Weekly Weigh-In: Back on Track!
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It’s weigh-in time and I’m excited this week! After losing less than a pound in the past two weeks combined, I am finally back on track with a 3.8 lb. loss this week! Not only am I back on track, but that means I met my goal for this month and I hit an exciting milestone — I lost 20+ lbs. by the end of January and I am under 200 lbs.!
I can’t believe I just posted that one the Internet, but seriously, trying to keep being 200+ lbs. a deep, dark secret wasn’t helping anything, so I might as well celebrate my success. I think two major things — which were really just small changes, but major for me — helped me reach my goals this week.
Change #1: Switching up my exercise routine. I posted in the challenge this week that what I read on the Apex Fitness (bodybugg) website says that you should change up your routine every two weeks. Well, I knew that, but my only other in-home option besides the treadmill is the bike, which I hate because it’s so hard for me. Really, that’s a good thing, though, because it’s hard as in “tough workout,” not as in “something I can’t do.”
Despite know that I should change things up, I’ve been walking the treadmill since I started my weight-loss journey back in November. It was definitely time for a change.
Change #2: Stop obsessing. Last week a very dear friend sent me a helpful link about plateaus. She said she was sending it because it had good tips, but as I read through the tips, I knew they were nothing I hadn’t heard before. Then, I read the closing paragraph and realized why she sent me the link. The last part of the post said this:
Some of us seem to have more adaptive bodies than others. I remember when I was eating a fairly rigid diet, having three strength training sessions per week, and as much as seven (often intense) cardio sessions a week. After 3-4 weeks – the fat simply stopped coming off. The frustration was enough to make me take my meal plans (stuck to the fridge), screw them up and throw them away in disgust. I was furious and disappointed. I felt that I was doing everything “right”. So what was the answer?
Chill out and back off… I was becoming obsessional. I started eating more, and gradually reduced my cardio levels. I gave my body and mind a break. In the process I have learnt to eat more intuitively.
The emphasis in that last paragraph is mine. This particular friend knows me very well. She is well aware of my propensity to become a little OCD about things. So, you know what I did last week? I chilled out.
A couple of days (Tuesday, since I work out more than once that day and Friday because I’m typically tired after my Thursday night workout at the gym), I did what I consider to be a much less intense workout DVD than the ones I usually do. When I fixed the kids pizza on Tuesday, I ate two slices of regular pizza instead of making myself a pita pizza…and instead of the four pieces I used to eat. I enjoyed a big salad with my favorite low-fat dressing along with my pizza.
On Wednesday, when we ate lunch at Chick-Fil-A, I got my usual Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich and side salad, but instead of choosing one of Chick-Fil-A’s low-fat dressings, which I don’t like, I ate blue cheese. I just didn’t eat the entire packet, which is 2.5 servings. I tried to use less than half the package and shoot for a single serving.
I think those changes really made a difference in both my weight-loss and my mental outlook about my weight-loss and eating habits.
Oh, and if you’re interested in my favorite low-fat dressing, it is so easy and delicious. I make the Good Seasons Italian dressing mix, except I swap the amounts of oil and vinegar, using 1/2 cup of vinegar and only 1/4 cup of oil. Yum!
So, what about you? How did your weigh-in go this week? I can’t wait to hear!
Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
=D CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!
I love 4 lbs. this week. But the stomach bug helped me along. Now I'm trying to maintain THAT loss, re-steady the system and lose from there.
CONGRATS!! That is such an exciting milestone!!! Without sounding crazy let me say I am SO proud of you!! As a women who has battled that 200 mark many times I know how hard/amazing it is to get under it!! =-}
I made it through the week and stayed at 186 lbs – so no loss but no gain. I'll take it!
Great job this week Kris!
That doesn't sound crazy at all, Christina. It sounds very supportive and encouraging and I appreciate it!
Thanks, too, Carrie and Tristan. Congrats on doing well yourselves this week.
That doesn't sound crazy at all, Christina. It sounds very supportive and encouraging and I appreciate it!
Thanks, too, Carrie and Tristan. Congrats on doing well yourselves this week.
Go you!! It is only my first week, but I've lost 4 lbs. 🙂
I'm doing a minimum of one workout per day (in the morning), and sometimes I add in a second smaller one at night.
Wow! Four pounds is great! WTG!
Congrats! It's a huge victory when you can let go of the plan and still continue to lose. One step closer, Kris, keep up the good work!
I am only 3 lbs. away from my Valentines day goal, 180 lbs. Your blog really helps and has great tips. Thankyou. Ya for both of us for allowing a bit of normalcy in our diets. although I still regret eating those 3 cupcakes in one day, I made up for it my doing a pilates routine! We aren't perfect and that's ok. You really hammer that home for me, thankyou!
GREAT JOB!!!!
Congrats on your weight loss!!!!
Awesome Kris! That has to feel good! And I think there is definitely merit in the 'switching it up' idea. I've been doing a bit of that myself this week…so hopefully I've changed it up enough to keep losing!
AND CONGRATS ON REACHING ONE-DERLAND! It has been literally nearly 20 years since I was in the 100's…but I plan to get there before this year is done. CONGRATS on reaching that milestone…it's HUGE!
Congrats on your loss!!!