About Fogdog's Weight Loss

Don't Focus on the Goal...

If you've followed this blog you know that I've struggled for many years with improving my health. I've finally reached a point where I've managed to maintain a small amount of success. Now it's time to take the next step, but I believe it requires a new way of thinking.

Instead of trying to get healthy, why not shift focus toward learning how to build healthy habits instead. Follow me as I try to teach myself how to Engineer healthy habits that will allow me to take my health to the next level. Let's see where this experiment goes!

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Week #5 Weigh-In


8/24/14 Starting Weight: 347.8 lbs
 
Last Weigh-in: 329.4 lbs
Current Weight: 327.6 lbs
Period Weight Loss: 1.8 lbs

Total Weight Loss: 20.2 lbs
  
 


OK, so this is one of those weeks where I have to tread carefully.  On the one hand I am happy to have lost some more weight and I know that crossing over 20 pounds in just 5 weeks is a great accomplishment.
 
On the other hand though, I know that I am fully capable of much more.  During the week I could see some of my "old" habits creeping to the surface.  This early in my transformation I should lose more than 1.8 pounds and I know it.
 
However, one of my other "old" habits was beating myself up for not being perfect.  I certainly wasn't perfect this week in any stretch of the imagination, but that shouldn't be cause to feel guilty, get depressed, then go on a bender.  I recognize simply this... I wasn't perfect, but at the same time it wasn't good enough either.   I need to pick it up a little.
 
I did have couple more small victories... My Boss's Boss brought me a bowl full of homemade cookies to give to my team for all the hard work we've been doing.  I left the bowl in my office for 3 days before all those cookies were gone; I never ate a single cookie (Small Victory #18).  I also had a working lunch on Thursday.  Instead of eating a box lunch from Panera, I ate my own lunch (Small Victory #19).
 
I also reached my first milestone!  Now looking above you might think my first milestone was to lose 20 pounds, but I'm not a very traditional person.  My first milestone wasn't really about pounds (directly anyway).  My first milestone was to be able to get back on my Wii scale!  I like my Wii scale because you can't just step on it; you have to turn it on, push buttons, wait for the darn thing to tall you how fat you are, etc.  This is a good thing because you have to really want to weigh yourself if you are going to go through all those steps, it helps me to reduce casual daily weigh-ins.
 
Anyway, the Wii scale tops out at 330 and even if you're close to that number then it will give you an error (I tried last week at 329.4 and it didn't work).  Today I was able to get on it and it told me that today was my 1999th day using the scale.  WOW! that's over 5 years.  It also told me that it has been 212 days since I last weighed in.  That's how long it has been since I've been able to get on that scale, sad isn't it?
 
Highlights:
  1. First milestone reached!
  2. Water goal met every single day
  3. Worked out several nights after work
  4. Recognized the need to be accountable but also recognized I can't beat myself up either

Lowlights:
  1. Nightly snacking on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday... out of plan
  2. Still not exercising routinely
  3. Little too much TV (see lowlight #1)
 
I did have some more victories this week and even when I slipped up a little, I did manage to contain the damage (the nightly snacking consisted of just some pretzels and a couple of granola bars).  What has me feeling good right now is that I'm beginning to recognize the things that typically derail me (like beating myself up or feeling guilty about a slip).  Feeling guilty tends to lead to more failure; instead, accept your actions for what they are, address it, and then move on.  This is why I said I have to be careful; I need to hold myself accountable without beating myself up too much.  It's a tough balancing act!
 
Stay Strong!
-FogDog
 
 

14 comments:

  1. Way to go FD! You're doing great. Look at all the positive things you are doing and the weight is coming off. Do you consume any meal replacement shakes or is all food? Just curious if you're using any of Powell's products. Here's to another great week.

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    1. I only used Powell's plan as a guideline toward my own diet. No shakes or other products, it's all food. Thanks for reading!

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  2. Yay on another loss! I get you on that balancing act feeling. Keep it up!

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  3. Excellent work, my friend!!! You're sooooo right...beating ourselves up only makes things much worse! Wonderful attitude and perspective! Congrats on the milestones--so many more to come!!!

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    1. In my past I would have definitely used my slip-ups as an excuse and ultimately it would have meant at least one bad week. Thanks for reading

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  4. Hey, that's fantastic about the wii!!! Congrats!

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  5. Thanks Kyra. It might be weird, but I'm more comfortable with the Wii scale. It's kind of like I don't trust the number on anything else.

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  6. Guilt contains more calories than anything you can eat. It's an unhelpful emotion. Good for you on your wins! You are stronger than you think you are.

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  7. What a great comment! I'd love to use it on my fortune cookie page.

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