Fat Nerd Fit

A little over a month ago, I started a food journal. I would jot down what I was eating on a given day to get a handle on what I was doing to myself. I started out just eating normally and got a base line. I didn’t want to make the food journal a chore or something I over-thought, so I literally would just make note of the food, not worrying about serving amounts or calories. I didn’t want to turn it into a science project or algebra problem. It’d be as simple as: Wednesday: Waffles with syrup Black coffee Pasta with spinach and mushrooms Apple Pizza Lots of water It was something I could do once a day, or even be able to keep up with every other day and still get an accurate account of what I was eating. I’d put in there eating habits I was proud of “didn’t eat the brownies in the break room” and “convinced myself not to buy candy from the vending machine”. I also, about once a week, used it as an actual journal writing about what was going on at work, at home, jus...

I’m trying to be more real with myself. I’ve been keeping a food journal with little notes like “said no to bunt cake!” and “walked past the donuts!” and one “Husband’s birthday celebration.” This last week was rough. There was a lot going on in not a lot of time. I was working, dog sitting (which takes up my lunch break), and babysitting, and it was my husband’s birthday- and then, you know, trying to run a house. I made some poor decisions. There was a trip to CiCis. There was a frozen pizza for dinner. But, even with how full my calendar was, I made fewer poor decisions than I have in just a normal week. Even with the pizza and junk food, I ate this week- I still made more good decisions than I did in a normal week. I’m okay with that. And, the good food choices that I have been making are making it easier to keep going. We had two birthday dinners for my husband (one friends, one family) and I only had one cupcake and declined the cake at the second dinner. I bought a ...

I’ve not only stagnated- I’ve gone backwards. I got on the scale and have not only regained the weight I’ve lost this year… I’ve added six pounds. Like I said last time, this isn’t a real surprise. It’s not out of left field. I’ve grown complacent and just stopped trying. I think I need to shake things up to get myself going again. Over the last two weeks, I’ve just paid attention to what I’ve been eating. I’ve cut down on “I’ll just grab dinner on the way home” days. And I’ve cut out the trips to the vending machine at work. I’ve made better choices at Starbucks. After getting on the scale this morning, I can report that I’ve lost two pounds. Two pounds of making the obviously better for you eating choices. I’m happy with that. To keep up my momentum and work to my strengths, I’ve started a food diary/journal. It’s hand written and just for me because right now I think I’m putting too much pressure on myself to show a “perfect” and “motivational” picture of me to the p...

Last week was my birthday. Now 34, nothing has changed. I’m still me. I’ve never put much weight into the age (I mean, once you get past 21 what’s to look forward to?) but the date is what I focus on. My birthday is almost exactly the halfway point of the year, June 30. It’s a good time to evaluate where I am on my goals for the year and refocus. I’ve totally lost my perspective recently, spooking myself out of success and resting on my laurels. I let myself talk myself into “deserving” splurges. I grab something “easy” on the way home from work for dinner. And Starbucks is directly on my way to work so that’s been a daily stop… Originally, I was trying to get refocused in June. Take the baby steps to get back on track. Of course, I fell into the “okay, this is the last time” trap every time I was tired and wanted pizza. I did manage to only eat the lunches that I packed for myself at work…. No popping out for fast food and a soda. That’s one baby step I managed. When ...

I feel like this is a confession. I, allegedly, started this blog to share a journey to physical fitness and overall health. So far, that’s been a total fair. In 2018. I have a goal of losing 50 pounds. So far, I’ve lost 1. In six months, ONE POUND. That’s no even really losing, that’s maintaining. A while ago I’d be sitting here waxing poetic about how maintaining, is still a victory because it’s not a gain. I’d be making excuses to try to stay positive. I’d do what I could to stay up beat about all this. Part of me still wants to. I haven’t failed I just haven’t succeeded, either. Stay positive. Be positive. No negative. Don’t be a downer…. I can’t keep doing that. At least not right now. The last few months I’ve been putting myself on the backburner. With house-hunting, -buying- and -moving I’ve allowed myself to say, “now’s not a good time” and “we’re too busy” and “other things are more important.” I know I’m not alone in constantly putting everything else...

The universe dropped this in my lap recently. I know the whole Apple Cider Vinegar ("ACV") Drink thing is not new, by any stretch. I've never given it any real thought, I've always passed it over as a fad diet and moved on. Last night someone in the From Fat to Finish Line group was talking about it and it seemed like quite a few of my FFTFL people had given it a try with various results and no real complaints. I trust my FFTFL peeps as they are always candid about their experiences good or bad. It really piqued my interest and I was mulling it over when today on the news they ran a story on it. It was the usual fluff piece that made no real assertions because they weren't about to take sides, but it once again on my radar. I continued to mull it over as I ran my errands this afternoon and when I popped into Whole Foods for a couple groceries, the first thing I saw an end cap with all the ACV drink ingredients. As this was the third time in less than t...

One of the terms that comes up over and over again in the From Fat to Finish Line Facebook group is "NSV" or Non Scale Victory. I hadn't really taken this side of the journey into consideration until I starting seeing other people's victories. When working on weight-loss and health it is so easy to just look at the scale as the only tool of measurement. When I confessed my weight to the group at the New Year one of the first comments I got was to only weigh once a month and not focus solely on the number as there is so much more to take into consideration. Yes, we celebrate everyone's weight loss numbers but there is also just as much support and excitement for the NSVs in the group. Yesterday I posted that it was my fourth day with no cream or sugar in my coffee. Over 120 people as of this writing have showed their support for my achievement. From a huge group of people who have either been there, done that, or are struggling themselves, or just starting...