Weekly Weigh-in Update

Minus 10 pounds since July 31!! 

Lots of stress has led to lots of time at the gym in the last couple weeks.  Keeping up that brain training that I've been working on.  I have had my days where I want chocolate and carbs, but I have managed to keep my calorie intake under control and my calorie burn up!

July 1 - 271
July 31 - 271.4
August 7 - 265.6
August 16 - 261.4

I requested today off and gave my boss the reason of "for the sake of my sanity."  Like I said, lots of stress.

So this morning, Gus & I headed to the new dog park.  It was pretty warm, seeing as it is the middle of August in central Texas so we didn't stay long even though we were the only ones there.  Gus did chase his new soccer ball around the park and even brought it back to me, most of the times!  I took my camera but the battery was dead, so I'll have to try to get action shots next time.  Here's one I snapped with my phone.

This afternoon, I went to Target.  I have been trying to use coupons more, so I had my stack of coupons with me.  I needed a lot of toiletry stuff - shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, etc - and I happened to have coupons for a lot of those things.  I usually just get the cheapest or the store brand for many things like that, but if I have a coupon that makes it cheaper or balance out, I'll try something new or namebrand.  My original total was $72, but after coupons it was $56.  Not bad. 

We have made it more than halfway through the month-long squat challenge.  Legs and butt are feeling good, strong!

So my roommate got a puppy.  She is bringing him to live here next week.  It will be an adjustment.

And I foresee more time at the gym, because that is an added stressor no matter how you look at it, in addition to all the craziness going on at work.  So, moving forward with the train my brain plan.  :)

GoWear Fit

So I was debating between the bodybugg and bodymedia's GoWear Fit.  I had decided on the bodybugg but was waiting until I got paid to order it and the accompanying online membership.  I was discussing my thought processes with a good friend of mine - tracking my calorie burn versus intake would either work or it would show that something else was going on and I'd have some evidence for my completely unsupportive health care provider.  Either way, it would hopefully start the scale on the downward trend.  As we were talking about it, she said "well, I have a GoWear Fit you can use, if you'd like to try it."  She didn't feel she needed it anymore because she had worn it a while and figured out her average calorie burn and adjusted her diet accordingly --- and btw, she looks great!!!


So I am now in possession of a GoWear Fit and the accompanying online membership at www.bodymedia.com.  I got 3 months free when I signed up for a year-long membership at $6.95/month.  Not a bad deal.  :)  I've been wearing the armband for about a week and a half - and it seems be working! 


The hardest part for me is calorie counting because when I cook, I don't follow a recipe.  I just put in what I think will taste good.  My Biggest Loser food scale has been wonderful this week.  I've been weighing the ingredients before they've gone into the pan and then dividing it based on how many servings I divide the meal into.  Single-serve items are great, but expensive so I'm just trying to do a balancing act with simplicity versus economics.


The GoWear Fit measures calorie burn, steps, physical activity, and sleep.  Since I started wearing it, my personal bests are:

• Calories burned: 3219
• Total Activity: 1:30
• Steps Taken: 8471
• Sleep Efficiency: 95%

The bodymedia Activity Manager set my goals based on the information I gave it, but those can be adjusted as I become more fit. 


Oh, so how's it working?  I didn't weigh myself for the first week of wearing the armband.  But when I did --- minus 6.2 pounds!  It's nice to have "negative" feedback from all the hard work!  And it gives me a goal to beat next week!!