Apologies for not getting to this earlier in the week.  I’m writing this on Day 19 (346 to go) –

As promised, here are the numbers from the scale on July 15, day 15 and reflect days 8-14:

                                                         Total Loss/Gain

Weight           246.1                        -6.6
Body Fat        104.3                         -3.6
BMI                  41.0                        -1.0

This week was less dramatic, but still, .6 pounds of body fat.  Most of the loss was water/lean muscle. And I passed from one BMI number into another (for what that’s worth!)

This means time to be focusing on exercise and probably weight bearing exercise.  Aerobic exercise can, and does, contribute to loss of lean muscle, but working the muscles keeps the muscle as well as adds to it.  And keeping muscle is important for metabolism and health and looks.

As to other goals –

Physical goals – I had one rough, less than six hours of sleep, night.  But otherwise, the rest of the nights were at least six and more like seven plus each night, which is where I feel best.

We worked out at the gym three times but I did only aerobics which may have contributed to less fat loss, but more water/muscle loss.  Not sure, but it’s good to be reminded of this – need to vary the exercise and do the machines, too.  I also walked the dog and even did some driveway walking to get more steps in.

Food – not too bad.  Still doing pizza Sundays – we doctor up a grocery bought pizza and eat three slices.  It’s not as much as going to Domino’s or Round Table, but still . . . a lot of salt and fat (yumm – two of my favorite food groups.)  We have also done Ben & Jerry’s as our big treat for the week, too. We always have leftovers, by the way – two slices for Monday.

This combo – pizza and ice cream – is only once a week.  I have conflicted feelings about it – I like it (duh), but . . . come on.  We’re talking ice cream here.

I knew food was going to hard.  I’m trying to stick to my rather easy food plan the rest of the week, but still . . . okay, I’m not ready to make any more changes yet.

Mental Goals – I was a lazy sod, and did some reading, but didn’t do any Spanish.

Inside/Outside Goals – We had a playdate which was fun – a two-hour harbor cruise in Marina del Rey on a gorgeous day.  Can’t beat that and especially can’t beat the price – it was a perk from our financial adviser.

As to inside goals, more decluttering blocks.  Got the pantry cleaned out and set up my husband’s new “office” on a kitchen table.

Spiritual Goals – I meditated a few days, and wrote a couple of drafts for the thank you note project.  I’m definitely going to modify that one, but haven’t done it yet.

I said this was a building week – some things are continuing, some are stalling a bit (hola!!!), and writing this points it out to me.

***

This project is not just about weight, for me.  I’ve been fat most of my life, so I’m not going to be getting thin in a year – my goal is just to be “less fat.”  That’s about health, not vanity.  The other goals are going to be about improving who I am and those are as important to me as the weight and health goals.

I’m writing this on Day 9 (356 to go) –

As promised, here are the numbers from the scale yesterday (day 8):

Weight           247.8
Body Fat        104.9
BMI                  41.2

The big loss is body fat – three pounds.  Yay!

The weight loss is 4.9 pounds, but really, it’s body fat that counts and the loss I’m looking towards.  I know the first few weeks of changing patterns tends towards a loss of excess water.  My going forward concern is, of course, not losing too much lean muscle tissue because at 56 (well at any age), lean muscle tissue is what keeps up the metabolism and health overall.

So it’s amazing that in a week that included a holiday and some holiday indulgence, I still lost the body fat.  That’s probably more to do with exercise than what I was eating, although I admit that writing down what I’m eating is consciousness raising in and of itself.  I know . . . everybody says it and everybody’s right.

As to other goals –

Physical goals – I did pretty well with sleeping – in fact, I slept at least six hours every night and a few times was right at eight hours.  My exercise was a bit lower than my goal, but still, I did get out almost every day even if it wasn’t quite 30 minutes.  I did do a few garage walks – meaning I added extra steps on a dog walk to increase my time and mileage walking up and down the driveway between our townhouses’ garages.  Pretty silly, but I guess only the cat was there to mock me.

Mental Goals – I did some Spanish, but am not in the habit yet – ways to go on that one.  Hola!

As to reading, I put a few longer novels on my kindle to be read in the future, and I finished one book – “Orange is the New Black” by Piper Kerman.  If you’re watching the show in Netflix (it’s not for kids, but if you’re an adult . . . it’s highly recommended for the ensemble work of the rather quirky cast – and who cannot love Kate Mulgrew!  Wowza.)  The book is quite different just so you know, but it’s also worth the read – she’s pretty darn honest about what got her in prison.  And Larry is not such a schmuck.  So there.

Inside/Outside Goals – Did nothing on the outside goals.  On the inside goals, we’re in the process of decluttering a room that’s been my husband’s office for quite some time and returning it to a bedroom for an adult child who will be returning and going back to school.  We’re not packrats, well, not exactly, but some spaces have not been touched in like almost nine years, since we moved in.  So I did put in some time on the decluttering block.

Spiritual Goals – I meditated about half the days and as to the thank you note project – I didn’t even get started on it.  I thought a lot about it.  I really did – and what I thought was – It’s too darn hard and I won’t succeed.  I think it may need some modification to make it just a bit more do-able.  Still thinking on it and will report more next week.  I’m not surprised, though, that this is the sticky wicket for me.  I’ve been struggling for awhile now with spiritual matters (long story there.)

So I think it was a good entry week.  Now comes the building weeks – building on successes, making tweaks, and continuing on.