maverick2
New member
I'm starting a new weight loss journal because I still want to get down to 140 pounds (my optimal weight) and because even though I became a vegetarian/semi-vegan over the summer and lost a bunch of weight (almost 40 pounds!) I am still hovering stubbornly around the 190 pounds mark, and eight hours a day of sitting in a corporate cubicle is not helping.
Neither is the coming winter, which is driving me into a pseudo-hibernation state where I drag around everywhere, can't get out of bed, go to bed early, and inhale every carby disaster food in a fifteen foot ratio of my person.
I am turning into a junk food vegetarian. This journal is my secret weapon to combat that, and actually stay on top of eating healthy, not just eating compassionately. I'll probably experiment with raw diet and/or increased vegan consumption in the near future, since I'm leaning that way as it is.
-- How much weight do you want to lose?
50 pounds or about 22.7 kg
-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
I'm just going to give myself a year-long timeframe and see how I do - by Halloween 2010, I want to be lithe!
-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?
Cutting out all fast food and sodas, cutting back on alcohol significantly, drinking almost entirely black coffee and water, sticking to a vegetarian plan, reducing consumption of simple starches and dairy, leaning towards complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables, increasing my exercise in various ways (hiking, walking, etc...). I'm also going to track my nutrition and goals on SparkPeople.
-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
My roommate, who is also a vegetarian/semi-vegan and would have no problem following (and helping to prepare) a low-fat, healthy diet that would help me lose weight.
-- How realistic is your goal?
I think it's pretty realistic - 50 pounds in a year isn't too much, and I lost almost 40 pounds just this summer by going vegetarian.
-- When will you start?
Today.
1. What is your current height and weight?
I’m 5'4'' and 189 pounds.
2. If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
140 pounds.
3. At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
At least 170 pounds.
4. Why do you want to lose weight?
To boost my self confidence, increase my physical attractiveness, be a healthy, motivated walking endorsement for vegetarianism, and instill a sense of discipline/routine.
5. Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?
Not really.
6. What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
Holiday fare, emotional binge eating, and culinary laziness. Also my sedentary lifestyle, which will be difficult to adjust since we are going to have one of the coldest winters apparently in like forever. Just got to get used to indoor exercise I guess!
7. Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
I don't get enough exercise, I eat stuff I shouldn't, and I have some emotional baggage. Am I in the club?
8. What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
Diet tracking and making an effort to go out and do things that are physically active.
9. Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?
I lost a ton of weight to join the military through an extreme exercise regimen (two hours of cardio a day, weight training 3x a week) with sensible eating, changed my mind and gained it back, went vegetarian and lost some again, and now it's creeping back up.
10. Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
Processed foods, laziness, lack of vigilance.
11. What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?
Diet pills. They make me sick as a dog.
12. Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
That's what I'm doing now at SparkPeople.
13. Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
Since we are vegetarian we cook at home a LOT. Our meals are usually a starch + a vegetable entree w/non-animal protein + a vegetable side dish. We don't eat enough fruit and we probably don't get enough protein either. Last night, for example, we had bell peppers stuffed with tomatoes, mushrooms and couscous and a side of potatoes w/ cabbage.
14. How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
I have gotten into a bad habit of grabbing a cheese-and-egg sandwich w/ tater tots at Sonic for breakfast (no more!) and when we are feeling particularly lazy for dinner, we will order a vegetarian pizza from Papa John's or Chinese takeout.
15. What are your three favorite foods?
Stir fry, drop biscuits, and mixed berries.
16. What are your three favorite restaurants?
China Moon, Donato's, and Mikato's.
17. What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
Drink more water, make sure to eat enough (low-fat) protein, and make sure to eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables.
18. If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
I’d probably go hiking naked.
19. Do you eat when you are not hungry?
Yes, when I'm bored or distressed.
20. Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
Sometimes.
21. Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
Yes, although I realize it's a problem when I do it.
22. Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
All of the above.
23. Do you eat as a reward?
Not really.
24. Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
We usually eat in front of a movie.
25. What do you normally eat for a meal?
Vegetarian stir fry, Spanish rice, vegetable soup, salad, roasted vegetables, tofu, all kinds of things. We are always trying new recipes.
26. What type of snacks do you eat?
Lately it's been bag chips and other horrible processed foods. I'm trying to convert over to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables instead.
27. In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?
Before today, I haven't exercised since the summer.
28. Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym?
I used to have a gym membership but I had to cut it out for financial reasons. Now I am planning to exercise from home, and throw in some exercise at work as well.
29. What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?
Walking, hiking, swimming.
30. What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
To be physically beautiful.
31. Do you have rewards for certain goals?
No, but I need to think of some. Maybe a new novel or movie if I reach a goal?
Neither is the coming winter, which is driving me into a pseudo-hibernation state where I drag around everywhere, can't get out of bed, go to bed early, and inhale every carby disaster food in a fifteen foot ratio of my person.
I am turning into a junk food vegetarian. This journal is my secret weapon to combat that, and actually stay on top of eating healthy, not just eating compassionately. I'll probably experiment with raw diet and/or increased vegan consumption in the near future, since I'm leaning that way as it is.
-- How much weight do you want to lose?
50 pounds or about 22.7 kg
-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
I'm just going to give myself a year-long timeframe and see how I do - by Halloween 2010, I want to be lithe!
-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?
Cutting out all fast food and sodas, cutting back on alcohol significantly, drinking almost entirely black coffee and water, sticking to a vegetarian plan, reducing consumption of simple starches and dairy, leaning towards complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables, increasing my exercise in various ways (hiking, walking, etc...). I'm also going to track my nutrition and goals on SparkPeople.
-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
My roommate, who is also a vegetarian/semi-vegan and would have no problem following (and helping to prepare) a low-fat, healthy diet that would help me lose weight.
-- How realistic is your goal?
I think it's pretty realistic - 50 pounds in a year isn't too much, and I lost almost 40 pounds just this summer by going vegetarian.
-- When will you start?
Today.
1. What is your current height and weight?
I’m 5'4'' and 189 pounds.
2. If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
140 pounds.
3. At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
At least 170 pounds.
4. Why do you want to lose weight?
To boost my self confidence, increase my physical attractiveness, be a healthy, motivated walking endorsement for vegetarianism, and instill a sense of discipline/routine.
5. Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?
Not really.
6. What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
Holiday fare, emotional binge eating, and culinary laziness. Also my sedentary lifestyle, which will be difficult to adjust since we are going to have one of the coldest winters apparently in like forever. Just got to get used to indoor exercise I guess!
7. Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
I don't get enough exercise, I eat stuff I shouldn't, and I have some emotional baggage. Am I in the club?
8. What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
Diet tracking and making an effort to go out and do things that are physically active.
9. Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?
I lost a ton of weight to join the military through an extreme exercise regimen (two hours of cardio a day, weight training 3x a week) with sensible eating, changed my mind and gained it back, went vegetarian and lost some again, and now it's creeping back up.
10. Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
Processed foods, laziness, lack of vigilance.
11. What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?
Diet pills. They make me sick as a dog.
12. Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
That's what I'm doing now at SparkPeople.
13. Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
Since we are vegetarian we cook at home a LOT. Our meals are usually a starch + a vegetable entree w/non-animal protein + a vegetable side dish. We don't eat enough fruit and we probably don't get enough protein either. Last night, for example, we had bell peppers stuffed with tomatoes, mushrooms and couscous and a side of potatoes w/ cabbage.
14. How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
I have gotten into a bad habit of grabbing a cheese-and-egg sandwich w/ tater tots at Sonic for breakfast (no more!) and when we are feeling particularly lazy for dinner, we will order a vegetarian pizza from Papa John's or Chinese takeout.
15. What are your three favorite foods?
Stir fry, drop biscuits, and mixed berries.
16. What are your three favorite restaurants?
China Moon, Donato's, and Mikato's.
17. What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
Drink more water, make sure to eat enough (low-fat) protein, and make sure to eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables.
18. If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
I’d probably go hiking naked.
19. Do you eat when you are not hungry?
Yes, when I'm bored or distressed.
20. Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
Sometimes.
21. Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
Yes, although I realize it's a problem when I do it.
22. Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
All of the above.
23. Do you eat as a reward?
Not really.
24. Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
We usually eat in front of a movie.
25. What do you normally eat for a meal?
Vegetarian stir fry, Spanish rice, vegetable soup, salad, roasted vegetables, tofu, all kinds of things. We are always trying new recipes.
26. What type of snacks do you eat?
Lately it's been bag chips and other horrible processed foods. I'm trying to convert over to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables instead.
27. In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?
Before today, I haven't exercised since the summer.
28. Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym?
I used to have a gym membership but I had to cut it out for financial reasons. Now I am planning to exercise from home, and throw in some exercise at work as well.
29. What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?
Walking, hiking, swimming.
30. What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
To be physically beautiful.
31. Do you have rewards for certain goals?
No, but I need to think of some. Maybe a new novel or movie if I reach a goal?
