Courageous Joy

January's Health Fitness Update

One of my grace-filled goals for 2009 is to lose 3 lbs a month. I wasn't sure HOW I'd do this. The focus isn't really WEIGHT, but HEALTH. Other health issues will be helped as I lose my extra weight. I've been counting points and working out since July and have gained weight. ::snort:: I decided to go back to what the dietitian had told me....and Never Say Diet, mirrored Debbie's thoughts in a well-written plan. I decided that her plan was "slow," but since I'd devoted a year to a workout regime that didn't produce results, and six months to an eating program that wasn't working....I could surely devote the same amount of time to a program that I thought had potential.

I began the new regime in a combination of Phase 1/Phase 2.

• Phase 1 - Establish a regular cardio exercise habit. Eat a 300 cal breakfast. Focus on "Brain Change". Success is defined if you "Just Show Up".
• Phase 2 - Regain control of what you choose to put into your mouth, on your own terms. Pinpoint a weakness and give it up for a month. Add strength training 2x a week using a stability ball at home. Continue doing 5 cardio workouts IN A ROW - add intervals.

The Brain Change This Month for Me....

1. Be Truthful - Every single time I had a reason not to workout I faced my reason for what it was - an EXCUSE. I did the same with reasons not to follow the nutrition guidelines of my dietitian. I also faced the fact that I had used the WW points as a way to eat less than 1200 calories a day. I'll avoid a lengthy discussion here but my daily points allowance is less than 1200 calories. IF I actually ate bonus points and activity points I'd be at 1750...but I didn't EAT the activity points or the bonus points. Bonus means BONUS and I skipped my bonus (a lesson some CEO's could learn from) and it goes against my nature to eat more because I work out.....I just want the bottom line. SO....eating only my daily points for 7 months put me below 1200 calories, working out a LOT and slowed my metabolism. My problem is eating below the 1200 - 1400 calories that the dietitian told me to aim for. By increasing my points to 24 - 28 points, I fall into the 1200 - 1400 range. I tracked both points and calories for a week to be sure. I burn approx 700 calories, 5 days a week.... this is working. I also began to split the points up into 5 meals a day. This watching calories is NOT phase 2 of Never Say Diet - but I was already doing it so I continued. Phase 3 begins to focus on portion control....
2. Be Forgiving - I admitted I cheated by doing WW points and was eating less than was healthy for me. I forgave myself...but didn't allow that forgiveness to become another excuse not to eat as much as I know I should. It was at this point that Cindy told me that for ME the mantra needs to change from "Just Show Up" (which isn't my hard area) to "Just Show Up and EAT " (which is my challenge). Thanks Cindy, that helped. LOL
3. Be Committed -Cardio on every weekday and my personal Lent cemented my commitment and ability to be disciplined.
4. Be Interested in nutrition and exercise......learned some interesting things about food as fuel this month. Eats carbs before a workout and your body will FIRST burn the carbs you just ate, then dip into the stores of fat. I've been getting up and going to the gym early so that my body begins to reach into stored fat for fuel quicker. LOL
5. Surrender - daily.

Results in January:

• 23 Cardio workouts (mine are 60 min as I need that for heart health)
• 6 Strength workouts (3 weeks worth)
• 3.8 lbs lost
• 11 inches GONE - Wow this is a LOT...and probably more important than the weight numbers....it was amazing to me that I lost that many inches right away as I am NOT new to workouts or diet....in other words I would have expected it if this were the START of a being healthy but for me it is just a fine-tuning.....

I took a "before" photo on 1 Jan. I had planned to upload to a spot that would shave 40 lbs off it and send it back....but they've not sent me the thin photo. I thought that would be cool motivation. I've sent them the fat photo 3x..... I think I'll keep trying. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.