Devastating Diet Detours

Just two weeks into 2013 my weight loss train is is officially back on schedule. Last week, I lost 1.6 pounds! Woo-Woo! (That was the railroad engineer blowing the whistle.) Now, I just need to stick to the timetable and avoid derailment. My itinerary is rather simple. Leaving today, I want to shed 46.2 pounds by June 30th, 2013. Will I make it to my final destination on time?

I'll cover this distance by logging my food intake and exercise with MyNetDiary Pro on my iPhone. At least five times a week I'll be running, biking, swimming, lifting and/or training. Although, my nutritional intake and fitness remain on target much of the time. I still manage to totally BLOW it - like yesterday!

Yesterday, I made breakfast for the entire family baking calorie-laden berry muffins and a cheesy egg, hash brown, veggie bacon and cheese casserole. This one meal devoured my calorie threshold for the entire day. Since I was already in the hole, late that day I ate an ice cream sundae and potato chips with dip leftover from our New Year's party. UGH! Why did I do that?

Today, I made a list of devastating diet detours. These are the food cravings or bad habits continually plaguing my progress.

Devastating Diet Detours
ice cream covered in chocolate sauce
potato chips with top the tator
tortilla chips
cheese and crackers
pizza
popcorn (I eat far too much at once, my digestive track is messed up for days.)
chocolate
dessert
dining out without a plan
overeating

Some of these detours are avoidable, and I've already been successful at circumnavigating them. The kryptonite-like foods, like ice cream and potato chips, I simply don't purchase in the grocery store. Why set myself up for failure? Other items, like cheese, I measure portion size and include it in my daily caloric intake. If I sit down in front of the television with a block of cheese and box of crackers, I hit the point of no return fairly quickly. How about you?

The last three are perhaps the most problematic, desserts, dining out and overeating. Desserts are difficult to calculate in terms of calories, especially if not prepared personally. I generally avoid them, but if I do indulge I share it with someone eating only a couple bites. When dining out I generally take the time to research the restaurant's menu options and nutritional content online before I go. I fit the calories in my daily plan making adjustments to my other meals. Overeating is a major road block for me and the biggest reason I'm overweight. I've successfully bypassed it over the last year by consistently logging my calories, weighing portion sizes and eating regularly.

All-Aboard! I've got my rail pass, and this train is sticking to the timetable. You're welcome to hop aboard. I'd love some company.

Happy Anniversary to the Improved Me

Hello, 2013!

It's been one year since I began my weight loss journey. To date, I've lost 92 pounds, and I feel terrific. Physically, I am in the best shape of my life. That fact doesn't mean I'm finished improving my body or losing weight. After all, I've still got 48 more pounds to lose before I hit my goal weight, and I really want the underside of my upper arms to cease resembling chicken wings.

My weight's been fluctuating a bit since mid-November, and I am disappointed that I didn't manage to end 2012 in a blaze of glory. It would be disingenuous for me to claim faultlessness and make false claims about being stuck on a weight loss plateau. I wasn't consistent with my calorie intake, but I did manage to exercise just not as long and often.

My family took a long awaited vacation during Thanksgiving week, and I definitely did not track my food consistently while away. I did, however, manage to run, lift, bike and workout on an elliptical on a vacation. That effort, my friends, is a giant life altering step for this gal. Setting aside time on a family vacation to workout was never a priority. I woke early and adjusted my schedule to offset some of those extra calories. Trust me, there were plenty considering how much I love frozen fru-fru drinks. "Why, yes! I'd love another pomegranate pina colada."

December was filled with holiday parties and delicious food. I managed to avoid drinking my calories, but brightly frosted sugar cookies, cheese, crackers and heavy meals undermined any headway I could make via exercise. I am just grateful that I escaped Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's without a major weight gain.

So, I start 2013 with 48 more pounds to lose, and realistically I'm not going to get all the weight dropped until the end of June. Drat! When I began last January, my calculation of losing 2 pounds per week meant I'd be done by February 2013. Obviously, that's not going to happen. bit I can't let the delay discourage me. I have to look at myself in the mirror and be proud of what I have accomplished.

From Finding Nemo, the blue tang fish Dory has a little ditty that comes to mind.

Dory

Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills, When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do?

Marlin

No, I don't wanna know.

Dory

(singing)

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.

Here I go... just keep losing, just keep losing, just keep losing, losing, losing. Now I'm stuck with that song in my head!

Blogging and Logging

For those of you who stop by and read my blog, you've probably noticed it's really hit or miss. Some weeks I have a lot to say and others not so much. I installed a couple gadgets in the margin of this blog. One allows you to subscribe to my blog. The other sends you an email containing my latest blog post. I hope you keep reading and commenting, and I'll work on my consistency.

I do hope you find inspiration in these entries. My intention is not to be a braggart, and I'm definitely not claiming discovery of some sure fire way to lose weight. I'm merely sharing my experiences, solidifying my own commitment to a healthier lifestyle and encouraging others to be good stewards of their bodies. If there is a topic you'd like me to write about please let me know.

Lately, with the winter months just around the corner and temperatures dropping to sub zero, I've been considering joining a health club. My family and I belonged to the Maplewood Community Center for many years, and during the first several months of our membership I would go three to five times a week. I was working from home or freelancing on location. My toddler was with me most of the time, and the center offered low fee childcare. It provided a much needed break from mommy duty.

I enjoyed swimming laps, discovered the elliptical machine and realized the benefits of strength training. I lost quite a bit of weight. Then, I became pregnant with my second child. I continued working out until I was well into my third trimester. When I began feeling uncomfortable and had to break for the bathroom every 15 minutes, I took a hiatus.

Unfortunately, my daughter's delivery did not go smoothly. I had a cesarean followed by a serious infection. After a series of CT procedures involving a rather long needle inserted into my abdominal area to drain an abscess, I sported a medical drain for a few weeks and was prescribed antibiotics to prevent a reoccurrence.

For an entire year after my c-section, I didn't feel well. My own body was working against me. It was poisoning me. I was constantly tired, weak and lethargic. Needless to say, the workout routines stopped, and I once again gained weight. Finally, a year after the birth of my daughter I underwent another major abdominal surgery to remove a fistula and repair a leaking bowel, the source of the problem no doubt.

I never did get back to regular workouts in Maplewood, and we moved to a new city a couple years ago canceling our membership. It has taken me years to get back on the fitness bandwagon. My lovely daughter is now 11 years old, and over the course of those years I've tried to get motivated to lose weight, had periods of time where I was making progress but for the most part I've been apathetic. I love to eat, and my job is sedentary. Those factors work against me daily, and I was willing to accept this inconceivably as irreversible momentum.

The change was brought about by my declining health and self admitted gluttony. I've told you all about the iPhone app I use, MyNetDiary Pro. This app was... is... my lifeline - pure and simple. It forced me to start logging. It made me take responsibility for what I was sticking in my giant pie hole. It provided an easy and convenient way for me to document my exercise, and it tempted me to push harder. The calories I was expending by unplanting my carcass from the couch and running, walking or biking was making a difference. The charts and analysis available to me as a user of MyNetDiary Pro testify to my success thus far.

Here's a screen snapshot from my iPhone application taken last Saturday. I burned 1499 calories over four hours at the Shoreview Community Center. This if the facility I'm thinking about joining, at least for the winter months. This is remarkable considering I couldn't even run for a full minute 11 months back. I definitely don't expect to get in this much exercise everyday. I simply don't have that much free time, but it's fun to do once in a while. Plus, I was excited to try out all the machines!

In sum, logging has been essential to my weight loss. I encourage all of you to take a look at MyNetDiary. If you don't own a smart phone you can log into the website and track using the online tools. My food and exercise logs provide a bevy of information that MyNetDiary boils down into usable information that helps me improve my nutrition and set realistic goals. I know it's very cliche, but if I can do this so can you! Good luck.

Indian Indulgences

I love Indian food but loading my plate during the ubiquitous lunch buffet causes a serious calorie count conundrum. Honestly, I can't even begin to calculate every calorie consumed. Mouthwatering mysteries like chana masala, malai kofta or kheer contain unfamiliar ingredients. On top of that, there's the serving size stumbling block of all-you-can-eat. Often I feel out of control and regretful before, during and after my indulgence.

So, how do I figure the final calorie count? Well, I've actually abandoned dissecting the entire meal and decreed each plateful to hold 400 calories. If I go back for seconds, which I invariably do, the calorie count reaches 800 calories. Eeek! For a girl trying to keep her daily intake to 1146 calories, an Indian lunch buffet has the ability to blow my entire day. I don't let it!

You see, if I spend just 30 minutes on my elliptical, take a run or hop on my bike later I can quarterback my overall count by increasing calories expended. After all, a single meal won't ruin my many months of hard work. I'm truly committed to a lifestyle change when it comes to eating and exercise habits. A big part of that is taming the tides by creating a natural ebb and flow.

I Can Run for Miles and Miles and Miles

Okay, so I'm a little sore in the back of my thighs. I figure it's punishment for pushing my body to its limit today. I actually managed to run 10.2 miles. As most of you reading my blog know, I am NOT a fast runner by any means. That 10.2 mile was 2:15:00 of pure loco motion.

Every year the nonpublic school my daughter attends holds a "marathon" to raise money for new computers, sporting equipment and other things deemed necessary to educate and enrich the lives of its students. When we left the house this morning I didn't intend on running a full 10 miles. The furthest distance I'd run up until today was a little over 6 miles.

When we arrived my daughter checked in receiving her punch card to track her laps. One lap around the lake is approximately one mile. I bumped into an old family friend I hadn't seen in some time. She was shocked at my appearance. I have to admit that I have been getting this reaction a lot over the past couple weeks, and it feels SOOO good! I've worked really hard since January, and while I see it paying off on the scale and my clothing size is shrinking, it's so rewarding to have my weight loss recognized by other people.

My daughter decided to roller blade this morning, and we agreed to meet in the playground area after the event. Since I'm all about safety she wore a helmet, knee pads and wrist guards. I wasn't worried about her getting hurt with all the protective gear in place, and honestly, she was looking forward to ditching mom and hanging out with her friends. There was a lot of adult supervision since other nonpublic schools were also using the lake and park today for their own marathons. I felt completely comfortable splitting up. After all, I would probably lap her every ten minutes. She's not a speed skater, by any means.

With everything all squared away, I took off noticing right away that I was one of the only people actually running. Most were walking while chatting with friends, drinking hot coffee or eating hot dogs. Oh, well. I just felt the need to get in a good workout so I wouldn't have to take away from my family's weekend time. Although, that coffee looked good especially since it was barely 40 degrees out.

The first mile started a bit slow. I'm having a little pain in my right hip. A couple days ago, I was running at night with my headlamp and tripped over a heave in the sidewalk nearly crashing and burning. Miraculously, I was able to stumble out of the fall, but I tweaked my hip. That was a six mile run, and my graceless trip happened about mile three. I was able to finish that run, but I've definitely been a little sore ever since. Today, I figured if I just stretched the leg out a bit the pain would subside, and I was right. After the second mile, I was feeling really good and stronger than ever.

As I started on the third mile, I decided it was time to push myself a little further. I've been considering training for a triathlon. I've done a few 5K runs combined with a 12-mile bike ride. Today, I just wanted to gain some running distance. In my head, I set the goal at ten miles, but I didn't share that with my daughter until I saw her hanging out at the rest area after my ninth mile. As I ran past, I told her, "Only .9 mile left, baby." She had taken her roller blades and safety gear off. Excitedly, she fell into step behind me and ran/walked that final mile, too.

There were a couple women punching lap tickets for the kids that stopped me afterwards to ask me how I managed to run for so long. I told them that when I began my journey in January of this year I could barely jog one minute. One of the women immediately interrupted with a knowing nod, "Oh, you had a gastric bypass didn't you?" She was quite surprised when I replied, "No, it's been a lot of running, biking, exercising and believe it or not good old fashioned calorie counting." I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the look on people's faces when I say that!

Tonight, as I sit by a warm fire writing this entry I feel so happy. Believe me as I walked to the car and my muscles started tightening along the back of my legs I wondered if I had lost all sense. By the way, my car seat has a butt heater, and that was a lifesaver. I also had a long, hot bath after we arrived home.

I was really hungry all day, but I watched my calorie intake. I didn't want to blow the entire 1300 calorie deficit created by the run. Besides, this morning before we left for the marathon I ate pumpkin donut holes. I really try not to eat high calorie, low nutrition food. However, I'm going to credit them for giving me an extra boost.

Overall, I feel awesome both physically and mentally. This was definitely a confidence boost, and I'm looking forward to testing my new improved self to see what else I can accomplish.

Four to 199

Just four more pounds before I meet a major milestone on my weight loss journey. The wait (or weight) is barely tolerable. After nearly ten months of earnest calorie counting and exercising I'm on the brink of breaking from the two hundreds. Oh, yeah! The curvy number 2 will no longer occupy the hundreds place on my bathroom scale.

At 199 my body mass index or BMI still falls inside the obese zone, but it's a heck of a lot lower than where I started. 90 pounds off and 49 left to go with 180 pounds as my next waypoint. At 180, I'll finally be overweight! Yes, believe it or not I'm actually amped to be overweight. At 5'6" my final destination is 150 pounds putting my BMI at the high end of the normal.

People definitely notice my weight loss now. Many ask how I managed to do it. Some come right out and ask if I underwent weight loss surgery. I personally think that's pretty rude. No, I did not have surgery!

It's been almost 10 months since I downloaded the Calorie Counter PRO by MyNetDiary app for my iPhone. By recording the calories consumed as well as any calories burned weight loss has really become a mathematical equation. I understand math. It's exacting with no room for errors or guesses.

I've managed this transformation because I am no longer relying on emotion and impulse to tell me when to eat and how much. Food is a source of energy, like gas for my car. When I stop at the gas station I can fill the tank, but it has a finite limit. Fuel in my vehicle's tank makes my engine go, and I can travel quite a while before having to refuel.


This analogy demonstrates my new view of food as fuel. First of all I use a fixed number of calories calculated to meet my body's daily need and allows me to lose about 2 pounds per week. I don't overfill the tank and exercise to burn off excess fuel if I do. Calories Eaten - Calories Burned via Exercise = 90 Pounds of Success.

I eat regular meals, and I never skip breakfast even if it's as simple as a cereal bar. Before, I often skipped breakfast and/or lunch eating only dinner. I never worried about portion size or considered food scores. Now, I really try to get the most bang for my calories and carefully consider my food choices. I try not to drink my calories! Let me make this clear. I love yummy food, and I prefer not to waste my calories on sugary sodas and fancy cocktails.

My job as a video editor is sedentary. My body was suffering from too little exercise. Once I gave myself permission to workout on a regular basis, it quickly became habit. I feel so much better not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. The rapid progress early on definitely kept me motivated. Today, I actually look forward to a 6 mile run or 12 mile bike ride. Exploring my neighborhood, city, parks and trails reduces stress and connects me to the world beyond my front door.

Although difficult at times, I've tried to stay positive. My journey is not a diet or exercise program. Instead, it's a lifestyle modification. That doesn't mean I never drink beer or eat pizza. It just means that 90% of the time I'm keeping close tabs on my intake.

Some reading this may struggle with his/her own weight or lack the motivation to exercise. My advice is to just start by doing something. It can be a walk around the block, throwing a baseball to your kid, not drinking that cola or choosing a banana over a brownie. Easy for me to say, right? Well, I've been 289 pounds, and I'm telling you I feel so much better! I never want to go back. Please, join me.

Well, Hello, Size 16!

I am back into a size 16 jean, and boy, has it been a while. It's fitting since today marks my 16th wedding anniversary, too. The last time I wore this size was in mid-1993. I had just graduated from college and met my husband. I can't believe it's taken my 19 years to get my rear in gear and lose my luggage! Why did I wait so long?

This morning, I worked out with a good friend of mine at a local playground. I'm going to give her the alias "Scully" since she's a medal winning member of the Minneapolis Rowing Club. I look forward to working out with Scully because she's so upbeat and supportive. By far my biggest backer Scully's been rooting for me since day one of my weight loss journey. We train together about once a week, and she is well aware of all my weak areas. Gulp.

Scully would be an awesome personal trainer if she ever decided to pursue a career in physical fitness. Committed to regular exercise and healthy eating the woman's clocked countless hours refining her form in the gym, on the water and on local bike paths and walking trails.

Deciding to concentrate more heavily on abs, Scully planned today's playground circuit ahead of time. If I am struggling at a station she always has an option prepared targeting the same area and never belittles me. Sit-ups with my feet uphill are still a definite no-go, but with my feet slightly downhill and a medicine ball involved my abs get the attention they deserve.

Scully taught me a fun little exercise called the "Joe Mauer." If you're a Major League Baseball fan, you know that catcher Joe is the "Baby Jesus" of the Minnesota Twins. Begin the exercise by standing erect, feet apart. Hold a medicine ball between both hands at chest level. Squat, then slowly lower ball between legs just past the knees. Finally, stand up while lifting ball over head. Repeat. I swear I can feel my thighs burn just thinking about a Joe Mauer. He-he-he!

We used a 10 pound medicine ball during our workout, and this was a first for me. I really liked it, and I am now in the market for one of my own. As we jogged to the park taking turns carrying the ball I couldn't help thinking that less than eight months ago I was carrying an equivalent of eight 10 pound medicine balls on my body 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now that's heavy.

Family Time

I had a ton of fun on Friday evening playing racquetball at the Maplewood Community Center with my daughter. Racquetball with an 11 year-old requires a little patience and a lot of energy spent chasing the ball as it rolls across the floor. There's definitely a lot less volley than serve. Nonetheless, she enjoys the game, and I love spending time with her.

I've been focusing myopically on my own health over the past few months. Even though I haven't reached my goal weight, I've become a more positive role model for my kids. Up until now, I've taken a back seat failing to drive my kids toward improving their physical fitness. While my entire family follows a pescatarian diet it's not always balanced, and the buck stops here. I fill the cupboards and refrigerator with food. I routinely plan the menu and prepare meals.

I know it's my job as a parent to help my kids lead healthy lives, but until recently encouraging my family to watch portion sizes and find time to workout seemed hypocritical. I plead guilty of plopping myself in a chair, watching too much television and snacking right from the bag. After punishing my body for the past 22 years, I'm slowly making amends. Now, I'm worried about my kids. I don't want them to struggle with obesity.

With computers, internet, cable/satellite television and video games making it so easy to sit all day, my family is guilty of a fairly sedentary lifestyle. It's definitely time to make a change. We need to find ways to get moving and make it fun. Committing to one family night a week at the Community Center might be a great option for all of us.

After racquetball my daughter and I headed to the facility's pool. I swam 30 laps missing a mile by only 3 laps when the pool closing whistle blew. I'm concerned about the loose skin under my arms due to weight loss, and I think swimming laps will tone my arms. Besides, I enjoy swimming and so does my daughter. She swam a couple laps alongside me then opted to play on the giant water slide. We both got some exercise and genuinely enjoyed it!

A Dangerous Slide

For the past week, I've been experiencing a dangerous slide. Consistently over on caloric intake and under on exercise, miserably I forced myself to step on the scale I've been avoiding. Not suprisingly, the numbers displayed a weight gain, and I thoroughly expected it. Heck, I deserved it, and pretending ignorance won't fix the issue.

Lately, I feel hungry all the time, and my willpower must be on vacation. I've begun falling back on old habits like consuming too many empty calories, found in food with low nutritional value and high in calories. I know I should avoid it, but right now I'm perilously out of control.

While a nutritional imbalance easily explains my decreased energy level and exercise apathy, I can't explain the total brake failure. Could this be the end of the road? Am I headed over the cliff at full speed minus the skid marks? Success at total weight loss has eluded me in the past. Maybe I am destined to be a plus sized woman for the rest of my life.

Self Image's Unreliability

First and foremost, I'm back to exercising. I walked 2.75 miles the other night with my 11 year old daughter. It took us about an hour to make the trek, but the company couldn't be beat. Singing show tunes and telling stories we made our way along one of my familiar routes. Then, this afternoon I did a  5.8 mile jog/walk in 1:20.

I'm definitely beginning to feel better and stronger, but I couldn't help feel a little discouraged today when I couldn't just jog the entire distance like I did before my surgery. My heart rate was up around 158 bpm even during a brisk walk so I was reaping the benefit of aerobic exercise. Two weeks ago I was pushing myself a lot harder, but hey, I do still have the stitches in my bum. Anyone who's suffered an injury surely understands the impatience and frustration with the recovery process. It's a step forward one day then two steps back the next. I'm hoping from now on it's, "Forward, ho!"

Lately, I've been thinking about self-image. I, like many, look in the mirror and am unsatisfied with what I see. I critique my hair, face, body shape and clothing choices. Rarely do I truly like what I see, but by the time I walk away from the image in the mirror I've forgotten it.

When I was at my heaviest, I never thought of myself as a 300 pound person unless I was buying clothes which I hated doing, by the way. It is absolutely disheartening to know that you only have a couple choices when it comes to clothing stores, and as a plus size woman most of the clothing displayed I'd never dare wear. A friend and I always refer to that particular clothing genre as "hoochie mama." Who the buys the sleeveless skin tight crop, leggings and minis in a size 28? It's definitely not this girl.

I ultimately dressed in comfortable clothing. Pants with a snap and elastic waistband were heaven set, surely. Tee shirts, I bought one in every color, and big baggy sweatshirts lined my closet shelves. Seldom did I dress up. I always felt like every bulge was visible even with the miraculous advent of Spanx. At least in my over sized leisurewear I fooled myself into believing I was successfully camouflaging my rolls.

In high school I spent enough time obsessing about my physical image. Surely all that aerosol Aqua Net in the 80's damaged my lungs. Back then, I ritually tortured my hair with perms, peroxide, bleach and various hot irons. I'd spend at least an hour getting ready for school. My makeup was carefully applied, and I considered my clothing choices carefully.

My younger sister is still conscientious about her image. Believe me there is some sibling jealousy regarding how young and attractive she appears at 39. My own physical traits are rather unremarkable, and I could definitely use a professional makeover and better wardrobe. I hardly lament my looks so don't think I'm obsessed with the injustice of genetic code. Frankly, I don't considered my appearance beyond my morning preparations. Once I leave the bathroom mirror I idealize my body image as a size 10 and, of course, attractive.

I admit to NOT having a full length mirror anywhere in my house. I can only view myself from waist up unless I'm in a store's changing room. That's probably the reason I loathe shopping for clothing. Not having a full length mirror has helped me cope with being overweight. "See no evil," per say. By not regularly seeing my whole self I've allowed my brain to form a more perfect mental image.

My wake up call was the serious decline in my fitness level. I struggled to get up if I sat on the floor, became winded climbing a flight of stairs and felt sluggish and tired most of the time. It was past time to make a change in my life, and I needed to get moving immediately before my health declined to the point of no return. I was already a type 2 diabetic with high blood pressure and continuing on that trajectory would have been suicidal, plain and simple. I was killing myself with food and sloth-like behavior. My conscious self provided an inaccurate self-image, and until I stopped to cross-examine it I was perfectly happy just rolling along.

With half my weight shed I'm moving toward my ideal-self. As the distance closes I'm beginning to feel more satisfied and successful in my life.

Too Tired to Exercise

I can't believe how exhausted I feel. I thought I would perk up faster after this hemorrhoid surgery. It's been five days, and I just completed my first full day back at work. Since my job as a video editor means sitting for long hours in a chair staring at computer screen, I figured it was fairly safe to return to work. Not much pain today but now that I'm home I feel physically and mentally exhausted. I am actually considering a nap or maybe even just going to bed at 7:30PM.

I know I should try to at least walk around the neighborhood later tonight after it cools off. Perhaps some exercise will give my body the boost it needs to turn the corner. A nice brisk walk, hike, run or bike ride releases adrenaline and endorphines energizing me physically and mentally. It's hard to believe just a few days ago I was logging the miles and moving everyday. Now, I'm too tired to exercise.

Feeling the Burn

Wow! My legs are sore today. My thighs feel like they're on fire. I'm attributing it to all the yard work on Saturday and biking on Sunday. It was unbelievably disappointing to get on the scale this morning and not see the numbers budge. I'm feeling the pain without the gain! I should really rewrite that last sentence and replace gain with loss. I definitely don't want to see any gain.

My legs are dangling off a loathsome weight loss plateau. The scale refuses to give in, and it's going on a couple weeks. The number moves up slightly and then back down. I usually weigh myself twice in the morning just to make sure the first number I get is valid. Once I stepped on the scale discovering I'd lost 15 pounds overnight. Upon closer inspection I discovered an earring back on the floor under the scale. Boy, that might have been some kind of record for weight lost in a single day if true. I'd make a fortune pedaling a drop it quick diet and exercise plan. Alas, it was a false reading. I wish this plateau was just as bogus!

Frustrated and anxious to get this show on the road I've pushed myself physically over the past week. Believe me I've heard it all before "it's more about losing inches" and "muscle weighs more than fat." I'm sorry, but these simple facts don't salve the irritation especially when I still have 70 pounds to go! Googling weight plateau results in numerous articles about increasing exercise and blaming inaccuracy in food intake recordings. Now's not the time to get lazy! I get it, and I'm not. Although staying positive without the negative feedback from the scale is wearying.

Early on the instant gratification motivated me. During the first month I dropped 20 pounds, and I began working even harder. Since the initial loss it's averaged 8-10 pounds a month. My practical self knows this journey is a long haul. It's a lifestyle change not a mere diet, and once I've finally arrived at the destination the next leg begins. All the while, my foolish self hungers for more immediate results and a giant piece of chocolate cake.

Feeling the burn in my thighs today serves to remind me that I'm building muscle and improving my body composition. Feeling the burn confirms I'm giving this my all. Feeling the burn means I'm making progress even if the scale refuses to show it.