I've decided to blog today about my weight loss and food intake. Since September 2011 I've been using an App called MyFitnessPal which works out once you put in your stats what the minimum amount of calories you should eat per day are, in order to lose 2 lbs a week. As you lose more weight your calorie allowance reduces, and once you reach your target weight you can change your settings so that it gives you a calorie allowance to maintain your current weight. You use it as a food diary, so you input all the food, drink and exercise you do each day, and the app works out whether you are over or under your calorie goal. I'm finding it so helpful, and its really taught me perspective when it comes to portion sizes, and food choices.
I am also using an App called Nike+GPS, which is really an app for runners, but I use it to monitor my walking. One of my closest friends introduced me to the app, and totally inspired me to start walking loads. She has walked hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles, and dropped an amazing 4.5 stones, and seeing her achieve so much really made it real to me that it IS achievable! Since I moved house my journey to work has got considerably longer, and when I'm at work I now walk between 3-6 miles a day (sometimes more when I push myself). I've walked 337.5 miles since September, which is a lot considering I never used to do much exercise at all. Its been fun to compare routes, fastest times and total miles with my friend, a bit of healthy competition has spurred us both on I think! :-)
So far I've lost 33 lbs, and I'm hoping to lose 56 lbs in total by my wedding in August. I'm mainly doing it for health reasons, so that I can be a fit and healthy mother when me and my Mr start trying for a baby, but also so that I can look and feel happier and more confident on my wedding day.
At the moment my calorie intake per day is 1310 - which isn't much! It was really hard to get used to at first, and has been especially hard to do when I've been off work with my back and un-able to do much exercise. I find it easiest to burn calories so that I'm able to eat a little more. And I'm really getting used to the science of it all that its all a balance, an equation, burn more than you put in etc. :-)
I do feel a lot better already, and can tell its making a difference. I'm really looking forward to getting back to work, and into my exercise routine. I just hope my back can manage it. Slowly, slowly I guess.
I wanted to post about some of the foods that are really helping me to stay on track...
These Belvita breakfast biscuits are fab, the honey nut flavour have chocolate chips, and they taste like praline / ferrero rocher chocolates. :-) At 232 calories for a 4-pack they make a great breakfast, and they feel like a naught treat rather than something balanced.
These are Laughing Cow Extra Light Cheese Triangles - they have a really strong cheesy cheddar taste, and are easy to spread, and are only 20 calories per triangle. They're great on crackers, toast, in a sandwich etc. A great way of having cheese without all the fat and calories.
If you like Ryvita's (which luckily I actually do!) these are delish! I love black pepper, so this is a great combo. And only 35 calories per crisp bread. So it makes a great alternative to bread. And twinned with the laughing cow cheese is great for lunches etc. Or snacks (like when you get in from work and can't possibly wait an hr until dinner - lol!)
These are quite possibly my best discovery yet! Hartley's Low Calorie jelly pots. They're yummy! And...wait for it...only 9 calories per pot!! They are so fruity, sweet and quite filling, so a perfect way to end a meal if you have a sweet tooth. And even when you're over your calorie limit, you can pretty much always squeeze in 9 calories. They do a whole selection of flavours (this one being my fave!) and they're 69p each. They have offers on them a lot, so I tend to buy them in bulk come offer time.
I find it really exciting now when I discover new really tasty low calorie foods, as lets be honest, a lot of 'diet' food is just dreadful.
All the way through this I've been ademant not to see this as a 'diet', but as a re-education, and life change. I want to see this as a long-term way of eating and exercising, rather than a quick fix diet. I want to keep the weight off in definitely.
My twin sister, and my best friend are also having a go at using the apps, and they're doing amazingly well. We live 100 miles apart, so we talk lots on the phone, and share our food diaries with each other, and it helps so much to have so much support from them, and know we're all going through it together. They are also both going to be bridesmaids at my wedding, so its exciting for all of us to have to wedding to aim for. I'm so proud of them, and hope they're proud of me too. :-) I think its very important to get lots of support, and know that you're not alone. I'm also finding support through fellow-bloggers especially Mrs Shilts http://www.mrsshilts.co.uk/ who is using WeightWatchers to lose weight, and she's already achieved SOOO much, I can only aspire to lose as much as she has - amazing!
So, although I'm not doing as much exercise as I'd like at the moment, hopefully as soon as I'm back at work I can step up the exercise again, and those lbs will continue to fall off :-)
Wish me luck
Luce
xxxxx