Mini Weight Loss Goals

I've heard of people losing all kinds of weight, 50 pounds, 100 pounds, 10 pounds, 25 pounds, etc. My current goal is to lose about 30 pounds but I've broken that number down into mini goals: 5% loss, 10% loss, 15% loss, 20% loss. I took my original weight which was 174.8 and multiplied it by 5. This equaled 874. Then I divided that by 100 and got 8.74. My first mini goal is to lose 8.7 pounds or to reach 166.1. Then I work on my 10%, 15%, then 20%. So my weight loss looks something like this

5% Loss = 166.1
10% Loss = 157.4
15% Loss = 148.6
20% Loss = 139.9

My goal is to reach 144 but may feel differently once I get there. I believe when I look at these goals, the numbers don't seem so big and I feel like I can manage this along with everything else. I'm trying to look at this whole situation with realistic expectations and allow myself some grace. Bryan is doing everything he can to find a job and I am praying like crazy. I wanted to lose all my weight by Christmas but that may not be something I can do. Giving some wiggle room to my plan is best for stressful times. I do not want to stop losing but there are other pressing issues that deserve my attention. My post yesterday was full of emotion and I'm glad I wrote it. Each day I feel something a little differently. Today my mind is a bit more focused and ready for the task. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

The verse in my mind today : James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Weigh-In Day

Does this day tend to stress anyone else out besides me?! I chose Monday because that's when I decided to begin this lifestyle change. But as I've gotten further into this process (and lost 7.2 pounds) I've decided to change my day. Our weekends are unpredictable and I tend to be a lot less structured with my kids, my sleep, my eating and it's okay!! I am doing this weight loss thing my way and decided Fridays are better for me to judge how I'm doing. This change is not to give myself a free pass to eat whatever I want on Saturday and Sunday, but to allow me to enjoy my lounge time and not think so much about food. Bryan and I have gone out the past few Friday nights and haven't eaten the healthiest meals. Splurging every once in a while is good but it doesn't have to be close to my "day." While the scale is not the ultimate redeemer of my weight, I can't really tell there is a change when I put my clothes on. So I step on the digital box.

What day do you weigh-in? Do you have any other ways you can tell if you lose or gain a few pounds?

Don't Beat Yourself Up

Last night my husband and I had our first date since being married. I ordered pizza for the kids and their favorite baby sitter came over to play. While Bryan was getting ready my stomach was growling fiercely and I was smelling that delicious pizza and WHAM! Just like that I ate one piece, then another, then another....can you say overstuffed??? As we drove away I told Bryan what I had done. He shrugged it off and said "Well, just move on from it." Really? That's it? Sometimes I'm amazed at the way men think. During every one of my previous attempts to lose weight I would have an eating episode like this and beaten myself up for at least a day, having a nice pity part with me as the star. But I'm tired of doing that. This is going to be the time when I make different choices, more mature decisions, this is the time when I pull my big girl panties up and say, MOVE ON. So that's what I did. I drank water for the rest of the evening and ate light today. The pizza incident probably set me back a few ounces and helped me see how easy it is to slide into old habits. But by changing the way I react to the incident makes it easier for me to feel better about myself and not dwell on the mistake. No more beating myself up!!!

Changes to My Eating

So I began this journey on June 18th and have lost 6.2 pounds so far. I decided to combine a few different "diet" plans to work for me and it's really made a difference! I love pasta and fried foods but knew they needed to be almost non-existent in the beginning, so I've taken most of these foods off my list for now. I've also removed fruit until next week-June 19th, the reason is to rid my body of sugar and cleanse my system. I do have a few carbs in my day but portion control is key and I only have them at one meal. Below is a small list of lifestyle changes I've implemented, not too much but enough to get me losing weight and feeling good.

DRINK YOUR WATER

Water is extremely important for your skin, body balance and overall health. I drink one bottle of water (16.9 oz) as soon as I wake up, before I eat breakfast or have my coffee. I drink another bottle between breakfast and lunch and then at least one more in the afternoon. I know this may seem like a lot at first but I promise it helps you feel full and eat less.

LEAN PROTEIN


One plan I am taking advice from is South Beach. The basic concept is broken down into three phases. Phase 1 is no carbs or sugar for two weeks. You eat only lean proteins, beans, green veggies and dairy. You are allowed two caffeinated drinks a day but decaf is recommended. This is a great way to watch the numbers on the scale drop quickly!

SMALLER PORTIONS


I thought this aspect was going to be difficult for me. As a society we have grown way too comfortable with big plates, big spoons, and big portions. I decided to eat all of my food on a small salad plate, use the smallest spoons we have, and use measuring cups to scoop my food out of pots and pans. I bought spoon shaped measuring cups from Target and they work really well.  I no longer go back for seconds and eating leftovers from my kids' plates is totally off-limits. When I was younger the Clean Your Plate  motto was heavily enforced. Even though I've tried to end this way of thinking, when I see food on my kids' plates I'm quick to eat it. I caught myself doing this a few months ago when I went to my in-law's.  Grandma made breakfast and the kiddos were not eating very much. I cleaned my plate and then proceeded to eat off of their plates so my MIL would not feel insulted. When I told Bryan about it he said I was being ridiculous and to not worry so much. But there was a need in me for her to feel the kids liked her cooking and that they were good eaters. I've spoken with other Moms who eat off of their kids' plates so I know I'm not alone. Stopping this behavior is a big step for me...now we give the leftovers to the dogs! And when I feel the urge at the dinner table I ask Bryan to take the plates away or instruct the kids to clear the table.

GO TO BED HUNGRY


The last food I ingest for the day is approximately 4 hours before bedtime. The first week I had a headache every night but now it's not so bad. Your body isn't working on extra food to digest and can get ready for the following day. But be warned, you will wake up hungry the next morning!!

WORK OUT

I'm doing 20 minute High Interval Training workouts every other day to two days. These work you hard in a short amount of time and your burn plenty of calories. A lot of the workouts you can do at home, I am currently working on The Firm and love the videos. Working out with weights is great for your body. Pinterest also has plenty of workout tips. Just get moving!!!!

LIMIT FAST FOOD


Eat more at home...duh!! You don't have to be a gourmet cook but try to eat at least 9 meals a week at home. I do plenty of recipe searching on the internet and you can find very simple recipes. Plan your meals ahead and it saves you even more time. I will post more about meal planning soon.