TotalDetermination's journal
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My steps are the only exercise I do, so I have to make them count !
I get about 12K steps a day Monday to Friday just by getting off the bus a couple of stops early on my way to and from work, plus going for a walk in my lunch break. I've pretty much got all the distances calculated to give me the steps I need - its been good because I haven't had to change my day too much to fit it in. On the weekend, I get the remaining steps just in my ordinary day.
One great discovery was the 'management' bathrooms at work. They're quite a long walk away but very plush
. Definitely worth the walk there - I'm just waiting for someone to catch me out !
I feel much better in the last couple of weeks since I've been making an effort to get the extra steps in. When I set it at a goal I really didn't think I would be able to do it so I'm quite happy. But what has really surprised me is how much more energy I have. I just feel better - like I have more 'get up and go'. I don't really get up or go anywhere - but even whilst sitting down I just feel more energized. Its hard to explain, but I guess its pretty common.
My maintenance range is 80 - 90 pounds lost, so I'm in my range at the moment but I'm trying to get to the bottom of it.
I like to think of it in terms of how far I've come because its a reminder of where I could end up. I think if you're on top of a very high building its natural to tread a lot more carefully. For me the pounds lost is a reminder of how far I could fall. It actually scares me. I tread very carefully.0 -
Congrats on 12k! That is impressive. Good idea on getting off the bus a few stop earlier. I am gonna have to try that.0
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Your ideas of getting more steps in are great. With bad knees walking is the best exercise. I do well except for winter, which is now. I bought a Viofit step counter so I'll need to start walking again. Last time I did this I walked every day and lost weight too. Anyways love reading your posts.0
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Our winters are not to bad. Its the rain that's a bit of a problem. but even that is not too bad. @LottieStanley Can you walk around the local mall ?
One good thing about getting off the bus early is that I have no choice. Once I've gotten off the bus, I have to keep going. I now just think of the earlier bus stop as 'my stop', which seems to be working.0 -
Wow im in awe of your strength and determination. I aspire to get to where you are and be maintaining and keeping up good exercise. Way to go you0
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That's a great idea with the getting off the bus early! Now that my knees are starting to feel better I think I'll start parking a little further away to get some extra steps in 0
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OK, i'm back.
I have to keep this post short because I don't have time. but i just wanted to write something to get myself started (again).
First up - massive congratulations to everyone here. congratulations for keeping at it. I look forward to catching up with your journals over the next couple of days.
Now about me - an injury helped me break the habits I had managed to create. my diet went downhill. and then I just stopped trying. and I gained weight. certainly not everything that I have lost. but alot.
tomorrow im going to weigh myself. its not going to be pretty. but i have to face up to my situation in order to change it. At least I know that I am not at the weight i was before this journey began. and I have learnt so much that I know that I have the tools to lose it.
I am disappointed (and angry with myself) that I let this happen. but if I don't do something about it then it will just get worse and worse and worse.
So, I'm back. and determined. and hopeful. and a little bit scared, too.
but at least i'm backed. and for that i'm proud of myself.
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@totaldetermination Welcome back! It wouldn't be much of a journey if there weren't a few bumps in the road! You've got this! I'm glad to see you back and I look forward to your next entry!
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Thanks @WifiresGettingFit.
Unfortunately its not a very good entry. I've gained 40 pounds in the last 12 months.
I can't tell you how hard it is for me to see that number.
I just wanted to post it as a starting point. I didn't want to get on the scale and after admitting the number to myself I didn't want to admit it to anyone else. As though keeping it to myself could somehow pretend that its not true.
Anyone, thats it. Its out there. When I have a few more moments I'm going to work out the change in bmi and try to find some positive numbers to focus on.
but i just wanted to post it to keep myself moving forward.
*sigh*0 -
ok, so my ticker is showing 47 pounds lost.
and my bmi is overweight, but not obese.
As disappointing as all that is (and I am feeling a range of emotions - guilt, anger, frustration, embarrassment, surprise). it really could be a lot worse.
psychologically i am so glad my bmi is not higher than overweight.
I'm also glad that i feel so uncomfortable at this size.
I used to be a lot bigger and not care. but now that i've experienced being smaller, I know that it feels better to be lighter, and I know that I truly don't like feeling the way I do right now.
I do my best to accept and love myself as I am. But I also think its ok to be able to see certain things and want to improve them. I don't like all of this extra fat that I am carrying around. I don't like the way it feels, I don't like the way it looks, I don't like the way it affects my life.
I know that it is my choice and that I can change it all.
But I also know that it is a lot of hard work, and that it will not be easy.
But deep down, I don't think that I have a choice. The thought of remaining like this (or worse - getting bigger) is not an option. it really isn't. I cant do that. I just can't.
And so it begins...
no, let me rephrase that. And so I begin....
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You're welcome @totaldetermination
Here's to another beginning and moving forward! You can do this!0 -
the day started off well, with small meals and lots of water.
(my exercise is limited and until i find a way to burn calories this weight loss will be mostly through diet.)
I guess i didn't eat enough, though because at dinner time i started off with cookies and then ate loads of other things. i basically ate till i was full with no concern for calories. i would say that i fell of the wagon but i don't think i had even gotten on it. I certainly hadn't put my seat-belt on.
earlier this evening i was thinking about tomorrow and laughing to myself (in a kind of self destructive way) that i might as well just start the day off over eating. I was kind of joking but kind of serious at the same time. I really was (am?) considering it.
Of course thats not what i want.
So ive got to build up my determination again for tomorrow, and maybe plan a bit better, too.
At least i am touching base here in order to remember my goal.
I will start off my day with another post to reconnect with that goal and the determination to achieve it.0 -
I am trying to focus my mind again.
Because of my schedule today I am not sure how to make this work. I am going out straight after work and there aren't any good eating opportunities to take along or buy on the way.
Lots of bad choices, but not really any good ones.
So not only do I need motivation, but also a realistic plan; and I'm not sure that I have either at the moment.
Part of me is tempted to wait until Sunday when I can go grocery shopping, and then start again on Monday. But then I worry that I'll lose the bit of momentum that I have. These last couple of days are a huge step forward from where I was a week ago - at least now I'm trying. But practically I'm not making this very easy for myself.
So I think the best thing I can do for now is exercise portion control even if its with calorie dense foods (which would still mean that my calories are over, but at least I'm thinking about what I eat).and also keep posting here to help me keep my momentum.0 -
I don't eat in the mornings, but when I did protein for breakfast always helped with the cravings later in the day. Omelettes with veggies and cheese for the most part. If you find the right 'what' to eat hopefully the 'how much' to eat will sort itself out.0
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I'm really pleased with how well I did today. By 'well' I mean that I just didn't do badly.
For practical reasons it wasn't possible to measure calories, and even if I did I haven't set myself any targets yet. But all of my meals were normal sized portions. I said no to the pie that was offered, and even managed to walk past an open chocolate pack several times without taking any of it.
I probably only ate at maintenance, but I am pleased because even that took effort.
I will do the same thing tomorrow.1 -
@tcunbeliever thanks for the suggestion - I will definitely try to include proteins at each meal. Starting eating later in the day (or even some form of intermittent fasting) has always tempted me because it would give me less time in the day to eat. But I've never been able to make it work. As you said, its about finding the right 'what' (and i guess the right 'when'). Sadly my 'how much' never became easy, though. I feel satisfied when I am stuffed full. and I could quite happily eat to that point several times a day. I used to eat loads of fibre rich foods (mostly vegetables - i love vegetables) so that I could eat massive portions and still be within calories. But deep down I just want to eat, and eat, and eat.0
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Pretty sure I ate at about maintenance today.
Impossible to know for sure because im not measuring calories in or out.
but ive gone away for the weekend and have spent the entire day with people including all activities and meals.I just made sure that I moved as much as them and ate the same or less than them. Since they all maintain healthy weights without too much conscious effort, I guess that should be ok.
This time last week I would have been sneaking off to buy secret snacks and eating them in addition to all the meals with them. so its definitely progress.
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Sunday was pretty much like Saturday, and I was feeling quite pleased with myself.
till i got home and any thought of controlling calories went out the window.
Monday continued with complete disregard for what I was eating.
Making breakfast this morning (Tuesday) started out much the same. but then the phone rang and then i was late and so all i had time to grab was something with reasonable calories.
Just got to find my rhythm.0 -
Yesterday (Tuesday) was ok. I'm feeling ok for today.
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today (wednesday) was also ok.
I weighed myself this morning and I lost a couple of ounces since last time. given the inaccuracies of a single measurement this means very little. but i guess its better than if it had gone up.
I'm kind of mentally adding up calories which i know isn't so accurate, but is the best i can do for now. I am aiming for 1200-1400 calories because i guess that my calculations are under so it probably puts me at something around 1500 calories.
so things i need to do
1. find a way to measure calories more accurately.
2. weigh myself daily to get a better idea of whether i am gaining or losing.
3. wear my fitbit to get an idea of calories burned. i am not currently doing any exercise.
4. fit in exercise.
number 1 - not so easy. hard to explain but doesn't work well with my life. but i do think i have to find a way to be more accurate than what i am currently doing.
number 2 is easy - i just have to do it. I know this isn't for everyone but the daily fluctuations don't bother me, and i prefer to have a weekly/fortnightly indication of whether i am gaining or losing.
number 3 is easy - I just have to find it, and use it. im just so unmotivated. im really just doing this weight loss thing because i am so unhappy that i have gained so much. but actually i am not really motivated at all. so i know i should wear my fitbit but the thought of trying to find it is enough for me not to bother.
number 4 - not so easy. again hard to explain why.
so ill start with number 2. daily (or at least more regular) weigh-ins.0
