Weigh-In Wednesday

Current Weight: 185.8

Body Fat: 59.5 lbs.

Body Fat Percentage: 32.1%

BMI: 28.1

Total Weight Loss: 5 lbs!

Well, this is a great way to start things off! I am down 5 whole pounds this week! What a great birthday present! This past week has been all about getting the hang of tracking my points and pinpointing easy ways to cut down on high-point foods. I have definitely found places where I can make easy substitutions or cut out things entirely. I dipped way into my weekly points allowance this week but surprisingly did not max out. I even had a few days where I couldn’t even eat all my daily points.

The biggest change I’ve made so far has been cutting back on beer and random snacking. I did enjoy some wine over the weekend (which killed my daily points allowance pretty quickly) but I balanced that by not over indulging in snacks. I’ve cut out some of my weekday snacks and replaced those with fruit (0 points!).

I know this upcoming week will be a challenge. Between my birthday and visiting family this weekend, I expect my weekly points to be at about 0 this time next week. My goal is to make sure to balance out days of indulging in fast food with drinking more water and trying to get a workout or two in. I definitely plan to treat myself to some of my favorite foods this week but I don’t want to completely undo this great start I’ve made.

My main challenges now will be sustaining some of the food changes I’ve made while increasing my daily activity (and maybe actually earning an activity point or two!)

For the Love of Beer

I already know that one of my biggest weaknesses on this journey will be beer. I am a complete and total beer lover. I love trying different varieties from different breweries. I love seeing how different beers pair with different foods. I love the flavors and the complexities of it.

On top of that, moving to NC means unlocking a whole new world in terms of beer buying: Having beer available at the grocery store. In Maryland, buying a six-pack meant making a special trip to the liquor store. It was kind of a hassle. Now, I am greeted every week by a tempting variety of new beers to try. It also doesn’t help that North Carolina has some amazing local brewers that have found their way into my beer loving heart.

Unfortunately, beer tends to be several points… points that I suppose would be better served eating nutritious foods. And, even though I know there are light beer options… those are not much better points-wise and I definitely prefer quality over quantity when it comes to beer. So I will relegate my beloved beer to occasional treat status and find a way to incorporate this magical beverage into my new healthy routines.

Maybe this will help me cut out other unhealthy foods. No one wants Buffalo wings and water.

Weigh-In Wednesday #1

Today is the day to kick things off! I weighed-in this morning to find my starting point:

Current Weight: 190.8 lbs.

Body Fat: 62.7 lbs.

Body Fat Percentage: 32.9%

BMI: 28.9

Weight Watchers goal weight #1: 179.7

Current Points Plus daily allotment: 32 Points

This week will be spent getting a feel for point totals for foods I currently eat and taking a look at where I can cut back or substitute healthier options. My main goal for this week is to get into the habit of tracking all my food.

25 for 25

Welcome to 25 for 25! I’ve decided to start this blog to document my journey of attempting to lose at least 25 pounds this year. I turn 25 years old next week and decided this was the time to get serious about making some healthy lifestyle changes. For now, a brief introduction:

Why 25 pounds, why now?

Although I’ve never considered myself overweight, my weight has been creeping up steadily over the last few years. I figure now is the time to get a handle on things. Everyone’s early 20s are usually marked by the major life changes. For me, this included going away to college, finding a job and then making career moves, marriage, and moving to a new state. I know the 2^nd half of my 20s will include just as many exciting things and I want to kick it off by adopting some healthier habits.

25 pounds seems like a great goal to strive for in an effort to make some of these new habits permanent. Even though I would like to lose closer to 40 or 45 pounds to get to my ideal weight, 25 seems less looming and will allow me to focus on making sustainable changes.

I joined Weight Watchers online recently to help me track what I eat and how much activity I get. I’ve followed Weight Watchers once before for a few months before my wedding and was fairly successful then.

What all can we expect in this blog?

This will really be a way for me to track my progress and share any successes and struggles. I hope this will be a way to document what works for me and what doesn’t in terms of healthy eating and exercise. If those things can help others on their journey, then that is fantastic!

I plan on doing “Weigh-In Wednesdays” and posting the progress here. I bought a Weight Watchers scale from Target that measures body fat, body fat percentage, and calculates BMI so I will track those numbers as well.

There may end up being some just general life posts interspersed with the weight loss focused ones since this is really about making an overall lifestyle change. Stresses, achievements, and life in general will all play a role in this journey.

So I hope you will join me on this journey. We begin tomorrow with a first weigh-in and getting a feel for some of the changes I hope to make.