Weightloss Update

If I had a nickel for every time I failed, I’d be rich!  If I had a nickel for every time I won, I’d also be rich!  Let’s face it, life is full of ups and downs.  The only thing I’ve proven so far is that I’m old!

This week, I lost my mini-challenge on HealthyWage.com.  I am 1.5 lbs. shy of my goal.  I tried so hard, but my body is slowing down into a plateau. In fact, I didn’t think I would get this close!  My metabolism is also reflecting my age!!!  Eeeek!

With the ups and downs in life, especially with weight loss, it would be so easy to give up!  A little more laying around on the couch, eating delicious food, sneaking some high-calorie snacks sounds pretty good.  But wait…with all that, the extra pounds would show back up, the joints would become painful again and the clothes won’t fit.

What I need here is motivation!

For me, the motivation to lose weight is my biggest obstacle.  Last week, I had to change my daily goals to try to meet my HealthyWage short-term goal.  I had procrastinated on losing weight after the first of the year so I guess I just didn’t get going fast enough.  I didn’t gain any weight, but just couldn’t push myself to lose early enough in the game. 

The first short-term challenge was relatively easy.  I set my goal to lose 1.5 lbs. per week.  My calories were set and I tried to walk thirty minutes a day, three days a week.  It was pretty easy.  I didn’t always lose 1.5 lbs. in a week.  Sometimes it was only 1 lb., sometimes it was 3 lbs.  The pace was perfect.

As I worked to reach my second goal, I was still able to calculate all the lbs. into the timeframe I had left with only a minimal amount of extra effort, even though I had procrastinated (wasting three to four weeks).  I left one thing out of the equation, though….the plateau. 

After losing 24 lbs., I hit my first big plateau.  It came down to the last week and I still had a final 2.7 lbs. to go.  I didn’t lose the 2.7 lbs., instead I lost 1.2 lbs. meaning I lost the mini-challenge.  I really pushed myself to try to get the entire 2.7 lbs. off.  The pain I went through almost makes me want to cry!  Almost.

I say almost because when I look at my app, MyFitnessPal, on my phone, I see the total weight loss and it makes me so very proud!  I’ve lost 25.2 lbs. so far!  That’s HUGE!  Without the challenge, I don’t think I would have gotten this far! 

This week, I’m gonna continue on!  I’m gonna listen to my Peptalk app, watch those calories and keep exercising!  Only 30 lbs. to go in 6 months – still 5 lbs. a month!  I have a smaller mini-challenge ending on the 17 of this month, so I may be able to recoup what I lost. 

I don’t really want to enter another mini-challenge, but I’m gonna do it – win or lose.  That way, I’ll force myself to stay on track for the BIG wager!  The big prize for me on HealthyWage.com will be $2,750!!!  Now that’s some motivation!