So it has been over thirty days since I renewed my challenge and I am still going strong! I have lost a total of 12 pounds and I am feeling great. Of course, the consistency challenge continues, but I wanted to take some time to share what I have learned thus far.
Portion control is huge! Five weeks ago I started using a service called "Diet-to-Go". Contrary to how it sounds, it isn't actually a diet. It is a food service that provides gourmet, calorie-controlled meals. All I have to do is pick up my meals at my local distributor twice a week. The meals are all fresh, not frozen and they are delicious. I get three great meals each day of the week and I never have to prepare them myself. The variety is phenomenal. I get everything from apple pancakes, to grilled salmon, to chicken fajitas. More important, I never feel hungry or deprived.
Using "Diet-to-Go" has been a huge factor in my success. I never realized how stressful eating had become for me. I had to try to prepare meals so that I could eat healthy. I was constantly worried about how many calories I was eating and if I was making the right food choices. On the days that I didn't have time to really plan my meals, I would end up eating some high-calorie meal on the run. That would make me feel guilty and like my exercising was all in vain. That only made me want to eat more and exercise less. Now, eating is stress-free and fulfilling! I never worry about the planning, preparation or portions. That has allowed me to focus my attention on exercising and leading a more active life.
Exercise is addictive! You heard me right, I am addicted to exercising. Now don't get me wrong, I am not spending hours each day in the gym. But, I am exercising daily and enjoying it. My body has finally gotten used to working out and when I don't, my body craves it. I usually do 45 minutes of intentional exercise a day. My routine consists of riding the bike and doing strength training. Outside of this routine, I like to walk around when I teach and I always take the stairs. I try to walk when I have to run errands. I even did a 5K run/walk last month. I also run around and play with the kids a lot more. In fact, we did a family 1 mile race at the park yesterday and dates with Hubby are all about bowling or mall-walking, instead of fattening dinners. As you can see, I am making exercise a lifestyle.
There is no success without self-confidence! This was difficult for me because I never saw myself as athletic or physically inclined. I would try to be more active but felt awkward and out of place. I simply lacked confidence in my ability to be more fit. Over the past thirty days, I fought to keep those feelings out of my mind and I worked at being consistent. Each day that I stuck to my eating and exercise plans, I felt my confidence growing. I also started seeing the pounds drop. This definitely built my confidence. I am losing about 1-2 pounds per week and it feels great. I am more confident than I have ever been in my life. I am determined to lose the weight and I have seen that I can do it!
There is so much more that I could share but I will save some of that for a later post. I will close with this--being consistent really pays off! Sometimes, I get tired and I really have to push myself. But, I have experienced first-hand that setting goals, creating a plan, and sticking to it is what leads to success. I still have a long way to go and so much more to learn. Nevertheless, one thing I do know for sure is that I am further along on my weigh than I had ever imagined!
