Goals and Aspirations

I did not make any New Year's Resolutions.  Resolutions seems to be all or nothing rules that are not sustainable.  I spent the last four months of 2015 making changes, so instead of waking up on January 1 with new rules for myself, I have, when the time felt right and I have evolved, set new goals for myself.

The first goal of 2016 that I set for myself is to commit to clean eating.  I was eating okay, better than a lot, but there was progress to be made.  To me, clean eating is about choosing foods that work for me, not against me.  I've been using Fooducate to help me make good choices.  I've cut out a lot of packaged/processed foods my putting my food choices through the "Fooducate Test."  If a food doesn't rate, it's off my plate.  I've stopped drinking diet soda all together.  I was never a heavy soda drinker, but I did drink it occasionally.  Also, no more Morningstar Vegetarian Bacon.

I recently forgot to put a product through the Fooducate Test.  It made me feel awful!  Not sure if it was the hydrogenated oil or the corn syrup, but in the trash it goes!  This proved to me that clean eating does make a difference.

I do still count calories, but I also work to make sure I get enough protein and fiber.  I really think these macronutrients are key in transforming my body.

I also still have fitness goals.  As I said, my bonus weight loss goals is to drop 4 more pounds.  But, more important is to lose my remaining belly fat.  I might get one of those fancy scales that measure body fat percentage to see my progress. I really want to get killer abs, and develop greater upper body and core strength.  I don't want to get skinnier, I want to get stronger.  I have the confidence that I can do it, after all, I've already come so far and accomplished so much!

Thursday weigh-in

Weighed in today at 138! I am 12 pounds down since the beginning of September. My mini goal is to hit 135 this month.
Pounds lost is a quick metric to measure progress, butI realize that as I continue to shed fat and gain muscle the number on the scale will become less important.
My ultimate goal is to eliminate my tummy fat, and to become lean and strong. Dropping clothing sizes, seeing the visual changes in my body, and becoming stronger in my workouts will be the true measure of progress.

It's an exciting journey and I feel confident that I will meet my goals!

October goals

I am actually really pumped to start my second month of fitness!

Starting October at 145 pounds.

My October goals are to continue my healthy eating and commitment to exercise. I specifically want to push harder on the videos (see my post from earlier today), so I am going to start posting my progress on them.

The results I am aiming for this month- goal weight of 140 pounds, and build muscle and definition in my arms. I can do this!

Staying positive

So, I weighed in yesterday and was still one pound shy of my September goal. Instead of getting discouraged, I thought about the reasons why the scale stalled out. I came up with two reasons- over the weekend was a little over enthusiastic about my favorite beer, a seasonal, being released  (extra calories), and I had my period, which can cause weirdness with water weight. I thought about what I could do better, (track those beer calories), and moved on, sticking to my plan of exercise and healthy eating.

I weighed in this morning, and, like magic (or determination),  that last pound was gone! I'm ready to take on my October goals!

Wednesday Weigh-in

There are so many conflicting theories about how often you should weigh in. If you have an eating disorder, or disordered eating, it is said never. Some say once a week, the same day and time, to track progress. Some research, however, says that those who weigh-in every day lose the most and keep it off.
The benefit of a daily weigh-in is that you get a great sense of how your choices affect your goals. The downside is that you don't see such dramatic changes.
I've opted for a daily weigh-in, every morning. I have been less anxious and more excited about seeing my progress. The funny thing is, the change sometimes is dramatic. After no movement on the scale since last week, I am down another pound and a half!  I'm still on track for my goal of 5 pounds down this month. One week and one pound to go!