Weight Loss Wednesday: Week 9 (or it should be...)

Happy August everybody! I have been working on my weight loss goals for a little over nine weeks now. I'm wishing I could have had better progress than I do, but I know that I did fall off the wagon for a while. Here's my current weight loss...

Almost 9lbs! So I guess I've been averaging about a pound a week, which is technically healthy weight loss. I should continue to lose about a pound a week, if my new program works well.

Through the recommendation of my sister and mother, I started using the Lose It! app the day before yesterday. This app is free and so amazing! It simply counts calories, but its such a streamlined, easy to use system, that I've become addicted! You begin by entering information about yourself, including age, weight, desired weight, height, sex, ect. The app then calculates how many calories a day you should be eating to meet your weight loss goal at the pace you want to lose it at. For instance, mine says I want to lose 33lbs at a rate of 1lbs a week, so I will reach my goal by March 21, 2013. 

Other features on this app include an awesome scanner that you can use to scan barcodes on packaging. This makes it easy to find and enter the foods you are eating. It also has a ton of exercises you can record, plus the ability to add your own custom exercises. Its so easy to keep track of everything you've burned/consumed. 

**Fun Fact** To lose a pound, you must burn 3500 calories (about 500 a day for 1lb a week) outside of your food intake

I have a budget of 1,718 calories a day...the problem has been sticking to it. This week (mind you, that's two days) I have gone 257 calories over my budget. Now, I know in the grand scheme of things, this isn't horrible. But it also means I need to learn to budget for unexpected meals. That, and limit myself when there are a lot of high calorie foods to be had. 

Please note that pictures from LoseIt! are not from my account

Wanna add me as a friend on LoseIt!? lexilou9788@yahoo.com

--Lexi Lou

Weight Loss...Thursday... Heh Heh

Ok, so I didn't get on to post yesterday. I could have, I just didn't. Man, I've got to get back on top of blogging!

Anyways, lets see how I've been doing, shall we?

I keep getting so close to breaking a 6lb loss, but haven't quite gotten there yet. 

So the last few weeks have been pretty hectic. I missed one day of counting points and just stopped. Isn't that always the way? You miss one day and all of your progress just goes down the tubes. I planned on picking WW back up, but seem to have misplaced my calculator. AH! Everything seems to be going wrong weight loss wise. 

But its all good!!

For now, my goal is to get in regular exercise and watch what I eat. Like I said in my previous post (Click here), I have created some healthy habits. First of all, I realize when I'm hungry or satisfied. I can stop myself before I get so full I'm sick, but I won't be hungry for a few hours. I'm also getting better about telling myself no. No, I don't need to have popcorn just because I'm watching a movie, and I definitely don't have to smother it in butter (even though it is SO DELICIOUS that way!). At the same time, though, I'm not depriving myself of foods I love. If I want to have a piece of cake, I eat one. I just make sure its not as big as one I would have taken in my less healthy days. 

And as far as exercise goes, I did better earlier in the week (no big shocker there). But there were at least three days in a row that I did at least a little exercise outside my normal routine. Also, I went on a hike last Saturday that really got my heart thumping (because I'm a baby, but oh well. Its a really awesome hike, I highly recommend it! Hike to Donut Falls! Its gorgeous!). My goal right now is to just keep it up. Even a little a day is more than I was doing before.

I feel healthier, and that is the ultimate goal. I want to be able to enjoy my life without restricting myself. Who knows though? I will probably start up WW again. I'll just have to see how it turns out. 

--Lexi Lou

Weight Loss Wednesday: Week 3

Needless to say, last week wasn't a very good one. I gained .7lbs. Not bad, but not very good either. I know exactly why all that happened though.

First of all, last week was just a lazy one. As far as being active goes, I always seem to do really well at the beginning of the week, then slowly taper off until by Thursday I'm not exercising daily. I've turned that around  (so far) this week. I didn't exercise Monday or Tuesday, but I've already done my exercise for today. Hopefully I can stick to it. 

And eating last week...woof! Just like the exercise, I usually do really well at the beginning of the week. However, last Thursday I went to my friend's wedding reception. She was having me help with all the delicious sweeties in the kitchen. As her mom left all of us to get ready, she told us we were free to try whatever we liked... And I did. I can proudly say I stayed away from the cup cakes and the mini mousse cups. Sadly, that's about all I stayed away from. There were this mint brownies that were heavenly! And the melt away cookies were so yummy!! Not to mention that, since my family and I got there early to help, we were given burgers (from a restaurant that I hope to stop going to at some point in my life... Starts with a great big yellow letter M) from the grandfather of the bride. He bought FIFTY burgers! His family ate about ten, maybe fifteen. Then he left the rest in the kitchen for us to enjoy... Can you see why I slipped up?! Not to mention this was the night before my weigh in, a fact I remembered about half way through the night. But even when I finally came to that realization, I just threw my hands up in the air and gave up. I ate like a pig!

But NO MORE!! 

I am rededicated to losing the weight! I feel like everyone going through their weight loss journey has to hit a wall like this. A day where you slip into your old ways.. and then realize you're the only one you have to answer to. I could have had someone there slapping my hand every time I reached for something yummy. But in the long run, they're not going to care if I eat myself to death. There is me and me alone. And I am done taking my own crap!!

So here we go, the new (and hopefully improved) Lexi!! 

Today, I made up my own work out routine. Yeah!! Kickin' butt and takin' names! 

Now, though I will be walking on the treadmill daily (hopefully) this routine is one I will do at least once a week. You should try it! It will probably be a little...strange(?) for some people's tastes. But I love it! And, if you wanted to,  you could personalize it to yourself!

I call it...

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Workout!!

If any of you have seen the mini movie Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, you know why I'm super excited about this routine. If not... WATCH IT!! It stars Neil Patrick Harris as sad, socially awkward citizen Billy, who moonlights as Dr. Horrible, the villain just wanting to be taking seriously and blogging about his desires to get into the Evil League of Evil. He is also secretly in love with average do-gooder, Penny (played by Felicia Day), who is dating his arch nemesis, Captain Hammer ("corporate tool" played by Nathan Fillion). This movie, directed by Joss Whedon, is my second favorite of all time!

I have created a running routine having to do with the music in the show. All you need to do this yourself is:

1. A treadmill
2. A TV visible from that treadmill
3. A way to watch Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog (I use Netfilx, personally)

Then, its pretty easy from there... First, determine your normal walking speed. Mine sits between 2 and 3 miles per hour. After that, just follow the synopsis below. Simply put, you will be increasing speeds during songs. Some are faster, so you will increase your speed more. Its kind of like interval training, only musical!

What to do:

ACT 1 Warm Up (don't worry, each act is only about 14 minutes long) 

• Walk at normal walking speed
• Song "My Freeze Ray"(1:38)- increase speed by 1mph (so 3mph for me)
• Decrease back to normal speed
• Walk until Dr. Horrible finds the letter from Bad Horse
• Song "Bad Horse Chorus" (0:33) -increase speed by 2mph (so 4mph for me)
• Decrease back to normal speed
• Walk until you are introduced to Penny on the Street
• Song "Caring Hands" (0:28) - Do nothing! But make sure to take a drink!
• Keep walking until Billy finishes talking to Penny
• Song "A Man's Gotta Do" (2:11) - increase speed by 1mph. Then during Captain Hammer's solo increase again by 1mph. Decrease by 1mph when Dr. Horrible talks to Captain Hammer. Continue at that speed for the rest of the number.

ACT 2

• Song "My Eyes" (2:45) -Maintain speed from "A Man's Gotta Do"
• Maintain speed while Billy talks to Penny at the laundromat and after when he is blogging again.
• Song "Bad Horse Chorus (Reprise)" (0:14) -increase speed by 1pmh (I would be at 4mph) or take a drink break
• Decrease to normal walking speed. Maintain this speed until Penny starts to sing
• Song "Penny's Song" (1:12)- increase speed by 1mph (I'd be at 3mph)
• Maintain speed through Billy meeting Captain Hammer
• Song "Brand New Day" (1:46) - Increase speed by 2mph (or your top speed. I cap out at 5mph). Maintain this speed until the end of the act.

ACT 3 Cool Down

• Song "So They Say" (2:03) - Decrease speed by 2 mph (back to 3mph for me) Maintain this speed until Captain Hammer is making his speech.
• Song "Everyone's a Hero" (2:46) - Decrease speed by 1mph (you should be back to your normal walking speed)
• Song "Slipping" (2:06) - increase speed by 1mph
• After slipping, decrease back to your normal walking speed. Maintain this speed through the end of the movie (including the song "Everything You Ever")

What I really like about this (besides the fact that I made it up) is that you can customize it to any movie or television episode. During more exciting parts or faster songs, increase your running speed. 

Please note! I am not responsible for injury occurring during the "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Workout". Use this routine at your own risk! Please be sure to take it at your own pace. What is right for one person is not necessarily right for all. Please use common sense. If you feel pain or cannot breath, stop using this routine immediately and seek for medical help.

Thank you for the support guys! Until next week! (Let's hope the weigh in looks better!)

--Lexi Lou

Weight Loss Wednesday: Week 2

Another week has come and gone. This week was full of ups, downs, and all sorts of temptations. Let's check on my progress...

Its true! My first week I lost 4.8lbs! I was so excited, mostly because I felt like I had done really bad. Tuesday night I got home late and just ate whatever I wanted. Then Wednesday (after I posted) I went to a bridal shower and a bachelorette party. I ate pizza! And yet, I still lost weight. I think the drop this week was just due to the fact that I am watching what I eat compared to the last few months of eating whatever the heck I wanted to. 

Since my weigh in though, I've had more rough patches. Friday was my five year old sister's birthday (she's so cute!). For her birthday dinner we went to an Asian buffet (I love Asian food! Click here for my post about that!). It was pretty hard. I wanted to share how I handled it.

First off, I've told my self on birthdays and other important holidays (like Thanksgiving and Christmas. No worries, there will be no excuses on smaller days) I will not count points. At the same time, I am not going to go crazy. So yes, I had a few plates at the buffet and went home and had cake and ice cream. I was careful though. 

I followed the Weight Watcher's tips for buffets. In their Dining Out Companion, it has two pages of what to do and what not to do. I've paraphrased them here:

1. Take a lap around the buffet. Look at all of your different options so you can avoid grabbing something not as worthwhile as something you may find later. If you do that, you'll be sure to get what you really want most on your first plate. That way when you get full you feel like you got the best stuff at the buffet.
2. Fill your plate with mostly good foods. Every plate should be half fruits and veggies. That way you'll get fuller on things that are good for you. Meats you get should be lean or small portions. 
3. Focus on foods you can't make yourself. If you're craving that high calorie food, but could probably make it at home, just wait. Home cooked meals are usually better for you than the stuff you find at restaurants anyways. 
4. Listen to your body and stop when you get full. Take breaks after you've finished a plate. You'll be able to more easily recognize that you are satisfied if you aren't finishing a plate and then jumping up to get another. 
5. Get rid of the idea that you must eat a ton to get your money's worth. The extra money you've paid is a small price to pay for feeling confident. Also, if you go overboard, its just pushing your goal off to a further date. 
6. If you think you can't control yourself, consider ordering ẚ la carte. With this option you get built in portion control.
7. If you want a dessert as well, be careful. Pick one favorite, and take half of a normal portion. Slice that cake in half or get half the pudding you normally would.

I followed all of these steps (except #6). I think what helped most was walking around the buffet. I really looked at everything and chose out things that I really wanted to eat instead of making impulse decisions so I could get back to my seat. I also filled half of my plate with fruit every time. I thought the fruit was really refreshing after the denser foods I was getting. I also got my most favorite...SUSHI! Loved it!

Then when I went home I had a small piece of cake and a scoop of raspberry sherbet (compared to the chocolate ice cream the rest of the family had). 

This week I'm really working on getting more active. I've exercised every day since Monday (three days...WOO!). I really want to start getting up early and exercising before I do anything else. I've been doing fun stuff. Mostly playing Just Dance and walking on the treadmill while watching upbeat shows (yesterday I watched Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was way upbeat and I caught myself sort of dancing while walking. Great way to up the calories burned). I feel more motivated to do it if I'm having fun. 

We'll see how successful I am at the weigh in this week. Wish me luck!

--Lexi Lou

Weight Loss Wednesday: Week 1

Well, here goes my first weight loss post!

First of all, this is my weight loss ticker. There will be one at the bottom of my blog, as well as in every weight loss post. My first goal is to lose 30lbs. I'm going to take my time at first, but I'd like to have this goal met by August 31. 

I'm planning on losing the weight by following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus Diet. I'm not going to the meetings they have available. I've bought the kit online and have friends and family who have done it before who are helping me. To sum it up, depending on a bunch of different variables you are assigned a number of points to eat each day. Every food is given a different point value, based on carb, protein, fiber, and fat content of the food. This excludes fruit and most vegetables, which you can have as much as you want of. You have to eat all your points every day. You also get 49 FlexPoints to use each week. They recommend using all of these points, but its not required. You can also earn more points by exercising. 

I am allowed 29 points a day. I started on Saturday. I've been sticking to it pretty well so far. I'll admit, I had a rough night last night. I wasn't very hungry around lunch time, so all I ate was a banana. Then I went out with friends until 8:30ish. I hit the house and was STARVING! So I didn't count the points of what I had for dinner (apple brats and sauerkraut with potato chips...probably not great). Other than that though I've been doing really well.

I plan to weigh myself every Friday morning. That way the weekend doesn't kill my weigh in. I'll update my ticker then. 

I wanted to share two of my point friendly meals today. Maybe I can inspire some people out there needing help picking out healthier foods?

Mock Abalone with quinoa and brussel sprouts

The first one is a dinner I LOVE! Abalone (pronounced ah, baloney. Oh the pun!)  is a type of sea snail that is excellent fried. We make ours by marinading chicken in clam juice. Its so yummy! 4oz of this chicken is 4 points, which is not bad considering its fried. 

Quinoa is a berry that my family has recently discovered. We served it boiled in chicken broth. 1/3cup of quinoa is 2 points and very filling.

Last, but certainly not least, are the steamed brussel sprouts. You can have as much as you want of them. At first I didn't love brussel sprouts, but I find as I get older that I can't get enough of them! They are so delicious!

So this dinner came to a tiny total of only 6 points. That's about 20% of the points I'm allowed daily. Not bad considering how full I was. And, even if I was hungry, I could always go back for more brussel sprouts.  Yum!

Egg, sunny side up, with buttered toast and a banana

The next thing I wanted to talk about was breakfast. Sadly, when I go back to school this may be a hard one to stick to. I know when I was at school I usually didn't eat breakfast, or went for a package of PopTarts (which turns out to be 12 points and always left me hungry. Yikes!). The past few days, I've been having this little number...

Large eggs are 2 points a piece. (Unless you fry them. Then they're 5 points for two... don't ask me to figure out the logic, I don't get it either.) I happen to LOVE eggs sunny side up with a runny yolk. And all I garnish it with is salt and pepper. Simple, but so good! 

What goes better with eggs than toast?! The brand of bread my family buys is 2 points a slice. Add 1tbs of butter (which is a lot more than it sounds and only 1 point a tablespoon) and that makes buttered toast 3 points. 

Then to get some more bulk, I add a pretty big banana on the side. Since its a fruit, this sucker doesn't cost me any points and I can go back and get another one for a snack later.

So this breakfast's total point value only adds up to 5 points. When I made this the first day I was pretty skeptical to how much food it was. I used to eat two eggs, two pieces of toast slathered in butter, and then feel kinda snackish about an hour later. But this fills me up pretty well now. 

I already feel better about the healthier choices I'm making. I've been sporadically walking on the treadmill, and (if I can ever get up on time) am planning on going on early morning walks with my family. I'm hoping to work from walking to jogging to maybe long distance running someday. I also feel like it already takes less food to satisfy me. I'm actually stopping myself before I get so full I wanna puke. That's probably due to the fact that I have to stick to portion sizes and drink lots of water.

If you want to know more about Weight Watchers, visit their website! To get the best stuff you have to be a member, but they do have some pretty great information as well. Click here to visit the site!

Until next week! Wish me luck!

--Lexi Lou