Week 5: Losing Weight

     First, I feel I need to explain something.  I am not writing these blogs for judgement.  I write these for encouragement and advice, because I believe that those things help me keep at it.  This is a very personal mission I am on, to cut my weight and get to a weight that I will be happy maintaining.  I think everyone of us girls can identify with low self image.  I think every girl can also say that they have felt ugly and fat at times.  Some women have always been heavy and love their body.  Some of us get comfortable with weight put on for this reason or the next.  Some women can learn to love a heavier version of themselves, and to that I say AWESOME!  There is a lot of importance to being comfortable with who you are on the outside, because that has a direct effect on who you are on the inside.  However, there are a lot of women who can never get happy in their own skin with added weight on.  That's me.  I am not happy with my outer self.  That is why I am changing things.  Weight-loss has just as much to do with my mental health as my physical health.

     No matter what I decide to strive toward, if I begin working toward a goal, I obsess over it.  That is a personality trait/flaw whatever you want to call it, but you know what?  It gets the job done.  So what if I calorie count down to the last calorie, so what if I get upset over a small loss week or a no loss week, and so what if I have frustrations trying to figure out the whole mathematical complication of trying to lose a lb of fat, yet keeping my body out of starvation.  At least I am striving toward a goal and doing it in a healthy way.  At least I am proactive.  At least I am keeping at it.  At least I am determined.  Why would ANYONE want to crap on someone's efforts toward something good.  Why do people on the internet seem to love to kick someone while they are down?

     Let it be known from here on out:  If you do not like what you read... Move along!   If you think I am obsessing over weight-loss, you are dang right, and I will not be made to feel guilty about it.  If you do not read my entire post then you should keep your thoughts to yourself. Finally, if I read any comments crapping on me and my efforts, it will get deleted.  Losing weight is difficult enough without black souled people trying to crap on my efforts.  - Amy Martin

With that out of the way, I'd like to say that I had a great week of weight-loss, and I am optimistic that I am figuring this thing out.  

Week 4: Top picture is weight from 4 weeks ago -11 lbs total (-3 lbs since last Sunday)

Here is what I am doing:

Using My Fitness Pal app to track calories in from food and calories out for exercise.

Eating as many whole foods as possible.  

Trying to limit eating out and when I do eat out I will work at staying within my calories.

I am sticking to a 1200 calorie intake as best as I can. 

I work out everyday and burn approximately 500 calories.

Drinking anywhere from 64-72 oz. water a day.

I have dropped 1 pant size and my clothes are feeling a lot looser :) YAY!  My first milestone is coming up.  

Milestones:

140 lbs = Pre-Brendan weight.

137.8 lbs = -15 lb mark

133 lbs = Pre-Avery weight.

132.8 lbs = -20 lbs mark

122.8 = Pre-Lindsey weight and -30 lb mark.

When looking at my numbers, keep in mind that I am a medium framed, short girl.  I stand 60.75 inches tall.

I am going to mark off my milestones as they happen.  I am really excited about this.  I can visualize them all happening.  If you have some weight-loss goals, go for them; it is never too late to start and there is no weight loss goal that can't be accomplished.  Determination and a little obsession is all it takes ;)

Love, Amy  

See ya next week with my weigh-in.

Week 4: Struggling... This Weight Loss Thing Sucks.

Maybe I put my body into starvation by adhering to the Lose It app's calorie allowance of 880 base calories for 3 weeks, and maybe my body needs to kick back into gear, but I weighed for the first time in 6 days since switching to the My Fitness Pal app with a 1200 base calorie allowance and I only lost .4 lbs.  I guess that is better than nothing, but I would like to see 1 - 2 lbs of loss rather than a measley .4.

Everyone has scolded me for not having my calorie base at 1200, but seriously guys, it is HARD to consume those 1200 calories plus what I burn in exercise.  I guess I could decrease my exercise, but I don't want to.  I really enjoy my 1 hour workout everyday.  I feel like I am forcing myself to eat when I am not really hungry at times.  Grant it, some days I have no problem consuming the allotted calories and actually struggle to keep under... like yesterday was a good example, but most days I am struggling to be within 300 calories of achieving my calorie intake goal.

Here is a daily scenario for me since starting the My Fitness Pal App:

I wake up, eat a 250-400 calorie breakfast that can include anything from grits, cheese, banana, yogurt, kashi bar, pancakes with peanut butter, or oatmeal... not all of those at once, but not one of those things at a time either... confusing I bet.  All of those things are all natural or organic, I am not using mixes or anything artificial.  I also drink 1 cup of coffee with a tbsp of half and half and 1 tsp sugar.

Lunch can vary between 300 - 400 calories... occasionally I get about 500 calories in at lunch, but those are the days that I have no problem getting my calorie allowance met.  I sometimes eat lunch before my workout which will be a piece of fruit and half a peanut butter sandwich, a salad, or something along those lines.

My workout is 1 hour where I burn 500+ calories on the elliptical.  On the weekends I do my workout around noon or a little after; on weekdays I do my workout at 6am.  I change the intensity throughout the workout at 10 minute intervals.

I sometimes eat a piece of fruit as a snack.

Dinner will be a lot of my calories.  I can consume anywhere from 400 - 700 calories at dinner.  I choose meals that are high in protein and usually incorporate a good amount of produce.

And that's it... OH! And throughout all of that I am making sure I take in 64 - 72 oz. of water a day.

Today is not typically my weigh in day, so I will weigh again tomorrow and hopefully not have a gain.  I will be sad for sure.  I wonder... I am also due to have my monthly womanly punishment any day now... I think that has an effect on weight.

The thing is, I have noticed that my big belly roll when I sit down has shrunk considerably.  My jammie pants that used to be snug are very roomy and more comfortable now.  Those are good encouraging changes that keep me going even when the scale spits in my face, so to speak.

I am going to keep at it for sure, but I needed to get my frustrations out.  Official weigh in post is tomorrow.  I also start classes tomorrow!  YIKES.   I am really nervous because I have 2 online courses as well as 2 seated courses.  I have never done an online course and I am concerned that I won't be self disciplined enough to keep up with it.

STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS.
That's not good for weight loss either.

Oh well, I will just keep at it. One day at a time for school and one week at a time for weight loss.

First Day of 1st and 4th Grade

Today was the first day of school for my kiddos.  Lindsey is in 4th grade, and Brendan is in 1st.  "Time freaking flies" doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about this.

She just keeps getting prettier and prettier... and oh yeah, she is only 2 inches shorter than me!  No fair.

He's so cute!

And for comparison's sake... This was last year.

Dear Lindsey and Brendan,

     I hope you have such a fantastic school year.  I will miss having your giggles and your activity around the house during the day.  I won't miss the mess you make, though :).  This year, Brendan, I hope you learn to love school, and that you find it easy to behave as well.  I hope you love your teacher as much as Lindsey loved her, and that you make a lot of really kind friends that will appreciate your silly nature and your desire to have the best fun possible.  This year, Lindsey, I hope you continue to love school the way you do.  I hope that you will make some great girl friends... or guy friends... that can appreciate your obsession with My Little Pony and Minecraft.  I hope that you will still enjoy your school year even though your BFF Emily isn't in your class.  I know you two don't understand how much I love you, and while that is unfortunate that it works that way, it's just how it is... but I love you big time.  I love you as big as this whole entire universe.  You are growing up and that makes me so happy and sad at the same time.  Shoot for the stars and do your best!  I'm so proud of you both.

Love, Mom

New Direction: Update

I am taking a new direction with my weight loss/health journey after some input from friends on facebook and instagram.

Here is the plan:

I am switching from the Lose It app to My Fitness Pal.  Lose It had my base calorie intake at 880 calories and when I exercised the calories would be added to that amount.  A reliable source told me to never let my base calories go below 1200 and then any exercise I do would go on top of that 1200.  It makes sense that there would be a point where your body figures it's starving so it starts to store and conserve instead of burn.  MFP will not start you out any lower than 1200 as a calorie base, so even though my natural instinct is to believe that more calories will equal weight gain, I am going to trust my sources and do this 1200 calorie thing.

My next change is going to be how I work out. Currently I am simply doing cardio for 1 hour a day.  I think that was good for a start, but several people suggested I add weights.  My problem is I don't even know where to start with weights.  I am not a great multi-tasker so I don't want to use them while I do my cardio... that can get dangerous, but I would like to get a routine to start using them.  If anyone has any suggestions please leave them in a comment... Links to websites that have a weight workout routine will be most helpful.

Hopefully this plan will show me results.  If not, I am going to keep tweaking things until I start getting results.  I want to take a supplement to boost my metabolism as well. Losing weight the right way takes a lot of research and trial and error I'm finding.

Week 3: Amyschmamey Got Stuck

The past week's weight loss wasn't as impressive as last weeks, but I am keeping at it, never fear.  This past week I lost nothing.  I mean 0 lbs and 0 oz.  I stayed the EXACT same weight as last week!  Maybe I should consider that impressive.  ha.

NUTRITION WISE: I am still using the Lose It app.  I am tracking my calorie intake the best that I can.  I am entering in everything I eat.  Sometimes this is a challenge if the particular food isn't in the database or if it is a recipe, which is often the case.  I will usually get online and do the best I can to calculate the calories in my recipe through calorie calculators online. Last week I had to eat a couple meals out, which always packs in the calories, but I tried to offset it in the gym. I haven't gone over my daily budget of calories but once and that was at the beginning.  I am being diligent, borderline obsessive, in tracking this stuff.  Oh, and I'm still using the Water Your Body app to keep track if my 76 ounces a day.

ACTIVITY WISE:  I am busting my butt in the gym everyday.  EVERYDAY.  I work out for 1 hour plus a 5 minute cool down on the elliptical machine.  I vary the resistance and the incline everyday so that my muscles are having to work differently every time.  In my dream of dreams, I would be able to participate in a Les Mills Body Combat class.  I really wish the gym that I have a membership to had a class.  This used to be my workout of choice before I had babies.  I would work out at Ozark Fitness 5 days a week and do the body combat class.  I was super fit back then.  I found out recently that they have a new "at home" DVD set called simply "Combat"... I am not normally one to do at home work outs but I would so do this if I had the money.  It's 50% off right now too.  It sucks having no wiggle room in your finances.  Until I am able to afford the workout I want, it's the elliptical.

MIND SET:  I would love to say that this is easy and that motivation is getting me through, but motivation takes a hit on weeks like last week.  I often think, hey, I was doing good to stay the same weight without putting in an hour at the gym everyday.  What am I working this hard for?  However, I know that I will have weeks like this and that if I don't keep at it, I'll never get anywhere with this weight.  I will end up with diabetes and other diseases if I don't change and make being a healthy a priority.  I can't make this all about weight loss or I will fail.  This is about health and future health.  Losing weight should just be an added bonus.

So.  I keep on keeping on.  How is your quest for health going?

Week 1&2: Isn't Everyone Trying to Lose Weight?

A couple weeks ago, my mom posted a Someecard on facebook that made me giggle.  Sometimes those cards are annoying always popping up in my feed, but other times I am rather entertained by them.  I found this one to be quite witty...

Anyway.  You may have guessed, that I am on a weight-loss journey, ha... again.  It has 100% to do with the fact that I am really unhappy with my body.  When I am unhappy with my body this dissatisfaction bleeds into other parts of my life.  I want to be happy in my own skin.  It's been a while. 

Here are the details in case you are a detail oriented person like myself.  I started a weight loss challenge with my mom.  The first person to reach a 15 lb weight loss gets a pedicure paid for by the 2nd placer. I also have a challenge going on with a good friend of mine who also wants to get down to her pre-baby weight... even though she looks amazing now... she has health goals she wants to achieve.  Challenge aside, I just want us to lose the weight.  So far I am into week 2.  Here is a picture progression of how I am doing.
WEEK ONE: -4.2 lbs

WEEK TWO: -3.4 lbs

That's a loss of 7.6 lbs in 2 weeks.  I think that is a healthy and encouraging start.  Here is what I am doing:   I am eating as clean and healthy as possible.  I am working out to burn 400-500 calories a day.  I am keeping track of calories in and calories out, and I am sticking to the calorie plan provided to me on the Lose It app.

I had this huge long post prepared with numbers and dates and weights, but I realized that I sound freakishly obsessed with my weight.  I don't want this to be something that I am judged for as much as I want it to be something that actually gets me to achieve my weight goals.

PRIMARY WEIGHT LOSS GOALS.
ONE: 140 lbs which will be Pre-Pregnancy Brendan weight.
TWO: 133 lbs which will be Pre-Pregnancy Avery weight.
THREE: 122/21 lbs which will be Pre-Pregnancy Lindsey weight.

BONUS WEIGHT LOSS GOALS.
1. To reach 110 lbs which will be my marriage weight.
2. To reach 105 lbs which is my happiest and healthiest weight.  (keep in mind I am short... not even 5'1").

If anyone wants to join me I would love it.  Get on the Lose It app and the email address I use is martin.amyrenee@gmail.com add me!