Eleven Pounds
Welcome to the readers headed over from the FatBottomBiking blog…this is my more general blog and can cover a lot of things.
I weighed in on Saturday to find I’ve lost 11 pounds since May 1st. After being stuck at 6 pounds’ l0ss for two months, I made a few more changes, and the weight loss continued. I knew I was losing size. My clothes fit better, and there is more definition to my form than there was before. It is subtle, something most people will not notice. But it’s enough for me to notice.
So what has changed?
First, I gave up all junk and fast food, except for my Diet Coke. No chips, which I was not a big eater of to begin with, and no McDonalds. Not much eating out, and when I did I tried to pick healthy instead of fried. I didn’t give up ice cream, and a cookie once in a while was going to happen. But I tried to load up on protein and back off on carbs. I am eating a lot of dairy, and have switched to whole milk from low-fat. I have read of several studies that indicate that full-fat dairy products can help you lose weight. I continue to eat more and more fresh/raw foods, or foods that I’ve cooked completely from scratch, so I know what is in it. This means no convenience meals (frozen dinners and hamburger helper) and no canned veggies. This doesn’t mean we aren’t eating some processed foods; I’m still buying bread from the store (whole wheat, but the cheap stuff), I”m still using canned cream soups for some of my recipes, and still using Canola oil in my frying pans. But it is better than I used to eat, and that’s what counts.
I have come to the realization that while the number of calories does somewhat matter, the type of calories matters more. If I’m eating avocado and fresh fruit and wholesome home-cooked meals, I may be eating as many calories as I was before with the bad stuff. but the fact that this is the good stuff makes the difference. We, as a society, are getting fatter and lazier. We eat it because it tastes good, and don’t think of the consequences. But I’m finding that I can eat things that taste amazing, and they don’t have consequences.
My improved (not less) eating, along with my weekly bike rides (which are unfortunately down to two now that I’m finally working full time again), have given me the extra bit of shove I needed to see some weight loss.
As far as my clothes, the jeans that fit just right are now too loose. The jeans that always wanted to crawl up my butt fit fine. My bras go on easier, and hook at the smallest circumference instead of somewhere in the middle. The difference in size between my breasts and my belly has increased. I don’t get out of breath climbing a flight of stairs. I have enough energy to get through my massive to-do lists during the days and evenings, without feeling like I just want to drop flat and sleep. My bike rides, which used to leave me completely drained and exhausted, now just energize me and get me through the rest of my busy weekend days. My knees hurt less, my ankles are more flexible, and I just feel better overall.
These things did not happen overnight. It has been a struggle for me to reach the minimal weight loss I’ve reached, and to learn what is working and what isn’t. There are vices I’m not going to give up (ice cream, and Diet Coke). But there are vices I’ve given up and found that they weren’t all that hard to give up (fast food). And to see results, finally, even after four long months, is inspiring and just reinforces what I know – that I’m doing the right thing.
Winter is coming, and it means a general slow-down in my activity level as work ramps up (I have a desk job) and my chances to exercise go down. But I’m going to do my very best to keep up my routine, get those bike rides in, fix my meals from scratch, and aim for that bigger goal. I’m still 1/3 fat overweight chick. I may never not be a fat overweight chick. But I can be not so fat. And at the very least, I can be in really good shape, and that will be worth it!
