Trying not to be Discouraged.

I am going through the hard time that I always do around this time in the diet. (a month to 6 weeks into it).  I am currently in the 6th week of my "lifestyle change".  I have stalled out the last couple of weeks and haven't lost any weight.  That is sooo discouraging.  You feel like what the heck? I have stayed in my caloric range and met my exercise goals.  This is usually the hard time and usually the time I give it up.  However, looking back 6 weeks ago.... I have lost 8-10 pounds (if fluctuates), is half way to my 3 month goal, so that is good. I KNOW I have lost inches because I can feel it in my clothes and see it in my clothes (be it small but it is there).  So I feel the need to reread my goals and contract which I did.  It made me feel better anyway and I WILL keep going. I upped my exercise goals a little earlier too.  From 30 minutes 3 times per week to 30 minutes 5 times per week.  STICK TO IT, STICK TO IT, STICK TO IT..................I may need to say that 100 times.  Now is the time for visuals too I think.  I had not done that yet, because I thought I was doin ok without. I need something I see daily all over the place to remind me.
On a happier note...our oldest son Tyler came to visit last week.  I loved having him here.  He is becoming so wise and grown up in a lot of ways.  (he is 23) I love seeing the adult he is becoming and I love who he is.  Of course God gets all credit, but it also a very nice compliment as a parent. 

Friends with My Body?

"Exercise for the “right” reasons. There aren’t many bad reasons to exercise of course, so in a pinch you should take advantage of whatever gets you going. But certain attitudes and approaches will help you get a better self-esteem boost. It helps a lot, for example, to tell yourself that you are working out because it is good for your body and you want to take good care of your body. When you do that, you affirm that you and your body are friends—not enemies—and you open yourself up for healthy communication with your body, allowing it to tell you what you need. This will work much better than setting out to burn calories so you can get rid of all that ugly fat you can’t stand."  My inspiration for today. An exerpt from an article I read on Spark People today.   http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=591

I never thought of "being enemies with my body" That could very well be a reason for this battle for so long. I think I will try "being friends" and see what happens.

Numbers

I wonder if it would help to think of this as just a bunch of numbers. People in sales are taught not to get discouraged when they hear a no because that is just one more no till they hear a yes.  Just a matter of numbers and if you keep perservering you will get the number of yeses you want.  Just play with the numbers of calories and you will be able to eat a lot and still be healthy. Minutes of exercise is just a number to count. When you reach the magic number it is over.  Some numbers only matter today, because they will change tomorrow.  If you pay attention to the numbers you will not let too many get by you if you don't want them to, and you can smile at  the numbers that are going the direction you want them to.

Some of my numbers today:

       9  hours of sleep I got last night
  284  my current weight
229 1/8  inches I measured on my body
3600  steps I took while walking the dog
    45   minutes to complete walk
      1.5  miles covered in walk
    91  temperature during walk
    80   percent of humidity during walk
  160   heart rate at hardest part of walk
1700   calories consumed 
    12   glasses of water consumed
bajillion  times I have had to go to the bathroom because of water consumption
      6  errands ran
    76  dollars spent 
    16  dollars saved with coupons
      4  paint chips taken to Paradise for new spa room color where I start working Sept. 1
      3 massage appointments on the books (at home not Paradise)
  250  points earned on Spark People
      5 weeks since I last saw Tyler and Ashley & Hunter
    14 days since I last saw Trey
    36   hours since I have seen my husband
      1  hours I have seen Travis since yesterday
     10 time I am crawling in bed tonight

Might sound goofy, but that is my thought for today.

          

Week 5, Day 31

Well I have made it to the gym 2 times in 3 days.  That is big for me.  I will go tomorrow and that will make 3 times this week and that would be the first time I have truly stuck to 3 times per week exercise.  Exercising kicked my butt today.  I couldn't figure why.  When I sat down to write my intake for the day, I think I may have found the answer.  For starters, according to Spark People, I should be eating 1700-2100 cal per day. So I upped the calorie intake.  Next my goal is to burn 323 cal.  Well I reached the calories burned goal and then some. However, before I sat down to dinner tonight, I realized I had only consumed slightly over 400 Cal so far. So when I was exercising I had no energy.  I am not certain that is it, but I am wondering.  I got so much water in today.  95 oz at the time of writing this.  It isn't quite half of my body weight (that would mean I need 50 more oz) but it is very good for me.  And several days I have tried to cram the water in late in the day and into evening.  Then I wind up getting up 2 or 3 times in the night.  Yuck, I think I will try harder to get it in earlier in the day.  I put on a pair of pants yesterday and a pair of jeans today that have been so incredibly tight and they both fit nicely and I didn't feel my breath was cut off.  I have also been wearing some underwear that was too tight and small.  So even if the pounds aren't melting too quickly, the inches are revealing success. Little victories. Now when I can walk into Victoria's secret and buy a pair of underwear, that will be one happy day for me.  I am buying a bra too (I hear they are the best). It will be so nice to buy things from regular sized stores.  I can't wait!!!!!!

My family.

My best source of support and encouragement. I do believe I am the biggest ever in this photo.  Take about a year ago at Trey's high school graduation night.  I am 17 pounds lighter since then.  I can't wait to be at a healthy weight.

Week 4 Day 28

Yikes!!!!!!!!! Aaarrrggghhhh! You have no idea how much courage it is taking me to do this.  But I must. And I am sure it will pay off in the end.  How did I get this way??? Well I know how, technically, but geez!! This is awful.  I have to stop before I start crying.  That does not help.  Anyway, I am down another 3 pounds.  I love tracking my intake on Spark People.  It really helps.  When I make myself write on this blog it helps too.  Keeps me on track, I guess.  It has been one month and I am on track where I should be. I am down a total of 9 pounds. (my goal was 5-7 pounds a month or so-15 to 20 in 3 months actually) Which is awesome. Another 9 pounds and I should really notice a difference.
Things I am doing well:
Journaling my food intake.
Journaling on my blog.
Recognizing eating when hungry vs. eating related to stress.
Things I need to work on:
Exercising 3 times per week.
Water intake.
Negative thoughts of myself.

Week 4, Day 26

Today I joined Spark People (http://www.sparkpeople.com/) .  It is a free website for helping people to lose weight. Actually it is not just about weight loss it helps a person get on track for good health or stay on track for good health. A whole community with so much information I am overwhelmed. But it has a great nutrition and fitness tracking system and I think it will be great.  Some great inspirational stories too.  I love reading how people lost 50, 75, 100 pounds.  It is so encouraging.  I stayed in my calorie limit today and learned from spark people that I could use a little more calcium and potassium.  Good to know. 

Tomorrow I interview for a Massage job.  Please pray for me as I decide what to do.