Weigh-In ... Finish Strong Week 1

Today's Weight: 165.5

Loss/Gain: -0.5

Short Story: (and then you can skip to the update below)
My week started off with too much food it did end up back on track, so I'm content with the half-pound loss. :)

Long Story:  (because you know I want to journal every bit of my journey...)
It's always better down than up, even if half a pound.  I'm pretty sure this loss is due to taking part in a time of fasting and prayer this week, because I was not eating like I planned on finishing the year strong last weekend.  Then, because I knew I would be fasting, I ate too much on Monday.

It was weird, because I saw myself eating extra just because I knew I'd be fasting and even though I knew it wasn't necessary or good.  Oh, that darn human nature that goes back to bad habits so easily.

However, despite the heavier eat at the beginning of the week there are two good points I can share about my week.

First, I wasn't overstuffed all weekend.  I simply didn't stop eating at satisfied ... I kept going until full.  I'm learning eating until satisfied is really the best way for my health and for weight loss, but I'm glad to see that my "BIG" eating days are no longer stuff-myself-til-I-think-I'm-gonna-be-ill days.  

Second, yesterday after going to the gym my sister-in-law and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  I ordered the old timers breakfast which includes, and I quote,
"Two Eggs* cooked to order with Grits, Sawmill Gravy and Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits along with real Butter and the best Preserves, Jam n' Apple butter available. Served with your choice of Fried Apples or Hashbrown Casserole and Smoked Sausage Patties, Turkey Sausage Patties or Thick-Sliced Bacon."

I know... YUUUM!

I always get the turkey sausage and hashbrown casserole with mine, and a cup of coffee.   I never eat the grits or gravy anymore, but I always have a biscuit, which looked small yesterday...and then I mentally thanked them for bringing small biscuits to me because I didn't need large ones.  :)

Anyway... I ended up eating my two eggs, one of the turkey sausage patties, 2-3 small bites of the casserole and one small biscuit.  Oh, and I tasted a bite of her blueberry muffin, which was yummy just like she exclaimed.

I sat sipping my coffee while we chatted, leaving the extra food around me untouched until they brought me a box to take it home in.  (She noticed again and asked if I was done, to which I replied that I was.)

I was not full, but I was completely satisfied.  And I didn't snack around the house, but waited until I was getting hungry and had a snack with some coffee in the late afternoon.   Hip. Hip. Hooray!

So, as I finish up this post I'm feeling confident that I will indeed meet my Finish Strong goal of breaking 160.  I know it's only seven pounds, but for me that will be huge since I've pretty much maintained over the summer.   Now on to the update.

My first update on my Finish Strong challenge...

Main Goal:

• I want to break 160 on the scale.  I want to see 159 or lower.  Started at 166.0.  Down 0.5/7 pounds towards this goal.  :)

Sub goals:

• Exercise 4 days a week minimum, shoot for two days of running and two days of something else.  Runs can be 30-35 minutes, but everything else 45-60 minutes.  Not so good this week due to planned time of fasting that I forgot about when I set the goals. There's no way I can exercise when I'm not eating.  
• Track food, even if over calorie budget.  I tracked 6 out of 7 days.  It was interesting, okay...amazing to see how many calories I consumed on one of the weekend days.  wow.  And I didn't do any planned exercise, so probably didn't burn extra.  More wow.  I definitely need to work on keeping my weekends in check food wise.  
• Drink minimum of 64 oz. water daily.  I think I made this almost every day, but I'm giving myself a yellow because I'm not sure.  I'm going to have to remember to track it in my food tracker so I know if I made it or not.   Water should be my easy green every week.  :) 

Did anyone decide to join me?  Even if you don't make it all official-like, feel free to comment if it made you think about finishing 2012 strong.  

And for those of you who have finished strong and continue to fight the fight, thanks.  Because it's people like you Lori and Diane and Stephanie, to name a few who encourage me to keep going.  :)

Have a good weekend!