For my biggest loser challenge we are not only trying to be the "biggest loser" by loosing the most weight during the 12 week competition but we also have weekly challenges that we are supposed to do. For this first week the challenges are #1: Exercise for one hour this week (total) and #2 Keep track of what you eat for 3 weekdays and 1 weekend day. We are supposed to not only write down what we ate but when we ate it, what we were doing while we ate it and how we were feeling when we ate it. Then at the end of the day/week we can see how our emotions effect our eating.
For the first challenge is kind of a no brainer for me since I exercise for 45 min to an hour (or more) 6 days a week. But for the second challenge I've been working on it and trying to keep better track of what I eat. I have an account on myfitnesspal.com and I can put in what I eat and it will keep track of my calories for me. It also has a bar code scanner on the myfitnesspal app for my phone so I can scan the ingredients for the things I'm eating and it's completely accurate. BUT! I don't use it as often as I should. So I'm going to try to keep track of all of this for the challenge on HERE! Hooray!
So this morning (
Saturday) at about 8:30am I had 3/4th of a pear and a small glass of water before my run. I was feeling kind of tired still and hesitant to eat since I don't like eating much (or anything) before I run. And I ate it as I was walking through the house on my way out the door to go running.
I didn't actually start my run until 9:10am though because I was out talking to my neighbor for awhile. I got back from my run around 10:23 and then pulled a few weeds in the yard and stretched for about 15 - 20 minutes and then went to put a second coat of paint on a project I'm working on and then took care of some stuff for the kids and then finally got upstairs to take a shower around 11:30 or so. The problem is that I don't like to weigh myself until I've exercised and I don't like to eat or drink anything until after I've weighed myself and since I also don't like to be wearing any clothes when I weigh myself I typically do it right before I shower. So a lot of the time I don't eat breakfast until like 10:30 or 11 am. During the week I am better about getting up and running before my kids wake up and I'm done exercising by 8 and then I get the kids out the door to school and then jump in the shower around 9, which means breakfast around 9:30 which isn't too bad.
So here it is 1:00 and I just ate 2 cups of leftover pasta and a huge glass of water. I ate while sitting at the computer writing this blog post :) I'm feeling fine. Not really much emotion, not stressed or feeling down or super energized either, but I was pretty dang hungry! I actually just finished eating and am still really hungry so I think I'm going to eat a pear as well. I ate that while sitting at the table feeding my baby snacks in his high chair.
At 2:30 I snacked on 6 salt water taffies while I was sanding down a project that I'm working on feeling happy. I also drank another big glass of water during this time.
At 5:20 I ate a small handful of pretzels that one of my kids left in the Family Room as I was walking through and then grabbed one more handful of pretzels and a water bottle that I ate/drank in the car on my way to the store.
At 10 pm I finally ate dinner of about 1 cup of roast and 1.5 cups of cooked carrots and a huge glass of water. I ate it while sitting in bed checking email feeling starving and exhausted.
Sunday, May 13th
8:30am ate 2 pieces of french toast (with no butter, just a little bit of light syrup on them), 1 cup of scrambled eggs, 1 light yogurt and a tall glass of water. I ate this fantastic mothers day breakfast in my very own bed where it was brought to me by my lovely family! I was feeling blessed and happy (but also a little hurried since we had church soon!)
12pm I slice of caramel cheesecake and some water while sitting in the cultural hall at church again feeling happy (ate it leisurely while chatting with friends)
1pm - ate 3 salt water taffies and some water while sitting on the couch as my kids brought me homemade mothers day gifts!
2:30pm ate about a 1/2 cup of leftover roast and 1 cup of cooked carrots and a big glass of water. I ate this while sitting on the couch with Peter feeling loved and appreciated!
7pm I enjoyed a fantastic dinner of 3 slices of BBQ'd tri tip 1 cup of Caesar salad, 2 rolls 1 baked potato (with some butter, smidge of sour cream and some chives), and a large glass of water. I ate this dinner while sitting at the table surrounded by family feeling happy and content
7:45 the men served us strawberry shortcake and whipped cream which I ate happily and guiltlessly while sitting at the same spot on the table feeling super happy.
at 8:45 I indulged in a brownie and some more water while sitting at the table with my kids before bed feeling so overwhelmingly loved that I didn't even care how many delicious calories I had consumed today! :)
*My sister in law decided to challenge herself not to eat after 8pm this week and I accepted the challenge with her! I saved myself from eating cookies for our family home evening treat as well as several other "treats" that I usually treat myself to at night after I put the kids to bed! I switched to a drink of water and chewing mint gum if I'm having a hard time killing the snacking urge*
Tuesday, May 15th
8:45am I drank a slim fast shake while standing in my bathroom (after I had exercised and weighed myself just before getting in the shower) feeling a bit rushed.
9:30am I helped myself to a big chunk of cookie dough that I ate after flinging myself onto the couch feeling a little bit frazzled and justified in my unhealthy choice of snack! I also drank a bit glass of water
11am I cup of pasta while standing at the counter as I was preparing meals for our dinner swap group still feeling frazzled and a little stressed.
11:30 I ate 6 salt water taffies still while making my meals. I drank more water and was starting to calm down and get in control of my crazy morning!
at 2:30 I ate a little bit more left over pasta and a few homemade cookies. I ate this while sitting at the computer checking emails feeling exhausted after what had proved to be a pretty crazy day so far.
4pm I ate 5 more salt water taffies (just because they were out) as I did dishes and helped my kids with homework and chores feeling a little stressed as I was being pulled in 6 different directions by each of my kids needing help with something or motivation to do something else.
7pm I ate about 2 cups of tator tot casserole and a large glass of water. I ate this while sitting at the table with my kids feeling just normal. And then treated myself to one more chunk of cookie dough just for good measure (it had been a long day).
Thursday, May 17th
9:30 I drank a slim fast and 1/2 an apple in my bathroom feeling energized and ready for the day.
10:15 I drank a big glass of vitamin water while working in the yard feeling happy and energetic
11am I ate a handful of wheat thin crackers, an apple and a huge glass of water while making lunch for my boys in the kitchen feeling good about my productivity so far today.
2pm I ate some sandwich crust and leftover quesadillas and some more water as I cleared off the table and loaded the dishwasher. Not feeling anything in particular, just trying to plan out the rest of the afternoon
4:30 I had a mini snickers bar and another big glass of water while helping kids with homework and chores
5:20 I ate some broccoli, chicken Alfredo pasta and a large glass of water as I sat in the car on my way to see the avengers with my handsome hubby, feeling tired and hungry.
8:45 I had another huge glass of water while doing dishes feeling tired
10 pm one more big glass of water (my mouth is feeling super dry) while sitting at the computer finishing this post feeling tired and drained.
This was really interesting to me! I noticed what I think I already know, that I tend to eat junk when I'm frazzled or stressed. I also noticed that I don't eat regular meals except dinner. I am usually on the go and busy cleaning or chasing kids and usually end up eating their leftovers for lunch of just a handful of crackers and a piece of fruit or something. I had a little food journal that I kept with me to write things down on since myfitnesspal only keeps track of what you are eating and how many calories it has and not the where you were and how you felt when you ate it part. I started several days and didn't finish them, and even though the challenge was to keep track of 1 weekend day and 3 weekdays and I did 2 weekend days and 2 weekdays I still feel like I completed this challenge. I need to get better in the habit of doing this though and tracking what I eat. Next week's biggest loser challenge also has us tracking what we eat so I'm sure it will come naturally soon!
First picture was the morning that we officially started the Biggest Loser Challenge and the second one is at the end of the first week. 3.8 lbs lost, .5 inches around my waist, and 1 inch around my chest. It's a start!
