10×10 in 2010

Archive for January 17th, 2010

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Today is scale day! The last few days have been a bit tense; on Thursday morning the infernal device displayed something north of 319, a clear indication that the week was going to be much less dramatic than my first check-in. So for the past two, no, three days, I’ve been extra-rigorous about monitoring portion sizes.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop eating!  No, instead it was a focus on being more conservative in measuring out calorie intake.  It’s astonishing how quickly a half-cup in your mind actually measures out at a cup or more.  For calorie-dense foods, that kind of doubling-up is disastrous!

Last night we had the black bean burgers; I ate two of them, and stopped there.  They were tasty enough that I could have powered through another two without slowing down, but the scale, and New Years’ Eve, loomed on the horizon.

Learnings This Week

Here are a few of the items I’ve learned (or remembered) on week two of this year-long journey.  This isn’t anything formal, it’s what has emerged in the past week or so from recent experience. (And it seems to be confirming those things Mom said when we were young.)

• Drinking more water really does make a difference. Slamming 8 oz. when you stagger out of bed in the morning helps, too.  It’s like a shot of caffeine, really.  The body heats up, a flush creeps up your neck and face, and the world comes into clearer focus.
• I’m drinking less coffee – getting enough sleep (6.5-7 hours a night), excercising in the morning, and drinking more water are contributing to blunt the thirst.
• Eating just before bed is a recipe for a lousy nights’ sleep.
• Reading motivational books (like Born to Run) is, well, motivational.
• Having a spouse that is turning into a serious runner helps, too. (3-4 miles a morning, in freezing temps, 3-4 times a week – she rocks!)

The Results

Starting Weight: 328 pounds.

Last Week: 320 pounds.

This Week: 317 pounds.

Total Weight Loss: 11 pounds.

Weight Lost This Week: 3 pounds.

With a goal of 2 pounds per week, the past two weeks have been an outstanding start!