[LiteraryLark]

I read an article on the mental health forums about 18 things you can do with a notebook, and it inspired me to work what I have with the lack of time, money, and transportation. I found an empty binder with tabs and protective sleeves and got the idea to start a Priority Binder, essentially prioritizing my most important goals by having a creative outlet to work on goal-setting. I have found it to be a little exhausting, but well worth the energy as I got to play with colored pens and I finally get to set up a plan to lose weight.

Weight-loss is my top priority, so I have dedicated the past two days to set up a few goals to help me get started. Last night I did my initial weigh-in, and I realized I had already dropped ten pounds since the last time I weighed myself (I can't remember how long ago that was, a couple weeks ago?) I doubt that was real weight, likely the kind of weight that bounces back and forth on the scale with no real improvement of gaining or losing either way. I have also begun reading 100 Days of Weightloss, and I will do the exercises they give me and take notes to add to my weight loss program.

The goal setting layout was part what I learned at the training, mostly my idea.
This is the basic goal-setting outlined which I found to be very helpful:
Write it down
Set a time/date
Identify obstacles
List people and resources
Plan of action
What's in it for me?

So here goes what my past couple days have produced!

(Page One)

Weight-loss Profile: Fit 2 Be Me!

March 13, 2016 initial weigh-in: 195.2 lbs/Size 16 jeans
Desired goal weight: 110 lbs/Size 3 jeans

I have created a series of mini-goals in order to achieve the Ultimate Goal:

Lose 90 lbs in 12 months
AKA
7.5 lbs/mo

In order to achieve this goal, I must make changes in the areas of fitness and nutrition and how I view them in a new way. This will include a dedication to an increase in water consumption, exercise, and healthier eating choices.

I can do it!

(Page 2)

About Me

Current Eating Habits:
Eat once a day, usually dinner
Constant nighttime snacking
Frequent fast food meals
Junk food binges
Lots of pizza
Some soda, a lot of coffee, Rockstars, Sunny D
Healthy snacks: meat, cheese, bread
Breakfast: yogurt, protein shake, pizza, mac n cheese

Current Exercise Routines:
Gym: Treadmill, peddler, elliptical, pool and spa
Ride bike/Walk to work/shopping/gym

Obstacles:
Eating at work/Forget lunch: Make lunch the night before
"Don't feel like eating healthy": No longer an option not to...
Unsure what healthy food to eat: Google recipes/cookbooks
No money/Unsure what to ask parents to buy: Google snacks/meals
No energy to cook/clean up: Tasty leftovers
Bad weather to go to gym: Exercise at home via youtube

People and Resources
Mom and Dad/Mamma and Papa
Joeseph/Friends
PsychCentral/Kaiser
Food journal
Self-help/Health books
MyFitnessPal App

(Page 3)

Plan of Action: Mini-Goals

Water Goals:
Cup of water with every cup of coffee
Big cup with every energy drink
Big cup with every meal
Big cup between meals

Fitness Goals:
60+ minutes at the gym every day
Increase 10 minutes on the treadmill every week
-Week 1, 20 minutes, Week 2, 30 minutes, etc.
10 minutes stretch/cool down at the gym
Morning/Night yoga every day

Nutrition Goals
Cut out soda, pizza, mac n cheese
Increase tea nightly
Salad or veggies with lunch and dinner
Limit fast food/eat out to once a week

(Page 4)

Reasons to Pursue My Goals
Clothes will fit better/more style options
I will look good in tank tops and skinny jeans
I got more compliments when I was skinny
I miss my hip bones
I can't see my feet
I miss being a size 3
I hate my muffin top, double chin, bigger boobs and bigger butt
Squatting is hard on my knees
Hard to get up from bath/floor
Hikes will be easier
Junk food is harmful
Longer life expectancy
Make new friends who diet/exercise

But most importantly...

I want to be PROUD of my body!

I won't go on about the 100 days of Weightloss, but it's the same thing. I take notes on scratch paper, do the exercises, then very neatly I write it down in my Priority Binder about what I learned, what inspired me, etc. The colors I used in the email were almost identical to what I wrote in my Priority Binder.

What do you think!?!?!?!?

[Amused&Confused]

Nice! I hear all the time that keeping track of your goals and progress is a great motivator and this looks like you've got a great plan of action going. Kudos!

I've got a fascination with journals and binders myself, so this is giving me some ideas. lol I may follow your lead!

Was the article you read on this forum? I'm interested in reading it.

[LiteraryLark]

Originally Posted by Amused&Confused

Nice! I hear all the time that keeping track of your goals and progress is a great motivator and this looks like you've got a great plan of action going. Kudos!

I've got a fascination with journals and binders myself, so this is giving me some ideas. lol I may follow your lead!

Was the article you read on this forum? I'm interested in reading it.

Yes it was.

[LiteraryLark]

I've utilized a notepad for food journaling, water consumption, and exercise.

Last night I had a very tasty dinner. I had a big salad with powerhouse greens (kale, spinach, etc), cucumbers, baby carrots, water chestnuts, shredded cheese, and croutons...1/2 C of baked beans, and a veggie patty with salsa and sour cream. It was very filling.

I've also bought apple cider vinegar to mix with water to help with weight loss.

[Hairball]

Wow, thank you so much for sharing your binder with us. I am soooooooo proud of you and u are a great inspiration to me.

[Amused&Confused]

Originally Posted by LiteraryLark

Yes it was.

Thanks, Literary. I ended up finding it last night a couple of posts down from yours. It was a good read.

Your dinner sounded delicious, by the way. May have to steal that...lol

[LiteraryLark]

I over did it at the gym yesterday now I am so sore! #worthit

[Artchic528]

Good luck in your endeavor to be healthier. Remember, lose the weight in a safe and healthy way, and don't over do it too much. These things take time to see significant results.

[eskielover]

good job!!!!.....

Just be sure that your goal is realistic.....I agree that your 110 lbs is realistic but the size 3???? Even when I weighed 100, I wore a size 4 & the size 3 was a tight squeeze. Given that I have battled with anorexia in the past, I have been at a lot lower weights than that. It also totally depends on the brand or the maker of the cloths as to the sizing.....a friend gave me a size 0 legging for Christmas.....I chuckled until I tried them on & they fit ......so sizing does depend on the maker & the style.

It's good to have a weight & a BMI goal.....just KNOW that sizing will vary. The nice thing is that the size 4 covers a wide range of weight gain & loss for me.

You are doing such a good thing for yourself with the focus & working toward your goal in a logical way.....very proud of you!!!!

As Artchic said.....slow & reasonable. Sometimes when we see weight starting to come off, it's easy to get caught up & want it to come off quicker.....but the body needs time to adjust & sometimes we reach a plateau & feel stuck....that's just the body adjusting & the weight loss will continue with patience

[LiteraryLark]

Thanks Eskie!

My weight loss goal is realistic. I wore size 3 jeans and was 110 pounds before I was hospitalized during my senior year of high school. Yes, being 110 pounds would be nice, but I'd REALLY like to be a size 3 again and I'd REALLY like to have my hip bones back. I miss playing with them and I was happy being a size 3. I hate my big faux-pregnant belly and my size 16 jeans and my XXL underwear and my XL shirts.

And the weight loss itself is realistic. My goal is 7.5 pounds a month, that's about 2 pounds a week...and I hit that 2 pounds this week!

Techinically it's my 6th day not my 7th, but I've lost 2 pounds this week!

[LiteraryLark]

Yesterday I decided to weigh myself and use that in case I gained more weight today.

But I weighed myself today and...I lost 3.2 pounds this week! WOOT WOOT!

[LiteraryLark]

Down 3.8 pounds in 8 days!

I will update my signature every week, but here I will keep you guys updated daily!

[Artchic528]

Um...not that I'm questioning your methods or anything, or by any means saying what you should do, but I was always told NOT to weigh yourself every day, as a person's weight tends to fluctuate naturally on a daily basis (i.e. before and after using the bathroom, eating/drinking, and so on and so forth). Measuring weight loss is usually done by weighing oneself once weekly to get a more accurate number.

Also, as you work out and build up muscle tone, it'll add to your overall weight as muscle cells are much heavier than fat cells are. So, while you may be losing a lot of fat cells overall on your frame, you'll gain some of that weight back in muscle cells. Henceforth, you might not be the exact weight as you thought you would be when you reach your desired dress size.

Just some things to keep in mind.

[LiteraryLark]

Today I spent 2 hours at the gym...woot woot! Today I tried to pace myself and not overexert myself.

I started off with 20 minutes on the treadmill on an incline. Then I did a set of 100/30lbs on the hip abductor, making sure I am doing a full stretch, pausing, and then after every set of ten I would relax for ten seconds. The hip abductor is supposed to stretch your hips but it also puts a strain on my legs so I made sure that after I walked for 5 minutes on the treadmill at a slow pace (2mph) and then 5 minutes on the peddler to really stretch out and loosen up my legs. Then I spent some time playing basketball which was really fun. I played a game where I would stand at one point on the court, shoot a hoop, and go to the next point. If I missed the hoop, I would go back a point. Sometimes I'd get really far and then miss and end up going back to the start. Then I did a set of 100/35lbs on the ab curl, making sure I pause in the curl and then go fully back to the starting position. Then I did another 5 minutes on the treadmill going slow and then 5 minutes on an arm stretcher because the ab curl machine is hard on my arms. Then I did about 15 minutes on the treadmill again to cool down and then ten minutes doing stretches.

What a workout! Then I had errands to run and then I finally got to eat! I was so hungry afterwards. I had a huge salad, a yogurt with 11g protein, and a protein shake.

In a little bit I'm going to go back and soak in the hot tub. I wish I brought my swim suit when I went, but I really enjoyed my work out and I'm going to love getting a good soaking in.

Can't wait to see what the scale says tomorrow!

[eskielover]

Lol....I love weighing myself after mowing the fields all day. Even with drinking my bucket of water I'm usually down 5 lbs but sadly it doesn't stay there....but it does help with the downward trend.

Think they suggest to weigh first thing in the morning for the most accurate REAL weight....I just like to see what it is after hard work & how dehydrated I really end up being

[LiteraryLark]

I was wise to do stretches after the machines...No soreness today!

But the frustrating thing is that I didn't lose squat! GRRRR!

[LiteraryLark]

Did a little overkill on the wine last night. Edit: Gained 1.6 pounds. Oops.

[eskielover]

Fluid weight gain probably just like loosing that much quickly is fluid loss it can be the same for the gain also.....check again later