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| From To Kill a Mockingbird |
When a person has let their weight creep up year after year like I have, it's easy to feel like a failure. I know I am so much more than the number on the scale, the size of my jeans, or the wings in my arms, but when these keep me from feeling my best, physically or mentally, it's beyond time to change. I'm as body positive as the next person, but in the age of Covid, my weight did/ does impact others as I'm more prone to the worst symptoms and risk putting more strain on the health care system should I succumb to Covid, or any other illness. I'm vain enough to hate seeing my full body in pictures so my desire to lose pounds and shape up is not just health, but that is the main reason. I just have felt I'm not living as quality life for myself as I could be and I need changes.
I set a modest goal for the year with an aggressive start. I want to lose 11 pounds by April 1, the weight I gained since working from home. Really, it was gained in the last 15 months as at first I did better as I was walking more until that first fall, 2020, when it started getting cold. Add to it my knee problems getting worse, little exercise and boredom snacking, and easy to see a pound creep on each month. My over all goal is to lose 10% of my body weight or more. That 11 pounds in three months would be a great kick start.
I'm not going to bother investing in more equipment but use what tools are readily accessible. I'll focus in walking, light cardio and strength, and in nice weather, biking and swimming. Of course, I'm in partnership with my health care providers. Here's some help I'm tapping into.
Pedometer App: While it might not be the most accurate, the app in my phone can help me strive for more steps each day. I can see my sloth days, and motivate myself for the following day.
YouTube videos and my yoga mat: Even if just 15 minutes, 3-4 times a week, I'll burn some calories and strengthen up.
Hand weights: I have two pound weights somewhere-need to remember where. Until then, I'm using a vegetable can and lifting these up and down listening to a webinar or a podcast, I can put them to use. I have really gotten weak as I've aged and hope more weight bearing exercise in my arms will help.
String measurement: I used cord to measure my arm and stomach around my belly button. I'll use to see if any progress each quarter. Monthly feels too soon, but quarters line with natural targets like that first 11 pounds.
This week, in addition to walking pup (which was minimal because it was so cold for both of us) I did the following:
- Used hand weights in my daily 9:30 meeting. It's mostly updates and nothing I need to take notes on.
- YouTube yoga on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday morning before logging into work.
- Masked up, I got an additional 1500 steps circulating around the store picking up odds and ends for my daughter at Walmart Monday night.
- On Tuesday, I drove with my daughter to her orthopedic appointment in St Paul but couldn't wait inside. I walked to the ramp, including several flights of stairs while waiting for her. 1,100 additional steps according to the pedometer app.
- I'm really working hard to eat better balanced meals and then be busy at night so the evening bored snacking stops. Tomorrow is my weigh in, though I'm hoping to use measurements more than weight as a sign of progress.
The old/cheap fitbit that I had wouldn't update after a while so I went back to a "hang around your neck" pedometer and it really motivated me to move - moreso than my phone, which I don't have on me all the time. But don't beat yourself up too much about the weight, I think it's something that happens to most of us, if not all of us!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to buy anything but if someone upgrades their Fitbit I'd take it off their hands. I was sad that there was no weight change at all this week.
DeleteOne thing that works for me to keep extra weight off that you get used to fairly quickly is fasting. We typically eat dinner between 7 and 730 and after that I don't eat anything until 1030 the next morning. It gives your system the time to digest everything. Fill your house with healthy foods so you are not tempted to eat the empty calories. This along with exercise is what I do to keep the weight off. Good luck to you.
ReplyDeleteI never eat before 11 due to a medication, but my problem is bored eating. I need to make sure my evening habits don't undue my day efforts.
DeleteI use my fitbit for my seated aerobics otherwise I think my phine would work for everything as long as I had a pocket. And now that I use a walker sometimes I needy around in the pocket to register. I tell myself movement is movement
ReplyDeleteI've bern trying for 1700 calories daily. But then today I'm out of diet coke so I had the real thing.
Sugar soda is for sure a calorie loader. It goes down so fast and suddenly extra non healthy calories added to my butt.
DeleteThis is a great goal, Sam. And not something that feels unattainable. I have the Pedometer app on my phone, so as long as I can carry it I will know how many steps I’ve walked. I’ve also noticed some weakness in my arms as I’ve gotten older. I need to work on that too.
ReplyDeleteI think strength is so important for our balance. Falls are an older people's common injury. There's so many reasons to take back my health.
DeleteGood on you for making positive changes. I'll be following your journey with interest and for inspiration too.
ReplyDeleteI tend to get my 10,000 steps in each day, and the best way I've found to do it is to walk while I'm on my cellphone. Since it is so cold here, I do my walking indoors and make laps around the house. (My daughter calls me several times a day - long story).
I use the farthest away bathroom, but need to build in more walking. I'm looking at some low impact dance type videos for more steps. No one can see me!
DeleteSounds like a good plan! Would love to know what yoga videos are helpful.
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying out but hope to share and link in future posts.
DeleteHi Sam! It's so nice to have a chance to pop in to see how you are doing. Best of luck on your goals for the new year - you can do it! My latest strategy is working in retail management. Unloading over a thousand boxes per truck each week, stocking them, climbing ladders and running here and there all day has sure kept me in shape! I'll visit again soon :)
ReplyDeleteI could clean my house more for natural additions to moving. Good for you Martha and glad you're back blogging.
DeleteLooking forward to following along & cheering your successes!
ReplyDeleteOne thing that's made a tremendous difference for me (and, I'd venture to say I typically have much better weather than you, so may even be more impactful for you) is buying a piece of indoor cardio equipment (treadmill or elliptical). I know that's not necessarily inline with frugality, but you can find them used, and/or look for dent & scratches. For the elliptical (what I have, although I had a treadmill when we lived in Seattle), it's very low impact, I can actually use it if I'm on a "listening" call (where I have no speaking role). Think large team updates, or a training where you listen to a recorded speaker. I can also use it while I watch Netflix. It's also my only real "tv time", so I use it to motivate myself. I've really increased my cardio time with the elliptical, more so than I would have thought. Just another thing to consider.
Either way, you've got this!
DH wants a bike. If he gets that I might start with that but I know our pattern and fear a year into it it'd be catching dust.
DeleteI am sure you can do that, I hate losing weight, I remember in my dancing youth having to starve all the time.
ReplyDeleteI like food so much, plus get too bored at night and soon enough, things creep in. Earlier bed times might help me.
DeleteLeslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds on you tube is low impact and once you do it a few times you can turn down the volume and listen to a podcast or audio book while doing it.
ReplyDeleteI will check that out. I'm trying to learn what is fun, but challenging for me, but that I can fit in to moments in my day.
DeleteGood luck, Sam, You can do this!
ReplyDeleteIf it comes to a knee replacement don't worry, I had a total hip replacement when I was 39 and it was like being reborn! xxx
I'm resigned to go that route next. I've got too much planned in my head to have ongoing pain.
DeleteMeasuring yourself is a great way to keep track of your body, as weight loss might not show up on the scale. Hang in there, and keep it up - athletes don't just stay in peak condition; they have to keep practising!
ReplyDeleteI tried to get rid of clothes that just didn't feel comfortable and weren't very good either. I have a skirt I just love I couldn't part with, so it might serve as inspiration.
DeleteAll data says the slow way is the right way to do it. good for you.
ReplyDeleteAye, slow to change my bad habits.
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