Feeling Good Friday Week 1 Three Pounds!

While I don't want to reach my first 20 pound goal and stop, the first week of my 13 week target until my nieces wedding is a wrap. I was hopeful week one of my refocused healthy living strategies would see good payoffs. I was rewarded with a three pound weight loss. This is typical of me historically whenever I've started  traditional diets. I'll have a few weeks of good steady weigh loss, then plateau, then get set backs, then frustration, and I get back to 0. I don't feel though like I've dieted this week, but made better eating decisions. Despite the stupid snow and cold weather at the beginning of the week, I got outside a bit more. I'm grateful for all the support and comments from you all, particularly the other bloggers that have joined in on weekly health and weight check-ins, sharing their ups and downs. I have not been brave enough to post my actual weight, but I will post "before" pictures, and you can see why I need to focus on my health. The full view was from our trip last August (oh the cankles), and the close up is from late September (oh the chins and bust area). 

I didn't have any real health slips this week, so here is my summary of my feeling good efforts and challenges. 

1. Greatly increased my water consumption. I kept a pitcher filled on the weekend with ice and lemon. At the office I drank two fills of my 16 ounce water bottle. 

2. Stopping for gas on Tuesday, I realized I was hungry and didn't have anything in my desk. I bought coffee, and was going to give in and grab a muffin. Muffins from bakeries and C stores, calorie and fat wise, are worse than  deep fried donuts. Instead, I grabbed a couple Special K protein bars, eating one, and tossing the other in my purse for a future time. I saved at least 200 calories, and didn't have a late morning carb crash. 

3. I've focused on healthy, but filling meals. My breakfasts have been whole grain or protein based in general, and not a reliance on simple carbs and sugars. I still don't eat for a couple hours after being up other than coffee, but have avoided mindless desk snacking. Both my lunches and dinners have focused first on fruit and veg and protein. I'm worried I might not be getting enough calcium, so added cottage cheese and yogurts into my lunches. I've had things like white rice for curry, a roll for my fish last night, and pizza crust on pizza, but have reduced my white grain consumption to less than half of previous menus. 

4. I mentioned both of these in an earlier comments but I splurged on two items that were needed,but will also aid in overall weight loss. First, I spent more than I ever have on a good quality swim suit, one meant for actual swimming for when we join the Y for the summer (fingers crossed they have the summer membership deal again). I also bought, on 70% clearance, but still pricey, a Columbia puffy coat with a hood. I desperately did need a casual, cold weather coat, and this one will help me extend my outdoor walking, even when I want to make weather an excuse. 

5. DD2 was home last night as her wedding duties and festivities start today. We took a very long walk together instead of a going out for coffee or a retail therapy tour of Target. She has been stressed, carrying a lot of the emotional baggage for her friend. There's a lot to the back story, but let's just say weddings bring out the worst behaviors in some people.

I'm trying to keep politics out of this blog, but let's face it, the health insurance system is going to penalize the unhealthy and the old. I can't do anything about getting older. I already have a boatload of pre-existing conditions that will make it difficult to find affordable private insurance premiums if I retire early and no longer have my employer benefits. The best I can hope for is that I keep my mind and body as healthy as possible so that I am not  burning through my deductible and co-payments every year. Week one toward this rest of life goal is in the books.