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!