Up a bit

At my weigh-in on Wednesday, I was up .6. Not too bad, to me considering I didn't really track my eating like normal. Plus, I traveled to a wedding a few states away. All in all, I'm satisfied with that small gain knowing that I didn't go totally off program.

I exercised all of the days I was home, I walked (instead of taking the train in the airport), and I'm making it a habit of not parking close when I go places. I purposely park further away from the door so that I can get in extra steps (every little bit, right?).

I also was conscious of making sure I ate plenty of veggies and drank water. I even went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and ate a double serving of steamed veggies and no cheesecake! If you don't know that place has the best cheesecake. Quite decadent and I looooovvvveeeee cheesecake! But I didn't indulge. Go me!

I'm back to it this week, and I hope to see a decrease once again.

It takes work

Being healthy is something that one has to work at. It will not spontaneously happen by:

• watching sports
• watching an exercise video
• passing by a health club
• shuttling children from one event to another

or

• having a child to run after
  

That last point is one that I want to focus on. A few weeks ago someone made the comment that all you have to do to lose weight is run after a child. Sorry, but that is far from the truth. If that is the case then we would be a nation/world of individuals with kids that are extremely healthy and those of without kids just the opposite. In reality, that's just not the case.

Folks with and without children struggle with being healthy. In fact, I think many of the women (yes, I'm generalizing) that struggle with weight loss due so after pregnancy (and do so for years). Therefore, the notion that having a child will help one be healthy doesn't equate for me. Yes, it can serve as motivation in that you want to be as healthy as you can for your child's sake, but simply having a child to run after will not do it.

It takes work. For all. It also takes sacrifice. Trying to get healthy is a mindset that doesn't come easy and people struggle with it for years. There's nothing wrong with that.

Personally, I dislike it when individuals belittle one's attempt to be healthy in whatever manner they pursue. To me, that person is not providing the positive support that is needed, and possibly (just my thought) they are struggling themselves and see an opportunity to attack.

I do hope I'm never perceived as such. I work each and every day to try to be as healthy as I can. I try to encourage family and friends to do the same. I also recognize that we all have to do it in our way because my way may not work for you and that is perfectly fine. The goal is to be healthy. It matters not how you attain that goal. Work at it the best way for you.

Latest walks

So I have been walking, just not updating the blog. Life's been busy, but I have been getting my exercise in.

Tuesday, walk #3:


Tuesday, walk #2:


Tuesday, walk #1:


Monday:


Sunday:

Why Healthy?

Why not healthy? is the better question, I think.

Shouldn't we want to be healthy? Yes, I know it is a hard road to follow, but it is what we should strive for.

We should want to be healthy for our own sake.

We should want to be healthy for our family.

We should want to be healthy for future generations.

We should want to be healthy for our friends.

We should want to be healthy just because.

Being healthy has any number of benefits and they far outweigh being unhealthy.

My goal is to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes a well-rounded eating plan and exercise. I believe by incorporating those two entities into my life I am extending my stay on this planet.

Getting back on track

I was down 4.4 pounds at weigh-in this week. That makes me happy as I was extremely diligent this week with tracking my food intake, getting in exercise (each day), and drinking at least 90 oz of H2O each day. I think that combination led to my success this week.

I look forward to going down a few more pounds in the coming week. Perhaps not as much as I do have to travel this weekend which means less exercise over the next 7 days. I will aim for staying on program with eating while on the road though. Additionally, getting in extra steps when I can.

I have a few posts floating around in my head about various thinking healthy topics...I hope to those up over the next week as well.

1.0

Short, quick walk yesterday morning.

3.34

Got out this morning just before 7 am. It was much cooler this morning than yesterday, thank goodness!

2.91

Got in a walk this AM before the rain! Woo-hoo!

Working it out

One thing that I must do in order to be successful with weight loss is exercise. For me, that is one of my keys to success. When I first started exercising, faithfully, about 6 years ago I thought that I could eat what I wanted since I was exercising.

Here's was my thinking:

• I did 15 min. of cardio so those 2 glasses of wine won't matter
• I walked 1 mile on the track so that will cancel out those 6 oreo cookies
• I strength-trained for 30 min. so that will cancel out that cinnamon roll

Yeah, that didn't work. I was extremely frustrated and couldn't understand why I wasn't seeing any change on the scale. I would see inches go down only to come back again. I ws doing just enough to maintain. Maintaining an unhealthy weight.

To lose weight, I mean really lose weight, I have to include exercise. Otherwise, I lose a pound or two here and there, a few inches, and that's about it. I won't have significant weight loss. I'm aware that some people can lose weight without exercise, but not me. I don't know how they do it, but they do.

For me, exercise has become apart of my identity. I have to do it. It helps to get me going, and in the long run it will be beneficial to me.

Faced it

I stepped on the scale at weigh-in and I'm up 3.6 pounds.

Was I happy about that? No.

Did I expect a gain? Yes.

Will it set me back? Absolutely not!

As I stated earlier, I have to face the scale each and every week. I won't know what I'm doing right or wrong if I don't.

So, let's examine what I did wrong:

• roast beef, fried fish, fried chicken
• no tracking
• 2 sodas
• cheesecake, chips
• french fries

Here's what I did right:

• drank water each day
• limited coffee to 1 cup each day
• exercised each work day
• helped a friend move (some exercise)

While a 3.6 pound gain is surely not good, I'm not going to let it set me back. I'll get, I have gotten right back on track.

I had a great workout this AM at the gym. I've downed, at least, 40 oz of H2O thus far, and I've consumed healthy snacks (fruit). I'm also tracking. That, I know, is another key for me. If I put in my mouth, I must track it! Another plus, is my schedule should be pretty sane over the next week. This is the only day that I'll be out of the office and tempted to not stay on track.

All in all, I hope for a loss next week, not matter how small.

Facing it

Today is weigh-in day. No matter what how well or poorly I ate over the previous week, I will always weigh-in. I need to do so to hold myself accountable for my actions. I may not like what the scale has to say or may be pleasantly surprised - the thing is, I won't know if I don't go.

Therefore, I live by the creed of Facing it! I made the decision to do this, that, & the other so I think I have to accept or celebrate the consequence.

Some days are not so good...

or sometimes it is the entire weekend or a few days. I think we all have those days, and they are to be expected. The thing is, we don't want those types of days. When they happen for me, I try not to dwell on them and get back to it the next meal or the next day. I just read a post about eating horribly and I left a comment about today being a new day. That is how I have to look at it. Otherwise, I will never see progress. I have to recognize my faults, learn from them, and move on in a positive way.

My previous post, up & down, really speaks to how the past 10 days of my life have been. One day I am totally on program - I eat all of my points with healthy filling choices and consume an abundance of water. The next day, I'm all over the map. I use too many points or too few points. I'm just so inconsistent. The thing is, I aim to get right pack on program the next day. That is key. I have to stay focused on the long term.

I'm resolute with the knowledge that I'm likely to not have lost a pound this week. That's okay, overall I'm leading a healthy lifestyle. That, to me, is what is most important. I'm willing to make the changes needed for my overall health.

Up & Down

This has been an up & down eating week for me. I was out out of town Monday & Tuesday. I worked all day Wednesday (weighed-in - down 1 pound), worked half-day on Thursday, and out of town on Friday. Needless to say, my eating has been off. Way off. The one consistent is water. Hooray!

I will be in town, finally, every day this coming week. Here's to getting back on track and doing what I *know* I should be doing.

Water. Water. Water.

For me, water is a key part of staying healthy. When I drink water, I feel fuller, my skin looks better, and I feel hydrated. I do really good with drinking water during the work-week. I start by drinking about 24 oz early in the AM on my way to the gym and taking my vitamins. While at the gym, I drink more water. I would say that during work-week, I probably drink 40 oz of water by 7 AM. Pretty good, eh?

Once I get to work, I interrupt my water consumption with 12 oz of coffee. Then it is back to water. My 1 L water bottle sits right in front of me and I subconsciously sip on it all morning. Generally by noon, I've downed the entire bottle. It is refilled for the afternoon and the same thing happens. I sip all afternoon and I've downed it by the time I leave for the day.

At home, I'll drink may 1-2 more glasses or maybe 1 glass along with a soda. Basically during the work-week, I get in more than enough water each day (and yes, I have the dreaded too many trips to the bathroom -- the downside of water consumption).

Can you tell where this is going? Notice I've focused on the work-week. Yes, the weekends are a challenge. The days are mine to plan and they are quite fluid (no pun intended). That fluidity, most times, doesn't include the necessary water consumption, and generally by the end of the day I can tell. I'm extremely thirsty and water is the only satisfaction.

I'm determined to make a concerted effort to drink more water this weekend. I've started, thus far, by taking my vitamins (yeah, I don't always take them on the weekends) and drinking a full 1L of water. My water bottle is full and as I'm puttering around the house this morning I intend to carry it with me. I've got to do better. For my own sake.