March/April weight loss challenge

[GLC1968]

148.5 - not much of a loss, but I'm actually quite pleased. It's been a week of gluttony and sloth. Bad combination. I was sure I'd see a gain.

I'm picking up the intensity again on my training now that a few other things in my life are settling down, so I'm hoping for some nice progress in April.

[channlluv]

TriGirl, I hope you're right about my muscles just retaining water. I suppose that could be it, the trauma of working out every day. I'm burning about 350- 400 calories per workout according to the machine.

I don't want to get into a super-restrictive diet. I'm just not good at that for very long, and then, like you, I gain the weight right back.

We want to go to Hawaii this summer. I really would like to be under 200 by July. I think I could do it. I mean, on paper, I could do it. In reality...who knows.

Roxy

4/1, 12:30pm, Exercise update: 4.5 miles at elevations 1 and 2, 90 minutes, a little over 500 calories, according to the machine

[Veronica]

I don't want to get into a super-restrictive diet. I'm just not good at that for very long, and then, like you, I gain the weight right back.

You have been working at losing weight for quite awhile and you're not happy with your results. At some point, if you want different results, you're going to need to change something.

I can ony speak to personal experience. In 2000 I weighed 180 pounds. I had always worked out, but it wasn't enough to overcome bad eating habits and the amount of stress eating I was doing. I had to make changes. I lost 25 pounds in about 6 months, which I mainly kept off.

Last November (2010) I committed to losing more and I have taken off another 11 pounds. That 11 pounds meant giving up a weekly pizza (or 3!), and really cutting out a lot of extra carbs. I love pizza, rice, bread and pasta. But those carbs seem to become fat moleclues right away for me, no matter how much exercise I do.

I love having 17% body fat way more than I love that food. You have to figure out what changes you can really make and then stick to those changes. Believe me I know it's not easy to give up food you love. And starving yourself isn't the answer either. A healthy, satisfying diet is what you need. All that lettuce would send me running for a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

You have to figure out what changes you can really make and then stick to those changes.

THIS. Big time. And being realistic is very important. Saying that 'you'll never eat bread again' (like I did once) doesn't work. You have to be brutally honest with yourself and what things you are willing to sacrafice and what things you won't. And these decisions must be made in moments of clarity - not immediately after an over-indulgence, during a post-race high, or in the middle of an emotional upheaval.

Another key for me was finding the right motivation. For some people, looking better or being able to wear certain clothing is enough. Actually, that was plenty of motivation for me when I worked in the fashion industry as it was a very big part of my life. When I became an engineer/farmer in the PNW - what I looked like mattered a lot less and it wasn't enough to keep me on track anymore. I had to find something else. Now, racing performance and feeling good doing my workouts is what motivates me. Of course, getting the benefit of better looking clothing is nice too, but it's no longer my primary motivator. For some people, health markers are a great motivator. I could never get on board with that when even at an 'obese' BMI, I had excellent HR/BP numbers, low cholesterol and excellent insulin results. Getting healthier? Why?

Now I have my 'why'. Everyone needs to find their 'why' before long term success is possible.