Question For You!

Fellow health and fitness bloggers or anyone who steps on the scale, I was wondering how often people typically weigh themselves. I was pretty set on only weighing myself once a week and then last week I got a little scale obsessed and weighed myself a few times throughout the week. So, then today at the gym I read in a magazine that you should weigh yourself everyday to have more success in your weight loss. So, what do you do? What seems right to you? I really have no idea. I thought weighing myself once a week would give me bigger numbers so I would be more excited. But, I heard that if you weigh yourself everyday you will be more inspired to try harder if you don't lose something everyday. It probably doesn't really matter, I was just wondering what you do and what your thoughts are behind stepping on the scale.

Weigh In Monday

Great week for me! I lost another 5 pounds total!!!

I couldn't be more pleased with my self for all my hard work. I feel good and am starting to notice the 9 pounds I lost. I still need to get some pictures up. Sorry, I have been so busy lately with you know...working out, being a mother, being a wife, and being a teacher. It's hard to fit other things into the daily routing, especially things like taking pictures of myself.

Anyway, my diet over the last week was great! I have been really strict with myself on calories and have put into plan that if I want a treat, I can't just eat it, I have to omit something else to indulge in the treat so my caloric intake doesn't increase just because I want to eat something a little bad for me. I have been surprised at how great my self control really is when I want it to be. I turned down cherry cheesecake! That is one of my favorite desserts and I turned it down, opted for a skinny cow instead. There were a couple days where I felt like I was starving and depending on the time of day I would eat an additional snack. I don't want to get to the point that I am so starving that I make a bad eating decision. I feel like once I slip into losing my self-control, I don't know if I would be able to start back up again. So, for now, I need to put a handle on every aspect of my diet and if I feel really hungry I am going to allow myself the extra healthy snack even if it means going over my daily caloric amount. I just don't want to put myself at risk for slipping up.

As far as my workouts go. I was really upset with myself for gaining a pound although it probably wasn't my fault. Because of that I decided to boost my intensity level at the gym. I started running. I ran for 3 days and then I decided to I would start the Couch to 5k program. I have finished all 3 days of week 1. I feel really good about the program and believe that I will be successful at it. It's weird though, I did a mid week weigh in just for curiosities sake and it seems like as soon as I started running, the pounds started dropping. So, I think running is working for me and as long as it does, I am going to continue doing it. Actually I really want to be a runner. I want to feel that runners high that avid runners get. I want to feel free and not trapped in my body and heavy to the ground. Running feels good, I can definitely feel that I am HEAVY but, I know that I won't always be and I like how great I feel after I have completed a run. So, in addition to my running I have increased the pounds in my weight training. My trainer thought I should, she said it seemed to easy for me. So, I increased everything by 2 pounds. 2 pounds is a noticeable difference. Holy moly! I have been so sore since my weight increase. It feels great though. I also started yoga on Saturday. I loved it! I am definitely going to make it a weekly thing. I feel like my workout routine is complete and yes, it will have to be ever changing so I don't fall into a plateau but, I have a good system that is working so far and with the personal trainer I will get help in changing it when I need to.

I have realized that I am definitely NOT an emotional eater. I am a food addict. I just love food! I love how food tastes and when it's delicious, I don't want to stop eating. I am also a boredom eater. I am bored...ok I will just eat something. Boredom has been a battle for me this week but I fought the fight and my self-control won! I did not eat out of boredom once this week! I didn't get some household chores done in addition to working full time. I am so pleased with myself.

I have been wondering when I am going to crash. I have been on such a high because I have felt so good. I am so excited about my weight loss journey that it really hasn't been that hard for me. There have been times it was hard but, nothing I couldn't handle. I feel like my excitement can't last for too long. When am I going to get to the point where I am fighting with myself to keep trying? I feel like it might be right around the corner and maybe that feeling is a good thing so I can brace myself to fight and fight hard.

My husband bought me a new scale. It's a digital scale with body fat and hydration measurements. I am so excited about it. I will be able to know my exact weight. It was kinda hard to tell what it was on the dial scale and I could only know the whole number. Funny thing is this morning, I weigh exactly 206.00 pounds.

9 pounds of total weight loss since I started my journey just a few weeks ago! I am pleased!

A New Day!

I have to admit I was feeling really discouraged over my one pound gain. It didn't prevent me from trying or tempt to give up or anything. I know I am just beginning so it will take some time to figure out how my body loses weight best. I decided to up my intensity level at the gym (I think I mentioned that in the previous post). I ran again this morning for 12 minutes. It was harder today for some reason but I kept with it. I completed a 45 minute workout this morning and went to the gym for a training session and was there for another 45 minutes. It felt good to double up. Plus, the workout with the trainer was great. We decided to increase my weight amount. So, hopefully my workouts will be more effective this week. Either I am getting strong fast or I started out too low on my weight amounts. Probably the latter.

Recently I have learned that there is a HUGE amount of weight loss support in the blogosphere. I have thoroughly enjoyed and been inspired by quite a few blogs. It is great to know that there are people who have traveled this road before me, that are on the same road just further up the path, and are on the exact same spot on the road that I am at.

I read Seth's blog today. He made a list of why he enjoys being healthy. I decided to do the same. I thought it was a great idea because I thought it would do me some good to remind myself why I am doing this. It's been a few weeks but, it never hurts to remind myself. My list items will include

Here is my list:
1. Full of energy
2. Feel better
3. Higher self-confidence
4. Stress relief
5. Look better
6. Pleasing to the Lord
7. More attractive to my husband
8. Teach my daughter to be healthy by example
9. Encourage others anyway I can
10. See myself as beautiful inside and out

So there is my list and honestly, it was hard to find 10. I really had to dig deep within myself.

Weigh In Monday

Time to stop putting this off. I have some not so good news to report. I GAINED! Eek! I was shocked! I gained one pound putting me at 211. I really don't know why I gained. I have pounded my brain trying to figure out why. Here are reasons I have come up with: last week was incredibly stressful in an emotional type way like tears almost daily, I was up late and didn't get much sleep for many of the nights, then there are these reasons: I had a free meal Saturday at a baby shower I co-hosted. It was at Round Table Pizza. I had a salad, with a little light ranch dressing, one slice of pizza, one bread stick, and cake, with water to drink. I did not over eat but, obviously, what I ate was bad. That night I also succumbed to temptation and had some recess pieces eggs. But, here's the thing, 1 pound is 3,500 calories, the bad stuff I ate did NOT equal to 3,500 calories and even with all the food I ate, I still ate less than I used to eat on a regular day. The day of the free meal, I made sure that what I had ate previously in the day was SUPER healthy so, I could afford to eat some bad stuff. I didn't do a great job drinking water over the weekend. I also didn't make it to the gym over the weekend but I did yard work both days.

Before the weekend I did a pretty good job eating and making it to the gym. I wasn't always able to put in a full hour but the lowest amount of time I was there was 45 minutes so, I feel like that's pretty good. I drank 90 ounces of water most days with the exception of the weekend.

I was thinking of changing the day I weigh in since it's harder for me to "be good" over the weekend. But, then I thought maybe that would challenge me to be better over the weekend and if I end up losing fat from my body, it will shop up on the scale no matter when I weigh in.

A part of me really wants to beat myself up and be all negative about my gain. I am so disappointed. I feel like even though I don't know how exactly I gained, I still feel like I could have tried harder. So, this week I am upping the intensity of my workouts. I wasn't giving them my ALL which clearly I really need to if I want any results for my hard work. This morning at the gym I RAN on the treadmill after completing my workout. I didn't run long but I ran. I ran for 10 minutes. It felt really great but, holy moly my body felt so heavy and I felt my nose jiggle. I am so fat, my small nose was actually jiggling. Back to my running, I don't think I have actually RUN since before I got pregnant with my daughter who is 19 months. So, it's been a while. I am hoping to add running to my daily exercise routine. It would be nice to run longer each time I am at the gym but, with my schedule, I am sadly limited to the gym for an hour a day, tops.

I really want to get some pictures up so we can visually track my progress. I know I have only lost a total of 4 pounds including my 1 pound gain but, I am certain my face looks thinner.

That's about it for this last week.

Goals for this week: get more sleep, work up the intensity of my workouts, run everyday, drink at least 90 ounces of water per day.

Research...Kinda Boring, Read At Your Own Risk

I did some research on calorie intake and learned some good info. I would like to share. I did this with a friend but I just followed what she said and after someone asked me a question about my low daily calorie allotment I thought I should just find out some more info.

This is based on the Harris Benedict Principle. First you need to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). If you are a woman you follow this formula:
655 + (4.3 x weight) + (4.7 x height) - (4.7 x age)

My BMR is 1759.7

Then you have to figure out how often you wor out. Currently I workout moderately so I multiple my BMR by 40%. For me that is 703.88. Then you add that to the BMR and I got 2,463.58. I could eat this amount of calories everyday and not gain weight. But, I am trying to lose weight. But at least I know that if I want to binge eat, I could not eat over 2,463 and be ok. Not that I would do that...just saying.

Ok, so 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. If I want to lose 2 pounds per week I need to cut out 7,000 calories a week. Yikes! But, the good news is that a lot of that will come from working out. If I cut back 1,000 calories a day, I would lose 2 pounds per week. I read that if you walk briskly for 45 minutes you can burn 250 calories. I am at the gym for a hour so I can safely assume I will be burning more than 250 calories. So, that leaves me with 750 calories to cut back in food. With healthier eating I think this is possible. I was rarely eating my fruits and veggies, not worrying about the health of the meal, just worrying about it Adam would eat it. Now, I am willing to make myself something separate if it means a healthier, BETTER me. It won't be like I am spending twice the money on food because I will be cooking the same amount, just 2 separate things. Does that make sense?

I also read that you shouldn't eat less than 1,200 calories without consulting your physician. I don't have a physician at this stage in my life so, I guess I won't be eating less than 1,200 calories. Before my weight loss journey began I was a HUGE over eater. I LOVE food! When food is good, I want to eat more. Now, I stop eating partially through my first serving and evaluate how hungry I am. I do not engorge myself any longer. I have to have self-control. This last week I have shown my changes to be successful and I don't think I have felt too hungry our wiped out so for now, what I am doing is working.

If anyone has any information they would like to pass on or if anyone sees a huge flaw in what I just explained, then please let me know. I really am just starting out and need all the help I can get.

Weight Loss Update

I would like to encourage you to take the time to read the start of my weight loss journey (if you haven't already) at my original blog before reading my current update so you know where the story began. You can find the initial post here and my first update here.

Mondays are my weigh in days. Last Monday was my initial weigh in. I weighed a whopping 215 pounds. I was afraid to put the number originally but after much thought and a great comment from a new Blog Friend, Keelie, I decided, what the heck. Let's just do it.

So, today, was my week 1 weigh in. I am proud to say that I weigh 210! I lost 5 pounds! I am so excited about my good jump start. Eating less and hitting the gym for an hour 5 days last week really paid off. It's proof that I can do this!

Now, I am realistic and I don't expect to lose 5 pound per week. I believe that the only reason why it was that number is because last Monday I was weighing myself after WAY over eating the day before on Easter. So, my start weight was higher than it should have been had I not binged the day before.

Who Am I?

I am on a journey to become a better me. This journey is life long and challenging but, the best way to continue on my journey is through first, prayer and second accountability. Goals are also very important. This blog will help me track my progress in each area I want to improve on. There are many areas I want to improve on but I am going to tackle some big ones first and as I get going on these big areas I will bring in some other areas to focus on.

Areas are as follows:

• weight loss
• self esteem
  

Each area will encompass my walk with the Lord. It will only be through my faith in Jesus that I can accomplish anything. I believe that if I get a handle on these 2 areas then I can be successful in becoming a better me in any area.

Thank you for following and supporting me in my journey to become a better me!