Weight Loss Secret Revealed???

Ok, so this story was in the LA Times this week (as well as highlighted elsewhere. Apparently a study was done that shows that it doesn't matter WHAT diet you do....the key is calories. *SMACKS HEAD* I was pretty sure, maybe I am wrong, but I thought THAT was a fundamental of Weight Loss 101. Calories in needs to be LESS than calories out in order for you to loose weight. Well now we have a study to PROVE this.

While, it doesn't matter what "diet" you do, I have always thought it was important that you do something that has longevity. I mean come on....are you really going to eat cabbage soup every day for the rest of your lives...how about no carbs?...How long can you just eat meat, cheese and eggs before you want to puke? A "diet" that isn't something you can imagine yourself doing NEARLY every day is not going to work. Sure you may loose 25 lbs., but I bet you gain back 30 of it. It is becoming apparent to me that this whole weight loss thing is not a quick fix....you need to change your life...and as this new revolutionary study shows us you need to eat less calories!

Hitting a diet wall

Anyone that has ever been on a diet knows what it is like when you hit a wall. I think it comes it 2 forms. Either a weight loss plateau or when your old habits seem to want to take over. Right now I am just not quite feeling it. I've been HERE time and time again and this time I am not going to let it take over.

I picture it as an internal battle. It's like your bad habits know that you are trying to get rid of them and they are trying their hardest to stick around. Meanwhile your NEW habits are trying to mark their territory and conquer the bad habits.

HERE'S the difference. Every other time I have let the bad habits creep back...it started slowly, but sure enough they crept back. This time I am committed to realizing this is happening and fighting it. I am guessing it should only take a week or so until the funk goes away. I KNOW this to shall pass!

Weekly Weigh In

I weighed in last night officially and I am down another 4 pounds. Yay! It is still going well. I have tried a lot of programs or diets and I think this is the first one where I actually lost for 5 consecutive weeks. It is amazing what happens when you really set your mind to in.

That means I am down 15 pounds in 5 weeks. The goal we set at the beginning of the program was 30 pounds in 12 weeks so I am on track so far.

Today ended up being an unexpectedly busy day, but it still went well. I did not get to the gym, but for some reason it seems as if Wednesday is becoming my day off at the gym. Especially if we are going to be home on the weekend. I am a little worried about this weekend because it is shaping up to be a very busy one. I will probably make my plan o attack tomorrow.

Here's to another good week!

Why?

On another blog that I read the author was discussing why people are overweight? There were a lot of different answers...one person thought it was a matter of willpower, other people thought food is just a comfort thing. I think that for every person it is so incredibly different. For me I think willpower is part of it. But there are 2 things that I think are much bigger than that (for ME). First, I think a part of it is emotions. I am (hopefully WAS) and emotional eater. Obviously, since 2006 I have been on an emotional roller coaster. Right after Aaron died (see Baby on Your Six), I lost a good bit of weight right off the bat. I wasn't eating much (surprisingly) and I was doing some cardio tapes to work out my stress. I think I lost like 30 lbs. Then I started learning to deal with the depression and out of control feelings and started eating instead of doing all of the good stuff, and *viola* here I am today.

But I wasn't exactly the perfect weight before all of that. I think the reason for that is, I just didn't KNOW how to eat correctly and I hated going to the gym. I ate what tasted best to me and we all know that is really what is GOOD for you. The program I am doing now is teaching me not only what and how to eat but WHY certain things work better etc. Knowing is half the battle. Also, the guy I mean with gives me gym routines (lifting and cardio) and it's working. He is teaching me how to work out. I feel like when I go to the gym I have a purpose rather than wandering around aimlessly.

Phew....so there is my answer...a little longer that I expected, but none the less there it is.

A case of the Mondays

Today was insanely busy at work. Friday was the same way. I was kind of worried about what would happen when my life got REALLY busy. It's when I get busy that I get out of routine. Everything becomes a rush and good habits tend to slide. This is entering a very busy and emotional time of year for me. It is March for Babies season and that always keeps me busy. I am also approaching the Anniversary of Aaron's birth and then death (See Baby on Your Six). I am a little nervous heading into all of this.

So far, these past couple days have proved that even if I am busy I can still make everything work. My eating has been right on track and so has my exercise. So, I can handle being busy. The emotional stuff will be my next challenge I suppose, but I think I can handle it. I am glad I started when I did, because I am hoping before the emotions kick in I have made everything else more of a habit. I am ready to do this!

Another weekend

This weekend was much better than last. I didn't really do "bad" last weekend, but as I said then, I felt very out of sorts. This weekend I did not have that so much. I did get some pizza (the only thing I have been craving). And I only had it after I discussed it with the trainer I am working with. The thing was, it really wasn't that great. It was good enough while I was eating it, but made me not feel that great afterward. Lesson learned. I worked my butt off to have a slice to....Ah well.

I did take my day off at the gym today. I woke up with a sore throat and just felt icky and tired today. I decided to take it easy rather that force anything so that I feel better this week. I think that was the right decision.

Here's to a good week this week!

Weight Loss is Selfish

I have determined losing weight require you to be selfish. That is all there is to it. There really is no nice way to say it. It takes time and effort. You need to be willing to say no to things. No to wing and beer night, no to meeting for coffee, no to working late, etc. Selfish might not be exactly the right word, but it's along those lines. I guess it's called "Taking time for yourself" something I guess I have never been that great at. I always put everyone else before myself. For the first time in a while I am putting myself first, which is why I feel somewhat selfish I suppose. Regardless, I don't care. Call it what you want - I am doing it and people are letting me get away with it. And guess what? Nobody yet has called me selfish.

So, if I say no to something, or show up with my own food or ask to meet you at a later time (so I can go to the gym first), I am not being rude or selfish. I am just taking time for me!

Weird things

The past 24 hours or so have provided 3 weird things that I have noticed. None of them are really that big of a deal, but I don't have a whole lot else to say today.

1. Apparently when you lose weight one of the first places that you can really notice it in is your....feet. Or at least it seems to be that way to me. I think this is truly bizarre and really...of all places to lose weight that is probably one of the last places I am worried about. But, 3 pairs of shoes that I really like are getting too big. Of course they were wide width, so maybe I can actually get normal sizes when I actually decide to replace them. 2 pairs are still wearable, 1 pair I pretty much walk right out of (and of course they are my only pair of brown shoes - it couldn't have been a black pair!)

2. I took my day off from the gym last night. I felt out of sorts all night after that. And I was in a somewhat grumpy mood after work which I just couldn't shake. I am quite sure the gym gets me out of any funk that I seem to be it and *gasp* it has become ROUTINE. The reason I took off last night is because of weird thing #3...

3. My gym clothes are too big for me. To be fair I probably bought them a little big to begin with, but they are making me look bigger than I am. I went to the Outlets in Chocolate Town. The were closed! Yes, apparently a quick 5 min. shower of sleet shuts down stores. Their posted hours were 9:30 Am - 9pm. We got there at 6:50 I believe. You would think we live in Florida or something. The roads were FINE!

Weekly Weigh In.

Last night was my weekly weigh-in. I have broken the habit of trying to weigh myself in between or weighing every day at home. It is SO not worth the mental anguish. The thing is your weight can fluctuate more times a day then you hear talk of the stimulus package (or as I like to call it Congressional Relief Action Program or C.R.A.P).

Anyway *drumroll please* I am down another pound. I will NEVER say just one pound. A pound is a pound. Regardless, I am starting to see a difference. Other people are commenting on my weight loss and I look and feel better all over. Plus my body fat percentage was down. I am pleased.

In fact earlier this week, I thought something was really wrong. I found what I thought was a lump on my hip. I made my husband check it out. After he examined it he started to laugh. He shook his head and informed me that I had in fact found my hip bone and that I had nothing to worry about. Phew.

Onward and downward!

Becoming a Gym Warrior???

Cue the 80's song, "I Am A Warrior"...in fact I think it is on my MP3 player. Regardless, I am going to the gym very regularly. More so than I have been in a long time. That happens when my trainer says I need to do 4 days of weights and 5 days of cardio. That means lots of gym time. But what is weird...I realized last night that I am actually enjoying myself. Hmmm....a good time a the gym????? I think my body has been taken over.

This past week I started adding in free weights rather that just the circuit machines. I learned a couple things this week. Free weights are DEFINITELY more difficult. They make my stomach and everything a little sore afterwords. My sister and brother-in-law explained that this is due to the fact that you need to stabilize with your core muscles while doing free weights. (See I AM becoming a gym warrior...I know all of these fancy words!!!) The other thing I learned is that men while doing said weights are quite funny. They all try to show each other up and walk around with their arms out at their side and their chest out and up. It is actually quite entertaining. At first I was very intimidated by them and did not want to work out in that area. I decided I would just do my thing and get out of their way. Then I realized no matter what they look like they can be just as insecure as me. And guess what....they don't bite.

Support

I have learned over the past couple years how much support of family and friends really mean to me. The second Aaron was born (see Baby on Your Six Blog), we had an out pouring of love and support. While he was in the hospital I don't think I ever had to cook, people gave us meals. I could dedicate all my time to him and trying to take care of myself in between. It meant the world to me. The fact that I didn't have to do or think about anything else. People also gave us some financial support - gas cards, Wawa cards, grocery store gift cards...it goes on and on. I was suddenly out of work MONTHS before I expected to be and it was just what we needed. After he passed away, it was a different kind of support, but not a day went by where someone didn't call to check in or mail a card to us or just let us know they were praying for us. It was all of that support that got me through all of it.

Support while you are trying to lose weight is also so important. When I first started this program I thought I would just not tell anyone I was doing it. I have done the same before (and failed before mind you). I decided maybe this time would need to be different. I started telling people or at least key people in my life. My husband obviously, my mom, my sister, mother-in-law, some co-workers and friends. I have noticed recently that them knowing about it and supporting me through this is having an immeasurable effect. They check in with me, tell me that they see a difference (whether they do or not is a different story), tell me they are proud of me etc. And guess what...IT HELPS!

I am very lucky to have the support system that I have and I can do this with their support....I know it!

Weekends

Weekends. Something we all look forward to. A threat to dieters everywhere. Don't get me wrong. I love weekends as much as the next person, however the reasons that I love weekends are the same reasons they can be a pitfall for dieters. Weekends get you out of your routine. You have more free time and no schedule to follow. Great in every aspect except when you get in the grove dieting. The week, at least for me, provides a regular schedule. I have my meals and snacks at a certain time. I get up at the same time every day. I go to the gym at pretty much the same time every day. On the weekend I can still get it all to work, but it just takes more planning.

This weekend I did pretty well, I felt a bit out of sorts and I did not plan ahead as much as I should have for every situation. Last weekend I was actually out of town and felt I did a little better than this weekend. Regardless, as cliche as it sounds I have learned if I do get off track I need to just recognize that and get back on as soon as possible. Bring it on weekends. I am ready for you :-)

Introduction

I have done Weight Watchers more times than I care to count. It works, then I figure out how to milk the system and eventually just give up. Last year I tried meeting with a nutritionist. That worked to for a while, but she had me making some very drastic changes and it got to be a little too much. After a LONG discussion with my husband I am trying a new program that is run through our gym. It is called Body Lift. The program is both nutritional counseling as well as teaching me how to work out. It is a 12 week program (which I can then repeat).

So far so good. I am entering into my 4th week and I have made up my mind that I am doing this. I don't know what happened but something in me snapped. I feel motivated and focused. I have already had 2 weekends that were out of the norm for me and I survived those both. Usually those type of weekends can derail my efforts completely. Officially on the program I have lost 8 lbs (2, 1, 5 each week). Really, since my initial consultation I am down 10 lbs. I am feeling great. I am going to the gym regularly. Perhaps and alien has taken over my body. I think it has more to do with the fact that I am starring down 30 and have decided enough is enough.

I am going to use this blog to journal my successes, struggles, and anything else that I feel like talking about along the way. It's the good, bad and UGLY of weight loss.