I posted this blog about running last October. I lost my rhythm for exercise when I moved to Georgia, but I certainly saw the need for more exercise when we found out Everett was on the way. I did the math in my head and realized that if I wanted more kids, and wanted to be active with them, I needed to start losing weight NOW.
The thing is, I'm not a huge fan of being radical about stuff. I'm passionate, but I'm a long-term thinker. I believe making even small changes over the long run make a big difference. That's the approach I took with my weight loss. I didn't go nuts and get a home gym or get a personal trainer. I'm a believer that what is measured is improved, and so I just started measuring some of my exercise and some of what I eat. The more I kept track of these things, the more weight I seemed to lose. I feel like I have an extra challenge knowing I work fast food 5 days a week and can get free meals. What a temptation!
After 40 days, here are the stats:
Start date: July 12th
End date: August 21st
Starting weight: 196.8 pounds
Ending weight: 190.2 Pounds
Total weight loss in 40 days: 6.6 pounds
What food did I track?
I had a soft drink once every 40 days
I had ice cream once every 13.3 days
I ate after 9 pm once every 13.3 days
I ate french fries once every 4.5 days
Exercise
I ran an average of .92 miles/day
I am looking forward to improving these habits and starting some new ones.
Anyone out there have any other tips that seemed to work well for them for losing a few pounds?
5 comments:
okay...I liked your blog posting on how you lost your weight. Good job! So...you've been keeping a record of your food and exercise (probably the hardest part of changing a pattern) ..after thinking about a simple idea, here it is....be intentional with what you eat. You're around fast food and you get free meals...great! they have salads too. When you eat fries and nuggets...fine..just mean to. Plan for it. and enjoy it! but don't let it sneak up on you. :) (I am also working on losing weight. and eating intentionally is a big part of that for me right now.)
You're right on, Brennen. I think I read that 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of weight. I think we would agree it's a lot easier to not put that in our mouths in the first place rather than trying to burn it off. (I burned about that many calories running last MONTH). I am much more aware of "empty calories" now. I look at the nutrition and ask myself - "how many miles will I have to run to burn this off, and is it worth it?" Most times not.
From your friendly neighborhood dietitian: I love your "small changes make a major difference in the long run." Sometimes smaller changes make the bigger difference because they stick around longer than big changes we try to make. I'm sure you already know these things, but without much knowledge of what you've been doing, here's some tips: 1) Muscle burns more kcals than fat, therefore, make sure you're doing strength training along with cardio workouts. 2) Americans consume a lot of kcals via beverages. Stick to milk and water. 3) Give yourself a break. When you crave a piece of cake, have your piece of cake. Having small pieces of cake every now and then is better than eating the whole cake because of your cravings. My mantra "everything in moderation". I'm going to stop there, cuz this post is now really long. :)
My fitness pal
Amy, those are 3 very helpful things to remember about my healthy resolutions. I am much more aware of my drinks, now. I haven't given up sweet tea, but the sweet tea I make at my house is 75% splenda, and only 25% sugar. Baby steps. :) I like the idea of everything in moderation. I'm working on what changes and additions I will make to the next 40 days.
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