End of Week Six: Progress, Progress, Progress

It feels absolutely super fantastic for me to be able to say that as of today, I have officially been on a diet for six weeks. That's roughly five weeks and six days longer than I've managed stay on a diet at any point in the last four years, so it's definitely worth celebrating for five seconds.

As of this morning I've lost 15.2 pounds, which is progress but not the progress that I was completely hoping for in the beginning. The last time I went all out for working out and losing weight, I was averaging about four pounds a week. I do have to keep in mind that I was doing things really differently then, and probably what most would consider unhealthily. Either way, I'm about five pounds away from being on "track" so this next week is going to be excruciating in terms of staying on my diet and working out - every day.

And now that I reflect back on the last six weeks, I really feel like I have no room to complain about progress. I've probably given myself at least one day a week where I didn't really watch what I ate, and for the last week I've been slacking with MyFitnessPal. I've also only been to the gym maybe four times. I know. Shame, shame. So in reality, the fact that I've been able to lose 15 pounds without really doing much is pretty darn impressive. And it's rather motivating!

The only thing I wish I would have done so far is take pictures before, because I can't really see a difference but I think that's mainly because I see myself everyday. One person who wouldn't know I was trying to lose weight has said they thought I looked smaller, which was a big deal.

Lukas came over this week and I completely forgot to take down this chart thing that I record what I weigh every day so, Lukas, if you read this, it's your problem to deal with me telling you every time I hit some awesome goal of mine... I won't even let my husband know how much I weigh. My bad.

Here are the six things I learned in the first six weeks of weight loss:

1. Measuring food is kind of time consuming but totally worth it.
2. My scale does not lie no matter how many times I accuse it of lying to me.
3. Salads are only healthy if you don't put a shit ton of unhealthy things on them.
4. 1200 calories a day is more than enough to stay full if you dont use 1000 of them in one meal.
5. Water honest to goodness makes the biggest difference in the entire world.
6. Your body will actually appreciate it when you give it good things - who would have thought?!

So here's to the next six weeks of changin'. I'm setting the following goals because I'm ready to get a little more serious about this whole thing.

1. Absolutely no fast food unless it's the occasional - and very, vey occasional - trip to Subway. If I'm going to eat out, which is totally okay sometimes, I need to do it in a place where I can actually sit down, plan/figure out the best option and enjoy what I eat instead of ordering without thinking and eating my day in calories before realizing what happened.

2. Working out four days a week - no exceptions. I actually had a fight with myself about whether or not I should type three days or four days, but four days won because that's what's going to yield results. I'm going to be more specific and say that I need to work out for at least an hour four days a week. My God. I must hate myself... or love myself. I can't tell which one that is right now.

3. Vitamins every day, even though it's like swallowing bowling balls.

4. Making breakfast liquid - at least for the next three weeks. Smoothies, slim fast, whatever.

And since I'm obviously in the mood to make lists, here are the random pieces of knowledge nuggets going through my brain:

1. Mariska Roo is being way too good tonight and I have no idea what she's done wrong but it's got to be something horrible.

2. I spent a stupid amount of money on things for care packages today but it was totally worth it.

3. I made these homemade fruit snacks tonight and they turned out decently enough... not as firm as I would have liked but they work.

4. Yes, I know it's Veteran's Day and I just couldn't bring myself to write about it. It was a totally unexpected emotional day that started with me crying in church during prayer time and a very nice lady hugging me through it. I really don't know what came over me, but I didn't see it coming.

5. I'm still completely and totally thankful for the sacrifices of our troops and today marks Ethan being gone for 102 days... but who's keeping count?



Okay, until next time, here's the best "before" picture I could find that was taken. I was probably at my heaviest in this picture but I really can't tell... I as wearing one of those things that sucks in your fat. No big.