Week 9 Update [Sept 15-22] Fed Up

Click here to read from the beginning of my journey.

My husband and I just watched the documentary, "Fed Up." Even though I pretty much had read or heard most of the information before, sitting there watching it, I felt as if it were the first time that I was hearing it, and I just felt appalled as I watched. But I also felt a bit of satisfaction that it pretty much lines up with where I am right now in my health and fitness. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend that you do. Basically, it focuses on our obesity epidemic, which started in the 1970s and 1980s, at the same time that we started to become more health-conscious and produce "diet food." It also focuses a lot on sugar, and how addictive it is. I really felt for these kids that they focused on, who were so heavy, and you can just feel the defeat they feel. It really is very sad. 

So, for me, that just renews my commitment to my fitness journey. And focusing on my nutrition as much as I focus on my workouts. 

I'm almost finished with my PiYo program. That makes me excited that I will be able to say that I finished it. But my journey is not over. The next leg of my journey is P90X3. When I first started this, my coach told me that I'd probably see more progress with P90X3 than with PiYo. I still chose PiYo, though, because I knew that I needed something that I would be able to stick to. Now that I will have finished it, I have no worries about finishing P90X3, But you can keep following to see for sure.

As for my weight loss, I've lost another pound, so I'm at a total of 14 pounds in 9 weeks. That averages to a pound and a half a week. All it has taken is some consistency and determination. And support from my challenge groups and the team of coaches that I am involved with. 

Week 8 Update [Sept 8-15] and Insights about Weight Loss

I know some people are just joining me on my journey now, so I'll try to recap where I've come so far. This links to my first post, if you want to start there.

I had been watching my weight creep up for some time, which was something I was getting more accustomed to after the last few years. In the back of my mind, I always knew that when I was ready to focus and start counting calories, that I'd be able to lose some weight. I just hadn't been ready. Until my husband and I decided to commit to a Beachbody challenge group, which consists of doing one of their workouts and drinking a daily meal replacement shake. Then, I knew that I needed to get serious about being healthy. After a couple of weeks of cleaner eating, I started the program I chose, PiYo, which is a combination of Pilates and yoga moves. I've progressed from getting slightly winded during the warm-up (seriously) to really being able to push myself during the workout in order to see some results. I can even do burpees pretty decently. I've now finished 6 weeks of the 8-week program. I took progress pictures 2 weeks ago, and I can see a big difference. I plan to eventually post my before pictures on here, but I am not brave enough yet. But, through cleaner eating, healthy choices, and consistent exercise, I am so pleased with my results.

One thing that I keep thinking about is my previous attempts at weight loss. I have used the app My Fitness Pal, for the last couple of years when I've been focused on losing weight. I've always "bragged" that all I need to do is count calories, and I can lose weight. And it's true, I do lose weight. But looking back at the weight loss progress that I've recorded on the app since Dec 28, 2011, I can see that I'm making better progress now. In the same amount of time (each time I started), I lost 7 pounds, then 11 pounds (which I guess is pretty similar to my current weight loss), then I didn't even stick with it this long. But one major difference is how I'm doing it. Back then, I still "had to" have my chocolate, or whatever dessert I was wanting. I knew as long as my weekly average was low enough, I was okay to lose some weight eventually. But, really, I know too much about how nutrition plays a bigger role than even working out does in the ultimate results, and I just can't do it like that anymore. When I still eat junk, just less of it, I still feel sluggish and don't get the benefits of eating food that fuels my body.

This weekend we had a rare night without our daughter, so we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants for some "cheat eating." I wasn't too bad on my meal, I had fish tacos, so they were pretty light, although they were flour tortillas. But we went to the bakery for dessert, and I chose TWO doughnuts. Both with some candy topping. And they were good. Like I've said, I'm definitely not about giving this stuff up forever, but just like my last dessert cheat, I didn't want to well, COULDN'T, eat the whole thing. But more than that, afterward, I just felt gross. And we pointed out to each other that we used to eat like this (feel like this) every weekend, if not each day in the weekend.

So, I'm just really thinking lately about how healthy we really are. We know the statistics, most Americans are overweight, if not obese. When you really remember that the purpose of food is to fuel your body, and you think about all of the crap that you eat, you've got to wonder how much better our body would perform if we gave it better fuel. Just some "food for thought." (Pun not intended.)

So here is my update for this week. One more pound!

Week 4 Resisting Temptation [August 11-18]

If you haven't read about the beginning of my journey, click here first.

Ever notice that when you're eating healthier, you just don't really WANT the unhealthy stuff? I mean, there are definitely exceptions, but I have been much better able to keep myself from reaching for that cookie sitting on the plate in front of me while I'm in a meeting, or that piece of Dove dark chocolate that a colleague is offering. In the past, I've been at that place before. But more recently, prior to this journey, I had gotten to where I had NO willpower for resistance. I would grab several peanut M&M's, grab a Friday doughnut that the school principal had brought in, eat a piece of chocolate cake that my friend had grabbed for me when she bought her school lunch, etc. All in the same day. No wonder I had ballooned up! Now, I'm not saying that I'll never have any of that stuff again. That's not realistic. And really, cheat meals/days are pretty much endorsed in most weight loss methods. But it's limited to one day or meal. Not all of them.

This week I cheated a little bit at an anniversary party for my grandparents (65 years!). I did notice that I was full pretty quickly, though, in comparison to what I normally could eat. And when I had a piece of cake, which was good, I didn't even want to eat the whole thing. I was satisfied with about half a piece, so I stopped. It's all about moderation and good choices.

Although this is the fourth week of my journey to be fit, it's only the second week of my PiYo workout. At the beginning of this week, I noticed that I didn't feel the sore muscles as much as I had last week, so I knew I needed to step up my game a bit and push harder during my workout. It's helping that the routines are getting more familiar, so I'm able to work harder and not have to spend time looking up trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing. But the actual schedule keeps changing, and I'm thinking as I progress further, the program will become a bit more difficult. But I've made steady progress, still, so I guess that is good. Even though I know people would not really notice much difference in me, I feel it. And I feel the increased flexibility. Overall, I just feel good. And that's reason enough for me to keep going.

Week 2 of Clean(er) Eating [July 28-Aug 4]

Read about the beginning of my journey.

 I didn't walk as much this week, mostly due to not waking up as early, and boy is it hot! If I didn't get out the door to walk before 8:30 then it got way too hot. I would have liked to, but I also knew that I'd be starting my daily workout soon.

I was better on the nutrition end than I had been the week before, though. We decided to go to a local farmer's market since we were going to get so many veggies and fruits. It sounds cliche, but it really does pay off to plan and prep your food beforehand. You are much more likely to make better choices throughout the week. I'm eating a lot of sweet potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, and chicken.

 I knew I was going to start my PiYo workout on August 4, so I originally planned to start Shakeology then, too. Shakeology is Beachbody's meal replacement shake. They call it the healthiest meal of the day. And it is really good, especially the chocolate. I make it with bananas and peanut butter. The ingredients are a bunch of "superfoods" so it's like getting a whole bunch of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy stuff at once.

On our team, a tradition got started where we have to take a picture of us drinking the shake while wearing a crazy hat and shirt. So here is mine, courtesy of my husband.

I only lost 1 more pound this week, which, even though I expected it, still disappointed me a bit. But that's alright. I've been reading/hearing a lot about being consistent, even with the simple things, and eventually the results will come. 

Clean Eating and Week 1 (Pre-PiYo Workout) Update [July 21-28]

If you missed my first post about my fitness journey, see it here.

While working out is important, it also matters what you put in your body. That's why I am really trying to stick to healthy eating and not add a lot of empty calories with sweets and unhealthy fats. In the past I've seen it this way: you eat in order to fuel your body. I think that will be key for seeing the results that I want to see.

For my first week of trying to get fit, I decided to phase in better eating, but I still allowed myself some cheats, sort of as a last hurrah before I went full-force on my new eating plan. Since I am basically starting at zero activity, I also decided to walk a bit. I was able to walk about 2 to 2.5 miles three times during the week, which made me feel pretty good. I didn't really count my calories, but when I stepped on the scale Monday morning, I was pleased to see that I had lost 3 pounds. Yay!

32 pounds to go! I know I'm just starting out, but I'm pretty psyched. I just need to stay consistent, even when things start to slow down, which they will. (I watched The Biggest Loser, I know how it works.) But that's the beauty of being a part of Team Beachbody and participating in the challenge groups. I can already see how encouraging and supportive everyone is. It really is exciting.