Well, I’ve officially ended my first two weeks of the rest of my life.
The first two weeks of my goal to change the way my family and I eat, exercise, and live.
My thoughts?
In all honesty, it’s been harder and easier than I thought it would be.
No, I’m not confused; I have just come to realize the paradox in losing weight.
- It’s hard not turning to bread and chocolate when you’re stressed.
- But, it’s easy not to eat them when you don’t allow yourself to keep them in the house . . . or, at least, charge your husband with the task of hiding them from you.
(yeah, I have NOOOOO idea where our big ol’ hateful jar of Nutella is right now.)
- It’s hard making yourself get up from the computer, away from all of your fun diversions, to exercise.
- It’s easy to exercise when you realize that without it you might find yourself sitting at the computer with diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
For two weeks, I have been without the sugary, starchy snacks that I love. I didn’t even have a bite of chocolate during Easter; that’s right, no chocolate bunnies, Mini-Cadbury eggs, or peanut butter eggs passed my lips.
And, you know what? I lived despite that deprivation.
I’ve also increased my water intake, going from 8-12 ounces of water a day to 96 ounces. Yes, you read that correctly: 96 ounces of water a day.
Again, it’s easy — you just make sure that there is no Dr. Pepper around and you tell yourself water is the only option.
Do I miss Dr. Pepper? Not anymore. Really!
The results of all of this easy self-deprivation?
My husband and I have been making conscious decisions about what we eat, weighing the costs of every morsel. This past week, I incorporated a low-carb meal plan — one that emphasized fresh veggies, seafood, and chicken. The big shocker for both of us? You don’t need a ton of bread, potatoes, or pasta to have a meal that tastes good! AND . . . you don’t have to engorge on your meal to feel full. One serving really is enough. Even my husband, a chronic over-eater, has realized this.
Now, I’m sure this is just the “honeymoon” of our new lifestyle, and I’m sure there will be days when it will be easier to resort back to our old ways, grabbing chips or chocolate when we’re stressed.
But, we are both determined not to do that. Both determined to help each other change our gluttonous lifestyles into ones that focus on healthy eating, healthy exercising, and healthy living.
My starting weight (two weeks ago): 215 lbs.
Weight as of 4/10/10: 210 lbs.
(Ugh . . . I need to work on my pedicure!!!!)
WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 pounds for a loss? I’ll take it!
Hubby is getting on the bandwagon as well. His official starting weight is 208 lbs.
(Grrrrr . . . can't believe I weigh MORE than that boy!)
Goals for the coming week:
- Become one of the next Mamavation Moms (by the way, have you voted yet? You have till 8pm, EST, on Monday).
- Increase my time exercising; this past week, I averaged about 20 minutes a day. I want to dedicate a full 30-45 minutes each day, alternating between cardio and yoga videos. (Unless I’m one of the Mamavation Moms; in that case, I’ll be following whatever “kick-butt” exercise plan I’m given . . . and I’ll LIKE it! lol)
- Help my husband to be more conscious of his water intake. He does NOT drink enough. I’m gonna be quite the nag, this week, over that issue!
- Research/purchase healthy snack options for me and my kids. I know that it would be smarter to eat 5-6 meals a day, and I know that my kids need healthier snacks than Goldfish. I just need to make a plan.
I know it may not seem like a lot of goals, but I know, from past experiences, that I have to keep the changes coming in small, manageable, baby steps
Good luck to me, right? Yep . . . and good luck to the rest of you, Mamavation Mamas!
* * * * * * * * * ETA * * * * * * * * * * *
In the event that I am not one of the next Mamavation Moms, I will be entering the “Move It or Lose It” challenge for the remaining finalists. The requirements? As I work each week to lose weight, I have to post (1) pics of my feet on a scale, (2) body measurements, and (3) before/after pics. Gulp.
Measurements:
Bust: 43
Waist: 36.5
Hips: 50 (thank you, Mr. Boy)
Arms: 13.5 (L) 13 (R)
Thighs: 26 (L) 25 (R)
(pics coming later this evening)
