Mauri Update

Yay, Jen!  I'm so glad you tried fitnesspal.  It's a wonder, isn't it?

I have been using it for three weeks now, I think.  I am sad to say I am not seeing loss on the scale.  I have been exercising well, eat the right amount of calories, etc.  I feel better in my clothes and I can tell a difference in the way I look, so the scale issue is discouraging.  I don't know what to do except press along.  I know I'm healthier when I'm keeping track of what I eat, exercising, etc.  So I don't want to stop.  I guess I'm just going to be patient and keep doing the best I can.  Even treading water is better than going backward.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them....

Have a great week,
Mauri

Yes, scales ARE liars...

Jennie and Tara, I loved your posts when I read them this morning.  You are both so right.  I have the same issue with the scale.  If I move it around my bathroom floor (from by the wall to the middle of the floor or to an area where there is a grout seam between the tile, for example) I can weigh something different in every spot.  AGHHHH!  What's a girl to do?

That's why I like this fitness pal app so much.  It gives me something steady to base my thoughts upon rather than the unreliable scale.  Today my scale says I'm up half a pound from last week, but I'm not seeing it on me or in my clothes.  In fact, I feel slimmer than this weight normally feels, so I've decided not to freak out about the scale and just keep going.  It was like an affirmation when I read your posts this morning and saw you were experiencing the same things.

Last week was super busy and while I exercised and stayed within my calorie goal, I used my calorie budget on a bunch of junk instead of good foods.  This week looks a lot more reasonable, so I'm looking forward to more regular meals, food, exercise and calmer days. 

Have a great week, friends.

Love

So I've used it for a week and I LOVE the my fitness pal app. I'm two pounds down in a week but the best part about it is the sense of control it provides. My weight was much steadier this week, not up-down-up-down like it normally is. I realized I didn't have a very good sense at all of what I was eating. The amount of calories it recommends feels totally reasonable--I don't feel like I'm starving at all--but it's showing me how the little indulgences can really add up and keep you from your goal. I'm excited to use it this week. Last week was extremely busy with NO time for exercise. This week is a bit more balanced--at least it looks like it at this point. I hope all of you feel like you are making progress toward your goals. Have a great week!

My Fitness Pal

I just found a website/app that I am really excited about.  MyFitnessPal.com.  It seems to essentially do what Weight Watchers does for free.  You can easily track your food, exercise, weight loss, etc. all on one site.  Depending on your phone, you can download the app and have easy access.  Or do it on your computer.  Jennie, I thought this might be something you would really like since you seem to be tracking all these things on your own as it is.

I started using it yesterday, so I'm not very far along.  But this gives me a way to track and plan rather than just guesstimating and eyeballing.  It is empowering to have a plan and way to know how well you're following it.  I will let you know how it goes.

Yo-Yo-Yo

Oh the yoyo-ing. I have been going back and forth so much. I usually fluctuate within a three pound range. My concern is that the range has moved up 2-3 pounds over the last few months; that's the real weight gain.

As of today I am down a pound-- 3 more to go. If I can shift that range back down, that will be my real accomplishment. I've been a lot more careful about what I'm eating and a lot more dedicated to exercising this week. No brainer, but that's what made the difference.

I've been wondering if I need to go back to Weight Watchers or something to get the rest of the way to my goal, but I have other uses for my $65, so I'm going to try a little longer on my own. I'm going to start picturing myself actually achieving my goal instead of always thinking about how difficult it is. Some positive thinking has to help, doesn't it?

Also, I read something the other day about how eating healthy and caring for your body isn't selfish, it's good stewardship. That helped me to look at this whole process in a new light. Instead of feeling like I should get to eat all the treats I want and that I'm having to deny myself, I want to look at it as caring for my body in a way that will give me the best of myself and that will show love and care for the body that I have. A small perspective shift, but helpful for me.

Keep on going, everyone. I'm cheering for you!

Seeing Myself

It hasn't quite been a week since I posted.  I'm up 1.5 pounds.  Grrr.  I'll throw a little blame on my period starting.  Jennie, thanks for telling us that this throws you off too.  All day yesterday I was so tired and ready to rip everyone's head off.  Poor Tate.  He got the brunt of it, I'm afraid.  It helps when I realize what's going on.  Sometimes I don't, and I wonder if I'm losing my mind!  I'm afraid I'll have to attribute the rest of that to Girl Scout cookies.

I'm doing well with my exercise.  Yesterday I was going to stop riding my bike after 30 minutes and then I just decided to go on to my goal of 1000 calories, which I got to in another 23 minutes or so.  I'd like to see the results of that at some point.  I'm going to go ride again when I finish this post.  And I've done well at not eating at night after dinner over the last few days.  That is starting to feel like a habit, which is amazing.  Most things that are hard never start to feel habitual for me.

I've been thinking today about the way I see myself.  Sometimes it is difficult for me to feel like I have an accurate picture of myself.  For example, what does my body actually look like?  Am I blimp or a toothpick?  On the same day practically, I can see myself as both, so where exactly does the truth lie?  I feel that same difficulty in accurately assessing myself in other areas too.  Do people perceive me as kind or haughty?  Sincere or insincere?  Where do I really stand in my relationship with God?  Am I following His path or just fooling myself that I am?  This is something I've thought about for a long time.  I pray about it and think about it a lot, but I seem to just go around in circles.

What are your thoughts?  Do you have ways that help you see yourself more clearly?  Please, share them with me?

Finally, a minute to sit down and post!

I was really excited to get Jennie's invitation to this blog.  What a good idea!  Help each other, work together--instead of trying to do it on our own.

I think my goals are pretty straightforward.  After my son was born a few years ago, I decided that if I could get back to a certain weight, I would just be happy there and devote my effort and energy to things that mattered more in life than a number on a scale.  If, by this point in my life, I've never managed to look like a swimsuit model, why not start thinking a little more realistically?  At my goal weight, I feel good about myself, my clothes fit well, I can do everything I want to....did I mention I feel good about myself?  Isn't that 90% of what matters in this discussion?

So, right now, I'm only 4 pounds away from that goal weight.  I would really like to just bust through that invisible barrier and actually get there instead of hovering just near my goal.

Here are the things that make a difference for me:
1.  Don't eat in the evenings.  Stopping after dinner has a HUGE impact on my weight.  The 9 pm bowl of cereal is ALWAYS a killer.
2.  Avoid afternoon snacking--or turn it in to healthy snacking.  At 3pm every day, I just want to eat a box of cookies.  I either willpower through it or substitute fruit or veggies instead.
3.  Exercise regularly.  I liked a comment on this blog about how 30 minutes is good for maintenance, but it takes more than that to really move the needle.  I'm in the middle of the P90X series.  I've stopped and gone to using my stationary bike for the last few weeks.  Normally, I ride for about 30 minutes.  Since this blog started, I've challenged myself to go longer; a couple days I've ridden as long as an hour and burned 1000 calories.  Yeah!  You know what?  It's not that much harder than the 30 minutes.

I think I eat pretty well, so I'm not making a lot of changes to my diet.  Changing my snacking habits will be my main focus.  And I'm looking forward to more outdoor exercise now that we have all this wonderful weather.

So, my first goal is to lose these 4 pounds and get to my goal weight.  Along with that, I want to make the little changes necessary to just eat better generally, and I want to incorporate more active time into my life.  I can easily get drawn into "getting things done" (laundry, bills, cleaning, work) and forget to take time to just go out and play with my family. I'd like to see that change in my life as well.

I'm looking forward to making this effort with all of you.  Thanks again, Jennie!