I wanted to share my weight loss goals as part of the initial set-up of this blog. That way if you are interested from Day 1, you can see what I have been doing.
Starting Weight: 185lb (BMI = 27)
Goal Weight: 140-145lb (BMI = 21)
I had been slowly watching the scale tick upwards and feeling my clothing get tighter and tighter. I had been watching the sizes that I bought get larger and larger. Finally this past summer I have begun taking steps and making the changes needed to turn my weight and health around.
What I have done:
- I enrolled in a gym. I have yet to go more than once, but the first step has been taken. I have access to a YMCA in my community, so I now have access to classes and gym equipment whenever I want.
- I bought a water bottle, one that I enjoy using and has 24oz marked on it. I took my weight (185) and divided it by 2. I try to drink that much water a day (90oz). Most of the time I can empty my water bottle 3-4 times a day, so I get close to 75-100oz of water daily. I enjoy the occasional cup of Southern Sweet Tea, maybe a can of soda once a week. However, the majority of what I drink is water.
- I began taking different vitamins. I take a daily multivitamin, a calcium pill, a B-complex vitamin, a green tea pill (Applied Nutrition - from Amazon), and a cinnamon pill (Nature's Bounty - from Amazon). The daily, calcium, and the B-complex are good to fill any holes in your diet, but shouldn't replace good quality food. The green tea pills and the cinnamon pills are the only weight loss supplements I use currently. The green tea has caffeine which bolsters your metabolism (and I cut out coffee) while the cinnamon pills help even out your blood sugar, preventing hunger spikes throughout the day.
- I eat three rounded meals a day, and if I get hungry I snack on healthy snacks. I make 1/3 of my plate vegetables, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 whole grains. I make sure I keep to smaller portions by eating on smaller plates. I also take my time while eating. One of the biggest reasons why many people are overweight is because they eat too fast. They say it takes your stomach 20 minutes to realize it's full. It's true! My snacks are mainly fruit (nature's candy!) and the occasional cookie or treat.
- I do not deny myself of anything! If I want a cookie, I can have A cookie. If I want a milkshake or a bowl of ice cream, I have A small serving. Denying yourself of a certain food group makes you want it even more. This is why portion control is so important. With proper portions, you can have anything you wish!
- I weigh myself daily, record it, and take the week's average. There are different beliefs on how often you should weight yourself. I do it daily, because then I keep myself honest. If my weight is up, then I know that I need to be extra careful. I record my weight every day of the week, then at the end of the 7 days, I average my weight for the week. That averaged number is what I see my true weight as being. Because my weight fluctuates daily (even hourly), it's important to me to get this average. My goal for the next week is to have 5/7 days be lower than the previous week's average. This has led me to be as successful as I have been. It also prevents me from fasting the day before a weight-check. I have to be healthy every day, instead of one or two days.
I'm thinking that when I reach 10lb lost I may get one of the fitness bands to try out. It is something that would help me continue to lose weight, but they are expensive. If I decide to go this route I will do a post based upon my research into these different bands and my ultimate decision.
I hope that this post helps you to understand the steps I have taken to begin my journey to better health and a lower weight.
~Missy T
No comments:
Post a Comment