I won't lie, this month as been more of a struggle for me. I am down 34 pounds now 11 lost since the last check in, which for 2 and half months, I can't really complain (in fact, lets celebrate with an extra 5 minutes on our cardio today!).
This month I noticed myself cutting corners and being a little more lax about my meal planning. I thought I only went over on my calories a few times, but I was doing it almost every other day (usually 1,500 vs my goal of 1,200) However once I noticed this I started taking it seriously again and have noticed more weight loss. If you are considering losing weight, you have to track calories. Invest in a 20 dollar scale from target they have a basic one for 5 dollars! Also download a calorie counter. Like anything I don't pay unless I know I am committed, but MyFitnessPal is free. I have used it many times, and I use it every day since I have started my journey. It gives you insightful feed back, you can track anything, they have groups etc.
After reading some of my entries in my food journal from the past and from now, I have noticed a pattern. When I hit about a month and a half, I always start to slack. Now that I am back at it I am going to keep an eye on myself middle of next month. I don't keep a super detailed journal, but I can go back on my calorie tracking apps and read any input I write down. If you find yourself having a weird string of cravings, or getting tired early in the day, just type it in. At the end of the month look over that input and see what you were eating/doing. For instance (sorry if this is TMI) when I am ovulating I am so tired and have tons of cravings. When I am eating good protein I work out longer and have more energy. All these things are going to add up to a balanced diet I know I can rely on!
I invested in an elliptical to give me some much needed cardio in the morning workout. I put together a gym in a room we weren't using. I will post soon about how I built a home gym for under 150 dollars! I am starting an incentive program for myself. Basically every time I lose 15 pounds, I can buy myself something I have wanted but is more of a splurge. Some people make that reward food but at this point I am way more into getting a nice wallet or something for the house (or the gym!), but I do leave food as an option if I want it.
I also got a cloth ruler and am going to start taking measurement's of myself. Sometimes you are losing inches and not pounds. So you will see those starting at the bottom of the page as of today! I used this great guide on WikiHow to help me with the measurements. For me measurements had me a little bummed out when I first did them but after talking to some friends I realized that they are good for making me motivated to work out. The last two times I lost weight it was unhealthy and I wasn't in shape. Now that I have changed, I get to lose the weight and have my body get in shape. It might take longer, but its a longer term change so I am still excited.
For the most part, I still feel I am doing well. I just need to remind myself why I am doing what I am doing. The weight will come off as long as I do the proper leg work, but I have to stick to it. My amazing fiancé has helped me stay on track. When my portions look bigger, he always points it out in a loving way. He also has been encouraging me working out and doing fun work out stuff together. We can wait till its warm out! It is currently 7 degrees! The pugs are starting to get restless!
I will say I wish I had taken pictures and starting tracking my measurements in the start of my journey. So many other people said that but at the time I was too focused on my diet. I am lucky someone snapped a photo of me when I was working a week before I started the change. It is a lot at first, so I can see how its easy to put stuff like measurements off till it seems like less of a burden. Follow your gut, if it seems like its too much, just focus on diet. Slowly add stuff when you feel it won't push you overboard.
As you can see in my photos, the weight is coming off. I might not look shockingly different, but the weight is still coming off! I finally am noticing my clothes start to really feel too big, and now my friends and family are all noticing the change. I was worried when I saw the scale go down 20 pounds and not see a change in my pants size. Once I added exercise I am seeing more dramatic results in the shape of my body! I am so happy to be doing this for me, my loved ones, and my future family. If I can do it, you can too. Feel free to contact me with any questions or for a shoulder to lean on!
After reading some of my entries in my food journal from the past and from now, I have noticed a pattern. When I hit about a month and a half, I always start to slack. Now that I am back at it I am going to keep an eye on myself middle of next month. I don't keep a super detailed journal, but I can go back on my calorie tracking apps and read any input I write down. If you find yourself having a weird string of cravings, or getting tired early in the day, just type it in. At the end of the month look over that input and see what you were eating/doing. For instance (sorry if this is TMI) when I am ovulating I am so tired and have tons of cravings. When I am eating good protein I work out longer and have more energy. All these things are going to add up to a balanced diet I know I can rely on!
I invested in an elliptical to give me some much needed cardio in the morning workout. I put together a gym in a room we weren't using. I will post soon about how I built a home gym for under 150 dollars! I am starting an incentive program for myself. Basically every time I lose 15 pounds, I can buy myself something I have wanted but is more of a splurge. Some people make that reward food but at this point I am way more into getting a nice wallet or something for the house (or the gym!), but I do leave food as an option if I want it.
I also got a cloth ruler and am going to start taking measurement's of myself. Sometimes you are losing inches and not pounds. So you will see those starting at the bottom of the page as of today! I used this great guide on WikiHow to help me with the measurements. For me measurements had me a little bummed out when I first did them but after talking to some friends I realized that they are good for making me motivated to work out. The last two times I lost weight it was unhealthy and I wasn't in shape. Now that I have changed, I get to lose the weight and have my body get in shape. It might take longer, but its a longer term change so I am still excited.
For the most part, I still feel I am doing well. I just need to remind myself why I am doing what I am doing. The weight will come off as long as I do the proper leg work, but I have to stick to it. My amazing fiancé has helped me stay on track. When my portions look bigger, he always points it out in a loving way. He also has been encouraging me working out and doing fun work out stuff together. We can wait till its warm out! It is currently 7 degrees! The pugs are starting to get restless!
I will say I wish I had taken pictures and starting tracking my measurements in the start of my journey. So many other people said that but at the time I was too focused on my diet. I am lucky someone snapped a photo of me when I was working a week before I started the change. It is a lot at first, so I can see how its easy to put stuff like measurements off till it seems like less of a burden. Follow your gut, if it seems like its too much, just focus on diet. Slowly add stuff when you feel it won't push you overboard.
As you can see in my photos, the weight is coming off. I might not look shockingly different, but the weight is still coming off! I finally am noticing my clothes start to really feel too big, and now my friends and family are all noticing the change. I was worried when I saw the scale go down 20 pounds and not see a change in my pants size. Once I added exercise I am seeing more dramatic results in the shape of my body! I am so happy to be doing this for me, my loved ones, and my future family. If I can do it, you can too. Feel free to contact me with any questions or for a shoulder to lean on!
FEBRUARY TOTALS:
37 WAIST
46 HIPS
29 THIGH
19 ARMS
41.2 BRA
BMI START: 40.8
BMI CURRENT: 34.9
STARTING WEIGHT:245
CURRENT WAIT: 210