Sunday, November 28, 2010

Kicking it up a Notch

So... the 10-10-10 Get in Better Shape (aka Lose Some Weight) program is not going so well. After a week's vacation that included five mornings of tennis and two days on a bike, I "only" gained five pounds - putting me at a new lifetime high weight. Not at all the sort of record one wants to set - ever!

It's time to kick it up a notch.

I have a lot of things going for me:

1) I have all the skills and experience I need for this. I have lost weight successfully a number of times. [Altho it's also true that I am even more successful at gaining it back. We will deal with that later - in about six months!]

2) I have support. Stacy (a Wise Woman), you all in blogland, and starting today Mitchell. More on that later.

3) I have found an exercise that I actually like - Jazzercise - and have been slowly increasing the number of times a week I go. And after a three-month break, I am ready to start playing tennis again.

4) I have a new tool. I know that journaling is incredibly helpful in the weight loss game, but I have not been doing it. Apparently having to write it down if it goes into the mouth causes us to either not put it in the mouth at all, or to choose a healthier option. You know, a cup of tea instead of a tablespoon of peanut butter (right out of the jar!). But, keeping track in my head is just not doing the trick.

5) And, perhaps most important of all, I know that I can do it. It will be hard, but I can do it.

And, I'm sharing the new tool with you. It's a free website called MyFitnessPal. You set up an account, set your goals and create a profile and then track both your food intake and your exercise on whatever basis you want - daily, weekly, or whatever. That sounds a lot like journaling, doesn't it? The modern difference is that the site calculates how much exercise and how many calories you need for a slow and sensible weight loss and provides the info on how many fat grams, carbs, protein grams and fiber grams on a daily basis. As you enter your foods consumed, it calculates what you have left. At the end of the day - when you have also entered any exercise - it gives you a daily summary.

You can do weigh-ins as you wish and it keeps a running track, as well as calculating BMI - now, that's scary - and resting metabolism and all sorts of other nerdy statistical stuff. There are message boards, blogs, all sorts of community resources. You have the option to post your weight loss to your Facebook account - like I'm going to do that!! And if you have one of those fancy phones, you can access your account from there and do your inputting on the fly.

Mitchell found the site this morning and shared it with me. He announced that he wants to lose some weight, too, and we are going to work together on this. It helps so much to have an in-the-house partner. We planned dinner together tonight and calculated how much each of us could have, and he's already talking about how to make soup tomorrow, so it will be a good partnership for us both.

If you are interested, please join us. We're gonna get healthy ... and a bit slimmer! My goal is significant for a short woman, so it may take nine months or more, so I am looking at 11-11-11 as a goal date. How do you like that?

8 comments:

  1. Good for you Webb and Mitchell. Believe me I know the power of accountability. And the power of two + us and Stacy.

    So I'll be rooting for you and if I ever get the colones to give up an awful habit of mine, I'll ask for help too.

    Together we're better.

    xo jane

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  2. The internet has added another dimension to life, hasn't it? FitnessPal sounds like a great website, and there is so much to be gained (sorry) by doing this with a buddy.

    You CAN lose weight and keep it off! You go, girl!

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  3. I love your determination Webb, and with it you will get there I am sure. I cannot lose weight unless I write every morsel down, don't know why and have just had to accept it, tedious as it is. For me it is also portion size and the crucial one, not buying the stuff that is my downfall in the first place, I just have to shout in my head, "No do NOT buy that yummy baggette and cheese" If it is not there, you can't eat it! So great you have Mitchell doing it too now. Cheering you on from the UK!

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  4. Thanks, All, for the encouragement. Belinda is correct - the accountability of writing it down helps. Am sure the shiny will soon rub off of this new site, but for now it's helpful. One day at the time.

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  5. What a smart lady to be doing this before the holidays and keeping the loss under control, Your plan-of-attack is well thought out. I lost 28 lbs this past summer with road biking twice a day and it helped that I had an upcoming trip, a strong motivation ( or panic). Cycling works really well for women.I could walk miles and nothing happens. If we find the physical exercise we love it seems to make it happen, effortlessly. Best of luck and i know you willr each your goal. Keep me posted on your progress. XO

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  6. Congrats on your goal! A support system is fantastic, and I know you can do it.

    I think I'm going to join you on this one, I have one too many pounds to lose. (Now if you only lived close to me to kick my butt out of bed to exercise...)

    I completely vouch for the success of keeping a journal. I lost 30 puonds in 2009 journaling EVERYTHING on fitness.com. Shame on me for gaining it back in 2010!

    Seriously though,I think I will join you on this one Webb!

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  7. Best of luck to you Webb! I've been trying to loose a few pounds to get back to my pre-France life and they just aren't budging! I feel like a sausage when I squeeze into all my jeans. I hate to think of what I'll be like after the holidays... I'm guessing jumbo sausage :-(

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  8. Vivianne and SL,

    Would LOVE to have you as partners on this journey. The MyFitnessPal has a friending feature where we could actually see each other's progress - boy, that's putting it in the street - but it's a thought. let me know! And GOOD LUCK in your journeys. XO webb

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