Lose 20 pounds

Week 16 Day 107

Well, it has been one heck of a week… the Valentines celebration, coupled by a quick return to cold weather had left me reverting back to less than ideal habits of eating, and deferring exercise… For the first time since I stared this program, I had varied from my weekly weigh in, and stepped on the scale mid week, versus the “Sunday” only rule that I had set for myself. I was a bit taken back that the extra cookies, meal portions, and goodies from the Valentines celebration, and an extra meal out had a negative affect on my progress. While I wasn’t able to (read “chose not to”…) do anything immediate about the exercise situation, I was able to curb my binge eating and return to healthier and better-balanced meal selections…

So without any further agony, I will report this weeks weigh in results.

Sunday Weigh in day.

Week 16 Day 107
16th weigh in

Day of Week: Sunday Date: 02/19/06
Weight at last weigh in 178.5
Weight at this Weigh in 176.5 pounds.
A loss of 2 pounds
Total lost 20.5 lbs
I have 0 pounds to go to reach my goal

Due to weather conditions where the highs have been below zero, I haven’t been out for my regular walks. Once the weather breaks, I will resume my routine. We did enroll in a Latin dance class, so that will help provide some balance to my workout routine…

As for diet, I am planning to maintain my routine of making health choices, and will look to dip perhaps one more pound before maintaining that level. This brings me within the upper limits of my recommended Body Mass Index (BMI) To lose much more would, I have been told, give me an unhealthy appearance… and “nothing to hold on to…”

Thank you all for your help and encouragement in this long, slow, but very worthwhile endeavor. I wish you all the best of luck in making your goal, and changing your lives for the better!

Roses are red…
Violets are Blue…
Here’s wishing that we all loose a pound (or two…)

Happy Valentines Day to all my 43things friends!

Breakfast = Black Beans and Rice, Broccoli, Half slice whole grain toast w tsp peanut butter, green tea, milk. Small nibble of dark Mayan chocolate with chilies… Hmmmm… Chocolate…

Lunch = Whole grain bread, toasted with olive oil, and Italian seasoning, yogurt, carrots, almonds, water

Snack = Orange

Dinner = (No Beans and Rice tonight…) New York strip steak, Crab legs, Baked potato, Green Salad.

Desert = 4oz Spicy Mayan hot chocolate (sipped by candle light…) a bite or two of a Dark chocolate truffle

Exercise = 30 minute early morning walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls. 25 minute walk at lunch

Motivation = High, it is the day of Amore’ and I am in love with life!

Day 101… Sounds like a class… ‘Weight loss 101’... I know that for me, this has certainly been a life lesson…

Breakfast = Black Beans and Brown Rice, Broccoli, pineapple, half slice of whole grain bread with 1 tsp peanut butter, milk, green tea, water.

Lunch = 1 slice toasted whole grain bread w olive oil and Italian seasonings, yogurt, almonds, carrots, water

Snack = Orange

Dinner = 1 slice of ham, potatoes, peas, milk.

Snack = Light microwave popcorn

Exercise = 30 minute walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls. Will fit a 20 minute walk in at lunch, and include stairs.

Motivation = High, nice to be back into the routine of the week. I get more accomplished when I have a game plan, and tend to stick more closely to it during the week… After reviewing a few of my past entries, one thing that I don’t think I have made clear is how important it is to keep hydrated, and to drink water through out the day. I am trying to get at least eight 8oz classes each day, but will usually go over that a little. Each person is different in their needs so do what you think is best for you. Benefits that I have noticed by doing this have included feeling more full, fewer headaches, better digestion, decreased joint pain from exercise… and the list continues to grow…

Wow, 100 days ago today, I began this journey… Not an easy road, but one that I am very happy I have traveled.

Well, were back to another weekend… Which means I that I tend to stray from my regular menu selections… but I am trying hard to stay on track…

Sunday Weigh in day.

Week 15 Day 100
15th weigh in

Day of Week: Sunday Date: 02/12/06
Weight at last weigh in 180
Weight at this Weigh in 178.5 pounds.
A loss of 1.5 pounds
Total lost 18.5 lbs
I have 1.5 pounds to go to reach my goal

Breakfast the past couple of days has been out of the ordinary… Saturday we went out to breakfast, jalapeno omelet, American fries, toast and coffee

Sunday = 1 egg over easy, hash browns, toast, green tea

Lunch = half BLT on whole grain toast, yogurt, almonds, side salad w tomatoes, red pepper and onions, water.

Snack = Orange, light microwave popcorn, two cookies

Dinner = Shredded turkey in gravy on whole grain roll, broccoli, asparagus, milk.

Exercise = 30 minute walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls.

Motivation = High. I really thought I might have blown things t his weekend. Going out to eat, and sneaking more than a cookie or two from the fresh made cookies I felt that it was really going to do a number on my weigh in. But it looks like I lucked out… This time… time to get back on the old routine again, and sneak in a few extra walks this week.

We have had one heck of a cold snap, which makes early morning walks less than their usual tranquil events… Of course, it does add extra motivation to burn those calories to stay warm… ;)

Breakfast = Black Beans and Brown Rice, Broccoli, Banana and pineapple, slice of whole grain toast with tsp peanut butter, green tea, milk.

Lunch = Slice of whole grain bread with olive oil and Italian seasonings, yogurt, almonds, carrots, orange, water.

Snack = Banana

Dinner = Country style BBQ spare rib, Baked potato w butter spray, green beans, green salad w red pepper.

Exercise = 30 minute walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls. I have been making an effort to get in an additional walk at lunch, and so far have been able to get one in on a regular basis. It is cold, but worth the extra brisk walks… I am also alternating days that I will climb the stairs to the seventh floor prior to going on my walk. So far it has helped to keep the strain on my knees to a minimum…

Motivation = High. I have been feeling great as of late, more energy, better moods, and except for the occasional craving, have stuck to my routine, and eating healthy. When the craving for something more creeps up on me, I will try to keep it at bay by eating a few chocolate chips, one at a time… If that doesn’t work, I add a pretzel or two… something about the sweet and salty, soft and crunchy that usually curbs the urge… with out putting me over the top….

Well, it wasn’t any warmer out this morning than it was yesterday… In fact, I think it was a bit colder. But, those calories are not going to burn themselves… So it was up and out the door for a blustery walk on a star lit February morning…

Breakfast = Black Beans and Brown Rice, broccoli, pineapple, green tea.

Lunch = Whole grain bread w/ olive oil and Italian seasonings, yogurt, carrots, almonds, water

Snack = Orange

Dinner = Pork chop, brown rice, green beans, apple sauce, milk, green tea.

Snack = Light microwave popcorn (1 1/2 cup)

Exercise = 30 minute walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls. Will walk at lunch 25 min (might give the stairs another try)

Motivation = High, feeling great, I like that my desire to move, is now out weighing the desire to stay in bed…

Week 14 Day 93
14th weigh in

Day of Week: Sunday Date: 02/05/06
Weight at last weigh in 181.5
Weight at this Weigh in 180 pounds.
A loss of 1.5 pounds
Total lost 17 lbs
I have 3 pounds to go to reach my goal

Wow, looking at the entry above, I am very pleased. I am also made aware of the fact that this is in no way an easy task to accomplish. It is however, by far one of the most challenging, and rewarding goals I have set for myself. There really are no short cuts that in my opinion will make this process any easier than going back to the basics. Reducing my intake of calories, and increasing the amount of activity to burn extra calories to maintain a healthy balance. By far the best (and hardest thing so far) has been selecting and sticking to the healthiest food options that I can find…

Breakfast = Black Beans and Brown rice, pineapple and oranges, slice of whole grain toast with tsp peanut butter, coffee (black), milk.

Lunch = Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread, grapes, almonds, yogurt, water.

Dinner = Garlic Ginger beef with peapods over brown rice, milk, fruit.

Snack = Orange

Exercise = No morning walk today. Just too cold… Up at 4, fed the dog, let him out (he was back inside right quick…) then back to bed for a couple of hours. Will try to sneak in a walk later today, and add the floor exercises at that time as well.

Motivation = High. I am so close to reaching this goal. Ideally I would like to lose enough to be at the upper level of my BMI, which means losing an additional 2 pounds after reaching this goal. Then I want to just maintain that weight by eating healthy and continuing to exercise on a regular basis’s.

Saturday… Almost didn’t go out for our walk this morning, we have been very spoiled lately with warmer than average temps… until today, when we were ever so rudely snapped back into reality with sub zero temperatures… But we pushed on, sucked it up, and did it anyway…

Breakfast = Black beans and brown rice, broccoli, pineapple and bananas, green tea, milk

Lunch = missed lunch today, we went on what turned out to be a marathon shopping spree and didn’t get back until late in the afternoon. Did snack on a little salsa and cheddar focaccia bread that we sampled at the supermarket, and brought a loaf home with us.

Snack = Orange and almonds

Dinner = Out to a local Mexican restaurant, I opted for a Steak Sandwich with grilled peppers and onions, and a Side Salad… Because of the size of our group, the food came in shifts, with mine being near the end… the sandwich was cold, and soggy, so I opted to eat the steak and the salad, and tossed the bun. Had a small piece of birthday cake, with whipped cream frosting… It was wonderful..

Snack = I snuck another very small piece of the cake when we got home, along with a cup and a half light microwave popcorn and a water

Exercise = 30 min walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls.
Mall walking…

Motivation = Moderate… I have really started to hate the weekends lately. It seems to be my worse challenge of the week. When I don’t follow my routine, and wait to see what the rest of the house wants to do before make a choice on what to eat… then I end up grazing on the less than desirable choices, right before the weekly weigh in…. I bet I gain the most during the week on Saturday…

Tomorrow is weigh in day… lets see what happens…

We are in for some rain… but we were able to miss it this morning…

Breakfast = 1 egg over easy, toast with tsp peanut butter, fruit, green tea, milk

Lunch = whole grain bread with tsp olive oil, almonds, yogurt, carrots, apple

Snack = Orange

Dinner = Naked chicken burrito, water.

Snack = 1 cup Light microwave popcorn

Exercise = 30 minute walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls. 25 minute walk at lunch (still no stairs)

Motivation = High

Catch up time…

Breakfast = Black beans and brown rice, broccoli, fruit, green tea, milk

Lunch = Bread w/ olive oil and Italian seasoning, carrots, almonds, water

Snack = Banana

Dinner = Black Beans and Rice with chicken breast, green beans, green tea, milk

Exercise = 30 min walk, lower abs crunches, push-ups, arm curls
20 minute walk at lunch, no stairs, I think I have strained my knee a bit… will give it a rest

Motivation = High. Some busy days ahead… Celebrating my son’s 21st Birthday… there will be two gatherings for that… One of them will be out to eat.