Weight Loss Check-In

I've been a bad girl. I've slacked on writing new posts each week. I'm going to blame it on Kelly Cutrone. If she hadn't written such a good book, I wouldn't have been so distracted for the last couple of weeks. (Yes, I am highly, highly recommending that you go out and get yourselves a copy of Normal Gets You Nowhere and read it immediately. Read it with a pen and highlighter next to you. You'll want to take notes.)

So, I am back. The last few weeks have been tough, but they have paid off. At the start of this new regimen, I weighed 203 lbs and I had waffled between 201 and 203 for months. Ahh, the dreaded plateau.

I've made a few tweaks to my food and work out routines to help get me off the stinking ledge and start dropping weight again.

• First, I plan out my menu for the entire day in the morning. I write out the food and the calorie count in a little notebook that I keep in my purse. As I eat the food that I planned for the day, I check it off my list. This keeps me honest and helps me avoid picking at the candy jars that people keep on their desk at work.
• Second, I schedule my gym visits a week in advance. This helps me plan my whole day and the menu of what I'll be eating. I schedule 4 visits a week, with no more than 1 day off in between a visit. I will do at least 30 minutes of cardio at each visit (usually 45 minutes if cardio is all I'm doing) and will incorporate toning into 1-2 workouts a week.
• Third, I have a good support structure who is there to help me through the bumps in the road, whether its not feeling well, slipping on me daily caloric intake or need a push to go to the gym. Having folks there who care about your well-being is crucial.

Is it a lot of work? Yes. Is it worth the effort? Oh hell yeah! I started this new routine about 3 weeks ago. Since then, I have dropped from 203 lbs to 195 lbs. I've finally pushed past the plateau! In addition, I'm generally sleeping better at night, and the time I give myself at the gym allows me time to read, to think, and yes, to sometimes watch TV (but more often than not, you'll see me trying to highlight a book while not falling off the elliptical.)

My ultimate goal is to lose another 25 lbs. If I keep following these general guidelines, I am pretty confident that I'll be able to make it and this time, keep it off.

Til next time! -Erika