Down Again!

Hello!

Well, following my checklist of what to do last week paid off!  I am down 2.2 pounds today, losing the weight that I gained last week plus a little extra.  I've been focusing on working out almost everyday (five days this week), drinking a lot more water, and staying under my 1500 calorie limit each day.  We even had a splurge day- Tim and I went to Applebees Monday after our lunch shift.  We went for the $5.99 burgers, and happened to hit happy hour as well.  We went a little crazy, and got burgers, mozzarella sticks, and I had a margarita.  It was wonderful after a rough shift at work, and nice to not think about the calories for a little bit.

I was immediately filled with guilt after we splurged.  We also aren't used to having that heavy food anymore, so we promptly passed out when we got home.  After the nap, I hit the gym for the second time that day, doing 35 minutes on the bike in the morning and 25 in the evening.  To top off the day, we went for frozen yogurt (we did walk there- about 1/2 mile).  Total calories for that day were very high, about 2400!  I burned about 800 at the gym, and serving averages about 150-230 calories burned per hour, so I ended up breaking even.  Still, it is crazy to think that used to be a regular day for us- without the exercise.  Now, when we go over on food for the day, I make sure to make up for it.  I'm ok working off the food, as it allows me to break the healthy food cycle every now and then.  Days like that also serve as a reminder to how easy it would be to slip back.  2400 calories is about 2/3 of a pound.  If we didn't work out, I could easily have gained about a half pound (theoretically) in one day!  I also recognized how terrible I felt after eating.  We fell asleep almost immediately after returning home- I felt so sluggish, and had to make myself go back down to workout again.  I have gotten used to feeling better everyday, and I don't want to give that up for burgers!

This week, we are planning on trying out this recipe I found on Women's Health Magazine for a healthy version of Arroz con Pollo.  We will also be walking to the frozen yogurt place down the street a night or two this week.  As long as we don't pile on the toppings, an 8 ounce serving only has 110 calories, and it's delicious!  This coming from a girl who loves ice cream- got hooked on it from a young age.  This is just as good, and we walk there and back, so it's not a terrible treat to have!

I am hoping to be officially down a size within a month.  I can fit into one size smaller jeans, but they are a little snug for how I like the fit.  I have lost three inches around my waist (so it looks like I am curvy), an inch around my hips, belly and boobs, and about a half inch each from my neck and arms.  That's a total loss of seven inches!! Sadly, I haven't lost anything from my legs yet,  but I'm really looking forward to it!

I hope this is helping some of you get motivated to be healthier!  If I can manage to lose weight without feeling like I'm suffering, I know anyone can!  Feel free to ask any questions, or comment any tips of your own!  I still haven't worked out with the website how to comment anonymously from smartphones, but hopefully that bug will be worked out with blogger!
(you may be able to if you go to the full site version on your phone)

Have a great week!