Thursday, September 3, 2015

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!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment