Sandy701's Journal, 10 August 2011

My exercise for today is Stairmaster due to getting up late and the weather being too warm with sun and almost no breeze.

Yesterday I was thinking that this was about the time I hit 200 pounds a year ago. Well, it turns out, today is the day, one year ago, when I hit 200 pounds, signifying a loss of 35 pounds at that point (Onederland would have to wait for 8 days). What a difference that was - and what a difference a year makes! Today I'm down another nearly-40 pounds from that mark and slowly closing in on my initial goal. I'm within 6-7 pounds of a normal BMI.

When I hit 200 pounds, I thought, WOW, that's so amazing, but I'm still 200 pounds! Look at how far I still have to go. And that was a depressing thought.

So, I didn't focus on ALL those pounds yet to come off, but instead on smaller increments that were significant..."I was this weight when..." It helped. And I realized that for a long journey like this, it's best to minimize any "side trips" (indiscretions)! And by minimizing the side trips, I've found that a lot of them have lost their appeal. I don't NEED to go out to eat so often. I don't NEED to sample every item at get-togethers. I don't NEED to sample every cake that's brought into the office. And so on.

I also realized that I am responsible for my food choices, not other people, events, or circumstances. Planning and commitment are keys to making this work. Not long ago, someone I recently met asked me if I had any hobbies. I stumbled around for a bit and told him something or other. But later, I turned to DH and said my hobby this past year-plus has been weight loss! I just didn't want to say it and make it a focus of conversation. But it's true. For me, this has been, and continues to be a major focus in my life each and every day. For me, it has to be. It can't be an after-thought, or I'd be off eating who knows what.

I don't claim to do Atkins perfectly, but I also didn't eat this way on Day 1 of Induction! There are reasons I do what I do and, for the most part, they work with my body. But I did not start personalizing the plan until I was well into it, and by that I don't mean a few days or a few weeks. Any newbie reading this needs to follow the plan as laid out in the book, current version or an earlier one.

Even though my journey has been long and is not "done" yet, that 200 mark was significant. While I had/have a lot more to go, I can't hit goal without going through 200 first. I'm not yet at goal, but I know it can be done!






STAIRMASTER NOTES: 30 min. level 2, lunar landing program; straight-arm support in places; max HR 150 +/- (my restriction); final HR 139 but good, fast recovery to low 100's within a minute or two; SM states 178 calories burned (@ 161 weight), HRM states 430 (@ 150 weight!)

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1423 kcal

Fat: 105.84g | Prot: 86.36g | Carb: 35.26g.   Breakfast: Brown Sugar & Honey Breakfast Sausage, Sargento deli-sliced colby jack cheese slice, scrambled eggs. Lunch: Polaner sugar free raspberry, Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt. Dinner: Armenian cucumber, wishbone ranch dressing, romaine, NY strip steak. Snacks/Other: Maranatha almond butter, Planters dry roasted peanuts. more...

1919 kcal

Activities & Exercise: Stairmaster, lunar landing, level 2, 30 min - 30 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 30 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...