Getting Fit

Anyone who has seen me in the past 9 months has witnessed my steady increase in weight.  Since September, I have gained about 15 pounds.  I blame it on the hours and hours spent sitting and studying, eating too many carbs, and not making time to exercise.  I stopped hiking, even taking long walks.  I didn't bike.  It got cold for a couple months and it was rare that I would even go outside.  We can't afford a gym membership, so I had to rely on what I could do at home.  But, when the sleep deprivation started in early February, I gave up any inkling of a desire to exercise.  However, it has been almost 3 months since I've been out of school, and I am sleeping a little better (5 hours a night instead of 3), and it is time to lose this extra weight.

Granted, I am still at a "healthy" weight for my height, according to the doctor.  But, I am not a fan of being size nine.  My "normal" size is size 6/7 (sometimes 8).  Always has been, except during pregnancies and after extreme flare-ups, where I would drop down to a 4.  I even bought a size 10 pair of pants a couple weeks ago (they're a little big, but my 8s are too snug, and 9s are hard to come by, soooo).  That is when I got serious.  I started doing a cardio routine in the morning after the kids were at school.  30 minutes.  Every morning.  Kicking it old school with jumping jacks, sit ups, leg lifts, and the jump rope.  I even go up and down my stairs for 15 minutes.  And then, there's the bike.  I have been averaging about 35-40 miles a week on my bike.  I am working my way up to 50-60.  So far, I haven't seen much difference in my weight.  But, it hasn't been that long, so I am trying not to become discouraged.  My goal is to be back into "my size" by the end of June.  31 days.  Not unreasonable.

My diet hasn't changed all that much in the past 9 months.  Still eating mostly vegetarian (and limited dairy), with meat a few meals a week.  (I get my protein from kale, beans, and nuts.)  When I was in the craziness of midterms and practically lived on campus, I was eating there a lot.  A lot of carbs.  I stayed vegetarian, but was eating burritos, and pasta, and rice.  And, not making it myself, I have no idea what kind of condiments were used for flavors.  I started out great in Fall term, bringing my own snacks and lunch (and sometimes breakfast), and didn't gain more than 5 pounds that term.  It was winter term that did me in.  Not going to let it happen again when I go back to school.

Here's to getting fit!