dianaschnuth

So, here we are, exactly one year later. How am I doing?

Considering that question around noon today yielded the following tweet:

After having revisited the Weight Loss category of my blog, and seeing titles like, “Mini Weight Loss Goals Work,” “A Red-Letter Day in Weight Loss,” “Feeling Fitter,” “Noticing the Little Things,” and “The Result Is Its Own Reward,” I’m reminded of how far I’ve come in the past year. I’ve lost 20 pounds and about one pant size (give or take). I’m looking and feeling better.

Still, though, I have a long way to go yet.

Today’s meeting topic helped me realize a couple of things. Number one: tracking what I eat isn’t particularly helpful if I never go back and revisit what I wrote down. It’s also less effective if I do it half-assed — like on the weekends, when I write things like, “lunch: Indian buffet = 14pts?” Number two: If I kind of do the diet right, it kind of works. If I really do the diet right, it really works.

Remember back in February, when I decided to regroup and set myself some short-term goals and means to accomplish them?

I’m going to shoot for a small and quite reasonable goal: 185 lbs by my birthday (April 22nd). Even if I only lose half a pound a week, I’ll get there. I can do that.

How will I do it? By drinking at least six glasses of water a day, eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, keeping up with my push-up program, and doing at least 60 minutes of cardio a week (not including lunch walks). I can do that, too.

Let’s recap how I did, shall we?

Today’s weigh-in was NOT 185. In fact, I gained four pounds in two weeks. (Easter itself was fine; it was the week after that I slacked.) My official weigh-in was 192; two pounds heavier than I was two months ago. Granted, I know from experience that, since I gained it fast, it’ll come off fast — likely by next weigh-in or sooner. Still, it’s disappointing not to have reached my mini-goal.

And how did I do on the means I’d set out to accomplish my goal? I only met my daily goal of six glasses of water 35% of the time during the month of March; my daily fruits and veggies goal was even more abysmal. I quit the 100 Pushups program not long after that February post, and I never actually managed to do any cardio.

Sounds like I need a new battle plan.

Finally, long after Weight Watchers launched their Momentum Plan, I went through my booklet and made a list of the Filling Foods that are most frequently on our shopping list and in our pantry/fridge. I’m making a two-pronged dietary attack: pre-plan an entire day’s worth of meals in advance the night before (not just lunch and a half-assed breakfast), and plan them around Filling Foods as much as possible; and meet all of the Good Health Guidelines every day (water, veggies, whole grains, dairy, lean protein, oils, multivitamin). And it’s totally doable, especially if I plan ahead.

I would love to lose five more pounds before our vacation on May 11th. Honestly, though, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Whether or not I lose any weight beforehand, I’ll be content with maintaining my weight over the two weeks that we’re eating delicious Japanese cuisine and walking all over the damn place.

One year down. Hopefully less than another year to go.