Tri's Journal

IAmGoingToTri

IAmGoingToTri

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This is day number 121. I started at 98 kg, and today I hit my lowest weight since starting: 93.4 kg, so I lost 4.7 kg right now. So, on average I lost just over 0.25 kg per week.

In this new diary I hope to write short daily updates, sharing my experiences with changing my lifestyle to a healthy one, and particularly how it went that day.

To start of: today I had a good day. I ate healthily and I ran about 8 kilometers (after taking a break for a few days). The habits that I started in the last month (not eating fast food, not drinking alcohol and cola, not eating chips and exercising more) are much easier to stick with. I actually like this new lifestyle, and I am sure that it will help me reach my goals.
 
Hi

Ive been popping in to your diary too
I like that you're taking it slow and losing weight sensibly. Im trying not to be so fixated with the number on the scales as well and trying to make it about each healthy decision I make... Hopefully putting in place habits I can keep for life

It is good to report daily, I try at the start of the day if I can because it focuses me for the day

Enjoy your new fresh start diary
 
Hi Katy! Good to see you here! Thanks for your interest, I am glad that you like my approach! :)

#Update: day 122. I weighed myself this morning, and to my surprise I weighed 91.9 kg! So, I am way past my milestone of 92.5 kg. Every 2.5 kg I have a milestone, and I earn rewards by hitting them (I like to gamify my life a bit). The prize for hitting this milestone is new fitness equipment. When I hit the next milestone (90.0 kg) I can buy a snorkeling mask (I will go on holidays to Tenerife in 5 weeks, so I can really use it there).
I plan to eat healthily (again) today, and exercise this evening. I will run another 8 kilometers.
 
Wow, that's amazing! Bet you'll feel great on your vacation, and you've certainly earned it!
 
day 124 - Still going strong. Today I don't plan to exercise, I already ran 3 days in a row, so it's time for a resting day. I notice that my running speed is increasing fast (approaching 12 km/h over distances of 5-10 km, compared to 9 km/h when I started). The last 2 days I ate healthy foods in healthy quantities, and I plan to do the same today. This week I hope to exercise 3-4 times again, to stay consistent. I expect to reach the middle to lower 91s later this week. I looked at a picture from 4 months ago and I notice that I am a lot thinner now than when I started. Looking forward to see the future changes!
 
Day 125. Ate a lot yesterday, just healthy food. At least 3000 calories in total. Burned around 2500. Not a problem. Sometimes you need to eat a bit more. Today I ate around 2000 calories. Going to run soon after writing this post, about 8 kilometers.

I have not talked about this before, but it may be interesting to mention: I am not only working on improving my health / losing weight. I have recently started my career and I am learning a lot of skills that I need for that, I am working on getting more organized, I am getting my finances in order, I am working on improving my relationships with friends and family and I am working on my mental health (increasing focus, reducing anxiety, etc). So, I am giving my whole life an upgrade. I am glad that I am able to do this now, it has taken a long time before I found the right method and mindset to be able to improve my life. I have goals in each area of my life and I am very serious about meeting those goals, but I am very patient with myself. It's a big balancing act. Sometimes you have to push yourself; for example last week, when I had to exercise 3 days in a row to meet my goal of exercising 3 days per week (I did not want to give up on that goal), and sometimes you need to give yourself a bit of space.

I am glad that I am improving, and an interesting side effect that I have noticed in the last months is that while I am taking steps to take control of my life, other people seem to be following my example. Sometimes I try to get them to get moving forward again, sometimes they decide themselves, and it's always them who are doing the work themselves, but anyways, I like it that I can give people hope by taking responsibility and by making positive steps in my life. It gives me motivation, and a sense of duty to keep making progress, because I deserve a good life, and the people around me benefit from it too.

What do you think of this? Have you noticed that other people are following your example?
 
Nice to see your plan gelling for the new and improved you!
Enthusiasm is contagious. People will notice positive change and be drawn to it.
Nice work!
 
Self-improvement is always a good goal. If you can inspire others with it, all the better.
 
Day 126

Thanks brawny and LaMaria! It feels great that people are getting inspired because of me, but I also must say that I feel that I get as much inspiration and support from the people around me, including you! Your advice and positivity keep me going :)

That said, I did have a tough day today, especially because of work. Having just started my career, sometimes it can be very stressful. You want to prove yourself, but at the same time you know that you still have to learn a lot. I did not choose an easy job. I have to up my game a bit in order to be successful, and today I felt anxious that I may fail. I concluded that this was mostly in my own head, that people probably think that I am doing fine. I decided to work a bit harder and more efficient. This will be my main priority. So, I will definitely not set any new goals for improving my health. However, I also plan not to let go of the goals that I am already working on, and of the good habits that I have created. If I just keep doing this, I will lose weight and my health will keep improving.

Today I walked around 8 kilometers and I burned over 3000 calories over the whole day, and I ate around 1500 calories (planning to eat a few hundred more), so I have a nice deficit of around 1000-1500 calories.
 
Sounds like you have the right attitude. If your life is in order it is much easier to lose weight. Less stress eating-lol. I know how you feel starting a new job. I am in I.T. so I start a new job every couple of years- I. T. seems to be like that-haha. I always feel anxious as to whether I am doing a good job. What I do is after a month or so- I have a talk with my boss. Find out what she/ he thinks. What am I doing right? Wrong? How can I improve? It shows you are interested in doing good work and are willing to do what it takes.

Great job on the eating and the exercise!
 
I agree with Cowboy on talking to your boss/supervisor to get a feel for where you stand. You seem to be a mighty dedicated person, so I'm pretty sure you will succeed in your chosen profession as well as in your fitness endeavors (and I have no idea if I'm spelling that correctly, my phone's on German).
 
You do seem like a very dedicated & determined person tri. Cowboy's suggestion sounds like a good one re talking to your boss. I'm pretty sure you will succeed in just about everything you set your mind to as well.
 
Thanks for your kind words cowboy48, LaMaria and cate! :)

@cowboy48, that is a good point... less stress means less stress eating! ;) Eating because of stress used to be my #1 weight gain causing bad habit. However, now that I cut out most calorie-dense food (and beverages for that matter) from my diet, I notice that stress eating is also less common... because they are the kinds of food that I used to eat. Now, even if I do stress eat, I may overeat by 1000 calories, but not by multiple thousands, which only seems possible with calorie dense foods.
Interesting that you are working in I.T, I am too (Geo IT to be precise)! Good advice on asking my employer about my performance, will do that at a suitable time! In the meantime I will keep working on improving! :)

@LaMaria - Das ist richtig! (ja ich verstehe auch deutsch ;) )

@cate - thanks very much. I sure hope so! :)

Day 127. I think this will be a good day. I am eating healthy and planning to run 10 kilometers.
 
Hartstikke goed hoor :D I studied geology for a little while some time in the Dark Ages, by the way, but I quit right around the time programming got into the mix.
 
@LaMaria - Haha, it's nice to see that you speak some dutch! :) And interesting to know that you studied geology, I like that topic. By the way you made quite a shift by going to physical therapy. You seem to have a broad interest! (excluding programming :p).

Update:
Day 127, end of the day:
I ran/walked around 14 kilometers today, and with my other activity I estimate that I burned around 3500 calories. I ate around 2000 calories. So, another day with a big deficit.

I am noticing my weight loss more and more. I am quickly getting faster at running (which is also due to training, of course), and I notice that my body shape is changing. The volume of my body is shrinking! This is apparent in almost every part of my body, but it most visible in my face. I am looking much better than when I started losing 4 months ago, if I may say so myself! ;)

My work is still challenging... not sure that I will succeed at this job. The challenge may be too big, it may be too late. But I will fight for it, using the same approach as I use here, which basically is:
1. identify the issues. what should be/go better?
2. look honestly at what it is you do that causes these issues
3. identify which changes you can make that have a large positive impact, while being realistic as well
4. choose some changes to start with. you can't change everything in a day.
5. find out how you can keep yourself motivated through the process, for example with rewards, and support.
6. start making these changes.
7. be patient with yourself in the process. if you slip up, forgive yourself, don't give up and start over again until you succeed.

I trust that, by doing this, I will have a good chance of success. But this week is critical, especially tomorrow. I will wake up at 5 am to start working and I will probably work until somewhere in the evening. Then I will go for a run/walk, and go to bed as early as I can, so that I can have another (hopefully less long) productive day on Friday.
 
Yes you may say so yourself; your opinion is after all the most important one. Good luck with you hard days and sleep well :grouphug:
 
Thanks LaMaria!

I survived the day, worked very hard, had some good conversations and it went very well. My job is not in danger anymore, even more, the problem was mostly in my imagination (due to the high expectations I have of myself), it was not real. However, I am glad that I did fight for it, that I made the choices that I did make.

What I learned from my colleagues is that I can take my time to start my career, that it's normal if I make some mistakes and learn some things. I also learnt that it helps to communicate about this, and if I do this a bit earlier I can prevent rollercoaster days like this one. Although I must say that I enjoyed most things I did today. I like the course that I am following, looking forward to learn there, I have met some very nice people there, I liked the meeting that I had.

Now that it's over, let start talking about the topic of this forum again: losing weight! Days like these (almost my entire week until now) are really spoil for my appetite for food and they give me the need to go outside to exercise to get rid of my stress. So, it is very good for weight loss! :p

This morning I weighed 92.0 kg. I expect to weigh somewhere around 91.0-91.5 by the end of this week. The weight loss is going faster than it needs to go, but that's fine, it's not too extreme either, and it will probably slow down after this week. Losing half a kilo per week is perfect. Losing one kilogram in a week is nice every now and then, but it's not necessary and it is not desirable on the long run. I am already happy with the progress that I made now, I feel much better about my weight, how I look and it's much easier to move. Even though I intend to keep losing (quite a lot more), I don't need it to be confident in my own body.
 
When you start a new job I think most employers expect you to ask lots of questions and make some mistakes. That is par for the course. I know what you mean when you say that you have high expectations of yourself- I do too. Makes me stressed sometimes when I shouldn't be. I have always given 100% in my work. It makes me feel good to know I have done a good job.

Learn from whomever you can there. I always look for a mentor or someone that has been at the job for a while. Helps if they are respected by other people in the company. Ask them to help mentor you - most people are flattered to be asked. It is good that you are enjoying the work- that is half the battle.

Good job on the weight loss and the running. Keep up the good work!
 
Day 129:

91.6 kg. Again the lowest weight since I started changing my habits 4 months ago. 8 days ago my lowest weight was 93.4, so I lost 1.8 kg in 8 days. That is kind of shocking, isn't it? (don't worry I won't let it continue going this fast :)).

Today I intend to eat healthy foods and exercise again, another 8-10 kilometer run.

@cowboy48 - that's great advice, I will certainly do that! Thanks!
 
Day 133.

Weight: 91.9 kg.

It's good to cut a long journey in smaller steps, so that's what I did. So, here is my list of arbitrary milestones :p:
91.0 kg: BMI is 26.0
90.7 kg: weight is below 200 pounds
90.0 kg: The next reward milestone. A nice round number, isn't it? ;)
88.9 kg: weight is below 14 stones
88.0 kg: lost 10 kg
87.5 kg: BMI is 25.0 (and another milestone)
86.0 kg: weight is below 190 pounds and 20 kg lost compared to highest weight ever (106 kg)
85.0 kg: Another reward milestone
84.1 kg: BMI is 24.0
83.0 kg: lost 15 kg
82.5 kg: Another reward milestone, and weight is below 13 stones
81.6 kg: weight is below 180 pounds
81.0 kg: Lost 25 kg compared to highest weight ever
80.6 kg: BMI is 23.0
80.0 kg: Another round number and another reward milestone.

I hope you enjoyed my list of numbers ;). I look forward to hitting another milestone, somewhere this week or next week.
 
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