Reached my goal today!

Many have asked bout my exercise. I started just walking around the block for 30 mins at a fairly fast pace. I did this every day and it got to if I didn't walk I felt like a lump on the couch in front of the TV. When it got too hot outside to walk I went to the gym and would either walk a 5k on the tred mill or spilt it 30 mins on the treadmill at 3.5 mph and stationary bike for 30 mins, for a total of 60 mins at the gym, probably at least 5 days a week. Once or twice a week, I think I started 2 months ago, I do the body flow class. It's called body balance outside the US. It's 60 mins of yoga, pilates, and tai chi. Really good for the core, which is the part I still want to work on, getting that tummy flat. Who knows, maybe one day I will have the perfect bikini body and something resembling a 6 pack :-)

As far as food changes. No fast food really. Gave up sodas and sweet tea and limited drinking alcohol. If I wanted to go out and drink beer or such I made sure I walked enough before hand to make up for the calories. You must log everything! I plan my meals. I bring my lunch to work. I bought a kitchen scale and measuring spoons to make sure I am getting exactly what a serving size of something is. I tried not to eat alot of carbs for dinner. Carbs for lunch and less for dinner. If I am going to a restaurant, I know what I am going to order before I even get there. Drink lots of water! Also I like to hike, kayak, and I go caving, which I figured out the calories/hour burned doing those activities (caving isn't in mfp, so I added it to my list of cardio).

Also if I was in a rut, I would mix it up, this summer I did some swimming. Treading water and holding on to the side of the pool and kicking to get a good workout since I am not much of a swimmer. I used a kitchen timer so I would know I was doing 15 mins of this 5 mins of that, etc. I also tried to only cheat eating once a month, but even my cheating wasn't that bad.

It's such a lifestyle change. I can't imagine eating the way I used to and just laying on the couch. I was always small in the past, size 9 all thru high school. but after college gained weight, 10 years ago I lost weight and was the size i was now, although only had to loose half the weight i did this time, but bad eating habits and having to work evenings half the year, plus dating a cook, caused me to gain. Not ever again!