Wednesday Weigh-in!

I've decided that every Wednesday I will 'weigh-in'. So here it goes:

Current Weight:
73.1 kg (or 161 pounds or 11.5 stone)

Current Body fat percentage:
38.2%

Current Stomach Circumference:
101cm

Weight miles stones: Less than 70kg, less than 65kg (has not occured since my best friends weeding in May 2012), 60kg (what I weighed when I was worried I had gained too much in Summer 2010), 57kg (according to Dukan Diet my 'ideal weight', which is what I was aiming for all those years ago!)

Ultimate Goal Weight:
55 kg (or 121 pounds or 8.6 stone)

Ultimate Goal Body fat percentage:
20%

Goal Stomach Circumference:
Not sure...I know less than 80cm is recommended for women - so just slimming down to healthy will be good!

Exercise!

What I know:

• A person should walk 10,000 steps a day (this is not overachieving, but just doing the essentials!)
• Lifting weights and building muscle is essential to changing body composition and losing weight.
• Lifting heavy weights will not make me bulky like a man.
• Running at my current weight is likely to give me another stress fracture in my foot.
• Power walking with my heart rate between 120-140 bpm is the best way of melting fat off.
• Varied workouts will keep the body guessing.
• It is important to eat before and after exercise, especially enough protein on weight lifting days.
• The average person is recommended to do at least 90 minutes of moderate-intensive activity a week (i.e. not just hitting the 10,000 steps).
  

What works well:

• Exercising with a buddy.
• Taking classes, this helps with scheduling and with motivation throughout the session.
• Having a goal or event to build up to (e.g. 5k fun run etc.)
• Exercising in the morning (so that I don't have to think about it all day!)
• Incorporating little extra activities to hit my daily steps, i.e. walk up the stars at work rather than taking the lift.

What does not work well:

• Workout DVDs, I don't really have the space and don't tend to stick to the 'scheduled' workout time.
• Trying to do too much, I need to be realistic about the amount of time I have. If I fail to stick to my 'schedule' I tend to give up.
• Leaving all my steps to hit at the end of the day.
• Trying to go to a gym or gym class on my own, I'm too shy and self-concious, so I end up putting it off.

What I can do:

• Hit 10,000 steps a day.
• Do two circuit classes a week (Monday evening with my friend, Alli, and Friday morning with my friend, Nina.)
• 2 x 40min speed walks per week (heart rate between 120-140 bpm). This can count towards the 10,000 daily steps.

My plan is to carry this out for the next month, then ramp it up.

Have I made my plan too easy? Will I stick to this?

I hope so...

Nutrition/Healthy Eating

Nutrition/Healthy Eating

What I know:
Fat - There are good and bad fats. Bad - saturated (animal) fat e.g. cream, lard, fatty meats, etc. Good - omega 3 (salmon, etc.), avocado, nuts, etc.
Carbohydrates - essential part of a diet, but white flour and white rice do not have to be part of that. Cutting down on bread (especially white bread) and eating more whole foods such as quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas (good bread substitute) and beans is much healthier and helps keep you fuller for longer.
Sugar is bad and should be eliminated whenever possible - eating fruit is ok, but must be considered as part of sugar intake.
Protein - It is important to eat enough (lean) protein when trying to build muscle. Good sources of protein are: lean turkey, lean mince meat, eggs, Greek yoghurt, low fat diary, beans, peas, lentils, etc.

What works well:

• Creating a list of meal ideas full of meals I like and will look forward to.
• Having short challenges - I have previously completed the Whole30 without cheating.
• Having some rules/guidelines.
• Making time to prepare meals.
• Making time to buy healthy food
• Limiting my options/exposure to unhealthy foods (i.e. it is very easy for me to walk to Tesco and buy exactly what I fancy e.g. frozen pizza, chocolate, cake etc.)
• Dieting with someone.
• Getting quick weight-loss results (I don't want to eat junk, as the weight-loss is exciting).
• Having treats I am allowed (e.g. buying one bar of 70%+ chocolate which has to last me for the week).
• Not drinking sugar in my tea (I have stopped entirely now!)
• Not drinking sugary drinks (cola, etc.) - easy to give up!

What does not work well:

• Restricting any type of food entirely that I really like (once I cave I wont stop overindulging on it for at least a month!)
• Having a strict meal plan, I like to eat what I fancy.
• Having strict rules/guidelines that make it difficult to eat socially (e.g. going to a restaurant, eating at a friends, etc.)
• Complex food weighing/cooking (e.g. weighing out exact protein, carbs and fat).

What I can do:

1. Buy one bar (100g) of 70% (or higher) dark chocolate on Sunday, which has to last me until the following Sunday. No other chocolate treats.
2. Create a list of food inspiration ideas, based on eating as much fruit and veg as possible, but still a list of things I would look forward to eating (e.g. chicken fajitas).
3. Drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day.
4. No sugary drinks (cordial, cola, etc.)
5. No/very little white flour and white rice.

I'm happy with what I have got for now, I'm giving myself the flexibility to make adjustments when I need to.

Have you ever done anything similar? Would you add or change anything for your own list?

Homework time!

I've been seeing my psychiatrist for a while now, she has now witnessed a full cycle of my self-sabotage behaviour : lose weight, then eat myself silly, repeat.

Last week she gave me some homework. 

I have to write down what I know about; nutrition/healthy eating, exercise and eating habits (decision process, e.g. I must eat until I am full).

Then I need to decide which things have worked well for me in the past and list the things I should avoid doing again.

It's quite a lot to write down so I will split it into categories and do a post on each.

If you think this would help you, why not give it a go? If I have missed anything really important please let me know ;-)