My Fitness Journey: Daily Check-Ins

I’ve been so inspired by people on here holding themselves accountable, so shoutout to 54shadesofblue and mikeyrowlands—seeing your posts made me want to start holding myself accountable in the same way. A little peer encouragement (pressure ;)) isn't such a bad thing!

So, I just turned 21 (whoop whoop!), but truthfully - I’m not where I thought I’d be by now. I don’t want to waste another year waiting for the “perfect time” to start. I read once, "Start today or don’t—the days will pass anyway," and that kinda really made me think about my actions the past couple years. If I had just started small habits instead of going all in and burning out over-and-over again, I’d already have some progress done. But I don't want to think too negatively about myself moving forward.

The bigger picture is, I’m moving out of my shared house with friends and into my own apartment in the city in August—122 days from now. That gives me 4 months to actually build a solid routine and not "let the days pass". I’m not expecting to be some fitness god or model by then (being 5'2 does make being a model hard anyway..) , but I do want to feel good in my body, get stronger, and set myself up for long-term success.

To put it blankly, I’m overweight, haven’t worked out since high school (even though I loved dancing and soccer back then), and I went straight into a consulting job after graduation—so as you can assume with a busy WFH job, movement has been low.

But I work from home at the end of the day - meaning - i'm able to cook, i'm able to step outside for a quick walk, and i'm able to bring movement and healthly choices into my day.

Anyway, my broader goals are to lose 40 lbs, eat 3 home-cooked meals (most days), get to a point where i'm drinking 90-120 oz of water daily, and get back into working out/moving my body consistently.

But I’m not gonna overwhelm myself this time. Starting small.

But I started today! - My wins:

I ate 3 solid meals!!
- Breakfast: Egg, toast, kimchi
- Lunch: Spicy tuna cucumber boats + fruit
- Dinner: Salmon Caprese salad (10/10, making again this week)

**I did have 2x small brown sugar shaken espresso from dunking and a egg+cheese wake up wrap as well.

I drank only 1 glass of water today :(
No workouts done

Tomorrow's Plan

Eat 3 healthy meals
Drink 90oz of water
Attend my 6am cycle class
Take my pup on 2-3 long walks around a local park (and finish a podcast during)

Thats it! I'll check back in tomorrow :)

Tags

Fitness

Walking

Weight Loss

Replies

Day 2:

**The weather today was horrible, non-stop pouring rain. I was unable to take my pup out on anything longer than a couple minute walk for the bathroom.

I ate 3 home-cooked meals:
- Eggs, toast, cottage cheese w/honey
- Cucumber Salad W/Salmon
- Salmon Rice Bowl

I did a stretching and a simple at home workout for upper body after-work to substitute for not going to cycle due to the weather.

I went out with some friends and had a couple vodka sodas + one mango hab tender, kept it light.

Overall a good day! Hoping to stick to a better routine tomorrow as today was a low-motivation day.

Day 3 Recap:

I'm starting to enjoy cooking at home! I'm starting to roll into a routine, which I've needed for so long - not just diet but beauty/wellness as well. Still working on the fitness part because I'm a bit scared to go back to the gym.

My Meals Today:

- B: 2 Eggs, Apple W/Honey

- L: Spicy Deviled Eggs

- D: 3 sliced of thing crust bacon, balsamic pizza

- Extra/Snacks: 1 Vodka Sodas W/Mio Flavoring - me and my childhood best friend do "Thirsty Thursdays" get two happy hour drinks and play some slots each Thursday. Balance right?

Other Updates:

- First day drinking 90oz of water! (I'm making it a priority)

- Workout: nothing today, didn't stretch but going on a long walk is my Friday Priority! I'm still in a low-motivation rut, but i feel myself getting on the other end of it. Sticking/starting a routine is really helping me push.

Day 4: Friday!

Today was a "me" day after work - I gave myself some time to reset from the week, which helped a lot. I’m feeling excited (and a little nervous) for my Monday weigh-in — hoping to see a 1 pound drop!

Even though work motivation was a little low, I definitely noticed an increase in overall energy and a slightly less bloated appearance, which feels like a win already.

Before diving into my daily recap, here are my pre-journey stats for reference:

- Starting Weight: 185 lbs

- Goal Weight: 145 lbs

- Workout Cadence: 0–1 workouts/week

Meals Today:

- B: 2 eggs, sliced apple with honey

- L: Cucumber salad with a side of deviled eggs

- D: Salmon caprese salad

Other Updates:

I didn't get a workout in today either, hoping to get at least one in this weekend.

Since it’s Friday, I might not update again until Sunday night — but I’ll be back then to set my goals and intentions for the week ahead - tomorrow is a busy day and I have a nice dinner planned with my boyfriend so I'm going to keep my meals light leading up to it :)

Happy Monday!

Today was my first official check-in, and I weighed in at 184 pounds—down one pound from last week.

To stay intentional and track my progress throughout the week, I’m setting some clear goals:

Water: Drink between 90 to 120 ounces of water daily

Fitness: Take one long walk each day (weather permitting) and complete 2 to 3 workouts this week

Nutrition: Stay under my daily calorie goal and track my meals accurately

The weekend went fairly well. I did eat above my deficit on Saturday during a movie outing, but I stayed under my maintenance calories, which feels like a small but meaningful win.

Today will be a busy workday, so my focus is on staying motivated and finding ways to be more active than usual.

Monday April 7th Update:

I wrapped up my day within my calorie deficit with some wiggle room as well!
Breakfast: Cottage Cheese W/Honey & Fruit
Lunch: Spicy Tuna Cucumber Boats
Dinner: Salmon Caprese Salad (only had half)
Snack: Two Chobani Flips
Water: I drank 120oz of water today!

Fitness wise, I picked up some small dumb-bells and a yoga mat this weekend to start doing some proper at home workouts. Focusing on high reps with low weights & some stretching for Tuesdays workout.

Motivation wise, I struggled a lot last week keeping a solid routine while focusing on work. Today, I was able to write down everything I needed to get done, and focused on getting it all wrapped up - overall a really good Monday (and a good start to my week!).

Tuesday April 8th Update:

Yesterday was a start to a really good routine! I woke up at 7, got ready for the day - did some morning cleaning up and started work around 8am! Here are my meals below

Breakfast: Two Eggs W/two pieces of toast
Lunch: Half Sandwich half Tomato soup from Panera
Dinner: Chipotle Bowl
Water:300oz of water

Yesterday I kinda broke my eating at home streak, but I was low on groceries and didn't defrost my protein the night before. Hoping today is better!

Wednesday April 9th Update:

Motivation slump hit me hard yesterday morning, wasn't able to really focus in until about 11am (2 hours in) which meant I was working til about 7pm to make up for it. The good news on those days is because I work with an international brand I have some time to connect with our Australian branch before feeling burnt out.

Meals wise, weren't my best - I was pretty busy throughout the day (plus the low motivation).
Breakfast: Skipped and had a Large Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso from Dunkin (230 calories)
Lunch: Subway 6" Grilled Chicken w/honey mustard
Dinner: Buona Beef Salad W/Grilled Chicken
Water: Did not keep track today, but I had 1 30oz water bottle and some glasses of water throughout the day

I'm going to bed late yesterday, around 1am - I know I won't feel the best in the morning but I'm happy i'm going to bed with my space clean, laundry done, and caught up with work.

Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th Update:

I didn't do the best the past couple days I got sick friday/thursday night with a pounding headache I fell off track of my routine, overate and didn't exercise.

But today is Monday and my reset time, I cleaned up my space Sunday morning so I could start fresh.

Todays goals are just about getting back on track, doing some meal prep and getting a workout in.

Monday April 14th:

Yesterday was so much better, I had better motivation, kept on my diet goals, and finally got an at home workout in!

Tuesday April 15th Update:

Yesterday was okay. I went to a baseball game with my boyfriend and a couple of our friends, it was a "5-Tuesday" so I had a bit to eat and drink but kept within my calorie goals.

Breakfast: Coffee W/Premier Protein Cafe Latte Drink as Creamer
Lunch: Coffee W/Premier Protein Cafe Latte Drink as Creamer
Dinner: 2 Vienna "Chicago-Style" Hotdog + Churro w/three topo chicos

Wednesday April 16th Update:

Yesterday I had a slow start to my day, and a long one work wise (meetings until about 7pm) - I did take some time during the day to relax and step away from my computer.

Breakfast: Coffee W/Premier Protein Cafe Latte Drink as Creamer
Lunch: Skinny Med Sand W/Garden Veg Soup - Potbelly
Dinner: Smoothie Bowl

I didn't weigh in this week but I'm excited to weigh in on Monday and get back to regular weekly weigh-ins.

Thursday, April 17th – Sunday, April 20th
I keep having a “fall-off” each Thursday and falling off my diet and exercise routine. My main priority this week is to not have a “fall-off.”

Here are my complete weekly goals so I can look back each day and see what I meet:

Monday, April 21st

Stay below calorie goals
At-home workout: 20 min + 10 min stretch
Water: 90 oz
Daily Goal: Clean up home
Work: Monday cleanup / Weekly priority setting / AI work

Tuesday, April 22nd

Stay below calorie goals
At-home workout: 20 min + 10 min stretch
Water: 90 oz
Daily Goal: Organize and donate clothes
Work: SOP organization

Wednesday, April 23rd

Stay below calorie goals
Workout: Pilates (1 hour)
Water: 120 oz
Daily Goal: Grocery shopping
Work: Data organization

Thursday, April 24th

Stay below calorie goals
At-home workout: 20 min + 10 min stretch
Water: 90 oz
Daily Goal: Laundry
Work: EOW wrap-up and priority planning

Main focus: Do NOT fall off today!!

Friday, April 25th

Stay below calorie goals
Workout: Pilates (1 hour)
Water: 120 oz
Daily Goal: Vet check-in

Saturday, April 26th

Stay below calorie goals
Workout: Cycle (45 minutes)
Water: 120 oz
Daily Goal: Cancel cycle membership

Sunday, April 27th

Stay below calorie goals
Water: 120 oz

Monday April 21st Update:

I did not hit my goals yesterday, but I'm going to make today better.

May Update:

For those following along—April ended on a tough note. Both my mom and dad fell seriously ill, which completely threw off my routine and made it hard to stay engaged here.

Things are starting to stabilize. My mom is now being cared for by a family member, and my dad is in a facility receiving the support he needs. I’m still right by their side through all of it.

This experience has only strengthened my commitment to my health and fitness journey. I want to feel strong and grounded—even when life feels like it’s falling apart.

I’ll continue sharing updates here, though it may be on a few-day or weekly basis as things gradually calm down.

Thank you for the update, @momillzz. You've been going through some tough stuff for sure, as I know from similar phases in my own life. It's great that you've been able to stay strong. Wishing you continuing progress toward your goals!

Hi Everyone! I haven't updated since early May but I wanted to drop an update since we're going into to June.

I haven't been on my health jounrey, but I've been sick recently just due to the fact I'm not taking care of myself so I'm focusing on my health again starting today!

My plan is to eat three healthy meals (two down already!) and take a good long walk.

ugh life is lifing you hard. So glad your parents are better! WFH is super hard - been doing it for 8 years - but definitely has its perks. I’ve tried doing the time block thing on my Outlook, but with consulting it can be super hard. The other trick I’ve done is to pick one thing I need to do by the end of the day as part of my health goal or whatever goal I have. You’ve got this.

Keep on keeping on. Creating a routine that is attainable is key. It just becomes normal at some point.

You inspired me to start a vlog! Hope yours is going well! Wondering if we can be vlog pals to keep us going? I just started...

Hope your parents are doing well!

andreasaroya2736

Hi, first post and first full day wit myfitnesspal. Congrats on your apartment, and hoping your parents are well. I wish I was that clear in my health goals when I was in my 20s. I was just labeled midlifer by my doctor and I'm too stubborn to accept defeat, thus I'm here aiming to get back to 110 lbs now at 49, 5'0, 2 young kids under 12 and a husband who still has his doubts I will ever achieve my weight he met me with. If I may suggest, something I wish I knew earlier, is to also make stretching as part of my workout. Instead of 5 mins here or there, on days that go awry or I need to slow down, I have a 15 to 20 stretch, it has helped me refocus, appreciate this machine we call a body and in my case, reduce injury. Looking forward to hear your progress, thanks for sharing and all the best.

HI everyone! I am back on my fitness/health journey - the couple months have been hard. My senior dog who I had to take in, and i'm so great-full for in retrospect, due to my parents declining health passed away not long ago. It was a hard summer overall - but i'm so glad I could spend his last couple months with me.

That being said, life is short - I have a dog of my own whos 4 at home and I want to be healthier for her as well and do all the things I've never was able to do with dobby (hikes, vacations, national parks, etc)

That being said I'm back to updating, hopefully weekly! Heres to starting over!

My New Beginning – Part 2

The past three months have taught me a lot. They’ve shifted how I see health, fitness, and even my life as a whole.

When my parents fell ill, I fell off track quickly. I gained 10 pounds from my first posting and struggled to keep myself afloat. Between work stress, moving, friendships, family responsibilities, and taking in my parents’ senior dog, Dobby, I was in pure survival mode this summer.

Last week, I moved into my new apartment - something I had originally set as a milestone for fitness and weight loss. Losing Dobby (who's been with my for over 2/3rds of my life) and reaching this new chapter made me realize: it’s time to make a real change. For my health, and for the people around me.

I want to be able to give Lady (my own pup, who's in my pfp) everything I wasn't able to give Dobby - hikes/long walks/vacations/and a happier me.

So here it is: my restart. My New Beginning, Part 2. I’m giving myself one year on consistency!

Health & Fitness Goals

Goal Weight: 145 lbs (currently 195 lbs, aiming to lose 50 lbs)
Goal Fitness: Daily walks with my dog + 3–5 workouts weekly (Planet Fitness is just 5 minutes away from my new apt)
Goal Diet: Learn and cook new meals. Limit eating out to once per week, while still enjoying the city.

Personal Growth Goals

Reading: 1 book per month (I used to love reading and want to bring that back)
Learning: Practice my new language on Duolingo at least 15 minutes a day (I already have the year-long subscription, so no excuses - i bought in on accident..)
Friends & Family: Host 1–2 gatherings at my new apartment each month (starting late October once I get my sofa haha)
Self-Care & Aesthetics: Build a consistent routine for showering, skincare, and getting ready. This one is harder to measure, but I’ll track weekly progress. - It's been hard to take care of myself when my "body" doesn't feel like home. But I'm changing that!

Accountability

I’ll post weekly recaps with:

The good
The bad (because setbacks happen)
How I’m feeling overall

This is about showing up, staying honest, and building the life I want step by step.

Weekly Recap

This week wasn’t my best ever, but compared to the past couple of months it was definitely a step in the right direction. I’m still getting settled into my apartment, I literally just set up my dining table today, and this upcoming week will be the first time I can actually sit down and eat at a table.

Food-wise: I didn’t get any takeout at all this week, which is a big win for me. I did eat out twice with my boyfriend, sushi one day and split nachos the same night with some friends after going out, but outside of that, no eating out or ordering in. I wasn’t eating super “healthy,” just because I was too busy to grocery shop, so it was a lot of ramen, frozen veggies, and sandwiches.

I haven’t done an official weigh-in yet, but from a quick check it looks like I’m already down two pounds!

Today I finally went grocery shopping and planned some meals with fresh veggies and good protein. Groceries prices are insane when you try to buy whole foods, but I’m excited to actually cook in my new kitchen setup.

Personal/routine-wise: I started to fall into a bit of a rhythm, but I was so busy catching up on work that I didn’t settle into the routine I actually want. This week I’m focusing on that.

Overall, I’d call this a good “getting back into it” week. For this upcoming week my main focus is routine - walking, getting some movement in, eating three meals at home, and creating a morning and night wind-down routine.