By the numbers

I'm really proud of my eating today. Here's my nifty little graph (really I see alot more details in my daily report, but this was an easy bit to share):

I'm really satisfied with getting these graphs to look so similar. Even though I am following the meal plan there is always something different in my diet than what is on the actual plan (like I choose nonfat vanilla yogurt over plain, since that's just gross). When I change from the plan I try my best to substitute with something of equal benefit, its not like I substitute breakfast for a Snickers bar.

My daily diet goal is to eat within the range of 1350 - 1700 calories. Then there are more specific goals like a range for fat, protein, carbs, folate, cholesterol.

It was a great week at the gym too! I have gotten to a point of really pushing myself past the comfort spot on the bike. I'm able to get into that zone and get to that 7th mile (in a 30 minute session). The weather here has been beautiful, making me want to go and be outside alot! On the weekends this is possible, but its still too dark after work to do outdoor activities. I need to do some maintenance on my bike, but once that's done I should be able to ride on weekends on the trail down the road.

Well I need to get going prepping my lunch for tomorrow (I've now realized that if I don't put in the effort the night before I won't be ready in the morning, and I'd be more likely to grab something I shouldn't).

Vital Statistics:
Weight: 184.8 (-1 from last week = right on track!)
Days without smoking: 31!!! ($123 saved!!)
Miles on the bike: 7

TV's at the gym?

For me workout motivation, in the moment, comes from my music on my ipod. I have spent hours updating and modifying my ipod to have a workout mix that is perfect for me. It has all of my favorite artists, an overabundance of sugary pop music but also a lot of high energy house/trance to push me to peddle or run a little faster.

What doesn't motivate me when I'm on a machine is watching tv. I workout in a cardio room with 9 large flat screens on the wall, plus every machine, except the stairmasters, comes with a tv attached. I observe these people who walk slowly while being plugged in to their favorite tv show and I wonder if the tv is benefiting them or not. I suppose that by being distracted with whatever is on the tv someone might be inclined to workout longer than they would otherwise, but what if it doesn't have them pushing themselves? I have the same thoughts about reading a book or playing a Nintendo DS while on the workout equipment. It just seems pointless and counter productive.

Obviously its not for me, I want my pumping music. When I get tired, I say, just keep running/peddling/stepping until the end of this song. Next thing I know the next song is halfway over and I didn't even notice that I just finished another mile.

This week has felt very back on track. I have started using Sparkpeople.com to track food and activities. Its a free website and they have meal plans, articles, tips, tricks, message boards and everything you could look for when trying to reach your weightloss goals. I have started using their meal plans, which even puts together a grocery list for you. I love it! And as a bonus my husband is on board with it too! That is going to make it so much easier to keep the food component of this journey on track.

Now I know I said I didn't like to diet, and here I am following a meal plan, but this feels different. It has me looking at calories consumed in addition to fat, cholesterol, protein, and other things my body needs. Its incredibly flexible. Because I do the grocery shopping (as opposed to say having meals delivered) I can decide to switch out a particular meal for something else that is more appealing or I can make adjustments for special meals, like just date night with my husband. But the other great thing about it is I am now paying incredible attention to my portions. I am weighing everything, and reading the serving sizes on the side of packaging. Finally, it is forcing me to eat those dastardly fruits and veggies, which I so didn't eat before. Its not that I don't like them, I do, but I could never quite bring myself to choose them before.

It was a good week at the gym too. I made 10 minutes on the stair master!!! It felt so amazing! And I didn't die or lose a limb.

Stats:
Weight: 185.8 (downward momentum!)
Stairs: 10 minutes
Green things: more than I can count!

I have not given up but I have quit

My apologies to you for not posting in 6 weeks (or something like that). And my apologies to myself for not following through on the weight loss. Lots of IFs roll through my head about this time... If I had kept at it I might weigh ____... If I hadn't made too much dinner and then eaten it all I might have stayed motivated.

Well the IF game is not fair.

The reality is that I did not follow through on my track and therefore I have not seen my goals attained, yet. These goals are important to me and I am going to attain them!

Today I weigh in at 186.6. Right about back where I started this mission at.

The saddest part is that I was enjoying the workout routine I had created and I let the busy feeling of the Holidays and some sickness derail that routine. I will enjoy it again.

With the new year has come one of the best decisions I have made as an adult; a decision that will hopefully have an impact on my health and my ability to get a good workout: I quite smoking!! Now I realize that you may not all know that smoking had become such a part of my daily routine, but it had. I didn't get in the car without smoking. I was averaging about 13 cigarettes a day and it didn't take much for me to go even more than that. Poor Zeus doesn't know how to go out side and do his business on his own because I have always gone out with him and smoked. At least he didn't when I first quit. Now I am 17 days without smoking, I have not smoked 223 cigarettes and I have saved $70.30!!! I have a nifty app on my phone that keeps track of all of these things. Anytime that I would think about going outside or stopping to buy cigarettes I would look at the statistics as the reminder of where I was heading. Now I just check it once a day out of curiosity, mostly about the savings because that is just amazing. So even though I have not worked out or lost weight I have done something great for myself!

Sorry for the rambling nature of this post. After so long of not posting my brain is just jumbled with things that I have thought of sharing and its hard to get it all organized.

As a reminder of my stats:
Weight: 186.6
Time since a workout: 6 weeks