Sorry that I have been out of contact for a bit but my schedule got a lot busier. I`m making some changes and I`d like to run it by you guys, see what you think.

We`re in the middle of excavations and now I`m in the field again. This has wreaked havoc with my exercise schedule. First, it`s really hot. I leave the house at 7:15 and get back around 4, starving and in desperate need of fluids. I take 2.5 liter bottle of water with me and some mandarins to eat. By the time I get back, around 4, I am completely wiped out. I`m too tired to go to the gym. It has nothing to do with my fitness level, I think.

ANYONE would be tired after being out in the hot sun, sweating, getting sand blasted by sand (redundant?), digging, carrying equipment, and in general having to trek from one part of the site to the other several times a day. I`m sure if there was a hint of shade around, I wouldn`t be so tired.

My problem is that there are no Gold`s Gym, or Bally`s, or Curves, or Nasty Nachos 24 hour House o`Muscles around here. The gyms are for men in the morning, and aerobics classes are in the evening. It`s like that everywhere I`ve looked. Anyway, I need a change from aerobics.

First, Katy (the aerobics teacher/arch nemesis) has been getting nasty with me. Probably because I am not going by her plan and still losing weight and inches. Sorry, but I feel like doing 300 twists a day is an exercise in futility. Ditto on the side bends.

Second, some of the women figured out that I am not married to my live in boyfriend. I am what they call here a “nasty whore”. This does not make for a friendly atmosphere.

Third, I am the only one in the aerobics class that does not (a) wear a plastic jacket and pants while exercising (b) tie some plastic around my waist to cover my entire belly (c) tie the same material to my upper thighs, upper arms and calves, and most heinously (d) wear overly tight lycra. I`ve exercised with a woman wearing all of the above and it`s like the Peruvian Michelin Man, only really sweaty. Somehow, in all of that time she hasn`t lost any weight. My point is, I am sick of telling the women EVERYDAY that I am not going to wear plastic crap while I work out.

Fourth, I am really tired by the time I get back from work. All I want to do is take a shower and have my boyfriend wait on me hand and foot. I don`t think that is too much to ask.

So here it is, my new plan!

1. I will become more of a calorie counter. I`ll admit, I`m lazy with this. But now that I need less calories to get by, I should pay more attention to what is going in my mouth. I may be eating too much healthy food.

2. Beer on Saturday only (Sunday is my only day off). This will be hard, especially since most archaeologists become functional alcoholics during fieldwork. Really, it`s not unusual for us to drink all 7 days of the week.

3. I told myself that once I am under 190 pounds I should be able to start running without looking like a crazed amoeba or a gelatenous blob. I will start doing the couch to 5k program tomorrow and walk on the days in between.
How will I achieve this new plan –

• Bought a kitchen scale and measuring cups. Will weigh and measure my food.

• Will stay away from the fieldhouse and their ungodly beer in the afternoons. Boyfriend will help with this.

• Will run in the morning at 5am. This will also keep me from drinking since I will no longer be able to sleep in until 6:45.

• Will start a 3FC blog on my progress from couch to 5 km. This will keep me going, even if no one reads it.

What do you guys think?

FYI – A week ago they wheeled away the “you will die” machine and put a new one in it`s place. It no longer tells me that I am going to die, rather in it`s loud electric voice it announces my height and weight. Once again, I will weigh myself once a month, along with taking my measurements.

Sounds like a good plan! Good Luck!

PS- I always like reading your posts-Very funny!
and what the heck is up with wearing plastic workout gear!

Wow....well first off, sounds like you don't need a gym. you have a whole dessert as your personal gym. lol. I think you are making some very good changes. I think you are doing a great job and will continue to succeed. Good luck!!

archy!

Well now... I hope you take more with you to eat while doing field work than a few mandarins. I assume you mean the small oranges... Perhaps part of your plan could be to have some additional foods you can eat in the field? Of course, I realize food availability is a big problem there...

Beer has a few nutrients, but it actually is higher on the glycemic index scale than pure glucose. On a scale going up to 100, it's 105. (Check it out in Sugar Busters.) So, yeah, giving that up during the week, along with the empty alcohol calories, won't hurt your weight!

The rest of your plan sounds good except for the getting up so early to run. I go for a walk in the morning, but it's after coffee, etc. But--do what you have to do! If that's the only time, then that's what you gotta go with.


Calorie counting sounds like a great plan to me, a tried and true calorie counter. Good luck with all of that!

Plastic suits. Lycra. To sweat. While doing a zillion twists. No, I don't think you need to go to that gym any more, you naughty w**** you.

archy, do check in with your new plan! And if you find that parts of it aren't working out, change them!

Cheers!
Jay

you plan sounds great. Reading your post definately gives me a new definition of the "trails of weight loss". I think running sounds like a more sane approach, considering the wonderful women of the aerobic room (note the sarcasim in my voice). And truthfully, you are probably getting a pretty decent work out in the field. But you could definately do the couch to 5K...its a great program. Let us know your blog site...would love to read it. Good luck!!!!!!!

Thanks guys. This support is really necessary for me! I´m going to try to stick to it...starting tomorrow (HA!)


Lovestorun - All the plastic makes sure that they sweat a lot and lose all of their water weight. At least that´s the most reasonable explanation I´ve gotten. Most say that the heat will melt the fat. Other than one lady (and maybe a few I haven´t met), I am the only one there that has graduated high school, this explains a lot. Love your name, btw.

Luminafan - I always lose weight on a dig, despite the massive amounts of alcohol I consume. This time, I´m trying to make it permanent, so I have to exercise before I get tired. Aaack!

Jay - I guess I should put in what I am eating. I do have a big breakfast. Usually a 3 egg white ommelette or some oatmeal, ww bread (found in Ecuador!), banana or some other fruit, and a tall glass of orange juice (with no sugar.

While in the field it is too hot to really eat. I take with me some fruit so that I can snack on it continually. I don´t really get hungry, but I know I need something. When I cool down my stomach returns from its heat induced coma and lets me know that I need to feed it at once. I split two small meals the rest of the day since at 8pm or 9 I start to get really hungry again and I´ve found that unless I plan for that late meal I will eat anything.

As for the early morning running. I have to add in intentional exercise before I get tired. Morning works well since it´s cool, I´m not tired, and all of ruffians outside are in bed or too drunk to outrun me.

Gatorgal - I hope running works. I´ve always wanted to become a runner. Hope my stubby legs are up for it!
THANKIES!

Haha, I somehow managed to miss the original machine post - what is the you will die machine?

Archy, you nasty whore!!! LOL!!! I can see the plastic--too funny! Your plan sounds like it's the perfect fit for you. Be sure to keep those ruffians behind you! Is BF going to join you on the morning jogs?

I think your plan is great. My dh stopped drinking beer awhile ago and lost something like 25 lbs quickly (results may vary... I did not loose that much but still the term beer belly was not invented out of thin air)

And Couch to 5K is fab. It really works. Also running in the morning sounds like a very good idea even though it is so dang early. Running in heat is not fun so the AM run is a good plan.

Come pop into the cool runners thread once you get started. Running is fun and you don't even need any plastic. Another benefit is that when you stumble upon annoying people you can get away much faster.

Love hearing about your adventures.

OK! Not much has changed in the field in the last 28 years! I'm still up to date

I think your new plan sounds great, but I'd sure find some way to tote some non-perishable protein source along during the day. Hard boiled eggs (unpeeled) should make it through a few hours in the heat if you put them under a white t-shirt.

You're going to get crazily addicted to running, like I have, and the fabulous thing about it is that there are no insane women (namely, ones wearing random scraps of plastic) to bother you while you run!

I love your posts too, by the way, like everyone else does, so I'm looking forward to reading your blog. I keep meaning to start a blog and I've been too lazy to write it (even though I ramble for days in my posts). Maybe I'll blog this summer when I don't have to deal with dozens of annoying teenagers. Woohoo!

Anyway, definitely keep us posted on the running thing. I love hearing from new runners, because it's become my mission to convert everyone into runners. I figure if I can become a runner, anyone on planet Earth can.

Yay for Day 1 of my new plan. I`m making chicken breasts in a tomato salad with baked plantains. Yuuummmie!

I made as much of the run as I could and I am so happy. Really, what was I waiting for?

I was talking to my boyfriend about watching what I eat and he said "you know, if you cut down from 3 avocados a week to something normal, like 1, then maybe you don`t have to cut out so much beer". He`s right. I need to put the avocado down. But I`m sticking to my Saturday beer rule.
improbable - The you`re going to die machine was the scale at the pharmacy, it would weigh me and tell me that I was going to die. I didn`t like using it.

alinell - he`s supposed to, but today he rolled over and said no. Tomorrow he gets a couple of good kicks. Lazy bum!

hikerchick - already at cool runners. Yay!

Mel - Still the same old drunkards as always! My favorite story is of Scotty McNeish who worked in Belize, and for his digs he would open a bar. One of them was the only place in 40 where you could get cold beer. THAT is commitment.

I think I will start taking boiled eggs. Can`t believe I haven`t thought about doing that before!

LisaMarie - Wow, 92 pounds is amazing! Were you running the entire time? Now that I have done it I feel silly for waiting so long to start. I mean, even at 220 I could have run, there was nothing physically stopping. I think I already love it, I had a goofy smile on my face all day!
Definitely start a blog, definitely, definitely!

At first I walked, but in September of last year, when I weighed around 250, I started mixing in some VERY short running intervals. I based it on the C25K program but I did my own version, sort of whatever felt right at the time. It took a while to progress because at the time I could only run once a week. By November, I was able to run for 15 minutes at a time or so, and once I hit that level I tried 30 minutes and figured out that I could do that too! Then I signed up for a 10k training team and ran a 10k in March. Now I've signed up for a half marathon and am training for that!

Running had a LOT to do with losing 92 pounds, but I feel like it's going to have even more to do with keeping it off. If you fall in love with running, how likely is it that you'll gain back a ton of weight? I feel like even if I screw up a bit when I get to maintenance level, my runs will take care of some of that.

I'm glad you're having fun with it!

archy...btw..if my stubby legs can run...yours can too. I love to run. I'm not doing near enough now as i use to...but i find running a pleasure when i'm really in shape. Good job on getting out an running. And i would have a hard time with the avacados...they are great. But yes they do have quite a bit of fat...although its the healthy fat. I usually only have 1/4 to 1/2 an avacado at a time. And don't even put guacamola in front of me...i'll eat it all in one sitting.

You know your situation best, but is it really safe for you to be running alone before it's light out? Something I never realized until I'd been running for a while is that most non-decrepit young men can run faster than a reasonably fit woman for short distances-- they don't need to be in shape, it seems to be a gender thing. All you need is one who's just drunk enough (or just mean enough) to think it'd be funny to mess with the nasty whore, you know?

(And I write this as a woman who runs alone.)