Week 23 Summary Operation Get Fit No Excuses

Week 23 of Operation Get Fit No Excuses is officially done and I’m on to Week 24! The time and the weight loss are just flying by. This week I want to talk about heat. Not only is today my own official stop/start day in my weekly blogs, but it is also the first day of summer! That means more heat and hot weather here in the northern hemisphere.

As I’ve lost weight and the weather has heated up, I’ve realized that I am able to tolerate the higher temperatures easier than I did last year at this same time of year. The weather and temperature patterns are relatively the same so I know it’s because of my weight loss. We don’t have air conditioning at home and rely on windows and fans. They have kept us comfortable so far this year and Padrone has felt a little cool even if the temperatures are at 28°C In the house. He has lost 22 pounds (10 kg) as of today and it has definitely made a difference in the way his body adjusts to the temperature changes as well. I have been able to stay very comfortable around the house with no problems so far. I’ll let you know as it gets hotter, how my body reacts and adjusts to the temperatures.

I’ve been trying to exercise exclusively in the morning about 7 am when the temperatures are still nice out, but I haven’t always succeeded. When I ended up exercising during hotter parts of the day, I did an indoor workout with a fan turned on high and pointed directly at me. I make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water because our bodies can become easily dehydrated when exercising in high heat. I always pay attention to my body and it’s needs, especially when I’m doing something out of the ordinary. Try exercising when it’s cooler or in a temperature controlled environment whenever possible. But if you can’t, pay close attention to what your body feels because it’s the best judge of what you need.

Next week will be my weigh in and measurements so I’m excited! I am going to try to talk Padrone into letting me post his progress as well at the same time as mine.

If you have any questions or advice about exercising and weight loss, comment below! I love hearing from you!

Week 22 Summary - Operation Get Fit No Excuses

Week 22 has not been that eventful for me. I’ve been keeping up with my exercise and diet, but mostly concentrating on finding the right combination of food that will satisfy Padrone but fit into his diet restrictions also. I can definitely tell with the changing weather and warmer temperatures that I need to exercise first thing every morning because I don’t do well in very hot weather.

A couple of days ago it got up to about 90° and I decided to do my exercise about 1 pm. We don’t have air conditioning. I had fan set on high,  but after 10 minutes, I had to stop because I literally couldn’t keep going. The heat, even with the fan, just drained me. I definitely have to be careful and mindful of how my body responds to exercise during the summer.

If you are exercising during the summer, which I hope you are, listen to your body and try to exercise during the cooler parts of the day or evening. Stay hydrated with water and possibly use an electrolyte based drink if you need the boost.

I may have to limit my time to 30 minutes a day, depending on my endurance level. We shall see as time passes. I’ve only been active during cold or cool weather, so hopefully, my body can adapt to the warmer temperatures as the summer season comes.

As I mentioned above and in previous blogs, Padrone has struggled to find the right balance and combination of food that will satisfy both his needs and fit within his diet restrictions. I decided we needed to try a pre-made food delivery service for him. After much research, I found a couple that are not cheap, but not cost prohibitive either. The nutritional values are well within the range of what Padrone needs and the quality and variety of dishes makes him happy. So, I am calling it a win all around!

Padrone himself has lost 8 kg (17 pounds) so far and is continuing to lose more at a steady rate. While he has been slacking off on the exercise part for a few weeks, I’m hoping that having resolved his food dilemma will inspire him to get back to a daily exercise program. I’m so proud of him and his progress! He has also been smoke free for 3 months now!

Thank you for continuing to follow our journey to getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle. We are proof that it’s never too late to make the necessary changes to life a healthier lifestyle.

Confidence - Within and Without

Sometimes our own minds are our worst enemies. They makes us think things that are just not true. Stuff like we aren't sexy, beautiful, or feminine enough. That we are too fat, too short, too ugly. That we are not smart, good or useful.

Our minds and the media will screw our self esteem and heads many times over. And all of the above statements are total bullshit. I have the same self doubts on things just as many of you do. I do feel that I am not feminine enough a lot of times for my Padrone. I do wish at times that I were sexier, or at least knew how to be sexier, dress sexier, without all of my body parts hanging out; act sexier, but not in a slutty way. Though, there is a time and place for that. I like short hair. It's easier to maintain. But on me, I think long hair is better and I have been told that it does by several people, strangers and friends alike. Am I confident enough to pull off the short and the long? Yes.

I am confident in how I look with my hair and I am pretty confident with my body. Do I want to loose more weight? Of course. What woman that isn't thin, do you know that would not like to loose even 5 pounds? But I refuse to do anything stupid, like some weird diet or exercise until I drop. And I definitely refuse to give up foods I like to eat. Life is short and about enjoyment. We should eat, laugh and love as much as we can. All in moderation, obviously, but you get my drift. Now, I have cut out a lot of sugar for health reasons, but am addicted to Italian pastries and chocolate. I have seen many changes, in not only my body, but my health, emotional and mental well being since moving almost four years ago.

There are little things in daily life that I do, and am starting to do, to make changes or improvements to me. But these are not things that anyone or my Padrone has said 'I want you to...'. These are change I have chosen to make, and luckily have been well supported by my very loving fiance, Marco. One change is that I wear makeup a lot more than I have in the past 10 years. It takes no time to put on and I don't do all the products to look like a clown. A very light color, little lipstick and eyeliner and bam! Makes a big difference and I know that I look good. See, what I am finding is that when I absolutely think and know within myself that I look good, it makes me feel good and no matter what anyone thinks or says, I know that I love me as I am and as I look.

Another change that I've made is by wearing a dress every more often. They are not as practical as pants, but they do make me feel and look a lot great and are a huge confidence booster. I have started wearing clothes that are more form fitting, versus wearing ones that are very baggy. I got into the whole trap, that if you are a big girl, you need to hide all your body parts. That is simply not true. Women of all shapes and sizes can look beautiful and classy, or sexy dressed in form fitting clothes. They will not only give you a confidence boost, but also might get you some nice looks from others, that will in turn help boost your confidence. I am not saying to go out with your boobies or butts hanging out. Not at all! Just sexy, but classy. I actually don't show much skin, because, for one its winter. And two, I don't like to. Why show cleavage when I can wear a form fitting shirt that shows my shape without actually giving away the goods?

I hope you find the confidence that I have. With confidence in yourself and your abilities, you have no limits to what you can accomplish! Start now by implementing little things that will help you see yourself in a more positive light. Stay Comfortable and true to yourself, but learn that change is good and many times, can bring about amazing results.