On the Road to Fitness

Checking my Progress: The First 5 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:49:00 +0000

I was supposed to blog about my starting weight and measurements before I started with my new fitness program. But the numbers were so high that I was really embarassed to post them 6 weeks ago.

Now that I have reached 5 weeks, I am obliged to write about my progress and I have no choice but to post my starting weight and measurements. So here goes...

Starting weight: 189 pounds (whew!)

Week 1: 186 lbs. = Lost 3 pounds
Week 2: 185 lbs. = Lost 1 pound
Week 3: 183 lbs. = Lost 2 pounds
Week 4: 182 lbs. = Lost 1 pound
Week 5: 179 lbs. = Lost 3 pounds

Total pounds lost: 10 lbs in 5 weeks

Starting measurements: 42-41-43
New Vital Statistics: 40-39-42
Inches lost in 5 weeks: 5 inches

I must admit I'm still a bit embarassed with my numbers (especially my measurements), but 10 pounds in 5 weeks is a really good way to start. So, I should give myself a pat on the back.

Healthy Eating at the Mall

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:13:00 +0000

When you are following a nutritional program, people think that your choices in food are very limited. Though there may be some truth to this, you can still find a way to work around those parameters.

One of the most challenging places to eat is the mall. Most families spend their weekends inside the mall and it's always difficult to find healthy food in these places dominated by fastfood restaurants. But, believe it or not, there are a few restaurants that offer healthy choices.

For example, here's a list of restaurants that has some "good" food in their menu:

1. Kenny Rogers Roasters - their roasted chicken and grilled fish are good choices for a full meal. But don't forget to remove the skin from the chicken. For sidings, opt for the healthy corn and carrots or the veggies.
2. World Chicken - this would probably be your best bet at the food court. Their serving of grilled chicken counts for 2 servings of low fat meat minus the oil. One tip though, choose only one siding because if you go for 2 sidings, that would count for a lot of carbo servings.
3. Shakeys - avoid the pizza and the fried chicken and opt for their pasta coupled with one of their green salads.
4. Mang Inasal - My fave meal is PM 1 which consists of barbecued leg part plus unlimited rice. Of course, I don't ask for more rice and consume just half the cup. But the chicken leg serving minus the skin is a great protein choice.
5. Max's - you can order their sabaw viands like sinigang na hipon. Five pieces of shrimp equals one serving of low fat meat. And yes, you can eat rice with it, just half a cup though.

For now, I'm saying goodbye to Jollibee, McDonald's and the like. And I have no idea when my next visit to Yakimix will be. For now, I should just be content at making the right choices to reach my goal. At least I know it's not impossible to eat healthy... even inside the mall.

Empty Calories

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:38:00 +0000

A week on my nutritional program, I had my first meeting with my nutritionist. She reviewed my food diary for the week and found some points for improvement. Then, she handed me a reading on Empty Calories.

Empty calories are foods that are high in calories (energy rich) but low in nutritional value (nutrient dense).

Here are examples of empty caloric foods:

1. French fries, fried chicken, and all other deep fried foods
2. Hamburgers, hotdogs and pizzas
3. Candy and other sweetened packages foods
4. Beer, wine and other sweetened packages foods
5. Refined grains such as crackers, cookies, cakes and pastries
6. Chips
7. Sodas and other sweetened beverages (mostly carbonated drinks, but also include powdered fruit drinks, powdered and bottled iced tea)
8. Ice cream and other frozen desserts
9. Margarine, shortening, butter, lard and other saturated fats
10. Sauces and gravies

As you can see, most of these are staple foods in our diet. But we can learn to avoid these foods and manage our unhealthy intakes. Here are some tips:

1. Avoid deep fried foods. Instead of deep frying, you may use other cooking methods like boiling, baking, grilling or broiling.
2. Use non-stick pans to avoid use of oil in pan frying.
3. Avoid sweetened drinks and canned drinks.
4. Check out whole grains instead of refined ones. Whole grains are packed with beneficial fiber and anti-oxidants.
5. Snack on fruits and crunchy vegetables.
6. Check the nutrition labels for hidden sugars and fats.
7. Plan ahead. Think of what to eat before you leave for lunch or going out for meals. Know what you will be having throughout the day.
8. Bring your own home-cooked meals. Pack a snack.

Like all things in life, maintaining good nutrition is all about making the right choices. Before I started with my diet, I chose to eat mostly empty caloric foods. But, believe it or not, there are healthy choices out there. You just have to look harder.

Falling All Over Again

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:28:00 +0000

I love dancing. If there's one thing I can do tirelessly inside the gym, it is dancing. When I joined Fitness First in 2009, I fell head over heels in love with their group exercise Retro. I loved it so much that I attended 3 classes per week.

Last Monday, I decided to attend a class again. It was nice to see some familiar faces who are retro-fanatics, just like me. I was a bit anxious when the class started. I thought that since I haven't been to a class in more than a year, it would take longer for me to get my groove back, so to speak.

And then the music played, and everything came back to me. I remembered how much I loved dancing. I remembered most of the steps and the music. Most of all, I remembered how good it felt to be moving my body that way. I fell in love all over again.

My love affair with dancing is something that would always be there. I may stop for awhile, for one reason or another, but I would always go back. That's for sure.

Getting Back in the Game

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:24:00 +0000

It was as hard as I thought. Getting back to the gym, doing exercise and dieting is no easy task. I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new diet and the exercises that I used to do with ease are not so easy anymore.

I am on my third day of dieting. I was given a daily allowance of 1,400 calories per day. The diet plan was very similar to what I had before. But coming from a very unhealthy eating habit, it was difficult to get back to controlling my portions and counting my calories. Of course, I had to remove all the "bad food" on my plate. So, no more softdrinks, no more junk food and no more dessert for me. *sigh* I am scheduled to meet with my nutritionist every Tuesday. I was required to submit my food diary weekly and my weigh-ins are also scheduled on the same day.

As for my exercise program, I've already had 2 sessions with my physical trainer. I can tell that my PT is taking it slow, careful not to put too much strain on me since it has been almost 2 years since I have become active. But even when she is pacing our workouts, it's still very hard to do some of the exercises. It's quite embarrasing to stop in the middle of a set just because I was already gasping for air or I was already feeling dizzy.

I have a long way to go but there's no stopping now. I just have to take it one day at a time.

I'm Back ... For Real This Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:27:00 +0000

In my last entry I promised that I would start going back to the gym, and I did... for one day. My daughter just turned 1-year old then and I planned to mix-feed since I've already been exclusively breastfeeding her for a year. After that one session in the gym, I found out that my daughter Darla had other plans. Her yaya told me that she wouldn't drink formula milk and that she hated it. For days I tried to feed her formula milk to no avail. I had no choice but to continue breastfeeding her exclusively. That also means that I cannot afford to lose my breastmilk supply which I was afraid would happen if I started going to the gym and putting physical stress on my body. So, I decided to "delay" my fitness goals, again, if only to provide nourishment to my daughter who probably loved the taste of my breastmilk so much.

It took a "Fitness-First-membership-renewal-fiasco" to put my a** back to the gym. Long story short, my corporate membership "lapsed" and FF required me to apply for a new membership that would require me to pay the full monthly rate and not the discounted rate for ABS-CBN employees. Of course, I couldn't let this happen, so I talked to higher management and cleared everything up. I took it as a sign from God that he wanted me back at the gym. Now, I'm back to being a member paying the discounted corporate rate.

What happens to Darla now? Well, the same day that I signed up for a new fitness and nutrition program at the gym, I was given the good news... Darla is now drinking formula milk! It's like everything was falling into place. There's really no turning back now.

So, I'm back, for real this time. No more excuses. I'm off to continue my journey to fitness.

Back to Square One

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:13:00 +0000

It has been more than a year since I gave birth to my second daughter. A lot of things happened since. I was back to my weight before I started this blog, maybe even gaining a few pounds more. Yet, I couldn't be happier -- I am now a mother to two very beautiful daughters.

I have been exclusively breatfeeding my daughter for a little over a year now and without breastfeeding I could have gained more weight. But now that my milk supply is slowly depleting, I am gaining weight faster and I feel a lot heavier than 6 months ago.

I tried going back to the gym last January. I wanted to lose 15 pounds before the first birthday of my daughter. But a lot of things happened that did not allow me to focus on my goals. I attended 1 class in January and failed to return since.

My daughter turned one last April and that was my signal. Now I know that I should really commit to my fitness goals. I have a few more months before Christmas and I want to go back to my pre-pregnancy weight before the year ends. That means I have to lose 34 pounds from June to December. I'll be working on my stats next week and probably sign up for a nutritional program soon. I'll be doing this for myself and my family this time.

Worth Every Pound

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:01:00 +0000

My last post was on April 4. That very same night, I started feeling contractions and saw what seemed to be my water on my pants. So, hubby and I decided to go to the hospital.

I was checked at the labor room and the resident OB's found out that though my waterbag was still intact, I was 1cm dilated and I was also having contractions at a 3 to 5 minutes interval. I was admitted that night and my OB scheduled my C-section the following morning.

So, on April 5, 2010, at 7:10 am, Darla Bernice, my second daughter was born. She weighed 6.15 pounds and had an almost perfect APGAR score.

As one may have noticed with my previous posts, I was a bit anxious about my pregnancy. I was worried that it would take me back to where I started, gaining back the 30 pounds that I lost. And I did gain every pound and more. But, when I saw my daughter, I could only think of one thing: She's worth every pound. Just check these out:

A Bun in the Oven Coming Very Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Ok. I know it's been a while since I last wrote in but I have a very valid reason. I am pregnant and it has been quite a challenge to keep fit during my pregnancy. In 6 days or so, I will be seeing my new daughter. I am excited but I must admit that this pregnancy has cost me a lot -- physical-fitness-wise.

I stopped going to the gym just before Christmas because I was getting heavier by the day and I was afraid that I was putting too much strain on my growing belly. After the holidays, I gained so much weight that, for the first time since I started my fitness blog, I was ashamed of facing the scale, even though I had a valid reason for gaining weight.

It went downhill after the holidays. I was gaining more than the expected and I got depressed, which only pushed me to eat more and crave more. Eating too much was the biggest challenge of this pregnancy. Other than that, I was fine. I was all geared up to be a mother again.

I cannot do much about my weight now. I am ashamed to admit my real weight as of writing. I may be able to write about it someday, but it's just too embarassing at this moment.

Anyway, even though I have been gaining a lot of unwanted pounds (not counting the normal 20-30 pounds weight gain of pregnant women), I had enough guts to have my maternity portrait taken. These pics were taken during my 7th month of pregnancy and maybe from these pictures, you can tell how heavy I've become.

In 6 days, I am giving birth via sceduled caesarian section. It normally takes 6 months to go back to the gym, as prescribed by my OB Gyne. But, I have spoken with her and asked her permission to go back to the gym by August, 4 months after I gave birth. She gave me her go on the condition that I will be doing only moderate aerobic exercises, no weight lifting and absolutely no abdominal exercises.

So, until then, you'll be hearing about better fitness news from me. For now, I promise to post pics of my new baby as soon as she comes out.

A HUGE Bump Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:27:00 +0000

I have been on a blogging hiatus for more than two months now. I've got a very valid reason -- there's a big bump ahead, a HUGE one. I'm expecting my second baby. I found out that I was pregnant at about 6 weeks. I am now on my 14th week.

One of the last posts I made was about being stuck at 155 pounds. Now it's clear why I wasn't losing any weight that time. I had my suspicions when I found it a little too hard to control my food intake. I noticed that I was taking in larger portions and my cheat days were becoming more frequent. Then, I missed my period for two weeks. That never happened since I started working out.

So, on a Saturday in August, before I attended my step moves class at the gym, I decided to take a home pregnancy test. I was so shocked to see two lines. It's not that I didn't like this new blessing, I just didn't expect it to come this early. I was planning to get pregnant early next year. I was thinking that by then, I would have met my 50-pound weight loss goal. But fate had other plans for me.

When I went to my OB, the first thing that she told me was, "you cannot diet, you have to gain at least 1 pound per week." Perfect, I thought. Then, the first thing that I asked her was, "Can I still go to the gym?". My OB said yes, but I have to veer away from high-impact exercises. That means, no more running on the treadmill, no more body jam. Good news is, I can still dance retro and lift light weights.

Before I got pregnant, I would go to the gym 5 times a week. When I found out I was pregnant, I vowed to go at least 4 times a week. I wanted to be fit pregnant woman, but as fate would have it, this pregnancy is not a walk in the park. While my first pregnancy was very easy, this time I was experiencing all the bad pregnancy symptoms. Vomiting, nausea etc. What's even worse is, the only thing that stops me from vomiting is eating, so, yeah, I've been eating a lot too.

I wanted to blog about having a fit pregnancy. However, I don't think I could do that now. I've gained at least 10 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. And I'm expecting about 15-20 pounds more for the entire pregnancy.

I have to take care of myself but more than that, I have to take care of my baby. But as I promised when I started this blog, I wanted to make fitness a lifestyle. All I could promise is to start cutting down on the sweets, my only refuge from my vomiting spells and I would still go to the gym 2-3 times a week. For the past 8 weeks, I have been going to the gym once a week, and I definitely plan to do better than that.

My expected due date is on April 16, 2010. I will be breastfeeding my baby exclusively for as long as I can. But I would like to make another promise. I want to promise to start losing weight again, 3 months after I gave birth. I'd still want to meet my target weight of 130 pounds before the end of 2010. I want to be one hot, sexy momma! Watch me!

Lifting Weights: Why Women Should Do It

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:53:00 +0000

Many women refuse to lift weights with the fear to gain large muscles. Contrary to this, women have very different body composition from men and no matter how often we lift weights, we will never grow as big as those bulky bodies we see at the gym.

The importance of strength training cannot be stressed enough. Here are some reasons to convince you to start working those muscles:

* Strength training makes us stronger. Lifting weights trains our strength and enables us to do more extensive physical activities.

* Lifting weights improve our bone health. When we lift weights, we increase our bone density and our tendons and ligaments are strengthened.

* Strength training increases muscle mass. It slows down or reverses the muscle loss that we experience as we age.

* Increased muscle mass through strength training enables us to burn more calories even at rest.

* Improving muscle strength increases our flexibility and balance. Thus, chances of injuries during physical activities are decreased.

These are just some of the many benefits we get from lifting weights. And based from my own experience, I can say that I wouldn't have lost this much weight so quickly if I haven't been lifting weights and doing strength training 2-3 times a week.

So, even after I've used up all my sessions with my Personal Trainer, I pursued my stength training and continued losing those unwanted fats and gaining more muscles.

Eyes on the Prize

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:35:00 +0000

I don't know but it seems soooo hard to lose that 1 last pound to reach my 30-pound weight loss. That's why today, I'm setting a new prize to motivate me in the days to come.

I used to reward myself for every 10 pounds that I lost. It seems so long since my last reward and it's time I set my eyes on the prize once more.

So, what will it be this time? Recently, my hair iron broke and I need a replacement. Hair irons, especially branded ones don't come cheap. But, it doesn't matter. I need some HUGE motivation to get me on my feet again.

I just came back from Crossings department store and I saw this Revlon Hair Iron which I tried and LOVED. It's worth a little over 3k, but who cares? That will be my next prize and I need to have that soon!

29 Pounds Ago...

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:16:00 +0000

I lost interest in trying to look my best 'coz I knew that my best wouldn't even get close to how I would really want to look like.

I was afraid of cameras and dreaded looking at pictures of myself.

I would go straight to the plus size section of department stores to buy clothes. I wasn't too choosy, as long as the clothes fit.

I had a hard time wearing heels. It was hard enough to carry my own weight on flat sandals.

I stopped measuring myself. It was just too depressing.

I couldn't cross my legs.

I couldn't cross my arms.

I couldn't bring my knees to my chest while seated.

My husband could barely hug me. I was too big for his arms.

Events made me nervous 'coz I wouldn't know what to wear that would at least look "presentable" with my body type.

I ate anything I wanted because I wasn't worried about how much I would weigh the next day. I wasn't weighing myself anyway.

Mirrors are just for checking my hair and my face, not my body.

Shopping was not fun. It was simply a reminder of how bad my body shape was.

I kept on wishing I could go back to the gym, but I never did.

Stranded

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:37:00 +0000

Whenever I stop losing weight for 3 or more weeks, I feel stuck in that weight. I initially wanted to call this plateau-blog, "Stuck at 155". But, I just realized that the word "stuck" has a very negative connotation, especially for someone who's only halfway to his or her goal.

I have been 155 pounds for 3 weeks. Today, I hope that changes. I hope my total weight loss totals more than 29 pounds this week. I really do hope that happens today. But if it won't happen today, I will not say I'm stuck. I'm just "stranded".

Checking My Progress: Weeks 21 to 25

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Slowly but surely... That's what I keep telling myself to avoid feeling frustrated. I've reached my plateau stage and my last progress check was not as good as I would want it to be. This time, it's a bit better. I've lost a few pounds and managed to avoid gaining any. It's getting tougher every week.

Here’s my weekly progress from weeks 21 to 25:

Week 20: 160 pounds (Reference)
Week 21: 158 pounds = lost 2 pounds
Week 22: 156 pounds = lost 2 pounds
Week 23: 156 pounds = lost 0 pound
Week 24: 155 pounds = lost 1 pound
Week 25: 155 pounds = lost 0 pound

Total pounds lost from weeks 16 to 20: 5 pounds

Total pounds lost in 25 weeks: 29 pounds

Vital stats reference (week 1): 39.5 - 39 - 42
Vital statistics from week 20: 37.5 – 35 – 39
Vital statistics at week 25: 37 – 34.5 – 38

Total inches lost from day 1: 11 inches

I would have wanted the total weight loss to be 30 pounds at this point. I don't see how it's sooooo hard to lose that last pound.

Anyway, I'm happy I lost 5 pounds for the past 5 weeks. Not bad for someone who's been on a plateau. And yes, I'm really happy I'm losing inches too!

Plus Size No More

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:40:00 +0000

It's been a while since I have been in the plus size section of a department store. I used to go straight to the plus size section of any department store to buy my clothes.

Losing a lot of weight gave me the courage to explore other parts of the clothing section. I just found out one day that I could already buy normal-sized clothes. Then, slowly, I stopped going to the plus size section.

However, having a "gifted" behind left me with second thoughts about non-plus sized pants. So, I would go to the normal-sized section for blouses and to the plus size section for pants.

But, the other day, they had this great Levi's and Dockers sale. The biggest size they had was 32 inches for ladies' pants. I was 34 inches the last time I checked. Hubby told me to try the pants on. He said, who know's? It might fit. So I tried on the pants and... it DID fit! So, even if I had no plans of buying the pair, hubby convinced me to. I now own my first ever pair of Levi's.

And then, yesterday, I tried on another pair of branded jeans and it was on sale at 20% off. Lee jeans are not as expensive as Levi's but it's quite a quality product as well. And then, it happened again, it fits well! I now own my second pair of non-plus-sized pants.

So, I guess it's official. I'm completely saying goodbye to the plus size section.

The New Me

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Nope, this has nothing to do with Fitness First's "New Me" contest.

It's been more than a decade since I sported a short hairstyle. I was always afraid my face was too round for it.

But since I lost 28 pounds, people are starting to notice how slim my face looks now. So, last weekend, I decided to bite the bullet and got a short haircut.

So far, I'm getting nothing but positive feedbacks for my new look. What do you think?

I'm loving my hairstyle now and I love the fact that my face looks better on pictures. Losing weight can change one's life in sooooo many ways.

First Love Never Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:23:00 +0000

I LOOOVVVEE the retro dance class of Fitness First. I'm a self-confessed retro fanatic. I love dancing and attending the retro dance class gives me the chance to dance to my heart's content. It gave me the chance to dance to the beat of Buttercup, The Boss, Single Ladies, and yes, that theme from the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire sung by Pussycat Dolls. (Bear with me, I know the title but I don't know how to spell it.)

But, before I was a member of Fitness First, I became a lifetime member of Slimmers World. Slimmers World did not have retro dance classes, but they had step aerobics classes. And before I became crazy for retro, I was head-over-heels in love with step aero. So in love, in fact, that I would wake up at 7am on a Sunday and travel from our house in Antipolo to SM Megamall, just to catch the 8:30 am step aero class.

For years, I have missed that great love, and the first thing that I asked when I became a member of Fitness First is, "May step aero classes ba kayo?" Luckily, they did have 2 step moves (that's how they call it in Fitness First) classes on Saturday and Sunday. I tried attending those classes a few times and I almost gave up. I couldn't follow the steps and it seemed like I have lost my step grooves.

So, did I give up? Almost. In one of the Saturday classes, the step aero teacher asked me, "Is this your first time?", to which I replied, "No, this is my third time in your class but I never once finished a class". Then, she said, "Try to finish this one". It was hard but I was encouraged by her words. So, with much difficulty and struggle, I did finish the class and promised to go back for more.

Last Saturday, I went to the same class, and for the first time after a loooong time, I was able to finish the class and actually enjoyed it. And just like that, everything came back to me. I fell in love with step aero all over again. For sure, in the next Saturdays to come, I will be at the gym attending back-to-back classes of retro and step moves.

I guess it's true, first love never dies. :-)

Freedom Day

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:09:00 +0000

I know it's been more than 3 weeks, but yesterday, I celebrated my own freedom day.

Yesterday, I cleared my closet and removed all my "fat clothes". I went through my wardrobe, piece by piece, to weed out my now oversized pieces of clothing. I haven't been wearing these clothes for a couple of months now since I lost a lot of weight.

Recently, I have been buying new clothes that fit my new body better. I needed room for these new clothes. Thus, a closet clean-up was necessary.

The activity proved to be quite liberating. I felt both sentimental and relieved to see my old double-XLs go out of the closet into a big suitcase that seemed like Pandora's box for me... hoping that I never have to open it again.

Checking My Progress: Weeks 16 to 20

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:10:00 +0000

The last five weeks have been quite tough for me. As mentioned in my previous blog, I have been experiencing the dreaded “P” word – plateau. I was able to lose a few pounds on the 2nd and 3rd week, but I gained back half of what I lost on the 4th and was not able to lose it again as of writing.

Here’s my weekly progress from weeks 16 to 20:

Week 15: 162 pounds (Reference)
Week 16: 162 pounds = lost 0 pound
Week 17: 160 pounds = lost 2 pounds
Week 18: 158 pounds = lost 2 pounds
Week 19: 160 pounds = gained 2 pounds
Week 20: 160 pounds = lost 0 pound

Total pounds lost from weeks 16 to 20: 2 pounds

Total pounds lost in 20 weeks: 24 pounds

Vital stats reference (week 1): 39.5 - 39 - 42
Vital statistics from week 10: 37.5 - 35.5 - 40
Vital statistics at week 20: 37.5 – 35 – 39

Total inches lost from day 1: 9 inches

I only have 23 weeks to lose 26 pounds to meet my weight loss goal within my target deadline. I have to work harder from this point on.

The "P" Word

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Everybody who's into a fitness program and trying to lose weight dreads one word, and it starts with a P.

Plateau is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "a stable period". In fitness terms, what it actually means is that this is that stage in your fitness program when, no matter how often or how hard you exercise and no matter how strict you are keeping your diet, you still are not losing any pound for a relatively long period (say, a month or more).

Plateau is good when you've reached your target weight and you are in your maintainance stage. I have only lost 50% of my target weight loss. Plateau is not good for me.

Plateau happens. I heard it so many times from people who's been there or are still there. I knew it would happen to me (as it did so many times before), but I was never really ready for it. I'm trying my best to beat it but for the last 3 weeks, I have not been successful.

I guess, this is one of the challenges I must face in trying to lose weight. Wish me luck 'cause I really need it at this point.

When Work Gets in the Way

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:29:00 +0000

I miss the gym. I missed my most-loved group exercise: retro dance. I miss dancing, sweating and watching the scale go lower as I lose more pounds each week.

I haven't been to the gym since Thursday last week. It's been 5 days and it's killing me! I want to go sooooo bad, but I can't. I have to finish a project at work --a big project and a huge pain in the a**.

I abhor moments like this. When work is eating more time from my life than it should. It's taking away my time to be with my daughter. It's taking away my own personal time to take care of myself.

A similar thing happened to me a few weeks back. I was barely able to go to the gym for almost two weeks. The end result? I gained 2 pounds! It took me a week to lose those 2 pounds that I gained. It's a definite setback to my goal. I mean, I could have lost 30 pounds by now if not for that setback!

I am scheduled for a weigh in with my nutritionist tomorrow. I will cancel. I just know I didn't lose any weight this week. I'll have to work doubly hard starting Thursday and hopefully catch up from my program.

I hate this. I absolutely hate this.

Got cake. Will eat.

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:42:00 +0000

I had one wish for my birthday: to eat Alex Franco's famous prune cake. I know I deserved it after losing 26 pounds. So, I did, and boy, was it delicious!

I had 3 slices, just 3. I had to stop myself from drooling everytime I would open our refrigerator. I mean, who could say no to this:

If you're wondering, yes, I talked to my nutritionist about the cake. I just told her. I said, "Ness, on my birthday, I'm going to eat cake". She said, "Okay, one slice wouldn't hurt". One slice my ass! :-)

Now, I have to tell people in our house to finish the entire piece, or else I would have to lock the refrigerator. :-)

I'd probably be stuck in the gym for 5 straight days to burn the calories from the cake. But it's all worth it!

Halfway There!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:17:00 +0000

It's 2 days before my birthday and I have good news. As of today, I have already lost 26 pounds. That's more than 50% of my goal! 26 pounds down, 24 to go!

And since I was able to meet my goal of losing 25 pounds before my birthday, I am going to celebrate my 31st birthday with the best cake I've ever tasted in my entire life, Alex Franco's prune cake. I simply can't wait!

9 Days to Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Estabillo) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:06:00 +0000

I'll be 31 years old in 9 days. 31! Whew! Time flies by so fast. I have just one wish on my birthday: that I meet my goal of losing 50 pounds before December of this year, maybe even more!

So far, I've lost 22 pounds. I've got 28 pounds to go.

To celebrate my birthday, I'll be eating a special cake, one that I cannot resist and one that I seldom have... Alex Franco's cake. Just one slice for my birthday. It's my gift to myself and a reward for being a good girl since February. That isn't asking for too much, is it?

I'll probably buy a new dress again too! I'll be attending a wedding on the 26th and I gotta look my best. Hopefully, by then, I've lost 50% of my weight loss goal. Let's cross our fingers.