Making Choices!! Weekly Weigh-In!!!

Today is a new day! This is the only day that counts!

Making Healthy Choices!!

Do you know which foods are healthy?  If you are like me I was counting calories from the time I was a young teenager, even though I weighed 110 pounds at the time.  I thought I was fat!  I have gained and lost weight my whole life.  I have dieted, I have exercised almost to the extreme, but here I am today, overweight again.  I am around 70 pounds heavier than I was as a teenager.   How does that happen when I know the calorie count in almost every food that exists?

It is true that today's foods have many more additives that alter our food.  The thing is any packaged food has the serving size and calorie count right on the package.  When you eat out there are probably a lot of hidden calories in their foods.  Even with that, you can get nutrition facts on most chain restaurants.  Do you really think that weight loss in about counting calories?

I believe that most women have been learning about healthy foods and counting calories since they were teenagers.  It is something that girls face as soon as they start developing.  I laugh when my husband and son decide they are going to eat healthier.  My husband will say he is eating something because it is healthy.  I will look at him with a look of incredulity, then why are you eating that, I will say.  He says this has fruit in it, or it has vegetables.  I will explain to him the calorie and fat content, and he will be disappointed.  My son now has studied healthy eating in health class so he is better, and he will ask me if I think it is a good choice.

This is a different story for most women.  We know what is healthy, for the most part.  If not, we know how to check the content and figure it out pretty quickly.  Why are most weight loss apps used by women, most weight loss blogs written by women?  It is really harder for women to lose weight, that's no secret.  We have less muscle and muscle burns fat.  Lucky men!

No, the biggest deterrent to weight loss is in our minds.  It is about making our own healthy choices.  If I go out to eat, there are choices that are better than others.  I just need to make the selections that are best for me.  Everyone enjoys going out with other people and having a good time.  Should trying to be healthy keep you from doing this.  No!  Spending time with other people and having fun is a big part of having a healthy life.  Healthy living isn't just about a number on a scale.  It is a whole lifestyle.

Today, I am going to look at weight loss with a new mindset.  As I make choices for myself, I am going to say is this what I want to put in my body?  I doesn't matter what the people around me are choosing.  They are deciding for themselves, as I am choosing for me.  I know there will be times when I don't make the appropriate choice, I am only human.  If I make the best choice at least 90% of the time, I will be much better than I am now.  I will lose weight and I will get to a point that I have learned to make a lifetime change.

 I need a 10% error factor, so I don't beat myself up and think I just can't do this.  I don't want to get down and stop working at it when I don't make the perfect choice.  I want to enjoy life, and feel good about myself.  If my weight loss takes a little longer and lasts a lifetime, that's okay.  I have lost weight quickly before and not been able to maintain it.  This time is different!  I am going to be imperfect and lose the weight as it comes off.  I am in charge of my body and my health.  I am going to take my life by the reins and head forward.  There are always going to be choices put in front of you, things that look wonderful, you have to make the choice for yourself.

Weekly Weigh - In!!!

This week I have peeked at the scale way too much!  It exhilarates and depresses me.  My weight fluctuates so much from day to day and I know that.  I get on one day and it will be down two pounds, the next up 2 pounds.  This causes me to get upset every time it goes up.  I am only weighing in weekly for the blog so I can get the true trend.  I need to stay off the scale.  I know weight is an indicator that you are doing well.  I just don't seem to trust that my clothes are fitting better and I am feeling good.  Why is an exact number so important?

My weight - in for the week is  177.0.

Starting weight - 184.5
Week one - 180.0
Week two - 179.5
Week three - 179.0
Week four - 178.5
Week five - 177.0 

My doctor told me last week to stay at about 1/2 pound a week.  I just do not like being told what to do.  I always rebel against it.  I don't know that I really did anything different this week.  It just doesn't make sense, how it just changes all of a sudden.  On Thursday and Friday I was even down below this, but after eating out Saturday I jumped up some.  That was probably due to sodium.

Okay, I know I have to get a new scale.  It is three pounds light.
I just like seeing the lower number.