Week 12: The Milestones Are Getting Marked Off

My weigh in Sunday was nothing spectacular but still, a loss is a loss, and still have the finish line in site.  I got to mark off another milestone, and I am so happy about that... So here we are...
Week 12: -0.8 lb since the previous week, and -19.4 lbs overall.  That's almost 20 lbs people!

Yuck, my toe nails need painted, but I can't find my polish.

Milestones:

140 lbs = Pre-Brendan weight.

137.8 lbs = -15 lb mark

133 lbs = Pre-Avery weight.

132.8 lbs = -20 lbs mark

128 lbs = The lowest weight I have been since having babies.

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

So I am officially pre-pregnancy Avery :)   Win.  I am fitting in all of my pre-Avery jeans and I'm super glad I kept them around! 

It's been a few posts since I have outlined what I am doing to mark off these milestones... I wanted to also outline some psychological things that really help me to keep going.

1.COUNT YOUR CALORIES: I am using My Fitness Pal EVERY STINKING DAY.  There isn't a day that I don't use it to keep track of my calories and exercise.  The most important key to losing weight is calories in v. calories out.  If you don't know what is going in your body and what you are taking out of your body, then there is no way you can be sure you are creating that deficit that you need to lose weight.  Use some form of calorie counting, whether it be a points system like weight watcher, or actual calorie counting.  This is VITAL to weight loss success and also weight maintenance.

2.WORK IT OUT!: I am working out 5-6 days out of the week.  I used to work out everyday of the week, but this has gone down since I have started school.  Some days I just can't fit a workout into my schedule, but on the days that I do not work out, I adjust my diet accordingly.  I don't have the freedom to eat like I do on days when I work out... and that is okay.

3.FIGURE OUT FAST FOOD: Figure out your best fast-food options. For all you busy people who every now and then have to consume a fast food meal for your calories, I am going to give you some tips... tacos (crunchy shell, believe it or not, the soft tortilla is higher in calories) are your friend.  They are a good option over hamburgers and french fires.  At least for me... I can always fit two into my my calorie budget.  Also Hunan Chicken or any other non-fried vegetable dish at a chinese restaurant is better than eating a hamburger and french fries.  If you have to eat at Sonic or the like, then choose Chicken Strips and a drink like Sonic's peach iced tea made with splenda (I am not a huge consumer of diet or artificial sweeteners, so don't make this a big habit) and skip the fries/tatertots or other sides like that.  Or even a grilled chicken sandwich... skip the fries and soda and drink water with lemon...  Anyway, those are my fast food loopholes.

4.WEIGH DAY: Do NOT weigh everyday.  Pick one day a week to weigh in.  Your body fluctuates a lot during the day, and if you weigh everyday, odds are you will see these normal fluctuations and it will discourage you... Don't fall into that trap.  Choose a day, weigh first thing in the morning after you have used the bathroom,and before you have consumed anything.  Record your weight once a week.  I promise it's so much better to see your progress weekly than to watch your weight go up and down everyday of the week.  When I first started this process, I was weighing everyday, and changing that has been a big key to me still making progress today.  I think I would have given up a long time ago.

5.COMMIT TO THE PROCESS: because it is a process.  It's going to take trial and error for you to figure out what your body and mind needs for you to find success in losing weight.  This isn't an overnight transformation, and it isn't something that will happen in a day, and this leads to the next point...

6.REALITY CHECK: Keep a realistic perspective.  A healthy weight loss is anywhere from 1-2 lbs a week, so approach your weight loss with that in mind.  I have been averaging 1.6 lbs of weight loss a week, and I am happy with that progress.  You have to keep focused on the goals, on the big picture, and your overall progress.  Don't focus on a bad week or a bad weekend, or a bad day.  It took a long time to put it on (even though it doesn't seem like it, it did... for instance, it took me 40 weeks to put on 39 lbs of pregnancy weight - it has taken me 12 weeks so far to lose 19.4 lbs... So really, it seems that it takes the same amount of time to take it off as it takes to put it on, and actually a little less seeing as I have lost half of the weight that I put on in 40 weeks in 12).

7.EARN YOUR TREATS: Instead of having a list of foods you can't eat, think about what your diet will be during the day and if you want to consume something like Andy's Frozen Custard or a candy bar or a soda, then work for it.  Add those calories to your work out so that you aren't living by a list of restrictions, but rather, you are earning your treats.

8.Ummmm YES YOU CAN: Know you can do this!  Your body is full of billions of cells and all of those cells need nutrients to function, and as long as that is the case (and if you are alive, it is), then you can lose weight.  So take "I can't" out of your vocabulary.  You can.  So do.

And that's all I have for now.  This is a mental process as much as it is a biological process, so don't let your mind keep you from reaching goals that are definitely reachable.  KEEP GOING!  :)

Week 11: A Surprising Loss

I was super shocked with some amazing progress this week.  I had such a busy week and weekend that I wasn't sure how accurate I was with my tracking, but obviously I did well enough.

Week 11: -2 lbs since last weigh in and -18.6 overall.

I didn't bother with the socks this time so you get to see my horrible chipping finger nail polish on my toes and my ugly knobby feet.  :)

If you need a run down on what I am doing, then visit my post from a couple weeks ago.

If you are on a weight loss journey then leave me a link to your blog or update me on your progress here in the comments.  I love to hear about people on this same journey and your success stories fuel me to keep going.

Have a great week everyone.

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.

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.