Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Has it been a year already?
Fifty-two weeks. It's been an exciting year, for sure.
Significant changes for the first six months, not so many changes for the last six. But I've learned a lot about myself in the previous half-year.
Before we get to that, let's look at the numbers!
Original numbers: 4 weeks ago: Now: Difference: Overall
Weight 363 lbs. ? ? ? -37 lbs.
Biceps- 23" 20-1/2" 21" +1/2" -2"
Chest- 61-1/2" 57-1/2" 59-1/2" +2" -2"
Waist- 58" 55-3/4" 54-1/2" -1-1/4" -3-1/2"
Hips- 69-1/2" 62" 62" same -7-1/2"
Thigh- 32" 28" 29-3/4" +1-3/4" -2-1/4"
Neck- 18" 17-1/2" 17-1/2" same -1/2"
I might've been maintaining, but look at the end result for the year- especially my hips! Yes, it might've been more if I used last weeks' results, but that's okay. All of the numbers are in blue instead of red!
It took me three decades to get this big, so for one year of IF, this is some significant progress. Of course, I want to do better this year. I will do better this year. Even if the weight loss goes down another 30-40 pounds, that's fantastic progress. This isn't a sprint- it's a marathon. I'm just getting into my stride.
In the beginning, I think I started cutting down too fast. By the end of the first week, I'd gone from 4-5 meals a day down to two and a snack. The book says to cut down on one meal a day, but it assumed you were eating three a day. I still wonder if cutting my food and windows so significantly in the beginning is hindering my metabolism now.
But I can't blame a fast start for everything.
I still have trouble with portions. I'm down to one meal a day three times a week, but that meal is more significant than it should be. My two meals a day during the week are also problematic because one of those two meals is also pretty substantial. The weekends remain open with a 6-8 hour window, eating two to three larger meals, and sometimes seconds.
I see the patterns. I know what to change. The issue is changing it!
Want to know something funny? I'm starting to not like eating as much as I used to, despite the food intake. I get sluggish, sleepy and have nodded off more than once after eating a heavy meal. I do much better when I eat lighter. And I'm starting to crave salad again!
Unfortunately, due to my van dying and the financial strain of selling, buying, and moving from one house to another, I'm eating what I can make out of the house storage because there's little time to shop after my husband gets home. Also, we're trying not to take a lot of food up with us because space in the trucks is limited.
Stress is high. I'm still fasting, but I could do a better job- especially now when the packing is done, and I'm sitting around an empty house all day waiting for the settlement to happen.
I know things will change drastically in the next month. Moving, unpacking, and getting geared up to start a new business will bring a lot more stress in my life, good and bad.
I'm looking forward to being too busy to eat!
Now don't take that the wrong way. I have no intention of starving myself. But if I only have enough time for a small meal once a day after moving boxes, unpacking, and walking from room to room as I put things away, then I consider that time better spent on burning fat instead of gaining inches and feeling like a slug.
Life is about to get more challenging but more fun! We're also going to be posting about our journey through the move and starting a small bakery cafe in a new blog soon, so if you're interested, I can post the link after its' creation.
The future is looking bright- and thinner!
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