Success - True or False?

I've decided I have a fair share of my own exercise myths and false beliefs that I've held to be true...that maybe are not?
Myth #1 If you exercise and work-out you should be able to see the results in the mirror or scale almost immediately, or at least within the week.

True or False? - I have this cousin and all she did was watch carefully what she ate and she lost 2 pounds consistently every week over a period of 4 months. As much as I would love this the truth is that it's not my M.O. So what should my expectation be?

Myth #2 Little bites really don't count and weekends/vacations/ and parties can be off-set by working out the rest of the week. NOT true! FALSE FALSE and FALSE If Jillian is freaking out over 100 calories of a cup-cake then my Oreos and Cake Balls on Sunday would probably send her over the moon. This is a mental game because I really really like TREATS.

I clearly am a little messed up BUT for now I will define success as not giving up. To hit the pavement, pool, or treadmill even when the scale seems psychotic and the skinny jeans don't fit.

Intensity

I have never followed a season of Biggest Looser and I think I might be hooked. I've always been a Jillian Michaels fan but never have gotten hooked on the show. I've noticed I need to add intensity to all my work-outs. I had an intense run this morning. It was just 3miles and I wasn't fast, but my legs felt like lead and thus it became intense pretty fast. I've gotta go fill out that fabulous food journal....

Excuses

16 miles on the bike and 30 minute swim which included 350 meters in 8:30 But I'm still chubby and yes folks the scale has gone UP! I had perfect workouts everyday last week and the scale has gone up. Now I know muscle weighs more than fat BUT the pants are not slipping off which is what usually happens when I develop muscle. Frickin FRACKER!!! AND to top it off I am my sisters excuse for not working out. Why workout if you're going to gain weight? I totally agree BUT ... I could be retaining water from both workouts this morning (i did weigh right after swimming and my mass of hair was wet) and those chocolate cake balls I ate last night, well those probably didn't help, and oh yea the 4 oreos and milk I had at 4:30 this morning when Remy kicked me out of bed, those didn't help either. I am really trying to make better food choices and drink more water, but clearly I need to do better. Back to the food journal. Jillian says record everything you eat. The food journal is my goal this week. I will put in a plug for the exercise benefits of well-being. I have to say emotionally I felt good all of last week and I know my heart and lungs are stronger. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women and today folks, my HEART emotionally and physically is stronger! (so take that you stupid scale!!!)

Changes 1 out of 2

I did 15 miles on the bike today. Which is about 55 minutes of riding. I need to pick up the pace! I told Brian after yesterdays swim I feel stronger, not skinnier just stronger. He said, "that's good right". I said "no I want to feel skinnier and stronger". Oh well one out of two isn't bad.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Swim continued...

This morning was much better! I did 300m in 8 minutes. Hairy man was still there, but let's talk about the boys from the high school swim team in the end lane. They were some fine eye candy this morning.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Hairy-back man

Ok I was not quite on my swim game this morning. I'm not doing lessons again until October so I went to lap swim. Hello did I forget how to swim in three weeks?!!! I could barely breathe. I forgot my elastic and my hair kept popping out of my cap, I forgot my towel and skinny buff bikini girl was getting out of the pool lane as I was getting in. Which brings us to hairy-back man swimming in the lane next to me. This guy is a good 40 pounds over weight wearing his cute mini speedo. Oyi! He starts swimming and holy cow he is Fast! Maybe its all that hair but I had paddles AND fins and he was totally spanking my speed. Seriously?!!? To top the whole morning off, in the locker room (which I typically avoid) they have a full length mirror. HELLo thighs in the ugly swim suit. I don't have a full length mirror at my house. Maybe I need one. I don't need to be the skinny buff bikini girl with the golden braids and plastic head band (who the heck wears a plastic head band to lap swim) BUT I would really like to not cringe passing the full length mirror.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Calories

I left 600 on the gym floor this morning. Thanks Nat for getting my booty out of bed! Turkey Tri here I come.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Vacation is over!

I don't even want to get on the scale. I hiked and walked by legs off in Europe but I also ate chocolate chocolate and more chocolate..oh and Bread bread and more bread left and right.....
So 4:45 this morning...(I still have jet lag) I did 12 miles on the bike. It was kind of dark outside...but felt good! Aiming toward more protein and vegies less bread and carbs for a few weeks because I've been on carb overload!!!