Shaking It Up

Last week, I decided to kick off the month of October by focusing on losing some of the excess weight I’ve put on since moving to the Northwest earlier this year. Overall, I’d say I had mixed success with my first week of true weight-loss efforts. I did lose one pound, so I’m at a good start. My friend and coworker Angela has been trying to get me to go to her Zumba class for months now, and I finally agreed to go even though “coordinated” will never be the first word that comes to anyone’s mind when describing me. To my own surprise, I actually love Zumba. It’s so fun! The dance moves aren’t so challenging that I can’t figure them out, and following the steps and listening to the music is a great distraction from the fact that I’m working out. I was so instantly hooked, that I ended up staying and taking a second class. That was great, but two back-to-back Zumba classes left me so sore I was only able to drag my lazy ass to the gym again once this week.

I have a new focus on my diet, too. That part was instigated by a trainer at my gym. I complained to her about my struggles and we went over what I eat together. Then she reprimanded me for the food choices I make, and outlined what I should be eating to get successful results (she was also pretty anti-Zumba, but I think that’s more because it’s the hot exercise right now and she’s losing customers to it whether or not it actually works). After my lone gym workout with her, I headed straight to the grocery store to buy the suggested new foods. At the checkout, I paid for chocolate flavored protein powder for shakes, baby carrots, a cucumber, and some string cheese. The idea is that instead of snacking on hundred calorie packs, which are still full of carbs, I’d eat my veggies and the little cheese.

For breakfast, I’m having a protein shake and some low-sugar oatmeal. Morning snack is carrots, afternoon snack is cucumber slices and string cheese. For lunch I have those frozen Healthy Choice Steamers meals. Dinner is whatever Paul cooks, which lately has been a lot of chicken, fish, and salad.

The protein shake has been the hardest thing to, er, swallow. The first morning, I added the powder to some milk. It was grainy and didn’t desolve all the way, so I was less than thrilled. The next morning we didn’t have any milk, so I added the stuff to water. Oh. My. Lord. That. Is. Some. Nasty. Shit. Do not try this method unless your taste buds are completely dead or you feel the need to punish yourself for some dastardly deed. So this morning I finally got the shake, if not right, at least much better. I got some frozen raspberries at the grocery store last night and threw them, the powder, and the milk into the blender. The only issue I’ve had with this is that the mixture needs to be consumed rather quickly, as if it sits it sorta develops a weird consistency.

Although my first week wasn’t fabulous for workouts, this week I will improve. Tomorrow, I will attend both Zumba classes and hopefully I can stagger into the gym Tuesday morning. I rearranged my schedule on Wednesdays so that I can make the night Zumba class. And soon the gym at work will be opening up, so Angela and I will work out on my lunch hour together. If I can keep losing a pound a week, I’ll be satisfied (although more would be awesome), and I think I can probably step it up to two pounds a week once I’m not struggling to move after the increased activity.

I think this can actually be done.

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