February Weight Loss Report

These pictures were taken this morning, February 1, 2009. It has been one month since I undertook this journey. The weight loss journey is never easy! Do not be fooled by ads on Facebook or TV or other places on the internet. There is no pill (except Alli which has been approved by the US Government and causes things you don't want to talk about in public if you eat too much fat), no tea (green or otherwise), no berry (acai), etc. that will make it easier for you to lose weight. It must be done the old fashioned way--eat less, move more.

In the 31 day month of January I went from 247.6 to 244.4 this morning. That is a loss of 3.2 pounds for the month. I was within my calorie limit every day and I exercised at least 150 minutes per week-sometimes more. Why didn't I lose 8 pounds like in November? I don't know. I do know that sometimes the pounds go quickly and sometimes they don't, even if you are doing the right thing.

This month I had french fries one time and I had ice cream maybe twice. Recently Aaron went through the drive through at Dairy Queen and I had NOTHING.

For February these are my goals:
1. weigh 239 by March 1.
2. drink absolutely no soda--diet or otherwise--the entire month
3. eat no french fries even what I'd eat would be allowable in my calorie limit--too much fat.
4. eat more vegetables
5. be more vigilant about weighing and measuring.

When you eat cereal do you just fill up the bowl and start eating? If you do you are probably getting way more calories then you think you are. You glance at the box and it says a serving is 110 calories, but if you don't see (and measure) that a serving is 3/4 cup, or 1/2 cup, or 1 cup, the calories counted will NOT be correct. When I have cold cereal I almost always have 2 servings. I measure out 1.5 cups, or 2 cups depending upon the cereal. I measure the milk I put on it.

I weigh the meat I'll be eating for dinner. I am constantly checking how many calories something is to make sure it will fit into my day. I've tried the guessing games and they don't work for me.

The dress I'm wearing in the picture on the right I had made for me in Botswana in 2006. I was not able to wear it for quite some time. I wore it to church last Sunday and it fit much more nicely. The material is this wonderful stretchy stuff, but 30 pounds heavier it looked AWFUL even with the stretch. Something can only be stretched so much.