Walking and Losing

Quite a few things have happened since my last post. Mostly I lost some stuff.... 27 pounds! It feels incredible! I owe it to a lot of dedication, hard work and new habits. It hasn't been easy but I have been walking. It's been 2 months now and so my weight loss is "above average". They say that 1-2 pounds per week is good, I have been doing like 3-4, (and am not complaining about that at all) I also know that my current living situation has been a blessing and helped as well. 

I started out only doing like 30 min/day and in the mornings have also been doing walking dvd workouts. Now I am averaging 60-90min/day walking! I have also been really focused on not eating out often. So I am cooking frequently and with the cooking am making healthier choices and not only do I cook my dinner but my lunch for the next day (at the same time) I have been paying a lot of attention to what portion sizes should be and have been cooking normal portion sizes. Sometimes half portion sizes. 

I have also been using myfitnesspal.com (and the corresponding app on my phone) to monitor and track my calories in/out. I have been using the "everybody walk" to track my mileage/time etc for my walks. In the past few weeks i have spoken to a few people and actually have found two people who have offered their pools for anytime I would like to use them as well. So with the increasing summer heat I have been doing more swimming as well. One of the places is approx 1.5 miles from my house, so I am able walk there, swim, then walk home again! 

Like I already mentioned I know that my environment has also played a HUGE role in my success on this new journey of mine. I have found in the past that I was always either watching what I was eating (to some degree) or I was going to the gym. They never seemed to line up properly. Or I was doing weight watchers or whatever it was that I was trying but I still had a crazy schedule or whatever else going on that was keeping me from following it completely or long term or whatever. Now that i am renting a room where I am in a peaceful environment I can focus more on myself. I am not stressed out because of my Dad or because of another individual. If I see the other girls that rent there it's usually a happy greeting. (but we rarely cross paths, so it's nice) I am allowed to use the kitchen and laundry whenever I want so it doesn't disrupt others (again typically our paths don't cross much, but when they do we work together) I do love my family and at one point I was really close to my previous roommate. But neither was fun to live with in recent experiences. What a difference a little distance can make. It's nice because I can go and visit my family and it's nice to see them, but at the same time I can leave anytime I want, especially if they're bothering me. Its nice to not be eating my emotions anymore. It is also nice to make smarter food and snack choices. To not have the temptations around. 

Now that I am happy where I am, and I am able to make my own meals (in proper portion sizes) I have Tupperware containers that as soon as I make my dinner half goes into a container for lunch the next day. *I typically make 2 servings of whatever it is at one time, it's not like I am eating half portions constantly. Although i frequently use a single portion of certain items and use it for both lunch and dinner so sometimes somethings I am eating are only a half portion. I have noticed that in eating the proper portion sizes and having small snacks in between larger meals I am feeling full at a normal portion size. When i go out and if I try to eat more than I should I notice it now. Maybe if I had paid more attention all along or wasn't eating emotionally etc I wouldn't have gotten as heavy as I have over the years. Its nice because I am purchasing my own foods I am not surrounded by the junk (I just don't buy it) but at the same time I am not depriving myself of anything at any time. I have just learned to make the healthier choice or buy smaller amounts. For instance if I want some chips I just buy a small bag. So then if I just can't stop myself I am only eating a 2.5 serving bag instead of say a 10 serving bag. Or whatever the measurements are. If I want a candy bar I may go ahead and buy one, but not an entire bag of them. If they are not there neither is the temptation. This has helped a lot because in not depriving myself I am not binge-ing either.  It really feels great! 

For once in my life I am focused on increased activity at the same time as the controlled eating and am seeing positive results. Positive results encourages more positive behavior and so I am inspiring myself to continue. So I keep going and the weight keeps coming off!! Yay! My initial goal was 18# in the first 6 weeks. Which I beat and at my 6 week mark I was down 19.4#. So the next goal I set for myself was to continue (obviously) and to hopefully be down a total of 50# by my birthday at the end of Sept. At that 6 week mark that meant I had approx 31# to lose and I think it was like 12.5 weeks to do so. It meant I had approx 2.75#/week to lose. So far I am still losing and I think that not only am I still on track to make that goal as well, but am only needing to lose like 2.5#/week now to reach it! YAY! 

Another positive reinforcement that is helping me keep going is that the people around me are starting to notice and are telling me that they can see the changes! It still isn't much yet but I do feel great. There have been a few mornings when I have gotten dressed and when looking in the mirror I felt great and almost wanted to cry. I didn't though (surprisingly enough since I am so emotional typically) maybe because although the changes are noticeable they're still slight changes thus far. It shows I've lost weight  but knowing that I still have much more to go I am trying to (I still can't picture it though) imagine when I reach my next goal or whatever goal will come after that one. I can see the changes and it makes me happy but they're not the final changes yet so I don't want to celebrate too soon! Each victory is still a victory though so I am happy. ALthough most of my pants/shorts etc were loose before, I am pulling them up and rolling the waistbands a lot more often now than I previously did!

They say that it takes 21 days (i think) to create a habit... I have far surpassed that and am walking more and more. In fact I am frequently looking at walking to run errands instead of driving and usually do walk now if I have time. It's crazy and I am loving it so much! Maybe later I will post some of the pretty scenery, sunsets, insects etc that I have gotten to see by spending my workouts outdoors! I really am being so blessed, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  

Anyway I need to get to bed. This is my 3rd night in a row staying up past midnight.... ooops