Update on 7 lb Weight Loss

if you'll recall, on March 1st I posted that I was gunning to lose 7 pounds. I am pleased to report that 14 days in, I am down 3.5 pounds.

I've gotten better (but not great) at portion control and within just the last week I am making a push to eliminate all most sugar from my diet. At first I thought I'd go so far as to even eliminate fruit, but I nixed that idea because a) I don't think it's healthy and b) I was snacking non-stop on bread, which can only lead to evil. Instead, moderate fruit, but I have eliminated sugars such as honey, maple syrup, and CHOCOLATE.

Want to know my new obsession? Baker's unsweetened chocolate. No sugar and dipped in a bit of tahini sauce or homemade almond butter it is YUM. The hardest thing to give up is my nightly diet hot chocolate and my (sob!) mochas from Starbucks. But I comfort myself with the thought that this isn't forever. Just until the rest of the weight comes off.  

I'm doing well with exercising, which helps. I'm taking a Barre class and soon I'll start hot yoga and bit more intensive personal training. I found a trail running partner for Monday's and we've already put in two strong trail runs. The variety is keeping me motivated. 

I'm encouraged by the slow yet steady weight loss. 1-2 pounds a week is excellent and all I expect. The first week I weighed in, I was down 4.2 pounds but I knew that couldn't be right. I hadn't made THAT many changes to my diet. I suspected water weight and I was right. The next week showed me up 2 pounds (but still down 2 pounds overall from the starting weight). Then another 1.5 pounds this week. 

Sorry to bore you with the "...and then I ate a carrot" stuff, but my fear of public shaming can serve me well here. I'll keep checking in and let you know how it's going. 

Comments

[Jennette Green]

Eat right, keep moving.

You just have read all that you need to know about how to prevent being overweight. That simple set of instructions should be easy to follow, but not for 35% of Americans who are unable to prevent being overweight.

Of course, once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to health, others having to do with looks.

In addition, it is never too late to lose weight. But the fact is, it is a whole lot easier to prevent putting on pounds than to try losing them later on. And if there is one thing we all know, it is that weight gain is likely to happen if we do not take forward-looking steps to stop it

[Sara]

Hi Dena,you have an great blog! I just want to know what do you think about this new weight loss african mango supplement?

[Dena]

I agree with Jennette - eat right, keep moving. I think an 80-90% healthy diet combined with exercise allows you the freedom to indulge on occasion with no guilt. I'm not a fan of fad diets or pills or even terribly restrictive diets. (Although some people think being vegetarian is terribly restrictive, I don't feel that way.) Everything in moderation. My deal is that I was not/am not a moderate sugar eater. I gulp the stuff down. I'm hoping to eliminate the cravings so that I can enjoy sugar at more moderate levels in the future.