Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

I already know that tomorrow's weigh-in is not going to be a good one. Last Friday I weighed 258.4. After the Chinese I had that night on "free day", and the 4th of July eating on Saturday, I managed to gain 4.4 lbs. in a 24 hour time period. Don't ask me how, but I did. The proof was on the scale when I got on early Sunday morning. Freak out time. I knew I had 6 days to get off 4.4 lbs. JUST to break even....forget about losing below 258.4. Well I got on the scale again this morning and I'm just not going to make it. We'll see what the scale says tomorrow morning, but I feel certain it's going to show a gain from last week's weigh-in. Again, freak out time.

I spent all day, on and off, emailing people to find out what in the world I did wrong this week. I talked to 3 people and all of them gave me some great advice. It's time for a new plan. Although my calories only exceeded my 1550 limit one day this week, they were all over the map. One day they were around 990 and another I think it was 1046. The over day was around 1900. There was absolutely no consistency whatsoever, and apparently that's a problem.

Also, although I was way more active this week than I normally am, the fact is, for exercise to assist you in actually LOSING, your heart rate HAS to be elevated for at least 20 consecutive minutes, as in walking on a treadmill. I've been doing a mile in 15 to 16 minutes. I need to stay on a little bit longer, so now I'm no longer paying attention to the distance, I'm paying attention to the time. Added to that is the fact that I don't think walking on the treadmill every other day is enough. I really think I need to start making myself walk on it every day that I possibly can. If I don't make the time to get on it every day and walk at least 20 minutes, I'm going to consider that a screw-up.

I'm also going to make a menu plan tomorrow to last through next Thursday. I'm not going to plan out every breakfast, lunch and snack to a "T", but I am going to plan out 7 different dinners, making 2 or 3 of them crockpot meals, for the days that I'm just too busy or too tired to fool with dinner. I'm going to keep my calories between 1350-1550 every day this next week. Nothing below 1350 and nothing above 1550. I am told that consistency with the calories WILL make a difference. I've been challenged to try it and see the impending loss on the scale next week. I'm giving it a shot. I also plan on chopping up some fresh veggies to grab for a snack, or to help pull dinner together.

Finally, I am announcing that I've eliminated Free Day. One of my friends very nicely pointed out the stupidity in this. Giving myself a free day to eat whatever I want sets me up to scratch and claw all week to get through the first 6 days so I can focus on eating like a moron on free day. That's the wrong way to approach my goals. It should be the exact opposite. By eliminating one day a week to eat whatever I want, I am putting myself in line for a serious mental change in my attitude towards eating right. Free Day is not for eating right...it's for eating like an idiot and not caring. Wrong thing to do. My friend likened it to working hard to reach a goal, finally reaching it, and then celebrating that with lots of bad food. How many times have I done this???? I can't count that high. I have to admit, when my friend suggested getting rid of Free Day, I nearly lost my breath. That very reaction made me realize I was approaching this all wrong. Time to right the wrongs. Free Day is gone.

One of my friends also told me to consult an expert if I really want to get serious and get things right. They asked me if Jillian Michaels has a book out and I'm pretty certain I've seen that hard body on the cover of a book somewhere. I had originally planned on getting a pedicure as my reward for reaching my first 15 lb. goal, whenever that is. I've changed my mind. My first reward is going to be her book....something to help educate me on how to get even better with my new lifestyle. I can't think of a more appropriate reward for my daily travels as I work towards my goals.

I want to say a big "HELLO" to my newest follower from http://fat-free-me.blogspot.com/. I don't know your name yet but I see you live in Scotland....how cool is that??? My first international follower...awesome! I checked out your blog today....congrats on the smaller jacket size! I bet that feels great. :) I enjoyed reading some of your posts so I'm adding you to my blogroll. Thanks for checking mine out. :)

And finally I must say to my oldest and dearest friend.....CONGRATULATIONS PAM!!! Girlfriend reached one of her BIG goals today.....she got under 300 lbs, never to return again!!! It's an amazing accomplishment.....her tenacity is paying off....and I'm soooo happy for her. She and her husband Randall are taking a weekend trip to their favorite destination...Savannah, GA. as a reward for their hard work. (Randall's losing weight too!) Of course they're taking along their adorable son Daniel, who I have yet to meet due to us living in different states. She started his own little blog and has a video on it of him singing...too precious. If you love cute kids, check out the blog: http://firsttimemommyandson.blogspot.com/.

So...I've got some things to change. I have to say my curiosity is piqued to see if these things will result in a loss on the scale next week. I want to get it right. I want the weight gone and I want to do it in the correct, efficient, healthy way. I thank God that I'm surrounded by such amazing friends and family. I am truly blessed. :)

Goal Stats:

Calories 1550
Carbs 250
Fat 60
Protein 136

Today's Stats:

Calories 1548
Carbs 56
Fat 35
Protein 155

Here's my food intake for the day:

Breakfast casserole, 1 pc. (asparagus, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, red. fat chz, egg whites, homemade turkey sausage)
2 c. decaf swiss mocha almond coffee w/ sugar-free creamer

Publix deli turkey sub, 6" on 5 grain bread w/ spicy mustard, lettuce, onions, pickles, banana peppers

Chicken stew (adapted from the Minorcan chicken & dumplings, but made w/ no dumplings...included chicken, tomatoes, onions, datil pepper...poured over 1 pc. sourdough bread)

1 Homemade chicken soft taco (adapted from Los Reyes' restaurant version....made w/ chicken, Rotel tomatoes & chiles, and onions, on a low-carb, wheat tortilla w/ shredded lettuce) FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

2 pc. Russell Stover Sugar-free 60% cacoa dark chocolate squares
1 protein water
96 oz. water....NO TEA....NO COKE!!!

Quote For The Day:

"My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure." -Abraham Lincoln