Thursday, April 5, 2012

March/April Nutrition Update-LOSING WEIGHT!

So as of both January and February, I had achieved cutting back coffee to 2 cups per day, which has continued. I also have been successful in increasing water intake which I have continued. I use a 32 oz REI water bottle which really helps. It has the oz marked on the side which I really like. It simplifies the task. Two of these bottles full drank and I am pretty much good for the day. And yes, I pee a lot, but oh well, it's worth the inconvenience.

As of March 22, I had finished up Winter Term of school and even though I had been running and working out a lot, I actually had GAINED a few pounds! I knew it was all diet...so started using My Fitness Pal again. I am loving it! At first I have to admit, it was hard getting the hang of entering all of my food and keeping track of it. I have the kind of personality that literally gets annoyed at this type of throughout-the-day accountability. But I continued working hard and it has become a habit that I am doing automatically!

I will admit the first week or so was really hard to meet my caloric goals. For any given day, I am allowed 1600 calories, and at first I would eat that up by about 4pm, BEFORE dinner! Wow! Since, I have learned how to be smarter about what I eat and when, and what foods are calorie-dense (hello peanut butter!). I think the most powerful tool has been the accountability itself that is required when you keep track. No more "out of sight, out of mind" thinking. I am staring the foods I eat right in the face and getting real with what I put into my body. After two weeks, 1600 calories is not as hard as it was when I started.

Nighttime snacking has gotten better too. I have gotten better about telling myself, "Nope, I'm full. I don't need that." or "I will feel miserable if I stuff myself again." which is true.  After dinner, dishes get done and kitchen is cleaned and the lights go off-Kitchen is closed. Sometimes the simple act of getting busy doing laundry or getting the kids ready for bed helps too. I think I have kicked the nighttime snacking habit.

I don't buy many snacks and NO sweets. I'm a sweets-a-holic by admission so I don't even tempt myself. The exceptions I make to treat myself will include a Hershey's chocolate bar or homemade fruit crisp or something like that. Funny thing is that after all this time, I don't crave sweets anymore, and I'm not all worked up around them. The other day I was at this cool cafe in town and they had all kinds of beautiful pastries on display. I was so content just admiring how pretty they were, and I wasn't pulled to buy a bunch and gorge myself on them. That's progress people!!

The other fun part is, My Fitness Pal also adds expendable calories depending on the exercise you have performed! This means that if I get to the end of the day and I find that I am a little over my caloric intake, I can go outside and get my kids on their bikes and we'll go for a walk. Even at a stroll's pace, it burns calories. And when it is rainy I am fortunate enough to say I can get on our treadmill. I don't have to get all gross and sweaty either. Sometimes I just go down there and throw my sneakers on, jeans and all and just walk for a bit, listening to the radio or my anatomy lectures.

So what have my results been thus far?? In the last {almost} 2 weeks I have lost 3 pounds! And I know it's not just water weight because I have been drinking a ton of water! I'm so stoked! And I know it will be such an awesome feeling to get back into the 130s.

1 comment:

  1. Love MyFitnessPal! I am eating 1300 a day right now and it's tough some days, but I usually have just enough for my 70 calorie ice cream bar at night (or a cup of fresh cut pineapple, if I want to be really good) Great job with the weight loss..it's amazing how watching what we eat can make such a difference. :)

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