Saturday, January 3, 2009

Lucky Number 7: Weekly Review and Planning

My Goals for the last week are listed below, with comments on how I actually did in red:

1) Drink 6 liters of water daily. - I drank 6 liters probably 3 or 4 of the days. I think I'm going to start tracking my water intake on the blog.

2) Go to the strength/step class at least 4 times. - I went 1 time. However, I worked out 3 other days very vigorously going for a walk, and doing sessions of aerobics while watching TV. Not great overall, but the best cardio week I've had since July.

3) I got a dumbbell/barbell set for Christmas! So, use those for a workout session at least 4 times. - Worked out 1 time with the weights.

4) Go for 20 minute (at a minimum) walks at least 3 times. - Essentially bested this goal by walking 1.6 miles on New Years plus doing 45 minutes of cardio 2 other times.

5) Start writing what I eat daily on this blog. - Started doing this last Monday (not technically on this blog, but on a separate one just to track that. You can find it at a link on the right side of the page under My Eating & My Workouts), and have been ever since

6) No binges - Binged Tuesday, but before I started tracking my eating I also binged on Saturday and Sunday. So 3, instead of 0.

7) Lose 20lbs - I lost 7 this last week. Bringing me down to a grand total of: 607 lbs.

There you have it.

So, how am I feeling about all of that?

Well, I am frustrated by my inability last week to control binges, but happy I only had 3 versus the 7-14 times I was bingeing a week for the last couple months.

I am glad that I began tracking my food and exercise and even more excited that its already become something of a habit.

I am proud I am able to recognize a needed improvement on how I track water and I feel confident I will put it in to action this next week.

I am amazingly excited and proud about my finally, after years of considering it, actually just getting up this last week, throwing something on to watch, and doing some fairly intensive cardio that left me drenched and feeling damn accomplished. I plan to continue that which is awesome!

And lastly, I am content with 7 pounds. It's no 20, and fuck it, that's actually alright with me. I am in this for life. Someone asked me recently why my goals for the next 90 days didn't include food (diet, calories, etc.) and the answer is that for the first time in my life instead of actively trying to adhere to a diet (Weight Watchers Points, low carb, 2000 cal/20 grams of fat, etc, etc, etc) my only food plan since I started this a few weeks ago, was to eat healthy food in reasonable quantities.

So if that is my food plan, and it is, (and with the exception of the binges and the fact I still don't eat quite enough fruits and vegetables, I think I'm doing pretty well with it), I don't need to put up the big 15, 20, 30 pound weeks, because if I work hard on exercise and eat right, I will lose enough weight to get healthy and stay that way FOREVER.

Below are my goals for the next week:

1) Drink 6 liters of water daily.

2) Start new sub-section blog to track water intake progress.

3) Do at least 1/2 hour of cardio (the class, walks, areobics at home, etc) at least 5 days.

4) Work out with weights at home at least 3 times.

5) Write at least 4 posts on this blog

6) No binges

7) Lose 8 lbs

Thanks to everyone for the continued support, and good luck to us all on making this a great week.

12 comments:

  1. That is fantastic! Serious progress, not holding yourself to PERFECTION (not humanly possible, sorry), a great attitude, cutting your binges down to three, and SEVEN POUNDS! Twelve pounds in two weeks is 312 lbs a year. So, stop for a minute and realize that you are doing fucking great and DON'T TALK YOURSELF OUT OF THE CREDIT YOU DESERVE. You are awesome and doing really well and I hope you keep it up.

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  2. You did awesome for your week. Yea you didn't accomplish everything but it's a start and you're building a life long base of skills. It's not all going to happen at once!

    Keep it up; we're all rooting for you!

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  3. Please, please, please, celebrate your successes of this last week. You had MANY. Seven pounds is awesome. Remember, slow and steady.......

    I think an 8 lb. goal is far more realistic than 20 lbs. I realize you have a lot to lose, however, but your body will keep off an 8 lb. loss better than a 20 lb. loss.

    You are doing great. Don't get down! You are here for the long haul, so no quick fixes!!

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  4. Hey, we can plan for a perfect week, but you know it's next to impossible! You did WONDERFUL! Don't beat yourself up, stay the course, and the lbs will keep melting, you watch!

    Keep us posted and we'll keep you motivated.

    Estela in South TX

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  5. well I think that you will find when you read through all the blogs that are here where people are trying to lose weight, get fitter, burn fat and change thier lives (mine included) that we are constantly meeting and failing on goals that we set.

    I think that you did AMAZING! 3 binges instead of...? 4, 5, 10? Thats an an improvement and I've learned that I have to take the wins where I can get them! :D

    Your cardio was amazing! Way to go on that.

    Here to a better next week... even if its only a little better!

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  6. I think the greatest achievement you have for this week is that you are recognising and focusing on the positive changes that you've implemented rather than on the few things where you didn't quite meet your goal.

    Your attitude that you are in this for life is critical.

    I'm enjoying watching you succeed!

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  7. Great job on a fantastic week! Going from 7 to 14 binges down to 3 is AMAZING!! And, I'm so excited that you took your desire to exercise while watching TV to the next level - actually doing it! THAT is the key (just like you always say - the difference between people who get what they want and those that don't is simply taking action)! You are SOOOO doing this!

    And, I have to say, I think you're so smart for looking at this process as a lifetime thing (which is so often easier said than done) - especially with nutrition. You're doing what it takes to make your body your ally instead of your enemy. Beautiful.

    CONGRATULATIONS ON A SUPER SUCCESSFUL WEEK!!

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  8. Dude, 7 lbs is HUGE. This is just a suggestion, but why not throw out the weight goal? Let the weight loss be what it is, and just focus on the other things, rather than trying to achieve some arbitrary number. I mean you're doing freaking awesome anyway :)

    And dude, 6 litres is a LOT of water. I doubt you really need that much. So if you're finding it hard to drink that, don't worry about it.

    Good luck with this week!

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  9. SUPER weight loss! Well done. I like how you are using how you performed on last weeks goals to decide what your goals are for the coming week! Very practical and sensible.

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  10. Thanks for the kindness & support you've given me.
    I'll be here for you, too, cheering you on!

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  11. You are really doing great. Sticking with it is the hardest part. WHen I first started, I didn't count calories or anything either. I just started going to the Farmer's Market and buying ungodly amounts of vegetables and fruit once a week. Then I HAD to eat them or they'd go bad. Hey, works for me :) I still do it, and in the wintertime I go to a grocery with a very nice produce section. Then when I want a burger or pizza, I see the squash, peppers, beets, cabbage, broccoli etc staring me in the face and I have to eat it so it doesn't rot.

    I think alot of this weight loss stuff is tied up in emotions. I am to the point I think I need to talk to a counselor because every time I get near 220 I hit a wall. I think in some ways, I am scared to get thin again. Gotta explore that.

    Hang in there :)

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  12. You weren't perfect.
    You're still here.
    I'd call that success!

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