Showing posts with label Slow and Steady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slow and Steady. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
Goal Met
Have already met my March goal of 4lbs of loss to reach 254. Will now shoot for another 2-4lbs of weight loss. Averaging at least 1lb dropped per week is still the goal for the long haul.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
No More Enthusiasm
Well, it's been over a week since I last posted. That was for a reason. You see, the initial enthusiasm of this journey has peaked and dwindled. I've gotten past the first few miles of go-go-go and had to get my mind fully wrapped around the fact that it is indeed a very long journey and that I need to pace myself. I knew it was coming so I was prepared for it. Although I tried to protect against it, the initial enthusiasm is a natural part of my DNA.
I just needed some time just to step back for a few days and re-evaluate what has worked, what has not, and where I need to make any adjustments so that I can reach the end of my journey with the minimum of bumps, bruises, and sprained ankles.
Things that I've had to think about before are now becoming second nature. This past week I continued my workouts, and my meals were mostly on the good side. However, I did gain a couple of pounds which I have since worked off again. Since I get on the scale a couple of times a day I was better able to keep the weight in check and get a better read on what might be causing the weight gain. Not all gains are due to the intake of the foods you eat. Some of it is just your body making adjustments. If I had not been on the scale each day, I could have easily gained more weight. The scale holds me accountable.
One thing that I think is working well for me is the 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. The emphasis on the 2 snacks makes it much easier for me to get more fruits and veggies each day. I also seem to do better if I don't eat at least 2 hours before bedtime. So now that it is becoming more of a permament change of behavior I am trying to look at ways to make it easier on those chaotic days where you don't know where you might be at any particular time.
One of the adjustments I need to make is to try to understand and incorporate the balance of proteins, good carbs, and fats. I want to make sure that I'm not only cutting down on the excessive calories and fat grams, but that I am eating foods that will give me the energy I need each day. It seems that I've had some days where I think I have been a little more sluggish than I want to be.
I'm adding a page tentatively titled "Goals". Feel free to take a look at it and make any suggestions. I have already added a page titled "My Backpack" which will contain a list of the tools and items that I have found that I need for my journey.
I just needed some time just to step back for a few days and re-evaluate what has worked, what has not, and where I need to make any adjustments so that I can reach the end of my journey with the minimum of bumps, bruises, and sprained ankles.
Things that I've had to think about before are now becoming second nature. This past week I continued my workouts, and my meals were mostly on the good side. However, I did gain a couple of pounds which I have since worked off again. Since I get on the scale a couple of times a day I was better able to keep the weight in check and get a better read on what might be causing the weight gain. Not all gains are due to the intake of the foods you eat. Some of it is just your body making adjustments. If I had not been on the scale each day, I could have easily gained more weight. The scale holds me accountable.
One thing that I think is working well for me is the 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. The emphasis on the 2 snacks makes it much easier for me to get more fruits and veggies each day. I also seem to do better if I don't eat at least 2 hours before bedtime. So now that it is becoming more of a permament change of behavior I am trying to look at ways to make it easier on those chaotic days where you don't know where you might be at any particular time.
One of the adjustments I need to make is to try to understand and incorporate the balance of proteins, good carbs, and fats. I want to make sure that I'm not only cutting down on the excessive calories and fat grams, but that I am eating foods that will give me the energy I need each day. It seems that I've had some days where I think I have been a little more sluggish than I want to be.
I'm adding a page tentatively titled "Goals". Feel free to take a look at it and make any suggestions. I have already added a page titled "My Backpack" which will contain a list of the tools and items that I have found that I need for my journey.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Today I Will.....
Today I Will.....
- Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks - all low calorie and low fat
- Keep my food journal - this helps to hold me accountable
- Find opportunities to move more. Even small movements burn calories (ie., fold clothes while watching the Olympics tonight, 30 minutes of cleaning the garage, read while standing up, etc)
- Find 1 new low calorie, low fat recipe to try, and hopefully be able to add it to my rotation
Our journey is one of small steps and daily reminders. Don't get frustrated. If you do, pause and reflect on how far you have already traveled. Then continue on your journey.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Impatient? Overwhelmed?
It is too easy to get to the point where we are feeling impatient and overwhelmed with the changes we want to make. We want to lose weight and we want to lose it now! That is the thinking of a lot of people who go on this journey, me included. Today I was feeling impatient and overwhelmed thinking about the changes I want to make and implementing them in my lifestyle. So I had to just pause for minute or two and check my map and compass before continuing the journey.
We need to keep reminding ourselves that this journey is often accomplished by inches traveled each day, not miles. It is important that we keep moving forward. In an earlier post I mentioned that it took me many years to put on this weight. I cannot expect to take it off within a few months. Could I? Most likely. But I'm sure I wouldn't develop the lifestyle tools to keep the weight off.
While doing this post and checking my navigation, I can confidently say that I am on the right trail. I just needed to remind myself that the knowledge I am gaining will lead to the lifestyle changes I want to make. Patience is being added to my backpack today!
We need to keep reminding ourselves that this journey is often accomplished by inches traveled each day, not miles. It is important that we keep moving forward. In an earlier post I mentioned that it took me many years to put on this weight. I cannot expect to take it off within a few months. Could I? Most likely. But I'm sure I wouldn't develop the lifestyle tools to keep the weight off.
While doing this post and checking my navigation, I can confidently say that I am on the right trail. I just needed to remind myself that the knowledge I am gaining will lead to the lifestyle changes I want to make. Patience is being added to my backpack today!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Slow & Steady
Slow and steady. That's my mantra for this journey. It took me a long time to put on the weight, so I don't need to take it all off in 6-8 months. My goal is to average at least 1 lb per week of loss. If it's more, then all the better - but the key word in the previous sentence is "average". If I am able to accomplish that then I will have lost at least 50 lbs by the end of this year. That should leave me with another 20-40lbs to go. Not bad at all considering it took me 25+ years to get to the weight I was at when I started this journey.
Keeping the long term outlook also allows me time to make the lifestyle changes I need to make. The biggest change will be my meals. I am so used to high fat, high calorie meals that I am really having to pay attention to what I choose to eat each day. Thus, the food journal. It is already starting to become second nature to mostly eat low fat meals each day. That's not to say I am going to totally cut out those foods that I have eaten pretty much all of my adult life. Now I will just do it in moderation.
Making those small changes now and incorporating them into my daily life takes work. But it is a long, slow, steady process that will get my brain rewired to automatically think of fruit for a snack instead of potato chips. And that will make this journey successful!
Keeping the long term outlook also allows me time to make the lifestyle changes I need to make. The biggest change will be my meals. I am so used to high fat, high calorie meals that I am really having to pay attention to what I choose to eat each day. Thus, the food journal. It is already starting to become second nature to mostly eat low fat meals each day. That's not to say I am going to totally cut out those foods that I have eaten pretty much all of my adult life. Now I will just do it in moderation.
Making those small changes now and incorporating them into my daily life takes work. But it is a long, slow, steady process that will get my brain rewired to automatically think of fruit for a snack instead of potato chips. And that will make this journey successful!
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