages 12-17 are regular online participators, and and almost 2/3 of those kids have acknowledged that there is some information on their social networking site that could be embarrassing or harmful to them, if not now then when they grow up. The upshot of the article is that parents need to take an active role in their children's use of any and all social networking sites, to be aware of what information their child is posting or receiving and to actually limit or control harmful activity. The example the article used at the end was how unfortunate it would be for a picture of your son with a bong to show up on the Internet and harm his reputation or career, as in the case of Michael Phelps. This is a lesson I've been trying to impart to my students, but I don't know how successful I've been, because I refuse to be "friends" with any of them on Facebook.
That was a pretty nice surprise this morning, especially since I had two ice cream sandwiches yesterday and burritos for dinner last night (which are almost always the kiss of death for my morning weigh-in). I'm actually down three pounds from yesterday's weigh-in. Of course, there are many possible reasons: I took some Excedrin last night, which may have dehydrated me a bit and lowered the water weight; I'm coming to the end of my TOTM so the bloating may be going back down; perhaps the exercising I've been doing has actually been helping. Who knows?
I have been pretty good about working out this week. Nothing Monday (why ruin a perfectly good day off?), but I've hit the gym twice before work this week to lift weights, and I've been doing 30-minute walking and kickboxing cardio workouts with some coworkers during one of our planning periods at school (four times a week) for two weeks now. I've enjoyed it so much that I actually ordered some of the kickboxing videos (it's called "Turbo Jam", and it's a set of five videos for only three payments of blah blah blah) so that I can keep doing this at home during the summer. I can definitely feel the kickboxing workouts the next day.
Anyway, on to other topics.
Found an article today on ParentingHelpMe.com that is really interesting from a parent/teacher perspective. It's about children and social media (like Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). While I don't have kids of my own yet, I do teach high school and am very aware of my students' relationship to their social networks.
The article is very brief--apparently it is a follow-up to another article, which I will have to look for--but cites some interesting statistics about kids on the computer. According to the article, about 3/4 of kids ages 12-17 are regular online participators, and and almost 2/3 of those kids have acknowledged that there is some information on their social networking site that could be embarrassing or harmful to them, if not now then when they grow up. The upshot of the article is that parents need to take an active role in their children's use of any and all social networking sites, to be aware of what information their child is posting or receiving and to actually limit or control harmful activity. The example the article used at the end was how unfortunate it would be for a picture of your son with a bong to show up on the Internet and harm his reputation or career, as in the case of Michael Phelps. This is a lesson I've been trying to impart to my students, but I don't know how successful I've been, because I refuse to be "friends" with any of them on Facebook.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Day 104 - 4/14/09
Today's Weigh-in: 198.2
I think; honestly, it was so long ago this morning I hardly remember. But that sounds right.
Started my rededication today. Since it's been 100 days with no progress, I'm basically finding myself starting over. So this morning I did it right: weights at the gym for an hour before work, and a 30-minute cardio workout during my planning period. Now it's back to the gym for more cardio. Wonder if I can keep this up?
I had an interesting discussion with my husband. We were joking about the potential gender of our potential children (no, still not working at the whole preggers thing; still just trying to lose the weight), and I commented that it was all up to my husband. "No," he said, "Women can influence the gender of the baby." I was unbelieving, but he said, "Look it up. It's all about eating cereal."
And gosh darned if he wasn't right. Well, it isn't ALL about cereal. But I've found numerous articles online that suggest that women who eat diets that are high in potassium, and women who eat higher calorie diets in general, are more likely to have boys than girls.
Sweet. So, I shouldn't be avoiding calories at all then--I should go on the Twinkie diet!
Not really, but I would like to have a boy at some point. I'm not good with the girly stuff. I have two nieces who are all about the pink and purple and sparkles. No thanks. Not that I don't love my nieces, but I wouldn't want to have to braid hair every day. Sheesh.
I think; honestly, it was so long ago this morning I hardly remember. But that sounds right.
Started my rededication today. Since it's been 100 days with no progress, I'm basically finding myself starting over. So this morning I did it right: weights at the gym for an hour before work, and a 30-minute cardio workout during my planning period. Now it's back to the gym for more cardio. Wonder if I can keep this up?
I had an interesting discussion with my husband. We were joking about the potential gender of our potential children (no, still not working at the whole preggers thing; still just trying to lose the weight), and I commented that it was all up to my husband. "No," he said, "Women can influence the gender of the baby." I was unbelieving, but he said, "Look it up. It's all about eating cereal."
And gosh darned if he wasn't right. Well, it isn't ALL about cereal. But I've found numerous articles online that suggest that women who eat diets that are high in potassium, and women who eat higher calorie diets in general, are more likely to have boys than girls.
Sweet. So, I shouldn't be avoiding calories at all then--I should go on the Twinkie diet!
Not really, but I would like to have a boy at some point. I'm not good with the girly stuff. I have two nieces who are all about the pink and purple and sparkles. No thanks. Not that I don't love my nieces, but I wouldn't want to have to braid hair every day. Sheesh.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Day 103 - 4/13/09
According to a study in the UK, pregnant women have an alarming chance of developing an eating disorder during the course of their pregnancy. Obviously, this is a major concern, because if women are either not consuming enough calories or purging them out using laxatives or vomiting, it could contribute to low birthweight in babies or even possibly premature birth.
Part of the cause could be general stress during pregnancy. Women have reported being stressed about the usual things, such as money, work, family issues, etc. Some became stressed about issues surrounding the birth of the baby--they feared that they would not love the child or the child would not love them, or that their spouses wouldn't help out enough, or that they would do things wrong in the raising of the baby. And one of the most significant causes of stress is the concern that the woman won't be able to get back down to her pre-pregnancy weight after the baby.
So, how does one keep from getting stressed while pregnant? It must be weird to have a life growing inside you. Ever see Alien? Wonder if that's how it feels? Hope not. That would be weird.
The Telegraph
Part of the cause could be general stress during pregnancy. Women have reported being stressed about the usual things, such as money, work, family issues, etc. Some became stressed about issues surrounding the birth of the baby--they feared that they would not love the child or the child would not love them, or that their spouses wouldn't help out enough, or that they would do things wrong in the raising of the baby. And one of the most significant causes of stress is the concern that the woman won't be able to get back down to her pre-pregnancy weight after the baby.
So, how does one keep from getting stressed while pregnant? It must be weird to have a life growing inside you. Ever see Alien? Wonder if that's how it feels? Hope not. That would be weird.
The Telegraph
Friday, April 10, 2009
Day 100 - 4/10/09
I didn't realize until I typed in the title of today's post that today was Day 100. I had hoped that my weigh-in this morning would be something fantastic, something in the 175 lbs range, since I've been trying to lose weight for more than three months.
So this is a bit of a disappointment.
Weigh-in: 196.4
Eh. At least I've been getting 30 minutes of cardio several times each week. I've been working out with some fellow teachers during our planning period, and we've been doing some of those walking workouts. They've actually been a lot of fun, and it's been nice to share my workout with some people without having an actual trainer yelling at us. Sort of fun. I don't see anything with the weight loss yet, but it feels good to do it each time.
On to the info. I posted last time about the possible dangers of too much folic acid. I got this info in an e-mail that was sent out from my fitness club. Here's what they said about vitamin B (which includes folate/folic acid).
Regular exercise can increase your need for many nutrients. Because of your commitment to your exercise routine, eating foods high in Vitamin B may have a positive effect on your well-being and your workout.
Healthy Lifestyle Tip: Benefits of B
There's a new kind of comfort food in town. To feel better, eat plenty of foods rich in B vitamins. Along with reversing moodiness, irritability, impatience, tension, anger, and depression, B vitamins may increase energy and promote a sense of well-being. Stock up on some of the best food sources of B:
For B1 (thiamin): wheat germ, peas, long-grain brown rice, lentils, and whole-wheat bread
For B2 (riboflavin): fortified cereals, milk, almonds, and broccoli
For B3 (niacin): tuna, chicken, salmon, and fortified cereals
For B5 (pantothenic acid): yogurt, avocados, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and chicken
For B6: fortified cereals, bananas, salmon, and spinach
For B12: chicken, turkey, milk, and eggs
For folate: fortified cereals, lentils, garbanzo beans, orange juice
Source: webmd.com
So this is a bit of a disappointment.
Weigh-in: 196.4
Eh. At least I've been getting 30 minutes of cardio several times each week. I've been working out with some fellow teachers during our planning period, and we've been doing some of those walking workouts. They've actually been a lot of fun, and it's been nice to share my workout with some people without having an actual trainer yelling at us. Sort of fun. I don't see anything with the weight loss yet, but it feels good to do it each time.
On to the info. I posted last time about the possible dangers of too much folic acid. I got this info in an e-mail that was sent out from my fitness club. Here's what they said about vitamin B (which includes folate/folic acid).
Regular exercise can increase your need for many nutrients. Because of your commitment to your exercise routine, eating foods high in Vitamin B may have a positive effect on your well-being and your workout.
Healthy Lifestyle Tip: Benefits of B
There's a new kind of comfort food in town. To feel better, eat plenty of foods rich in B vitamins. Along with reversing moodiness, irritability, impatience, tension, anger, and depression, B vitamins may increase energy and promote a sense of well-being. Stock up on some of the best food sources of B:
For B1 (thiamin): wheat germ, peas, long-grain brown rice, lentils, and whole-wheat bread
For B2 (riboflavin): fortified cereals, milk, almonds, and broccoli
For B3 (niacin): tuna, chicken, salmon, and fortified cereals
For B5 (pantothenic acid): yogurt, avocados, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and chicken
For B6: fortified cereals, bananas, salmon, and spinach
For B12: chicken, turkey, milk, and eggs
For folate: fortified cereals, lentils, garbanzo beans, orange juice
Source: webmd.com
Monday, April 6, 2009
Day 96 - 4/6/09
Weigh-in: ???
Not sure. Haven't had a weigh-in recently. We have had houseguests, and since our scale is in a public room, and I traditionally weigh in au naturale, it seemed rather inappropriate to weigh in until our guests had departed. I will give it a shot tomorrow morning and see where I stand.
I have been working out; some teachers with whom I work have started a "work out club" during one of our shared planning periods, so I've gotten to do some of those Leslie Sammons 30-minute walking workouts. So far, so good.
On to interesting news. I read an article from the most recent issue of Nutrition Reviews regarding folic acid.
I did not even realize that folic acid was not a natural substance. Folate is a form of vitamin B. It helps prevent certain cancers and helps in the neural development of fetuses. However, folic acid is a synthetic form, and may actually aid the development of some cancers if taken in excess. Most Americans and others who live in well-developed countries get enough folic acid, despite suggestion to the contrary. So any folic acid taken in beyond that might actually be detrimental.
I guess this is why they suggest talking to your doctor before taking ANY prenatal supplements of any kind.
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