One Week Update

Wow! I'm one week into this whole working out/ eating better thing, and I am loving it! I've gone to the gym every day since I signed up, and am trying to go twice a day if my schedule permits. I forgot how good it feels to move and sweat every day. Since I have so much weight to lose and am so out of shape, I am trying to do long, moderate intensity workouts, rather than 30-45 minutes of high intensity workouts. I am already feeling a difference in my endurance. I'm doing an hour on the treadmill at 3.0 mph at a 6% incline with 1 minute sprints every 5-7 minutes. After my first hour on the treadmill, I do a quick circuit (1 set of 12 on each machine, with weights set heavy enough that I'm a little wobbly by rep 8, hating life by rep 10, but can still manage to get number 12 up while using proper form.), then another 15-30 minutes on the treadmill. It's nice because the treadmills have individual tv's in them, so if there is a show I want to watch in the evening, I plan my hour on the treadmill around that program. Usually, my favorite shows are on around 9:00, so I do my hour, do my circuit, then do the rest of my treadmill time while watching The Tonight Show monologue. If Jay has a good lineup, I'll stay and work out for the entire show. After I leave the gym, I head to Wal-Mart to purchase groceries for the following day. When I get home, John and the kids are sound asleep. It's so nice :)

As far as the diet goes, I'm limiting my calories based on my BMR, which I found here. I am also logging my food intake and activity level on this worksheet. Just knowing I have to be accountable to my food diary is enough to help me curb my chocolate addiction. When it comes down to it, however, I know that for 70 calories I can "indulge" in a tablespoon of the chocolate chips in my freezer. Because I am limiting calories, I find that I am naturally choosing better quality foods. Since we have more fruit in the house, the kids and the hubs are also eating more fruit, so we are all benefiting from my increased consciousness. Now if I could only convince myself that vegetables taste good- you know, without battering and frying them first....

There is so much information out there about proper dieting. It is easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in the idea that if it's not gluten free, dye free, pesticide free, organic, free range, cage free, blah blah blah it is not good for you. While there is definitely some truth to that, as far as my diet is concerned, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. While I would like to be able to invest in great "quality" foods, I also know that every time I choose an apple rather than a candy bar, my body is healthier- regardless of whether said apple is conventionally grown or organic. At this point, I am obese with a BMI of about 35%(!). Worrying about pesticides, dyes, etc is sortof like calling the plastic surgeon for a consultation regarding gaping head wound before taking the time to stop the bleeding. Right now, my baby step is cutting out the processed junk and empty calories. When I master that, I can move on to bigger and better things :).

Have a great week everyone!