#FitFridayConfessions - I Stopped Counting Calories

This past year I've tried tracking my calories, restricting food, detox teas, nothing 'too extreme', but the reality is I've gained weight instead of losing weight. I told myself that I really hadn't put on that much weight, but when it came time to try on clothes, the reality was in the seams - the bulging seams. Nothing fit - nothing in my entire closet. I found one pair of pants that I could still button - and they were snug. It was time that I stopped pretending that the 'scale' wasn't correct. The truth is, I have gained 10-12lbs over the past year. And my obsessing over the weight has caused  me to put on more weight.

For me, personally, calorie counting made it worse. Don't get me wrong, counting calories and using calorie counting apps work great for a lot of people. However, I am the exception. I would see calories over nutrition. An apple with peanut butter can equal the same amount of calories as a serving of chips. Of course the apple with peanut butter is healthier, but I would sometimes go for the chips instead. I stayed within my calories. I would be 'out of calories' for the day but wanted a healthy snack. I wouldn't eat the snack. Or I would be over my calories, and since I've blown it anyway, I'd eat whatever I wanted. So, calorie counting did not help me. Instead, it pushed me toward a borderline eating disorder.
I watched an HBO documentary called Thin. It was heart breaking, but also a little scary because some of the things I heard them say, I too had said.

So, as I turned 42 this week, I have dedicated
this year to being my 'fitness' year. One definition of fitness is "the condition of being physically fit and healthy". And each week, I plan to update my progress to help keep me accountable, but also to help anyone else who might could use an accountability buddy.

This week, I have stopped counting calories. I'm not obsessing over every bite of food that I put into my mouth. I've enjoyed sweets (in moderation), and I made healthy choices.

I am making a conscious effort to cut out 80% of processed food out of my life for me and my family. I know it takes time to overcome bad habits, and I know it won't happen overnight. I know that it's easy to slip back into old routines. I know that I have to be patient with myself.

I also know that I want a change. I know that I have to make changes to see change.

I am not weighing myself for at least 3 months. Why? Because as soon as I think I've lost weight, the scale doesn't always reflect that. I will get discouraged, and revert back to old habits.

I know change will come. It just might not happen as fast I want it to, but it will come.

So each week, I will update you on my #FitFridayConfessions with how I'm doing / how my week went.

So here is Week 1 of #FitFridayConfessions

Monday: I ate a piece of Peach Slab Pie from the preschool cafe. The rest of the day was real unprocessed food except I had 3 bites of cupcake before dinner. I did a little upper body strength training that morning before I took Lil Man to preschool. I'm not 100% pleased with my eating, but you have to start somewhere.

Tuesday: I skipped my morning run which sort of threw off my day. Ran errands with Lil Man and had 3/4 of a Soft Pretzel from Target. The rest of the day was clean except for Dinner I had a few too many tacos. I also got in a 30 min walk.

Wednesday: My BIRTHDAY! :) So today's food wasn't necessarily on the 'clean' side. I had ice cream, Mexican food, and ice cream cake. I enjoyed my birthday with zero guilt. For exercise I did an hour of personal training, some upper body weights, and 40 minutes of the elliptical.

Thursday:  Most of today's food was clean! I went to Chocolate World with my son and a friend and her family. I did eat a fun size Kit Kat, and a few bites of cupcake. But overall, today was mostly unprocessed food. Normally I would have just eaten whatever and everything without considering alternatives. Today, I chose a healthy salad with apples and grapes for lunch. My after dinner treat was a small piece of ice cream cake from my birthday. I got in a half hour hilly walk.

I will continue next week starting with a tip plus my #FitFridayConfessions from Friday through Thursday.  Journaling this for the week has been very helpful to help me stay accountable. Knowing that others would also see this has helped.

Follow me on my journey to a healthier version of me!

 

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