I've got this!

 I should have figured out by now what works and doesn't for my weight loss journey. I count calories, know I will have a calorie splurge on the weekends with going out to eat and having drinks. I skip breakfast most days, but did treat myself to weekend coffee flights. Lunch is simple popcorn and measured out for calorie control. Dinners I try to share food or choose lower calorie options like drinks and food choices. I also skip the high calorie items like fries 99% of the time, just having a few instead of all. I even have had desserts along the way. It's all trying to re-learn how to eat, so when I'm not needing to lose more weight I can maintain. 

I also am back to wanting to exercise and go to the gym. Loving getting sweaty burning calories and lifting weights to tone up. Half the battle is just getting started and then I'm on auto pilot, just go and keep going.

I was disappointed by the lack of whipped cream. Food coloring or sprinkled sugar. Plus, they had no flavor in most with the last being a strong coconut. Not good at all!!And not cute with the exception of the heart gummy. 

I got a coffee yesterday, but knew it was loaded with cream. I only drank 1/3 of it and gave the rest to Steve to finish. I was still able to enjoy our coffee trip to 3rd space in Mpls. I really went there for the flight, but it was awful and I returned it. There is still one coffee flight place I'd love to try out in Osseo. I'm hoping the 4th one is way better than this last flight. The only one I didn't like. At $15 they are not cheap either! 

I really wanted my Thai Chicken soup, but Celina and Don wanted to meet us out at Red Cow in St Paul last night. Steve and I shared a burger and salad. I had about 4 fries and gave the rest to Steve along with the pickles. The salad had a vinaigrette dressing and was really good. Delicious meal, but I never really know how to determine the calories. I just look up something similar on my Fitbit. 

Here's what I ate yesterday

Coffee - 200 calories ? 

Popcorn 130 calories

1/2 burger, 4 fries and a shared salad 700 calories

aprox 1030 for the day

Exercise: Yoga, 1 min plank, dumb bells 10/10/30/10

30 min stair mill level 5, 6, 7 and 1 min 10

30 min weight machines

Total of 300 calories burned. 

Day # 83 almost done with week #12, Which according to my weight loss I should be around 170. That's if I was losing 3 pounds per week. I'd be happy to be any where in the 170's. Although, I would like to be in the 160's next week. Even high 160's would be fine. Any rate, I weight a lot less then I did 12 weeks ago no matter the weight. Not sure if I lost any inches. I know there will be a time where I don't see any progress some weeks and I'm kind of in that phase now with only seeing 1/2 inch lost on my hips last week and the week before not much progress either. It's not fun to not see any changes for my efforts. Right now I'm working on seeing more arm muscles, my stomach having less fat. Working on getting to the gym every day and seeing progress. I didn't miss one day or morning of exercise last week. Going for 6 days this week. The weather/snow storm with a foot or more snow might be a travel issue to get to the gym Wed/Thursday this week. I do have our cross ramp at home, so I will still get in some cardio. No excuse and a back up option in case I'm stuck at home. Plus, there will be skiing and shoveling snow. It's always good to have a back up plan in place. 

What wasn't so great this week? Eating out Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Two drinks while out on Saturday instead of one, with an ice cream dessert that I didn't need. Was I still exercising - Yes. Did I count calories and stay under 1500, yep. So that was a win/win even though it was a splurge. I have to live a little too. I can't have a diet and weight loss a punishment. It should be a reward with out going over board and then getting back on track asap! 

Monday here's the plan... 

Morning workout (yoga, plank and dumb bells)

No breakfast

Work 9am to 11, Burn 200 calories 

lunch - popcorn 130 

Gym - stair mill and weight machines - burn 300 calories

dinner - Thai chicken soup  - 400 calories 

raspberries 50 cal

Total burn = 500

Total ate = 580 cal for the day

Measure and maybe weight in tomorrow! Not really sure if I'm going to have a snow week, if I should weigh myself. Still not sure about stepping on the scale?? I'm worried I'd still be in the 180's or high 170s. I think I'd be okay with 170's, just don't want to be in the 180's any more. This might discourage my progress and mess with my head. 

I would like some raspberries for dessert. Which I'll need to purchase. I ate all the pomegranates which were my after dinner snack.