Positive reinforcement - from the mirror!

[kezzstar24]

I've been trying to avoid the scales until my weekly weigh-in on Sunday (otherwise I'll just get discouraged with the up-and-down fluctuations that happen day-to-day), but today when I looked at the mirror I noticed that while I still have a fair bit around the middle, it's a lot flatter that it has been! It's great to see that my hard work is starting to show, I can't wait to see what I look like when I lose those last 16kgs!

It's amazing the difference my afternoon walk makes, and I only really do it because I love walking through South Bank, Woolloongabba and Kangaroo Point. Plus I'm doing my best to make small, permanent changes to my diet, like only having small Kit Kats instead of King-Size ones, swapping fizzy drinks for fruit juice (there's a NRG Juice Bar outside of my platform at Central Station, and it's great watching them juice up the fruit to make a yummy drink) and only "junking out" when I watch sport (and even limiting that). I guess the 14km Sunday walk helps too. Sometimes being a creature of habit is a good thing.

[Blitz]

You may want to quantify what's happening in the mirror by taking down your measurements and keeping a record of the changes.
One of my regrets is not thinking about doing that. I have a record of my daily weight going downwards but none of my waist!
I have an old pair of pants with a gigantic girth that use to be "snug" on me and no idea when and how my waist shrunk.
So I do recommend that you take some measurements of yourself. Not just the waist either...hips, thighs, neck, arm and even neck.
Our minds tend to forget...the numbers keep the success fresh!

Losing weight is about making a healthy lifestyle that works for you.
The foundation of that is creating good healthy habits that replace unhealthy ones in your life.
The quicker you establish those good habits; the quicker those weight loss results come.

I went from at least a litre of coke a day man to never having the stuff at all (can't stand it nowadays).
I use to eat junk food sugar filled chocolate bars (ie like Kit Kats and worse) to only eating (very moderately) quality REAL chocolate.
I use to NEVER exercise. I started with a ten minute walk (that was all I could do)...now I can jog for hours - and greatly enjoy it!

These changes happened...not overnight - but slowly and surely as I worked hard to establish good healthy habits into my lifestyle.
May you have that same success!

Kim

[kezzstar24]

I kept telling myself to wait until Sunday to weigh myself, but the scales were too tempting.

Another 4kgs bites the dust.

Suddenly my goal of being 60-65kgs by November seems achievable!

[Blitz]

It looks so impossible when you start the journey but it really is amazing how all those small numbers chip away that big figure until suddenly you realise just how possible it all is.

Kim

[kezzstar24]

A minor setback - on my 14km hike on Sunday I got forced off the footpath by some arrogant skateboarders...ended up with a kneeful of bitumen!

Didn't get to walk yesterday

[Blitz]

A minor setback - on my 14km hike on Sunday I got forced off the footpath by some arrogant skateboarders...ended up with a kneeful of bitumen!

Didn't get to walk yesterday

That sort of stuff can happen! The hazards of getting fit.
One night I was jogging along nicely when I was bowled over by a passing bike rider who didn't even stop! I picked myself gingerly off the ground sore and sorry...ended up with three big scabs on my knee that mockingly formed a smiley face! I did go jogging the next night...it was hard going but I wasn't going to be stopped!

Hope you recover soon...and watch out for those skaters!

Kim

[kezzstar24]

Well, after a hellish two weeks (read: my wallet (which was my favourite present from my little sister) got nicked, my favourite footy player (and friend) decided to up and move to Sydney and we won't talk about the USB that had my lifes work on it suddenly dying) I seemed to have stopped at about 74-72kgs.

I'm still walking daily (my favourite 14kms tomorrow!) but I feel like I'm going no where. 2014 sucks majorly.

[Blitz]

Well, after a hellish two weeks (read: my wallet (which was my favourite present from my little sister) got nicked, my favourite footy player (and friend) decided to up and move to Sydney and we won't talk about the USB that had my lifes work on it suddenly dying) I seemed to have stopped at about 74-72kgs.

I'm still walking daily (my favourite 14kms tomorrow!) but I feel like I'm going no where. 2014 sucks majorly.

Well nothing practical can be done about the wallet, footy friend and USB (except to learn the lesson to back up to more than one device) but something can be done about hovering at 74-72kg.
If you are no longer losing weight then one of two things is happening...

1) You have increased your eating without realising it.
Your portion size has either crept up, you are getting lax and starting to make poor choices or your snacking is getting to frequent and/or large. This can happen so easily without us being conscious of what is happening. Losing the last five kilos of my weight loss took nearly two months simply because I was snacking too much. I was exercising like a mad dog only to use it up by eating too much snacks. Once I realised what was going wrong I reduced my snacks and within a fortnight lost the remaining five kilos.

2) You need to up your exercise routine.
Your body very quickly gets use to routine and orders the body's metabolism accordingly. You have now developed muscles and physical fitness that can cope very well with the demands of your routine exercises. Routine is the enemy of those who want to lose weight. We must always create demands on the body so that it has to go to the fat reserves to meet demand. When I started exercising, a ten minute walk was enough to help me lose weight (don't forget I was carry 87 kilos of extra fat as well). As I got more fit and exercise became easier I increased my physical activity. I started walking greater distances and then increased my speed over those distances. Slowly but surely I introduced short jogs into my walking until I finally was able to jog the whole distance. Another thing you can do is break up the routine by variety. You can vary your distances and/or intensity. You can also do something that uses a whole different set of muscles. I found swimming and bike riding can do that for you. I found the training pattern - normal day; hard intense day; easier day...a useful cycle to follow to maximise my exercise.

Kim

[DD Diva]

I'm still walking daily (my favourite 14kms tomorrow!) but I feel like I'm going no where. 2014 sucks majorly.

I'm sorry to read about the loss of your wallet and friend (as in moving away, unlike your USB which actually died)!
However, on a positive note, you've managed to maintain the walking, and 14kms is a very admirable feat!! You should be very proud!!
And the fact that you've also managed to lose 14kg (so far) is pretty good too, so (from where I'm sitting) 2014 hasn't been too bad really??!!

[Blitz]

And the fact that you've also managed to lose 14kg (so far) is pretty good too, so (from where I'm sitting) 2014 hasn't been too bad really??!!

Good point Josie...With 14kg lost - it's only another 12kg to go...you've pasted the half way mark - it's all downhill from here on!
Don't get discouraged - get going!

Kim

[DD Diva]

Stay positive!!!

It's tough, no one ever said anything about weight loss is easy, if it were we wouldn't be overweight in the first place right???????
But have faith in yourself (you can do this) and most of all, stand proud and tall, you've done well (so far) with a little more of the stuff you put into losing the 14kg, you'll shed the remaining 12kg with (perhaps not with ease) but with confidence all the way to victory!!!