Monday, August 22, 2011

Change is Good. Skinny is Better.


Breaking the zipper on your shorts can be a great weight loss motivator.
Trust me.

Honestly, the shorts weren't that tight as they were a pair I bought earlier this season.  A pair that I bought in a bigger size because all the shorts I wore in previous summers were too small.  But considering that I've done nothing, but watch the scale go up pound by pound lately, a broken zipper was quite a slap in the face. 

Last weekend I decided I had enough.  I was tired of my clothes not fitting. Looking in my closet and knowing I could only squeeze myself into some of the clothes that are in there.  I was tired of watching the scale slowly climb up, up, and up.  I was tired of feeling weak, lazy, and depressed.  I had worked so hard to loose those forty pounds a few years ago and here I am back up twenty.  ENOUGH!

I thought about going back to Weight Watchers Online because that is how I did so well the first time, but to be honest I had tried the program not once, but twice since then to try to get to my final goal and no luck.  I would track the food, add the exercise, and nothing.  When they switched to the new points program I thought I'd give it another shot, but again, nothing.  So this time I decided that I would keep my money and set it aside for some goal rewards instead.

After many Twitter recommendations I'm using My Fitness Pal {its FREE}.  Instead of counting points, it counts the nutritional values of food.  I've been so used to looking at just points, it's been eye opening to really look at the calories, carbs, and fats that I eat.  I've been mostly using the Android app so I can enter my foods as I go.  This works well for me since I'm constantly on the go it seems.  I like that many of the foods I eat are already in the data base including Giant and Harris Teeter brand food as well as restaurants.  It's pretty easy to add your own foods and recipes too.  The app is pleasing to the eye {so is the website} and very user friendly.  So far. So good.

But, I know that getting back on track means more than just watching the food.  I have to get moving too.  I decided to go back to something I knew worked. Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, baby.  During the first workout, I seriously thought I was going to DIE! My heart was beating out of my chest, my legs were shaking, my arms burning...it was horrible.  I confess, that I couldn't even finish some of the exercises in the circuits.  The next day every muscle in my body hurt. But, I pushed on and did it again.  I was able to do even more in the workout, felt great, but was so sore that night I was almost in tears.  My husband encouraged me though telling me that it was a good hurt and this is what I wanted. After I stretched my sore muscles by punching him I acknowledged that he was right.  This IS what I wanted!

Last week was a good week.
I tracked every.single.day and every.single.bite.
Some days I met my calorie goal and other days not so much.
I did find myself making much better food choices though and thinking before eating.
In the end it paid off too....
Down 1.8lbs!!

Now my journey continues and I hope you don't mind, but I'm taking you with me.  One thing that I think inspired me the first time to lose all those pounds was blogging through it.  I knew that come the weekend I had to do my weekly weigh in post or some of you would send the emails or tweets asking me how my week was.  You held me accountable! I'm counting on you to do it again.

So here it is.
The beginning of something wonderful.


Starting Weight - 161.8
WEEK 1 / 160lbs / -1.8lbs

WEEKLY GOAL: Keep tracking, 5 days of 30 Day Shred, and drink my water
BIG GOAL: 20lbs by Christmas

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