Weigh-In (Week 15)

Up 0.6 to 160.4 lbs.  Two things:

1) Its that TOM so I am hoping I am retaining water and
2) My area had a natural disaster.  In the 3 grocery stores by my house there was no meat, dairy, produce, or frozen anything.  I had plenty of meat at home but no veggies, so I have been eating out a lot this week.  And not good stuff either...sorry to report.

I've been exercising...but I realize that the same things are not causing me to gasp for air, be sore, or fatigue me the way they did even just a month ago.  I've got to step up my intensity.  I went swimming yesterday and swam laps.  And let me just say...as fun as it was, I definitely burned some calories because I was gasping for air after each lap!!!! LOL.  Not a great week, but noting to be depressed about either....I am going to 2-a-days this week.  Two of my May goals are to exercise 400 minutes per week and to complete 10 2-a-days.  I'm going to get that crackin' this week!

May Goals & Progress Photos

May will be a great month for me.  I am hitting my stride with my eating habits and exercising.  I'm decreasing my salt intake everyday, drinking a lot of water and feeling more and more motivated as the temperature increases.  My birthday is in May....which represents a new beginning for me.  27 will be MY year.  Last year...it kicked off with my ex breaking up with me in the most unpleasant fashion.  Sounds horrible, right?  Well it was!  (although now the memory doesn't bring any negative emotions, thankfully it is just a memory).

During my 27th year of life I will reach and maintain my goal weight, exercise regularly, be an example for my friends and family, grow my hair long, eat healthy not by force but by habit, do amazingly well in school, grow spiritually and become closer to my God.   

27 is a year that I am claiming in expectation of all the great things to come.

Okay so now for my specific goals:

• Decrease my sodium consumption below 2300 mg at LEAST 5 days of the week.
• Exercise 400 minutes per week
• Complete 10 two-a-day workouts (approximately 2x per week)

Now for the comparison pictures.  After reading a post from Miss Corletta I decided to take monthly progress pictures (she will be taking them weekly).  These pics aren't quite a month apart, but I know next week I probably won't have a chance to take and upload any.  The ones on the left are from April 1st, those on the right are from this morning.  I am feeling really good about my progress - I haven't lost much weight but you can certainly see a difference, right?!

I am hoping that tomorrow's weigh in tells me I am in the 150s....that was the goal for the week!  *crosses fingers*

Birthday Countdown

My birthday is at the end of May - 5/21 to be exact.  My mom, 2 aunts and cousin will be visiting me.  I really want plan to be 153 by that point....a 20 lb weight loss total!  I am going to go very VERY hard for the next 4 weeks.  My goal is to lose 2-2.5 lbs per week.  Another HUGE goal - but I've learned from doing the Beach Challenge that it IS possible, I just have to be disciplined and diligent.

Starting today (Saturday) I have been timing my meals, eating every 3 hours without fail.  After re-reading a couple of chapters of the FSD thoroughly yet again, I realized I was missing a major principle that Dr. Ian thought was key to the success of his program.  Eating on a regular schedule.  As I said in a previous post, I plan to stick to the diet to the letter "T" no deviation, no improvisation.  I will continue to write down what I am eating (Dr. Ian actually suggests keeping a food journal) just to ensure that I am doing all the right things.  As much as I don't want to admit it, I realize that maybe I haven't been as "good" as I think I have.  Okay...no maybe about it, I haven't!  lol.  I haven't been terrible, but I have some extras here and there.  Just being real.

Okay - so again, I am going back to Phase I to jump start me off.  I realize that when I am following Dr. Ian's plan (I even looked at the Extreme Fat Smash Diet to compare) I don't always hit my recommended calories, depending on the phase that I am in.  However, I am not going to change or deviate - I am going to stick to his plan.  I know it works, there are thousands of testaments to support it, I know its healthy, and I know I can do it.  So...yes I am still tracking but I am not going to try to combine 2 different plans.  This time when I re-enter phase III, I will be sure to re-introduce pasta (whole wheat of course!) and rice into my diet.  I've been cutting them out, because of the Atkins and South Beach rage a few years ago, its ingrained in me that they are the devil!  LOL.  I haven't had pasta at all in 2010.

By Memorial Day, I'd love to be in the 140s....but I won't push my luck!  LOL.