Weekly Measurements

Accounting 101

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

I decided to start walking part out of being so unfit, my blood pressure has been increasing, I am 30 pounds overweight, and I have been so depressed. I am not sure what kick started for me? I also quit drinking my daily coffee, sometimes that is the combination that helps wake me up. I have been doing 1 – 2 miles a day, just walking. I know it’s not much but after not moving much this past year due to a knee injury its enough. I am one week into this. My depression has been lifting slightly, and that is huge. You can’t do anything else while that is sitting on top of you. I have been sporadically trying to lose weight. Trying intermittent fasting, plant based diet, and not counting calories but just being restrictive. And none of it works for me. If you have read any of my older entries you will know this to be true. I love the benefits I read about the intermittent fasting, and I completely believe it. I also believe in it due to spiritual reasons. Perhaps if I focused less on the self part and more on the prayer while doing it, it’d be more useful.

But anyway, I have found the best way for me to get healthier is to focus on my accounting. I guess if you think about it, it makes sense. We live in this crazy time of being surrounded by unhealthy foods, not just in terms of being full of sugar but also the chemicals (that do who knows what?) If you don’t manage your business, (body), then your body will be running rampant. Let’s be real there are people out there that don’t need that level of management, and perhaps those people are just very disciplined to start. I am here to say I am ready for this focus in my life. Despite being busy in all other areas of my life. And despite that I hate my job and I am miserable there! It’s like I thought if I punish myself by being sad, or my moping around would justify that I need to move on from the job and to say oh this job is so unhealthy for me I am even unhappy with this.

So HELLO, I can be happy in my life and not want to stay at a job and still take care of myself. Still continue studying the things that are important to me.

So back to the original idea of my post that I need to account for my fitness, body, calories, and weight. That if I don’t watch this I will gain or get out of shape. It’s my nature and its required for me. I am not one of those who just naturally do this. So I have already started by:

  • Weighing in daily (I have only gained so far!!)
  • Measuring weekly
  • Tracking steps and fitness
  • And keep my head on with being positive about my journey

In the past when I have done this it takes me a few weeks to find a place / pattern that actually starts weight loss. That I am currently only gaining is really strange to me and I am wondering if I am having a thyroid issue. I am going to stay with his and track my information strictly to see if I can find balance before seeking medical help. I am excited about this journey and I know some do not believe but I plan to use prayer for the fasting times. That is the worst for me around 8pm at night!

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Yesterday was measurement day. I feel like I have kind of slid to the wayside but I am totally not done! I just spent the last week so sick. I didn’t do much or eat much. I felt compelled to eat junky though but I still counted my calories and remained at a deficit. Overall I did pretty good. I hope to get back to “normal” next week. My cold is still lingering but I am starting to feel better. So on to the good news.

According to my measurements I am down 13.4 pounds, I have 22.4 lbs to go!! I am down 16 13/16 inches overall!!! Down 3 13/16 inches on my bust. Down 3 inches on my chest, and I am down 5 inches on my waist, and I am down 5 inches on my hips!!

Ok how am I fitting into the same size clothing is beyond me!!

I knew I needed to celebrate this because I was seeing so little changes going on. I am really proud of myself. I want to get back to business and hit 150 lbs!!! I am not giving up. Just had some minor set backs.

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Last week I opted to skip this because the changes are so insignificant that it wasn’t worth it. The changes are still really slow but I have lost a lot of inches overall (probably due to surgery swelling in my mid section). Brace yourself I have lost 12 pounds and 13 13/16 inches! WTH? What fascinates me with this number again is the size of my clothing. I was busting at the seams, as I am still wearing the same size as I was almost 14 inches ago and it just fits now! I am endlessly amazed how my weight gain is EVERYWHERE!! 161 pounds is not a normal size for someone who is 5’6! Yet I fit into a same size 10 that I fit into before. My waist has seen a biggest drop but that is due to surgery swelling, with 5 inches lost.

I am proud of myself and I will keep at it.

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

I’m starting to wonder if I should move this to a monthly task, as the results are so subtle. I always look like heck in my photos because I like to get this done first thing in the morning. So because of scale fluctuation, I bounced back up again. Yesterday I had some slight differences in my diet. It seems like anything frozen has chemical my body doesn’t agree with or it could be lack of sleep last night. Either way I know its retention of water and lack of rest. The later I sleep the less I weigh. Go figure.

I’m down a total of 10 inches overall!

-1.25 bust
-1.5 chest
-2.5 hips
-4.75 waist (please note I had surgery in May this is swelling reduction as well)

So even though I am feeling a bit glum today this is great news! I am proud of myself and my changes. Again still amazed with how slow my weight loss is in comparison to other people but like I said I need to stop comparing.

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

So its that time of the weekend. I have been taking weekly photos and weekly measurements. To make note, I am that type of person that gains weight everywhere so when I lose its so slow. As of today, day 48 of my commitment to changing my life I am 165.6 pounds from 174 pounds, though I still believe I was looming higher at times. My overall body measurements are down by 9 11/16 inches! My bust is down 1.25 inches, my chest is down 2 inches (though I can’t imagine as my sports bras have been so tight since I gained and they still even are I just can’t believe it!). My waist is 3.5 inches smaller (again please note that I had a hysterectomy in May so I started with some surgery swelling). And finally my hips are 3 inches smaller!! NO kidding.

I am proud of myself. Today we had a little family celebration and its my higher calorie day. I still noted all my food and I also just got my first ever food scale. I am pretty excited about using that to hopefully guide better food choices. M goal weight is 135 – 145 pounds.

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Last week was anticlimactic in terms of measurements so I didn’t bother posting. This week is as well, but here it is I am down 8 pounds at 166 pound! That is definitely amazing. My photos look great, I still have a ways to go. I am truly one of those people that carry my weight everywhere. I have started noticing some weight loss in certain places but its everywhere and yes its a slow process. I have 21 lbs to go before I hit my goal and honestly it might change you never know. I am down a total of 8 13/16 inches overall!! 1 inch lost on my bust, 2 inches lost on my chest (now I know why sports bras I wore so much hurt), 3 inches lost on my waist (please note that I had a hysterectomy in May) and 2 13/16 lost on my hips.

Looking at my starting photos in comparison is fun. I am starting to get “waist” I have always been very straight up and down. But seeing that is great. My waist was fat before and after the surgery. I feel pretty great about how far I have come and I will keep going with this.

Measurement Day

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

It’s my favorite day, as the scale might not reflect big changes but measurements are only once a week and usually show a decent change due to diet and exercise. In the past 20 days I have lost an overall of almost 7 inches!! The scale today read 168.4! I am down a total of 5.6 pounds. My waist and my hips have the biggest loss. My waist is 3 inches less and my hips is almost 3 inches less too! My before and after of my side profile is amazing. But I want to note, I also had laparoscopic hysterectomy on May 12. So some of my waist is swelling that has reduced! I’d love to tell you have reduced a clothing size, I guess I have since my clothes weren’t fitting before and I now I somewhat fit more comfortably.

So yes, this is my favorite day of the week and I look forward to it every week. Its exciting. I also did a measurement on my arm. I have been trying to trim out and tone my arms. My upper arms are always large and fat, they measured at 13 inches. That is not in my app for logging so I thought I’d add that piece of information here.

I got a new scale but I am not sure I like it. I might get the fitbit scale. So with that said ya me. I am proud of myself I am 27 days into this journey. In three days I will celebrate a month of trying to change my life for the better. I am grateful to God and the life I have been blessed with.