Weigh In

I have really been pushing myself to do my best at making it to gym on a more consistent schedule of 5-6 days per week for over a month now. I was going to the gym 3 days a week starting at the beginning of the year but then I slacked off. About 3 weeks ago I went to the gym and decided to take the dreaded steps onto the scales in the women's locker room only to be totally shocked (and not in a good way). I have always known that the saying abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym was true. But I had never realized how totally true this really was until now. I had not been paying any attention to what I was eating. As much as I would like to say that had only been going on for a short while deep down I knew that it had pretty much started all the way back in September. Looking back at pictures I can actually watch the weight pack onto my body. 

After seeing those numbers earlier in the last month I knew that a change had to be made. Now that I have consistently stuck with making these changes become habits and actually sticking to them I know that I can hold myself accountable and I want to share my weight loss journey with you. How long this journey will last? I do not know, but I know full well that most likely I am bound to have to maintain a healthier lifestyle for the rest of my life just because looking at the way weight has effected certain members of my family on both sides. This particular journey may last a couple months but I can guarantee you that after this one has ended I am not jumping off the train I will just be switching tracks, setting new goals, and trying new workouts and types of fitness. So let me share with you what I am currently doing and how well it is working. 

In the kitchen::

-I cut out pop to only having one glass per week (and that is if I even feel like it) this week was the first sip I have had in three weeks & to be honest it really did not taste that great!

-Cutting back on breads. I am the biggest bread fan ever and between breads and pastas I can tell you that is 75% of where this extra weight has come from.

-No more shakes from the Health Club located next door to my office. (I will share more about this later)

-eating breakfast (oatmeal or fresh fruit and yogurt) no more chocolate milk and powdered sugar donuts.

-Water. Water. Water. I have literally know what camels feel like now. 

At the gym::

+working out a minimum of an hour Monday-Friday after work.

+Lots of cardio (treadmill, elliptical & bike)

+Start my workout with running a 12 minute mile followed by walking (pace of 3.5-4) for 20 minutes and then switching to the bike.

+Added the rowing machine and stair stepper into my routine 1 week ago.

Changes::

+significant difference in my endurance running that mile.

+still sweating like crazy!

+increased endurance on rowing machine from 5 minutes to 10 minutes 

+easier to exceed my recommended amount of water intake on a daily basis.

+Down four pounds overall in 2.5 weeks.

Weigh In::

March 2, 2015 -- 178 lbs

March 18, 2015 -- 174 lbs

Goals::

+Improve my 12 minute mile (currently I slow down to almost walking for a solid minute 2 or 3 times during that 12 minutes, gotta keep up the pace and I know I can knock some time off)

+Cook actual dinners for us in the evenings

+Yoga in the evening before going to bed (just gotta find an app that can possibly guide me through a yoga routine since it has been 4 years since I last took a yoga class)

+Sleep more.