Progress Report: Week 8

One more pound.  I'm one pound closer to my goal.  I have about one and one half weeks left to my first goal date.  Looks like I'll fall short, but I'm hoping I can have a great week of discipline to get a couple of good weeks back to back.

Tonight didn't work so well, but I've got a positive outlook on the rest of the week.  We have planned our meals out for suppers and should be on our way to a good week meal wise.

Last weeks total brings me to 10.8 pounds, ushering me into double digit loss!  One of the few times that's a good thing.

How are you doing towards your goals?  Here's to a good week ahead!



By the numbers.

Weight lost from last week:  1 pound

Percentage lost last week:    0.49%

Total weigh lost so far:         10.8 pounds

Total Percentage lost:           5.26%

You're welcome

One thing I've learned over the last 4 years or so, is that exercise is painful.  Nothing earth shattering there, I know.  One thing I have found to be invaluable is the Stick.  Do yourself a favor and get one.

It is one of the greatest recovery tools out there, whether you have biked all day or run a few miles.

One of the best things about it is that it is completely natural.  Not a drug, not a recovery drink.  Just a simple massage tool that rolls the built up lactic acid from a workout, out of your muscles.  It feels great right after a workout or in the morning when you can hardly pull yourself out of bed.

Now if I could only find a way to get paid for talking about it...

By the way, I realize that this isn't the greatest post after letting it fester for 2 weeks and you may find it a little bit of a let down from the hype in my previous post.  For that, I am sorry.  Stick with me...it'll get better...I mean it!

Progress Report: Week 7

Progress!  This is just a quick update, I have another post in mind.  I've been meaning to write it for about a week now, but haven't gotten around to it.  But I will this week...promise.

To the task at hand.  I did lose weight, despite the weekend's best efforts.  I lost 0.8 pounds for a total of 9.8 pounds so far.  I'm still heading in the right direction, though I could use some acceleration.  Baby steps...

By the numbers:

Weight lost this week:                0.8 pounds

Percentage lost from last week:  0.41%

Total weight lost:                        9.8 pounds

Total Percentage lost:                 4.8%

Progress Report: Week 6

I feel a bit like a NFL coach right now.  "We feel we have the right players and the right team in place.  We're firing on a cylinders and we're going to win next week. etc, etc"

I felt like last week was a let down; I didn't eat well and my weight loss was zero.  I thought zero weight loss would motivate me to work harder at my diet and produce a much better week.  However, that motivation lasted about as far as Tuesday night.  I still exercised, but my eating didn't get a whole lot better.  However, I did have some positive results this week.

This week I weighed in at 196.0, for a loss of 1.2 pounds this week.  I'm glad, I'm moving in the right direction this week, but it wasn't the "monster" week I was looking for or predicting.

Though I still eat too many calories per day, I am finally feeling like fewer calories is becoming normal.  It is easier to eat smaller portions, feel satisfied at meals with smaller amounts of food and not feel like I am starving all the time or in constant need of a snack.  I am cautiously optimistic that I've made another baby step to a healthier lifestyle.  Here's hoping for another positive week; monster or no.

By the numbers:

Weight lost this week:           1.2 pounds
Percent lost from last week:  0.61%
Total weight lost:                   9 pounds
Total percent lost:                  4.39%

Article

I read an article on CNN.com today, and it talked about basically what I have been thinking about for awhile.  I would rather see restaurants have smaller portions and charge less than feel like they need to give me a huge plate of food.

The article actually puts some research behind some interesting behaviors.  Mostly that people will eat whatever amount is put in front of them. But instead of asking if they want to "super-size it" they ask if they would like a smaller portion.  Those who did obviously ate fewer calories on average.  The researcher credit it to the phenomenon of mindless eating.  The habit to clear our plate no matter how much is on it and it takes the interruption to the flow of the experience to change the behavior, not posting the calories or anything else like that.

I have found this true in my own lazy experience.  Even when I am watching what I eat and plan accordingly in restaurants, it is very difficult to block off a portion to take home in a doggy bag, and make sure I need said doggy bag.  With practice I'm getting better, but I still find it hard to resist the other part of the dish.  Whether it is because it has been ingrained that I need to clean my plate or not, is a different matter.  I think it does have to do with it is a mindless act.  I'll just pick away at it little by little and before you know it's gone or at the very least, much smaller than when I started.

I am all for restaurants challenging the fact they need to provide huge portions and making it easier for us lazy people to eat better portions. I don't think it's there responsibility to make sure people eat healthy, but who doesn't like a little help and encouragement?

Here's the article for you to read if you like.  Hopefully, you find it as interesting as I did.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/09/micro-size-me-please/?hpt=hp_bn8

Progress Report: Week 5

This was a tough week and it showed in my results.  My weight this week is 197.2.  That happens to be the exact number I was at last week.  My total loss for this week is a big goose egg.  I felt as though I was eating ok and exercising well, but the circumstances of the week won out.  This week, I'm will make it a point to really stick to my diet and set myself up for a monster week!

The good news is that I did not gain weight so I stood still instead of stepping backwards.  Today is a rest day, I ate pretty well all day, until supper which I indulged a bit on a BBQ pork sandwich and potato salad from Hy-Vee.  Even so, the little splurge did not undo my day.  Tomorrow I will be back on track and rocking the scale again!

Trouble

My main problem with the whole lifestyle change thing is not exercise like you may think.  In stark contrast to the title, I actually have come to enjoy most exercise.  The problem is really an eating problem.  I feel great eating 2000-2800 calories a day. 

The hardest thing for me to change is my eating habits, and habits is the right word.  By habit, I come home from work and eat a snack.  I don't typically need one, but I've been doing it for as long as I can remember.  It is a difficult habit to shake, or even change.  I have tried substituting contents of the snack from unhealthy sugar or candy to a vegetable or fruit; however, they didn't fit the profile for the snack and I usually ended up eating candy anyway -double whammy.

So now, I'm learning to plan my snacks into my day.  I'm eating a healthy breakfast with long-lasting foods and eating a healthy snack in the morning as an added boost til lunch.  I eat a decent lunch and allow my self a small snack of a Tootsie roll or Andes Mints, not a full serving, upon arriving home. Then go to work on supper.  This is the hard part.  I tend to over do it at supper. I've found that if I log what I'm going to eat before I eat it, it is much easier to stay on target.  Hopefully, this tip will help you if you are struggling with the same thing I am.

With this new epiphany, hopefully, I'll be on my way to results and a healthier lifestyle.