Time to Mix it up

For the past three months I have been very diligent at eating 1600 calories a day and at least doing an hour of cardio for 3-4 days a week. I have lost a total of 23 lbs (within 3 months) with doing this (a grand total of 41lbs) and am so close to being under 200 lbs, I am fighting the urge from doing the happy dance as I write this.

Though I am currently at a new challenge. In the past two weeks I have either stayed the same or actually gained a couple of pounds on weigh day. I had a few moments that looked all too familiar from my past attempts. This is usually when I would throw in the towel, and eat anything I want and sit in front of the couch and feel sorry for myself and be pissed at the scale, and.... myself! I had to fight these feeling all last week and had to walk completely out of kitchen when I had the door to my freezer open staring at a gallon of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream.

Instead of throwing all of my accomplishments out the window from the past few months I wrote a list. Kind of like a pro and con list of how I have been feeling emotionally, spiritually and physically since I have been on this plan. I wasn't really surprised that the Pros out did the Cons (by a landslide). By reviewing the Cons I realized a lot about myself and were my frustrations are, and were I tend to get bored. I reviewed my eating journal the weeks that I didn't get the results that I was looking for. One thing I noticed I have been more relaxed on writing down what I am eating and my activities. I know I am still making the right choices but for me, writing it all down helps me keep on track and keeps me accountable. Another thing that I quit doing was taking pictures and writing down what I am eating on here.

So the areas that I need to improve and others things that I am adding to my routine are:

• writing in my food/activity journal everyday
• posting a few pictures of my meals on my blog
• MOVE everyday (even if it is just a quick walk with my pups or taking my son to the park. I need to move a little bit everyday)
• Starting tomorrow I will begin weight lifting 3 days a week (I am very excited about this one)
• jog/run five days a week. (I plan on doing intervals, to further increase my distance and continue working on my breathing)
• no carbohydrates in the evening (trying to eat carbs earlier in the day)
• eating 5 small meals a day
• no eating past 6:30 p.m. (this one will be the hardest of all because of our work schedule)

I'm very excited about several of these changes and am looking forward to seeing some new progress. Hope you all are having a great week!