Weight Loss Week 16 – Back on the Bandwagon!

August 6, 2012March 19, 2013Leave a comment

Boy I had a rough week! It started out great with a 2 pound weight loss last week, but then I got cocky, tired, busy and stressed, and things really went downhill! I ran 6 miles on Wednesday and then did the classic exercise blunder – I thought I could eat whatever I wanted that day!

Big Mistake! One day of bad eating turned into three, and one night of bad sleep and no exercise lasted for 2 more days. I am a stress eater and once I had fallen off the wagon, it was mighty hard to climb back on.

I was nearly on the verge of giving up when I remembered that I had to have something to write about today! So at the last minute I decided to straighten up my act. I was super good on Saturday and Sunday, did a really hard workout this morning and minimized what could have turned into a disaster. I did gain .2 pounds but earlier in the week it could have been much more. My total weight loss is 19.4 pounds so far and I am so close to 20!!

So here are this week’s tips on how not to have a repeat disaster:

1. Don’t give up – no matter what! Even though my bad day turned into a bad week, I stopped it from becoming a bad month! I reevaluated my goals for this week into something achievable, as in stopping the bloodletting and getting back on track!

2. Sleep, sleep sleep! – I’ve mentioned sleep before, but that is the number one factor for me on whether I’m able to get up the next morning and start my day off on the right track. If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, it’s nearly impossible for me to function the next day and that leads to further bad habits throughout the day.

3. Be accountable! – I don’t know how many times I’ve saved myself from quitting because I have to be accountable for my goals. My workout buddies will get mad at me if I skip out on more than a day or two of exercise. And I have 15 weeks now of blogging and journaling under my belt to catalog my weight loss journey. I can’t stop now!

I sure hope this week turns out better!

Weight Loss Week 15 – Calorie Counting

July 30, 2012March 19, 2013Leave a comment

I mentioned calorie counting in the first few weeks when I began my weight loss journey. I think it’s time to come back to it again because it truly has been the key to my success.

For 14 weeks I’ve faithfully recorded what I’ve been eating and it really works! I’m having a lot more energy and I’m not as tired. That all translates into more sewing time for myself. Plus, when I sew more, I eat less because I don’t want to get my fabric dirty; it’s a win-win!

I lost 2 pounds this week for a total of 19.6 pounds so far. Whoo hoo! (Here’s where I was last week.) I’m over half-way to my goal and will post another picture next week when I get to 20 pounds. That means in another 15 weeks or perhaps less, I can stop talking about my diet and start blogging more about quilting!!)

For my weight loss goals and my height, I’m trying to stick to between 1200-1500 calories a day. Here are this week’s tips on how to make your calories count!

1. Eat 6 times a day. Instead of splitting that up into 6 – 200 calorie “meals”, I actually eat 3 – 300 calorie meals and then try to have 3 – 100 calorie snacks. That totals up to 1200 calories. If I’m feeling a bit snacky or hungry, I’ll add an extra 100 calories to 3 more of the meals or snacks. But above all, I try not to eat more than 400 calories in any one sitting.

2. Write everything down. And I mean EVERYTHING! Sure, during this diet I’ve had 2000+ calorie “cheat” days. I’ve also had meals that were 500-600 calories. But by writing it down, that 2000 calorie day doesn’t turn into a 3000 calorie day. And that 600 calorie meal doesn’t evolve into 1000 calorie meal, which is easy to do! (Think burger, large fries, and a shake and you’ve already consumed almost a day’s worth of calories in just one meal!)

One more thing about writing it down that has really helped – blogging about it! Since I know I have to be accountable each Monday, I really watch what I’m doing all week. I can’t just quit when so many people are following my progress. (Even if they aren’t, I’ll pretend that they are so I can’t let them down – ha-ha-ha!!)

3. Estimate calories if needed. I like to use an online ap (my fitness pal) and calorie counting books to keep track of what I’m eating. However, there are times when I have no clue what how many calories are in certain foods I’m eating. If that’s the case, I’ll just estimate. Even if my count is off, the act of writing it down is just as important as whether or not the numbers are exact.

4. Eat quality calories. Sure, I could eat 100 calories worth of chips for one of my snacks but that wouldn’t get me very far. It would only be about 8-9 Doritos and that wouldn’t fill me up at all! Instead, if I can have a handful of nuts (more dense protein) or an apple and a large serving of carrots, it will curb my cravings and keep me satisfied much longer. I love to add fruits and veggies to all my meals so that doesn’t leave much room for the junk.

Here’s to another healthy week!

Weight Loss Week 14 – Surviving Vacation

July 23, 2012March 19, 20131 Comment

I was in vacation mode last week while we were at Hermosa Beach, California with our family. It was the best time I’d had in a long time but I still had to be careful not to throw caution to the wind and give up my healthy habits for a week.

Last Week, I lost weight before I left, and today I’m happy to report that I kept it off, and then some. I lost .6 pounds this week for a total of 17.6 pounds. I’m almost halfway to my goal! Here are a few tips on how to survive a change in routine while on vacation:

1. Eat lots of fresh produce. Early in the week we stopped at a local farmer’s market that was just a short walk from the beach. We picked up fresh fruits and veggies and used those to snack on and cook with all week. Sure, we had some treats, but we we rented a beach house that had a full kitchen and kept our eating out to a minimum!

2. Find fun ways to exercise on vacation. The boardwalk in front of the beach house included miles and miles of smooth cement for rollerblading! It was very kid friendly and safe. I also ran barefoot on the beach with my oldest son. I’ve always wanted to try that and I found that I really enjoyed it!

If I had a beach at home, I’d do this every day! I wonder if there are any beach marathons?

3. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Well, I still have a little too much of it – that’s why I’m working so hard to lose it! But I did feel much more comfortable in my bathing suit this year. This is the suit I bought when I lost my first 10 pounds. I still have another one waiting for me when I get to the next 20!

Now that I’m home again and back to a regular routine, I hope to have another great week!

Christa’s Soapbox – Have a Me Party!

July 21, 2012March 19, 20135 Comments

This week we went to the beach for a family vacation with my husband’s parents.

We stayed in this cute little house with a wonderful view of the ocean. We’d sit out and watch people go by on the board walk, then hop over the gate to play in the surf and sand whenever we wanted.

While on vacation, I had a little “Me Party”!

I decided on this trip, in between visiting with family, watching the kids play, and relaxing with my hubby, I wanted to carve out a little alone time to do some of the things I enjoy.

I started off each morning with an invigorating run before the rest of the family was awake.

I found this great trail not too far from the beach so I tuned in to my iPod and tuned out the world for a few miles. Then I didn’t feel so guilty later when we ate all the yummy family treats.

After checking my emails for the day and making sure things were running smoothly at the shop back home, I’d relax and catch up on some good reading while the kids played.

I was “sew” inspired from all the good quilting books I read this week. But instead of waiting until I got home to start on some projects, I brought my little Singer Featherweight along with me!

I sewed together all of the strips for my Jolly Jelly Roll quilt tutorial I’m starting this week. Any vacation is lovely when I can incorporate some stitching into it!

And I’ll admit, I’ve never had a more relaxing time while sewing on a binding!

I finished up my Li’l Rascals charm quilt in the late afternoon, when the wind picked up and the volleyball players came out to practice. This truly was a little bit of heaven on earth!

Weight Loss Week 13 – Seeing R.E.D!

July 16, 2012March 19, 2013Leave a comment

Jason and I have come up with a fun little acronym for our weight loss plan – R.E.D which stands for Rest, Exercise, and eat a healthy Diet. We have learned that if we don’t implement R.E.D, we will see red! (As in anger and frustration!!)

We have learned by experience that sleep is most important for Jason, exercise keeps me balanced in more ways than one, and we both just feel better when we eat wholesome, nutritious food.

By the way, this week I lost another pound, bringing my total weight loss to 17 pounds gone. That’s like a 6 month old baby! Here’s how I was doing last week.

So here are this week’s tips on how to implement R.E.D.

Rest – get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. I naturally wake up at about the same time each day – for some reason I can’t sleep in any more 😦 So it’s in my best interest to get to bed early if I want to feel good the next day.

Exercise – wherever and whenever I can fit it in. If I’m short on time, I’ll do little things like take the stairs instead of the escalator, and park further away in the grocery store parking lot.

Diet – not the latest “fad” diets, but instead, I like to choose good things to eat like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, milk, and healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts. I do like treats, but try to eat them in moderation.

This week I’ll really try to stay focused as we head out for our annual beach trip. I already know what next week’s topic will be – eating well on vacation!

Weight Loss Week 12 – Getting Over the Plateau

July 9, 2012March 19, 2013Leave a comment

I’ve been pleased with my weight loss so far. Although I was slightly up this week, I’ve still lost a total of 16 pounds and survived a crazy eating week with family and friends in town.

It seems like it’s taken awhile to start getting to where I want to be, but the results have been worth it. Here’s how I was doing last week.

Other than my first week, I haven’t had any big weight-loss weeks. Rather, it’s been a slow and steady pound here and there, sometimes half a pound, sometimes nothing at all. But looking back after 12 weeks, the weight has come off and it’s staying off! My summer shorts are starting to fit and I’m not so embarrassed to be seen in a swimsuit!

My personal mantra for keeping up with my plan consistently is to remember that nothing tastes as good as being thin feels! I heard that at a weight-watchers meeting years ago and it’s stuck with me.

Probably the hardest thing to endure is hitting a plateau so here are my tips for getting over a plateau both physically and mentally.

1. Ramp it up a bit. If my weight loss stalls or is less than I’d like for the week, that means my body is too comfortable with what I’m doing. That means I need to shake things up a bit by having a lower calorie day, or increasing the intensity my workouts for a day or two.

2. Remember that nothing happens overnight. All of the quick fixes and fad diets out there just don’t work in the long-run. What works consistently over time is healthy eating, vigorous exercise, and a stick-to-it attitude. The plateaus will come and go but my weight-loss results will stay!

Weight Loss Week 11 – Summer Fun Activities

July 2, 2012March 19, 20132 Comments

I’m into my 3rd month of my weight-loss routine and am chugging along. I lost 1 pound this week for a total of 16.2 pounds gone. It’s slow but steady. You can read about last week here.

Exercise is an integral part of my daily routine. Whether for weight loss or just general fitness, I always feel better if I start my day off with a good workout. Because it’s getting hot outside, I needed to come up with some cooler summer activities.

For a nice relaxing indoor workout, I love to do yoga at least once a week.

I have a couple of workout buddies that will humor me on a regular basis. We just pop in a video and follow along.

It feels so good to stretch our muscles, especially after a hard run the day before!

On really hot days we’ll swim a few laps in the pool. Jason’s offered to be our swim coach and give us a few pointers here and there.

By the way, I’m not in any of these pictures because I’m the one taking them!

Here are this week’s tips on how to beat the summer heat while still staying active:

1. Scale down my outdoor activities. My favorite exercise is running but rather than doing a long hot run, I’ll just run around the block or two in the early morning before it gets too hot. If I do need to get in some distance, I’ll hit the treadmill at my neighborhood gym and put on some really great music on my ipod to break up the monotony.

2. Play more with the kids. My younger kids love to go to the pool every chance they get so getting in the pool and splashing around with them gets everyone moving. They like to go on bike rides too, and nothing feels cooler than the wind in your face while cycling!

3. Do it with friends. Whether it’s sewing or exercising, it’s always more fun with my pals!

Summer Job

June 26, 2012March 19, 20131 Comment

My husband and I like to teach our children to be pretty self-reliant. Part of their daily routine includes the usual chores and helping out around the house with meals, etc. Our oldest son Jason will be 16 soon (scary!) so he’s decided he wants a summer job with us. All 3 kids have been helping us out with our on-line quilt shop in some way or another but they are now ready to step it up a bit.

I took the plunge this week and started teaching Jason how to cut fabric. I figured if he’s old enough to learn to drive, he’s old enough to handle a rotary cutter. I started him on fat quarters since we sell tons of those. I showed him how to lay out fabric, make a clean cut, and slice through multiple layers of fabric for efficiency. Once he gets the hang of that, I’ll move onto having him help cut customers orders, too.

Right now Jason is one of my fabric pullers which means when an order comes through, he grabs the labeled bolts and all of the precuts that go along with the order. He’s been doing a great job of that so far, and now he’s started training his younger brother Ryan to do it, too.

Ryan’s other tasks are to label all the packages and open new boxes of material that come in. He likes to get a little creative with the precuts, and I have to remind him they are not building blocks!

Jenna’s favorite thing to do is fold fat quarters and bag and label charm packs.

She’s got her own system down and has already told me she wants to take over the business when she grows up. Fine with me!

As you can see, we have our work cut out for us this summer.

Our kids love earning money with their jobs and we get a sense of satisfaction knowing we are teaching them to work hard!

Weight Loss Week 10 – The Importance of Sleep

June 25, 2012March 19, 2013Leave a comment

I’m down .4 pounds this week for a total of 15.2 pounds lost since I started. I’m so excited to be over the 15 pound weight-loss mark. Now I can’t wait to get to 20! In case you missed it, here’s last week’s blog post.

One thing I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is sleep.

I recently read about some studies that scientists are conducting on mice. They took two sets of mice, fed one group round the clock and fed the other group more food but only during waking hours with a long “fast” in between and plenty of sleep. The second group of mice lost more weight even though they consumed more calories! Isn’t that crazy? Now I know we are not mice, but that got me to thinking….

So for the last couple of weeks I tried my own mini-experiment. I logged not only my calories but also what time I went to bed each night and whether or not I ate a snack right before bed. I also recorded my weight-loss twice a day, at night and in the morning.

What I found was very interesting. On the nights where I did not have a bedtime snack and went to sleep early, my weight loss was up to 2 pounds lighter the next morning. Conversely, on the evenings where I stayed up later (and had a snack) the next morning’s weigh-in was either the same as the night before or just slightly down.

Even though it’s not exactly scientific, this mini-experiment tells me just how important sleep (and not snacking late at night) can be!

So here are this week’s tips on how to get more sleep:

1. Go to bed at the same time each night. That’s hard to do with my busy life but I’ve realized the commitment to sleep is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise. Plus, it’s much easier to get up early the next day when I have a regular sleep cycle.

2. Get the whole family committed to an early bed-time routine. Even though it’s summer and my kids want to stay up late, we allow that only on weekends. During the week they still need their rest so they can get up early and play (or get a jump-start on their daily chores – and then play.)

Sweet dreams!

Weight Loss Week 9 – Drink Lots of Water

June 19, 2012March 19, 20132 Comments

It can’t be stressed enough during the hot summer weather how important it is to drink plenty of water!

My weight loss plateaued this week, with nothing lost. That means I didn’t gain weight either so I’m still happy about that. What with all the summer parties and barbecues, eating opportunities abound. My total weight loss is 14.8 pounds gone. It’s staying off and it’s not coming back! Click here to read last week’s report.

One of the easiest ways to stay the course is to keep drinking lots of water and that will magically “flush” the pounds away! I shoot for 8-10 glasses each day. My favorite water bottle holds about 3 cups so I only have to drink about 3 of these a day to stay hydrated.

Here are this week’s tips on how to chug enough water every day!

1. Fill up a large water bottle and keep it by my side at all times. It’s amazing how much water I can drink with just a sip or two here and there. I also fill it up with lots of ice when I head out to run errands. On a hot day, I can drain the container very quickly!

2. Drink a full glass of water before each meal. Not only does that knock out at least 3 cups of water out of my daily total, it helps my tummy feel fuller quicker so I’m less tempted to over eat!

3. Remind myself of the added benefits of drinking enough water. When I drink enough water I’m less likely to get dehydration headaches. Plus, I heard recently that drinking plenty of water also helps speed up your metabolism so that’s an added bonus.

4. Water down the drinks. If I am at a party where they are serving soda or lemonade and I want just a little, I’ll water it down. That decreases the calories and increases my water intake, too.

Here’s to a thirst-quenching week!