Jumped on the Weight Loss Bandwagon & Weight Loss Stats

Well, after Scott started losing weight, and drinking the whey protein, I decided to join him in the weight loss adventure. He mistakenly one day gave me a sip of his vanilla whey protein shake, and I was surprised that it was really good. He then told me how the whey protein has an ability to curb your appetite, so that you’re not hungry all the time. Hmm.. Sounded good to me, I thought. So about a week after he started losing weight and drinking the protein shakes, I joined him. The results for me have been nothing short of a miracle.

Like most women, almost every year, I “try” to lose weight, and like most women, I fail. About a year ago, I even made a little Diet journal for me, so that I could mark my weight loss successes, I was thinking if I saw it on paper, it would encourage me to keep going. Well, it didn’t. The book started collecting dust, and the pounds stayed on. Well, since I’ve started this diet, actually, it’s not a diet..I’m going to quit calling it a diet…it’s a lifestyle change, since I’ve started cooking and eating better, the pounds are melting away.

I really have been debating if I wanted to put my actual weight in this blog post, but I told Scott that if I got below a certain weight, that I probably would. Well, I’m close enough now…so here goes…

Last year, September 18, 2006, according to my diet journal, I weighed 159.6, then I started dieting, and exercising, and eating better. My next entry on October 2nd, 2006, I weighed 160.2. Then there were no more entries. This always happens to me. I start “dieting”, and I always gain weight! I’m eating less, eating more vegetables, exercising, not eating sugar, and I gain weight. So, I get depressed, and think to myself.. “well, if I’m going to gain weight, I might as well not be on a diet and eat what I want, when I want!” And this is the cycle I go through every time.

Well, I started this lifestyle change around August 23rd, and I weighed 157.3. I started having a 2 scoop whey protein shake (chocolate is so yummy..like a liquid chocolate bar!) in the morning for breakfast, and another for lunch, and then a sensible dinner. I lost a couple pounds within a few days, and was excited. I didn’t exercise much except 50 sit-ups and a few push-ups every couple of days. Then week 2 came. This is where I always have quit before…it was definitely a yo-yo week. My weight fluctuated all week. From 155 down to 154, back up to 154.2, down to 153, and then spiked back up to 154.6, and then down to 152.8. This time I stuck to it even with the weight gains..I was determined to get over the 2nd week hump!!!  Scott really helped me to keep going during this hard week because the same thing happened to him.

Now I’m on to week 3, and on Saturday, September 8th, I weighed 152, and this morning, Sunday, September 9th, I weighed 150.8. That’s almost 7 pounds in 3 weeks!!!! The kids and I have started to take a 1.60 mile walk around the neighborhood almost every night at a brisk pace. Well, my son actually doesn’t walk..he gets pushed in a little jogger stroller. Man, he’s got the life! Today, I started a circuit training routine with 15 pound dumbbells. They felt like 100 pound dumbbells by the time I was done. Well, they say if you sweat, just think of it as fat exiting from your body!! Right now, my short term goal is to get under 150 again. I haven’t seen that in a few years, sadly to say. I’ve decided I’d like to get down to 135 (or maybe lower if possible) for a long term goal. That is what I weighed before I ever had Brittany, almost 10 years ago!!

For this week, since I’m getting lower in weight, I need to cut a few more calories, I’ve cut my shakes back to only 1 scoop of whey protein in each shake, to help me save calories. There is a very simple formula to figure out how calories you should be taking in. Now I don’t stick to this calorie thing like it’s law…I merely use it as a guideline for portion control throughout the day.

Your present weight x 7 = Your daily caloric needs for weight loss

If you don’t like doing math, the chart below gives you an idea of how many calories you need, depending on your current weight.

If you weigh more than 300 pounds, start by eating 2,100 calories a day. If you weigh less than 150 pounds, plan to eat around 1,050 calories a day.

Current Weight …………….. Daily Caloric Needs for Weight Loss

• 150 …………………………………………………………. 1,050
• 160 …………………………………………………………. 1,120
• 170 …………………………………………………………. 1,190
• 180 …………………………………………………………. 1,260
• 190 …………………………………………………………. 1,330
• 200 …………………………………………………………. 1,400
• 210 …………………………………………………………. 1,470
• 220 …………………………………………………………. 1,540
• 230 …………………………………………………………. 1,610
• 240 …………………………………………………………. 1,680
• 250 …………………………………………………………. 1,750
• 260 …………………………………………………………. 1,820
• 270 …………………………………………………………. 1,890
• 280 …………………………………………………………. 1,960
• 290 …………………………………………………………. 2,030
• 300 …………………………………………………………. 2,100

Scott and I are having fun having little competitions among ourselves of who can get down below the 150 or the 260 (for him) mark first. It’s been fun doing this together and way more supportive, than watching him eat chips while I’m eating carrots, or vice versa!