Slow and steady wins the race

I have officially lost five pounds! Okay, I'm trying to sound more excited than I actually am, cuz losing weight takes FOREVER. The general rule of thumb is that one to two pounds per week is a healthy rate of weight loss for most people. I am floating almost right at that one pound mark. Figures I'd be at the low end.

Okay, I know I shouldn't be complaining, because five pounds is good. This is just going to take more commitment than any other time I've had to lose weight, for a couple of reasons. One, I have more weight to lose, so I have to stick with a restricted diet longer (of course I'm going to have to be more careful about what I eat even after I lose the weight, but not quite as cautious). The most weight I've ever shed is 15 pounds, and I'm looking at twice that now (well, minus the 5 so now I've only got 25 to go).

Issue two, though is how I'm losing the weight. In the past, I've just started running like a madman, three or four times a week, at least. I'd watch what I ate too, but I wasn't fanatical about tracking my calorie intake or anything, because with the running and just cutting out some sweets and fast food, I could usually take off a few pounds pretty quickly. Plus I liked running (I know, sadistic, but it cleared my head, mellowed me out, yada yada...).

But now, unfortunately, I am forbidden from running. It was basically the one activity my neurosurgeon forbid me from doing. No prohibitions on bungee jumping or roller coasters or anything else one might think could be dangerous to the back, but yeah he sure did say, "Running is probably a bad idea." He said running on a treadmill is okay, but what fun is that? Stay in one place, maybe listen to my iPod, glance around me at the other sweaty people in much better shape than me...it's a thrill a minute, let me tell you.

So, I am doing the Y workout thing. Which is good, because I'm doing strength training, and I'm paying special attention to the machines that work my core muscles to make sure my back stays nice and strong in the future. I'm hoping to catch a yoga or pilates class one of these days, if I can get there in time after work. And I'm even doing the treadmill some. It's just a lot harder to motivate myself.

Anyhoo, it does make me feel good to see steady progress, and I have been doing really well watching my calorie intake. I think the hardest thing about that is when I'm eating with other people. Because for me to stay on top of my calories, I have to be really anal about it--I carry a little journal and calorie guide around with me all the time, because if I just try to keep track of it in my head, I will overeat. So if I'm doing this around someone heavier than me, I worry that they will think the same thing I think when I hear someone thinner than me talking about fat grams or watching carb intake or whatever--"what does she have to worry about anyway?"

Luckily I don't look like I'm as overweight as I am, but I know what my weight used to be, and should be. My BMI is about three points over what is considered healthy. And while I'm not going to make my health decisions based solely on charts, I know that I had reached a point where I needed to make some lifestyle changes and be healthier. My mom and grandma both are overweight, and they didn't start out that way. The pounds crept on gradually, like they have with me, until they reached a point where I think the weight loss just seemed like an insurmountable challenge. I don't want to reach that point, where my weight would affect the activities I could enjoy, the clothes I could wear, and my overall health. And with my back issues, I know it's all the more important to keep my weight down and to keep the muscles that help protect strong.

So at the rate I am going...one month down, five more to go. Wish me luck!