Let's be honest

As with most new ventures I partake in, I was really excited and motivated when I started “My Fitness Pal”—the online tool to count calories and track work-outs. I was encouraged when I noticed a change in the way my clothes was fitting. I was thrilled when “the little black dress” that was collecting dust in my closet hugged my body in the perfect way just in time for me to wear it to a fundraiser that I was chairing. I was ecstatic to take the stage!

But then came Thanksgiving and with it my discipline.  Or maybe it was as early as Halloween where I “fell off the wagon.”   As soon as the end of October came around, I found myself giving in to high-calorie drinks and treats at Halloween parties, post-Halloween birthday parties, pre-Thanksgiving parties and then some post-Thanksgiving parties.  I completely stopped logging in my food and exercise and got lost in the day-to-day happenings of life.

Aware of my slip, I write this to share that staying fit and in shape IS NOT EASY.  But it is okay to slip and be human and participate in the breaking of bread and toasting of glasses without beating yourself up. Speaking for myself, I know I can find myself comparing my body and clothing size to other women thinking “they must have it so easy.” But I know it is not the case. It takes work and discipline and will to make fitness and health a priority.   

These past two weeks have been better. I started running more and was lucky to win a discounted registration to the New Year’s half-marathon in early 2013. Having a race to look forward to always re-news my energy and spirit for running.  For any of you on this constant journey for health and fitness, I hope that if you find yourself slipping, you take comfort in knowing it happens to us all!

Counting Calories

Since my early twenties, I have generally always found a way to incorporate exercise into my life. At times, I was really consistent running about 20 miles a week and hitting the gym in between runs. Other times, I’ve slipped and let exercise become a low priority resulting in immediate weight gain.  But generally, I have kept up with exercise incorporating hiking, running and lifting several times a week.

Something that I haven’t really managed so well is my diet. I think I am healthier than most Americans, but let’s be honest, that’s not saying much.   Generally, I avoid fast food and opt for higher protein meals versus starchy ones at restaurants. For a long time, I stopped ordering French Fries or greasy foods and I never drink soda.  My problem is that my serving portions are the equivalent of what an NFL player consumes and I am incapable of refusing pastries. I've also allowed French Fries and greasy food to occasionally sneak back into my life.

 After years of denial, I am finally accepting that maybe I need to control my diet as consistently as I have been about exercise.  I am 4'11" and I’ve stayed between 115-130lbs for most of my 20s getting as low as 105lbs at my absolute best. I am pretty proud about this weight range, but would be delighted if I could stay at 115lbs forever.  I feel the best when I am a comfortable size 4 and have strong arms and shoulders. Sadly, I haven’t been a comfortable size 4 in ages and the scale has been north of 120lbs for years.  I step up on exercise, but the results are just not exactly where I want them to be. I decided last week that It is time to take serious action to reach my goal.

I decided that I am far too much of a foodie to adopt a fad diet or anything that I can’t maintain long-term. I love all kinds of food from all over the planet, and I didn’t want to do anything too restricting. I decided that what would work best for me is to start controlling my portions and making wise decisions about eating by counting calories. To that end, I enlisted the help of my friends for their suggestions on an easy to use tool to help me track my calories. Many suggested www.myfitnesspal.com, which I started using last Monday.

I have to say, that this first week of counting calories and tracking exercise has been fantastic!  I am allowed 1,200 calories on days when I don’t exercise to reach my goal weight of 115lbs. I am allwoed a few more calories on days when I do excerise. Crrently I weigh 130lbs.

This concept of earning my calorie allowance has been really helpful. During this first week, I found myself planning my meals for each day based on how many calories I should try to consume for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each day, I tried to eat the exact same breakfast so I can be consistent with my count.  I eat 2 soft-boiled eggs and a whole-wheat pita, a 300 calorie lunch and a dinner of 600 calories or less. I am also motivated to keep up with nearly daily exercise routines just because I love the idea of tracking my exercise on My Fitness Pall and tracking my progress.   I was also really good about logging in my entries each day. I made sure I didn’t go to sleep without tracking my food and exercise. I am already feeling a little more wiggle room in my clothes!