Week 2: (will post a picture later!)
Weight: 239
Weight Lose = 6.4 pounds
Bust: 46.5” - 45.75"
Chest: 42” - 40.25"
Waist: 47” - 44.75"
Hips: 51” - 50.25"
Total inches lost = 5.5 inches
Amazing weight lose this week! I’m so excited to see the results so quickly, and give myself a boost of confidence and energy! This week has been a huge struggle, and I know it won’t get any easier from this point on. Only once this week did I actually manage to get 4 hours in the whole day, and I felt so great afterwards I knew if I just had a better plan I’d be able to accomplish it every day! Here’s a break down for the week, Sunday is a short workout day, and had zero hours because I was still fasting, Monday I got in 3 hours, Tuesday was another 3 hours, Wednesday was 4 hours, and Thursday was the hardest for me with only 2 hours. Today I’ve already been at the gym for 1.5 hours and then walked/jogged at the gym for 2 hours! Tonight I’ll do a little gym time, and then Saturday will be my rest and recuperate day.
My emotional strength this week wavered several degrees each day, and I struggled a lot with how difficult the limitations I had put on myself were becoming. On Thursday I met some of the competition during the Biggest Loser workout class, and realize that I do have to bring my A-game always! There will be no slacking, excuse making, and lots of dedication and hard work! I am so grateful for the amount of support I have been given, and the people who are uplifting me with help with their time, efforts, and their daily challenges!
Weekly Calories/Burned:
Monday – 1435/1724
Tuesday – 1223/2553
Wednesday – 1355/2186
Thursday – 1288/1024
*Friday – 1200/2144 (this is just projected for the day)
Showing posts with label daily calories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daily calories. Show all posts
January 27, 2012
January 26, 2011
Discouraged, but not giving up!
It’s week 2 in the Biggest Loser Contest and though I’m feeling confident in my workout routine, I felt major discouragement yesterday when seeing that many people lost weight the first week (and many gained or stayed the same). But, after venting about all the things I see wrong in my weight loss last night to my wonderful husband I feel more stable with my situation. I am in a contest, and maybe that is causing a little more stress to lose faster, but for the most part I’m hear to change my lifestyle and have already made huge strides in doing so. Just yesterday my daughter wanted grapes over anything else; because she’s been exposed to healthier foods then she would have if I was still a junk food junkie. I feel good about that!
Here’s a quick rundown on my vented feelings, so that everyone knows we are all in the same boat.
- I didn’t lose weight last week even though I worked out 6 days in a row, kept my calories down under 1,500 a day, and drank plenty of water.
- I’m still wearing the same sized clothes as I was 30 pounds ago! I’ve only dropped down 2 pant sizes since losing 49 pounds!
- I really want to eat more, and though I’m trying not to not to deprive myself of any certain foods I am trying to change my cravings/desires/pallet into wanting the healthier stuff over the junk food (i.e. – Ice cream, popcorn, taco bell 5th meal)
So, there you have it. I was feeling pretty down last night and if someone had put a temptation in front of me (like taco bell) I may not have been able to turn it down! Though Jon did eat the last of the ice cream right in front of me, I have to thank him for doing so. Because I may have eaten it today with some good qualifying reasons.
So, I may not win the 3 week challenge, because I may be putting on more muscles around my body, but I have to remember that slow and steady will win the race, and there will be a week where I have huge results. I just have to give myself a little more faith!
Tuesday’s Daily Calories: 1,535
Tuesday’s Daily Calorie Burn: 736 (estimated)
Monday’s Daily Calories: 1,384
Monday’s Daily Calorie Burn: 1,150 (estimated)
Here’s a quick rundown on my vented feelings, so that everyone knows we are all in the same boat.
- I didn’t lose weight last week even though I worked out 6 days in a row, kept my calories down under 1,500 a day, and drank plenty of water.
- I’m still wearing the same sized clothes as I was 30 pounds ago! I’ve only dropped down 2 pant sizes since losing 49 pounds!
- I really want to eat more, and though I’m trying not to not to deprive myself of any certain foods I am trying to change my cravings/desires/pallet into wanting the healthier stuff over the junk food (i.e. – Ice cream, popcorn, taco bell 5th meal)
So, there you have it. I was feeling pretty down last night and if someone had put a temptation in front of me (like taco bell) I may not have been able to turn it down! Though Jon did eat the last of the ice cream right in front of me, I have to thank him for doing so. Because I may have eaten it today with some good qualifying reasons.
So, I may not win the 3 week challenge, because I may be putting on more muscles around my body, but I have to remember that slow and steady will win the race, and there will be a week where I have huge results. I just have to give myself a little more faith!
Tuesday’s Daily Calories: 1,535
Tuesday’s Daily Calorie Burn: 736 (estimated)
Monday’s Daily Calories: 1,384
Monday’s Daily Calorie Burn: 1,150 (estimated)
January 09, 2011
Best of #7
So it's a new year and some of you are wondering how to drop those holiday pounds. Well, let's focus on the energy our body needs and how the amount of calories we take it will affect us in our weight loss. Read my article from back in July to enlighten your calorie knowledge.
____________________________________
July 05, 2010
Calories In VS Calories Out
First things first, I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July and that they enjoyed all the wonderful food that goes along with it. I absolutely went overboard with food, all due to emotional eating. I have to admit I did not have a handle on it yesterday, and it was pretty difficult to have control when I was so upset with things.
I did however have some thoughts on how we should eat and how to eat when there are days we do not exercise. Do we limit our calories when we aren’t going to “burn” any? Or do we keep the same amount of calories we consume on a daily basis? Consuming calories provides your body with the energy it needs, while physical activity burns off calories. So the key to successful weight loss is finding the right ways to balance the calories you take in with the calories you put out. When we take in to many calories during a meal the end result is Fat storage, and not in the usage of energy the calorie is intended to be used for.
So, how many calories should we be consuming? Your energy needs take precedence over all other body functions. For an adult, there are three factors that determine your total energy requirements. The first is your Basal Energy Requirement. This is the minimum amount of energy needed by the body at rest in the fasting state. It includes basic body functions such as respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, gland activity, and body temperature control. It is affected by such things as age, gender, pregnancy, body composition, nutritional status, sleep, climate, and fever. The second energy requirement is your Physical Activity. The amount of calories needed for physical activity depends on the type of activity or work, the intensity and the duration. The last requirement is Specific Dynamic Action of Food. This is the amount of calories needed to manage food intake and includes digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food. Now, we’ve talked about that if we burn 500 calories a day for 7 days we should in theory lose 1 lb if we have not taken in more then our allotted daily calories.
But, some of you still think that to lose weight, the lower the calories, the better. Ironically, the key may be eating more calories. You can actually hurt your body's ability to lose weight by going too low. Here's why. The body has a protective mechanism. When calories drop too low (it’s recommend a minimum of 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men) the body reacts as if it is starving and tries to conserve energy. It will lower your metabolism, conserve calories and fat, and you will NOT burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss or even no weight loss. This is what’s known as "Starvation Mode." When calorie intake falls below 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, it is also extremely difficult to follow a balanced diet and obtain all the nutrients that are needed by the body to stay strong and energetic and prevent disease. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.
Hitting a plateau during a weight loss program is normal (though it can still be frustrating). Your body requires fewer calories to function as your weight decreases. It needs time to adjust to all the healthy changes that are occurring due to the weight loss. So continuing to follow the same eating and exercise patterns won’t work forever. Your body will adjust differently then those around you, and that can seem unfair and frustrating. To jump-start your metabolism and break out of the plateau, you may need to select a different form of exercise to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Do not become discouraged; this may take several weeks or months. Stay focused on all the positive things you have accomplished. Your goal during plateaus is to try not to gain any pounds back. Keep your calories around the same range EVERYDAY in order to keep you metabolism working at its fullest and allowing your muscles to grow for you burn more fat.
So, even if you are not at the gym today keep your eating habits the same as you have been. Your resting metabolism is still working hard at burning that fat and making your body adjust to al your changes. Keep up the hard work.
____________________________________
July 05, 2010
Calories In VS Calories Out
First things first, I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July and that they enjoyed all the wonderful food that goes along with it. I absolutely went overboard with food, all due to emotional eating. I have to admit I did not have a handle on it yesterday, and it was pretty difficult to have control when I was so upset with things.
I did however have some thoughts on how we should eat and how to eat when there are days we do not exercise. Do we limit our calories when we aren’t going to “burn” any? Or do we keep the same amount of calories we consume on a daily basis? Consuming calories provides your body with the energy it needs, while physical activity burns off calories. So the key to successful weight loss is finding the right ways to balance the calories you take in with the calories you put out. When we take in to many calories during a meal the end result is Fat storage, and not in the usage of energy the calorie is intended to be used for.
So, how many calories should we be consuming? Your energy needs take precedence over all other body functions. For an adult, there are three factors that determine your total energy requirements. The first is your Basal Energy Requirement. This is the minimum amount of energy needed by the body at rest in the fasting state. It includes basic body functions such as respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, gland activity, and body temperature control. It is affected by such things as age, gender, pregnancy, body composition, nutritional status, sleep, climate, and fever. The second energy requirement is your Physical Activity. The amount of calories needed for physical activity depends on the type of activity or work, the intensity and the duration. The last requirement is Specific Dynamic Action of Food. This is the amount of calories needed to manage food intake and includes digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food. Now, we’ve talked about that if we burn 500 calories a day for 7 days we should in theory lose 1 lb if we have not taken in more then our allotted daily calories.
But, some of you still think that to lose weight, the lower the calories, the better. Ironically, the key may be eating more calories. You can actually hurt your body's ability to lose weight by going too low. Here's why. The body has a protective mechanism. When calories drop too low (it’s recommend a minimum of 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men) the body reacts as if it is starving and tries to conserve energy. It will lower your metabolism, conserve calories and fat, and you will NOT burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss or even no weight loss. This is what’s known as "Starvation Mode." When calorie intake falls below 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, it is also extremely difficult to follow a balanced diet and obtain all the nutrients that are needed by the body to stay strong and energetic and prevent disease. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.
Hitting a plateau during a weight loss program is normal (though it can still be frustrating). Your body requires fewer calories to function as your weight decreases. It needs time to adjust to all the healthy changes that are occurring due to the weight loss. So continuing to follow the same eating and exercise patterns won’t work forever. Your body will adjust differently then those around you, and that can seem unfair and frustrating. To jump-start your metabolism and break out of the plateau, you may need to select a different form of exercise to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Do not become discouraged; this may take several weeks or months. Stay focused on all the positive things you have accomplished. Your goal during plateaus is to try not to gain any pounds back. Keep your calories around the same range EVERYDAY in order to keep you metabolism working at its fullest and allowing your muscles to grow for you burn more fat.
So, even if you are not at the gym today keep your eating habits the same as you have been. Your resting metabolism is still working hard at burning that fat and making your body adjust to al your changes. Keep up the hard work.
January 08, 2011
Stay-at-Home-Mom daily food log
So, what does a SAHM eat during the day while she’s trying to lose weight and be healthy? I’m glad you asked because today I kept a digital record of what I ate for you because I know how much you want to know. Humor me and agree please.
So I’ve been trying to find time to really plan out what I’m going to eat down to every calorie, but it takes time and a lot of creativity to keep that up and those aspects are usually used up on other things my SAHM duties call for.
For breakfast I had an Eggo Multi-Grain toaster waffle with no butter, no sugar added strawberry jam, and light sprinkle of light syrup. I also had a banana and 2 cups of coffee.
Snack consisted of this little marshmallow, chocolate walnut bars my Sister-in-law brought over (darn her!)
Lunch was yummy! I made a roasted turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread – with miracle whip and spicy mustard sauce; Swiss cheese lettuce; tomato; 1 pepper-chini sliced up; and a sprinkle of black olives. I had an apple with it and a bowl of salad with ranch dressing.
For afternoon snack I had some corn chips and salsa while I made soup for dinner.
The grand finale for the evening was Heart Family Soup (Jon’s family) with cornbread. The soup is a beef and tomato based soup with barley, potatoes, vegys and diced up beef. It’s yummy!!
I choose not to take the time to count the calories for each meal, but I kept my portion sizes under control and will attempt to gather some calorie date another day.
So I’ve been trying to find time to really plan out what I’m going to eat down to every calorie, but it takes time and a lot of creativity to keep that up and those aspects are usually used up on other things my SAHM duties call for.
For breakfast I had an Eggo Multi-Grain toaster waffle with no butter, no sugar added strawberry jam, and light sprinkle of light syrup. I also had a banana and 2 cups of coffee.
Snack consisted of this little marshmallow, chocolate walnut bars my Sister-in-law brought over (darn her!)Lunch was yummy! I made a roasted turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread – with miracle whip and spicy mustard sauce; Swiss cheese lettuce; tomato; 1 pepper-chini sliced up; and a sprinkle of black olives. I had an apple with it and a bowl of salad with ranch dressing.
For afternoon snack I had some corn chips and salsa while I made soup for dinner.
The grand finale for the evening was Heart Family Soup (Jon’s family) with cornbread. The soup is a beef and tomato based soup with barley, potatoes, vegys and diced up beef. It’s yummy!!
I choose not to take the time to count the calories for each meal, but I kept my portion sizes under control and will attempt to gather some calorie date another day.
January 06, 2011
Zumba!
Zumba was amazingly fun last night and challenging at the same time. If you don’t know what Zumba is then you are missing out. A fitness class choreographed around Latin inspired music and dance moves, Zumba is high intensity and easy to do (once you get the steps down). Some of the moves can be very exotic at times, and for the mostly house wives and moms in the class last night I can say that everyone was bust’n out their best moves. I myself was very thankful for the dance lessons I took with my husband before our wedding, where we learned many of the same dance steps that are utilized into Zumba. Overall, a great workout, with a great instructor, and an unintimidating group of people made for a great experience I will go back for again.
The class itself was an hour long and filled with about 50 people – an overwhelming portion of women of course with a couple of scattered men into the mix. The instructor was high energy and kept the pace at a steady; moderate level of difficulty, which I really liked. I’ve had aerobic-like classes before where it starts out super easy and you get over confident, and then all of a sudden the music changes and it’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done! Nope, not this time. Of course there were times where I had to stop and watch her steps, but never did I feel that I was lacking in ability. There were a lot of side stepping, bouncing, arm movements up and down, and squatting. I was very impressed with how much of a full body workout this class is going to be. A full hour of high intensity cardio is just so thrilling to experience, especially when most of my days consisted of cleaning house, cooking food, whipping poppy butts, or sitting around playing with toys with my daughter! Don’t get me wrong, I love almost all of the activities (sans the poppy butt), but a full hour of time where I had to focus on nothing else but moving my body in the right ways really helped to clear my mind and focus my energy again.
So, what are the results from this class? Well, I looked up at Sparkpeople how many calories I may have burned and they had posted that there is no way to adequately calculate how many actual calories are being burned and there is no scientific study done to tell how many are being burned in Zumba. So, I hit the search engine on Google and ended up at ehow.com where they have posted this.
"Zumba workouts can vary in intensity, and calorie burn depends on an individual's weight, fitness level and muscle composition. During an hour long session you can burn anywhere from 500 to 800 calories. On average, a 150-lb. person can expect to burn 536 calories during an hour of Zumba. "
So, since I am not an average sized person I really have no clue how many calories I burned last night in Zumba class, but I can tell you this – I sweat like crazy when I workout hard and I went home with a wet head of hair and wet t-shirt. Zumba is an exhilarating, fast paced, total body workout and exactly what I was looking for!
January 03, 2011
A New Year = New Goals
Alright people, let’s hear it for 2010 and start off fresh with 2011. I’ve been making it to the gym this past week several times now, and have really missed it. With working part time during the holidays and all the other events going on I had no time left over for myself, let alone the gym. I am back in full force and will start a new adventure soon with The Biggest Loser Contest at my gym. This week I will register for the contest and the following week I will do my weigh in and body composition test. The results and winners are judged on highest % of weight loss and/or highest % of body fat lost in both a men and women's category. So, there will be 2 chances for me to win. I sure wish I had a financial sponsor for this, but I will have to lay down $99 for this whole thing. If I win, there’s no lose for me really, but it will put a burden on our finances this month. Jon and I are prepared to work around that. So, here’s a quick run down of my current weight, some thoughts on goals and workouts, and for the next week I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from 2010 and then we will get into the contest!
My current weight is 266.6 and I can certainly tell you I am not excited about that number, but I am glad to see that by only indulging myself once in awhile during the past month I did alright about not gaining weight. My goals are large and will need a lot of focus from me to accomplish, but with some accountability partners (you readers), my family, and my drive I will do it!
Goal 1: Compete in the Biggest Loser contest at my gym. I would really like to put win as part of the goal, but would need to really size up the competition first. The contest runs into March, so this will be a good long term focus for me.
Goal 2: Complete 30 day Challenge on EA Active Wii Fit game. I started this again to see how well I do now that have lost weight and have a full year of exercise in my system. When I started this journey, the EA Active was all I had to get me started. I felt like it gave me a great starting point then, and it will give me another avenue of exercise this time around too. I began on the 1st and will finish the challenge in 30 days. The program consists of 2 days on and 1 day off of exercise, so some days I will do the Wii and the gym depending on what’s going on. So far I have really enjoyed the muscles that are being worked again – I had mostly been focusing on cardio lately and not strength building, so this is a nice variation to my workouts.
Goal 3: Zumba class! My gym is now offering Zumba fitness classes and I am interested in seeing how this class works. A lot of my friends have been working out with Zumba for awhile and have seen great results with it. They also say it’s challenging at first, but very rewarding and fun at the same time. The class is offered at 6:30-7:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, so this will correspond with a lot of things and I will have to work out lives around trying to go to this class.
Goal 4: Lose 30 pounds by April 1! Wow, that’s a deadline that is looming close. I’m only giving myself 3 whole months to shed the weight. Why you ask, well that would be a couple of weeks after the biggest loser contest, but I really just want to have a deadline. I don’t want to keep telling people around spring time or early summer. It doesn’t give me a sense of urgency or keep me on track if I just throw out a time period that is ambiguous. So, that’s 10 pounds a month or 2.5 pounds a week. I can so do that!
Goal 5: Keep a daily food log, sometimes counting calories, but without obsessing over it. Last year at this time I began a head first focus on counting my calories, and it took up a good portion of time to calculate, input, and keep track of all the calories going in me. So, I’ve made my own little journal and will write down what I’m eating and the calories if I know them. If I can see when and what I am eating in front of me I think I will have a better perspective on anything that could be hampering my weight loss.
So, there are the goals and the hard work ahead of me. I hope you will continue to join me on my journey and send encouragement my way. I will do that same for your journeys and help lead you onto a new and healthy path for your life. Happy New Year and I mean it, make it a happy one!
My current weight is 266.6 and I can certainly tell you I am not excited about that number, but I am glad to see that by only indulging myself once in awhile during the past month I did alright about not gaining weight. My goals are large and will need a lot of focus from me to accomplish, but with some accountability partners (you readers), my family, and my drive I will do it!
Goal 1: Compete in the Biggest Loser contest at my gym. I would really like to put win as part of the goal, but would need to really size up the competition first. The contest runs into March, so this will be a good long term focus for me.
Goal 2: Complete 30 day Challenge on EA Active Wii Fit game. I started this again to see how well I do now that have lost weight and have a full year of exercise in my system. When I started this journey, the EA Active was all I had to get me started. I felt like it gave me a great starting point then, and it will give me another avenue of exercise this time around too. I began on the 1st and will finish the challenge in 30 days. The program consists of 2 days on and 1 day off of exercise, so some days I will do the Wii and the gym depending on what’s going on. So far I have really enjoyed the muscles that are being worked again – I had mostly been focusing on cardio lately and not strength building, so this is a nice variation to my workouts.
Goal 3: Zumba class! My gym is now offering Zumba fitness classes and I am interested in seeing how this class works. A lot of my friends have been working out with Zumba for awhile and have seen great results with it. They also say it’s challenging at first, but very rewarding and fun at the same time. The class is offered at 6:30-7:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, so this will correspond with a lot of things and I will have to work out lives around trying to go to this class.
Goal 4: Lose 30 pounds by April 1! Wow, that’s a deadline that is looming close. I’m only giving myself 3 whole months to shed the weight. Why you ask, well that would be a couple of weeks after the biggest loser contest, but I really just want to have a deadline. I don’t want to keep telling people around spring time or early summer. It doesn’t give me a sense of urgency or keep me on track if I just throw out a time period that is ambiguous. So, that’s 10 pounds a month or 2.5 pounds a week. I can so do that!
Goal 5: Keep a daily food log, sometimes counting calories, but without obsessing over it. Last year at this time I began a head first focus on counting my calories, and it took up a good portion of time to calculate, input, and keep track of all the calories going in me. So, I’ve made my own little journal and will write down what I’m eating and the calories if I know them. If I can see when and what I am eating in front of me I think I will have a better perspective on anything that could be hampering my weight loss.
So, there are the goals and the hard work ahead of me. I hope you will continue to join me on my journey and send encouragement my way. I will do that same for your journeys and help lead you onto a new and healthy path for your life. Happy New Year and I mean it, make it a happy one!
December 06, 2010
Counting Calories
Here is a wonderful post by the main person who inspired me to continue my blog and make major changes in my life. Tyler at 344pounds.com lost over 100 pounds and is now formed a community of weight lose for all of us. Check out the article and his website! I know I'm inspired to start counting my calories again!
July 05, 2010
Calories In VS Calories Out
First things first, I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July and that they enjoyed all the wonderful food that goes along with it. I absolutely went overboard with food, all due to emotional eating. I have to admit I did not have a handle on it yesterday, and it was pretty difficult to have control when I was so upset with things.
I did however have some thoughts on how we should eat and how to eat when there are days we do not exercise. Do we limit our calories when we aren’t going to “burn” any? Or do we keep the same amount of calories we consume on a daily basis? Consuming calories provides your body with the energy it needs, while physical activity burns off calories. So the key to successful weight loss is finding the right ways to balance the calories you take in with the calories you put out. When we take in to many calories during a meal the end result is Fat storage, and no in the usage of energy the calorie in intended to be used for.
So, how many calories should we be consuming? Your energy needs take precedence over all other body functions. For an adult, there are three factors that determine your total energy requirements. The first is your Basal Energy Requirement. This is the minimum amount of energy needed by the body at rest in the fasting state. It includes basic body functions such as respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, gland activity, and body temperature control. It is affected by such things as age, gender, pregnancy, body composition, nutritional status, sleep, climate, and fever. The second energy requirement is your Physical Activity. The amount of calories needed for physical activity depends on the type of activity or work, the intensity and the duration. The last requirement is Specific Dynamic Action of Food. This is the amount of calories needed to manage food intake and includes digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food. Now, we’ve talked about that if we burn 500 calories a day for 7 days we should in theory lose 1 lb if we have not taken in more then our allotted daily calories.
But, some of you still think that to lose weight, the lower the calories, the better. Ironically, the key may be eating more calories. You can actually hurt your body's ability to lose weight by going too low. Here's why. The body has a protective mechanism. When calories drop too low (it’s recommend a minimum of 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men) the body reacts as if it is starving and tries to conserve energy. It will lower your metabolism, conserve calories and fat, and you will NOT burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss or even no weight loss. This is what’s known as "Starvation Mode." When calorie intake falls below 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, it is also extremely difficult to follow a balanced diet and obtain all the nutrients that are needed by the body to stay strong and energetic and prevent disease. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.
Hitting a plateau during a weight loss program is normal (though it can still be frustrating). Your body requires fewer calories to function as your weight decreases. It needs time to adjust to all the healthy changes that are occurring due to the weight loss. So continuing to follow the same eating and exercise patterns won’t work forever. Your body will adjust differently then those around you, and that can seem unfair and frustrating. To jump-start your metabolism and break out of the plateau, you may need to select a different form of exercise to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Do not become discouraged; this may take several weeks or months. Stay focused on all the positive things you have accomplished. Your goal during plateaus is to try not to gain any pounds back. Keep your calories around the same range EVERYDAY in order to keep you metabolism working at its fullest and allowing your muscles to grow for you burn more fat.
So, even if you are not at the gym today keep your eating habits the same as you have been. Your resting metabolism is still working hard at burning that fat and making your body adjust to al your changes. Keep up the hard work.
I did however have some thoughts on how we should eat and how to eat when there are days we do not exercise. Do we limit our calories when we aren’t going to “burn” any? Or do we keep the same amount of calories we consume on a daily basis? Consuming calories provides your body with the energy it needs, while physical activity burns off calories. So the key to successful weight loss is finding the right ways to balance the calories you take in with the calories you put out. When we take in to many calories during a meal the end result is Fat storage, and no in the usage of energy the calorie in intended to be used for.
So, how many calories should we be consuming? Your energy needs take precedence over all other body functions. For an adult, there are three factors that determine your total energy requirements. The first is your Basal Energy Requirement. This is the minimum amount of energy needed by the body at rest in the fasting state. It includes basic body functions such as respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, gland activity, and body temperature control. It is affected by such things as age, gender, pregnancy, body composition, nutritional status, sleep, climate, and fever. The second energy requirement is your Physical Activity. The amount of calories needed for physical activity depends on the type of activity or work, the intensity and the duration. The last requirement is Specific Dynamic Action of Food. This is the amount of calories needed to manage food intake and includes digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food. Now, we’ve talked about that if we burn 500 calories a day for 7 days we should in theory lose 1 lb if we have not taken in more then our allotted daily calories.
But, some of you still think that to lose weight, the lower the calories, the better. Ironically, the key may be eating more calories. You can actually hurt your body's ability to lose weight by going too low. Here's why. The body has a protective mechanism. When calories drop too low (it’s recommend a minimum of 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men) the body reacts as if it is starving and tries to conserve energy. It will lower your metabolism, conserve calories and fat, and you will NOT burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss or even no weight loss. This is what’s known as "Starvation Mode." When calorie intake falls below 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, it is also extremely difficult to follow a balanced diet and obtain all the nutrients that are needed by the body to stay strong and energetic and prevent disease. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.
Hitting a plateau during a weight loss program is normal (though it can still be frustrating). Your body requires fewer calories to function as your weight decreases. It needs time to adjust to all the healthy changes that are occurring due to the weight loss. So continuing to follow the same eating and exercise patterns won’t work forever. Your body will adjust differently then those around you, and that can seem unfair and frustrating. To jump-start your metabolism and break out of the plateau, you may need to select a different form of exercise to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Do not become discouraged; this may take several weeks or months. Stay focused on all the positive things you have accomplished. Your goal during plateaus is to try not to gain any pounds back. Keep your calories around the same range EVERYDAY in order to keep you metabolism working at its fullest and allowing your muscles to grow for you burn more fat.
So, even if you are not at the gym today keep your eating habits the same as you have been. Your resting metabolism is still working hard at burning that fat and making your body adjust to al your changes. Keep up the hard work.
April 26, 2010
Gym Buddy from above!
Breakfast: English muffin w/ Peanut butter & scrambled egg burrito – 650
Lunch: Turkey sandwich w/ pickle – 316
Dinner: Crab salad w/ cheesy garlic biscuits – 658
Total Calories: 1,623 Total Burned: 819
Tonight was my first night at the gym with my gym buddy! I am so blessed to have been given this without even asking. I felt like God just saw all my hard work, and gave us both this path to be able to inspire each other. I still have major blisters on my pinky toes, so we did a 30 min Elliptical with a high incline, then did the circuit training set up by the cardio machines, and then a 10 minute cardio cool down on the treadmill with a 3 incline and a 3 speed. I’m a little sore, but I my muscles are remembering a lot of this stuff, so mostly it’s just a feet I’m having problems with.
Tomorrow is a cool off day since I do not have time to workout in the evening. Wednesday I will be back in the gym, and then I will see where we go from there. How is everyone else’s weight loss going?
Lunch: Turkey sandwich w/ pickle – 316
Dinner: Crab salad w/ cheesy garlic biscuits – 658
Total Calories: 1,623 Total Burned: 819
Tonight was my first night at the gym with my gym buddy! I am so blessed to have been given this without even asking. I felt like God just saw all my hard work, and gave us both this path to be able to inspire each other. I still have major blisters on my pinky toes, so we did a 30 min Elliptical with a high incline, then did the circuit training set up by the cardio machines, and then a 10 minute cardio cool down on the treadmill with a 3 incline and a 3 speed. I’m a little sore, but I my muscles are remembering a lot of this stuff, so mostly it’s just a feet I’m having problems with.
Tomorrow is a cool off day since I do not have time to workout in the evening. Wednesday I will be back in the gym, and then I will see where we go from there. How is everyone else’s weight loss going?
April 11, 2010
Food Log
Breakfast: Special K - 230
Lunch: Leftover fajitas - 437
Snack: laughing cow cheese w/ crackers - 105
Dinner: pulled pork tacos - 721
Snack: 1/2 cookie & 1/2 slice of pizza - 175
Total: 1,668
Lunch: Leftover fajitas - 437
Snack: laughing cow cheese w/ crackers - 105
Dinner: pulled pork tacos - 721
Snack: 1/2 cookie & 1/2 slice of pizza - 175
Total: 1,668
April 10, 2010
What I ate today...
Since I had a hectic morning, I will weigh in tomorrow. I want to start weighing myself in the mornings. Here's the food log today
Breakfast: Special K cereal & scrambled eggs - 405
Lunch: Granola w/ yogurt & Julia's uneaten pancakes- 585
Snack: Apple w/ Peanut butter - 261
Dinner: Steak fajitas - 463
Total: 1,716
Breakfast: Special K cereal & scrambled eggs - 405
Lunch: Granola w/ yogurt & Julia's uneaten pancakes- 585
Snack: Apple w/ Peanut butter - 261
Dinner: Steak fajitas - 463
Total: 1,716
April 09, 2010
Today's Food Log
Breakfast: WW English muffin w/ LF peanut butter; scrambled egg burrito - 685
Snack: Jell-O w/ fruit cocktail - 79
Lunch: Tuna fish Sandwich on whole wheat - 411
Snack: Jelly Beans - 213
Dinner: Asian style Talipia, white rice, steamed cauliflower - 445
Total: 1,832 Burned: 463
Snack: Jell-O w/ fruit cocktail - 79
Lunch: Tuna fish Sandwich on whole wheat - 411
Snack: Jelly Beans - 213
Dinner: Asian style Talipia, white rice, steamed cauliflower - 445
Total: 1,832 Burned: 463
April 08, 2010
Today's food
Nothing special about today, just another day trying to beat the hunger!
Breakfast: Whole wheat english muffin w/ low-fat peanut butter; scrambled egg w/ onion & cheese - 439
Snack: 1/2 cup of potato salad- 118
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat; no sugar Jell-O w/ fruit; toast - 615
Snack: Jelly beans - 106
Dinner: Chicken burger w/ french fries; potato salad - 692
Total: 1,970
Did do better on the carbs today - amazed at how much fresh fruit has!
Breakfast: Whole wheat english muffin w/ low-fat peanut butter; scrambled egg w/ onion & cheese - 439
Snack: 1/2 cup of potato salad- 118
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat; no sugar Jell-O w/ fruit; toast - 615
Snack: Jelly beans - 106
Dinner: Chicken burger w/ french fries; potato salad - 692
Total: 1,970
Did do better on the carbs today - amazed at how much fresh fruit has!
April 07, 2010
Food Log
I really enjoy trying to challenge myself with new recipes and changing up my food options to keep my metabolism going, but while doing that it can be difficult to keep a balance on carbs and calories. Today was one of those days.
Breakfast: Oatmeal & Scrambled Eggs and Whole wheat Toast - 570
Snack: Red Apple w/ Low fat peanut butter, Jelly Beans - 295
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat & 1 cup grapes - 445
Dinner: Turkey soft tacos (whole wheat) w/ rice - 680
Total Calories: 1,990
Breakfast: Oatmeal & Scrambled Eggs and Whole wheat Toast - 570
Snack: Red Apple w/ Low fat peanut butter, Jelly Beans - 295
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat & 1 cup grapes - 445
Dinner: Turkey soft tacos (whole wheat) w/ rice - 680
Total Calories: 1,990
April 06, 2010
Not eating enough
opps, I obviously did not eat enough today. Check it out...
Breakfast: Special K cereal & scrambled egg w/ onion - 369
Snack: Banana - 109
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat toast - 424
Dinner: Seafood Salad w/ Catalina dressing - 354
Snack: Coffee and kisses - 95
total: 1,351
Got in a 30 minute walk today between rain!
Breakfast: Special K cereal & scrambled egg w/ onion - 369
Snack: Banana - 109
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich on whole wheat toast - 424
Dinner: Seafood Salad w/ Catalina dressing - 354
Snack: Coffee and kisses - 95
total: 1,351
Got in a 30 minute walk today between rain!
April 05, 2010
Food Log
Breakfast: Scrambled egg with cheese & Turkey bacon on toast - 311
Snack: Special K cereal - 184
Lunch: 4 Chicken nuggests- 291
Dinner: Thin crist chicken pizza - 720
Snack: Jelly beans - 41
Total: 1,548
Went grocery shopping tonight, so salads and whole wheat are on their way!
Snack: Special K cereal - 184
Lunch: 4 Chicken nuggests- 291
Dinner: Thin crist chicken pizza - 720
Snack: Jelly beans - 41
Total: 1,548
Went grocery shopping tonight, so salads and whole wheat are on their way!
March 22, 2010
A Path Less Traveled
Today I was shown a path that was one I had prayed for recently, and I walked right onto it and followed it. I signed up to walk a 10K March of Dimes walk for donations. I haven’t walked 6.3 miles in such a long time that I can’t even remember, well possibly ten years. So, I am team captain and Jon and I are recruiting more walkers for our team and help making a great donation in Julia’s name.
Today I walked 45 minutes, a total of 1.5 miles. Later in the evening I worked out for another 15-20 minutes, and got my hour in for the day. I’ve also kept my calories down today, but still feel like I’m not eating well. One of the things I’m trying to work on it making the evening calories less then the rest of the day, in order to not go to bed without digesting my food. So, I am getting closer to that, but it still needs some work.
Food Log:
Breakfast: Egg Burrito w/ sautéed onions – 360
Snack: ½ banana – 54
Lunch: Leftover Enchiladas – 432
Dinner: Homemade Mac & Cheese – 491
Snack: English muffin w/ peanut butter – 290
Total Calories: 1,627 Total Burned: 492 (short about 200 calories today)
Today I walked 45 minutes, a total of 1.5 miles. Later in the evening I worked out for another 15-20 minutes, and got my hour in for the day. I’ve also kept my calories down today, but still feel like I’m not eating well. One of the things I’m trying to work on it making the evening calories less then the rest of the day, in order to not go to bed without digesting my food. So, I am getting closer to that, but it still needs some work.
Food Log:
Breakfast: Egg Burrito w/ sautéed onions – 360
Snack: ½ banana – 54
Lunch: Leftover Enchiladas – 432
Dinner: Homemade Mac & Cheese – 491
Snack: English muffin w/ peanut butter – 290
Total Calories: 1,627 Total Burned: 492 (short about 200 calories today)
March 21, 2010
60 Minute Work-out!
Today is the first day of my challenge, and I have managed to get in 60 minutes of exercise! My eating though did suffer some because I made some very wonderful enchiladas. Now, these enchiladas would be very healthy for me except for the tortilla that counts as 200 calories for one serving. YICKS!
So, this afternoon I walked for 15 minutes for about half a mile. Then, in the evening time I worked out on the Wii doing Boxing. This is an intense work-out, let me tell you. I start out with a little bit of training to get my skills up, and then I go right into a match against another person whose level is slightly higher then mine. So it takes 3 matches before I can only get to a tie with this person, so then I go into pairing up against Jon for several matches. Then, we go into training again against each other. During his turns I decided to do some crunches and push-ups. So, I did 41 crunches, and then 20 push-ups. Afterwards I did some high leg lifts that work the lower abdomen, but was only able to get off about 15 of those. Now, just a side note when I was heavy into my gym routine back in the day, I was able to get in 100 crunches after a 30 min cardio work-out. Now, it’s like someone has taken my ab muscles and stretched them all out and after I do my crunches it feels like they are spasming as hard as possible. As I explained it, it was like when you laugh so hard that your stomach begins to hurt really badly and the only way to make the pain go away is stop laughing. Anyways, it was an intense work-out tonight, with a total of 45 minutes on the wii and 15 minutes of walking I managed to get in 60 minutes of exercise!
Food Log:
Breakfast: Egg & onion burrito w/ cheese – 340
Lunch: Left over pizza (1.5 slices) & spinach salad – 594
Snack: Homemade French fries- 230
Dinner: Chicken enchiladas & corn bread - 748
Snack: Cake – 243
Total: 2,155 Total Burned: 617
March 19, 2010
Well here is it....My weight in
Weight this week: 285
This was so difficult for me to type and show to the world. I strongly believe that it will motivate me even more, but I just do NOT want to know that people I know judge me are going to read this and know just how bad it's become for me. I hope that this will show everyone that being motivated and working hard towards a goal is what this lifestyle is about. God Bless those who choose not to judge me!
Weight Lost: 22.9 (+2.2 lbs)
I have lost 22.9 pounds since January 1, 2010, and this week I have gained 2.2 pounds.
Weekly Challenge: So, here is the beginning of my weekly challenge. I have been thinking about this all week, and honestly did not have any clue what to write here. I hope to become more creative with these as I come along with them, but this week will be a first for me. My challenge for myself and for all of you is to exercise an hour a day for 7 days straight. This has been an obstacle for me some days, and other days it works right into my schedule. I am going to attempt to burn more calories this week as well, and I also am challenging myself to loose 2 lbs in one week.
Food Log:
Breakfast: French Toast – 547
Lunch: Chicken Meatballs – 390
Dinner: Red Robin chicken wrap & fries – 1,225
Snack: Cookies - 260
Total Calories: 2,422
March 17, 2010
food log
Breakfast: Egg burrito w/ sautéed onions – 323
Snack: Blue berry muffin- 180
Lunch: Subway Turkey sandwich/footlong & cookie – 770
Snack: 1 cup of mac & cheese – 400
Dinner: Cornbeef & Cabbage w/ corn bread – 430
Total Calories: 2,103 Total burned: 404
A day filled with carbs and salt today….enough said!
Snack: Blue berry muffin- 180
Lunch: Subway Turkey sandwich/footlong & cookie – 770
Snack: 1 cup of mac & cheese – 400
Dinner: Cornbeef & Cabbage w/ corn bread – 430
Total Calories: 2,103 Total burned: 404
A day filled with carbs and salt today….enough said!
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