October Update & Speaking at Curves

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SPEAKING THIS WEEK...
The owner of my Curves has asked me to come and speak about my weight-loss journey this Thursday at 7 pm.  Anyone and everyone is invited and welcome to attend whether you are a member at Curves or not.  I will be sharing some of my back story and plan to address some emotional and spiritual barriers to success.  Of course we will also talk about practical diet and exercise tips.  Please come if you can!
Curves - 2nd floor Mt. Lebanon Shops
Mt. Lebanon Blvd.
Thursday October 21
7 pm

September's Storm Damage
In last month's update I told you about the storm we had and the power outage.  Our school district canceled school for one day because of the danger to the children walking to school around all the downed power lines.  The high-school stadium was without power so the scheduled "home" game was hosted by another nearby district.  We were without power to our house for 50 hours.  The whole event was quite an adventure and had the entire community working together to get back to 'normal.'

PHASE 3 REVELATIONS...
On Sept 28th I started a 1-month phase of metabolic recovery/weight maintenance.  The goal is to get my daily calories over 2000 (while still eating balanced and healthy) and slowly allow myself to gain 3 lbs.  After a 3 lb gain, spend a day or 2 at restricted (1200-1499) calories until those 3 lbs are recovered.  Then back to over 2000 calories for another slow 3 lb gain or until Oct 28th (30 days).  In the Curves Weight Management Plan this is called "Phase 3."  This is the first time that I am FULLY allowing myself to do Phase3 as prescribed.  I always chickened out in the past and cut it short when I saw a small gain or got impatient to return to weight-loss-mode.  This time I committed myself to really maxing out the process and testing its potential to boost the fat loss on my next Phase1&2 cycle.  Here are the stats so far... It took me 16 days to gain 3 lbs over my previous low of 153.6.  I then spent 2 days at about 1300 cals and reached a new low of 152.2.  Now I am on day 21 and weighed-in this morning at 153.6.
Average daily calories over the first 20 days of this Phase3:  2122.
So my weight is exactly the same today as it was at my September update and I am really excited about what I have been learning!  I am planning a blog entry that will document the results of the entire 30 days.

NATIONAL WEIGHT CONTROL REGISTRY...
I have added a 7th Goal to my goal list below.  "Join the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) by Dec 2011"  The NWCR is tracking over 5000 individauls who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for long periods of time.  Recruitment into the registry is ongoing.  I am adding this goal for extra incentive to maintain my weight loss!

WEIGHT LOSS STATUS...

Started: June 3, 2009  268.0 lbs 39.58 bmi "obese" (body fat 44% "poor")
Today: Oct 18, 2010  153.6 lbs 22.68 bmi "normal" (body fat 22.9% "very good")

114.4 lbs down

still only 6.6 lbs 'til goal #5 :)

GOALS REVIEW...
1st goal: (lose 65lbs) 203 lbs 29.98 bmi "overweight" ACHIEVED Jan 17, 2010
2nd goal: (lose 99lbs) 169 lbs 24.96 bmi "healthy" ACHIEVED Jun 9, 2010
3rd goal: Achieve "Very Good/Fit" body fat % (22%-<26%) ACHEIVED Jul 16, 2010
4th goal: (lose 111 lbs) 157 lbs 23.18 bmi (Curves 100 lb Club) ACHEIVED Sep 6, 2010
5th goal: (lose 121lbs) 147 lbs 21.71 bmi by Dec 2010
6th goal: Achieve "Excellent" body fat % (<22%)
7th goal: Join the National Weight Control Registry by Dec 2011 

PLANS/GUIDELINES...
1. Never Skip Breakfast! (well-balanced & trying for 1/3 of my daily calories before noon)
2. take good nutritional supplements every day
3. eat 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies per day or more :)
4. eat at least 25g of fiber per day (try to get above 50g)
5. continue Curves 3 times per week
6. Water Only, when out to eat... and min of 64 oz water each day... can you get to 128 oz?
7. Daily monitoring myself with FitClick.com
8. Follow Curves Weight Management calorie phases (max out phase 3!)
9. Daily calories are never less than 1200 (except for prayer & fasting days)
10. Spend no more than 7 consecutive days at less than 1500 calories.
11. Limit eating after 7:00pm (or within 3 hrs of bedtime)
12. Be accountable to someone (person or group) and report status monthly.

Phase 3 (Maintenance) Mindset

Today I need to remind myself of some basics.  I need to see the bigger picture and remember that the finish line is months away and that this is not a sprint but a steady march with a strategy to get there.  So I write this to put my mind in the right place.

I weigh myself every morning.  This is a good thing for me.  When the number is a little lower than yesterday there is a mini party in my dressing room :).  If it isn't lower I don't go into a major depression or anything.  I understand that it can't go down everyday.  The line on the weight loss chart is not smooth and steady.  It is jagged, with spikes and plateaus.  But I get used to the anticipation every morning that it might be just a little lower today :).

Enter PHASE 3.  When I do phase 3, I increase my calories everyday to eliminate the calorie deficit, get my body used to 'normal' caloric intake and kick up my metabolism.  Phase 3 is the key to continued successful fat loss and ultimately successful weight maintenance.  This is wonderful and it is fun to add a little bit more to my eating plan!

The problem is in that morning weigh-in time.  Changing my mind from anticipating a possible weight loss to wanting a maintenance number or even a slight gain is difficult.  So begins my selftalk:  "It is good to maintain, it is good to maintain, it is good to maintain."

By Christmas I hope to reach my goal weight and focus on body composition (body fat % vs lean mass).  At that point I will, hopefully, be building more in muscle weight than losing in fat weight.  If the number on the scale goes up but the body fat % goes down, THAT should be cause for the mini celebrations!

I am beginning NOW to change my mindset!

"It is good to maintain, it is good to maintain, it is good to maintain."