Peach's Weight Loss Diary - Day 1

PurrfectPeach

PurrfectPeach

New member
Peach's Weight Loss Diary

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site, I found it while searching for a way to keep myself motivated and accountable and see how others are dealing with weight loss.

I am 27 years old and I am currently the heaviest I have ever been, 156 pounds. I am 5'4 and small framed, so this is definitely not a healthy weight (by BMI standards) for someone my size, and DEFINITELY not a healthy weight for me personally.

My goal is to lose 1.5 pounds per week for the next 14 weeks, for a total of 21 pounds lost - target weight 135.

In high school I fluctuated between 125-135. In college I got down below 110, but this was the unintended result of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.
My "magic number" was always 123 lb. when I was younger, but I may decide to stop before I get there. My ultimate goal is to be healthy and fit, and to look like a beautiful woman (not a beautiful girl, or a beautiful prepubescent boy).

After graduating I spent 2 years as a caregiver for my grandparents, and my weight went up to about 145 pounds from stress eating and a sedentary lifestyle. I lost most of that weight, not sure what I ended up weighing but I fit into size 5 skinny jeans as of August 2010.

Graduate school has been extremely stressful, and I have also been coping with the loss of my grandparents. I have allowed myself to eat unhealthy foods in unhealthy amounts as a comfort mechanism.

I realized I was gaining weight, and halfheartedly tried to stop/reverse the trend a couple of times. I don't say this to blame anyone, I know my weight is my responsibility, but for the first time I have a boyfriend who is not concerned about my weight, and I think that affected my motivation somewhat.

I went to the clinic last week and got a shock. When the scale read 156 I was horrified, but tried not to act like it in front of the nurse. I thought I had gained to 140ish at the most because I don't seem as big in photos as I did when I was 145 before.

My plan is mainly eating less. I want to exercise, but (1) I have read it often can make diet harder as it increases appetite, and (2) I am in an EXTREMELY hot area, have no A/C and can't afford a gym, so it is hard to figure out how to exercise without getting heat stroke.

Eventually I would like to work out a bit, when it cools down/I can afford a gym, and build some muscle. I care more about what I look and feel like than how much I weigh, which I think is a healthy attitude, except that it means I didn't have a scale and had to go to a clinic to find out how far I'd let myself go!

So I am using a calorie tracker from a web site (I won't name them since I don't want to break any spam rules or anything) and it tells me how many calories to eat a day if I want to lose 1.5 pounds a week. It also lets me eat more if I exercise. I haven't had dinner yet, but I plan to keep within my target range for today. I don't have class tomorrow, so I may try some light exercise in front of a fan in the evening.

Nice to meet everyone! Tomorrow I will post a list of everything I ate today and how many calories it came to.
 
Welcome to the forum! And grats on starting your weight loss journey. I think you've got a very realistic goal, and 1.5lbs a week is very do-able. Don't starve yourself, and make sure you're eating healthy things. Its ok to cheat once in awhile, or fall off the wagon, but just remember to always get back on track. I'm in a somewhat similar boat as you right now, 5'2 at 150lbs, and no gym membership (at least after Saturday). I know you said you live in an area with a hot climate, so if you don't mind waking up earlier, perhaps you could go for a brisk walk in the morning while its still cool, or later at in the day when the sun is going down. Push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, etc. There are plenty of bodyweight exercises that you can do without a gym. Or you could invest in a few light weights to help. Whatever you do, just get your body moving! That's the key to success. I've started telling myself this when I have any free time and nothing to do:

"Don't sit, stand. Don't stand, walk. Don't walk, run!" It's all about getting active. Anyways, hope things go well for you!
 
Peach's Weight Loss Diary - Day 1.5

I woke up this morning feeling AMAZING! I don't know whether it's because of the healthy eating or because I drank less alcohol in the evening, (2 glasses of wine, rather than 1/2 bottle or more), but I practically bounced out of bed. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to have energy!

So I was pretty successful yesterday, I went 11 calories over my limit. My roommate made a nice dinner for us and it was a little hard to track, but hopefully my totals were accurate.

So, this is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: 6 oz fresh-squeezed OJ, 1 cup Cheerios

Lunch: Subway 6in Turkey on Wheat w/provolone (no dressing), 1/2 cup sugar snap peas

Snacks: 1/4 cup almonds, 1 cup red grapes

Dinner: 1 flounder filet baked w/stewed tomato, red onion and thin-sliced potato; 1/2 cup rice; 2 glasses Sauvignon Blanc

***

Thanks very much for the warm welcome, Swoofie! I love your motto, and I hope to get in a little exercise this evening - I was reading about what great cardio jumping rope is, so I might get out the jump rope if it cools down enough this evening.
 
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Peach's Diary - Day 2

Today I managed to stay within my calorie goal, and also got a lot of housework accomplished! I'm still moving in to my new place and I got a lot done today to make it more habitable.

I know that I should get more of my calories from food and less from beverages (specifically, wine) but as long as I stay within my goal and eat a decent amount of veggies and fruit, I think I'm OK. Today I got a lot of veggies but no fruit. Tomorrow I would like to get at least one serving of fruit.

What I ate today:

1 cup Cheerios
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup mixed greens with crumbled feta and 1 tsp olive oil
2 slices tomato, 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella, pepperoncini, olives, basil
4 servings Sauvignon Blanc (afternoon/evening/with dinner - mixed with mint and water)
Peach's Low-fatatouille (only 300 cal and SO filling and healthy!!!)
1 serving Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 serving peach sorbet

Total calories: 1408 (8 cal under my goal!)

=0D
 
Peach's Weight Loss Diary - Day 3

Today I went slightly (80 cal) over my goal, due to underestimating the calories (or overestimating the serving size) in some fresh mozzarella. I did eat a serving of fruit today, and I drank less alcohol than yesterday.

I found out that Honey Nut Cheerios have 50 more cal than regular, so I was 50 calories over what I thought for the last 2 days. I subtracted 50 cal from today's max and will do the same tomorrow.

Today I ate:

4 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 cup honey nut cheerios

1 subway turkey & cheese on wheat (no mayo) with veggies
1/3 cup plantain chips

1 cup grapes

Salad w/fresh mozzarella, tomato, oil & vinegar,
2 pepperoncini peppers

2 glasses Sauvignon Blanc
skinless bone-in chicken thigh
tomato sauce with green pepper & onion
1/3 cup rice and beans
1 glass Cabernet Sauvignon

My weight loss goal for tomorrow is to stay within my limit.

I am still feeling good overall, I think I have more energy, am sleeping well, my digestive system is running quite well (I'll spare you the details ;) and I am happy with what I accomplished today between school work and housework. Tomorrow will be a busy day, hoping to get a lot done.
 
Just stopping by to wish you good luck. Little comments from other members here and there can build up your motivation like nothing else. You seem to be doing well so far, and I don't think the little calorie slip ups will make much difference--if any-- to your results. So, yeah. Good luck!
 
Hi! Welcome to the forum - you seem to be doing really well :D I know that I also found the online calorie counter really helpful - it just seems to work really well for me - and the energy I have now is so much different to when I started. Good luck!!
 
Update (Day 3) and thanks

Thank you both for taking the time to comment and encourage me!

Today is shaping up to be a "cheat day" already. When I woke up it was GORGEOUS outside (it has been painfully humid the last week) and my roommate was still asleep. I decided to have a glass of wine and read a chapter of my book until he woke up. We have big plans to run errands today.

Well, he ended up sleeping fairly late and that one glass of wine led to several others. I have a couple of "buy 9 and get the 10th free" from our favorite crepe place near our old apartment (to which I can attribute at least 5 of the pounds I gained this year!). We briefly contemplated going there to eat and hit the Trader Joe's nearby for cheese (my new place is near a Safeway, and their cheese selection is both narrow and overpriced). Then I realized that, what with the amount of fat in Brie and similar cheese and the carbs in the bread I would have it with, it was probably a bad idea to buy cheese. He ended up offering to bike over and get crepes to go. He's not back yet.

I half controlled myself - instead of getting 2 prosciutto and cheese crepes, I asked him to get me one prosciutto and one veggie, planning to eat the veggie later, rather than both at once as was my habit. I plan to eat the prosciutto while it's nice and hot and "fill in the corners" with some watermelon (high calorie to water density ratio) if necessary, saving the veggie for another meal.

I have been craving red-meat protein, so I might stop at Safeway for some (small, lean) steaks and have steak and salad for dinner tonight.

What with the all wine and the crepe, I will definitely be going well over my limit for today.

I know it's important not to let a momentary lapse turn into a complete failure, and I also know it's important not to deny myself to the point that I have a ridiculous binge or give up on my diet entirely. Accordingly, I will not beat myself up over today, but enjoy it (what is the point of cheating if you let guilt overshadow joy?) and focus on getting back on track ASAP.

I plan to stay within my limits for tomorrow, and am considering a fast (semi- I will allow myself watermelon, chicken broth, celery and maybe a green apple) on Sunday. I know starving yourself too much just slows the metabolism and makes you more prone to relapse, and the jury is still out on the benefits of fasting. Accordingly I will definitely limit myself to one 24 hour fast per week, and I may abandon the whole idea depending on how I feel Monday. If I feel as good afterwards as some fasters claim, and if it allows me to cheat now and then without going over my weekly total, Sunday fasting may become part of my routine.

We shall see! Thanks again for the support. I felt a twinge of guilt when I read the comments after my decadent morning. This is exactly what I hoped for when I joined this forum - people to support me and make me accountable without over-judging.

I know that, thanks partly to you, even if I am allowing myself a "cheat day", my ultimate goal of weight loss will remain on my mind, and my inner "calorie counter" will still be activated. This will help prevent my "little cheat" from turning into a full-on binge, and help me get back on track tomorrow. Much appreciated!!

Between my weight-loss plans, the hot weather and some water issues in our apartment, I think the prospect of burning some calories in air-conditioned splendor and a shower afterward sounds AMAZING! Apparently our school's gym is open over the summer, and I have free access as a student. I haven't wanted to go because it's a few blocks walk away from campus (ironic, eh?) but I am considering checking it out next week. I have an evening class 3 days a week, so I may start going early and hitting the gym before class. 3 days a week exercise sounds doable, and according to my food tracker, exercise means I can EAT MORE! Yay! Not to mention I will build muscle and become generally healthier, lol. I have also had a lot of issues with fatigue the past year, to the point I have wondered if I have some kind of thyroid or other imbalance, and everyone I know who works out tells me it gives them a lot of energy. The way I have felt the past few mornings has been great and it would be AMAZING to wake up with even more energy and have it last through the day.

Will post my consumption/calories for today in tomorrow's post. Thanks again to the replyers and best of luck with your own goals! =)
 
Day 3 - Update 2

Well, definitely a cheat day - 500 cal over goal - but even with the round or two of drinks I'll have to have with my friend tomorrow (he's lending himself and his truck to help me pick up some furniture I bought off of Craigslist), fasting on Sunday should even me out for the week. I was afraid that I would end up with more than a day's worth of extra calories.

My roommate and I went shopping and were gone all day. We didn't have lunch (well, "breakfast" was at like 2).

What I ate today:

1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc (1/2 before we left, 1/2 when we got back)
Prosciutto, cheese and basil crepe
Veggie (green pepper, olives, spinach, basil, mushrooms, cheese) crepe
About 1/2 cup of leftover London Broil with a little horseradish and mustard.

My plan for tomorrow is to keep breakfast under 250 cal and lunch under 350. I also plan to avoid drinking any alcohol until after we pick up the furniture (we're supposed to meet the seller at 7pm). In addition to keeping cals down this will help me be more productive and will make moving easier.

I will also make sure to have (or bring) some kind of healthy snack so that I don't end up having greasy bar food for dinner.

Today was a good day, overall. I bought some summer clothes that fit me (I know some people don't like to buy "fat clothes" but I really didn't have much to wear between gaining weight and having had a limited wardrobe to begin with) and made me feel good about myself, including a *beautiful* dress that I *LOVE*. =)

The changing room mirror definitely encouraged me to keep on my diet, but I am pleased that I was able to handle the realization that various items I tried on made me look fat, and just moved on to the next item without spending too much time dwelling on my weight, guilt etc. I think most of the items (except the khaki shorts) will still look OK on me after I lose weight.

After the clothes store we went to a dept. store and a very cute guy checked me out. I love my boyfriend, but it is reassuring to be reminded that no matter how bad I may feel about my weight and even though there definitely is room for improvement, people see me as attractive.

I think I will be able to stick to my plan for tomorrow and Sunday and finish out the week within my weekly calorie goal.
 
Long time no post! Busy weekend.

Saturday I did stick to my goal of not drinking until the moving was done. It was a tough job (the moving, I mean). Afterwards I overindulged in vodka tonics with my friends.

Luckily (?) the resulting nausea helped me to not eat much Sunday.

Monday I am having trouble remembering what I ate. Yesterday I had cheerios for breakfast, subway turkey on wheat for lunch and some mustard greens with fish/corn/bean/salsa stew for dinner. Greens are really filling, full of vitamins and hardly any calories. Got more at the store today.

Hoping to stay on track in the coming days and hopefully remember what I ate Monday night!
 
You're doing great. Slip-ups are ok, and if you forget what you eat every once in awhile, that's ok too. I always have my laptop nearby, and I have a word document saved where I write down what I eat, then look up the calories and whatnot for it all. I always update it after every meal, and if I don't have enough time to check the calories, save it and finish later. If I don't have my laptop, I make a note of what I ate on my phone, save it, and copy it onto my computer when I am around it. I love technology. Lol

Keep doing what you're doing!

~Swoofie
 
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