Week 2....

Weight loss calculators
*The above is a link to all the calculators I am using and reference in this blog

So I am moving through the month and I am very happy to report...the weight it way down...well from where I started.

This week:
Sunday Saturday:
weight-296.7 292
Chest-50 49
Arms-14 13.5
Waist-47 45.5
Hips-54.5 53
Thighs-21.5 20
Calves-17 15

Now I also took 2 other measurements I did not share at beginning of week:
big belly (the part above my waist that I am working on losing)
B: 53 inches E: 49
Neck
B: 18 E: 16

Brings me to
4.7lbs lost and 13 inches

From here on out I will be only measuring once a month. A break down of this week:

I kept calories under 1300 a day, I worked out 5 times this week, and I made sure that I kept my water intake up. There is also a few other measurements I want to share.
In past 2 weeks I have brought my BMI (yes I know I hate this thing but I use it as reference point) from 51.35 to 50.05 in just two weeks, my percentage of weight loss is 3.47%, and my BMR (number of calories body needs to maintain weight) went from 2083 to 2069. I bring up the last one because in order to lose weight you have to create a deficit...500 calories to lose 1 pound. Well as I lose weight of course my BMR is gonna go down...so I need to stay on top of it to make sure I have my deficit.  

Now...Something I learned this week...do NOT maintain low calories for longer then 5 days...it defeats the "jump start" I just put my body into. To pass on what was taught...drop your calories for 5 days, increase water, work out at least 3 of these days, stay as close to clean as possible (no additives, no box meals, no prepackaged stuff)...lose a bunch and then when you increase and stick with the healthy stuff you should burn more calories then you did before. We will see at next week's weigh in. 

I have also noticed I have more energy, I have more flexibility, and I am feeling a lot better all around. I am actually getting ready to do a deep clean of entire house...sent hubby to friends for day/night so just me and the little monster till sometime tomorrow. I am going to tackle both floors and give him a shock when he gets home tomorrow...I mean move furniture, mop floors, clean out cabinets...the whole 9. Plus get a work out in.

Till later...Happy Dieting!

Truth or dare...

What am I talking about you ask? To fully explain let me back up a bit...in the past year and a half that I have been on this diet journey I have done 3 challenge groups. One for 60 days, one for 30, and one for 5...doing these groups it was all done online and had an accountability portion. So I have to actually do the work to have the results to post. There was one common theme I found while doing these challenges...I put in the work and I got results. Then the challenge group ended...so did the accountability so did my drive...So I spent some time on Pinterest and a light bulb went off.

I am starting a challenge group through the Facebook  Mad Dieter page...clink to get there. Now one of the challenge groups I couldn't finish...lets just say crunches or too much floor work and my back just didn't mix. The other thing that came to mind is some weight gain is not all just eating...it is bored eating, it is comfort eating, it's whatever eating besides for nutrition...but there is a reason behind it. I have found through this journey I have had a lot of self discovery.  There is also the people who can't work out numerous days in a row, can't do crunches because of back issues, can't do jumps because of knees...simply just don't have the stamina because they are starting at the beginning and doing 50 crunches and 50 squats on day one is a lot.

With all this said...I introduce the Truth or Dare Challenge. I am going to work to put this all together to kick off on Feb 1st...so it is only a 28 day Challenge. The way it works is there will be an exercise option or a question each day. So you choose...answer the question or do the workout. Now the question does not have to be answered publicly...I don't even wanna know the answer unless you wanna share. The exercises and the questions will start easy and each day get a little harder. For accountability that is easy...each day you post calorie/meal plan (we all can use new recipe ideas for healthy options), whether you did exercise or answered question, and how you are feeling. At the beginning of the month we will do weight/measurements/pictures, each week a weigh in, and measurements at half way and end. Now at the end there will be two question for all to answer by a yes or a no...Did you lose emotional weight and do you feel stronger then you did on day 1?

Do I have any takers?

Clean eating....

I used to balk at this subject...I used to think nope not ever gonna happen. Then a Facebook friend, fellow army wife, my beach-body coach who we will call Anonymous set up a challenge group. I started the week at 297...not a bad place to start since when I sated over a week prior I was 299. On day 3 I was down to 294....and I had to modify stuff because I never shopped produce section. Well not never...I grabbed banana's and mandarin oranges for baby and potatoes and onions. But unless hubby had a craving for a salad that was the extent of produce. Today I got a ton of stuff...can I tell you how excited I am to have grapefruit for breakfast?

Now there is something I need to be upfront with...I modified my menu plan from the challenge because of lack of "clean" food in my house till Wednesday...I went shopping on day 3 and stocked up on stuff to finish week...by the way fresh spinach is amazing to replace lettuce in a taco salad. I did still keep my coffee creamer..one I needed calories and two I was cranky without it but I only used 1/2 a tablespoon compared to 2 tablespoons per cup. Now I also need to point out I have cut my coffee consumption back from 4-5 cups of coffee with 2 tablespoons of creamer and 2 teaspoons of Splenda sugar blend (total calories per cup-92) to 2-3cups with 1/2 tablespoon of creamer and 1 teaspoon of splenda sugar blend (total calories 29.5 per cup) So doing the math I went from 368-460 calories a day in coffee to 59-88.5 a day. I also do still use seasonings...just low sodium and certain things to make the food edible and so that I am not making 3 meals a night for dinner...1 for the hubby 1 for me and 1 for the baby. 

I also kept my calories under 1300, drank a ton of water(no less then 8 glasses a day sometimes more...with limited Mio...(yeah clean your glasses, computer screen you read right Queen of lack of water is drinking plain/plainish water.) Mandarin Orange is really awesome in the water.  

I know now that clean eating is not bland, not expensive(see Facebook Page for breakdown on what I got and what I spent for my first clean food shopping trip), and above all it works. Now I will probably stick with this calorie intake since it is working, but do not cut your calories that drastically (I cut 1000 from my first week intake) without trial and error. Somedays you may have to eat more if you are more active, but always make sure you are not suffering from headaches, muscle aches, and lagging...up some calories. 

On Saturday I will be posting another long one with total weight loss and and end measurements!

Till then...Happy Dieting

Week one done...

Well I survived week one. I kept my calories under 2300 hundred all but one day, lost 2.7 pounds this week, went from not working out at all to working out 4 times, and I made it back into the gym to kick off week two. I start a clean eating challenge tomorrow...this ought to be interesting. I have to do some modifying because the calorie intake is way too low for me because of how heavy I am and it will make me sick. I also have limited supplies for  first two days but I will make it work.

So I made it back into gym today...was great but it also sucked for a bit. Here is why it sucked...in October I was up to almost 30 on elliptical machine and making it well over a mile today I could only do 10 and I was walking a 17-18 min mile...took me 24 today. So not only did I gain weight I also slowed down at the gym...I lost stamina. Now not as bad as I was when I first started oh so long ago but still having to start over sucks. But I did some lifting for the toning side of things and it felt amazing. I have managed to get crunches in...only 10 but we all start somewhere right? But I am feeling better...actually got some housework accomplished and am taking back the control from the disease.  I even started planking again...up to 25 seconds and have a 30 day challenge with that...on day 2.

so at end of week one I have learned:

1. Not eating after 9 is working and is now very easy and I am not so hangry (hungry to the point of anger)
2. Working out is a great stress reliever for the terrible 2's
3. Starting small and counting calories is great
4. Any progress is better then no progress and lastly
5....As long as I  stick with something I can lose the weight and if I can do it...anyone can.

so week 2 weight: 296.7 measurements in 3 weeks.

Happy Dieting