New Toy, Scale Obsession & Some Goals

My experience of not losing weight doing the crazy CATZ workouts yet losing weight on the cruise got me thinking about how accurate the BMR and exercise calorie counters are.  It also had me wondering just how much random activity (non exercise) effects my calorie burn.  So I did some research and decided to get a Bodybugg and so far I am really pleased with the purchase.  It is AMAZING how much a little grocery shopping or house cleaning can boost my calorie burn!!  Maybe I won't hire a house keeper after all.  It does make me wish I worked at an office.  I can only imagine how walking back and forth to talk to people and go to meetings would help me get to my calorie burn target.

So after rescuing the scale from hubby's trunk I have been completely immersed in my scale obsession.  I didn't feel like just tracking calories and measurements was giving me enough information and I returned to weighing multiple times a day.  However I think with the Bodybugg, Fat Secret and measurements, I may be able to let the scale go...so it is going back in the trunk until April 15th.  Then I will weigh & measure myself and see if the weightloss/inch loss is inline with what the Bodybugg program is telling me.  Goodbye for now scale.

So I still need to define my reasons for setting out on this journey and set some goals...
Reasons to lose fat
1. I LOVE the beach and would love to take 2-3 beach vacations/year.  But my jiggly legs make me uncomfortable in swimsuits.  Can't love the beach and not look good in a swimsuit...soooooooo I want to feel good in a swimsuit.
2. I am approaching 40 and it (meaning metabolism) all goes downhill after that.  I want to be 40 and fabulous which means I need to start NOW!
3. I want more energy, I need more energy, I will have more energy.
4. This body is the only one I get so I need to show it some love so that it will last for the long haul.
5. I am way to close to my 200 lb threshold!!!!!
6.  I don't want too look up and suddenly weigh 300 lbs. Losing 30-40 lbs seems overwhelming so losing 130-140 lbs would seem insurmountable.

GOALS
1.Lose 25-35 lbs.  I don't have a set number because it will really depend on how my body feels/looks.  I don't mind weighing more if the jiggles are gone.
2. Do 5 regular push ups.
3. Do 1 unassisted pull up
4.Use Bodybugg and FatSecret to create AT LEAST a 3500 calorie a week deficit.
5. Swim 2-3 times/week. - Build my endurance to do at least 2 pool lengths without stopping by the end of March.

I need to write a bit about the training plans I want to follow but I will save that for next time...

Refocusing

So it has been a month let's see what's been going on....

• I broke down and pulled out the scale.  Didn't lose a single pound in January.
• I attempted to do pull ups in my workout class.  My arms & shoulders hurt terribly for 4-5 days.
• I lost an inch in my waist and an inch around both calves.  I find it incredibly weird that I lost size in my calves...maybe I measured wrong the first time.
• We went on a 7 day vacation that included a 5 night cruise (= unlimited food) and I managed to lose 1.5 lbs.

So the cruise thing is really interesting.  I did not pig out while on the cruise.  I had breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I did not snack between meals.  I did have an appetizer, a main course and a dessert with EVERY dinner. I was also wayyyyyy more active than I am at home.  I walked all around the ship, did some swimming in the ocean, climbed half a waterfall, did more swimming and paddling down a river.  I think the combination of all of the activity and the lack of snacking helped contribute to the weight loss.

So how to keep this up at home???  I think 3 days/week of the fitness classes is too much.  The calorie burn from the class seems awesome but obviously I don't need to all our exert myself an hour a day.  I just need to incorporate more activity in my daily life.  Those simple things like parking farther away from the store.  Taking the stairs.  Once it starts to warm up- walking to pick Kel up from the bus stop.  I need to incorporate walks back into my routine. I also still would like to add more of the bodybuilding.com principles into my workout. 

I am going to check out the crossfit introduction on Saturday and do my 15 sessions of crossfit.  After I get the hand of crossfit, I need to decide if I can add more weighlifting into my routine.

I also think I'm am going to breakdown and buy a bodybugg or a heartrate monitor.  I need some baseline for how many calories I burn so that I can figure out how many calories to eat. 

I also still need to set goals.  I need concrete goals!!!  Right now my only goal is to not have yucky, cellulity, jiggle thighs.  The cruise & swimsuits and how horrible my legs/butt looked made me sad and ashamed.  It also made me a little angry.  I saw people way bigger than me with much less cellulite.  Why do I have to have the bad super cellulite genes??  I hate it!!!!  So I have to brainstorm some tangible achievable goals.  I have the 1st one - 5 push ups on my toes...