8/31/21

So long, August!

This was the first month I set monthly goals for myself. How’d I do? Well, let’s see…

~ I drank a minimum of 64oz water per day. The longer I do it, the more it becomes part of my routine.

~ I filmed all of my workouts this month (there were only 5 because I scaled way back after burning myself out in previous months).

~ When I set my August goals, I was overzealous and added two workout challenges. I did do the kettlebell workouts every week, but didn’t get to the pilates challenge. There’s always next month!

~ I got into, far into, the 180’s and am on my way to the 170’s!

~ I didn’t eat over 1500 calories per day. Most days I was way under because ever since I started packing my diet full of veggies and water, I can’t seem to get the numbers up, even though it feels like all I do is eat.

✨ I also came out of hiding here on my account and that was a big milestone for me. I had a birthday this month, so I guess that helped compel me to embrace the body I’m in, even if it’s still a work in progress.

So, I’d say it’s been a pretty productive month. I like the idea of setting small, totally achievable monthly goals for myself in addition to that monumental be-all-end-all goal of getting into a specific clothing size.

Tomorrow I’ll post my goals for September as we coast into autumn and check another month off this roller coaster of a journey…

8/30/21

I usually drink plain water, but it’s nice to mix in some lemon (or lime or frozen fruit) once in a while.

btw I’m still going strong on drinking at least 64oz a day!

8/29/21

It looks like I’m doing a funky dance when you time lapse standing Yoga!

This is the first time I’ve done yoga in over a month.

For 2 months straight I did standing yoga, and then stopped when it took a toll on my knees, but I’d like to get back into it again. This time I’d scale back and do it once a week I think.

I’m constantly making adjustments during this #weightlossjourney, always trying to find what works.

I tend to be an all-or-nothing type person, so moderation is something I’ve been trying to work on…

Chapter 22: Words of Wisdom

I've already done a chapter about not waiting to start your weight loss journey because the sooner you start, the sooner you can start seeing results.

Well, that advice especially applies as you age. The older you are, the harder it is to get the pounds off. (Trust me, I know from experience.)

Even when you think you're older and wiser, a body and mind that is so used to overeating isn't going to easily fall in line with your vision for a slimmer, healthier you.

So, I think it's worth repeating: Don't wait to do tomorrow what you can do today!

I’m 4 and a half months into my #weightlossjourney and I’m so glad I started when I did!

It only took a couple of months to start seeing results and hitting some encouraging weight loss milestones.

If I hadn’t made a change when I did, I’d still be back where I was, unhappy with my body and myself.

Do this for yourself. Don’t wait another minute to start!

8/28/21

This orange chicken is my favorite “indulgent” meal.

It’s under 500 calories and we get 4 portions out of it, which makes for a nice leftover meal for the next day.

By portioning things out and not going too crazy, I can eat my favorite foods (like white rice) and still lose weight.

8/27/21

Happy #facetofacefriday!

There’s a 30lb difference in these photos and neither one has been filtered.

I have a full face of makeup in the first one, something I started doing because I thought it helped masked the fact that I was overweight.

On the right, I only have a little bit of mascara on. I never would have posted something like this before, something so “unglamorous” or “unflattering.” But I don’t feel like I need to hide anymore. This is me. Older, unfiltered, unmade up, and that’s okay. I’ve worked hard to get this weight off and I’m not going to spend an hour on a full face of makeup every time I want to take a picture of my progress.

Here’s to being older and wiser and feeling more comfortable and confident (and brave!) in your own skin…

8/26/21

Another weekly kettlebell workout complete!

This is another YouTube video from @chichigonzales because they’re my favorite and include a warm-up and cool down.

My workout partner (@sweetcalicodreams) loves them too 😽

That’s 4 out of 5 kettlebell workouts done to meet my August monthly goal of doing one per week!

8/25/21

Strawberry Banana smoothies are my favorite so far!

I see so many smoothie recipes that call for a dozen ingredients, but I think the simpler the better.

This only has 4 ingredients and is absolutely delicious. I froze a banana and fresh strawberries, added a cup of water and some chia seeds.

The consistency is almost like ice cream and it came out velvety smooth! You could even eat it as a smoothie bowl with a spoon.

Plus, it’s under 200 calories…

8/24/21

I was feeling cute and confident and decided to take a photo. 42 pounds down and I have a feeling that’s going to be happening a lot more lately ☺️

As you can see, my writing partner decided she didn’t want to be left out.

You’ll be seeing a lot more of her, I promise. She’s a ham for the camera and always seems to make an appearance in my workout videos.

She even has her own account (@sweetcalicodreams) and has more followers than me!

8/23/21

I’m not going to hide anymore!

When I first started this weight loss journey, I didn’t even post my before pics because I was so ashamed of how much I weighed and how I looked.

Now that I’ve lost half of the weight I want to lose, I’m finally feeling brave enough to come out of hiding.

I’m proud of how far I’ve come and I’m so glad I started when I did because it’s only taken 4 months to give my confidence a huge boost and feel comfortable in my body for the first time in a long time.

So here I am, completely unfiltered and ready to face the rest of this crazy journey without anything or anyone standing in my way—including myself!

8/22/21

Tomorrow I’m doing something that is not at all what the “old me” would do and I’m so excited to share it!

I started this account to help hold myself accountable during my #weightlossjourney and, like everything else in life, it’s time it evolved and started reflecting the progress I’ve been making.

Stay tuned!

8/21/21

Not only did I make it into the 180’s, I made it halfway through the 180’s!

I’m so freakin’ proud of myself right now!

I can’t believe how much progress I’ve made since April.

Every day, I’m getting a little bit closer to my goal and it’s a great feeling.

8/20/21

The best smoothie we’ve tried so far!

Banana, strawberries, chia seeds and water.

It’s like drinking dessert!

Chapter 21: Tuning In

When you treat your esophagus like a human garbage disposal, it's tough to keep track of the foods that are affecting your body in a negative way.

When you start eating healthier, it doesn't take long to realize which foods are problem foods for your stomach.

For example, whenever I eat salty food, I get thirstier than normal (obviously!) and it's pushed me to cut them out of my diet as much as possible. Dairy makes me bloated and isn't worth it, so I've cut down on it, too.

Just like anything else, you get out of it what you put in. Your body will respond to the fuel you choose to give it. This journey of weight loss is all about getting in tune with your body. Nourish it and it will take care of you in return.

The healthier I eat, the more healthier I want to eat!

Little by little, over the course of the past few months, I’ve been making better and healthier food choices.

Veggies used to be a side dish and now they are the star of the show. Green smoothies have become a staple. Fruit is my dessert now.

And I feel better than ever because I’m making it a priority to get my vitamins and minerals from the food I eat.

8/18/21

Having a rough couple of days where all I want to do is eat even though I’m not all that hungry.

It’s purely a mental thing, I know that, and I won’t let it allow me to make bad choices.

I will stay strong and I won’t go over on my calories because I’ve worked too hard to throw it all away now.

💪🏻😬

8/17/21

We tried this Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup recipe from @thesimpleveganista and it was absolutely delicious!

It made a ton for meal prep ( I might have added more veggies than it called for 😉) and each serving came out to ONLY 200 CALORIES! 👏

It’s really filling, too, and kept me full for most of the day.

We’ll definitely be adding this healthy, nutritious meal into our rotation…

8/16/21

Another weekly kettlebell workout complete ✔️

This is a @chichigonzales YouTube video from many years ago, but it’s one of my favorites because it’s easy to follow along with and includes a warm-up and cool-down which is especially important when working with a kettlebell.

Just 2 more to do to fulfill my August goals challenge…

August Monthly Weigh-in

Whoohoo!

I lost 9 pounds! 👏

🎉 That means I’m down 27 pounds in 4 months!

I’m always leery about weigh-in day because I never know what that scale is going to say.

FINALLY, I’m starting to see some bigger results! And it’s all because I made some changes.

Things that changed this month:

~ I drank a minimum of 64oz of water per day

~ I switched fiber supplements

~ I eased back on exercising

~ Added green smoothies into my diet

Things that stayed the same:

~ Not eating over 1500 calories per day

I don’t know if one change in particular is the reason I’m in the 180’s all of a sudden, or a combination of all of them, but I am over the moon right now.

Drinking all that water has to have helped and when I say I eased back on exercising, I mean I haven’t done any at all this month besides the 2 times of kettlebell to meet my once a week challenge for my August goals. That’s a big change from working out 6 days a week during those first 2 months!

The big lesson here is to not be afraid to make changes and switch things up when they aren’t working for you.

YOU are the one driving this crazy bus, so it’s okay to get off the highway and take a back road.

🚌

8/14/21

We made the @tasteofhome Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Salad and it was delish!!!

And it’s only 160 calories. Eating healthy has never been so fun!

I can’t wait to make it again…

Chapter 20: High Quality H2O

I know, you’ve heard it a billion times. Drink more water. Make sure you drink enough water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

I was skeptical about it at first, too, but then I tried it. I drank at least 64oz. a day for a week and it actually helped me lose more weight. And the best thing about it? I didn’t even make any other changes to my diet or exercise routine. 

You’ve heard about all the benefits, so why not try for yourself and see if you notice a difference. 

Drink up!

Not only has drinking more water helped with my weight loss, it’s made my skin not so dry and has helped me feel fuller when I drink it before, during and after eating…

💧

8/12/21

We’re almost halfway through the month of August and I still haven’t done the pilates challenge that I put on my list of monthly goals.

The kettlebell challenge is taking everything I have to give and I know from past experience that pilates is even more physically challenging for me.

I think I was a little too ambitious setting those goals because it was the first time I’ve set monthly goals for myself.

There’s still time, but if I don’t end up doing it, there’s always next month, right?

8/11/21

When we first had this ravioli a few weeks ago, I was in love. And then, when we had it today, we added in some spinach we had leftover from our smoothies and it was even better!

The best part is that the whole meal is only 420 calories of yummy goodness.

Cheers to ravioli 2.0 🥂

~Frozen cheese ravioli (290 calories)

~Newman’s Own marinara sauce (100 calories)

~Broccoli florets (30 calories)

8/10/21

Another kettlebell workout complete!

I’m seriously regretting adding a weekly kettlebell workout to my list of August goals 😬

Kettlebell workouts are no joke! I have a 10lb kettlebell so it’s twice as heavy as the dumbbells I’m used to using.

But I’m keeping up with it because I said I would and this whole weight loss journey is all about challenging myself, right?

Luckily I only have to do 3 more this month and then I’ll probably switch to something else…

Smoothie Time

Long before I started this weight loss journey, I wanted to try making a smoothie to see what all the fuss was about.

Now I finally have!

I had to get a new blender (because mine has been broken for a long time and we don’t use it for anything) and I love it!

Pictured is an apple cinnamon smoothie with spinach and chia seeds. I’ve been using water instead of milk and they’ve been just fine without the dairy.

I love the idea of getting my vitamins and nutrients from my food and not having to take supplements, so these smoothies are the perfect addition to my diet.

We already had strawberry banana and it was like drinking dessert!

I’m so glad I’m making all these wonderful changes to benefit my health…

🥬🍎🍌🍓

8/8/21

My monthly weigh-in is one week away!

I can’t believe it’s been 4 months since I started this weight loss journey! Boy, am I glad I started it when I did and didn’t keep putting it off.

Even without knowing what the scale has in store for me, I’m incredibly proud of all that I’ve accomplished. (Plus, I’ve already gone down 3 sizes!!!)

Chapter 19: Chew Your Food

I was looking into doing a cleanse and came across something that just might be a game changer. One of the plans recommended chewing each bite of food at least 20 times. When I tried out the technique, I quickly realized that I’ve been chewing about a third of that!

As a former binge eater, I never took the time to chew my food properly. It was always shove it in so we can get to the next course.

Now, after taking the time to chew and savor my food, it takes me twice as long to finish my food and gives my stomach the chance to register that it’s full a lot earlier.

It’s amazing how something so small can make such a big difference.

I really think that thoroughly chewing my food has helped with my digestion. I mean, how could it not!

And how have I been mistreating my body for so long and been allowed to get away with it?

Why haven’t I taken care of my health until now? Why did I have to hit rock bottom to actually take action and change my life?

The important thing is that I’m doing something about it now. I’m so glad I didn’t wait another day to go on this weight loss journey. I am almost four months into this and can’t imagine ever going back…

8/6/21

During this weight loss journey, I have become a food snob. Quality over quantity has been a recurring theme in my diet.

If I try something and it’s not that great or tastes too processed, I don’t finish eating it.

Now that I’m focused on my weight loss, everything I record in my calorie app is “worth it.”

If I’m going to take the calories for something, it damn well better be worth eating…

8/5/21

My mindset about food has changed so much in these past few months.

I used to end up eating more food than I wanted just because I didn’t want to have to throw it away because it was going to expire.

Now, I keep to my smaller serving sizes and if I’m unable to eat it all before it expires or gets stale, then oh well.

I hate wasting food, but I’m not going to go over on my calories and eat more than I want to just because of a few dollars.

8/4/21

The magic ingredient in these tostadas?

Avocado!

Piled with lettuce and tomato, tostadas make a yummy, crunchy lunch of only 460 calories for 2 of them.

🥑

Kettlebell Challenge

Kettlebell workout complete ✔️

I challenged myself to do a kettlebell workout once a week during the month of August, so here’s the first one.

This is from a 10 minute @bodyfitbyamy YouTube video.

Working out with the kettlebell is no joke! It makes me sweat more than any other workout, even HIIT.

Phew! Glad I only have to do that 4 more times this month!

😅

8/2/21

I am loving these Outshine bars!

The peach and watermelon are only 60 calories, the pineapple is 70, and the chocolate 90.

They are a wonderful sweet treat for summer and I plan on trying every flavor the store has.

Pineapple is my favorite because it tastes like a real juicy pineapple and even has pineapple chunks in it and the chocolate is decadent and delicious.

Yummy!

🍍🍉🍑

August 2021 ~ Monthly Goals

 August Goals

~ Drink more water (when you have to pee every 5 minutes, you’ve reached your goal)

~ Film more of my workouts to show that I’m actually putting the work in and not just talking about it

~ Do a Pilates challenge

~ Get into the 180’s

~ Don’t go over 1500 calories per day

~ Use kettlebell at least once a week (and not just to prop the door open) 

~ Research what kind of human sacrifice  I need to make to get the weather out of the triple digits 

Well hello there, August!

Starting this month I’m setting small, attainable, monthly goals for myself that will hopefully give me a sense of accomplishment as I work toward my ultimate goal weight.

My goals for August are totally doable and challenging enough to make it interesting.

Let’s do this!