It is Monday, my dudes!

biscuitforcefield

Hi

I was actually using MFP a couple of years ago, under a different username... but to go back there feels like having to admit defeat so I'm starting afresh I made a lot of great friends but I wasn't honest with my tracking. I also didn't fully commit.

I am pretty lucky in that I've maintained at 196lbs between then and now. I don't think I can physically gain much more as I can't increase the amount I already pig out on(!). So. 196lbs is my starting point.

About me
5'4"
196lbs
28
Possessor of English accent.
Big hair.
Frickin' loves food.

The food
My meal portion sizes are actually pretty awesome. I can't eat a tonne in one go - I feel sick if I go beyond my limits at one sitting.

HOWEVER. Much like when I walk into a room, here comes the big but(t):

I am a grazer. Oh man, I love to graze. I love having food in my mouth - the sensation, the flavours, the saltiness and the sweetness. I chew like a little cow in a field. If I had a catchphrase it would probably be "om nom nom". I can polish off multipacks of crisps and grapes and those little mint Club bars. I can probably eat my bodyweight in popcorn in a day. Hnnngh. I just love food, you know?

The drinks
Mostly I just drink black coffee, so it's not like I have to cut out creamer or whatever. I never understood how people could become "addicted"* to coca cola and the like. I was all, "How do you DO that? It's just a drink."

Famous last words.

NOW, I love coke and San Pellegrino and Sprite. I can drink two cans one after the other. My poor little teeth.

Other factors
I am sedentary in my day job, but I go to the gym for treadmill/weights, take a weekly trampolining class, and am fumbling through the C25k running program (currently on week 5).
I take Celexa but have done for the past four years and I don't think it's affected my appetite.

The goal
Lose weight, get hot.

Nah what I really want to do is build up my stamina and eventually get down to somewhere in the healthy BMI region. Aside from BMI's flaws, it works as an okay ballpark for what I need to do. I'm never going to be a weightlifter or athlete so I think the numbers work out OK.

The plan
Switch to diet sodas, and/or limit my drinks within my calorie count
Cut down on snacking
Continue to exercise as I am, building as I go.
Become less sedentary whilst at work. Currently I just have a humble 4k steps/day goal because, yep, I am THAT sedentary. Progress is progress though, right?
Use measurements as well as the scales for more informed progress.

Time-based goals
I don't really have these because they don't tend to work for me. I feel a bit stressed when I do this to myself! I worked out that I've gained 14lbs a year since starting at my current job, so I'm not realistically about to drop it all in three months. I might review my progress in July, i.e., a quarter. Runnin' myself like a business yo.

My resources
Outside of MFP I read NerdFitness for tips. For workout information I am leaning more towards Hasfit and Spotebi.
I also use a Garmin Forerunner 35 for HR/step counting.

I hope to be able to use the Success Stories forum in a few months' time!


*Yeah I know now you can't be addicted to food or drink, but I was unaware of this at the time

suzy196249

Good Luck

Jruzer