accountability update #6
Happy Friday, friends! It’s hard to believe that I’m already on my sixth week of sharing my accountability updates with you guys. I absolutely love sharing these updates. I find that knowing they are coming up each week really helps keep me on track. I hope you guys are liking this little peek into my healthy (and not so healthy) choices each week.
If you could see me right now, you’d see I was brushing my shoulders off, because I rocked it this week. Totally. Rocked. It. I feel like I’m finally falling into a nice, solid work-from-home routine where I can fit in almost everything I want to accomplish in a day. Heck, even my kitchen has stayed clean this week. Miracle.
Food
The next time I feel myself slipping with my food, all I need to do is pop in one of the countless food documentaries out there, and my resolve is automatically strengthened. I watched Hungry for Change earlier in the week, and while it didn’t really provide me with any new information, it did 100% reaffirm my decision to eat a whole foods diet. Like most documentaries, it was pretty overdramatic (like saying white flour and white sugar is the same as heroin and cocaine and should be regulated so), but apparently overdramatic really resonates with my internal drama llama. I had no interest in anything other than whole foods all week-long. Propaganda works, kids!
In related victories news, I’ve also managed to go nine whole days without any sugar since I gave it up for Lent. And even beyond that, I haven’t even tasted a single drop of all the maple syrup we’ve been producing this week. Not a drop! That’s impressive, right? I think Easter morning breakfast might have to be pancakes with some of this golden deliciousness.
I did struggle with two food areas this week. First up, the balance between eating locally and eating healthfully. Right now is serious slim pickin’s time in the local food arena. We’re getting some greens in our CSA, but mostly were getting lots of meat, lots of starches and lots of canned foods. In my ideal world, I would eat 100% seasonally. But, the truth is, I feel my best when I’m eating a wide variety of foods—including fruits and veggies that aren’t in season in this area right now. I just couldn’t handle another meal of meat and potatoes, so I buckled this week and went to the big shiny supermarket and loaded up a cartful of fruits and veggies. I’m hoping we wont have this issue next February because we’ll have enough veggies canned and frozen to get us through until spring. But for now, I’m totally blissed out eating my tomatoes and avocados and peppers.
The second area I struggled with—tracking. Have I mentioned how much I despise calorie counting? Gosh, do I hate it. And actually, watching Hungry for Change had me hating on it even more. The movie talked so much about how we manipulate our bodies to lose weight and how if you eat the right things and do the right things, your body will regulate, no need to count anything. In my heart, I want to believe that. But logically, I know that I have an issue with portion size. And eating too much of even the best for you food is still too much food. And the only way for me to conquer that is to be accurate (and accountable!) for how much I’m eating. Which means measuring and tracking.
How to improve next week: Keep eating what I’m eating, but make sure I’m tracking it.
Fitness
This result is almost 100% due to Coach Krissie from Committed Coaching. She saw my cry for help on Twitter last week and asked if I wanted to use her accountability services to keep me on track with workouts. She asked me to make a workout plan for the week, and then in a non-judgy, non-pushy way, she checks in on my workout days to make sure I’m not playing hookie. It has been totally working for me.
With Krissie’s gentle nudges, I did a full 90-minute Bikram session on Saturday, I did a kettlebell workout on Sunday, I did another kettlebell set and some incline walking on Wednesday and I did incline walking yesterday. That’s four workouts. FOUR. Boom! I know that’s nothing for fitness fanatics, but I am so proud of that! Woohoo!
How to improve next week: Make a plan and stick to it. Keep in mind that every workout doesn’t have to be a two-hour experience, a short burst of 20-30 minutes of exercise works, too.
Hydration
Again, I’m rockin’ hydration. I’m hitting my goals everyday (of at least 10-8 ounce glasses). I do feel my best when I drink a little more than that (12ish works well) so I’d love to hit that, but I’m cool with 10. 10 is a good number. I’ve also been drinking a lot of water with lemon or lime juice. So refreshing!
How to improve next week: I’m doing great at home, but I really need to snag a smaller water bottle that fits well into my purse to keep my hydration going while I’m out and about.
Weight
Starting Weight: 272 lbs
Last Week’s Weight: 232.4 lbs
This Week’s Weight: 230.1 lbs
This Week’s Loss: -2.3 lbs
Things are starting to move pretty consistently in the right direction, and I’m feeling great about it. Cutting out sugar has been a huge help. Sugar is definitely one of my biggest reasons for gaining weight (that, and pizza!) so having that aspect cut out will really help the scale move in the right direction.
How to improve next week: Keep on keepin’ on. Go figure, exercise + healthy eating + staying hydrated = weight loss. Who knew? Oh wait. That’s right. Everyone.
How did your week go? Was it healthy? Did you hit your goals?
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I’m Cassie. I’m a Midwestern girl trying to live a healthy life without being too crazy about it. I’m a lover of fresh veggies, bright colors, craft beer, hiking, funky eyeglasses, and really, really dark chocolate.
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Great job!! This week wasn’t super healthy but hopefully after we get back from Thailand I will be able to get back on track!
Great job this week! I’m glad you watched the documentary… I had the exact same reaction. Funny story: I overheard our office managers talking about what to reorder for the vending machine, and they were remaking about how quickly the new item, pop tarts, disappeared. I couldn’t help myself and butted in… “If you order more pop tarts you’re contributing to the death of everyone in the office.” They looked at me like I was crazy hahaha. I’ve def been healthy-brainwashed lol. Happy Friday!
Hahahah! I definitely do not miss the food judgement that goes on in the workplace. I can’t tell you how many times someone would walk up to me while I was eating lunch and say, “YUCK. What ARE you eating? That looks terrible!”
You look awesome! And you’re doing great, too!
I was smiling the whole time I read this! SO happy that you had an AWESOME week!!!!
My week was acceptable–down 1.5 pounds, finally started “running” (walking/jogging/dying for air), but I was terrible about water consumption.
HA! I literally LOLed at the “dying for air”. Gosh can I commiserate with that. Congrats on the weight loss!
This week was great for me. I went to visit some friends in DC and stayed on plan and didn’t use it as an excuse to go apeshit with my eating. I also worked out twice this week (ZUMBA CLASSES WTF IS MY LIFE), which is HUGE because I have been pretty much completely sedentary for a long time.
I too hate calorie counting. It just makes me feel so deprived, so I prefer to do WW. For some reason, points make me feel less deprived.
(A) I AM SO EXCITED YOU STARTED A BLOG.
(B) I was really hesitant to try Zumba, too, but I ended up kinda loving/hating it. If you find the right instructor, it can be a totally awesome time. Also, look for other dancefit classes. I took a Bollywood Dancefit class for years when I lived in Bloomington and it was WAY FUN.
looks like you had an AWESOME week!! keep the momentum rolling
my highlight this week was trying a new workout class with one of my girlfriends. it was awesome to suffer (i mean, sweat!) together and then go out for a healthy dinner at a local food restaurant. feeds the body AND soul.
That sounds like an absolutely awesome night out!
I appreciate eating locally but by the same token it can take a hell of a lot of planning to do so without feeling like you’re missing out on certain micro (and even macro) nutrients in certain seasons (particularly winter). You shouldn’t have to resort to eating the skin of beluga whales or cedar needle tea to fend off scurvy. . . unless of course you want to (though whales might be hard to come by in Southern Indiana)
Hahahahahaha! Yeah, I haven’t seen many whales floating around in our lake.
My hope is that we’ll eventually get to build a heated greenhouse and be able to grow our own scurvy-preventers all year long.
There is this website that has 20 and 30 minute HIIT workouts called fitness blender. These are amazing for when you just want to get in a quick workout. They have all kinds of options too.
This week was ok for me, but February is getting me down. Had a hard time getting exercise in, but my foods were really good!
Your “inner drama llama” LOL. I’m so glad you blog. I feel as though we are blog sisters because I SAY THAT PHRASE TOO. What are the odds? Really? And congrats on a stellar week. Mine was ok, but now that myfitnesspal is telling me to eat nothing I feel like I’m starving to death. Such a miserable thing… I might get crazy and try you 1700 calories out because 1400 is just not fun for me.
YAY! I’m so glad you had an awesome week. I actually watched Hungry for Change myself on Wednesday night. Boyfriend and I sat there making fun of the terrible acting (and that one guy who was really intense towards the camera, holy crap), and it wasn’t any new information for me either… but it definitely got to me. I can’t wait until our veggie garden is up and running… we’ve started over 20 varieties already and we’re planning on 70+. Healthland here we come!
This week was just ok for me. Three workouts and a run planned tomorrow. Ok food but a lot of eating or for work. Always something to work on!
Go you! You’re doing great.
i look forward to these posts every week. so happy you had a great week!!!!
Awesome job Cassie! You’re always so inspiring
Awesome job! I also gave up sugar for Lent and it’s so hard! I’m always craving something sweet after dinner. By the way, Sundays in Lent are considered “cheat” days as they are supposed to be feast days! Just FYI. I had sourdough french toast last Sunday and I’m currently counting down the minutes until I can have sweetened coffee tomorrow… you’re not alone!
Great job!! I’m so proud of you