Wednesday, November 28, 2007

10 lbs.

I am publicly posting this goal to lose 10 lbs by February 1st. Yes, losing a few extra pounds has always been a "goal." You know, something you'd really like to happen but lose sight of as soon as you see the desert menu. I am 10 pounds away from what I think will be my very ideal weight, give or take 2-3 pounds. I love working out and that hasn't really been too much of a hindrance. But, admittedly, I need to do more cardio and here's the big area of focus: diet. I need to eat better, not that I eat out much now anyway. I just don't feed my body enough naturally healthy foods, especially vegetables. I need to eat better foods and on a better schedule, to maximize my weight loss and body recovery from working out, giving me more energy and just making me feel healthier.

Getting older makes weight loss more challenging but I really see no excuse to not be near my ideal body weight. And this isn't fundamentally about looking good (although, of course that is a part of it) as much as it is about feeling good, feeling healthy, and feeling that I am putting my health first. And something tells me that I enjoy kicking my own ass a bit. I like to challenge myself and work toward a personal goal. So, this is no longer an, "I want to lose weight," or "gee, it would be great to lose a few pounds before Christmas." I have set a final date and weekly goals. I know what foods to eat and what really needs to be done. Sometimes we just need to say it out loud to feel that accountability is created. Okay, I'm off to the gym now! :)

11 comments:

Richard said...

Well, that is about 640 calories per day. Cut out 3 choclate bars per day (and don't replace them) and you will lose that weight without even trying.

I have never met a woman who wasn't trying to lose weight or thinking about losing weight. If 10 lbs were all I had to worry about, I'd be ecstatic.

I try to eat low calorie density foods (those around 1 calorie per gram), though I tend to fall off the wagon quite a lot (which is why my weight stays up).

Good luck. Your goal is about 1 lb per week - which is considered attainable.

Kim/Thomas said...

but you loooook sooooo teeny tiny...10 lbls......then show us where that extra ten lbs is...i just don't see it on your itsy bitsy face:)

btw, i'm teasing...you don't have to show, unless you want to make a funny photo booth wide angle photo:)

leosatter said...

I hope you can help me out. I am trying to get my health under control so starting to eat right is my first step. Do you know where I can purchase quality food online? (that is on the healthy side) I am starting to do all of my shopping online because of various reasons…so I am hoping you can help me out with a suggestion or two.
So far I have only tried Celebrity foods (which is outstanding by the way)
I am in desperate need to grow my list of quality services or stores, where I can buy my food from. Thank you and have a great day or night (depending on when you read this. LOL!

B said...

richard...dang, is it really 640 calories? well, the candybar bit would be great news if i ate 12 a day. :) Sadly, I don't eat one a day, so i'll have to find some other way to cut calories! believe me, a year ago if you asked if i was trying to lose weight, i would have said no. but yes, in general, women do worry excessively about our weight. i think my goal is very attainable, even with the holidays. thanks for the encouragement!

kim...hi!! i've missed you. haha. i look teeny tiny? yeah, black and white photos help in that regard, don't they? my extra 10lbs seem to be lodged directly on my midsection - stomach, a little on the sides of my thighs. it's amazing where fat just latches on!! :) oh, god, you mention that wide angle feature of photo booth and the funny thing is that i have a few hilarious photos of me and my sisters and niece clowning around on that. they images are hilarious and a few of them do make me look gynormous!!!!

leosatter...thanks for stopping by my blog. sadly, i really have no idea about where to purchase quality food online. i've never ordered food online. that has to be such a challenge, especially if you are trying to eat fresh, healthy foods. are you comfortable doing online research (i.e. search engines like google)? you may want to search for the area you live in. and again, i'm sorry i can't help with recommendations but i am really not qualified to recommend anything. i can tell you that the key to getting one's health in control seems to be eating fresh and "clean" food like fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc. eliminating bad fats, processed foods and foods with a lot of preservatives. good luck with your search for online food and don't give up on your goal to get healthy. it is daunting and frustrating (especially with the challenges you infer and with buying food online) but you will feel so much healthier and i know that when i feel healthy, i feel better about myself and life as a whole! best wishes!

CG said...

B, needs to loose weight... I must be going crazy. I was just celebrating the getting below the 70 kilo mark, which was a goal for years now. I barely eat, exercise only when I have to (apart from walking) as if I build my blood pressure too high I simply faint, a brilliant excuse and it's true. People why, why, why is that thing about women and loosing weight, size zero is not beautiful it's sick! I am not fat, but I think I am now (since I lost weight without trying) a little overweight. I suppose to be super healthy 63 kilos would be perfect but 68 is just fine for me. Sorry B I just don't understand... Of all people - YOU!
As for eating healthier try making soups won't take you more than 20 min, and as long as you don't fill it with croutons and fats it's good for you. It also cleanses your system, since the weather is cold here I have been eating a small bowl of soup every night. But my eating schedule is far from healthy, I don't eat breakfast, I have a small lunch and a small dinner. Little snacks in between (i.e. apple). I love fruit and veg so it's easy for me :P now I am wondering where on your legs and tummy are those 10 pounds... I think you should check your weight proportion with your height... Sorry but it's little fat me, who hates the over obsessed skinniness of the world...

La Belette Rouge said...

Congrats on the courage to publicly state your goals. I think there is a genius in sharing your goals---as it always motivates me to make them happen.
While it is not very French chic, the only thing that has ever worked for me is low carb. It was hard at first...now it feels like a way of life.
Good luck and have a great workout.

B said...

carra...don't misunderstand me. my goal is by no means to be skinny. i enjoy having curves and a feminine body but there is definitely a point in which i feel unhealthy and just blah. i don't have any desire to look emaciated or gaunt. i just want to feel healthy and not have such a gut. believe me, i truly do not want to be a stick figure!

i do like soup, especially this time of year. the tricky thing with soup is to watch the sodium content. but if you make your very own soup from fresh ingredients and limit sodium, that is great.

believe me, i have ten extra pounds and i'm not obsessing. almost all of my mother's side of the family is obese and i'm only 5'4" so i just want to keep myself healthy and fit because i have definite porker potential! :)

la belette rouge...thanks for the encouragement. yes, limiting carbs is really a huge help with weight loss. i think that so much of what we grab to eat quickly has a lot of carbs and simply watching your intake can make a big difference. the beauty about being in paris is that you walk around so much, you truly can eat whatever you want. i think i came home from my week in paris last year having lost a few pounds despite eating lots of deserts and crepes and sauces because i was probably walking 20+ miles a day! :)

Take A Year Out said...

Hey B - i'm back & bloggin'!

context = content

change your context, improve your content

i.e. create a bigger game than losing 10lbs... creat it for other people as well as for you... create a project within your community / group where everyone has to lose 10lbs - and be the leader of that project... and then you can't let all those guys down!

doing it for others is always more powerful than doing it for yourself.

lots of love by the way,

BH x x

mattbg said...

Exercise is a tricky thing with weight loss because who's to say that doing more exercise won't make you more hungry and, therefore, cause you to take in more calories and negate the weight loss?

For a temporary period near the beginning of the year, I was eating out a lot and doing less exercise. I lost a lot of weight. When I stopped, and went back to less food and more exercise, I started gaining weight. Weight loss seems to be a really strange thing... I don't think it's as simple as any of the "simple solutions". Atkins, for example, was a whole system. It's not just "low carbs". "More exercise" or a good metabolism doesn't mean you can eat what you like if your interest is healthy. etc. etc.

And some people just weren't meant to be slim. I find the current definition of "beauty" pretty silly, anyway. I suppose it's good in a way: they can't sell me anything.

Cavalock said...

hard to imgaine u needing to lose weight. have fun at the gym!

B said...

ben...hi! welcome back. i'm so excited to read your new blog. as always, i'm humbled and inspired by your leadership and insight. i think we both have similar ends but maybe different means. you are a leader, ben, and have a tremendous ability to lead and inspire in that role. i think you know me well enough to agree that i am a supporter. i need strong leadership and inspiration and with such, i'm happy to work in a supporting role.

in this case, losing 10 lbs. is a personal challenge and i want to keep it that way. although i've publicly stated my objective here, it is something that i need to do on my own. i absolutely agree that doing for others is more powerful than doing for ourselves. but this is a personal challenge and as much as i enjoy helping others, i find myself wanting to help people in other ways.

matt...exercise is tricky. i do find myself hungrier after weight workouts. the key for me seems to be lots of cardio and when i go to eat more, eating the right foods. i don't think there is one equation for everyone but cardio and healthy eating seems to be the best generic way to get healthy. i've long abandoned belief in society's "ideal" body or appearance. i know my body and have no societal pressure weighing on me (pun intended). it's just a simple desire to be healthier.

cavalock...i appreciate your saying that. again, don't ge me wrong here. i'm not fishing for compliments or proclaiming to be fat. i just want to be feel really healthy and fit. and i want to push myself physically, too. i've always enjoyed that personal challenge.