Weigh in Wednesday #9

It's that time of the week again!  Where we run to the bathroom four or five times, strip down to nothing, and hold our breath on the scale...  Nah just teasing -- I only do two of those three things... ^-^

Goals from Last week

• Eat single ingredient foods with every meal.
  • This went pretty well -- there were only a few meals (mostly when we ate out) where I wasn't super sure how the foods were prepared... I'm going to keep practicing this, and become more and more aware of how I'm fueling my body.
• Workout out every day!
  • This definitely happened -- As my mileage increases, I'm feeling the mental fight starting where I feel like I shouldn't run and workout on the same day -- but strength training means I'll grow stronger!  This has to be a part of my routine!
• Be Grateful each day
  • While I'm definitely grateful, this goal needs more practice as well.  I am blessed each day with so many thing - my husband, my job, my family, and my health - I'll have to incorporate a ritual to make this more of a focus.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 190.9 and my 10-day-best was 189.6

This week, my moving average is 190.6 and my 10-day-best is 189.6... not much of a change, but I'm THANKFUL that it didn't MOVE UP!

  

This means my moving average is .3bs less than last week's!  It's also worth noting that my 10 day best weigh in (189.6) happened again this morning!  (Post run, so I'm sure I'm closer to 190.6 right now...)

 

I have to remember, when I feel discouraged or rushed, that these changes are for the rest of my life.  Health and nutrition are a top priority to me, because many of my long & short term goals require it.  There's no way around it.

The rate at which I'm losing weight and gaining strength don't matter as much as the rate at which my mindset has changed.

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/23/+6

Tuesday -30/38/+3

Wednesday -30/33/+7

Thursday - 30/40/+5

Friday - 30/33/+3

Saturday -30/46/+8

Sunday - 30/39/+0

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 252, Activity - 32, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 39 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week's 22, this feels like I'm moving in the right direction!  Essentially, I only used 42 of my weeklies and no activity points -- so I think I'm at a place where I don't need to swap my activity points for food.

Somewhere on social media or youtube or somewhere, I heard someone remark about how they don't, "train for treats" -- because they aren't a dog!  I had never heard it put like this before!  They were arguing that the mindset of having to earn calories by working out crazily created a dangerous mindset where food had more power over you than it should.  

Instead, this person argued, the focus should be on giving the body what it needs when it needs it (carbs after exercise to replenish glycogen stores, protein to build muscles, etc...).  The idea was that treats or cheat meals are earned by living a life that is otherwise healthy and nutritious.  This is like when all those nutritionists say that certain treats can be a one in a blue moon occurrence in an otherwise "healthy diet".

To me, treats aren't earned in the gym -- they are a part of my training plan and mental health.  Where's the fun in eating well and exercising if that means I can't indulge once in a while?  :-P

Goals for this week

1. Eating - 21 day fix + WWSP tracking.  I decided that this week will be a SmartPoints week to see how I do with smartpoints.  I won't be trading in my activity points, but I'll still track them.  I'll also be saving most of my weeklies for my cheat meal - though I'm not entirely sure what it will be yet... we'll see.
2. Exercise every day - I am currently running 4 days a week and will incorporate strength training, yoga, and pilates.  Becoming a ninja is hard work -- but worth it!
3. List what I'm grateful for each day - I have a hobonichi planner, which if you're unfamiliar is a cross between a planner and a journal.  In it's pages for the next week, I will write what I'm grateful and be thankful to have the opportunity.

How did your weigh in go this week?

How did you strike a balance between nutrition and treats?

How do you stay mindful of all your blessings?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh in Wednesday #8

It's weigh in Wednesday -- and I've been battling my internet service provider since yesterday.  It seems they cannot fix the issue over the phone and will have to send out a technician sometime between 1 and 4 pm today.  Luckily, I have no plans to do anything other than work out...

Goals from Last week

1.  Eating 21 day fix plan
   • This went well, until Saturday -- we tried a new breakfast spot, spent the morning running errands, and then found a new spot for lunch (where I indulged in fried foods and cheese and carbs!).  I stayed within my points, but definitely didn't eat as "clean" as I usually do.
2. Meditation
   • I barely meditated at all this week  o_o.  I'm going to reserve this practice for when Fall is in full swing, as I think it'll be more beneficial when I'm stressed or anxious.  For now, I'm just enjoying the sunshine and chill days.
3. 21 day fix workouts
   • This went super well!  I've found enjoyment (and an immense feeling of pride) working out every day-- every. single. day.  On days when I run, I get two workouts per day, but I run in the morning and lift in the evening.  I've been feeling really recharged by the evening or afternoon workouts, so I'll keep listening to my body and pace myself if necessary.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 192.0 and my 10-day-best was 191.0

This week, my moving average is 190.9 and my 10-day-best is 189.6!! WOOHOO!

This means my moving average is 1.1lbs less than last week's!  WOOT WOOT!

This is really encouraging, even though -- to be honest -- I was alittle upset from the scale's results this morning.  I weighed in at 193!  Last week I was eating really well and feeling really strong with my workouts, but then splurged for mostly the whole weekend.  Saturday was full of eating out and "treats", though I managed to stay within my PointsPlus allowance.

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/39/+3

Tuesday -30/30/+3

Wednesday -30/30/+2

Thursday - 30/36/+6

Friday - 30/32/+2

Saturday -30/62/+2

Sunday - 30/31/+5

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 260, Activity - 23, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 22 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week's 8, this feels like a lot!

Goals for this week

My goals for this week are a bit different from last week but are in the same vein:

• Eat single ingredient foods with every meal.
  • I'll be using the 21 day fix containers to ensure portion control, and keep in the spirit of the 21 day fix as far as the number of servings of each type of food.  So in a way, this is the same as my 21 day fix eating plan goals -- I'm just upping the ante in that for this week, I'll be trying to eat foods with a single ingredient.  Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Beef, Broccoli, Lettuce, -- foods that are whole and clean.  This means avoiding those meals of mac and cheese from a box or super processed cheese crackers.
• Workout out every day!
  • Though this week is going well so far, I feel that soon I'll tire of the 21 day fix workouts (?) Maybe?  If so, I wanted a goal that would keep me active and focused on strength/fitness but won't keep me in a box.  (When I feel boxed in, I tend to also get scatter brained and discouraged -- so trying to avoid this is best).
• Be Grateful each day
  • There is so much to be grateful for in this world -- and remembering to be grateful first is so important to me.  I refuse to be one of those jerks that takes everything for granted!  [Today, I'm grateful for all of you readers -- just FYI!]

How did your weigh in go this week?

What workouts have you found that've worked?

Have you ever had to change up  your programs to keep things interesting?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh in Wednesday

Good Morning Sunshines!!

It's weigh in Wednesday - which means it's the day of the week where I reflect on how things are going, how I'm feeling, and how the scale moved this week.

Results from Happy Scale

My moving average today is 193.4 -- which means a +0.4 change in weight.  My 10-day best is also +0.4... So I'm going to call it a gain of 0.4lbs.  

According to Happy Scale, my weight trends are a gain of 0.4lbs.... so yeah...

I'm not entirely surprised, as I ate a bit more than normal this week, but I do want to acknowledge what this means for hitting my next milestone... An extra month??  Aww Heck Naw!  This makes me determined to prove Happy Scale WRONG! :D

Points Breakdown

My Weight watchers week starts over each Monday, so I'll list the final points score for each day during the calendar week.  I'm following Points Plus, which means in addition to the 30 points per day I can swap activity points and have 49 weekly bonus points.  For each day the score will be:  GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/46/+0

Tuesday -30/39/+5

Wednesday -30/37/+4

Thursday - 30/41/+2

Friday - 30/46/+8

Saturday -30/66/+0

Sunday - 30/51/+3

If you're keeping score, then my week totals were 210/326/+22.  If you take what I ate (326) and subtract what the goal was (210) AND  take away the 22 activity and 49 bonus, then you'll see my overeat was 45 points!!

After seeing this in black and white, I'm glad my gain was only 0.4lbs!  

Goals for this week:

First, I will to eat according to the 21 day fix plan -- but while still tracking and monitoring how I feel as I eat.  This means a focus on whole foods (power foods) like veggies and fruits as well as lean sources of protein.

Second, I will incorporate meditation into my routine daily -- with a focus on being fully present throughout the day (especially while eating).

Third, I will include 21 day fix workouts on days when I'm not schedule to run & strength workouts on days I do run.  For example, yesterday I ran in the morning and did Back & Biceps later that night.

How was your weigh in this week?  

Do you incorporate meditation into your routine?  

How do you balance workouts (strength v cardio, etc...)?

Weigh in Wednesday #5

How'd it go?

This week was full of ups and downs and less than mindful or "on point" eating.  It showed on the scale.

+0, -0

Same as last week and that's unfortunate. 

Here are the weight trends:

Goals for June

• Get into the 180's
• Drink 90 oz of water each day
• Run 4 days a week
• Track with fidelity daily!  

I'm hoping that focusing on tracking this month will mean a better result each week.  There's a possibility of seeing family towards the end of July or early August -- and this is a huge motivator for me to lose weight.  I always want to look my absolute best and be my fittest self when around family, because there's always so much I want to do.  When I'm chunkier and less fit, I'm sluggish and just want to sit, talk, and sleep.

There's also another reason to feel motivated to run & eat right this month -- some friends are training for their first ever 5k race!  I want to be supportive, so I'm training as well and trying to find a race we can all do together.  I'm extra competitive, so pushing myself for an upcoming racing deadline is just the ticket to get me laced up even during these hot and humid months.

What are your goals this month? 

How was your weigh in this week?

What keep you motivated during training cycles?

Weigh in Wednesday #4

So thanks to some of the great bloggers I follow, I found this new app to record my weigh each day -- Happy Scale.

It takes your daily weight fluctuations and gives you a moving average weight.  Here are my results from this week:

Here is my overall weight loss progress...  The app breaks your weight loss goals into milestones and lets you know when you hit each one.  It'll also tell you how long before it predicts you hit your next milestone if you keep going the way you're going.

This prediction section is what has me the most focused -- "What do you mean it'll take me 6 months to lose just a few pounds??!!!" is what I keep screaming in my head.  Then I realize that each time I enter my weight, this predicted time shrinks a bit (at first it was well over a year!!) -- Second, with this app -- each day matters!  If I have a "bad day" and eat like crap, it'll affect the predictions.  If I have a great day, it'll affect the predictions.  This has changed my mindset a bit (since with WW you weigh in ONE day) -- but I think it's for the better.

I'll have to remember that every minute of every day matters and it'll either help me reach my goals or not!

How often do you weigh in?

Do you get this idea of moving average?

 Do you think every day counts or that a cheat day here or there is okay?

Marathon Monday #4

This is week 4 of my marathon training and it's the first week back without worrying about re-injuring my side.

Here's the plan for this week:

Tuesday - 30 min walk/run

Thursday - 30 min walk/run

Friday - 30 min walk/run

Sunday - 30 min walk/run

There will also be three strength sessions and a yoga session mixed in.  Not to mention some housework *Cleaning & organizing*.

What are your plans for runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you do any crazy spring cleaning?

Weigh In Wednesday #3

Today, my weight is... The same as last week :(

 

How the week went

To further push myself out of my comfort zone -- and to hold myself fully accountable -- I'm going to do a points breakdown by day... *If you like this let me know in the comments below**

Monday - 37/30

Tuesday - 47/30

Wednesday - 35/30

Thursday - 31/30

Friday - 34/30

Saturday - 38/30

Sunday - 42/30

Seeing it all typed out, I see an improvement between this week and last week.

There was less eating out this week and that automatically makes staying on track easier for me.

How did your week go?

Are there any recipes I should try?

Any tips/encouraging words for me to keep me moving forward?

Marathon Monday --Update

Marathon training on hold while I heal from a minor side injury -- two weeks off :(

My injury is a minor scrape on my side -- right on my ribs -- that I've been given explicit instructions on how to care for to prevent infection.  I was told specifically to (1) not wear a sports bra due to the location of the injury, (2) avoid sweating, as this would affect the healing, and (3) to limit stretching the area which could break open scabbing and cause further bleeding.

Next run will be this Wednesday!

How did your week of training go?

Have you ever had to limit exercise?

Thursday Things

Here's a few thoughts and things for your Thursday:

Thirsty Thursday -- DRINK UP!

Going around social media right now are all these tags to Stop Drop and Chug... I think if you're reading this, you should drink up!

No Scale Victories

To battle some of my more negative self-talk, I've been trying to think of No Scale Victories throughout the week.  These act like a mental pat on the back every so often.  Today's NSV came at breakfast.

I was eating this week's breakfast of choice

 -- a slice of spinach & cheese egg white frittata, low cal toast, and homemade unsweetened applesauce --

and halfway through I felt full.  Normally, I'd clean the plate and ignore how I felt.  Today, I put my fork down and pushed the plate away!  #Winning #NSV

Fit-spiration

Is anyone else obsessed with Instagram & Snapchat??  Just me?  Ok... -_-

I love scrolling through and getting ideas for meals, workouts, or just for motivation!

Accountability

This is something I'm really honing in on this month.  Holding myself accountable is important to my process because I tend to try to cheat or hide and that's what helped me gain all this weight!  Honesty and integrity are important to me and to my process.

Fidelity

Fidelity to the plan -- This week I'm really trying to not go over my weekly points.  It's been hard, because my ability to do activity is limited, but I've been creative with high volume/low points foods (hello fruits and veggies).

What are some of your things/thoughts this Thursday?  Share any comments below! I'd love to know what you think!

Weigh in Wednesday #2

Today, my weight is still 192.2...  My official WW weigh in day was Monday and I weighed in at 193.2, so I'm glad to be back to the same weight as last week!!

I'm taking this as a victory after the week I had!

This past week was my birthday week -- which meant several dinners out, cake, ice cream, and all the treats my heart desired!  I'm all about balance and treating myself, so I'm really trying not to beat myself up about not losing...

How the week went

To further push myself out of my comfort zone -- and to hold myself fully accountable -- I'm going to do a points breakdown by day... *If you like this let me know in the comments below**

Monday - 38/30

Tuesday - 40/30

Wednesday - 53/30

Thursday - 56/30

Friday - 49/30

Saturday - 41/30

Sunday - 68/30

Seeing it all typed out, I'm stunned at my over-eat!  I can say without a doubt that I WASN'T eating mindfully, I wasn't eating enough "power foods", and that I went out to eat without a plan.

I know enough about myself to know that if I go out to eat without a plan, I'll way overspend my points.  This is exactly what happened Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!!  Also, that's far too much eating out (this is what happens with family, friends, and hubby each want to take you out for separate celebratory meals).

How did your week go?

Any tips/encouraging words for me to keep me moving forward?

Tuesday Treats!

Last night was a rough night.

For whatever reason, I woke up around 3 AM completely starving!  I made a quick PB sammie (on a sandwich thin), tracked the points, and laid back down.  That's when it got super rough...

Apparently, my impromptu snack attack was a cue for the doggy to annoy me for the rest of the night.  I'm talking whining, bumping, nuzzling, patting... all over me!

Once he finally settled down and I was able to get to sleep, it was practically morning.

To treat myself today, I'm going to relax!!!  Trying to sneak in a nap later this afternoon might be a big ask, but I'm definitely going to stay in PJ's all day -- no shower -- no makeup -- it's a dry shampoo kind of day.  I'm going to get my fill of junk tv but good foods :D

I'll also have a new phone sometime today!!  I've been eagerly awaiting the UPS truck all day, but so far - nada.

It was time for our contract renewal/upgrade with our mobile phone company, but hubby and I are both super happy with our phones.  We have no complaints and *knock on wood* there's no damage even after more than 2 years.  We currently have iphones with 16GB of memory but decided to upgrade to 64GB of memory -- which ended up being an affordable decision.

The best part is, since we're only upgrading memory, all the cases and accessories will work for the new phones!  No need to upgrade all accessories just to upgrade our devices! :D

How are you treating yourself today?

Do you treat yourself with naps and relaxing?

When was the last time you upgraded your device?

Let me know with a comment below!! ^_^

Weigh In Wednesday #1

To hold me accountable, I thought I should start "weigh in Wednesdays" like so many of my favorite bloggers.

Starting Weight:

When I first started my weight loss adventure in 2011, I was the heaviest I've been in my whole life.  It took a while for me to muster up the courage to jump on the scale and for good reason...

My weight in 2011 -- 225lbs.  On my 5 foot 5 inch frame, 225lbs looked HUGE!  My BMI at the time was 37.4 and I was binge eating at every meal.

Today, my weight is 192.2 with a BMI of 32.  I still have a ways to go before I'm no longer "obese" or "overweight" -- but my BMI is 5.4 points lower than when I started.  I'm also 32.8 pounds lighter than when I first weighed in.

Current Challenges:

My biggest challenge currently is negative self talk -- or lack of self-belief.  When I first started tackling weight loss, I just knew I could do it.  NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!  Only after some struggles in other facets of my life, did this turn off.

Binge eating or mindless eating or eating for comfort is another big challenge.  I discussed this a bit in my post about anxiety.

The last challenge I'm currently facing is hubby bubby -- I just feel that if he's on my team and we're tackling this together, we'll be stronger!   But this could just be me looking for excuses... which is the last challenge.

Non-Scale Goals:

• Positive self talk!  "I can do this!", "I can do anything I put my mind to", " I've got this!", etc...
• Eat mindfully!  So many times this past week, I've noticed that while eating, I'll feel really full pretty quickly, but then force myself to finish my food.  I hate wasting food!  This week, I'm going to actually stop at that first sign of hunger and safe the rest for later.  When I get hungry again, I'll go back to it.

Weight Loss Goals:

I'm going to get below 190 this month.  May is MY MONTH! :D

How did your most recent weigh in go?

What are your challenges?

What are your goals?

Leave me a comment/reply and let me know!  Also -- Do you ever struggle with negative self talk?   How do you cope with it?