Change in weight (6/30/20 – 7/6/20):  -2.4 LBS

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This week is a testament to the routine of my betterment journey. It has been around seven months and the weeks are melting together. The best part of this melting together is that the effort and the commitment is turning into a lifestyle. This lifestyle isn’t easy, and it is fraught with frustration and difficulty, but it is becoming more natural. I crossed another milestone this week and have lost over 40 pounds since December 1. 40.2 to be exact. It has take a month to lose 4 pounds since I posted 36 in 6, but despite that slow struggle, I am thankful for every ounce of the change. I feel a hell of a lot different than when I posted my first blog post months ago and I am in such a better emotional place from December 1, 2019.

So what happened over this past week that helped launch me over the 40 pounds lost mark? I think it is a little of everything. I actually didn’t have a week with as much exercise as usual, but I did have more movement. I took Wednesday PM through today off from work for some family time and a mental vacation. This did very good things for me. I got outside with my daughter, did more walks, and had a much lower stress level. Most days my intake was good, though we did have some celebrations with the holiday weekend.

I am not trying to cop out of coming up with a real detailed analysis of my success, but I am not 100% sure if any main action was the driving force in the successful week. I think much of it is because many of the changes I need to make have become internalized. I still can eat too much, but I am better about controlling it than I have been. I find my walks more therapeutic than a “necessary workout”. I also think the lack of stress did great things for me. I didn’t want to stress eat or get snacks out of boredom. So again, it was a little bit of everything.

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I did fail at getting my run in this week. I have been trying to stay consistent with one per week, but between heat and time, it didn’t happen. I did feel great with one of my workouts this week where I absolutely crushed my PR in a 45 minute ride on the Peloton. What made it even better was I didn’t want to workout and figured I would just calmly work through an easy one. It shows the power of showing up. Sometimes all it takes is lacing up the shoes or getting yourself to the starting line. That is when your commitment and routine can carry you. I did both All for One Rides that Peloton offered this week. These were 2-45 minute rides that had sections with every instructor. Doing 2-45 minute rides this week was a step up for me and although my number of rides were not as high as usual, my minutes were. Last night also saw my 250th ride on the bike. We have had it for a little over a year and 2/3 of those rides have come since December 1. It is hard to put into words how thankful you can be for something that has become so central to your betterment journey, but I am that thankful.

This week we are trying to do better about our meal planning. Life has been very hectic and we have gotten away from it. We are starting off with some turkey meatballs with veggies and then some grilled chicken later on. I think a week of clean eating will do me good.

I cannot speak enough about the power of this routine. I have been sticking with the key strategies I talked about a couple months ago, and they are helping me continue on. Like I said earlier, it is not necessarily easier, but more manageable to try and impact the change I am seeking. I still have days where I want to sit on the couch and need to build up the will to exercise, but the months of effort make that easier knowing how great I will feel after and knowing the results of my commitment. Where I have noticed so much change is my awareness of what goes into my body. I still have times where I want and do eat too much, but I am acutely aware of those ramifications and cannot lie to myself. I know that this chocolate chip cookie has far more calories than I want to think it does. I know having 3 will equate to an average meal. These voices and understandings in my head carry a great deal of weight as I continue to make changes and good decisions.

How are you doing with your goals? Have you been needing some extra motivation? Do you find the difference by just ‘showing up’?

If you know anybody who you think might benefit from reading my blog, please share it with them. I would love to reach more people because the success I am currently experiencing comes after years of struggle and frustration that I know many others face. If I can help myself through this, wonderful. If I can help others, even better! I am here to cheer on your effort and work, to whatever goal you are aspiring towards.

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How did I do on last weeks action plan?:

1. 5 Cardio workouts. 1 45 min ride, 1 HIIT Ride, 1 Low Impact ride, 2 runs. Partially attained . 4 rides and no run
2. 2 Strength Sessions (Tues/Sat) Not attained
3. Plan out my meals, stick to them, and portion snacks. Partially Attained.
4. 2 additional outdoor activities. This can include walks with my daughter, disc golfing, skiing, etc. Attained
5. 3 dedicated stretch sessions. 2 10-min lower body and 1 10 min full body (Mon/Wed/Fri). Not Attained
6. 20-30 minute midday walk on work days. Attained
7. Track every bite. Attained
8. Drink 10 glasses of water per day. Attained
9. Find some quiet time to calm my thoughts and mind. 2 5-10 minute sessions. Attained

Action Plan

1. 5 Cardio workouts. 1 45 min ride, 1 HIIT Ride, 1 Low Impact ride, 1 misc ride, 1 run.
2. 2 Strength Sessions (Tues/Sat)
3. Plan out my meals, stick to them, and portion snacks
4. 2 additional outdoor activities. This can include walks with my daughter, disc golfing, skiing, etc
5. 3 dedicated stretch sessions. 2 10-min lower body and 1 10 min full body (Mon/Wed/Fri)
6. 20-30 minute midday walk on work days
7. Track every bite
8. Drink 10 glasses of water per day
9. Find some quiet time to calm my thoughts and mind. 2 5-10 minute sessions

Please stay tuned for more updates. If you have been enjoying this, please become an email follower or a wordpress follower. Having this public audience has been a positive motivation for me to continue working towards my goals and so I really am thankful for all of you!

Date	Change in Weight
12/1*	–
12/2*	-5.4 lbs
12/9	-5.4 lbs
12/16	-3.4 lbs
12/23	+2.8 lbs
12/29	-1.2 lbs
1/6	-1.4 lbs
1/13	-1.6 lbs
1/20	-1.4 lbs
1/27	+0.4 lbs
2/3	-1.2 lbs
2/10	-4.6 lbs
2/17	+0.4 lbs
2/24	-1.6 lbs
3/2	-3.2 lbs
3/9	+1.8 lbs
3/16	-3.2 lbs
3/23	-0.6 lbs
3/30	+0.4 lbs
4/6	-1.6 lbs
4/13	+0.8 lbs
4/20	-1.8 lbs
4/27	0 lbs
5/4	+2.4 lbs
5/11	-5.2 lbs
5/18	0 lbs
5/25	-1.0 lbs
6/1	-1.2 lbs
6/8	-0.4 lbs
6/15	-0.8 lbs
6/22	+0.8 lbs
6/29	-1.4 lbs
7/6	-2.4 lbs

* I first weighed myself on a Sunday night and began the regular weigh-ins the following morning

-Ben