Working out is not a problem

Depending on your sources, you can have a variety of statistics on the breakdown in importance between calorie intake and exercise for weight loss. That remains a huge part of my frustration, I admit. I can follow a plan, if I know it is successful in the long-term. But while some will say weight loss is an easy equation of calories in versus calories burned, others will show scientific evidence of the KIND of calories (fiber, protein, good carbs vs. bad) or the timing of calories (eat whatever before 2 p.m., eat every 4 hours) or the temperature of calories (ice water burns more...) being a critical factor in success in weightloss. Frankly, if you did all kinds of online research, I can see where you might #1 - give up completely or #2 - buy into some stupid plan like the grapefruit diet.

But the bottom line is that nothing will work long term if you don't learn tio eat properly. I hear that losing weight is 70 - 80% diet, and the rest exercise. That is frustrating to me because exercise is NOT a problem for me. In fact just today I did a GREAT 30-minute upper body weight work out and a 5-mile run. But did I eat okay today? That is really the question when it comes to weightloss. And while the answer for today is probably "yes"...that is not the same as this past weekend....or last weekend, when I was on vacation. And if I am not ultimately learning to be a better eater I am not being successful in my current endeavour, I will also not accomplish long-term success in my relationship with food, which is really critical.

Our scale has been acting up, I think it is now fixed, but I do not have a current weight to report. Nor have I been good about tracking my calories.....I wanted to get to the point where that was not necessary....but I do not think I am there.

And the holiday season is upon us, which means food challenges. I have a lot to learn.

Set-backs and steps forward

Admittedly, I am not a parent. But some would say my dog is my baby. If parenting is worse than being an overly-protective dog owner, then it's a good thing children are not in my future. Vega was sick last week and Wednesday -Friday nights were a lot more stress than sleep. The result was no workout Thursday or Friday, and Saturday, Sunday and Monday had "better-than-nothing" workouts.

On the upside, the food intake, while not well-tracked, has been better. I made homemade pizza for lunch one day, but only had one peice of cheese and a salad. I was also designated driver when we went out Saturday night, so my alcohol consumption has been down. No desserts and hardly any white bread products have been in my diet. And today my dinner was a potato and vegetables. I only weighed myself Saturday (150) so I am not sure where I stand in weightloss, but I am pleased with some of the lifestyle choices I have made and hope they are indicative of a change in eating habits that I can stick with.

I am headed for bed very early tonight, and have plans for a good workout tomorrow, as well as a good meal plan.

Weight: Unsure
Physical Activity: 5-mile round trip bike commute, 35 minutes on the ellptical, 3 miles walking the dog.
Calories: 1500 (I think it is probably less than this, but I make homemade pizza and had the rest for lunch today and I had to guess how to enter that into Sparkpeople.