I’m going to write about exercise and weight loss and all of that in this post, which is something I try not to write about much because (1) I’m not very good at it and (2) I think it’s kind of boring. But I want to let you all know what’s happening with this. I’ll try not to write about it too much in the coming months.
So, in my last post, I mentioned my doctor appointment and that I’ve got a follow-up in six months to check on my weight-loss progress. I’ve spent a good amount of time thinking about how I’m going to approach this problem.
Here’s what I’ve got so far. I have an account at MyFoodDiary.com and I know that if I actually go on there and track what I’m doing, I will lose weight. I lost weight this way before—exercising and tracking my calories through this program. So I’m doing that again. Now, it only works if I actually go on there and enter in what I’m doing and I really don’t like doing that. It’s a pain in the butt. So my incentive to do this is that if I can log my food for 30 days in a row, I’m going to get a massage. I love massages, but it’s been over a year since I last got one. So! Goal = 30 days straight of logging my food = Reward = MASSAGE.
I have a set of cards on the wall of my desk at work under my clock that count up to 30 (0-3 on one set and 0-9 on the other) and I have a tick mark on my mirror at home and I’m going to keep track. I’ll also keep track through MFD, but I’m learning about visual management at work and the affectivity of it.
On my mirror, I’ve also written “Log your food! Be nice to Justin – you asked for his help.” Because he’s wonderful and gives me gentle prodding about logging and exercising and what I should and shouldn’t eat, and I get cranky at him. So I’m going to try very hard to not do that anymore. I appreciate his help. And I did ask him to help me. So it’s not at all fair for me to get grumpy at him.
And that goes for the rest of you, too. If you want to prod me about how things are going, I’m going to try very hard not to get grumpy about it. So, please! Go ahead and prod. Send me emails and call and ask how I’m doing and if I’ve logged my food and if I’ve exercised today and if I’ve had enough water to drink and give me recommendations on different things I should try. Because I have a wonderful bunch of family and friends and if I can’t accept help from all of you, then I’m in trouble.
I’m also putting in a request to get a nurse to help me. My employer is starting up a program to help us improve our health and one of the issues that they’ll help with is being overweight. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with that, exactly, but at this point, I’m willing to take any help I can get.
Okay, so that covers my calorie counting and accepting help from everybody possible.
Currently, this is my exercise program: Monday and Wednesday night, I go to Zumba class. Saturday morning, I go to yoga class. That leaves Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday on my own. What I’ve been trying to do is to practice Zumba or yoga on my own or do an exercise video. Now that the weather is going to get nicer, I’ll be adding more outdoor activities. Got to catch the weather between when it’s too chilly for rollerblading and too hot! It’s not a long window. In the summer months, I’ll get back into swimming again.
What I’m missing is weight training. I think it’s something I’ll want to be doing, I’m just not sure exactly when. Yoga has a lot of muscle work in it that works with body weight, but I wonder if maybe I shouldn’t be hitting the weights at the gym, too. I’m still trying to figure that one out.
My overall goal is to lose 50 pounds in the next six months. It’s a strong goal and I know that. I’m going to have to work very hard to try to make that goal. But I think that setting a goal that’s fairly difficult but not completely unattainable is a good idea. That’s a loss of 2 pounds a week, which is healthy for my current weight and it’s going to be healthy for a long while. Once I get past this first 50, it’s going to slow down, but for this first half, it’s attainable.
I need to lose nearly 100 pounds. I’m sitting at 232 pounds right now. I want to get down to 140-ish. By my doctor appointment in six months, I want to be at 180.
And that’s that! More information than you probably wanted to hear about my weight-loss situation. 🙂
I’m on day 2 of logging my food. Only 28 more to go before I earn my massage!
I think it sounds like a well thought out and attainable plan! And I just love a good plan! 😉 I’m excited to hear your progress!
Thanks! I worry about these kinds of posts because I think people are going to think they’re so *dull*. 🙂
I am more motivated right now by the thought of that massage than I am about being more slender. How weird is that?!
No I totally understand! My reward once for attaining a goal was a large blizzard (which I know is contradictory to weight loss…lol) and it really helped motivate me! 🙂 You just have to figure out what truly will drive you…
That is funny, Erica, because that is what I do. I still remember the pizza dinner I rewarded myself with when I hit 145 (back in…..hmmmm….1979.) Anyway, Kylene, I’m proud of you for having a plan and getting started again. I know that the biggest difficulty at first will be the voices in your head telling you that it didn’t work before, so why would it now. So. I hope you won’t think I’m just pushing a “program,” but I would suggest next month, switching over from MFD to the WeightWatchers site. I find it a lot easier because of the point system. And to me it is more motivating because of the free foods (like veggies) and the points for exercise. Just an idea, because it is working so well for me. By the way, Carole Morgan hit goal this week. She lost about 35 pounds and looks really great. She hardly even exercises – just tracks her food really diligently.
Keep up the good work.
Love,
Mom
Thanks for the recommendation, Mom. 🙂 But I think I’ll stick with MFD for a little while, just because I already know the system and I’m lazy like that. Also, WW is more expensive. I hope that’s okay.
Exciting for Carole! That’s wonderful!
2 days down! 28 more to go. 🙂
When it comes to losing weight, the only thing I know is that each individual needs to figure out what motivates them. If one plan worked for everyone there wouldn’t be so many out there! 🙂
What is working for me is that I’ve found an exercise that I love- running! It doesn’t feel like a chore to do it. I love it and a good run can burn 400-600 calories. The other major thing that I’ve finally figured out is that I need to eat what I like. I incorporate ANY food I like as long as I’m under my calorie limit for the day. I also reward myself with one meal a week that I don’t count. Just one meal. No more taking off a whole day or entire weekend.
Too true!
I love Zumba and yoga and that’s why most of what I do right now are those two things. Zumba is high cardio and yoga is good strength, so I feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds.
I like the free meal idea. 🙂 Because I’m in such a bad spot with my weight right now, I’m sticking with the logging everything idea, but I think I might have meals where I end up eating more than my expected calories for the day. I need the responsibility of knowing how much I’m eating, but I’d like to have the opportunity to eat things I know I shouldn’t. (Like pot pies. So good! So bad!!)