Week 10: Clothes are getting looser!

I have gone from a size 10 to a size 6. :) I can still wear a size 8 but they are nice and loose and that makes me smile.  I am fitting into my pre-Avery jeans which are snug, but not uncomfortably so.  I only have 3 lbs to go until I am pre-Avery weight.  Yippeeeee!

So here it is... the scale.
I am down 16.6 lbs total and down 1 lb from last week. 

I am super happy with the rate at which I am losing.  I have always been told that a realistic loss is about 1 - 1.5 lbs per week.  I am averaging a 1.6 per week loss.

I finally remembered to weigh with socks on for all of you feet phobic people ha.

I am still doing everything the same, so if you want to know details like that, check out last week's post.

This is the lowest weight I have been since having Avery.  I haven't weighed 136 lbs since probably March of 2011.

My recommended weight range is 105 - 132 lbs.  I am almost in that recommended range.

My mom accused me of obsessing because I spent 2 hours in the gym yesterday so that I could enjoy an 832 calorie treat... Honestly, I don't see it as obsession as much as I see it as dedication.  I am dedicated to losing this weight.  Call it obsession if you want, it's a healthy obsession, and I'm not going to stop.

Week 8 and 9: Another Milestone is TOAST!

Week 8: 

I missed posting for Week 8, but I will just tell you, it wasn't pretty.  I gained.  My weigh in weight for Week 8 was 140.4, which was up .8 of a lb from the previous week of 139.6

Week 9: 

I weighed Sunday and here is what it looked like...

Top picture is from 9 weeks ago, and bottom is from Sunday the 22nd.

 Okay, my feet look AWFUL!  I promise to start weighing with socks on.  

That is a loss of 3.2 lbs since the last weigh in, and a total loss of 15.6 lbs!!!  I have reached my 2nd milestone and I couldn't be happier! 

I was having a "skinny day" today so I weighed this morning too and the scale had me 136.4!  I am pretty sure that will fluctuate between now and Sunday, but Still, it's so encouraging to think that I will hopefully never see 140 lbs or higher on the scale again.  

So the big pictures looks like this:

4 (or 3 if you go by weight this morning) more lbs until I am pre-pregnancy Avery.

5 more lbs until I am down 20 lbs.

15 more lbs until I am pre-pregnancy Lindsey weight.

Those numbers are not daunting and if it took me 9 weeks to lose 15 lbs then I should be pre-pregnancy Lindsey by Thanksgiving!  What a tough time of year to maintain weight loss though!  I am going to be putting in extra workouts believe you me, I can't say no to my mom's sweet potato pie... or other pumpkin treats!

So, here is what is going on with me to lose weight.

I am using My Fitness Pal DAILY!  Every meal, I record as best as I can to keep track of calories in and out.  I would be lying if I said that I was eating organic whole foods 24/7... I'm not.  Seriously, weight loss comes down to energy balance.  Calories in vs. Calories out.  

Truth be told, you could lose weight eating junk, you would just have to put in the time at the gym to burn off all of the calories, so it's easier to just watch what you eat.  While I do try to eat the healthiest options possible, sometimes it's not easy to make good eating choices because of time and money constraints. If I know that I am going to have to eat out, I will research my lowest calorie choice while not depriving myself of something that is desirable for me to eat. Example, we ate Taco Bell yesterday (horrible MSG awful, I know, but really, we had no choice).  I had 2 crunchy tacos totaling 340 calories.  When we eat chinese food, I get Hunan Chicken and instead of egg roll, I order 3 wontons.  That is a better calorie choice than Cashew Chicken, fried rice, and an egg roll.

The way of thinking that I have adopted is that if I cannot keep my calories at 1200 or slightly below that, then I make up for it in the gym.  That is the way it has to be.  That is Human Physiology.  There are gimmicks for miles out there for quick weight loss, or weight loss without watching what you eat and without exercise, and I am telling you, they are a temporary fix.  In order to lose weight and keep it off for good, you have to manage your calories and exercise, you have to.  Record everything.  Everything you put in your body is used by your body to FUEL YOUR BODY!  Anything over what your body uses is STORED!  FOOD IS FUEL!  Too much does you no good, and too little will keep you from running properly.  Find that balance.

Last I will say that I do not deprive myself.  If I want a treat, I work for it... I earn it.  Example.  Andy's Frozen Custard is going to be bringing out their pumpkin pie concrete... (the heavens just opened) and I will be budgeting in 923 frivolous calories, so that means I am going to put in 2 hours at the gym and make sure the rest of my meals that day are low calorie.  It's just what I have to do in order to enjoy junk food once in a while.

LONG STORY SHORT: I am working out at least 5 days a week, and try to aim for the full 7 days a week.  I am staying hydrated, and I am FREAKING COUNTING MY CALORIES LIKE A MAD WOMAN! ha.  

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.

Milestone celebration: I am DOWN 15 LBS!

If you are on your own weight loss journey, High freaking five.  I'm in your corner!

Week 7: Moving Right Along

I am finally getting into a groove with this weight loss thing.  I am slowly figuring out what will mean success as far as exercise and calories.  I am hitting a stride and I feel really great.

Week 7: - 0.8 lb and -13.2 lbs total.

I know you have to all be tired of my disgusting feet.  I really should put socks on when I weigh.  Maybe I will invest in some cute fancy socks to weigh in. :)

Alright.  So here is how it is going for me.

- I am doing pretty much everything the same.  I keep a tight record of any calories that go in my body, so much so that I think the error would only be 50 calories at the most.  I HIGHLY recommend My Fitness Pal app for this.  This app is used EVERYDAY to keep track of my calories in and calories out.  I have used 3 different apps and this one is my favorite.

- I am exercising almost daily.  Last week I came down with an infection so I missed two days, so I was really happy to see a loss of any kind on the scale.

- When I exercise I do 1 hour on the elliptical switching the incline and resistance between 10/1 and 5/6.  I burn anywhere from 500 - 550 calories.  I'm sure that number is off in some way since it is the machine's numbers.  I need to get me one of those really accurate doo dads to get a better idea.  I do think the machine has to be mostly accurate since I enter in my weight and age at every work out. 

-When I know that I am going to eat out I make up for it in exercise, for example, yesterday for lunch we went to Nasty Villa (Mexican Villa), I had 2 tacos and about a serving and a half of chips.  So I busted my butt on the elliptical for 2 hours and burnt 1,081 calories.

-I drink a LOT of water.

Success in weight loss is a psychological tug of war.  The following mindsets have helped me battle a few of them.

- I have let go of any inclination that weight loss is something that can happen quickly for lasting results.  It has to be a life commitment.  I am taking this one week at a time.

- I only weigh once a week.  Sunday is my weigh-in day and I do not even look at the scale until then.  The thing is if you are weighing multiple times a day and week, you are going to see the normal fluctuations in your weight that come from eating, drinking, and water balance in your body.  That can be so discouraging, so if I could give advice to anyone attempting to lose a substantial amount of weight... pick a weigh-in day and ban yourself from setting foot on the scale until that day.

- If I don't lose as much as I was hoping, I have learned to not stress about it.  I just pick up with the new week and keep my eye on the ultimate prize.

- Think of food as fuel in your car.  Just as you wouldn't gas up a car if it already has a full tank, you shouldn't pump your body full of calories that it doesn't need.  Food is singularly and only to power our cells.  We have to make the emotional disconnnect and see food for what it is.  Does that mean we shouldn't eat things that taste good? No, but too many of us see food as recreational.  Just as too much fuel doesn't do a car any good, Too much food doesn't do our body any good.  It may satisfy our tastbuds for a few seconds, but after that, it's off to storage and then we are left feeling bloated, sluggish, and useless.  Give your body what it needs, and if you put more into it, then use it through exercise. :)

Well, that's all for me.  Onto another week.  My hope is that I will reach my next milestone by next Sunday.  That will be my -15 lb marker. :)

Happy week you all, see ya at my next weigh in.

Week 6: Slowly but Surely

Another good week.
Week 6: -1.4 lbs for the week -12.4 lbs total.

I've detailed in the past what all I am doing, so if you are curious, just read last week's post.
In Summary:
Using My Fitness Pal to keep track of calories in and out.
Working out for 1 hour daily
Drinking plenty of water

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.

Milestone celebration: I am officially pre-Brendan weight. WOO HOO!

See you next week for my next weigh-in.