Changes in Routines

I finally broke down and joined the local gym. Amy and Katie have been working out there on and off for the last few months. Amy has enjoyed belonging and works out 5-6 times a week. She loves to use their swimming pool and hot tub. It was a difficult decision for me to join. We purchased a stationary bike last spring, which I love. Unfortunately, one of the kids (who will remain nameless) broke the battery compartment lid, so the machine will not increase resistance. It's possible for me to ride it for an hour, but the workout isn't very good. I am able to go really fast though.:) It's really important for me to be getting enough exercise and the cold temperatures inhibit my desire to go for long walks or hikes.

We didn't get a family membership. The children would only be able to use the gym on Saturdays for 3 hours in the afternoon. Each child membership is the same as an adult membership. The cost of memberships seems strange to me, because of the limited availability for children/youth.

It was good to get back to working out again. I'm being much more reasonable with my goals this time. I've started out with 30 minutes each day for the first week. It was surprising how much more distance I was able to cover on the treadmill or bike by the end of the week. Next week, I'm adding 5 minutes to my daily workout and will continue to increase each week until reaching 60 minutes each day.

I also changed my eating habits this week. The dreaded cleanse was completed for the first three days and really got rid of decreased my craving for carbs. So far, I've dropped 13 pounds. My family will be joining me in my new eating habits, except they will be getting more breads and other starches. They will also get dessert once or twice a week.....eventually.

Adding my workout time to our schedule has changed part of our school day. We're covering Bible, math, English, literature, phonics, and history before I leave for the gym. The girls are expected to do spelling, art, piano, or math drill while I'm gone. We finish up science and other projects when I get home. The new routine is working out for the younger girls, but Madelyn didn't get her usual amount of work done this week. I think she will need to get up earlier in the morning. She won't be thrilled with getting up earlier, but she'll appreciate it when the weather changes and we have time to play.

A Dieting Change

I've been following the Medical Weight Loss Clinic diet plan since early July. It's been very successful for me, but lately my weight loss has slowed down. The plan does work, but it is really restrictive about foods. With the holidays approaching, I was beginning to worry about my ability to stay with this plan.

Last night, I joined Weight Watchers on line program. About 12 years ago, I had done Weight Watchers, but I didn't like to constantly be figuring out how to get the most food for my points. I also don't like to use fake food. I continued the MWLC plan yesterday and then tracked my foods. I was 11 points less than I was supposed to be eating. Is it possible that my weight loss slowed down because I wasn't eating enough calories?

I plan on following the MWLC plan for the most part, but will enjoy using my extra points for holiday meals or a Christmas cookie or two. The goal that I hope to reach by New Year's Day is to lose another 25 pounds. Hopefully, the new flexibility will allow me to continue to lose weight during the holidays, without completely missing out on special occasions.

Healthier Habits

A dear friend spent the last year losing weight....a lot of weight. She's inspired me to make healthier choices in my own life. I've been exercising regularly, but not to excess. Due to our life on a budget, I need to lose weight without dropping tons of money on meetings and pre-measured, prepared foods. Weight Watchers has a good program, but I spend too much time looking for ways to get more food for my allotted points. The Biggest Loser is inspiring, but I can't spend 5-6 hours each day exercising. It also appears that past winners aren't able to keep the weight off in the long term. Maybe because they lose the weight outside of their normal life.

Anyhow, now that I've got 2 months of exercise under my belt and have developed the exercise habit, I'll be embarking on a plan to change my eating habits. My friend (with the hugely successful weight loss) has agreed to be my weight loss coach and keep me motivated. I'm trying to look at this as a change of habits and lifestyle as opposed to a diet or quick fix. I didn't gain weight overnight; I can't lose it quickly either. Anyone with words of wisdom? I'd love to hear from you!!!