11/09/14

Progress not Perfection

from Pintrest

I decided to loose some of my baby weight and get healthier and fitter in April of this year. 

Since then I have lost around 19lbs and lost 1-2 dress sizes, going from a 14 to a 10/12, (159lbs to ~140lbs).

I did this through additional exercise/weight training and eating more healthily. 

The exercise included getting stuck in to Roller Derby training twice a week (a good 4-5 hours of skating) and going to the gym twice a week to do some weight lifting (not cardio, I got enough of that from the skating).

I saw pretty dramatic results after about 3 months. my body shape has changed, my pre-baby clothes all fit again, I am stronger, more toned in my arms and legs, have lost a good bit of my mummy tummy and generally feel better in myself.

The healthy eating however, is ALWAYS the most challenging thing.

Most of what I read suggests that weight loss is 70/80% diet and 30/20% exercise.

(I chose weight training as I know that muscle mass burns more calories than fat in the body, and so increases your metabolism, as well as making you leaner and stronger.)

I'm guessing my body fay % has decreased since April, but by how much I have no idea..I'd like to think maybe 5% but that would be a pretty wild guess!

October 2013 - August 2014

So, back to the healthy eating...what did I change and what did I eat to help me loose the weight and feel fitter and healthier...

• I stopped eating chocolate, not 100% but 90%. I was having a big snack bag of maltesers most days and it was not doing me any good!
• I stopped eating so much bread.
• I always had a good breakfast - either porridge, eggs or french toast or a smoothy of some kind.
• I started eating more nuts, seeds and veggies.
• I started having fresh juices and smoothies regularly.
• I stuck to 3 meals a day, and maybe one snack.
• I stopped eating so much white pasta. 
• I started drinking only water and green tea.
• I stopped drinking fizzy drinks, especially diet coke and I stopped drinking fruit juice.

All of these things helped me in the weight loss. More fruit and veggies, more protein and nutrients to fuel my body and less refined carbs to fill me up and then make me crave more. Also less sugar where possible. Sugar is the enemy!

For the last month, things have been creeping back into my diet - cake, chocolate, sweet treats mainly. Because I've lost weight and I feel better, I kind of feel like I can risk it and not gain too much weight (dangerous thinking!) I have also been doing a 6 - week fitness course at the gym and working out 3 times a week for 1 hour (of high intensity cardio and strength training) which has made me hungry and tired!!

Tiredness is my enemy, anger is my enemy and stress is my enemy - If I am one or all of those three - I eat. I want something to make me feel better and that is usually a sweet treat or a Starbucks Chai latte...or something similar....

This is getting frustrating and I have gotten back into the habit of allowing sweet treats, and now it's hard to stop...but I WILL.

I WILL start to plan more of my meals and take lunches to work.

I WILL stop having a Starbucks Chai every day - maybe once or twice a week??

I WILL get back on track.

(easier said than done, but I'll do it!)

Weigh-in tonight at the gym - looking forward to seeing what my measurements are...hoping to have lost a few inches - not many, but a few...

My new mantra "Mostly Healthy, Most of the Time"