Good morning!
Yesterday became a 2nd Low Cal Day. It's nice, because they always make me feel amazing during and after, and today I feel GREAT!
I'm down a pound, to 78.3 kilos. I'm right where I am comfortable, in the 77-80 kilo zone.
I prefer to be close to 77, but I know it won't happen all the time - and I'm still dropping weight from the last weeks fun and games.
(TMI WARNING!) Besides, I haven't gone #2 since Friday. My stomach hurts a little, and I know that boom-boom is gonna happen soon. This will probably bring me down quite some too. Sorry, guys, I know it isn't "appropriate", but when we're talking weight then it's very relevant.
(TMI WARNING OVER)
I really didn't plan on a Low Cal Day yesterday, but it just became an obvious day to do it. I didn't eat breakfast, as I'm experimenting a little with the "8 hour window for eating" thing, and it was no problem at all. I had a reasonable lunch - chicken breast with corn and brocolli - and a ham salad for dinner before going teaching. It wasn't a whole lot of food, but more than plenty to keep me full. I actually ended up having consumed 548 calories through the day, and this is even lower than I normally go on my Low Cal Days. Nice!
So, today is a "normal" calorie day. I am allowing myself 2100 calories, as I'm still inching myself towards the 77 kilos again. As I mentioned the other day - this is my approach: When I'm over 77 kilos, I'll eat up to 2100 calories, and when I'm under 77 kilos I'll consume 2700. This is what my calorie counter dictates, and it seems to be working for me, especially when I incorporate a few Low Cal Days of less than 600 calories. Maintenance is EASY these days. I like it.
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Today, will NOT be an "8 hour window" day. I have had breakfast, as I was hungry. I really didn't want to wait 6 hours for my first meal of the day today. This is probably because of the two Low Cal Days in a row that I've had. Obviously, at some point I'll get hungry.
The interesting thing about this is that I have a little extra focus on it right now, and I will pay attention to whether it'll make me want to eat more through the morning and until lunch. This is what I normally experience (and hear from people in the forum). Eating breakfast is good, but it can easily make you peckish all day. Skipping the breakfast doesn't necessarily damage all that much, and makes it a LOT easier to stay within your RDI for the day.
Now, please keep in mind that this is NOT for everyone to do. This is for people who will NOT over-eat on the next meals. If you get so hungry that you simply eat more (maybe even MUCH more) on the other meals, then the approach becomes pointless. This is very important. The point is MORE control, not less. So, today I "only" have work. It's nice, and I need a night off, I think. Yesterday was a LONG day, working out, working, teaching two classes. Phew. I'll be looking forward to not doing a whole lot tonight. Besides, I want to spend time with Wife. :)
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Speaking of working out, I went for the elliptical yesterday. It's okay, but I don't think it'll be a favorite for me. I did see that I moved my calories and activity very drastically on it, and I liked that a lot. Basically, I got my one hour walk done in about 40 minutes, if we look at steps, distance and calorie burn. Not bad. However, it was mindlessly boring, and was the same exact dull experience that I used to have at the gym. Still, it serves a purpose, and I can completely see the idea in going for this instead of walking if it's raining, or when winter comes. Then I'll use it, or simply to move more.
I can also see a point in maybe doing 5 minutes here and there when working the gym. Maybe that's a way to get some steps in when I am there and don't see enough progress on the Fitbit charts.
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I reached all my Fitbit goals yesterday - as always. :) I'm proud to be able to say "as always". I haven't missed one day yet, and I don't plan to. I like having the gizmo watching over me, and reminding me to move more and be more active through the day. I don't think my goals are all that hard, but they aren't "nothing" either. It takes that I put an effort into it. It takes that I consciously go do things. If I don't, I'll not pass go.
Here are the stats from yesterday. As you can see, I'm doing okay.
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So, today I had breakfast, have lunch planned, and I have 1350 calories left for the day. This should be super easy. I probably won't reach max calories, if I do good.
I want to do good. Last week I went away from my "no bad foods on weekdays" principle over and over again. I was on vacation, the sun was shining, we were having a good time, and it all went wrong on that account. Not much real damage, but I think it's a smart thing to stick to this principle. No bad sugars like candy or chocolate, just proper foods, on weekdays. The snacks are allowed on Saturdays, just like when we were kids. :) It helps me maintain control, and sticking to RDI is SO much easier. This works. I just gotta work WITH it and do it.
Yesterday, I really had no problem with it. I wonder if this has to do with the "8 hour window" and skipping breakfast? I just didn't feel like eating a whole lot.
Today, I had breakfast, and essentially I am already thinking about the next meal. I can tell a massive difference in my mindset since yesterday. Could this be because of that? Could this be because I allowed myself breakfast? It was a good, healthy breakfast too. Rye bread, cheese and eggs. Plenty of protein. A good chunk of fiber. And still, my mindset is somewhere else.
Obviously, I need some calories. I can't end up making every day a Low Cal Day. I promised myself to not go too low today. I've had two days below 600 calories in a row, and I do need to eat something now and then. I gotta do this in a sane and healthy manner. So, today I want to reach a minimum of 1500 calories, though I hope to go for 2100. It has to be good foods though, and that makes it a little more tricky. It can potentially be a LOT of food, and I don't want to eat if I'm not hungry. But we'll see how it goes.
I might gain weight tomorrow simply because of this. After two days of not eating a lot, I will obviously have lost some weight. Less food to process, even if it's still processing. I see that I have dropped weight significantly the last few days. Simply having larger meals today, no matter the calories, will make me gain a little - and that's perfectly okay. I understand what happens and I see what's going on.
I'm pretty confident that I'll be somewhere real close to 77 kilos by Saturday, which is usually when I have the lowest weight of the week.
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Today, I'm thankful for:
- Sunshine! It makes my walk a lot nicer! 5 kilometer walk coming up in a few!
- Dan Brown. I'm really liking his new book "Inferno", which I listen to on my walks these days.
- Music. I'm listening more to music these days than I have in AGES. It's such a great stress reliever, and there are so many cool experiences to be found.
- Thunderbird! I'm LOOOOOOVING my new bass, and I can't stop playing it, even if I have a hard time finding time for it.
- Wife! For being awesome, wonderful and so supporting of me spending time on all my projects.
Happy Tuesday! Life is good!