Sunday, July 24, 2011

Weighing In - Week Four

This week was much better than last week. I spent most of the week in meetings, where I did not get to chose my lunch menu, but I did try to keep my portions small and stay away from the cookies (most of the time). I managed to avoid fast food completely and stick with my regular exercise program, and the results were pretty darn good.

Food Journal:  Faithfully recorded everything... including the occasional cookie.  I wish these meetings would be finished, so I could go back to my regular routine, but it looks like we have a couple more weeks to go. Ugh!

Exercise: I did the Zumba Accelerated Fat-Loss Program every night except Tuesday and Saturday. I love this workout! I need to get some new shoes, though - some that have great arch support and don't grab the carpet while I'm dancing.

Measurements: Here are my numbers for the week.
Pounds lost this week:  4.6
Total weight loss:  5.2
Inches lost this week:  2
Total inches lost:  7

Last week, I gained 2 pounds (probably from water retention), so the 4.6 pound loss this week puts me back on track.  If I can continue to lose 1-2 pounds a week, I will reach my goal of losing 69 pounds by next summer. New bikini, perhaps?

I've joined my friends at Empty the Junk from the Trunk Facebook group in a 10-week motivation project. If I meet my weekly goals, my name goes into a drawing for a cash prize - not a big amount, just something to make it interesting. I met my goals this week!  Yay!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Weighing In - Week Three

This whole week was slightly "off" for me.  Monday and Tuesday were spent in all-day meetings (food and snacks provided) and Wednesday through Friday were spent with my son at new student orientation at Texas A&M University. I wasn't following my regular schedule and it showed... and not in a good way.

Food Journal:  I was good about writing everything down. Everything. I still have an issue with snacking, but I'm getting better. I limited myself to one or two (small) cookies instead of half the bag. My biggest pitfalls were during our college trip. I can easily see where the "Freshman 15" comes from - late night studying, student gets hungry, and the easiest option is fast food. Hello, Whataburger! (Gotta remember to send healthy snacks with my son this fall.)

Exercise: Sunday through Tuesday, I did the Zumba Accelerated Fat-Loss Program. It alternates between the 50 minute Cardio Party and the 45 minute Sculpt and Tone plus the 20 minute Standing Abs workout. The sessions are twice as long as what I've been doing, so it's tough, but I love it. During our visit to A&M, we did a LOT of walking and one evening we hit the pool - mostly to cool off, but I did get in a few laps.

Measurements: Here are my numbers for the week.

Pounds lost this week: -2 (gained)
Total weight loss: 0.6
Inches lost this week: 1
Total inches lost: 5

I am disappointed that I gained two pounds this week, but I'm not surprised. I made poor food choices and exercised less. There's a good chance that some of the gain is from water retention. Anyway, I'm not going to get discouraged about it... just going to start fresh this week, stick with my program, and report better results next week.

I've joined my friends at Empty the Junk from the Trunk Facebook group in a 10-week motivation project. If I meet my weekly goals, my name goes into a drawing for a cash prize - not a big amount, just something to make it interesting. Wish me luck in meeting my goals this week!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Weighing In - Week Two

I just weighed in for the week. The pounds aren't exactly melting off, no Biggest Loser style results here, but I am making steady progress, which is exactly what I expect for the "program" I'm following.

Food Journal:  Everything I ate went into the journal. It really does help to put it down on paper so I can see what I'm eating, and how much. I'm getting better about the snacking during the week. Lately, those cookies that tempt me at work just don't taste as good. I wonder if they've changed their recipe or if it's me. Either way, it's easier to say no. Weekends are still a challenge, especially when I'm home all day. I'm dealing with this by buying healthier snacks, like fruit and nuts, so I can reach for them instead of candy.

Exercise: On Sunday, we visited my mom and spent the afternoon swimming. I would so love to have a pool that I could use everyday. The exercise is great, and it's easy on the knees. For the rest of the week, I stuck with the Zumba Express workout. Next week, I'm going to start the Accelerated Fat-Loss Program, which incorporates the rest of the videos. Should be fun!

Measurements: Here are my numbers for the week.  Remember, my goal is to eventually lose 69 pounds.

Pounds lost this week: 0.8
Total weight loss: 2.6
Inches lost this week: 2
Total inches lost: 4

I wish that the weight would come off faster, but I think I'm doing pretty good for someone who doesn't have a personal trainer and isn't following a strict diet.

Are you looking for some encouragement in your weight loss journey? Stop by the Empty the Junk from the Trunk Facebook group and request an invitation to join. The awesome ladies in this group help keep me motivated and they can help you, too!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Weighing In - Week One

It's been a little over a week since I officially started my campaign to get fit and lose weight. I had hoped to post on Saturday, but life somehow got in the way. Go figure. Anyway, here are my results as of Saturday.

Food Journal:  I did a good job of writing everything down. I made healthier choices on some days, like skipping the bun and condiments on hamburger day at work. My biggest problem area is snacking in the evening. I did notice that there was less snacking by the end of the week.

Exercise: I mowed the yard on Sunday (an hour using a push mower). Monday through Friday I did the Zumba Express workout (20 minutes) each evening. On Saturday, I took a break from exercise and did housework and ran errands instead. I am really enjoying the Zumba workout. I'm at a point where I am comfortable with the moves in the Express workout and I think I'm ready to move to the next level.

Before (taken 6/29/11)
Measurements: My goal is to lose 69 pounds. That may sound like a lot, but it will get me to a healthy weight for my height. I'm pretty happy with my numbers for this week.

Weight loss this week: 1.8
Inches lost this week: 2

Posting a picture was a tough decision for me. I have a habit of deleting all the pictures of me that I don't like, as a result, there aren't too many pictures of me. However, I wanted a "before" picture to help measure my progress, so here it is. You don't know how badly I wanted to PhotoShop the heck out of this picture (or maybe you do). But I didn't. All of the bumps and bulges are mine, and I'll own them. For now. I'll try to post additional pictures as I go, so you can see my progress.

I've met some new friends through the Empty the Junk from the Trunk Facebook group. It's so helpful to connect with others who are facing the same challenges - keeps you motivated. If you're looking for some encouragement, stop by and request an invitation to join.