A goal accomplished: FIVE POUNDS LOST!!

I'm out of the 140's!

Every post says nearly the same thing:  watch what I eat and EXERCISE to experience lasting weight loss.  There's no way around it. 

There is more to it than that, though.  While the simple equation says that 1200 calories/day + 6 days of 45 minute workouts=equals a consistent weight loss, managing the mind to make sure this is happening is something else.

At any rate -- I lost five pounds since September 28.  Done it the safe and healthy way, pretty much.  Thinking about this:  "if you don't know why you do what you do, abuse is inevitable." (ADC)

Keeping the why in the forefront.  Keeping it moving -- it's paying off!

Slow & Steady

Weigh-In Results

It's not two, five, or ten pounds.  My current weight is 142.0; nonetheless, I can say I came by this six-tenths of a pound honestly.  I get it --  variables in this weight loss equation are exercise and diet.  (Not new, right?) Personalizing it further:  exercise every morning and eating fruit/vegetable centered snacks and meals every 2-3 hours appear efficacious:).  Tracking w/WW helps -- it does the statistical boundary setting, tracking and analysis for me.

Strategy for the upcoming week:  continue to engage the Couch to 5K and Circuit programs.  Prepackage my foods when I am going out.  Eat at home before going out.  --Keeping it moving, Nina

Motivations and Insight(s)

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NIV

Why do this?  What is my honest motivation in this press to lose 25 pounds and keep it off.  What's at the heart of the matter in this?  What I consider is whether I devote as  much time cultivating a closer walk with the Lord as I do in health and fitness-related research and tracking  every morsel of food I throw down the ol' pie-hole.  That is what I consider as I embrace a new life and call October 18 a day on the books.

My official weigh-in is during the 5PM hour today (after midnight and I sleep and I have not met each other).  I'll post numbers after that.  I am honestly embracing the fact that getting this fat off me and keeping it off means both embracing and immersing myself into another way of life.  New patterns must develop and there is no quick fix if staying in an acceptable body is going happen.  The short of it is that there has to be fixed physical exercise that has to happen every day.  All bellyaching must cease and change will to occur.  More later.  Night-night.  --Nina

No escape

There's no way around this exercise element.  I joined Weight Watchers two Wednesdays ago and am in Week 2.  I'll weigh in in a few minutes and keep you posted.  Lost two pounds last week.

Lasting "weight loss" and the interconnected issues are no joke.  I used to just skip eating bread and fast food and bam!  Ten pounds were gone.  I guess those days are as well.  Prefer not to obsess.  Above is  a picture of  my exercise ball.

Ok, I just weighed in.  And, the scale says...

Insights:  Exercise is a must.  Fast food (unless they are salads) are not my friend.  Keeping it moving, albeit rather reluctantly at times --Nina

Something about going public...

I find that I should update fairly frequently.  The reasons why won't be discussed here.  I will say that I have discovered what it takes to maintain a holding pattern of 144 pounds (where I've been for a month): walk 3x/week and eat about 1800-2000 calories. 

Something else I found too:

http://hollyrigsby.getprograde.com/plan-for-weight-loss.html?advert_id=FRPL

Keeping it moving:)

Stop telling stories/give some credit

I can lie no more -- I love to eat and when left to my own devices, Nina can put away some food.  Been that way since childhood -- ask the biological peeps.  In my 20's, walking and cutting back on the red meat and processed foods helped me keep things under control.  In my 30's, adding the low-glycemic element and totally eliminating starches, dairy and wheat to the mix seemed to help. Now, I am required to engage in holistic healthy practices and no detour to my desired destination exists (since I don't qualify for the LapBand:)).

A doctor of mine said this week that the kind of weight loss and maintenance I'm seeking occurs after about nine months of 1500 cal/day and consistent exercise, and "not six weeks" (yes, her actual words).  How could she say that when L. at the Quick Weight Loss Center says I can lose it in eight weeks?  Plus, they are running an awesome August special --  only the $$ prevented me from taking it on.

Thought about Alli.  But after first-hand accounts of oil-based flatulence that leads to spotting (I could wear black though) and only 5-8 additional pounds lost when added to a healthy diet and exercise, those chemicals in my system don't make much sense. There.  I stopped acting like my <3 for food is a mystery. I will walk in self-control and stop seeking out the quick fix.

Want to give credit to a couple of trainers.  The first is Victoria Johnson ( http://victoriajohnson.com/about.shtml  ).  I saw her in 2001 as she promoted her book, Body Revival.  She shared her story of becoming obese and how she came out of it -- that's when I began to examine the low-glycemic part of the dietary equation. Plus, she's petite and a pioneer in the industry.  Second is Holly Rigsby, the "Fit Yummy Mummy" (http://fityummymummy.com/index-3.html ).  Her focus is on losing the baby weight to get back to a beach bod -- she's been there (I haven't -- but I have those weird thigh and booty masses going on).  Downloaded the book the same summer MJ passed.  Did the exercises (she's a proponent of the 15-minute interval).  They work -- but consistency is needed for it to become a lifestyle.

Ok -- enough for this week.  Keeping it moving....

Week Six: Be Still and Keep Moving

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
>>Considering how the alone time is of utmost importance...

Still hovering at 140-141lbs.  Can't obsess over the scale.  Can't expect more if I'm exercising 2-3x week -- been eating what I should, though.  The weight loss and fitness piece is a head game.

I get out and walk early -- this morning at 5:30.  I'm not a fan of the crowded walking trail -- by 6:15 everyone and their next of kin is out there.   Picture of the sky at the two-mile mark above. Keep it moving and I'll keep you posted.

It works!

What works?  Anything done consistently over time is going to yield a result, desired or not. It takes 21-40 days to form a new habit.  Somewhat foreign agent re-introduced into my routine: exercise.  What's the result?  Clothes have more room, although the scale gives me the same number. 

What practice are you implementing? 

That's it -- keeping it moving...have a blessed week...

Week Four: Joan and Ingrid A.K.A. my emery board and nail file

Rather than post numbers or rant,  I'll keep it positive and talk about accountability. 

Joan's my sister and accountability partner.  We e-visit weekly about our diet, exercise, and progress.    I texted pics of my new hairdo this week (hint hint). That chica!  She walks eight (8) miles/day and takes what she calls a realistic approach to calorie -counting:  1800 cal/day.  At the end of her day, hundreds of unconsumed calories hang out, angry because they couldn't become Joan's derriere jello. Keep up good work! I found some videos that are worthy of me!  I love you and will TTY next weekend.

Ingrid's my soror and a dear, dear bff from college.  I consider her my sister from another mother.  We communicate regularly about our plans, implementation, progress, eurekas, epiphanies, etc., etc. We saw each other this week for the first time since December.  She was stunned at the Claymation Creation that opened the front door:).   Thank you for not consoling me and making me feel like being 5'0" and 145 is ok.  Iron truly sharpened iron.

Who holds you accountable as you reach your fitness goals?  I can't do this alone -- and I'm one of those people who loves rolling one-deep...

Walking Alone

I think I mentioned earlier that losing 25 pounds and living a healthy lifestyle would be a permanent change.  I'm finding that I'm in the minority.  My people to eat.  A lot.  The majority of it is crappy.  A good deal of it I like.  I'd like to mention French fries here.

At any rate, I realize that I am going against the grain in this change.  Support and accountability's a must.

Week Two: This is a Lifestyle

Don't know if you can see the image, but what appears above my feet is the result from Friday's weigh-in.  These will get posted from time to time. 

I ate less this week.  Exercised a bit more.

Bottom lines:
Line 1:  Whatsover a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7a)
Line 2:  I will get out of what I put into it.  So I put my whole heart into a healthy lifesteyle, (not just lose 25 pounds quickly), then....

   

I/You have to start somewhere...

...and that is where I am --starting in earnest.  Big as I've been in all of my years and have made some realizations

• the things I've done in the past to lose weight (total elimination of carbs and going without eating) no longer work
• real exercise has to happen more than twice a week -- let's be real:  twice a year:)
• this "weight loss" is not a short term phase I'm going through -- either adopt a new lifestyle or be 5'0" and at least 150 lbs. for life.

Implementation looks like

• 1500 calories/day (my doctor says women should eat 1200 -- that's been tough)
• 45 mins. of exercise 5X week.

Trying to keep it short and sweet.  Updates later.