Reality Check Update And Progress

(photo credit - Clipartpanda.com)

Short little update. It's almost been one month since I had my reality check. Where am I now? I am happy to say I am making progress. I weigh in every Monday morning. When I started this new weight loss journey, my weight was 146.8. As of this morning, I am down to 143.6. So definite progress. And I am moving a lot more than I was. As I said in my last post, I joined Jessica Smith's September challenge. That challenge ends on Wednesday. I did skip a day here or there, but I doubled up the next day. On some days I did more than the required workout for the day.

The September challenge really helped me to get back to consistent workouts. I plan on getting in some type of movement every day even for just 30 minutes of very low impact walking in place. I have slacked off a bit on the elliptical, but I plan on getting back to that now. I did do 1 mile on the elliptical on Saturday, and my endurance is actually better than I thought it would be. I took my normal three breaks instead of four of five.

It helps that I enjoy the workouts that I do. I enjoy Jessica Smith's DVDs immensely, and I have a play list on my phone/ipod that I listen to on the elliptical which makes the time go by fast.

The food aspect of this whole journey hasn't changed a whole lot. I'm trying to cut back on my evening snacks, and I have improved. It did not help that during the first week there was apple pie in the fridge. Yes, I had apple pie, and I enjoyed it thank you. There are no bad foods, and I am not depriving myself. However, I am trying not to have too much of them either. I have yogurt if I need something, and I also have some dry chocolate cereal (chocolate Krave) if I really need that chocolate fix.

It's a process. It's a balance. There's no one thing that will have the weight drop off. For me, though, I think it's more movement that helps me drop the pounds. If I stop moving the scale creeps. 

So far so good. I don't expect to lose weight every week, but it will happen. The key for me is to keep moving.

Time For Change: Workouts, Food, And Weight

(photo credit - www.goodwillvalleys.com)

Time for me to have a reality check. Here are the hard facts.

1. I've gained 10 pounds over the last two years. That's the big reality I have to face.
2. I'm snacking on junk food way more than I used to.
3. I've had no consistent workout schedule for a long time. Strength training in particular. It's been about two years since I've done any consistent strength training.

Those are three big facts staring me in the face. I can't pin point when I fell off the wagon as far as fitness goes, but I'd say it was around the time we got our dog Jax. We'll have had him for two years at the end of this November. I got out of my normal routine when we got him, and I've been slacking ever since.

I haven't totally fallen on the wagon. I still do my elliptical and DVDs, just not with any regularity. As far as eating goes, it's my own fault shoving junky food in my face. I'm not one to say there are "bad" foods. I say "everything in moderation". I have to reign in my "junk food" consumption. I take one extra cookie (3 oreos are a serving, I have 4...things like that), I'll get a Frosty from Wendy's, or I'l get a hamburger from fast food places rather than the salads I used to get.

The result of all of this over eating and lack of exercise is of course weight gain. Like I said, 10 pounds in two years. Ugh. It just creeps and creeps. I'm still not overweight according to my BMI, but it is creeping.

According to SparkPeople.com my current weight of 146.8 (yikes) lands me with a BMI of 23.1. My safe BMI range is from 18.5 to 24.9. So it's not in the center when I want it to be. My healthy weight range (I'm 5'7'') is between 117 to 159. When I lost weight from 2007 to 2008 I got down to 127. I stayed there for a year, the scale didn't budge. When I had to take a break from exercise in 2009 roughly (I had plantar fasciitis I believe), the scale moved to 130. Didn't really move from there for several years. I was fine even with the scale being 135 a few years ago. But 145 is entering into my "stop it" zone. Have to nip this in the bud.

I have a few goals. One is to lose 10 pounds (I can't believe I'm going back into weight loss mode...never thought that would happen). Second is to get back to exercising regularly. And third is to tame my eating habits.

The third is probably going to be the hardest. The junk food that goes through this house is nuts. I'm not in charge of grocery shopping, but that doesn't mean I have to eat the junk that is here. Living with my in-law's and our 26 year old niece is tough food-wise. But I can get healthier snacks to eat, and do my best to avoid the unhealthier ones (why do peanut butter M&M's have to taste so good?).

I'm going back to my way of thinking "no food is bad". I don't plan on never eating "bad" food again. I'm going to plan days to eat it. I'll be keeping a close eye on my SparkPeople food tracker and my calorie range on FitBit (SP says I can eat more than FitBit says, and I think that's been part of the problem).

My exercise has been hit and miss. Here's what the last few months have looked like.

Monday 7/20 - .7 mile on elliptical

Tuesday 7/21 - .5 mile on elliptical

Sunday 7/26 - 1 mile on elliptical

Tuesday 7/28 - 1 mile on elliptical

Friday 8/7 - 1 mile of elliptical

Friday 8/14 - 1.4 miles with Jessica Smith

Monday 8/17 - 1 mile on elliptical

Tuesday 8/18 - .7 mile on elliptical

Thursday 8/20 - 4.2 miles with Jessica Smith

Monday 8/24 - 1 mile on elliptical

Tuesday 8/25 - 1 mile on elliptical

Monday 8/31 - 1 mile on elliptical

Tuesday 9/1 - 1.62 miles with Jessica Smith and 1 mile on elliptical

Wednesday 9/2 - 1 mile with Jessica Smith

Thursday 9/3 - 1.5 with Jessica Smith

So 15 days since July 20. Not good.

I have to revamp my exercise page here on my blog. I need to add some things to it. I've joined Jessica Smith's September challenge (I need to write a blog post just on her, she's awesome). This is day 3, and I'm still going strong. The 30 day challenge will get me back into a more regular routine again.

OK, I've put this out there for the world to see. Now it's time to get it done. I have no goal date for my weight loss. The weight will go when it goes. I'm not too worried about it since it's movement that I'm more interested in. Weight loss is just the icing on the cake so to speak.

Let's go! Keep moving!!!