So, I thought I would start doing Weight Loss Wednesdays on my blog. Losing weight is a pretty big goal of mine, especially as I have SO MUCH weight to lose.
So, as you know I’ve been tracking my calories and have been absolutely horrified! My average intake of calories, for the last 10 days? 2477!! I know! That’s so incredibly much! I can barely believe it, even though I could see it happen! So after some thought, and because it’s been so easy to track my calories, I’ve decided that I’m ready to move on to my weight loss efforts.
So there are three goals here:
1) Eat no more than 2000 calories a day. I know that still seems like a lot, but since I’ve been eating 500 calories over that almost consistently, I think that this will certainly be helpful. I know I won’t reach that goal right away. . . I’ve been eating whatever I wanted for the last fourteen months now (since I found out I was pregnant with my youngest), so I think it will take a while for my body to adjust to 2000 calories a day, since it’s not used to it. So my ultimate goal with this is to keep attempting it until I can do it without too much hardship. Anyone who has ever cut down on their calories should understand what that means. When you first adjust your diet, you body always craves what it’s used to for a while, until it stops being used to it. At that point you find that it starts becoming easier and easier to meet your calorie goal, until it’s virtually effortless. And that’s what I’m shooting for.
2) Work out 30 minutes a day. This doesn’t have to be perfect. Because I know it won’t. I’ve gotten horribly out of shape since I was first pregnant with my youngest (which is a shame, because I was in pretty good shape right before we conceived her, I’d been working on it for a while). So I think right now just trying to build up my ability to work out for 30 minutes a day is what I need to work on. I’ve attempted a few workouts, and I’ve found them almost impossible to do, because I just have such a hard time with it. I’m carrying so much extra weight, it is actually physically difficult to complete some activities.
3) Drink nothing but water. This one is do-able because I’ve done it before, without too much trouble. Once I get in the habit of it, I start to crave water, and I don’t have as much issue with it as I’ve known other people to have, so I don’t expect this goal to be too difficult. Still, it will be an adjustment, as I’ve overindulged in soda for the past month or so.
So those are my weight loss goals for the week. I will continue with these goals until I can complete them successfully. . . I think that’s about it, except for one thing. . . My weight. I hesitate to share it with you, because it’s so much. . . I’m so embarrassed. But in the spirit of full disclosure, and because I’m sure some of you feel the same way:
212 lbs.
That’s my official starting point.
1. I envy you for being able to drink only water. I have the hardest time with that goal and I have tried a million times. Kudos to you!!
2. Eating only 2000 calories a day sounds easy to some people but it’s not always the case. I tried calorie counting only 1600 and you never realize that you DRINK half of your daily calories sometimes. (If you’re drinking water obviously that’s not a problem, lol.)
3. 212 isn’t too bad of a number. You certainly don’t look it!
4. I love the idea of weight loss Wednesday!
Thank you! 212 is HUGE for me, mostly because I was constantly ridiculed by my family as a child and teenager for my weight. . . Now I look back on being 145 lbs and think “wow, I was so THIN then!”.
I still can’t believe you were ridiculed as a teen. i knew you as a teen and you looked great. Skinny me (as a teen) was so jealous of your cute curves! I remember that super cute dress you wore that looked kinda like a 50′s-60′s style dress. It was absolutely adorable on you!
Also, I love the calorie counting app you sent me..I am only on day three and I am learning sooo much. I was shocked that the first day I was over 2000 calories, but the second day I was at around 1600. Then…today already my calories just for breakfast are at 800! All I had was a smoothie and a toast with peanut butter. I didn’t realize my calories wavered so much!
When I was counting calories the easiest way to cut calories for me was to cut out butter. I don’t know if you use a lot, but 1 tbsp can be 80-100 calories! ONE TABLESPOON! So if you use it often think of how much you can cut just by cutting that one thing out! Plus, switching to water will help a lot, too! Back when I was losing weight after Harliegh I was averaging 1200 calories a day and this is how I split it up: 300 for breakfast, lunch and dinner and 3 100 calorie snacks. Plus I always rounded my calories up so that if I felt extra hungry that day I could have a “bad” snack without feeling too guilty. And I always had one day a week that was my free day. I didn’t count calories that day, but tried to eat relatively healthy…if I didn’t choose healthy foods I would have smaller portions…but NO COUNTING.
And…you are full of inspiration today. Now I feel like I must go workout and write a story RIGHT NOW! Thanks.
Good luck on all your goals!
I know. . . I look back at those pictures now and think “what was I so unhappy about? I looked great!”. . . Once I’m ready to go down that low with the calories, I’ll probably try to break it down like you did, although right now I’m not even close yet.
Also, I was going to give you a suggestion for your workouts. When I tried to start Jillian a few months ago, I found there was no way I could even make it through Level 1. But if you watch the video, she breaks Level 1 up into three circuits. So I just did Level one, circuit one for a week. Then I added circuit two and did that for a week and so on until you can do the whole Level. Also the 10 minute solutions are great because they give you several different workouts and it’s hard not to do a workout when you know it’s just ten minutes, then as you get used to it…you can combine two or three of those to make longer workouts.
And…I can STILL barely make it through level one of Jillian!