{Check-In} November Fitness Report

Friends: I weigh 108.25lbs.

I am only 3.25lbs away from my goal weight.

I. AM. SO. EXCITED!!!

November was easier and harder than month one of this. I know you're sick of hearing about calorie counting, but since I'm still working on it, I'm still writing about it. This month it was easier, because I'm starting to get a feel for estimating calories and portion sizes, so I don't have to look everything up or measure/weigh everything quite as much. But I also got tired of watching what I eat. I love to eat. It was hard.

That said, I am kind of shocked that it is still working. I always thought weight loss was this mystical thing--some people exercise and fat melts off, others can't seem to kick it. For no apparent reason. And I was really stubborn about not wanting to count my calories, because lets face it--it sounds intense and obsessive. And kind of like a party-killer. But its not. I was wrong. It is the "magic" solution. Even if I didn't exercise, I could still lose about a pound a week just by knowing how much was going in and how much I used up during the day. It is crazy. Anyway, if you are trying and failing (like I was FOREVER) to lose weight, consider learning more about it.

Calorie-Counting-Without-Imploding Strategies


This month I noticed just how crazy I was going trying to stay within my 1200 weight-loss-calories per day, so I came up with some strategies to help me be a normal person but still get these last darn pounds off my body. Here they are:

• Save Them Up. I love eating with the hubs. I don't know why, I just do. Especially dessert. Seriously, what could be better than eating dessert with a cute guy, right? So I save up my calories for the meals I'm eating with him. I keep it low-cal for breakfast and lunch (under 300 if I can) so that I've got a good 600 calories waiting for me for dinner/dessert.
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• Work Out. Obviously. Earn more calories by exercising. Totally worth it to me to go 30 minutes on the elliptical so I can eat a Ghiradelli brownie. I think I've said this before.
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• Take a Day Off... Sort Of. Some days you need to have a smoothie without feeling bad about it. (Or, okay, a package of Reese's cups.) So on those days, I eat my "maintain your weight" amount of calories, which is 310 more (or even MORE if I exercise!) So like, Thanksgiving weekend? Every day was a 1510 day. I didn't lose an ounce--but I didn't gaine one either. And I got to eat lots of yummy things.
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• Remember Why. When I'm reaching for a cookie and hesitate, I think about why I'm doing this. Part of it is because I want to look good, but most of it is because I've never gone this far before. I've never bothered to take care of my body this well, or been on the track to look & feel this good. Some days I still need the cookie. But most days, I don't.

I don't feel that Kate Moss is a good role model as far as healthy weight goes, but she did say one thing that stuck in my mind, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." We should probably replace "skinny" with "healthy" or "fit" but other than that, its an interesting thought. I think it to myself a lot when I'm fighting my stubborn I-want-to-eat-all-day side.

The Rest

I'm glad I got off my butt and tried to do this, even though I thought I couldn't. It has been really empowering. I'm thankful for a husband who treats this as a real, legitimate goal--he goes to the gym when he can and high-fives me for going on my own when he can't. He counts calories when he cooks so I can enter my numbers, instead of treating that like an obnoxious woman thing that he doesn't want to deal with. I'm glad he's got my back.

I'm glad I started here, glad I've stuck with it, because this first victory is really gearing me up to feel like I can do the other things I want to do. Still scary to stretch, but it feels good once you get past the scary.

{Fitness} We Can Work it Out

Can we, really?

So far, yes.

I really don't know what it was, except, like I mentioned before, just being sick of letting myself fail. But I am driven. For the first time in my life exercise is part of my daily routine during the week. Here are some things that have helped:

I Work Out How I Work Out


What? Yes! I like going to classes with my friends, but I am never out the door with the kids in time to make it, or I am mean to them because I'm trying so hard to hurry. So that was too stressful. And I couldn't guess my calorie burn, so I wasn't working as hard as I could. So I do not do it.

I do not like running. Even though everybody else does. So I do not do that either.

What I do like is dropping my kids to play at the Y's childcare, which they love and get excited about, and having some time to myself on the cardio equipment, either reading a book or watching HGTV. That is what I love. It feels like a break. And they track my calories, and I now know what I can burn in 30 minutes, so if I'm not hitting my numbers, I know to work harder. And I like that, too.

So, that is what I do.

The only exception? Ab work. I hate ab work, but I had a 10lb baby in me, and I should really only weigh about 105-ish, which means a baby about 10% of my size. So I had to suck that one up, because my stomach will need some work if it is going to look non-pregnant ever again. ;)

I Make it Me Time


See above. Childcare. HGTV. Book. Yes.

I Embraced the "Pain" Thing


Um, working out? Yeah, it hurts. I am not a fan of pain. But that is too bad, because I've decided to exercise, and that is part of the deal.

I Track My Progress


Kids like sticker charts. I have a mental one. Gold star for going to the gym today, Jamie. You earned some extra calories, you can have dessert. Oh, and step on the scale. Wow. A lower number. Okay, so this must be working.

Makes it easier to keep going.