A Long Overdue Update

The blog fell by the wayside as big changes in my life occurred. I moved to a new town, bought a house, found a career, broke it off with my fiance, and totally changed my lifestyle.

Wow.

The results have been worthwhile and I've learned a lot.

I also got in to my size 5 goal pants and comfortably wear a size 4 most of the time.

I'm still not where I want to be, but I'm getting close. The thing that worked best was certainly the 5 Bite Diet, which I was certainly quite skeptical about at first. The one modification I made was instead of black coffee, I would mix a spoonful of chocolate protein powder in to it because:
1. I like chocolate and can't stand black coffee
2. It satisfied the cravings to eat
3. Protein is important

What really helped more than the 5 Bite Diet was a lifestyle change. It's cliche, but true. I started an active life. The house I bought required hours of physical labor to make it livable. Leaving my fiance drastically changed what I did in my free time from eating and watching movies to exercise, cleaning, and socializing without food. Once I started seeing the benefits, it changed my relationship with friends too. Some friendships have certainly weakened, but overall its been largely a positive impact. I now meet up with a few different friends to run or walk. I ride my bike as often as I can. I enjoy moving and being active.

Although my relationship didn't work out for personal reasons, I now can see how having a partner that isn't working toward the same goals is a huge hurdle. Surrounding yourself with people with similar goals is what truly makes all the difference.

Measurement Monday: April 6th, 2015

Belated posting, but measuring was on time. I was really sick this past week I wanted to do nothing but eat comfort food but didn't end up doing too badly on eating. I didn't track anything or count bites, but it worked out in my favor this week.

Abdomen: 40.5 (-.75)
Waist: 31.5 (-.7)
Bust: 40.4 (-.6)
Chest: 34.4 (-.4)
Hip: 42.9 (-.6)
Left Arm: 13.2 (-.1)
Left Forearm: 10.4 (-.1)
Left Calf: 15.3 (-.45)
Left Thigh: 25.2  (0)
Right Arm: 13 (0)
Right Forearm: 10.3 (+.05)
Right Calf: 15.4 (-.35)
Right Thigh: 25.3 (-.5)
Neck: 13.6 (0)
Current Weight: 174.4 pounds (-8.2)
Inches lost: -5
Running total: -21.7, -21.6 pounds

I wanted to lost 5 pounds this past week and I blew that goal out of the water by losing just over 8 pounds! Whoo! Makes being sick a little more bearable. Also, I think it's funny that the number of inches I've lost matches the number of pounds I've lost.

Next week's goal: lose 2 pounds. I feel confident I'll lost a pound this week, but it's so hard after a big loss to keep momentum. Usually if I lose big one week, the next week I'll put on a pound! I'm not sure if it's my brain or my body that leads to the wait gain, but I'm going to fight it this week. I'm still not feeling well, so hopefully that will help.

Already Hit Goal!

On Monday I wanted to lose 5 pounds this week. This morning I weighed 177.2 and ate a ton of sodium yesterday. I knew 5 pounds was doable. All I have to do is eat reasonably the rest of the week.

I'm also only 1 pound away from the 30 pound mark!

First of the Month Photos: April, 2015

FINALLY getting back on track. First photo in each pair will be from April 2014 (Holy cow, I've been blogging for a year now?), the second will be from April of 2015.

Looks like some progress! Thighs are DEFINITELY thinner.Boobs are smaller, but maybe perkier?

I can see progress! Rib fat is less apparent, arm is thinner, thighs are smaller, lots of good things.

Thinner arms, less back fat, lots more muscle definition in my back. Awesome!
I seem to have misplaced my body fat calipers, but that's okay. I'll find them by next month.
Weight: 182.6
BF%: ?
Goal: Lost 15 pounds and get into the shorts (below) without a muffin top! They're a pair of Calvin Klein size 10s that I found at a thrift store.They're not too bad on the waist, but I feel like my thighs are going to bust them open any moment.

Measurement Monday, March 30th, 2015

Back on track and back to measuring. The last time I measured was the end of November!

Abdomen: 41.25 (-1.5)
Waist: 32.2 (-1.3)
Bust: 41 (-2)
Chest: 34.8 (-1.4)
Hip: 43.5 (-1.75)
Left Arm: 13.3 (-.8)
Left Forearm: 10.5 (-.25)
Left Calf: 15.75 (0)
Left Thigh: 25.2  (-1.2)
Right Arm: 13 (-1)
Right Forearm: 10.25 (-.25)
Right Calf: 15.75 (-.5)
Right Thigh: 25.8 (-.7)
Neck: 13.6 (-.6)
Current Weight: 182.6 pounds (-9.2)
Inches lost: -13.25
Running total: -16.7, -13.4 pounds

I know it doesn't look like I've lost much, since it's been four months since my last measuring, but in that time I have gone from a tight 14 to a loose 12 (or a really tight 10)

Next week's goal: lose 5 pounds. It's a lofty goal, but yesterday morning I was at 179.2, so that's just over 3 pounds right there in bloat/food weight.

Another Long Absence

Today has been a bad day. I'd done great for a while. I'd been sticking to 5 Bites and had gotten down to 178.2. I was so excited...but then it was like get below 180 gave me permission to suck. I haven't felt great the last few days either. Ugh.

I need to get back in gear. I'm going to start blogging regularly again. I'm also going to start a new challenge. Historically, I haven't done well with my challenges. How will thus one be different? Well, this isn't just a challenge, it's a new habit.

I'll be doing 20 squats before I use the bathroom. With the loss of 27 pounds, I've noticed that my butt has gotten particularly sad.

When I lost weight back in high school, I always lost from my ass first, leaving me with huge thighs and a big muffin top. No good.

With 5 Bites, I'm noticing a very different weight loss pattern: my legs and arms have really slimmed down. Its nice having thinner legs to go with my lack of butt.

Anyway, I'll be reinstating Measurement Monday.

A Happy Medium

Good news! I've found a happy medium to my dieting dilemma. It may seem overly thought-out (obsessive?), but I think it will work for me, and that the important part!

Monday: Free day! I always grab lunch with a friend, it's our one day to hang out during the week, and it's the day that I cheat and then beat myself up over for the remainder of the week.

Odd Dates: 5 Bite Diet!

Even Dates: Intuitive Eating

So, what's the point? Well, I'm hoping by alternating I can 1. Keep my relationship with food healthy, 2. Train myself for maintenance, 3. Not cheat on my 5 Bite days, and 4. Actually lose weight (something I didn't really manage to do on Intuitive Eating alone).

I'm pretty excited, and I have to say, it's going well! I feel like I have better control over my diet than ever before. In addition, after a Monday of Intuitive Eating, and a Tuesday of Intuitive Eating, I was down .2 pounds! Does that seem like a silly thing to celebrate?

Checking in Again

Well, we finally have internet!

Also, this means updates will be a bit more regular.

So, how are things going?

Um. Not horrible?

My head has been in kind of a weird place recently in regards to my weight. Some days I wake up and think I look so much thinner (pictures to come!) and slack off on my diet because I'm hot shit already.

Other days I think that I'm still huge and if 10 bites a day is good, zero bites a day should be better!..but then I get hungry. Then the next day I end up feeling worse, not because I cheated, but because I obviously am fatter.

That doesn't sound very healthy, now does it?

I know this is bad. I know this is an unhealthy mentality. Through all my dieting this past year, I've never really felt that way. This is exactly why people eventually move to intuitive eating. I'm debating recommitting to intuitive eating. This can't be healthy, right?

On the other hand, if I just stick with 5 Bites until I get to a point where I'm at least more comfortable with my body, then I can switch and not hate my body. I can lose the last 10 or 15 pounds with intuitive eating.

The problem is the last 10 or 15 pounds is still 40 pounds away. I'm not sure where I'll be mentally by the time I get there.

Between 5 Bites and Intuitive Eating

I've easily maintained my weight loss while just trying my best to listen to my body, but I can't get myself motivated enough to go back to 5 Bites. Natural portion control is coming along easily, but I'm just not losing.

This morning I was 189.6. I have 4.6 pound to go by the end of January. Seems doable, if only I could focus.

I'm thinking I'm going to try 5 Bites consistently until I get down to my goal weight for the month. Maybe if I simply focus until I get to X-weight, then give myself a reprieve, I'll be able to tackle this weight loss?

A bit over 4 pounds per month and I'll be down to 150. That would be so worth it, wouldn't it?

4 pounds a month would mean 173 by May. 173 is a size 8 -10 for me! I'd be set for bikini season!

Checking In, Resolutions, and January's Goal

I've been unable to log in the past few weeks between house sitting in the middle of nowhere and rebuilding our new home! I may disappear again, but I thought I'd let everyone know how things are going:

5 Bites: Not going well. I'm firmly in the realm of Intuitive Eating right now. Between holiday eating, a bachelorette party, having no kitchen due to the move and construction, and lots of alcohol, I haven't been able to maintain 5 Bites and my happiness. On the other hand, I've done a great job of listening to my body and limiting my portions to the range between what my body needs for fuel and what I want emotionally.

Weight: 189.4! Whoo! Through intuitive eating and happy portion control, I've broken 190. This is a really big deal, as I don't know the last time I was below 190. Perhaps my high school graduation?

Body Fat: 29.6%, At the beginning of November I was at 31.3%. Almost 2% during the biggest eating months of the year isn't too shabby in my book.

Weight-related Resolution: Get down to 150. It's a lot of weight to lose, and if it doesn't happen, I won't be heartbroken, but I like having a goal to work towards. I'll be very angry with myself if I'm not down to 175 by the end of the year.  I spent most of this year gaining weight as I experimented with different diets and have spent the last few months finally losing all that dieting weight. This year will be different. I'll lose weight the whole year, instead of gaining and playing catch up. I simply need to lose 1.3 pounds per month to get below 175. At that rate I could do 5 Bites one weekend a month and just work hard to maintain with Intuitive Eating the remainder of the time and hit my goal.

Blog-related Resolution: I'd like to get back in to posting a bit more often, both on Ditch the Excuses and on Homesteading in the Dust (my blog about homesteading in Southern Arizona). In addition, I think I'd like to start setting monthly weight loss goals. The November Challenge was great and very motivating, though a little stressful.

January's Goal: I want to be at 185 by the end of January. I lost almost 8 pounds in November, so 4.4 pounds in January should be more than reasonable.

As construction (most of which I'm doing myself) is still underway, I probably won't be checking in again until mid January.

Measurement Monday: November 24th, 2014

This week was  once again mostly about Intuitive Eating, but I certainly managed better than last week.

Abdomen: 42.75 (-.15)
Waist: 33.5 (-.3)
Bust: 43 (0)
Chest: 36.2 (-.6)
Hip: 45.25 (-.25)
Left Arm: 14.1 (-.2)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Left Calf: 15.75 (-.25)
Left Thigh: 26.7 (-.1)
Right Arm: 14 (.3)
Right Forearm: 10.5 (0)
Right Calf: 15.8 (-.4)
Right Thigh: 26.5 (-.2)
Neck: 14.2 (0)
Current Weight: 191.8 pounds (-1.2)
Inches lost: -2.15
Running total: -3.45, -4.2 pounds

I finally am at the weight I started dieting at! Whoo!

6.8 pounds down, 13.4 to go! Will I reach my goal by the end of November? Nope. At least I've lost almost 7 pounds this month!

Breakthrough!

I'm almost in the 180s! I woke up this morning, hopped on the scale expecting to be disappointed because I ate nothing but salt yesterday and low and behold I was down to 191.4! I can't remember the last time I weighed that. Possibly at my high school graduation?

7.2 pounds down, 12.8 pounds to go! 12.8 pounds in 11 days may be overly optimistic, but I'll certainly start December in the 180s!

Measurement Monday: November 17th, 2014

This week was more a regression to Intuitive Eating than 5 Bites.

Abdomen: 42.9 (-.1)
Waist: 33.8 (.3)
Bust: 43 (-.5)
Chest: 36.8 (.2)
Hip: 45.5 (-.4)
Left Arm: 14.3 (.3)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Left Calf: 16 (.2)
Left Thigh: 26.8 (0)
Right Arm: 13.7 (-.6)
Right Forearm: 10.5 (0)
Right Calf: 16.2 (.4)
Right Thigh: 26.7 (0)
Neck: 14.2 (-.1)
Current Weight: 193.0 pounds (0)
Inches lost: -.3
Running total: -1.3, -3 pounds

No weight lost. Bummer. At least I lost some inches. Next week will be better!

5.6 pounds down, 14.6 to go!

Measurement Monday: November 10th, 2014

Not a great 5 Bites week, but I tried. Regardless, my weight when down and that's the most important part.

Abdomen: 43.0 (-.6)
Waist: 33.5 (-.25)
Bust: 43.5 (0)
Chest: 36.5 (-.9)
Hip: 45.9 (.2)
Left Arm: 14 (-.5)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Left Calf: 15.8 (-.2)
Left Thigh: 26.8 (.3)
Right Arm: 14.3 (.3)
Right Forearm: 10.5 (.5)
Right Calf: 15.8 (-.3)
Right Thigh: 26.7 (-.6)
Neck: 14.3 (.1)
Current Weight: 193.0 pounds (-1.4)
Inches lost: -1.95
Running total: -1.6, -3 pounds

I don't have a lot to say about this week. I over ate a few times, and it's obvious what effect that has on my weight loss. At least I lost almost 2 inches this week, and I'm thrilled to be only 1.2 pounds from my starting weight.

5.6 pounds down, 14.6 to go!

Week 1 of The November Challenge

One week down and I've lost 3.8 pounds. It's ridiculous, but I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to lose 5 or 6 pounds this week.

I think my brain is broken. Almost 4 pounds in a week is crazy! I have no reason to be disappointed.

Maybe Monday will be better.

End Goal: May 1st, 2015

I think setting a solid goal will help,so here it is:

I want to be 135 pounds by May 1st.

58 pounds in 25 weeks.

58 pounds in 176 days.

The weight tracking app I use has a trend line, and predicts your estimated goal deadline. At the start of my 5 Bites journey it predicted I'd be at my goal weight August 20th. Now it's down to July 13th. I love seeing the date get closer to my actual goal date.

I want to be 164 by February 2nd.

I'm so excited!

Measurement Monday: November 3rd, 2014

So here are the results from my first full week on 5 Bites.

Abdomen: 43.6 (-.2)
Waist: 33.75 (-.25)
Bust: 43.5 (-1)
Chest: 37.4 (+.4)
Hip: 45.7 (-.1)
Left Arm: 14.5 (+.3)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Left Calf: 16 (0)
Left Thigh: 26.5 (-1)
Right Arm: 14.0 (-.1)
Right Forearm: 10 (-.5)
Right Calf: 16.1 (+.3)
Right Thigh: 27.25 (0)
Neck: 14.2 (-.2)
Current Weight: 194.4 pounds (-3.8)
Inches lost: -2.35
Running total: +.35, -1.6 pounds

I finally am at the weight I started dieting at! Whoo!

Well, I lost almost 4 pounds. That's a lot for one week! That's more than I used to lose in a month. I can't wait to see how I do on my 20 pounds in November goal. It's feeling more and more attainable!

4 pounds down, 16 to go!

November Challenge

I'm part of a November Challenge with a 5 Bites group on Facebook. The main goal is to lose 25 pounds in November. While that would be amazing (I'd weigh less than I did when I graduated high school almost 4 years ago), there's something about losing that much weight in a month that my mind says isn't healthy. Perhaps it's the years of "slow and steady weight loss is longer lasting" stuck in my head, I realize that that isn't true, and there's a ton of research to back it up, but I'm still leary. Plus, Thanksgiving and my birthday happen in November. I love food, obviously, and want to be able to enjoy family events.

I drank yesterday, so my weight went up this morning. I was at 198 when I weighed in, though I know if it weren't for the booze I'd likely be at 194. Taking in to account the bloating from the alcohol, I'm going to commit to this challenge. I want to weigh 173 by December 1st. Along with my weekly weigh ins, I'll be posting how much more weight I have to lose.

A Goal that will Stick

I downloaded a cool new weight tracker app. What I like about it is that you can set a goal and it will create a trend line after a few weigh-ins that will show your predicted success date.

My new goal is to reach 135 by May 1st.

As of today, the app thinks it will take me until May 18th. I can't wait to prove it wrong!

5 Bites: Day 3

Well, I'm down 2.2 pounds in three days, and an inch and a half off my abdomen. HOLY COW.

I don't have much else to say...

This rapid feedback is great.