Back to the Basics of Calorie Counting and other Randomness

Even though I feel like I am still losing (based on comments and my jeans) I think I need to go back to calorie counting. These last 35 lbs or so are going to be difficult and will take a long time so I just need to make sure I'm doing my part in aiding this thing along.

Based on my current weight, current workout schedule, and goal of losing 1 lbs per week, Sparkpeople says I should be eating 1620-1970 calories per day.  I was shocked when I plugged my meals and was about 1200. I had to add some more protein so I'm getting at least 100 grams each day. 

Today is only day #2 of counting again. We shall see how long I can last but I'm going to really try and see if this helps me get back to losing some fat (not necessarily just weight).

I've become addicted to shopping AND finding clearance items. I know for some this is nothing new, but when I had only a few stores to choose from if I like something, I would buy it no matter how much it costs. Why? Because it wasn't often I found something cute.  To find something cute and inexpensive. YEAH RIGHT!  Don't get me started on Lane Bryant and those high a$$ prices (even on the clearance rack full of crap no one wants to wear) Sorry. I just went off a little.

Anywho. I get a rush finding shirts for 5 bucks and $10 dresses. It makes my freakin day.  But I need to chill the hell  out with all this shopping. It's insane that every weekend I look forward to going to Forever 21 and JCP to find bits of pieces of outfits and making something happen.

The joys of weight loss and being able to fit clothes *BIG SMILES*

Here is my latest comparison shots. The first one is in August 2011. The 2nd one is from  yesterday. I see a slight difference. Nothing major though. That's just how SLOW my weight loss is going now. 

Slight changes???

Finally my sister and I got through the whole Plyometrics P90X DVD.  We did much better than last time and I'm definitely not as sore..well my thighs aren't but my calves are BURNING. Ouch!

Have a great Tuesday! :-)

 

What I'm eating

Back to tracking and calorie counting! I don't have a lot of variety in my meals so here is a typical day for me. I'll post what I'm eating every once in a while though.  I have GOT to learn how to make some tasty, healthy meals this year.

Here's what's on the menu today:

So how'd you do it? - Eating Clean/Calorie Counting

Let's back up a bit and I'll list the things I've tried:

~Slim Fast
~Metabolife
~Cereal diet
~Phentermine (Adipex)'
~Weight Watchers (well not a real attempt, I signed up online for 2 months)
~Lean Cuisines, Smart ones, Healthy Choices etc.
~SouthBeach Diet
~Low Carb
~Eating what I want and trying to work it off with 2-a-day workouts

I think that exhausts my list.  All of the aboves...FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.

Ok, well not total fails. With Southbeach I did lose 25lbs or so and never gained it back and I didn't give WW a whole hearted attempt (my sister is doing very well on WW)

Some of these other ones. CRAZINESS, in my opinion.  I've heard many people say it and this is SO TRUE. Whatever you do to lose the weight is what you will be doing in order to keep it off. Because as soon as you stop doing them, the weight comes back. HELLO. I'm a witness!

How realistic is it to drink a Slim Fast shake for breakfast and lunch for the rest of my life? Not realistic at all. Oh and don't get me started on the Phentermine.  I was up at 2am vacuuming my entire house because I couldn't sleep and had all this energy.

My last attempt at tackling my weight had me in the gym ALL day and night.  I was of the mindset I would eat what I wanted as long as I burned it all off! Ummm, that worked for a while, but life got in the way of my marathon workout sessions.

It's hard for me to discuss weight loss with many people. When they start talking about injecting hormones, eating cabbage all day, and swalling pills my mind starts wandering and I try hard to bite my tongue about why those things don't work in the long term. But aye..who am I? I've been there, done that.

I yo-yo'd so much because I never figured out what really worked. Like I said before, I would get down to 210, then back up to 240, back to 205, back up to 225. It was insane that I never got under 200 lbs. I thought it was really something wrong with me and my body wasn't able to do it. (Yeah, I know I'm insane)

This past holiday season (2010) I'd had enough. I was 240ish lbs again and completely uncomfortable..AGAIN. I thought I had it all together when I got down from 311 lbs to 210 and here I was, miserable.  AGAIN!

As much Sparking as I'd done, I knew my nutrition sucked. I knew I had been trying to win the war without all the necessary artillery, if you will.

During my time off from work during the holidays,  I started really taking a look at "A black Girls Guide to Weight Loss" blog.  I wanted to deny what she {Erika} was saying about counting calories and eating clean, but the Holy Spirit would not allow me to take in all this information and ignore it.  I was moved to admitting my addiction to processed, fatty, sugary food and coming to the realization that I needed to eat clean.

What is eating clean?

In layman's terms, eating clean is eating only whole foods. Foods with little to no ingredients and in their rawest form.  Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbs, dairy products. No processed foods (foods processed in a manufacturing plant and passed off as edible. Sorry. Soapbox)

Here are a couple of links about it (that explain it more eloquently than I can)

http://blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com/clean-eating-boot-camp/welcome-to-clean-eating-boot-camp/

http://eatcleandiet.com/what_is_the_eat-clean_diet.aspx

Along with eating clean, I count calories. Though I believe eating whole foods is important, I still can over-eat these foods as well (but not nearly as much as junky processed foods) You can still have too much of a good thing.

Sparkpeople gives me a calorie range based on my weight, goal weight, and the amount of calories I burn with exercise.  This tool has been fundamental in my weight loss (and weight maintenance).  Counting calories is like managing a budget.  When you begin counting you see how many calories your favorite foods have. Like a budget, you start to think about whether the calories of those items are "worth it" or if you can "fit it in".

If I'm feeling really hungry, I eat tons of vegetables for volume using very few of my allowed calories.  You'd be surprised how calories add up!  Every bite, every drink, everything you put in your mouth has a calorie value.  Make them worth it!

Here is a link on calorie counting:

http://blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com/tools-for-weight-loss/understanding-calorie-counting-what-is-it-calorie-counting-defined/

Erika has an awesome series on the importance of calorie counting for weight loss.

So in answer to how I did it (in a way that I can maintain for the rest of my life) my answer is eating clean, and calorie counting. Maybe one day I will get to the point where I can intuitively eat, but until then, I will be logging all my foods.

10 min Challenge

This is pretty random, but I figured I'd better add it to my blog. I'm participating in Sparkpeople's 10 minute exercise challenge.

The purpose of the challenge is to get you on track of consistent exercise. I so love this idea! Many people (I know I've done it) take on these ginormous fitness goals way to early in their journey leading to BURN OUT!

For me, I would try and do 2 a days, 90 minutes of cardio 5-6x's a week.  That is WAY too much, especially because it made me super hungry and I hadn't changed my nutrition, thus I was only maintaining my weight, not losing.

Anywho, I've committed to 1,000 days (YES, 1k) of exercising at least 10 mins per day. I never have complete rest days, so when you hear me say rest, I'll probably be doing the minimum 10 mins. Stretching, light stroll, something "easy".

What's cool about this challenge is even though 1,000 days is over 2 years, who can't spare 10 freakin minutes?  Some days I really had to squeeze it in, but shoot, 10 mins is only about 4 songs on Dance Central (and yall know how I feel about DC, it's hard to stop. It's just that fun!)

There is an app called Habit Streak in the Android market that helps you keep up with your days. Every morning at 4am (you pick the time) I get a notification on my phone that asks:

Did you exercise for at least 10 mins yesterday?

All I do is check yes, and it tells me what day I'm on. COOL HUH??? 

Today is Day 74! I have done some type of workout 74 days in a row! Working my way up to 100 days! PARTY!!

I'll blog periodically about what day I'm on or if I had to break my streak to let you know how it's going.

Did I mention I love Sparkpeople?  Did I mention I love Dance Central? Did I mention I love my Android phone? Yes? Oh. ok. Just checking.

You should join me in the challenge!!! 

In the beginning....

And I promise to try and keep this short and sweet.

I was born on an unseasonably cold first day of spring Too far back? *shrugs* Sorry.

I've been overweight my entire life. I don't know anything different and actually any weight smaller than my current weight is pretty much uncharted territory. Of course being overweight, I hardly stepped on a scale but there are a few times I remember being forced to.

Summer before middle school - 190ish

8th grade physical - 213

Freshman gym class - 220

Summer before college - 210ish (and this was after losing 40 lbs in my attempt to be normal before school started)

After college - 311 (Freshmen 15?...How about 100?)

2006 - over 300 lbs

At 27 years old I weighed over 300 lbs and it was depressing, so I decided to finally do something about it.



Current
















How did I do it? My process changed so much, so I'll just tell you what I'm doing now and the ONLY way that works! Eating Clean (non-processed food), Calorie Counting, and Exercise.

Yes, that's it! I use the Sparkpeople app on my phone to count calories. This app is INCREDIBLE and I highly suggest it and the best part is it is FREE. All you have to do is register for a page (I'm ACCT1908, look me up!) and go from there.

For exercise, I take boxing classes about 4 days a week, and I also play Dance Central on Xbox Kinect.

As my fitness level changes, I'm always trying to find ways to challenge myself and the thing that keeps coming up is RUNNING! Oh how I want to be a runner.

This year I have participated in several 5ks, yet still haven't fell in love. But that won't stop me. I have decided that I want to train to run a half-marathon (13.1 miles)

A lofty goal for a non-runner... person that only runs on race days...a person that dreads running...a person that will need to squeeze in time to train. YES ME! I will run a half-marathon. Soon.

So follow me as I train for that, and try to kick these last 25-40 lbs (I don't know how much really)in the *bleep*

Do you share your journey with those around you?

I don't.  For the most part I am a private person. I don't tell many people around me about my journey. If they ask, I indulge. If they are in the struggle, I indulge. A little more.  There are only a couple people that I confide in about my weight loss.

I was at work and I get an IM from a friend that says "hey are you on SPARK?". WHAT!?!?!

I then ask them why do they ask. She tells me that someone from her job was showing her my page.

HUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. THEY FOUND ME. MY FRIENDS HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT MY SECRET SPARK LIFE.

I just don't know how I feel about people I KNOW knowing my struggles, how much I eat, how much I weigh, how much I used to weigh, etc. Yes, people know that I'm losing weight, but not the actual #'s. Makes me uneasy. I feel as if every time they see me they will be thinking..DANG she looks/does not look XXX lbs.
I'm a blogger, and yes I blog about pretty much everything. For some reason I feel comfortable with sharing these thoughts with the universe but NOT with my "real" friends/family. Being an anonymous blogger makes me a little bolder in what I share.

My Pastor talks a lot about sharing your testimony. YES, I do believe *one day* I will share my story to those around me. Just today I feel uneasy about it. I feel like I'm still struggling too much to do that and I can't deal with the added pressure from people around me holding me accountable (i.e watching everything I put in my mouth) or asking 50 million questions about clean eating and calorie counting. 

 On one hand I like the "privacy" of blogging only to people that don't know me personally, but on the other hand I would love to share my blog with my friends and family. You never know who will be encouraged by it. 
As you can see , I'm going back and forth with myself on this.

Is it just me? Am I being ridiculous? Do you share your story blogs with real friends?

Tracking...Eating Clean...30 days later....

God is good and I prayed for strength in this aspect of my life. He's all over this one.


I cannot EVEN belive I have tracked my food this long. I've been on Sparks for 3 years now and always start on a Monday...quit on the weekend.

I was very consistent with tracking my workouts. That positive...can't knock a good workout. But my food? NO WAY!

I truly believed I could lose this weight w/o changing the way I ate. Yes I read the articles about the importance of nutrition. But I was 100lbs down and NEVER tracked so I (knew) I could do it. WRONG.