Weekly E2E update - challenge pictures!

This week has been filled to the brim! I haven't done much commenting at all! Sorry! But I have been reading all the blogs:) And I'll take more time to comment more next week!

Our three oldest kids started school this week. And Joseph starts next Wednesday, so I am planning on having some more time for blogging.

This is the first time I've had a gain since starting this challenge. My weight was lower 2 days ago, wish it'd have been today! :)

Here are the numbers:

12/31/11 - 122 kg         268,9 lbs
01/07/12 - 121,1 kg      266,9 lbs (-2 lbs)
01/14/12 - 120,5 kg      265,6 lbs (-1,3 lbs)
01/21/12 - 119 kg         262,3 lbs (-3,3 lbs)

01/28/12 - 118,7 kg      261,6 lbs (-0,7 lbs)

02/04/12 - 118,6 kg      261,4 lbs (-0,2 lbs)
02/11/12 - 118,2 kg      260,5 lbs (-0,9 lbs)

02/18/12 – 118,3 kg      260,8 lbs (+0,3 lbs)   

And my measurements stayed the same!
Waist beginning: 48 inches
Waist 02/18/12:  45.6 inches

I’ve been letting the tracking slide. I usually get to midmorning and then it all gets a little blurry. I haven’t been binging or anything, I guess I was just not taking this whole thing very seriously anymore. This will change!

About my outfit…

The arrows are showing the bulges I so dislike!! I could wear the pants, I can close them, but I'd have to wear a larger top with them. I hate how my belly bulges. Yuck!

I thought I'd show you what I did a bit over a year ago!! And compare it to now!

Today! Well, you can tell I'm about between those top 2 photos. October 2010 I weighed 279 lbs and January 2011 I weighed 254 lbs.
Today's weight is 260,8 lbs. (challenge beginning weight was 269 lbs)

I’ve been listening to Fat 2 Fit Radio off and on for about a year.

The show I listened to a week or so ago was their annual “Goals Show”. It’s been quite motivating to listen to, but now that I’m actually putting to paper my own goals, it’s becoming more real and hopefully attainable.

What I’m writing here are some things I learnt from the show. I found it quite motivating actually! And I finally did write down some of my goals, and I do think I’m more likely to reach them this way.

So here are some things I learnt from the show…

What are some reasons that your resolutions or goals fail?

1.       You don’t really care. Maybe it’s not a high priority? Or you have no emotional commitment to reaching these goals. Why do you want to reach these/this goal? Why do you want to stop eating cake and ice cream? Why do you want to drink more water? You need to have personal reasons to overcome your thousands of moments of temptations. What personal reason will keep me from eating that doughnut when I’m tempted and hungry, when I’ve had a long day and am tired? What personal reason will get me to go to the gym? You need emotional, powerful reasons that are specific to you.  If you really don’t care, you won’t be motivated to do something.

2.       You set bad goals. (Too high or unrealistic?) Are you setting an unrealistic goal? Are you trying to lose too much weight in too short a time? Are your goals indefinite?  A goal like “live healthier” or “lose weight”  or “get in shape”  is too vague.  You need specific deadlines and ways to show progress.

3.       You have no plan to follow in order to reach the goal. What are you going to do each day to melt off a bit of fat? What’s the plan? Eat less? Eat better? Exercise? How often and how long? What am I doing to achieve my goals? Knowledge and motivation are critical to achieving your goals, but don’t get stuck there, plan for the days you don’t feel motivated. You will not succeed without action and consistency. You need to get off your butt to make things happen.

The definition of  insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you have failed year after year, why not try something different this time.

If you set powerful goals that are achievable, everything will fall into place.

Why do you want to succeed at your goals?

I must complete my weight loss and fitness goals, because if I don’t…

·         I’m going to continue to be embarrassed about my size.

·         I’m going to hate shopping for clothes. (I already do!)

·         My blood pressure issues won’t let up.

·         My cholesterol levels will continue to be high and I will have to be on meds for that as well

·         I can’t be active with my kids.

·         I can’t bend over.

·         I’ll be heavier than my husband..

·         I feel people judge me because of my size.

·         I can’t give myself pedicures.

5 important guidelines for goal setting

1.       If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You can’t hope to aimlessly stumble through life and achieve  great things. What are the specific things you need to do in order to succeed in whatever your  goals are?

2.       Goals must be measurable. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. How would you know if you’re on track if you can’t measure it? Don’t just say you’re going to eat less, be specific about what you will eat. Don’t just say you are going to exercise more, how often, how long?

3.       Set small goal that are easily attainable

4.       You must have a deadline. If you don’t, it’s just whenever before you die. With a lot of short term deadlines, you’ll always be feeling a little bit of pressure to get things done.

5.       Goals must be reviewed daily.  A lot of people stop “doing” their New Year’s resolution, simply because they forget about them.

Specific Goals

Every goal needs to have a what, when and how.

The more “how’s” that you have, the more likely you’ll be to accomplish your goal.

WHAT:  I will lose 15 pounds.

WHEN:  In 15 weeks. Beginning today, the 18^th of February to the 2^nd of June.

HOW:    Eating  1700 calories a day.

                Exercising 5 times a week minimum of 30 minutes.

                Learning about weight loss and fitness (by reading blogs or books or podcasts)

                Learning about food. What do I need to eat? What do certain foods do for my body?

                Drinking at least 2,5 liters of water a day.

Yearly (Long term) Goal

-          Lose 50 pounds

-          Fit into a size 18/20

-          Bending over easily

-          Running a 5K

Midterm Goal (90 day goal)

-          Lose a pound a week – ca. 13 pounds

-          Walk a 5K

-          Sit ups – 100

Weekly and Daily Goals

-          Planning and Scheduling!!!

-          Tracking food

-          Exercise 5/7

-          Be focused

-          Study nutrition!

Worry is negative thinking, and it’s the opposite of constructive goal setting.

 Don’t visualize the worst case scenario.

Be positive, it’ll keep you motivated.

 Focus on the feeling of making it!

Willpower won’t work. Willpower is for short-term success. Long-term success requires planning, discipline and finding ways to motivate yourself every single day.

What motivates you can change from day to day and will not magically happen. You may have to recommit to your goals each day. Tweak them to fit changes to your lifestyle and attitude. Find new ways to motivate yourself.

Focus on what you want on a daily basis. Not on what you don’t want. Live the life of an active person. Don’t say “I hope I lose weight” or “I don’t want to be fat” or “I hate the way that my clothes fit.” Flip it around to the positive, like

 “I’m getting leaner (stronger, faster, thinner) every day.” 

“I’m 100% responsible for my results.”

So let me just tell you I am going to take this more seriously!