100 days - lots of NSVs. Esp the end of yo-yo dieting! (no pics :( )

coppercoco

I've been really looking forward to celebrating 100 days on MFP. This board has kept my motivation going the whole time.

February: Something needed to change

I sew most of my clothes. In mid-February, I finished sewing a challenging dress that I had started a year prior and set aside (it was hard to figure out). When I tried the finished garment on, it fit, but was utterly sausage like. It was awful. I was sad. I had other dresses I had sewn for myself that I was squeezing myself into, but they just didn't fit right. I put a lot of time into making those dresses, and I loved them.

I hopped onto my boyfriend's scale, and learned that I had gained about 20 pounds in a year. Yikes. I did *not* want that trend to continue! I also wanted my clothes to fit again. Something had to change.

The changes

I had tracked my food on MFP in the past, and logged back on. I started with one small change: I gave up sweet baked goods (muffins, cookies etc) for Lent. I put away the dresses that didn't fit well and only wore those that did. Then, I started strength training using 'new rules of lifting for women', and then added a C25K program (working SLOWLY through that) so that my boyfriend and I can run together. Then, I got some protein powders to help make sure that I was eating enough protein to support my strength gains and not losing lean body mass. I've also started weighing my food. I've settled on about 1500-1600 cals per day, with more on the days I lift (2-3/week).

As a long-time yo-yo dieter, the biggest reaIization I had was that I need to re-train myself with respect to my eating habits. Any changes I make to diet/exercise, I want to make for the Long term. I've not tried to lose weight/increase strength quickly. Every little change I make, I'm really mindful, and ask myself: can I do this for the rest of my life?

The Victories

I've only weighed myself once in the last 100 days. As of day 70 or so, I've lost 4 pounds. I have visible muscle development, so I'm confident that 4 pound loss is primarily fat.

My NSV's:
1) I now feel comfortable walking into the gym. I was hugely intimidated to pick up weights before!
2) Going to the gym went from a chore to something I feel is missing from my life if I have to take time off (say when I'm sick).
3) Around day 50, I bought a blender and started making green smoothies (and other smoothies). These rock my world. They give me energy. I love them. They are a tremendous addition to my life.
4) I feel totally comfortable going to a supplement store and buying protein powder. The first time I went, I was so timid. It's such a bro-space.
5) My 'new rule' for eating sweet baked goods is that I can eat them with company, about once a week. This feels right for me.
6) My handmade dresses now fit me again!!. Most of them are wool and not right for summer, but that doesn't matter to me. They'll fit in autumn.
7) I no longer care about how many pounds I weigh. I care about how I feel, my strength gains, and how my clothes fit.

And the biggest one: During the first 50 days or so, I was really pressuring myself to lose inches to fit into my dresses again, and feeling sad (and a little obsessive) because it was not happening quickly enough. I decided to simply renounce the feeling that I 'had' to fit into this or that garment in order to be happy. I was not going to make myself miserable over a garment. If I need to buy new clothes (since sewing takes time), I will. And if they don't fit in a few months due to losing weight/body composition changes, well, that's that. I'll donate them. I've been sewing quite a few new things as well, and similarly, if I need to take them in in a few months, I'll do so. And if I can't take them in easily so they look good (waistbands!), I'll refashion or donate them.

Going ahead for the next 100 days:

1) I hope to finish the C25K program. Running has long been difficult to me, and it would be nice to do something (run distance) that I didn't think I could do.
2) My breakfast and lunch routine is solid, and I want to develop regular, healthy go-to dinners.
3) I want to continue my strength gains, and approach the end of the new rules of lifting program. I want to see what my body looks like when it's strong.
4) I want to decrease my body fat %. I'm not sure whether i should measure using a BF scale, or calipers, or just visually notice the fat loss. I would like to lose fat from my face (chin esp!), but know I can't control that.
5) I want to continue training myself with respect to *correctly* eyeballing portions. Right now, I'll cut what looks like a 30g piece of cheese, and then measure it to see how close I am.
6) I want to work towards my arms having lovely muscle definition. It's beginning, and I love it!

NC_Girl

Sounds like you are kicking butt!!! Keep up the great work.

MrsMizart

Very well done :-) Sounds line you've had a complete lifestyle overhaul :-)