March Fitness Update

Here we are, the end of March, time for another fitness update. About mid-month I noticed that I had to keep pulling up my pants (the ones that were really tight when I started in January) and that my Fitbit strapped onto my wrist easily beyond the usual hole I used. I weigh myself once weekly, but have just now noticed the loss besides the scale reading. Between January and mid-March I've lost 12 pounds. 

In January a workout friend had said that within a couple months the difference would be noticeable to me and a few months past that, it would be noticeable to others. Figuring my pants and Fitbit were making it obvious to me at least, I took a picture to compare to my January picture. You don't necessarily see the changes in something when you look at it every day, so I was pretty impressed with what I saw reflected between the two pictures (January and March respectively).

Then life struck and I missed half a month of workouts. We are finishing off the process of closing on our new house renovation loan and I've spent evenings gathering paperwork and running it to the needed destinations or meeting contractors and consultants at the house for inspections. Which means it had to work around usual activities, some things were pushed to other nights/days, plus the kids' activities...and the workouts ended up sacrificed.

It sucks, but it showed me something worth realizing. Over Easter weekend, within two weeks of missing workouts, I found myself highly uncomfortable and in some pain...definitely in need of my chiropractor. Since I started in January, I've barely had to see my chiropractor and when I did, it wasn't because I was highly uncomfortable or in a whole lot of pain. The workouts were keeping my chiropractic needs in check.

Also, I discovered that because I wasn't working out, I struggled more with eating healthy. Knowing I sacrificed and sweated to workout kept me eating healthy because I didn't want it to all be a waste of time. Without the workouts I didn't feel I had as much of a reason to stick to the better eating choices. As of now, I gained back the two pounds I'd lost since the beginning of March.

Needless to say, my part of the legwork for the new house is done and the workouts are coming back full force. I'm ready to feel good again!

February Fitness Update

My Essentially Fit Living group - aka #EFL

(I'm tall one in the back center)

This post is going to be short, but I didn't want to discount what I've done for the month of February, just because some it is the same as January. So, the same parts first. I am still on board my exercise routine I started at the New Year. I enjoy it so much, that I kinda get mad when life gets in the way and I have to miss a workout. The group is supportive and the RIPPED program great! 

I'm still drinking way more water than I ever have and healthier snacks all around. I've found a balance between splurging and not. It must be working because I lost three more pounds in February, for a total of nine this year! Also, I've gained some Twitter and Instagram followers from the healthy living and workout world. Then I was asked to collaborate on a post about workplace health hacks with nuts.com, which was pretty cool. 

I'm still using my Fitbit, my highest step count being over 14,500 on each of the two days we moved from our house. On the other side, I've stopped counting calories and tracking my water. I figure if I'm mostly drinking water when I'm thirsty, then I'm good to stop tracking the amounts. Also, I was correct about my original need for counting calories. I learned pretty quickly what will have high and low calories and to look for sugar measurements. That, plus boosting my healthy snack intake, has allowed me to stop counting calories and continue to lose weight. Balance!

So, that's all I've got this month people! Not terribly exciting I guess, but nice to know I hung in there another month and this healthy living thing is going to stick this time. Not just another failed New Year's resolution. Bring it on March.

January Fitness Update

The most fun thing about fitness for me so far is seeing my stats on my Fitbit. I get weekly reports in my email and the app keeps weekly tallies available to look back on. Since some have asked for updates, I figured I'd do just that. Here's my total progress for the month of January according to Fitbit:

Steps: 170,644

It is so strange how many steps/movements we make in a day. I never realized that by 8am, I've walked hundreds of, almost a thousand, steps.

 
Miles: 76.75

Whenever I think of counting mileage, it's been within one walking/running trip. But Fitbit counts all movement and puts it into a total mileage each day, adding those days into weeks, and the weeks into a month. Makes sense - I feel like I'm actually doing something now and it pushes me to walk whole miles at a time as well.

Calories Burned: 62,379

I'm still learning the whole calorie thing. I've been counting calories the entire month and really have a better grasp on which foods are better because of less calories, as well as which foods are better because of nutrients, some even despite the calories. I mean, I could eat a sleeve of crackers in one morning at work! But paying attention now, I see there are actually seven servings in one sleeve, which equals 560 calories! Not only is that as much as a regular meal should be, but they're not healthy calories either. I've also seen how exercise and general movement (or lack of) affect the calorie count. Again, my goal here is to make this a habit, changing my eating so much that I can stop counting calories because my main diet is healthy to begin with.

Flights of stairs: 134

Not a fan, winds me fast, but definitely good exercise. This is always the item that hits its target least. In the whole month, only twice have I reached the set goal of ten sets of stairs in one day. Second best was nine in a day.

Active Minutes: 789

These are minutes where your heart rate was at a fat burning level. It includes your exercise time, but only the minutes where your heart rate was up. For example, I walked across the local college campus one day and it registered as 12 active minutes. I would've loved to have this Fitbit when I was a full time student! I'd be rocking the steps and active minutes.

Days Exercised: 15 

The Fitbit automatically records exercise after a set number of minutes of continuous movement/heart rate. (I have mine set at ten, the lowest, but I never exercise for less than half an hour anyway). I like the automatic record because it gives a true look at where your heart rate was, length of actual active time, and actual calories burned. You can also enter your exercise manually, if you weren't wearing the Fitbit for example. I've found when I do PiYo (Pilates/Yoga), it doesn't always register the exercise because there's a lot of stretching, so I will enter those nights manually. Through my exercise routine, I've learned a little when I can afford to splurge on my eating! I try to save my splurges for outside my house, when I may have less control of the food available or want to eat out with friends. I'm proud to say I never dropped below three days of exercise the entire month. One week I worked out six nights and another four nights. At home I do T25 and at EFL (Essentially Fit Living, my exercise group) I do RIPPED (cardio and hand weights) and PiYo. I have my EFL group to thank for this goal being met. They make exercise an enjoyable, social event.

Weight Lost: 6 lbs.

Fitbit allows you to set a weight goal. It adjusts your allowance of calories per day based on the weight you want to lose and the length of time you want to lose it in. I kinda randomly set the weight I wanted to lose and gave myself six months. I really just want to fit back into my new jeans better, but figure that if I set the goal a little higher, it would make me work within a smaller set of calories, forcing me to learn healthy eating. (Yes, I need to manipulate myself. Yes, it works. I'm pretty stubborn once I commit to something.)

Water drank: 25,575 ml

Now this one is a real miracle. I don't know how my total compares to any of you, but this is amazing for me. I only met the goal of 1893 ml in a day once, but even if I drank one water bottle (500ml) a day I was doing well. I used to drink ZERO ml of water per day. Let's put it this way, I'm sure I drank water sometime, but I couldn't tell you when. There are two reasons for this. I'm addicted to carbonation and sugar (pop and sweet tea, people) and water tends to upset my empty stomach. So I've worked with it, figuring out that very cold water bothers my stomach more. Cool water isn't so bad, and with food is no problem at all. Also, I wasn't exercising previously and wow, do I drink water when I exercise. (I do eat a little before exercising to keep my stomach from getting funky from both the exercise and the water.) I've had almost nothing but water since January 2nd! Other than water, all I've had this month are two 12 oz servings of Pepsi, half a mug of hot black tea (no cream and sugar), and 6 oz of Almond Milk.

So, that's my January update! I'm so excited I've not given up once the whole month. And that I'm actually enjoying it. Funny thing is, the attitude may be contagious. In the past month my kids willingly ate broccoli, pesto, and Brussel sprouts and drank Almond Milk! I mean they ate them without whining or making faces and cleaned the plates. I have also been eating spinach, kale, hummus, and Greek yogurt. What healthiness can I get them to eat in February?